A collection of theological tracts : in six volumes

3fohac^^am5

IN THE CUSTODY Or TME

BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY.

SHELF N'

>ADAMS

/?!,

viL

COLLECTION

OP

THEOLOGICAL TRACTS,

IN SIX VOLUMES.

By RICHARD WATSON, D.D. F. R.S.
Lord Bishop of Laudatt,

AND

Regius Professor ^/'Divinity in the University of
Cambridge.

VOL. VI.

CAMBRIDGE,

Printedby J. Archdeacon Printer to the UNIVERSITY;

for J. & J. Merrill, Cambridge ; T. Evans, London;

and J. & J. Fletcher, Oxford.

M.DCC.LXXXV.

CONTENTS.

Eight Charges delivered to the Clergy of the Diocefes of Oxford
and Canterbury. To which are added, InJlruSliom to
Candidates for Orders. By Thomas Secker, LL.D. late
Lord Archbifhop of Canterbury. Lojid. 1769. p. i.

The Vifitation Charges which have been publifhed, at different times,
by the Bifhops of the Church of England, rehitive to the paftoral duties
of the Clergy, are many and good; and thefe by Archbifhop Secker de-
ferve as much attention as the beft of them. Herbert's Country Parfon ;
Burnefs Paftoral Care ; Ojiervald's Leftures on the Exercife of the Sa-
cred Miniftry ; not to fpeak of Chryfojiom and the other Ancients, who
have written on the fubjed, may be very ufefully read by ferious minded
men.

A T'reatife concerning the Caufes of the prefent Corruption of
Chrijiians, and the Remedies thereof By J.F.Oster vald.
Tranflated into Englifh by C. Mutel. 2d Ed. 1702.

p.115.

This book was highly efteemed by Bp. Burnet; and indeed all the wri-
tings of Mr. Oftervald have been very favourably received in the world
in general.

^he Defign of Chrijlianity : or, a plain Demonftration and
Improvement of this Fropofition, viz. That the enduing
Men with inward real Righteoufnefs, or true Holinefs, was
the ultimate End of our Saviour s coming i?ito the Worlds
and is the great Intendment of bis bleffed Gofpel. By Ed.
Fowler, D.D. Bifhop of Gloucefler. 3d Ed. Lond,
1699- • P.31J.

_ This work was firft publiftied in 1676, there have been feveral edi-
tions of it fince ; but not fo many, as, from the worth of it, might have
been expeded. Lucas' Pradlical Chriftianity; Scoffs Chriftian Life;
The whole Duty of Man ; Holy Living and Dying ; and Thomas a Kern-
pis, of the Imitation of Chrift, are works of a fimilar tendency. Bp.
Burnet, in fpeaking of fuch kind of books, very truly fays, "bv the fre-
quent reading of thefe books, by the relifh that one has in them, by the
delight they give, and the effeas they produce, a man will plainly perceive,
whether his foul is made for divine matters or not ; wliat fuitablenefs
there is between him and them ; and whether he is vet touched with fuch
a fenfe of religion, as to be capable of dedicating himfcif to it."

Appendix.

THE

CHARGE

O F

THOMAS Lord Bifliop of Oxford,

TO THE

CLERGY of his Diocese,

IN

His PRLMARY VISITATION 1738.

Reverend Brethren^

^.^■'^.'^ A M very fenfible, that you cannot meet together on this oc-
w I ^ cafion, without making deep reflexions on the lofs, which you
^»"<(t^ have fufFered, for the publiclc good, by the removal of a paftor,
whom the experience of fo many years hath taught you to efteem and
honour fo highly. It is your farther unhappinefs, that he is fucceeded
by a perfon, very unequal to the care of this confpjcuous and important
diocefe. But your humanity and your piety will, I doubt not, incline you,
both to accept and to affift the endeavours of one, who can aflure you,
with very great truth, that he is earneftly defirous of being as ufeful to
you all, as he can ; and ferioufly concerned for the interefts of religion,
and of this church. Would to God there were lefs need of expreffing
a concern for them, than there is at prefent !

Men have always complaiaed of their own times : and always with too
Vol. VI, A much

2 The B'tfiop of Oxford's

much reafon. But though it is natural to think thofe evils the greateft,
which we feel ourfelves ; and therefore rniftakes are eafily made, in com-
paring one age with another : yet in this we cannot be miftaken, that an
open and profefTed difregard to religion is become, through a variety of
unhappy caufes, the diftinguifhing character of the prefent age ; that
this evil is grown to a great height in the metropolis of the nation ; is
daily fpreading through every part of it ; and, bad in itfelf as any can be,
muft of neceflity bring in moft others after it. Indeed it hath already
brought in fuch difTolutenefs and contempt of principle in the higher part
of the world, and fuch profligate intemperance, and fearlefsnefs of com-
mitting crimes, in the lower, as muft-, if this torrent of impiety Hop
not, become abfolutely fatal. And God knows, far from flopping, it
receives, through the ill dcfigns of fome perfons, and the inconfiderate-
nefs of others, a continual increafc. Cliriftianity is now ridiculed and
railed at, with very little referve : and the teachers of it, without any at
all. Indeed, with refpc^l: to us, the rule, which moft: of our adverfaries
appear to have fet themfelves is, to be, at all adventures, as bitter as they
can : and they follow it, not only beyond truth, but beyond probability:
afl'erting the very worft: things of us without foundation, and exaggerat-
ing every thing without mercy: imputing the faults, and fometimes
imaginary faults, of particular perfons to the whole order ; and then de-
claiming againft: us all promifcuoufly, with fuch wild vehemence, as, in
any cafe but ours, they themfelves would think, in the highefl: degree,
unjuft: and cruel. Or if fometimes a few exceptions are made, they are
ufually made only to divide us amongfl: ourfelves : to deceive one part
of us, and throw a greater odium upon the other. Still, were thefe in-
veftives only to alFed us perfonalh;, dear as our reputations are and ought
to be to us, the mifchicf would be fmall, in comparifon of what it is.
But the confequence hath been, as it naturally muft, that difregard to
us hath greatly increafed the difregard to public worfhip and inflrudlion :
that many are grown prejudiced againft religion; many more, indiffe-
rent about it and unacquainted with it. And the emifTaries of the Ro-
mijh church, taking the members of ours at this unhappy difadvantage,
have begun to reap great harvefts in the field, which hath thus been pre-
pared for them by the labours of thofe, who would be thought their mpfl
irreconcileable enemies.

Yet, however melancholy the view before us appears, we have no
reafon to be difcouraged : for let us take care of our duty, and God will
take care of the event. But we have great reafon to think ferioully,
what our duty on this occafion is ; and ftir up each other to the perfor-
piance of it : that whcre-ever the guilt of thefe things may fall, it may
not fall on our heads. For it rniiji needs be, that ojfefices come : but wo to
that man, by njhom the offence co?neth [a). Our grief for the decay of re-
ligion might be attended with much comfort in regard to ourfelves^
could v/e but truly fay, that no faults or infirmities of ours had ever given
advantages againft it. But though, God be thanked, we are far from
iseing what our adverfaries would reprefent us ; whofe reproaches per-
haps were never lefs deferved, than now when they are the moft violent :
yet, it mufl be owned, we are not by any means, even the beit of us,
■' what

(a) Matth, xyiii. 7.

jlrjl Charge to his Clergy. 3

what we ought to be. And the prefent ftate of things calls loudly upon
us, to corre<£l our miftakes, to fupply our deficiencies, and do all we ^re
able for the honour of God, and the happinefs of mankind.

If we can be unconcerned now, we have neither piety nor common
prudence in us. And if we are concerned in earncft, we fliall be very
defirous, both to avoid all wrong methods of (hewing it, and to make ule
of all right ones.

Complaining of our fuperiors for thofe evils, which perhaps they can-
not prevent ; or complaining of them with difrefpe^l, for what we may
apprehend they could prevent, would both be undutiful and imprudent
conduct: would give our adverfaries joy, and do our caufe harm. In-
deed to beg earneftly of God, that he would diredt the hearts of thofe,
who prefide over the public welfare ; and humbly to reprefent to them,
on all fit occafions, the declining ftate of religion, the importance and
themeansofprefervingit; thefe things are unqueftionable duties. But then
we muft always approve ourfelves, at the fame time, confcientioufly loyal
both in word and deed ; reafonable in our expeilations ; fincerely grate-
ful for the protection, which we are aflured of enjoying ; and duly ki\~
fible, that every thing of value to us, in this world, depends on the fup-
port of that government, under which we now live. We cannot be
good men, if we are bad fiibje£ls : and we are not wife men, if we per-
mit ourfelves to be fufpedled of it.

A fecond proper caution is, That to fpeak unfax'ourably of liberty, re-
-ligious or civil, inftead of carefully diflinguiftiing both from the many
•abufes of them, which we daily fee ; or to encourage any other reftraints
on either, than public utility makes evidently needful ; can only ferve
to increafe that jealoufy, which being in former ages grounded too well,
hath been moft induftrioufly heightened, when there never was fo little
pretence of ground for it ; that the claims of the clergy are hurtful to
the rights of mankind. It concerns us greatly to remove fo danf^-erous
a prejudice againft us as this : not by renouncing thofe powers, which
the Gofpel hath given us ; for we are bound to affert them : but by con-
vincing the world, that they are perfe6lly innocent ; and avoiding all
appearance of afluming what we have no right to : by fhewing our°ab-
horrence of tyranny, efpecially over the confciences of men ; and fatis-
fying them fully, if pofTible, that we preach not ourfelves^ hut CJyri/lJefus,
the Lord', and ourfelves^ their fervants for hh fake [b). Then, with re-
fpeil to the privileges, that we derive from human authority : as, on the
one hand, receding from any of them without caufe is only inviting freih
encroachments, and giving needlefs advantages to fuch as will be fure
to lofe none: fo, on the other, ftraining them too far is the likelieft way
to deftroy them all at once : and both our ufefulnefs and our fecurity
depend very much, on our appearing plainly to defire nothing inconfif-
tent with the common good; to have the trueft concern for all reafon-
able liberty, and to be zealous only againft licentioufnefs and confu-
fion.

Thirdly, If we fhould be tempted to oppofe profanenefs, Jjy encou-
raging the oppofite extreme of fuperftition : this alfo would be unjufti-
iiable in itfelf j v.ould have bad efFefts upon as many as we might mif-
, A 2 lead ;

(Ij 2 Cor. iv. 5.

^ ^heB'tJhop of Oxford's

lead; and give great opportunities to all that fhould fee them mifled, eU
ther of accufing religion, or expofing us, as corrupters of religion. Not
that we are to give up inconfiderately, whatever fome perfons are pleafcd
to charge with fupet {lition : for there would be no end of conceflions at
that rate : but only to avoid encouraging any thing, that can be juftly
charged with it ; and then we fhall ftand upon fure ground. For no>»
thing can be more unjuft, than thofe imputations of it, which our ad-
yerfaries are fo fond of throwinp:, fome upon Chriftianity itfelf, others
on the do<Strine and worfhip of that church, of which, through God's
rnerciful Providence, we have the happinefs to be members.

Another very pernicious error would be, if we fhould think to ferve
pur caufe by intemperate warmth in it. Chriftian zeal indeed is a duty,
that never was more needful, and never lefs fhewn. But paflion will do
no good. If exfJrefled againft thofe, who are indifferent about religion,
i$. will turn them into enemies : if againft the enemies of religion, it
will make them yet more vehement enemies. Befides, the extravagant
things that men lay and attempt againft us and our profeffion, are not
always defigned injuries ; but frequently the effects of mifreprefentations,
and prejudice?, that have imperceptibly taken hold on perfons, who
otherwife mean tolerably well. Now mildnefs to fuch as thefe, is but
juftice : and to all others, it is prudence. Railing is the province which
our adverfaries have chofen : and let us leave it to them. For whatever
fuccefs they may meet with that way, as indeed they excel in it, we fhall
meet with none ; but only make the fpirit of Chriftianity be mifunder^
ftood and ill fpoken of, by our own want of it. Therefore, how inju-
rioufly foever we may be treated, let us return neither injurious nor harfh
treatment for it : nor endeavour to mark out thofe perfons for obje£ls of
popular hatred, who are ever fo unwearied in labouring to make us fo.
Yet, at the fame tirpe we muft never court irreligious men by wrong
compliances ; never contribute to increafe their power of doing harm ; ne-
ver defert our duty, either for fear of them, or favour from them. But then
let us defend both religion and ourfelves, with that fairnefs and decency,
as well as courage, which becomes our function : acknowledge ingenu-
oufly whatever can be allcdged againft us with truth, only claiming equi-
table allowances ; and where charges are untrue, yet ufe mild expoftu-
lations, not reproaches ; and try to fhajne our oppofers by the reafonable-
nefs of what we fay, rather than exafperate them by the vehemence of
it. They indeed have little caufe either to complain or to triumph, if,
under fuch grofs provocations as they give, our temper fometimes fails :
but yve have great caufe to do our utmoft, that it fail not.

And if undue feverity of fpeech muft be forborn towards profefled ene-
mies ; much more to thofe, who may, for aught we know, defign them-
felves for friends. Indeed, when it is evident, that men only put on a
pretence of wifhing we]l to Chriftianity, or the teachers of it ; and,
whilft they affeft to charge us with uncharitablenefs for queftioning their
fmcerity, would defpife us for believing them : there we muft .be allow-
ed to fee what plainly appears j and to fpeak of them, both as adverfaries,
and unfair ones. Or whjn doctrines, whatever the intcntibn of pro-
pagating them be, are inconfiftent either with the whole or any part of
fcur religion j it is no uncharitablenefs, but our duty, to lay open the
• ^ ■ ^ ■ falftiood

firji Charge to hh Clergy. 5

fnlfliood and the danger of them. Nay, fuppofing only the legal efta-
blifhment of religion, or feme branch of it be attacked j yet the attempt
may both be injurious enough to us, and detrimental enough to the pub-
lic, to deferve a vigorous oppofition. But to fhew paflion and bitternefs
in any of thefe cafes ; to take pleafure in making m'ens miftakes or de-
ligns thought worfe than they are; to judge har/hly of them with re-
fpecfb to another world, or expofe them to ill ulagc in this ; to refufe
them due allowances for human infirmity, or be more backward to own
their merits, than to fee their faults : fuch behaviour, inftead of pro-
moting truth, will prejudice the world againft it; will give unbelievers
dreadful advantages, and for ever prevent that union amongft Chriftians,
which would procure us, above all things, the efteem of men,- and the
blelTing of God.

From thefe improper methods of fupporting religion, let us now pro-
ceed to the ^proper ones. And they will naturally fall under the general
heads of our inftruilions and our lives.

Giving inftrucStion requires knowledge. And therefore, as a compe-
tent degree of it is juftly expected of pcrfons, before they enter into holy
orders : fo, when they enter, the care of making a continual progrefs m
it is folemnly promifed by them, and covenanted for with them. What
may be a very good beginning, is by no means a fufHcient Hock to go on
with ; and even that will leflen, if no pains be taken to increafe it.
Continued application then is a duty of importance. Perfons of lower
abilities and attainments are in danger, without it, of being ufelefs and
defpifed : and they, who fet out with greater advantages, are bound to
endeavour at doing, in proportion, greater fervices to the church of
God. Without exception therefore, all who are engaged in fo ferious
an employment as ours, if they have any regard either to their duty or
their charader, muft take care, not to be more remarkable for their di-
verfions, than their ftudies ; nor indolently to trifle their time away, in-
ftead of employing it to good purpofes. And though moft parts of learn-
ing will be ufeful to us, and all parts ornamental ; yet we muft be fure
to remember, what we have been folemnly admonilhed of, that no at^
tention to any thing elfe, ought ever to draw us away from the purfult
of fuch knowledge, as is properly theological. For to excel in other
things, and be deficient in that, cannot but call a grievous refle6f ion j
either on us, for not ftudying what we profefs ; or on our profeilion, as
having little in it worth ftudying. Our principal bufmefs therefore muft
be, to obtain a thorough acquaintance with the Chrillian faith : lirft the
grounds, then the dodtrines of it. And the previous qualifications for
attempting this are, a due knowledge of the rules of right reafoning,
and of the moral and religious truths which nature teaches ; of the ftate
of the world in its earlier ages, and in that when Chriftianity firft ap-
peared. Thefe preparations being made, the great thing requifite in
the next place is a diligent fearch into the holy Scripture. For there it
is, that both the authentic fyftem of our belief, and the chief evidence
for it, are exhibited to our view. Scripture therefore, above all things,
the Infidel endeavours to ridicule ; the miftaken Chriftian, to wrcft in
fupport of his errors : and if we defire, either to confute them, or to
fatisfy ourfelves j our only way muft be, to underftand it well. For
A 3 v/hich

t) The Bljhop of Oxfori'i

which end it is quite ncceflary, that we. make the original language, at
leaft of the New Teftament, familiar to us : and were that of the
Old more commonly ftuditd, the advantages v/ould be very confider-
able.

In order to fee clearly, on what ground our belief ftands ; together
with the facrcd volumes themfelves, the writings of fuch learned perfons,
as have proved their authority, and vindicated their accounts of things,
muft be carefully read ; and attentively compared with thofe obje6tions
againft them, which have been revived of late, drclled up with fo much
art, and fpread abroad with fo much diligence. For in our prefent cir-
cumftances we are always liable to be attacked : and confider, what an
unhappy triumph it would afford, ftiould we be found unprovided of a
rational defence. It is very true, the general evidence, which we have
for our faith, is abundantly fufficient of itfelf, to overbalance many dif-
ficulties concerning it, and ever fo many cavils againft it. But yet
tour being unqualified to give more particular anfwers, where they can
be given ; as indeed there are few cafes, where they cannot ; may
often prove a great reproach to us, and a great ftumbling-block to
others.

Next to the grounds of religion, the do^lrines of it, efpecially the
more important and difputed ones, ought to be ftudicd, with fuch dili-
gence and impartiality, as may beft difcover to us the nature of every
opinion, and the force of every argument : that fo we may neither load
Chriftianity with what doth not belong to it : nor betray, inftead of de-
fending it, by giving up what doth -, but faithfully keep that which is com-
mittcd to our truji (rj, both entire and unmixed. To fecure this great
end, we muft ever adhere ftridfly to the word of God, fairly interpreted
by the help of all fuch means as Providence hath given us ; and careful-
ly avoid, on the one hand, fondneis of novelty ; and on the other, over-
great reverence of antiquity, efpecially fuch as comes fhort of the ear-
lieft. But agamft the former ot theie, it is peculiarly needful to caution
the rifing generation ; whom the rafhnefs of youth, and the petulant
fpirit of the prelent age, too often hurries into a ftrange vehemence fcr
any imagination, which they have happened to take up ; and prompts
them to fly out againft eftabhftied doctrines, without having always the
patience even to underftand them. Such therefore fhouid be exhorted
to learn a proper degree, both of filence and fui'pence, till cooler thought,
and farther inquiry, make them fitter judges of. things. But beiides
thofe controverfies, to which this caution chiefly relates ; that between
the Papifts and us deferves at prelent to be well ftudied, by fuch of you,
as live in the neighbourhood of .any. For feldom have they fhewn more
zsal or more artifice than of late, in their attempts of making prolelytes.
And therefore it is of great confequence, that vv^e provide ourfelves againft
them, with a fufficient knowledge of their real doctrines, their moft fpe-
C40US pleas, and the proper anfwers to them. Another I'ubjecl, with
which we are concerned to be well acquainted, is what relates to the go-
vernment and worfhip, difcipline and eibblifhinent of our own church.
Different parts of our ecclefialUcal conftitution are frequently cer\fured,
by different forts of perfons, with very different views ; though indeed

the
Cc) I Tim. vi. 20,

jirji Charge to his Clergy. *j

the mcfl: oppofite of them have appeared, for Tome tirrie, unaccountably
difpofcd to unite againft us ; and believers to join with Infidels in ufing
their Chriftian brethren ill. It may therefore be of great ufe, to inform
ourfelves diligently concerning every thing of this nature, which is fpo-
kcn of to our prejudice ; and be always ready to fhew the genuine ftate
of the cafe, with mildnefs and fairnefs. But no controverfies, however
needful, muft be fufFered to divert our attention from what is of all things
the moft needful, the ftudy of pra£tical religion, and of the common
duties of life. Thefe are the things, v/hich mankind are moft apt to
fail in, and moft concerned not to fail in : and therefore fpending much •
time upon them, obtaining a thorough infight into them, and having a
deep fenfe of them, is the v^vj foundation of doing good, both to others
and to our own fouls.

A competent provifion of knowledge being fuppofcd, the next thing
is communicating it to thofe who are under our care, in fuch manner
as their circumftances require.

The proofs of religion, both natural and revealed, all men fhould be
taught, and efpccially at prefent, in the moft intelligible and convincing
manner. As for the objecSlions againft either : fuch as it may be fup-
pofed they have thought or heard of, ftiould be diftinctly anfwered; but
the reft obviated only, as occafion offers. For to enter into them far-
ther, would be mifpending time. Next to the truth of religion, they
Ihould have its importance laid before them. The necellity of a moral
life moft men will own in general terms : only what they are pleafed to
call fo, is often a very immoral one, both with refpe£l to their feilow-
creatures, and the government of themfelves. But regard to piety is
ftrangely loft, evenamongft perfons,that are otherwife tolerably lerious.
Many have laid afide all appearances of it : and others, who would iceni
to keep them up, do it with evident marks of indifference and contempt.
It fhould therefore be induftrioufly fliewn and inculcated, that an inward
fenfe of love and duty to God, founded on juft conceptions of him, and
expreffing itfelf in frequent ails of worftiip, conftant obedience and re^
lignation to him, is in truth the firjl and great commandment (d)., the
principal and moft important of moral obligations. But then, befides
thofe inftances of piety, which reafon requires of us, there are others,
founded on relations equally real, and confcquently deferving equal re-
gard, enjoined by revelation. The utmoft care therefore ought to be
ufed, confidcring the prefent difpofition of the world, to convince men
of what moment the dodtrines and duties of the Gofpel are. To make
reafon fufficient for nothing in religion, is to overturn every thing. But
to infift on its infufficiency for many moft valuable purpofes, v;hich re^
relation is fully fufficient for, and on the neceffity of obfcrving whatever
God hath thought fit to command, this is doing but common juftice,
though a very feafonable piece of juftice, to the doctrine of our blelfed
Saviour, and the authority of our Maker,

When once men are brought to underftand the value of Chriftianitf,

the next thing is, to give them a proportionable folicitude for it : to

make them obferve, how vifibly the belief and pratStice of it decay, and

how dreadful the qonfequenccs muft be and are : to Ibew them, that re-

A 4 ligion

^4J Matth.xxIi.'jS.

8 The Bifnop of Oxford's

ligion is not the concern of the clergy merely, but the common concern
of all men ; the great thing, on which public and private happinefs de-
pends in this life, as well as eternal felicity in the next : that therefore,
if they have any value for thefe important interefts, they muft take the
neceflary means of fecuring them : their children, their fervants and de-
pendants muft be diligently watched over and inftriided ; private devo-
tion muft be pra6tifed, family-worfhip revived, and the fervice of God
in the church regularly and ferioully attended upon. For laying afide
thefe things hath almoit banifhcd religion from amongft us: and nothing,
but reftoring them, can bring it back. Piety is indeed feated in the
heart : but to give it no vent in outv/ard expreffion, is to ftifle and ex-
tinguifti it. Neglecting the public exercife of religion, is deftroying
the public regard to it : and teaching men to defpife their own form
of religion, is enough very often to make them defpife it under any
,orm.

Great pains have been taken by our advcrfaries to give the world an
ill opinion of religious inftrudtion : and we muft take equal pains to give
them a good one of it ; by reprefenting to them, both the natural influ-
ence it hath, and the Divine authority that enjoins it. But after all, the
only effedlual convidion will be that of experience. And therefore the
chief point is, to endeavour that men may feel the benefit of our teach-
ing : feel at leaft, that it is their own fault, not ours, if they do not be-
come the wifer, the better and happier for it. To this end,''we muft all
dwell often and ftrongly on the great duties, and great failures of duty,
in common life : firft explaining the obligations of religion fo as that they
may be practifed ; then infifting on it, that thcv muft : entering into the
particulars of each with fuch plainnefs, that every one may clearly fee
his own faults laid before him ; yet with fuch prudence, that no one may
fo much as imagine himfelf perfonally pointed at : and taking the ftrict-
eft care, that no part of what we fay may feem in the leaft to proceed
from our own paftions, or our own interefts ; but all appear evidently
to flow from a true concern for the good of thofe that hear us. Diligent
confideration, what our fubje6t and our fcveral characters will bear us
out in, muft dire6t us, when to give our judgment with diffideiKC, when
to lay ftrefs upon it : in what cafes to exhort luith all loug-j'ufferhig {e) ;
in what, to rebuke 'with all authority (_/"). But whichibever we do, nei-
ther our language ftiould be florid, nor our manner theatrical : for thefe
things only raife an ufelefs admiration in weak perfons, and produce
great contempt in judicious ones. Nor yet on the other hand, ihould
our expreflTions be mean, or our behaviour lifelefs : but both muft be
fuitable to the employment we are upon ; both be fuch as come natural-
ly from the heart of the fpeaker, and therefore will naturally move that
of the hearer.

To this our public teaching it will be a great help, and indeed a va-
luable part of it, if we perform the feveral offices of our excellent liturgy
tlevoutly and properly : neither with an irreverent precipitation, nor a
tedious flownefs ; neither in a flat and languid manner, nor yet with an
affeded livelinefs, or a vehemence ill-placed or over-done ; but fo as

may

rO 2 Tim. iv. 2. V/; Tit. ii. 15.

firji Charge to his Clergy. . 9

n\ay beft exprefs the fenfe and the importance of what we read ; and, by
ihewing our own attention to it, engage that of all around us.

Befides our general inftruclions, it is very needful, that we give the
youth under our care, in particular, an early knowledge and love of re-
ligion, that may abide with them ; and ftand the trials, to which their
riper years will of courfe be expofed. I hope you are all diligent in that
moft ufeful work of catechizing : and have done your utmoit to prepare
for confirmation, thofe whom you prefent to me. And I earneitly re-
commend it to you, that the good impreffions, which may well be fup-
pofed to have been made upon their minds at this feafon, be not fufFered
to wear off again; but be improved into fettled habits of religion and
virtue, by ftill farther exhortations, and leading them, as foon as poflible,
to the holy communion. But, though all the youth deferve our peculiar
attention ; yet if any of them be educated in charity-fchools under our
infpeition, for thefe we Ihould think ourfelves {till more nearly concern-
ed, than for the reft ; and, by firft taking care, to have them taught
whatever is proper, and nothing elfe, then making known the good ma
nagement they are under, put an end to thofe accufations, of their learn-
ing idlenefs and pride, fuperftition and difloyalty ; which may have been,
fometimes one of them, fometimes another, in fome degree deferved ;
but have been carried, with a wicked indultry moft fhamefully beyond
truth, and leflened the credit of this excellent inftitution, even with ma-
ny good perfons, to the great detriment of Chriftianity.

Another very ufeful method of fpreading the knowledge of religion,
and teaching men a ferious regard to it, is by diitributing, or procuring;
to be diftributed, fuch pious books, efpecially to the poorer fort, as are
beft fuited to their capacities and circumftances. For there is a great
variety of them to be had : and at fo very low prices, that much good
may be done this way to confiderable numbers at once, in a moft ac-
ceptable manner, for a trifling expcuce.

But nothing will contribute more to make our public inftru£tions ef-
fectual, than private converfation, directed with prudence to the fame
•end. The better we are known to perfons, the greater influence we may-
hope to have upon them : and the better we know them, the more di-
ftinilly we fliall fee how to make ufe of that influence to good purpofes.
By reprefenting proper truths, at fit times, with a modeit freedom, we
may very much abate the prejudices of men, who have any fairnefs re*
maining, both againft religion and ourfelves : at leaft we may prevail on
them, for the fake of public order and example, to keep within the bounds
of decency ; and fo prevent their doing harm, if we cannot make them
good. Perfons, that err in particular points of do6lrine, friendly dif-
courfe may fhew us what led them into their miftakes, and enable us to
lead them out again. Such as difTent from our church-government and
worfhip, talking amicably v/ith them, and behaving in the fame manner
towards them, if it doth not immediately bring them over, may hdw-
ever bring them nearer to us, both in judgment and affedtion. iSuch*li
are faulty in their moral conduct, ferious and affectionate remonftranGC$,
given in private and kept private, and joined with a tendernefs to theij:
characters in public, may often do a great deal towards reforming them :
and iboner or later, the feed thus fov/n may fpring up in their hearts, aai
a produce

10 The Btjljop of Oxford's

produce happy fruits. We fhould not indeed prefs upon perfons, when
there is no other profpe6l than that of provoking them : but we ought to
watch all opportunities, whilll there is any hope left ; and not only make
it our endeavour to convert the miilaken and vicious, but ftir up the ne-
gligent to ferious thought, and the good themfelves to more eminent
goodnefs. Efpecially fuch perfons of rank and influence, as we find
well difpofed, thefe we muft earneftly excite to appear and give counte-
nance to the caufe of religion, ever remembring that awful declaration
of our blefled Lord : Whoj'oever Jlmll he ajhamed of me and of my words in
this adulterous andfinful gerieration, of him alfo /hall the Son of Man be
ajhamed^ when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels [g).
We muft convince them of the urgent neceflity there is, for interpofing
in behalf of piety and virtue : and fuggeft to them the means for engag-
ing with fuccefs in this excellent employment. Yet muft we never
fpend fo much of our attention on the higher part of the world, as to
give the leaft fufpicion of neglecting the lower ; whofe number is fo much
larger, whofe difpofitions are ufually fo much more favourable to reli-
gion, and whofe eternal happinefs is of equal importance to them, and
ought to be of equal concern to us j but we muft prove we are in
carneft in our work; by making it our care, as it was our Matter's,
that the poor have the Gofpel preached to them (/>). And one opportunity
of preaching it with fmgular advantage, both to the poor and the rich,
is when ficknefs brings near to them the view of another life. At fome
times indeed the fick may be incapable of attending to exhortations : at
others they may be endangered by them : and at all times great prudence
is requifite, to avoid the extremes, of terrifying or indulging them too
much. But, provided due caution be ufed in thefe refpedts j laying be-
fore them what they ought to be, and reminding them to confult their
own confciences what they have been, is a moft likely method of ex-
citing in them fuch affections and refolutions at that feafon of recollec-
tion and ferioufnefs, as, through the blefling of heaven, may produce
the happieft effeds.

To thefe excellent offices therefore we muft all of us chearfully apply
©urfelves, each in fuch degree as his ftation requires. If they do re-
quire pains, if they do take up time, if they are inconfiftent with agree-
able amufements, and even interrupt ufeful ftudies of other kinds ; yet
this is the bufinefs which we have folemnly chofen, and the vows of God
are upon us : it is the moft important and moft honourable, it ought to
be the moft delightful too, of all employments : and therefore we have
every rcafon not to feek the means of evading our duty, but of fulfilling
it ; and each to take the overjight of the flock of God, committed to him, not
iy confiraint^ but willingly (i). For if we only juft do what we can be
puniftied by our fuperiors for negleding, we mult neither expert fuccefs
nor reward.

But then to fecure either, the chief thing requifite is ftill behind : that
4fer own tempers and lives be fuch, as we fay thofe of other perfons
ibbuld. For if we, who teach religion, live, or fuffer our families to
live, with, little or no fenfe of religion, what can we poflibly expeCt,

but

(g) Mark viil. 38. (h) Matt, xi, 5. (i) Pet. v. 2.

frjl Charge to his Curg-^. It

but tiiat men will impio\ e fo palpable an advantage againft us to the vit-
nio{l ; will argue, that we believe not our own do<Sl:rine ; and therefore
it deferves no belief: or, we pradlife not our own precepts ; and there-
fore they cannot be pradtifed \ Thus we ihall increale that infidelity and
wickednefs, which our bufinefs is to oppofe. Too much of it will be
really owing to us : and the whole will be laid upon us. The enemies
of religion will have the beft pretence in the world to ruin us : and the
friends of it will grow unconcerned for us, and ready to give us up tO'
them. But, were thefe confequences not to follow, Itill very bad ones
muft follow. Men, irreligious or vicious themfelves, cannot be hearty
in oppofing irreligion and vice : they cannot do it with boldnefs, if they
were hearty : and could they be ever fo bold, it muft fit much too ill up-
on them, to have any good efi:e6l. Wrong-minded perfons will be fur-
nifhed with the moft plaufible excufe imaginable for difregarding them
intirely : and the rightefl-minded perfons that ever were, cannot, if they
would, regard them as they ought. This will be the cafe, even with
refpeii to their public teaching : and as for private admonitions, they
will feldom have the face to venture upon them, and never fucceed in
them : whereas every word, that comes from an exemplary man, hath
great weight j and his bare example is moft valuable inftrudion of itfelf.
But, were a bad life not to hinder at all the fuccefs of our miniftry ; yet
we muft remember, it will abfolutely hinder the falvation of our fouls :
and fubject us to thatyortT punlfbitient^ oftuhich he tnaywell be thought wor-
thy, who, teaching others, teacheth not himfelj\ hut through hreak'mg the lava
dijhonoureth God [k).

Nor is it fufficient by any means for us to be guilty of no vice. This
is fmall praife, for one of our order. AVe are bound to be patterns of
the moft diligent pradice of virtue, and the ftridleft regard to religion :
and we ftiall never make others zealous for what we ourfelves appear in-
different about. It is very true, that, peculiarly in our cafe, the gene-
rality of the world both expe£l and find fault, quite beyond reafon : and
doubtlcfs they are much to blame in doing fo. But then furely we are
no lefs to blame, if, when we know the feverity, with which our con-
duit will be examined, we do not watch over it with equal feverity our-
felves ; and take the only way to be looked on as good men, that is, be-
ing fuch undeniably. And whoever hath a due fenfe of this obligation,
will confcientioufly ahjtain, not oxAy fro?7i all evil, but all appearance of it
too (/}. Such a one, for inftance, far from ever oltending againft tem-
perance, will be noted for it : and think the imputation ot being mighty
to drink wine [tn) almoft as infamous, as that of being overcome by it.
Far from being guilty of indecency in his behaviour or difcourfe, he will
keep at a diftance from every thing liable to the conftru6tion of it. Far
from being remarkable for luxury and delicacy in his manner of living
or appearing, he v>/'ill be fure to preferve himfelf, on all occafions, at leait
as remote from indulgence, as he is from aufterity. And though he wTli
never difguft the perfons, with whom he converfes, by a gravity affeitf*-
ed or ill timed : yet he will be equally careful, never to expofe himfelfj

by

(k) Heb. jf. 29. Rom. ii. 21, 2j. (IJ 1 Thefl". v. 22.

(mj K. V. 22.

li The B^Jhop of Oxford's

by a lightnefs of carnage unbecoming his fundlion ; nor let any thing be
a part of his character, much lefs a diftiiiguifhing part, that can only
tend to lower it. For we can never be ufeful, if we are defpifed : and
we fhall be defpifed, if we will give opportunities for it. Even they,
who feem well pleafed with us, will think meanly of us inwardly j and
perhaps of the whole order, for our fakes.

Yet at the fame time, we fhall be greatly miftaken, if we aim to avoid
contempt by haughtinefs : which will only add hatred to it. Our rule
therefore mult be, to exprefs, in every thing, condefcenlion to the lower
part of the world, without being improperly familiar ; and refpe6l to the
upper, without being fervile : recommending ourfelves at once to the
love and efteem of both, by a mild kind of dignity and ingenuous fim-
plicity, kept up through our whole behaviour. Mildnefs of temper is
the duty of every man : but efpecially required of us («) ; and abfolute-
ly necellary, both to our preferving regard, and doing fervice in the
world. Therefore, whatever provocations we meet with from thofe,
amongft whom we live, as indeed we often meet with great ones, it nei-
ther belongs to our character, nor will be for our iiitercft, to take offence
and exprefs refentment ; but by prudence and patience to overcome evil
with good {o) For we fliall often do it this way, and never any other.
Inftead of being engaged in enmities of our own, it fhould be our en-
deavour to compofe the differences of other perfons : not by intermed-
dling in their affairs, when wc are not called to it ; but by laying hold
on every fit opportunity given us, for difpofing tliem to a mutual good
opinion, where there is room for it ; or at Icaff, to mutual good-will.
Too many occafions indeed for friendly interpofition, cur unhappy par-
ty-difputes furnifli us with, had we no other. Entring into thefe with
vehemence, and that injulfice which never fails to accompany vehe-
mence, is what all men Ihould avoid : but we, who muft caution them
againll it, fhould avoid it with uncommon care : fhould religioufly pay
that refpedl: to every one, which is their due, efpecially to our fuperiors;
think well of mens a6tions and deligns, unlefs we have evident caufe ta
think otherwife j judge with modeify, where perhaps we are not qualified
to judge ; and whatever our opinion be, preferve our behaviour inoffen-
fi^e : give the leaff provocation, that may be, to bad men of any fide ;
and att infuch manner, as may gain us, if poffible, the united efteem
of good men of all fides. For theirs is the friendfhip, of which we
ought to be ambitious. Familiarities with profane and vicious perfons,
beyond what neceffary civility, or a real prolpe£l of reforming them re-
quires, will, whatever we may promife ourfelves from their favour or
intereft, always difcredit and weaken us in general ; and much oftner
prove hurtful, than advantageous, to any of us in particular. But to
cultivate the good opinion of the wife and virtuous, to recommend our-
felves to their protecfion, and, whatever elfe they may differ about, en-
gage their common zeal in the common caufe of religion ; this will pro-
cure us both fecurity and honour, and ev^ry way promote the great de-
fign of our profeflion. ,

Another point, on which our character will not a little depend, is our

being,

(n) Matth. X. 16. I Tim. Hi. 3, ?, Tim. ii. 24V
(oj Rom. xii. 21.

firjl Charge to this Clergy. 1 3

being, in a rcnfonable degree, difinterefired. A very large proportion
indeed of the clergy have too much caufe to endeavour at bettering their
circumftances : and it is barbarous treatment, to accufe them for it, in-
rtead of pitying them. But over-great folicitude and contrivance for
advancing ourfelves will always m.ake impreflions to our prejudice, let
our condition be ever fo low : though defervedly much ftronger impref-
fions, in proportion as it is higher. We fhall be thought to have no
attention, but that, of which we difcover too much : and the truth is
ive cannot ferv'e tivo majlers (p). Nor will it be fufficient, that, we avoid
the charge of immoderately defiring more ; unlefs v/e avoid alfo that of
felfifhnefs, in the management of what we have already : a matter, in
which it is very difficult, and yet very important, to give no ofFence.
We are bound, both to thofe who belong to us, and thofe who fhall
come after us, to take a proper care of our legal dues : and preferve
them faithfully from the encroachmxcnts of fuch, as tell us very truly,
that we ought not to be worldly-minded ; but forget what is equally
true, that they themfelves ought not to be fo. But then the ftrong-
eft reafons of all kinds oblige us, never to make unjuft or litigious
claims ; never to do any thing, either hard or rigorous, or mean and
fordid : to (hew, that we defire always the moft eafy and amicable me --
thod of ending difputes ; and whatever method we may be forced to take,
never to let any thing force us into the leaft degree of unfairnefs, paffion
or ill-will ; but endeavour, by all inftances of friendly behaviour, to win,
if poflible, upon the perfon we have to do with ; at leaft to convince
every body elfe, how very far we are from intending wrong to him, or
any one.

And nothing will contribute more, to acquit us from the fufpicion of
being felfifti in our dealings with other perfons ; than approving ourfelves
charitable to the poor : a virtue which becomes us fo extremely, and is
fo peculiarly expected from us, and will give us fo valuable an influence;
that we {hould willingly ftraiten ourfelves in almoft any thing befides,
that, to the full proportion of our abilities, we may abound in giving
alms. And together with this, would we but, each in his ftation, take
the beft care we can to fee juftice done them in that provifion, which the
law hath intended for them, it would generally prove a much more con-
fiderable benefaftion, than all that we are able to beflow on them of our
own.

To the above-mentioned inftances of right condu6l we muft always
add, what will render them very engaging, the occafional kind offices of
good neighbourhood ; with a decent hofpitality alfo, if our circumftances
will permit it : and then, notwithftanding the cenfures of thofe, who
complain that we are of little ufe, and endeavour to make us of none,
we may furely well hope to do fervice to God, and be efteemed of men :
efpecially if, together with fo exemplary a behaviour towards others, we
are friendly and compaffionate, candid and equitable amongft our-
felves.

Great injuftice, I am fatlshed, is done us on this head : and many
groundlefs accufations brought confidently againft us, by perfon?, who
neither enquire into fafls, nor confider circumftances. But there are

kw
(p) Matt. vi. 24.

14 'J he Bijl'Op tf Oxford's firj} Charge^ i^c.

few things, in which it concerns us more, to clear ourfelvcs where we
are innocent, and to amend ourfclves where we are faulty. For fo lonc-
as we are thought in the world, either infolent to our inferiour breth-
ren in general, or void of generofity and pity to fuch of them as we em-
ploy ; we muft not expeft to receive better treatment, than we are un-
icrftood to give. And if we are believed to be chargeable, beyond other
men, with mutual bitternefs and vehemence, when any kind of contro-
verfy rifes amongft us ; this too is a chara6ter, fo very different from that
which ought to be ours, that the utmoil care (hould be taken to guard
againft it. Not that we are obliged, either to fpeak of or behave to men
of bad lives, or bad principles, as if they were good ones, becaufe un-
happily they belong to our order. Making no diftinilion would be on
all accounts wrong : and making a proper diftincSion will be very ufeful.
But then we Ihould never think worfe of our brethren, than evidence
forces us ; never publifli our ill opinion, without fufficient reafon ; nor
exceed, when we do publifh it, the bounds of moderation : we fliould be
ready to fhew them all fitting kindnefs, even whilft they continue blame-
able ; and receive them back with the moft charitable tendernefs, when
they return to their duty. For there is no manner of need, that we
fhould give either fo much advantage or fo much pleafure to the adver-
liiries of religion, as to let them fee thofe, who fhould be the joint-de-
fenders of it, engaged in domeftic wars : and bringing fuch charges, and
raifing fuch prejudices, one againft another, that it is hard to fay, whe-
ther believing or difbelieving our mutual accufations will make the world
think worfe of us. Our blefled Lord therefore, after reminding his
Difciples, that they were the fait of the earth; were defigned, by the pu-
rity of their doftrine and example, to keep others from corruption ; and
after giving them that prophetic warning, which we (hall find men zea-
lous to fulfil, that if the fait have lojl its favour^ it Jhallbe cajl out and trod-
den under foot (^) ; refuming the fame figure at another time, concludes
his exhortation thus. Have fait in yourfelveSj and have peace one with ano-
ther (;•).

To thcfe things. Brethren, if we have any concern for the interefts
of religion or our own, we muft always induftrioufly attend ; but efpe-
cially in fuch times, as by no means admit of negligence or mifmanage-
ment. Yet vain will our beft endeavours be, unlefs we conftantly add
to them our fervent prayers, that God would enable and ftrengthen,both
us, and all that ferve him in the Gofpel of his Son, to perform our du-
ty with faithfulnefs and fuccefs. For we are not Juffaent to think any
thing of Ota fives : our fufficiency is of God (s). What therefore we ought,
: every one of us, to beg of him at all times, let us all at prefent jointly
addrcfs to him for, in the comprehenfive and exprelfive words of our
public fervice.

Jlmighty and everlafting God^ by whofe Spirit the whole body of the church
Is governed and fanSiified; receive our fupplications and prayers^ which
Vxie offer before thee for all ejlates of men in thy holy church ; that every
member of the fame ^ in his vocation and miniflry^ 7nay truly and godly
ferve thee^ through our Lord and Saviour "Jefus Chrijh Amen [t).
(q) ^3atth. V. 13. (r) Mark ix. 50.

(s) 2 Cor. iii. 5 % (O Second Collecl for Good Friday^

ACHARGE

i

CHARGE

DELIVERED TO THE

CLERGY of the Diocese

OF

OXFORD,

In the Year 1741.

Reverend Brethren^

^SSf^ HEN I had firft the pleafurc of meeting you, being very much
'^ W ^ a ftranger, I could only lay before you fuch general admonitions
i^g{^§ as appeared to be feafonable in this unhappy age of irreligioa
and libertinifm. But having now obtained a fuller acquaintance with
things, chiefly from your Anfwers to my printed Enquiries, which have
given me many reafons to efteem and refpeft you ; I fliall at prefent de-
fend into fome farther particulars : and confidering you, not merely as
minirters of the Gofpel at large, but as minifters of the feveral parifhes
in which you officiate, remind you of fome plain direilions for your do-
ing it more fuccefsfully : which I fliall deliver with lefs diffidence, and

you

1 6 7le Blfiop of Oxford's

you will receive with greater regard, for their being chiefly fuch as have
been often recommended with good effc<5l on fuch occafions as this.

I besin with one of the loweft in appearance, but not the. leaft impor-
tant of ecclefiafllcal employments : catechizing the children under your
care.

The catechifm confifts of the fundamental articles of Chriftian faith
and pradlice. Without learning thefe we know not fo much as what it
IS we profefs to be ; and there is great danger that unlefs perfons learn
them at firft, they will never learn them throughly: but only pick up
from what they hear or read, unconnected and fometimes ill grounded
notions, that will never unite into a complete or a coiififtent form of
found doctrine : as I apprehend we have had too much experience. The
Rubric therefore requires, that every perfon learn the catechfm before his
confirmaticn : and the 59th Canon, that evei-y Incumbent Jhall examine and
hi/huSf the young and ignorant cf his pariJJ) in it for half an hour or more
every Sunday. Every fecond Sunday had been appointed before : but
that I fuppofe was judged afterwards infufficient. Not that a flri6l ob-
fervation of this rule was probably expefted, during the winter feafon,
in the generality of country parirfies, or where the children being few
were more eafily taught. But plainly it was intended, that how much
timefoever was needful to do this work well, fliould be faithfully employ-
ed in it. I thank God, there are very few places in this Diocefe, and
I hope there will foon be none, where catechizing is omitted. But I
obferve that in many it is pradlifed only during lent. Now I fhould ap-
prehend that the fummer feafon would in general be much more conve-
nient both for the minifter and the congregation. But at leaft the fpace
of a few weeks is by no means fufficient to fix the knowledge of their
Chriftkn duty fo firmly in the minds of young people, but that in the
many months which pafs from the end of one lent to the beginning of
another, a great part of it will be to learn again. Therefore whenever
this exercife is begun, it fhould be continued much longer : and when-
ever the conftant repetition of it is left oft', it ftiould be occafionally re-
fumed for a Sunday or two, at proper diftances of time.

Another defedl in fome places is, that barely the words of the cate-
chifm are taught without any expofition. Now the very plaineft expref-
fions in it will need to be varied into others that are equivalent : elfe
children will too often learn nothing but the found : and unlefs this dan-
ger, which is a very great one, b,e guarded againft, you will have fpent
both their pains and your own but to fmall purpofe. Befides, all fciences
have their terms, which muft be interpreted to beginners : and fome of
thofe in the catechifm are figurative ones ; very prudently ufed, as they
comprehend in a little compafs much meaning, and lead to the under-
ftanding of the fame figures in Scripture ; but undoubtedly ufed on pur-
pofe to be explained : without which they are liable to make either no
impreffion or a wrong one. And farther ftill, a fyftem fo fliort as to be
Ifearnt by heart, muft have need, were it ever fo clear, to be enlarged on ;
the proofs of its truth, the connexions and tendency of its doctrines,
the ufe and extent of its precepts to be fhewn : and therefore fince the
Canon with great reafon enjoins, not only that you examine, but in-
ftfu6t the children in their catechifin, I hope you will think this a very

needful

fccond Charge to his Clergy,

17

needful part of that inftruiflion. As to the manner of it, that may be
different, not only in different places, but in the fame at different times.
Sometimes a continued difcourfe of fome length may be requifite : as it
will lay before the adult part of your parifhioners a methodical fummary
of Chriftian do£lrine ; which they often want very much for themfelves,
and will thus be enabled to teach fomething of to their children, after
they have heard it too;ether from you.

Sometimes a curfory expofition of the more diilicult expreflions may
dcferve the preference. But aflcing the children queftions, relatino- to
each part, and procuring them to learn texts of Scripture confirraing
each, will be always beneficial. The words of the catechifm itfelf may
be very ufefully broken into fhorter queftions and anfwers : to which
others may be added out of any one of the many good expofitions that
have been made public. Only you fliouid endeavour as foon and as
much as you can to make this a trial and irnprovemeiit of the under-
flanding as well as the memory of young people, by aficing fuch things
as they fhould reply to in words of their own ; making that eafy to them
in every polfible way. And indeed, if many of your queftions were
formed to be anfwered merely by affirming or denying, it would be a
very good method : and there is an expofition drawn up in that man-
ner.

I am fenfible that fome clergymen are unhappily obliged to ferve two
churches the fame afternoon : who may therefore plead, that they have
fcarce ever time to hear the children repeat their catechifm, much lefs
to explain it to them. And God forbid that any needlefs addition fhould
ever be made to their burthen. But as I am fure they will be defirous
of doing what they are able, in a matter of this importance, fo I fhould hope
that in the longer days, at each of their churches alternately, they might
hear the catechifm repeated one Sunday and expound part of it another,
or hear only part of it repeated and expound that, or find fome way to
prevent the intire omiffion-of fo neceflary a duty. And if thefc can do
any thing of this kind, there is no doubt but others may eafdy do more.

But a farther hindrance which I fear you complain of too juftly is, that
parents and mafters are negligent in fending their children and fervants;
and the latter efpecially are both unv/illing and often afhamed to come.
Now the Canon doth indeed make provifion for punifhing fuch. But
perfuading them would be much happier. And furely in fo clear a cafe,
well timed and well judged arguments, if perfifted in, muft do a great
deal. The example of their equals or their betters, if you have any un-
der your care that are wife enough to fet a good one ; or however that
of your own families, may help very much : and fuch little rewards of
good books, or other encouragements as you can give or procure for
them, it may be hoped, v/ill completely prevail with them. At leaft
fuch as think they are either too old or too confiderable to fay the cate-
chifm themfelves, may be greatly improved by hearing others repeat, and
you explain it.

But in fome few places it is pleaded, that the children cannot read,
and their parents either cannot or will not get them taught, and there-
fore the foundation for their learning the catechifm is wanting. But
furely lome perfon might be found, within a moderate diflance from

Vol. VI. B every

l8 The B'lJJyop of Oxford's

every place, to whom parents might be induced, at leaft if fomething
were contributed towards it, to fend their children to be inftrufted thus
far. Or at the worft, they who cannot read might eafily by degrees
learn fo much as the catechifm by heart : efpecially as the three maia
parts of it are in every Sunday's prayers. The incapacity of reading
was almoft general at the time of the reformation : yet even in thofe days
the clergy were able to teach firft parents and houfholders, then by their
means children and fervants, the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten
Commandments : and afterwards the reft of the catechifm. Nov/ fmce
that grofs darknefs hath been fo far enlightened, it cannot be impradi-
cable to difpel the remains of it.

After due inftruilion follows confirmation : an appointment derived
down from Apoftolical practice ; and of fuch acknowledged ufefulnefs
that in the times of confufion, a hundred years ago, when bifhops were
rejedled, fome of their adversaries took upon them to perform this part
of their fundion : and within thefe few years the church of Geneva hath
reftored it in the beft manner their form of church government will ad-
mit, and added an office for it to their liturgy. In our own church the
ancient efteem of this inftitution is, generally fpeaking, fo well preferv-
ed, that I hope the defire of being confirmed may not a little ftrength&n
that of being inftructed, as the only way to it. And yet I muft obferve,
that the numbers from fome parifhes have been in proportion very fmall.
This may not have arifen from any negle6t in the minifter : but as it
ought to incline nic to make the opportunities of confirmation as coa-
venient as I am able ; fo it ought to incline you, agreeably to the nature
of your function, and the exprefs direcliqn of the 6ift Canon, to ufe
your beft endeavours, that your parifhioners may gladly take thofe op-
portunities. Yet I muft intreat you tq endeavour at the fame time, that
none be brought, but thofe v/ho, to fpeak in the language of the Rubric,
are come to years of difcretion^ who have learnt, not the words only, but,
m a competent degree, the meaning of what was promifed for them in
baptifm ; who can fay with ferioufnefs and truth, (what furely elfe they
ought not to lay at all,) that in theprefence of God and the corigregat'ton they
ratify and corfrm the fame in their own perfons ; and who therefore are
likely to have ufeful and lafting impreftions made on xhtm by this fo-
lemnity. Undoubtedly fome arrive at this capacity fooner than others,
and therefore I have mentioned the age of fourteen, not with a defign of
abfolutely tying you down to it ; but as being, for the moft part, full
early enough ; and that, where you fee it requifite, you may, without
giving offence yourfelves, oppofe iny order to the indifcreet forwardnefs
of parents ; whom however, I hope, it will make eafy, to aflure them,
as I give you authority, that io long as it pleafes God to continue my
health and ftrength, confirmations Ihall be frequent in every part of this
Diocefe. _ I mult alfo defire that you will carefully inftru6l thofe whom
you do bring, in tlie whole nature of the inftitution, and particularly in
this, amongft other more important points, that they are never to be
confirmed any more than baptized a fecond time : that you will direil
them to make the proper anfwers audibly through the whole of the office,
which many of tiiem feem to have no notion "of, though it is ^o necef-
lary in the nature of the thing, and tends fo much both to fix their atten-
tion.

fecond Charge to his Clergy, t^.

tion, and to give the folemnity a decent and edifying appearance. You
will caution them likewife not to crowd forward and incommode each
other, ufmg this argument for one, that the whole number who come
in at the fame time, will be difmifled at the fame time alfo : and laftly
you will prefs it ftrongly upon their minds, that what they promife at
their confirmation, they are to remember and keep to their lives end. I
have already defired of you, on thefe occafions, a lift of fuch as yoit
judge qualified ; that fo the numbers and perfons may be known : of this
you would do well to keep a copy yourfelves, and if it were written al-
phabetically, both you and I fhould be able to confult it upon the fpot
moreeafily. For the abovementioned Canon, the 6ift, plainly direds
your attendance along with your parifhioners ; to take efpecial care (for
fo the words run) that none be prefented hut fuch as you know are fit. And
as your being prefent to approve or di (approve muft needs increafe your
influence and authority amongft your people ; it muft likewife make the
difcharge of my duty fo very much eafier and more ufeful, that I beg
you will never let me be without your affiftance in this work, as you fliall
never be without mine in any thing. And for this purpofe when con-
firmations are on a Sunday, which is the time I fhall ufually pitch upon,
for the convenience of the people, excepting at the places of my vifita-
tion, you may omit for that day the morning or the evening prayers as
you fee occafion. I have not indeed hitherto been able to effedl, what
would greatly fhorten your labour, calling up your feveral parifhes in
their order feparately. But I fhall be v^ery glad to do it, as foon as ever
you can introduce this order amongft them, which I earneftiy recom-
mend to you : and I hope a continued frequency of confirmations will
foon make that feafible without difficulty here, which is now pradifed
conftantly in the populous cities of London and JVeJiminficr.

From confirmation perfons ought to be led on, if poiTible, before the
impreffions of it are much weakened, to the holy facrament : and it is
one material reafon why confirmation ftiould not be too early, that with
a little farther inftruftion given foon after it, you may eafily bring them,
fuch as they ought to be, to the Lord's table : vi^hich may prove a much
harder matter, when once they have been a good while out of your hands.
The fmall proportion of communicants which I find there is in moft of
your congregations, and very fmall in fome, muft undoubtedly (as this
ordinance is appointed for all Chriftians, and for a ftanding means of
grace to all) be a fubjed of very great concern to you. And though it
is too true, that the generality of the world, and perhaps the lower fort
beyond others, are incredibly obftinate in their prejudices, efpecially in
fuch as at all favour corrupt nature : yet our complaining of thefe pre-
judices is not enough ; but labouring to overcome them is our bufinefs,
and we are not to grow weary of it. Some imagine that the facrament
belongs only to perfons of advanced years, or great leifure, or high
attainments in religion, and is a very dangerous thing for common per-
fons to venture upon. Some again difregard it ftupidly, becaufe others,
they fay, who do receive are never the better for it j or becaufe their
friends before them, or their neighbours about them never received at
all, or not till fuch an age : and why fhould they ? You will therefore
reprefent to them, that whoever receives without benefit, it is his own
B 2 fault 1

2VT TJie Bijhop of Oxford's

fault ; and that how many focver omit it either for part of their lives or
the whole, not their example but the word of God is the rule for Chrif-
tians : that far from being a terrible or cnfnaring inftitution, it is in re-o
ality a moft gracious one : defigned to be celebrated with humility inr.
deed, but with comfort and joy: that all the preparation it requires is-
within the reach of the plainell: head and the moft laborious hand, pro-,
vided there he only an honefl: and pious heart: and that the judgment
which unworthy receivers eat and drink to themfelves, needs no more
affright thofe v/hom God- in his mercy will confider as worthy ; as he
certainly will every true penitent ; than the capital punishments, threats -
ened-by the law to crimes, make innocent perfons uneafy : that he.whofe
life unfits him for the facrament, is unfit for the kingdom of heaven alfc;
and he, v/ho being qualified for it, negle6i:s it, negledfs a djdng com-
mand of his Lord and Saviour, intended for the greateft good to him..
But your public inftru£tions on this head will be much more cfFe£liial'
for being followed by feafonablc private applications : in which you ivill.
hear and anfwer their objections, be they of ever'fo little weightj with-
great meeknefs ; not be provoked by any pervei-fenefs of theirs to fhew:
anger, but only a friendly concern ; and even if you meet with an ab-
folute repulfe, leave them with an afiiirance that you fhall apply to them"
again, in hopes that God will have difpofed them JDCttcr to obey his pre-:
Cepts.

But befides increafing the number of your communicants, it wer©
very defirable, that they who do communicate fhould do it more frC'i-.
quently. In the three firft centuries the eucharift was every where ce-^
lebrated weekly, and in many places almoft ;daily. Decay of piety oc-
cafioned an injundion in the fixth, that every Chriflian Ihould receive
thrice in the year ; which was reduced in the thirteenth, perhaps with 2l>
bad intention, to once. Our church requires thrice at the Icajl : which
evidently implies, that more than thrice is hoped for. And indeed each'
perfon will fcarce be able to communicate fo often unlefs the commu-.
nion be adminiftred oftener. But befides, it is appointed to be every
Lord's day in cathedral and collegiate churches, and part of the office for it
is read every Lord's day in every church, for an admonition of what it were
to be wiftied the people could be brought to. This indeed at beft muft be
a work of time : but one thing might be done at prefent in all your pa-
rifhes, as God be thanked, it is in moft of them: a facrament might eafi-
ly be interpofed in that long interval between Whitfuntide and Chrift-
mas : and the ufual feafon for it, about the feaft of St. Michael, (when
your people having gathered iiithe fruits of the earth have fome reft from
their labours, and muft furely feel fome gratitude to the Giver of all
good) is a very proper time. And if afterwards you can advance from'
Ja quarterly communion to a monthly one, I make no doubt but you will. ,
■ Upon this fubje6t I muft obferve to you farther, that though in one
or two parifties of this Diocefe the old cuftom is retained, of oblations
for the minifter, as well as alms for the poor, to. both which the ieix-
tences appointed to be read are plainly adapted : yet in many pariflies
there is no offertory at all : though it be certainly a pradice of primitive
antiquity, a moft proper admonition and fpecimen of charity j which I
fear the generality of Chriftians much want to be remijided of; a moft;
, i , . fcafonub'le

fecond Charge to his Clergy » 2 1

feafonable demonftration of our loving our brethren for his fake, who
hath loved us ; and a thing exprefsly enjoined in the Rubric of the com-
munion office. Why therefore (hould you not attempt to revive it,
where it hath been intermitted ? Merely prefenting to perfon? an oppor-
tunity of giving if they think fit, and only what they think fit, can fure-
ly, (if the reafons of it be explained to them beforehand) never keep any
one away from the facrament. But then, though all who have not ab-
folutely nothing, ought undoubtedly to contribute their mite, yet no dif-
agreeable notice fhould ever be taken of any, for giving but little or not
giving at all : and whatever is colleiled, fliould be difpofed of, fo that
all perfons may know it, with the greateft faithfulnefs, prudence, and
impartiality.

Another part of Divine worfhip, concerning which I think it needful
to fpeak, is pfalmody : a part clearly appointed in Scripture, both eji*
preffive and produ6tive of devout afFe6lions, extremely well fitted to di-
verfify long iervices, and peculiarly to diflinguifli the feveral parts of our
own, which were originally feparate. Our ecclefiaftical laws do not
indeed require it under any penalty : becaufe there may not every where
be perfons qualified to perform it decently. But wherever there are, the
Rubric makes provifion for it, and I recommend to you that it be not
omitted. You will always endeavour that your parifh-clerks be perfons
of difcretion as well as fkill and ferioufnefs. But however you will be
much furer of no impropriety happening in this part of the worihip, if
you either direft them every Sunday to fuitable pfalms, or affign them a
courfe of fuch to go orderly through. And unlefs the generality of your
parifhioners are provided with books and able to make ufe of them ; or-
dering each line to be read, will both fecure a greater number of fingers
and be very inftru6tive to many who cannot fing. All perfons indeed
who are by nature qualified ought to learn, and conitantly jom to glo-
rify him that made them, in pfalms and fpiritual fongs. This was the
pracStice of the early Chriftians: it was reftored very juftly at the refor-
mation • and hath declined of late, within moft of our memories, very
unhappily. For the improvements made by a few in church-mufic,
were they real improvements, will feldom equal the harmony of a ge
neral chorus ; in which any Iclier diflbnances are quite loft : and it is
fomething inexpreffibly elevating, to hear the vsicc of a great tnultitudey
as the voice ofjnajiy tvnters and of mighty thunder s.^ to fpeak in the words of
Scripture, making a joyful noife to the God of their falvation^ andfmging his
praifes with underjlandi^ig. Perfons of a ludicrous turn may reprefent
every thing in a wrong light : but thofe of any ferioufnefs, if they will
lay afide falfe delicacy, and that prepofterous fhame of religious perfor-
mances, with which the prefent age is fo fatally tainted, will find them-
felves very pioufly affe^led only by hearing this melody, much more by
bearing a part in it : and therefore I beg you will encourage all your pa-
rifhioners, efpecially the youth, to learn pfalmody ; and excite them, if
there be need, with fome little reward : tor you will thus make the fer-
vice of God abundantly more agieeable, and their attendance on it m.ore
conllant. But then, where any knowledge of the old common tune>
remains, you fliould endeavour principally that your learners may pcrfeoi:
themfclves in thefe j that fo they may le.ad andalTift the reft of the coll-
ie i grfg:!Uon»

it The Bijhop of Oxford's

gregation, who fhould always join with them : or if you mufl admit a
mixture of new and uncommon tunes, it fhould be no greater than you
iind yourfelves in prudence abfolutely obHged to. Elfe the confequence
will be, what I fear many of you have experienced, that either one part
of your people will refent being unjuftly filenced, and this by the intro-
du(Elion of tunes often not fo good as their former ones, and fo your pa-
rifh will be divided and uneafy : or if they agree to the change ever fo
generally and like it ever fo well, yet your fele6t fingers will either be
weary in a while of what only novelty recommended to them, or grow
conceited and ungovernable, or die off, or be difperfed, and the congre-
gation will be left unable to fing in any manner at all. Where indeed
the newer tunes have quite blotted out the memory of the old ones, all
you can do is, to make ufe of what you find in ufe, to get fome of
-*hs eafieft of them learnt as generally as you can, and keep to thcfc.
Ai ^ if, in order to inftrucl your people in either way of finging, meet-
ings to pradlife out of church-time be requifite, you will keep a ftrid:
watch over them, that they may be managed with all poifible decency,
and never continued till candle-light, if they confift of both fexes. You
Wi.I likewife diicountenance, at leaft all frequent meetings, between the
fingers of different parifhes, and making appointments to fing alternately
at one anothcrs churches : for this wandring from their own, which by
by law they ought to keep tc, ufually leads them into exceffes and
follies,

I am very fenfible, that fome of the things which I have been men-
tioning, are by no means of equal importance with others. But nothing
is without its importance, that relates to Divine worfhip. The mere
outward behaviour of thofe who attend upon it is of fuch ufe, and good
influence, that I muff defire you will be diligent in teaching them, (but
fo as to perfuade, not provoke them) what reverence belongs to the houfc
of God : particularly how very wrong it is to fit inftead of kneeUng when
they are or fliould be addreffing themfelves to their Maker, and to fhevy
how indecent that appearance is of difregard to him, which they would
not ufe on any account to one of their fellow-creatures a little fuperior
to themfelves. If you could only breed up the younger to a right beha-
viour in this refpecl, your congregations would grow regular in time.
But mild expoftulations will furely in fo plain a cafe produce fome effedt
ypon the reft alfo, which will be much facilita::ed if you take care that
proper conveniences for kneeling be provided for them. And if yon
could convince them alfo that ftanding is a more reverent poiture to iing
pfalms to God in, as well as to read them, than fitting, you would come
fo much the nearer to the Apoftolical rule of doing all things decently . For
as fome of the pfalms contain the nobleft a<fl:s of adoration, furely they
pught not to be fung in a pofture unfit to exprefs it. Another thing,
and no fmall one, which I believe many of your parifhioners often want
to be admonifhed of, is to come before the lervice begins. Undoubted-
ly allowance is to be made for neceffary, efpecially unforefeen, bufinefs,
and fome allowance for not knowing the time exatStly : but 1 hope you
will obviate both thefe pleas as far as you can, by confulting their con-
venience in the hour you fix, and then keeping punctually to it. An4
at the fame time you will Remind them, that a due degree of zeal in re-
ligion

fecond Charge to his Clergy. 27

Ilgion would incline them to be rather a great deal too early at the houle
of God, than a little too late : that no part of the fervice can be jrore
needful for them, than that which comes firft ; the confeffion of their
fins: that inftruftion in their duty is better learnc from the pfalms and
lefTons, which are the word of God, than from fermons, which are only
our explanations of it : and that by coming i'a irregularly, they not only
are great lofers themfelves, but dilhirb and offend others.

But it is not fufficient to give you directions about fuch as do come
to church, without taking notice of the great numbers which I find
there are in many, if not molt, of your pariflies, that omit comint^.
Now on thefe your preaching indeed can have no immediate influence.
But it may however prevent the increafe of them ; and furnifli others
with arguments againft them ; and with the befl of arguments, their
experience of its good efi^edts. You will therefore queftionlefs do all
you can in this way, without ufing any expreffions in relation to their
fault, which if repeated to them may cxafperate them. But your chief
dependance mufi: be on private application to them, varied fuitably to
the occafion of their negled. If it arifes merely from ignorance, or
floth, or want of thought, they muft be plainly told what they owe
to their Maker, and awakened to the hopes and fears of a future life.
If it be defire of gain or of pleafure that keeps them away, they mult
be afked what it will profit them to gain the whole luorld and lofe their own
fouh ? or (hewn that to be lovers ofpieajiire more than of God will end in
pains eternal. If they defend themfelves, by pleading, as fome will
that nothing can be told them at church but what they are acquainted
with already, it will furely not be hard to fhew them that they over-rate
their knowledge : that if this were otherwife they may however be re-
minded of what they did not think of, or excited to what they did not
pradife : that, were they too perfect to receive any benefit, it would not
be decent for them to tell the world fo by their behaviour : that at leaft
they ought to fet others an example who may be the better for public
infi:ruction : and laftly, that receiving infl:ru£lion is not the whole of
Divine fervice, but praying the chief part. And though it is allowed
they can pray at home privately, yet without enquiring whether they do
fince God hath commanded, for plain and important reafons, that we
worfhip him publicly, and hath excepted no one : by what authority
doth any one except himfelf ? And what will this end in, but an univer-
fal negledl of a duty which our Maker hath required to be univerfally
praclifed ? If it be any fcruple about the lawfulnefs of comino- to church
that keeps perfons away, fit opportunities fhould be fought^ with great
care, and ufed with great prudence, to fet them right : and fuch dilfen-
ters, for many there are, as do not think our manner of worfhip finful
but only prefer another, which perhaps they are often without the means
of attending upon, fhould be ferioully entreated to confider, how they
can juflify feparating from a lawful communion appointed by lawful au-
thority, and even omitting all public worfhip frequently, rather than
worfhip with us. But then with whichfoever of thefe perfons we dif-
courfe, not the leafi: perfonal anger mufi: be fhev/n, nothing but a con-
cern about their future happinefs. For by this means if we make them
no better, we ihail at leafl make them no worfe, and perhaps may leave
^ 4 in

24 The Bijhop of Oxford's

in their hearts what will fome time or other work there. Perfons who
profefs themfelves not to be of our church, if perfuafions will not avail,
muft be let alone. But other abfenters after due patience muft be told
in the laft place, that unwilling as you are, it will be your duty to pre-
fent them, unlefs they reform : and if, when this warning hath been re-
peated, and full time allowed for it to work, they ftill perfift in their ob-
flinacy, I beg you to do it. For this will tend much to prevent the -
contagion from fpreading, of which there is elle great danger : and when
once you have got them, though it be againft their inclinations, within
reach of your pi^ipit, who knows what good may follow ? Different
cafes may indeed require uiiFcrcncc of treatment : and both the fame fe-
verity and the fame mildnefs, that will fubdue one, will harden another.
You will therefore acl yourfelves and advife your church-wardens to adt
in this matter according to your difcretion. And after a profecution is
begun, it ihall flill depend on }our opinion whether it fhall be carried on
with rigour, or fufpended a while in hopes of amendment. Only one
caution I would give you. Let not any perfon's threatening?, that, if
he is profecuted, he will go over to the diil'cnters, move you in the leaft.
Such will feidom do what they threaten : or if they do, 'tis better they
fliould ferve God in any way than none 5 and much better they (hould be
a difgrace to them than to us. J muft not conclude this head without
defiring you to remind your people, that our liturgy confifts not only of
morning but evening prayer alfo : that the latter is in proportion equally
edifying and inftructive with the former ; and fo fhort, that, generally
fpeaking, there can arife no inccn^■enience from attending upon it, pro-
vided perfons are within any tolerable diitance from the church ; that
few of them have bufinefs 'at that time of day ; and amufements ought
furcly never to be preferred on the Lord's day before religion : not to
fay that there is room for both.

But befidcs the public fervicc, your people fliould be admoniftied to
fpejid a due part of their fabbath iir private exercifes of piety. For this
is almoft the only time, that the far greater part of them have, for me-
ditating on what they have heard at church ; for reading the Scripture
and other good books j for the ferious confideration of their ways ; for
giving fuch inilrudion to their children and families, as will make your
work both eafier and more efi-edual. And therefore, though one would
not by any means make their day of reft wearifome, nor forbid cheerful-
ncfs, and even innocent feftivity upon it, much lefs the expreflions of
neighbourly civility and good-will, which are indeed a valuable part of
the gracious ends of the inftitution : yet employing a reafonable fhare
pf it feriouily at home as well as at church, and preferving an efpecial
reverence of God even throughout the freer hours of it, is necqUary to
make it a blefling to them in reality, inftead of a feafon of leifure to
ruin themfelves, as it proves too often.

But farther, befides your and their duty on the Lord's day, it is ap-
pointed, that all minifters of pariflies read prayers on holy-days, on Wed-
nefdays, and Fridays : and undoubtedly your endeavours to procure a
congregation at fuch times ought not to be wanting. Were I to repeat
to you the ftrong exprcflions which my great predecefibr Bifliop iv//ufed,
in requiring this part of ecclefiaftical duty, they would furprife you. Bu;

I content

fecond- Charge to his Clergy. 2$

•I content myfelf with faying, that public worfhip was from the very firft
agef conftantly performed on the two ftationary days of each week; that all
holydays appointed by the church were carefully obferved by the clergy,
and the number of them now is not burthenfomc : that where you can
^et a competent number to attend at thefe times, you will adt a very
pious and ufeful, as well as regular part : that your own houfes will
fometimes furnifh a fmall congregation ; and what fuccefs you may have
with others, nothing but trials, repeated from time to time, can inform
you. But they, whofe parifliioners are the feweft and the bufieft of all,
I hope do not fail of bringing them to church at the lead on Good Fri-
day, andChriftmas Day, befidcs Sundays. For though in fome of your
Anfwers to my Enquiries, thefe are not mentioned as prayer days, yet
I prefume that this arofe from your taking it for granted I fhould under-
hand they were. But if in any place they be not, I earneftly entreat
they may : for at fuch times there can be no difficulty of getting a con-
gregation. I hope likewife, that you are not wanting in due regard to
thofe which are ufually called State Holydays : and particularly, that if
the public faft, which hath been appointed thefe two laft years, fhould
be continued (as we have but too much reafon to apprehend there v/ill
be need) I beg you will endeavour, not only to bring your parifliioners
to church on that occafion ; but move them to fuch inward humiliation
for their own fins, and fuch fervency of prayer for this moft corrupt and
v/icked nation, as may avert, if it be poffible, the juft judgments of God
which fo vifibly threaten us.

You muft have underftocd. Brethren, in all you have heard, that I
am not exhorting you to promote in your parilhes a mere form of god-
linefs without the power. Outward obfervances, by whatever authority
appointed, are only valuable in proportion as they proceed from a good
heart and become means of edification and grace. They are always
to be reverently regarded, but never relied in ; for perfons may obferve
without the leaft benefit, what they cannot omit without great fin. The
bufinefs of your parifliioners therefore is, fo to ufe the external part of
religion, as to be inwardly improved by it in love to God and their fel-
low-creatures and in moral felf-government : and your bufinefs is to ap-
ply both your public and private diligence, that this happy end be efi-'ec-
tually attained. You have under your care great numbers of poor crea-
tures, living very laborious lives in this world, and depending almoft: in-
tirely on you for their hopes of another. It is a noble employment to
direcl their behaviour and lighten their toils here, by precepts and mo-
ti\'es which lead them on at the fame time to happinefs hereafter. You
will be fure of their acknowledgments at lealt in proportion as you fuc-
ceed in this work ; but you will be rewarded by God in proportion as
you endeavour it. Think not therefore, that I am laying burthens upon
you, but on\y Jiirring up your ?ninds hyway of remembrance^ and exhorting
you fo to watch for the fouls of men as they that mi(Ji give accou?it, that you
may do it with joy and not with grief. It is very little in my power either
to increafe or lefien your duty. Our blefled Mafter hath fixed it, yoii
have undertaken it : and were I to releafe you from ever fo great a part
of it, I fliould only bring guilt on myfelf without acquitting you at all.
The injundtions of the New 7'eflament, infinitely flricter than any of

men.

26 *The Bijhop of Oxford* s

men, would continue to bind you as firmly as ever. Take heed there-
fore to the mini/Try which you have received in the Lord., that you fulfil it.

Having a fubjedl: of fuch a nature to fpeak to you upon, and being
able to fpeak to you in a body but once in three years, you muft not
wonder if I go fomewhat beyond the bounds of a common difcourfe.
There are many other things and very material ones, relating to you as
parifh minifters, which I could have wifhed to mention now : but I was
willing to treat firft of fuch matters as belong more immediately to the
worlhip of God. If it pleafe him that I live to another vifitation, I Ihall
in that proceed to the reft. Permit me now to add but one word or two
more upon a different fubjeft and I have done.

Whilft we are ferving Chriftianity here, with the advantage of a legal
eftablifhment and maintenance, there are vaft multitudes of our fellow-
fubjetSts in America., their Negro- Slaves, and the neighbouring Indiansy
amongft whom the knowledge of God is taught, and the exercifes of
his worfliip fupportcd, if at all, very imperfedly, and with great diffi-
culty, by the Society for propagating the Gofpcl : the income of which
depends intirely on the voluntary contributions of good Chrifliaus; and
is now reduced fo low, and burthened with fuch a debt, that they find.
it neceffary to propofe, this next year, according to the powers of their
charter and with his Majefty's recommendatory letters, a general col-
leiSlion, which they have not had for above 20 years paft, to enable them
to go on. Application will probably not be made to every parifh fepa-
rately. But 1 hope every minifter will give this excellent defign all the
aiiiftance in his power : fuch, as can afford it, either by becoming ftated
contributors and members of the Society j or at leaft by fome occafional
benefa6lion in this time of need ; and all, by recommending the cafe to
fuch of their people or acquaintance as they have reafon to think will
pay regard to it. If any perfon defires a more particular acquaintance
with the nature and ufefulnefs and prefent condition of this undertaking,
1 have given fome account of thefe matters in a fermon at their anni-
verfary meeting lately publifhed by me, and fhall be ready to give any
of you farther information, who fhall either now or hereafter apply to me
for it, perfonally or by letter.

But I muft not yet conclude, without mentioning alfo the Society for
promoting Chriftian knowledge : who are carrying on the fame good
work in the Eaf Indies^ which that for propagating the Gofpel is in the
IFe/i ; and at the fame time are promoting the caufe of religion many
ways here at home : particularly by felling at very low rates. Bibles,
Common-Prayers, and numbers of other religious books, chiefly of
fmall fizes, for the ufe of the poor. This they alfo are fupported in by
voluntary benefadlions : to which whoever is able to contribute, will do
a very good work : and whoever can only purchafe a fev/ of their books
,, for the ufe of his parifhioners, fhall have both my beft affiftance in it, and.
my hearty thanks for it.

I do not mean at all in fpeaking of thefe things to prefcribe to you the
methods of your charity : but only to lay before you two very deferving
ones, which may poffibly have efcaped the notice of fome of you ; and to
endeavour, that the caufe of our Lord and Mafter may be ferved in as
many ways as it can : for you muft be fenfible how very great need

there

fecond Charge to his Qergy. vj

there Is that none be neglciled. By zealoufly making ufe of fuch as
are prefented to us, we may poflibly be of much more fervice to others
than we expeft : but we fhall be fure of doing infinite fervice to our-
felves. And may God Jiir up the wills of all his faithful people^ that they
plenteoujiy bringing forth the fruit of good works may of him bepUnteoufly r^-
warded through Jefus Chriji our Lord {a).

(a) CoIIea for the 515 th Sunday after Trinity.

1

saws

A CHARGE

: 4-t"\ t"t -i-h-M-i-^t' ti tt V'i t"i t"t i't t"t ti-^^-H--^ -

H A R G E

DELIVERED TO THE

CLERGY of the Diocese

OF

OXFORD,

In the Year 1747.

Reverend Brethren,

^^^'^!f>5 CANNOT fpeak to you thus affembled, without congratu-
S 1 =6 lating you in the firft place on the happy fuppreffion of that un-
^W^^ natural rebellion, which, fince we met laft, hath threatened our
religion and liberties. Nor will either my duty, or my inclination, fuf-
fer me to omit returning you my heartieft thanks, for the unanimous
zeal, you expreffed againft it ; and I doubt not were ready to exprefs,
even before the exhortation to do {o, which I was directed to fend you,
and which you received with fo obliging a regard. Your behaviour,
and that of the whole Clergy, on this trying occafion, hath abounded
with fuch proots of loyalty and affedion to the government, under which

God's

T7;£ Bijloop of Oxford* s third Charge^ '<Jc. 29

God's mercy hath placed and continued us, that his Majefty hath'de-,
clared, he inall ever have the ftrongeft fenfe of wh^t you have dpne fot.
the fupport of his throne, and gladly fliew his gratitude by any proper
methods of extending his royal favour to you and to religion. It may
be hoped alfo, that our fellow-fubjecls will remember, what they owe to.
our long-defpifed and reproached labours : and learn, how eUpntial a'
part of the church of England is of our prefent eftablifhment. . Indeed;^
not only the more candid of thofe, who thought amifs of us, have ac-
knowledged our merit now ; but the lying lips are put to filcnce^ wkiiJydif-,
dainftdly and defpitefidly fpoke againfl us [a). And let Us go on, Brethren,
to exprefs: die warmeft and moft prudent zeal for what we doubly felt
the value of^ when we feared to lofe it : and fo behave in this and all re-,
fpefts, that they who are of the- contrary part may beci/hajfied^ having no evil
thing to fay:. of us (I?). For however imperfectly men may do us juftiqe^
our reward; from God. is fure. • ,■ ' ..j-:

■ I have recommended to you, in the courfe of my former viiitations,
various parts of your duty : firft in general, as MinijElers of the, Gofpel
in a vicious and profane agje ; then more particularly, as Incumbents of
your refpecStive parifhes. Under this latter head, I began with what im-
mediately relates to the worfliip of God : and now proceed to another
point, , of a temporal. nature indeed, as it may feem, but feveral ways
connected with fpirituals; the care you are bound to take of the incomes
arifuig from your benefices. Thefe endowments , are facred to the pur-j
pofes of piety and charity : and it is neither lawful for us to employ them
unfuitably ourfelv£S, nor to let any part of them become a prey to the
avarice of others. The few that may appear to be larger than 'vv'asne-
ceflkry, are in truth but needful encouragements to the breeding up of
youth for holv orders. And were they leflened, either an infufficient
number would be deftined to that fervice, or too many of them would
be of the loweft rank, unable to bear the expence of acquiring due know-
ledge, and unlikely to be treated with due rega,rd., Befides, the moft
plentiful of thefe revenues may be well applied to religious ufes ; and
therefore, as they have been dedicated, ought to Continue appropriated,
to them. But the generality of them, it will furely be owned, are fmall
enough : and a very great part left fo utterly incompetent, by the ravages
of former times, that the little which remains, demands our ftriiSteft
care now. . For, without it, poor Incumbents v/ill not be able to main-
tain themfelves decently, much lefs to exercife hofpitality and charity
towards others. Yet on thefe things both their fpirit and their fuccefs
in doing their duty greatly depend. And therefore how indifferent fo-
£ver any of us may have caufe to be about our own interefts ; we ought
to confider ourfelves as truftees for our fuccefTors. We all blame our
predeceffors, if they have not tranfmitted the patrimony of the church
undiminifhed into our hands. Let us think then what others hereaftet
will fay of us, and with what reafon, if we are guilty of the fame fault j
and give away for ever, what we fhould count it facrilege in any one elfe
to take from us. ■

Indeed fome perfons imagine or pretend that the only danger is of the
Clergy's encroaching on the properties of the Laity, not neglecting their

own*
CaJ Pfal. xxxi. 20. (1>J tit. ii. 8.

^(5 The B'tjhop of Oxford's

own. And we acknowledge there have been times, when that wa'^ thd
danger. But they are long paft : and God forbid we fhould defire to
revive them. Placing exceflive wealth in the hands of ecclefiaftics,
would both endanger others and corrupt them : as the examples of paft
ages have too fully fhewn. But the parochial Clergy of thofe times,
inftead of being the authors of this error, were the heavieft fufFersrs by
k. And to renew the attempt in thefe days, would be folly equal to its
wickednefs : of which we fhould fo certainly and immediately be made
fcnfible, indeed we are {q univerfally fenfible of it already, that there
can be no need of giving cautions on this head. All we wifh for is, the
unmolefted enjoyment of what clearly belongs to us, and a reafonable
allowance of what is confefledly requifite for us, in order to attain the
cnly ends of our inftitution, the prefent and future happinefs of man-
kind. In how many and fad inftances we fail of pofleffing in peace fuch
a competent provifion, I need not fay. Let us all behave under what-*
ever ufage we receive, with the innocence and the prudence, which our
Mafter enjoins. But we fhall be wanting in both, if we wrong ourfelves
and thofe that will come after us, by improper vu^luntary diminutions of
what is allotted for our fupport : which, through inconfideratenefs and
indolence, hath been often done : defignedly, I would hope, but feldom.
And we may be guilty of it, either at coming into our benefices, or dur-
ing our incumbency on them, or when we quit them ; to which three
heads 1 fhall fpeak in their order.

Yet indeed, as I am now direfting my difcourfe to perfons, moft of
them already poflefTed of benefices, it mayfeem too late to give cautions
refpefting the time of entering upon them. But all who Have afted
right then, will at leaft hear with pleafure their conduft approved. If
any have acted wrong ; which I do not knovi^, that any of you have ; on
being fhewn it, they may repent of it, tb.ey may confider how far they
can undo what they have done, or prevent the bad confequences that
are likely to flow from it. And both forts may be influenced more
flrongly, to take no improper fleps on any future occafion, and to warn
their friends againft fuch errors. ,

I proceed therefore to fay, that benefices ought neither to be given,
nor accepted, with any other condition or promife, than that of doing
cur duty in relation to them. This engagement is always underflood,
whether it be exprefled or not : and no other fhould either be required
or complied with. For when Bifhops, originally the fole patrons, to
encourage the endowment of parifnes, gave others a right of prefenting
fit porfons to them ; or that right was confirmed or grante<d by the civil
power ; they mufl be fuppofed to give it only to be exercifed for the fu-
ture, as it had been before : when whoever was appointed to any flation
in the church, enjoyed the benefit of all lie was appointed to, fo long as
he behaved well. And therefore attempting to bring the Clergy into a
worfe condition, is ufurpation : and fubmitting to the attempt, is en-
couraging ufurpation.

Yet there is a great difference between the things to which our fub-
miflion may be demanded. Some are grofsly and obvioufly unlawful.
If for inflance any perfon, in order to obtain a- benefice, promifes to give
up fttch a part of the ihcome, to connive at fuch a IdTening of it, to ac-
cept

third Charge to his Clergy, ^r

cept of fuch a compofition for it, to allow fuch a penfion or make fuch
a payment to any one out of It : thefe things are in efFedt the fame with,
laying down beforehand luch a fum for it : which is the nearefl: approach,
excepting that of bribing for holy orders, to his fm, who thought the
gifts of God might he purchafed with money^ and was anfwered, Thy monej
perijh with thee {c). Nor can it take away, if it alleviate the guilt, that
the payment or penfion, thus referved, is alloted to ufes really charita-
ble. Still it is buying, what ought to be freely beftowed : this forced
charity muft difable a man from voluntary almfgiving, in proportion to its
amount : and one compliance in a feemingly favourable inrtance, will only
make way for another in a more doubtful cafe, and fo on without end. Ano-»
ther excufe I hope nobody will plead ; that obligations of this kind may
be fafely entred into, fmce they are notorioufly void. For we can ne-
ver be at liberty to make an agreement, m.erely becaufe it is fo bad a
one, that neither law nor confcience will let us keep it.

But fuppofmg a perfon binds himfelf to his patron, only that he will
quit his benefice, when required : even this he ought not to do. Foe
he hath no right to promife it ; and no power to perform the promife.
Whoever undertakes the care of a living, muft continue that care till
the law deprives him of it, or his fuperior releafes him from it [d)^
Therefore he can only fubje£t himfelf to a penalty which another may
exa£l at pleafure, unlefs he doth what of himfelf he is not able to do,
and knows not whether he fhall obtain permiffion to do. Can this be
prudent ? Can it be fit ? If he pay the penalty, he gives money to the
patron, though not for his firft pofieiTion cf the benefice, yet for his con-
tinuance in it : befides that he muft either diftrefs himfelf^ or defraud
religion and charity of what he ought to have beftowed on them. If then
to avoid paying it, he begs leave to refign j he puts his Bifhop under
very uiueafonable difficulties : who by refufing his requeft, may bring
great inconveniences on the poor man : and by granting it, may lofe a
minifter from a parifti, V/here he was ufeful, and ought to have conti-
nued: may expofe himfelf to the many bad confequences of having an
improper fucceflbr prefented to him. At leaft he will encourage a prac-
tice undoubtedly wrong and hurtful in the main, whatever it may be in
the inftance before him. And why are not thefe, fufficient grounds for
a denial ; fince whatever the incumbent fufFers by it, he hath brought
upon himfelf?

Befides, in bonds to refign, where no condition is exprefied, fome un-
fair intention aim oft always lies hid. For if it were an honeft one, why
ihould it not be plainly mentioned, and both fides cleared from imputa-
tions ? AfiTuredly unlefs perfons are to a ftrange degree inconfiderate,
this would be done if it could. The true meaning therefore too com-
monly is, to enfiave the incumbent to the will and pleafure of his par-
tron, whatever it ihall happen at any time to be. So that, if he demands
his legal dues ; if he is not fubfervient to the fchemes, political or what-
ever_ they are, which he is required to promote ; if he reproves fuch and
fuch vices ; if he preaches, or does not preach, fuch and fuch doctrines ;

if

(c) Afts viii. 20.

(dj See Stillingfleet on Bonds of Refignation, In the third volume of his
works, p. 731.

32-- The Bijhop of Oxford* s

if he ftands up for charity and juftice to any one when he is forbidden :
the terror of refignation, or the penalty of the bond, may immediately
be fhaken over his head. How fhamefully beneath the dignity of a Cler-
gyman is fuch a fituation as this ! How grievoufly doth it tempt a man
to unbecoming, and even unlawful, compliances ! What fufpicions
doth it bring upon him of being unduly influenced, when he is not ! Or
however he may efcape himfelf, what a fnare may his example prove
to his poor brethren of v/eaker minds, or lefs eftabliflied characters !

To prevent thefe mifchiefs, both the ancient laws of other churches,
and thofe of our own {e) ftill in force, have ftridlly forbidden fuch con-
tradts (/). Particularly the council of Oxford, held in 1222, prefcribed
an oath againft Simony^ for fo it is entitled, by v/hich every clerk fliall
fwear at his inftitution, that he hath entered into no compact in order to
be prefented {g). And Archbifhop Courtney^ in his injunctions to all the
Bifliopsof his province in 1391, condemns thofe, as guilty of Simonyy
who, before prefentation, engage to refign when required (/^) ; and ap-
points all perfons inftituted to be fworn (/), that they have not givenj
to obtain prefentation, either oath or bond to refign {k). Again, the
Conftitutions of Cardinal Pole, when Archbifliop, in 1555, cenfure, as
being fimoniacal, all bargains or promifes for procuring of benefices ;
and aflert that benefices ought to be given without any condition, and
order that the perfon prefented fhall fwear, he hath neither promifed, nor
given, nor exchanged, nor lent, nor depofitcd, nor remitted, ^c. any
thing, nor confirm^ed any thing given before (/). And a convocation

held

(e) Stillingfiect in his letter about bonds of refignation in Mifcell. Dif-
courfes, p. 42. &c. Ihews feveral forts of contrafls that are allowed ; and
objedts not againft trufts and confidences ; [as indeed I have been affured
that Dr. Bentley held a living in truft for the Bifhop's fon] nor againft what
is done, in confideration of fervice, without a cd^npad: but only againft a
legal obligation on the party, before his prefentation, to perform fuch a con-
dition ; and if he do not, to refign.

(f) The Council of Wefiminjier, 1138, appoints that when any one re-
ceives inveftiture from the Bifhop, he ftiall fwear that he hath neither giveii
nor promifed any thing for his benefice. Spelm. vol. 2. p. 39. apud Gib-
fon Cod. p. 845.

(g) The words are, quod propter pr^efentationem Hlatn nee promifent nee de-
dcr'tt aliquid prafentanti, nee aliquant propter hoc inierit paclionem : where hoc
moft naturally refers to vegotium prajentationu underftood.

. See Cc«<r. Oxon. c. 18. in Wilkins, vol. i. p. $88. and Zjy«^wW, L. 2.
de Jurejurando, cap. prrefenti, in Wake'^ charge 1709. p. 34. and Stillirgjleet
on bonds, ijc. p. 721. and letter about bonds, p. 39.

(hj But it appears, by the preamble, that this was defigned only againft
putting it thus in the patron's power to difpofe of the profits, or turn the in-
cumbents out, and give pluralities of livings to fuch as he favoured.

fi) Wilkins, vol. 3. p. 216. Wake, p- 35, 36-

(k) TheinjunaionsofZ^. 6. in 1547, appoint that fuch as buy benefices,
or come to them by fraud or deceit, fhall be deprived, ^c. And fuch as
fell them, or by any colour beftow them for their own gain or profit,
Ihall lofe their right of prefenting for that time. Wilkins, vol. 4. p.
7> 8.

(IJ Wilkinsy vol. 4. p. 124, 125.

ihya CJjarge to hh C/ergyi ^3

held under him, two years after, complaining thatj of late years, perfons
have procured benefices et prcelatnras^ [parifh-priefts are fr^Aati fee
Index to Lytidwood in pri^latus ;] not only vacant, but likely to become
fo, non precibus iff ohfequiis tantum^ fed l^ apertis miaieribus^ fo that dec-
tionum Jaluherr'ima: formcs qua per canones libera ejje dcherent^ velfrazid'i-
bus obtenehrata fioii^ vcl ad comproinijfi necejfitatem redaBa : dire61:s, that
Bifliops prevent thcie things, and take care by themfelves and their offi-
cers, efpccially quos in pralaioriim ele/^icnibus tanquam dire^ores & conjuU
tores intrrelfe continget, that fraiides iff pa^iones be excluded : and if any
one have got^ per pecunia iff ?HU?ierum fordes, pralaturam nJel beneficium ec~
clefiajlicum^ he be puni(hed {^r,i). It is indeed true, that the great evil,
at which thefe feveral directions were levelled, was givinjr or promifinor
vioney for prefentations, or receiving it for refignations (n). And there •
fore it maybe argued, that where no money is dirciSlly paid, or taken,
or covenanted for, notlung illegal is done. Eut the opinions delivered,
and the judgments pronounced, by the Canon lav/ycrs, plainly extend
the prohibition to whatever is equivalent to money [0). And it hath
been urged that by how much foever a perfon lelTens the value of a be-
nefice to himfelf by a bond of refignation to the patron in order to pro-
cure it, as unqueftionably fuch a bond doth leffen it, fo much in etfecl
he pays to obtain it (/>). Or allowing, that in fome cafes this doth not
hold : yet nothing will prevent unlav/ful contrails in many cafes, but
prohibiting in all cafes abfolute contrails to refign upon demand ; which
therefore the abovementioned Conftitutions have rightly done. And as
the oaths, prefcribed in them, exptefs the denial of having made fuch a
contrail ; the oath prefcribed at this time muft naturally be underftood
to imply the fame thing. For its being lefs explicit is no proof, that^
what in common acceptation came under the name Simomacalhefove, doth
not come under it ftill.

However, we muft acknowledge, that bonds of refignation on de-
mand have been declared %y the temporal judges valid, and not fimo-

niacal

^mj tVilkins, vol. 4. p. 165.

(nj The tenor of them fhews this. Particularly the corrupt refignations
were to get penfions out of benefices, or money for quittina them, or ex-
changes gainful to the patron or his friends. The Rsf. Lb^J'EccI. Tit. derc-
tiuticiatione, cap. 3. forbids only refignations for confideratton of eain. Se6
TVake, p. 48. And Tit. de admitUndii ad Benefida Ecdejiajiicd, c". 24.0tlly
obliges a perfon at inititution to fwear that he neither hach given nor pro-
mifed, nor will give, any thing. And Tit. dc bemfidis coferendis forbids
only compadls by which benefices are leflened. See Wake, p. "^6. who goe3
too far in faying the words are general againft all nianner of contrad" or
promifes. The preamble of the oath in Can. 40. condemns only baying and
felling of benefices. The Latin is nundinatio. But Stilling fleet fath, p. 719,
this takes in anv benefit accruing to the patron, hec-Ji\.\k''?:omine-emptionis Iff
'venditinnis ivtelligitur omnis cor.tradus inn gratuitus.

(0) See Wake, p. 18, 24. Stilling feet, p. 719, 722. artd letter about bond?,
p. 46. i^c. The injundions of iJ^. 6. forbid patrons felling livings, or by
nny colour beftowing them for their own p-ain and profit. IVdkau, vol, 4,
p. 7' 8-

(pj Stilling feet, p. 722.

Vol. VI. C

34- ■ 1'he Bijliop of Oxford's

niacal (q). And they are indeed the proper judges, whether they are
r/uch by the common and ftatute law. But whether the ecclefiaftical
law perni.its them, is not fo clearly within their cognizance. Indeed
all queftions about this crime feem to have been entirely out of it (r),
till an act was made, 31 Eliz. c. 6. which, for the avoiding offunony atid
corruption in prefentations and collations^ infli6ls penalties on thofe who fhall
either give or procure them for any fum of money, profit or benefit ;
or for any promife, bond, or afliirance of it, directly or indircdlly : but
at the fame time allows the ecclefiallical laws to punifh the fame offences
which the aft doth, in the fame manner as they did before. Now mak-
ing thefe provlfions is not faying, that nothing fliall be deemed fimonia-
cal by the fpiritual judge, but what the temporal judge fhall think is for-
bidden by this a6l [s). And therefore, though the latter may apprehend
abfolute bonds of refignation to be confiftent with the ftatute ; yet the
former mayjuftly apprehend them to be inconfiftent with the conflitu-
tions of the church, which we ought to obey j and with the oath againft

fimony,

Cq) Stillifigflnt, p. 735. ^c. Wake, p. 49. ^c. Indeed Sttllingfleet, p.
735. fays that ihe court, having given judgment for fuch a bond in the cafe
oi Jones zw^Lnivrcnce, 8 Jac. i. held, feven years after, 'viz, 15 Jac. i. in
the cafe oi Pafchcd and Clerk, that it was fimony within the ftatute ; and he
cites Ncy, 2Z. for it. But Wake mentions not this : and Watjhi, c. 5. p. 40.
fays it doth not appear by the roll that there was fuch a trial ; and if there
was, it is of no great authority, nor hath been regarded fince.

(r) Set Wake, p. 39,50. The preamble of c; Eliz. c. 23. compared with
5 13. fufficiently intimates that fimony is an offence appertaining merely to
the jurifditlion and determination of the ecclefiaftical courts and judges. Yet
Stillingfiet, p. 718. cites from Crcke, Car. 361. the judges as faying, in. the
cafe of Machaller and Todderick, that the common law before 31 Eliz.. took
notice of a fimoniacal contract. But Coke in Can.udrie'^ cafe, 5th Rep. fol.
S, 9. as cited h-^ Wake, p. 50. puts fimony amdhg the crimes theconufancc
whereof belongs not to the common but ecclefiaftical law, and repeats the
fame, p. 40. And Croke, fol. 789. fays that the judges in the cafe of ^^v/ffr,
42 Eliz. held that it appertains to the fpiritual court to determine what is
fimony, and not to this court to meddle therewith.

(s) Stilliiigfleet, p. 718. faith " the words fimony or fimoniacal con-
" trad are never mentioned in this ftatute." And M'ake, p. 50. cites 'Ncy
Rep. fol. zq. as faying that " in it there is no woidof uniony ; becaufe by
*' that means the common law would have been judge what fliould have been
*• fimcny, and what not." And Siillingjleet, ibid, allows, that if the word
had been there, the judges would have had fuflicient reafon to declare what
was fimony and what not. Now in truth that part of the adt which relates
to the prefent aftair begins thus. *' And for the avoiding of fimony and
«' corruption in prefentations, collations, and donations of and to beneh-
*' ces, &c. and in admiflions, inftitutions, and induiStions to the fame, be it
«' further enafied, that, if any perfon, 6jc.*' This may feem to imply that
no other things but thofe mentioned afterwards were fimony : othcrwife the
aft would provide only for avoiding fome forts uf fimony. Accordingl/
Gihfon Cod. p. 839. and Stillhigfi. Prcf. p. 714. and Difc. p. 718. think it
only means to punlfn fome particular remarkable forts fpecified in it : and
Wake agrees that it abrogates no ecclefiaftical law, And this agrees with
what is obferved here, note (nj. But ftill the judges, after this adt, thought
that judging of fimony did not belorig tQ.tUern. bee here, note (rj.

third Charge to his Clergy. o?

fimony, which ought to be taken in the khk of thofe who originally en-
joined and ftill adminifter it ; and not to have its meaning changed on
the fuppofed authority of their opinions, who neither have undertaken
to interpret it, nor, if the judgment of their predecefibrs be allowed,
have a right to do it.

At leaft refufmg fuch bonds, on account of the oath, mud be the
fafeft fide : efpecially, as the greateft divines of this church have declar-
ed againfc them ; and I think none for them. Though indeed, were
the oath out of the queftion ; the bonds are apparently i^o mifchievous,
as to be for that reafon alone fufficiently unlawful. It may be faid, that
if the patron attempts to make any ill ufe of them, equity will relieve
the incumbent. But I have fliewn you, that their coufequences muft
be very bad, whatever ufe the patron makes of them. And befides,
how expcnfive, indeed how uncertain, this, pretended relief will be ;
how feldom therefore it will or can be fought for j and how much
better on all accounts it is to avoid the need of it ; every one mull
perceive.

But let us now fuppofe, that a feemingly reafonable condition were
exprelTed in thefe bonds : for inftance, to refign when fuch a relation or
friend of the patron's comes to the age of being prefented, who perhaps
hath been educated with a view to the benefice vacant [t). Now I do
not fay but a perfon may very lawfully, and fometimes vtry charitably
form an intention of refigning at fuch a period, if circumitances then
fhouldmake it proper; and may alfo fignify fuch intention beforehand*
But if he bind himfelf to it abfolutely, befides the diilruft of him, whicli
requiring this implies, perhaps when the time comes, the young perfon
will refufe to take the benefice, or the patron to give it him : and yet
the incumbent muft continue in perfect dependance thenceforward : for
his cafe is become the fame, as if his bond had been originally without
any condition. Befides, this contrivance for procuring an immediate
vacancy at fuch a particular time, encourages perfons, even of low rank,
to purchafe patronages, feparate from the manors on which they were
anciently appendant, merely to ferve interefted purpofes. And the ge-
nerality of thefe, inftead of confidering their right of prefentation as a
fpiritual trufi, to be confcientioufly difcharged, will of courfe look on it

(t) Stilling Jleet, p. 716. fnppofes this to be the intent, with which an ab-
folute bond is required ; and faith, it is a cafe, wherein a bond may be
thought far more reafonable than in others. But he exprefles no pofitive ap-
probation of it ; nor doth he mention there giving a bond with this condi-
tion exprefled. But, in p. 736. he hath that cafe in viev/, where he faith,
** that there may be a lawful truft in fuch a cafe, I do not quelHon;" yec
adds, " but whether the perfon who takes this truft can enter into a bond
*' and take the oath, 1 very much queftion." And JVake, though in p. 22.
he names this as one of the moll favourable cafes that can be defired, con-
demns it notwithftanding ; as an obligation, which the patron has no right
to impofe, nor the clerk any power to enter into j as contrary to the Canons,
and the authority of the Bifliop, and the oath of yielding him canonical
obedience, and of doing what in the clerk lies to maintain the right of his
fee ; but he doth not fay it is contrary to the oath againft .^imony,
C2

36 The Bljhop of Oxford' s

as a temporal inheritance, which fiitce they have bought, they may fairly/
fell, at any time, in any manner, for what they can : or at bed merely
as the means of providing a maintenance for fuch perfons as they pleafe:,
who therefore, unlefs they will be caft off intirely by their friends, muft,
Vv'hen they are of age, however unfit for the cure of fouls, however a-
verfe from it, fubmit to be prefented, and perhaps cannot be rejedted.
Then further, in proportion as this cuftom prevails, benefices, and par-
ticularly the more valuable ones, coming to be of a temporary and pre-
carious tenure, contrary to what they were intended ; perfons of cha-
racter and abilities, and a proper fpirit, will not fo often care to take
them. Or if they do, they will not ufually, indeed it cannot fo well be
expected they fhould, either defend the rights of them, or exercife hof-
pitality and charity upon them, in the fame m.anner, as if they were
to hold them for life. Nor will the people, generally fpeaking, refpedt
thofe who come in thus, and muft behave, and go out again thus, as
they ought always to refpedt their minifters.

But frill perfons may plead that whatever is objeded againft other en-
gagements from incumbents to patrons, yet if they engage only to be-
conftantly refident, to do faithfully the whole duty, which the laws of
the church enjoin them, or perhaps fomevv'hat more ; this m.uft be al-
lowable. And doubtlefs it is, provided the engagement be only a fin-
cere promife of acting thus, as far as they can with reafonable conve-
nience. Nay if they bind themfelves by a legal tie, to do any thing,
which either belongs of courfe to their benefice, or "hath by ancient cuf-
tom been annexed to it, learned and judicious authors jultify them {u).
But covenanting thus to do even a laudable action, as teaching fchool or
prefcribing to the fick, if their predcceflLrs were not, without a cove-
nant, obliged to it, hath been held unlawful and fimoniacal [w) : be-
caufe it is promifing to fave, which upon the matter is promifing to give,
fo much money either to the patron, or however to thofe for whom he
interefts himfelf. And indeed, though perfons were to promife only
what in confcience they are antecedently bound to ; yet if they tie
themfelves, either to do this, or to refign ; whenever they fail in any
one part of it, as to be fure they will in fome, fooner or later, though
perhaps very innocently; fuppofing the rigour of theii* bond infifted up-
on, (as who can fay it will not?) they are at the mercy of the patron
ever after. He becomes their ordinary ; and is vefted, by their impru-
dence, with a much greater authority, than the Bifliop hath : an autho-
rity of retraining their liberty, where the wifdom of the church hath
not reftraincd it (a-) : an authority of proceeding fummarily ; and de-
priving them, for whatever failures he hath thought fit to infert in the
bond, without delay and without appeal : and this authority he may ex-
ercife ever after, when he pleafes, to juft the fame purpoles, as if they
had covenanted at firft to refign when requeued .

Still, without queftion, many good perfons have both required and
given bonds of refignation of thefe latter forts : and in many cafes, as

na

(u) Wake^ Chzxge, 1709, p. 24. S tilling fleet\ Lftter» p. 54,
(^<j) Wake, p. lb'. ' (x) Wakey p. 25.^

(jj y/ukif p. 25.

third Charge to his Clergy. 37

no harm at all hath been intended, fo no particular harm hath been done
by them. But in fo many more there hath) and it is fo neceflary to go
by general rules ; and one fpecious exception doth (o conftantly produce
others that are a little lefs fo ; till at laft the moft pernicious practices
creep in (j), that there is abundant reafon to refufe making any con-
tracts whatfoever in order to obtain prefentation : and more efpecially
there is reafon to refufe them, on account of their mifchievous influence
on the revenues of the church : which was the immediate occafion of
my fpeaking of them now ; though I thought it by no means proper to
omit the other arguments againll them.

Perhaps it may be faid : if patrons v/ill have bonds of rcfignation,
what can clergymen do ? I anfwer, if clergymen will not give them,
how can patrons help themf^lves .? They mull prefent without them,
or their right mull lapfe to the Biihop, M'ho will. It may indeed be re-
plied, that though one perfon rejects the offer, another will accept it :
and therefore he may as well. But this v/ould equally be an excufe for
f:ie worft of wrong' compliances in every kind : and confequently it is
an excufe for none. Bcfides, it may happen, that by arguing with pa-
trons againftfuch contradb, they may be convinced ; and learn fojuft
an efteem for thofe, who refufe them decently and refpeitfully, as not
only to prefent them with double pleafure, but do them afterwards
greater fervices, than they intended them before. At leaft whatever
clergyman behaves in fo worthy and exemplary a manner, will allur-
edly, if the reft of his conduit be fuitable to that part, either by the
care of God's Providence, be raifed in the world fome other wav ;
or, by the influence of God's Spirit, be made eafy and happy in his
prefent fituation.

But it may be objefted further, that Bifliops argue with an ill grace
againft bonds at prefentation, while they themfelves take them at infti-
tution. And it muft be owned, that in feveral Diocefes, particularly
that of Lincoln out of which this was taken, and of Peterborough which
was alfo taken from thence (z), there is an ancient and immemorial
cuftom, (cuftoms, you are feniible, not being the fame every where;)
for the clerk prefented to indemnify the Billiop and his officers from all
fuits at lavv^ for inftituting him. And accordingly in this Diocefe, bonds
appear to have been taken for that purpofe at all inftitutions for 120 years
pall: : within v/hich time, there have been nearly, if not quite, 700
given, that are now H'ing in the regiftry : and hence we may prefume
Sie praiSlice hath been the fame from the erection of the See. The ori-
ginal of it probably v/as, that a commifiion of inquiry being formerly
knt out, as old regifters prove, upon every vacancy [a) alledged, to

certify

(y) Wake, p. 25.

(z.) In Lincohi Diocefe they are taken only when the Bifhop hath any the
leaft fufpicion about the patronage: in Peterborough and LitchJieU a.\\va.ys : in
Canterbury whenever a new patron prefents : in Gloucejier and Exeter they were
taken till the time of the prefc;nt Bifhops.

(a) That it v/as on every vacancy appears from Archbifhop Stratford''%
Conftitution, S^va, A. D. 1342. in Lindvj. p. zzz. and from Lindxv, p. 217.

C3

on

37 The Bijhop of Oxford's

certify the Biftiop, whether the living was really vacant, who was at
prefent the true patron, and whatever elfe it was requifite he Ihould know
in orcier to inftitute : and the expence of this commiflion, and of the
proceedings upon it, being of neceffity confiderable to the clerk, who
bore it [b); the cheaper method of a bond from him to fave the 13ifhop
harmlefs, was fubftituted in its room. And a further reafon might be,
that, the Bifliop having 28 days allowed him, after the prcfentation was
tendered, to confider and inform himfelf, v/hether he fhould inftitute the
clerk prefented or not j the clerk was willing and defirous, rather to in-
demnify the Bifliop, if he would confent to inftitute him fooner, than
to bear the inconvenience, and perhaps charges, of waiting to the end
of that time. At lealt the only defign of this bond was and is, that if
the clerk's title to inftitution be queftionable, the Bifliop may not fuffer
by granting it. Now a coi'cnant for this end is furely a very lawful
one, and fubje£t to none of the mifchicfs, which, I have flievvn you,
attend bonds to patrons. Nor was any conflitution of church or
ftate eyer pointed againd it : nor I believe hath any harm ever happen-
ed from it.

But I mufl: ov/n too, that there is another condition added to thefe
bonds, that the clerk (hall refign his beneiice if required by the Bifliop,
in cafe any controverfy arife, whether his inftitution be rightful. But
this provilion is, in the bond, exprelled to be made only for the fame
purpofc with the former, the indemnification of the Bifhop : and the
penalty of the bond is fo moderated, as to fcrve that purpofe and no
other. Accordingly I have not heard, that any one perfon hath ever
fcrupled, in point of confciencc, to enter into this engagement ; the
meaning of it being only, that if he prove to have no right, he fliall
quit : nor indeed, that any one hath found caufe to fcruple it in point
cf prudence. For as you may be fure the fulfilling it would never be
required without neceility ; fo I believe it hath never yet been required
at all. That neither the intention of this covenant was bad, nor the
reafons for it contemptible, you will readily allow, on being told, that
it began to be inferted conilantly in this Diocefe, at the time when our
prefent moft Reverend Metropolitan was placed over it : which feeming
innovation wis indeed only conforming more exadtly to the old example
of our mother See [c). But ftill as it is as a condition, the tnfifting on
which, in fome cafes, might have bad effecls, that were notthen fore-
feen Ul) j though in fuch cafes it probably never would be infifled on.

on Archbifliop P^f/^/^-^^'s ConiUtution per no/ira»i pro'vinciamvtxh. Inquijttiot
pern, and from Bifhop Gihfons Codex, p- 857.

(b) It appears from tlie above ConlUtution of Stratford, that the clerk
paid for the commiffion, and therefore of courfe for all that was done
upon it.

(c) 1 have feen a bond from the Bifhop of Lincoln^ regiflry with this co-
venant in it, printed in the time of Jac 2.' and the Bifhop informs me the
covenant hath been ufed ever fince the refloration : how much fooner he
knows not-

(d) e. g. A fuit may be begun which would have proved ineffedlual.
Vet if the Incumbent refign, the expence of a frefh prcfentation and in-

ilitutioa

third Charge to his Clergy, ^^

ivs It never hath : I have .determined, w^ith his Grace's intirc approba-
tion, to omit it for the future. .

And in every thing, I fliall not only be careful to make your burthens
no heavier, but if it can be lliewn me, that I am able to do it, with
juftice and equity, I fhall be glad to make them lighter." Tiie fees ta-
ken of the Clergy in this Diocefe, w^hether at inftitutionr. or vifitations,
are not varied in any one article from thofe, which were returned to,
and not diiapproved by, a committee of Parliament in the time of my
predeceiTor. They are the fame, as he informs me, with thofe taken in
the time of his predecefTor. Nor have I hitherto found proof, thougli
I have inquired with fome care, that they have been increafed at all
materially fmce the Biflioprick was founded [e). Thofe of vifitation
I am fure have not in the leaft. And yet the diminution of the value
of money in that interval hath reduced the fame fum in name and quan-
tity, to perhaps not a fourth of what it was in effect and ufe : on
which account proportionable augmentations of fees have been made,
I believe. In all temporal courts and offices ; and ancient rules to the
contrary have been juftly deemed obfolete, the reafons of them hav-
ing ceafed. So that where this hath not been done, or not to any
confiderable degree, there is caufe to render to all their dues with great
fatlsfactlon.

And here I muft take the freedom of fpsaking to you about fome dues
owing to myfelf, fynodals and procurations. I'he former arc an an-
cient acknowledgment of honour and fubjeilion, referved by the Bilhops
of the Weftern church, as long ago as when they fettled their own Ihare
of the tithes, in each parifh, to be the future property of the feveral
incumbents : and it took its name from being ufually paid at the fynodai
meetings. Now fo fmall a tribute, efpecially if confidered as a quit
rent for fo great a conceffion, can furely never be thought a hardfliip.
The other, procurations, are alfo a payment feveral hundred years old,
fucceeding in the place of a much more expenfive obligation, tnat of en-
tertaining the Bilhop and his attendants, when he vifited each parifli.
Neither of them hath been increafed fmce their firit beginning : the
right to both is indiiputably legal : and as I am fworn to maintain all
the rights of my See, I promife myfelf none of you will force me to do
it in a way, that cannot be more difagreeable to you, than It will to me.
If any one pleads, that complying with the demand of fo trifling a fum
will be inconvenient to him. It fliall be more than returned him. If
any one doubts, whether it is incumbent on him or not : his reafons for
the doubt, when ever he lays them before me, fliall be impartially con-
lidered, and allowed their full weight. But I hope no perfon will think
it either decent or jull, merely to refufc, without aifigning a fufEcient
caufe: and difufe for fome years is not fafficient, in a matter, like this,

of

ftitution will at lead be necefTary for him : but indeed the patron may
prefent another : and in the cafe of alternate patronage, anodier will
prefent.

(ej i. e. Allowing each of the new inftrumcnts that are required, to call
as much as each of the old ones.

C4

4© The Bifiop of Oxford^s third CJiarge^ he.

of common right. Moft of my Clergy have very punftually (hewn me
this little mark of their regard, amongft many greater. Whether any
hereprefent have omitted it, 1 do not know. But I truft you will all
have the candor to think I have mentioned it, not from any wrong or
mean motive, but becaufe I apprehend it my duty, and have not the leaft
doubt of your willingnefs to be informed or reminded of every part of
yours.

And with this kind of digreflion I muft conclude for the prefent. If^
God prolong my life and health to another opportunity, I fhall proceed
to the remainder of the fubjeft. In the mean time, 1 heartily pray hiii>
to dired and blefs you in all things.

A CHARGE

CHARGE

DELIVERED TO THE

C L E R G Y of the Diocese

OF

OXFORD,

In the Year 1750.

Reverend Brethren, '

f^'?*'^N the courfe of my former vifitations of this Diocefe, I have
0 I -^ recommended to you various parts of your duty, as Minifters
^»-*"<:^ of the Gofpel in general, and of your refpedive pariflies in par-
ticular. After things, more immediately and intirely of fpiritual con-
cern, I proceeded, in my laft Charge, to the care, that you are bound
to take of your temporalties ; with which you are intrufted, partly for
the fervice of religion in your own times, partly for your fuccefTors, as
your predeceffors were for you : a truft, which if any of them broke,
or neglected, you are too fenfible they did ill, to be excufable to your
pwn minds, if you imitate them. And dividing this care into the be-
u hayiour

42 The B'ljhop of Oxford's

haviour, that is requihte at your coming into livings, during your in-
cumbency 6n them, and when you are to quit them : I went through
the firft of thefe heads ; giving you proper cautions, more efpecially
againft making any contrad or promife inconfiftent with the oath, then
required of you, or prejudicial to your own benefices, or the common
interefts of the Clergy. Therefore I now go on to the fecond, the vi-
gilance, with which you ought each to fuperintend the revenues and pof-
feffions of your church, whilft you continue minifter of it.

I have too much ctiufe, in every thing, to be fenfible of my own un-
f.tnefs to direct : but, in feveral articles, relating to this point, I am
peculiarly unqualified : having little experince in them., and a yet lefs
lliare of the proper abilities and turn of mind for them. However, I
ought not to omit being of fuch ufe to you, as I can. There may be
thofe amongft you, who are either ftill more unacquainted with thefe
matters, or at ieaft have not confidered them all in the fame light : as
you muft have obferved, that very obvious inftances, both of wifdom
and duty, efcape the attention of many, till they are pointed out to
them. And a difcourfe, neither complete, nor poflibly free from mif-
takes, may notv/ithitanding do fervice, by exciting perfons to think on
the fubject, more than they have done hitherto.

Your care, in refpecl to this fubject, conufts of two parts : recover-
ing what may be unduly wiihheld from your church, and preferving
what is left.

It is very unhappy, that fo troublcfome and invidious an employment,
as the former, fliould ever be made ncccflary : which yet it hath too often
been. Glebe lands have been blended with temporal eftates . and pre-
tences fe,t up, that only fuch a yearly rent, far inferior to the real va-
lue, is payable from them. Tithes and other dues have been denied ;
under falfe colours of exemptions in fome cafes, and of modus's in ma-
ny. Every unjuft plea admitted makes way for more. And thus what
was given for the fupport of the Clergy in all future times, is decreafing
continually; and becoming lefs fufficient, as it goes down to them.
The Laity themfelves, if they would refleft, mull fee, that they have
by no means any caufe to rejoice in this. For, probably few of them
in proportion will be gainers by what we lofe : but the whole body of
them, wherever the provifion made for us becomes incompetent, muft
either make another at their own expence, or be deprived in a great
meafure of the good influences of our office, with refpe£t to this world
and the next. But whatever they are, we ourfelves cannot furely fail to
be deeply concerned at the ill afpe6l, which thefe encroachments bear
towards religion in ages to come. Whoever is indifferent about it,
Ihews himfelf very unworthy of what he enjoys from the liberality of
ac[es preceding. And whoever is grieved at it, will fct himfelf to con-
fider, not how he can augment the patrimony of the church, v/here it is
already plentiful ; or any where, by diihonourable methods: (you are
very fenfible, what injuftice and folly there would be in fuch attempts)
but how he can retrieve any part of it, which is illegally or unequitably
feized and detained.

Nowhere the foundation of all muft be, a diligent and impartial in-
quiry into the right of the cafe : for it v/ould be abfurd to deceive our-
felves j

fourth Charge to his Clergy. 43

felves ; and unfair to demand of others what we are not well perfuaded
is our due. Therefore to avoid both, we fhould alk the opinion of fkil-
ful and upright advifers. If this be in our favour, the next proper fteps
will be, laying our claim, with the proofs of it, fo far as prudence will
permit, before the perfou concerned ; reprefcnting it, in a friendly and
ierious manner, as an afflnr, in which his confcience is interefted ; pro-
curing the afTiftance of thofe, who have weight with him, if we knovy
any dich ; taking the opportunity of his being, at any rime, in a more
coniiderate difpofition than ordinary ; prefling him, not to rely too much
on his own judgment, where it may fo eafily be bialled : yet forbidding
him to rely on ours, if he would ; and begging him to confult fome
other worthy able perfon : offering to pitch on one or more, if circum-
ftances perfuade to it, whofe determination fhall conclude us both : and
intreating him to fay, whether he would not think this, in any other
cafe, very reafonable. If ftill he cannot prevail on himfelf to comply :
we may endeavour to leffen the difficulty, by propofmg to accept a fmall
payment, where none hatia been made of fome time ; or a fmall varia-
tion, where a cuftomary payment is pleaded : in hopes, that either the
defire of enjoying, with fome degree of good confcience, the main of
what he withholds now with a bad one ; or, at Icaft, that of avoiding
the cofl and hazard of a conteft, may win him over.

if none of thefe methods (which too commonly happens) will ope-
rate, after a due feafon allov/ed them for it ; the only remaining remedy
is an appeal to the law. But here I would be far from exciting any of
you to plainly fruitlefs or over-dangerous attempts. I am very fenfible,
how unfavourable the times are to ecclefiaftical pretenfions, how enor-
mous the expences of legal proceedings, how fmall the incomes of moft
benefices, how ftrait the circumftances of moft clergymen : confidcra-
tions, that one fhould think v/ould reftrain perfons of any generolity,
nay of any compaffion, from bearing hard upon them. But they ought
not to be pleaded by any of us, to excufe ourfelves from undertaking a
neccflary burthen ; which perhaps we are as well able to fupport, as any,
who will be likely to come in our llead. I am fenfible too, and would
have you be fo, that fcarce any thing is a more effectual hindrance to
our doing good amongft our pariihioners, than the chara£ler of being
litigious ; svhich many delight to give us : but with how little juftice,
in general, one fmgle obferv^ation amongft feveral that might be allcdged,
will more than fufficiently fhew ; that of 700 fuits for tithes, brought
by the clergy into the Court of Exchequer, which is only about one in
14 parifhes, during the fpace of 53 years, from the reftoration to the
year 171 3, 600 were decided for them. It is true, our obtaining juf-
tice againlt any man, though in ever fo clear a caufe, is very apt to be
refented, by himfelf and his friends at leaft, as grievous injultice. But
uiing the previous amicable meafures, v/hich I have recommended, muft
in fome degree prevent, either fevere imputations upon us, or however
the belief of them : and if not intirely, yet, by mildnefs, and prudence,
v/e may certainly regain in time the reputation, we never deferved to
Ipfe. Atlealt our fucceffors will enjoy, free from all blame, what we
recover to them : whereas if we acquicfce in the detention of our due,
they will be ftill more likely to do fo, and thus the lofs of it will be per-
petuated.

44 'I'he Bijhop of Oxford* s

petuated. Therefore in cafes both fufBciently plain, and of fufficicnt
importance, when all other ways have been tried to no purpofe, and the
right will be either extinguifhed, or much obfcured, by delay ; and per-
haps the example fpread further : I fee not, how we can excufe ourfelveS
from applying to a proper court of juflice, if we can hope to procure a
fentence from it, without abfolute ruin or extream diftrefs. For it is a
mean and wicked felfiflmefs, to hoard up wealth, confult our cafe, or
court the favour of our fuperiors, by letting the inheritance of the
church be impoverifhed, while the guardianfhip of it is in our hands.

But then we muft be doubly careful of what all men fhould be abun-
dantly more careful of, than moft are, that we never awe perfons, efpe-
cially poor perfons, unjuftly, by threatning them with law, into a com-
pliance with our demands ; and that no difpute of this kind ever entice
us to do any thing fraudulent, or provoke us to do any thing ill-natured
or vexatious. And particularly, if v/e have a demand on any of the
people called Qviakers, we fhould, if we pcfTibly can, purfue it by that
method only, which the a(Sl, for the more eafy recovery of fmall tithes,
hath pi-ovided : and rather fit down v/ith a moderate lofs, than do other-
wife. For they are a generation, loud in their complaints, unfair in
their reprefcntation?, and peculiarly bitter in their reflections, where we
are concerned : unwearied in labouring to render us odious, and fur-
prizingly artful in recommending thcmfclves to the great.

But i proceed to the lefs troublefome and difagreeable duty of prefer v-
ing what we ftill pofTefs. Now to this end the moft obvious way is,
keeping the glebe in our own hands, and taking the tithes and all other
dues, ourfelves : for which reafon probably, amongft others, both an-
cient ecclefiaftical conftitutions, and later afts of Parliament, have re-
ftrained and limited leafing of benefices. But many are fo little quali-
fied for this, and would be fo great lofers by it : and others would find
it fuch a hindrance to the difcharge of their minifterial office, or the
purfuit of ufcful ftirdies : nay, where it hath been long difufed, the people
might perhaps be fo much offended with the novelty : that I would by
no means prefs doing it in all cafes, but only recommend it in proper
ones. And where it is done, if a clergyman were to attend to fuch
matters too clofely ; and, above all, were to be over-watchful and if ricl
about fmall demands : it would naturally raife a contempt, if not hatred
of him. And therefore it will be much better to content ourfelves with
giving parifhioners, by prudent inftruclidn, a general fenfe of their ob-
ligation to pay their dues ; and by engaging behaviour, a general difpo-
fitiontoit; than to exa61: the minuter forts of them with an indecent
cagcrnefs. But ftill, where rights, that may feem inconfiderable in each
particular cafe, amount to more on the whole, than it is convenient to
lofe; and yet will be withheld, if notinfifted on : we muft do it, with
as good a grace as we can ; and remind perfons, if there be need, that
fuch as make this neceffary, are indeed they, who act the mean part :
that it is no fault of ours to require what the' law hath allotted us for our
maintenance ; but a great misfortune, that fo much of it confifts in
thefe petty articles.

Whatever tithes it will be incommodious to keep in our own hands,
we may compound for with thofe who Ihould pay them, or leafe them to

■ others.

fourih Charge to his Clergy, 4^

others. The former way will ufually be kinder and more obliging, and
fo far more eligible. Yet on the otlier hand, if we chufe the latter, our
leflee will probably find it his intereft to take them in kind, which will
preferve our title to them in kind : and therefore it may at leaft be expe-
dient fometimes, in relation to any queftionable parts of them. But if
a tenant will rather give up feme of our rights, than be at the trouble of
atlerting them, we may be under a neceflity of doing it ourfelves. And
if we let any of our tithes to the proprietor of what they arife from, or to
whomfoever we let our glebe, it fliould never be for too long a time at
the fame rent : elfe we run a great rifque of being told, that we are in-
titled to nothing more. The perfon indeed, who makes the agreement
with us, cannot think fo : and yet what even he may pretend to our fuc-
ceflbrs, we cannot forefee. But the perfon, that comes after him, may
infill on it even to us ; and though the evil fhould be delayed longer, it
will happen much too foon. Written agreements, difcreetly worded,
may be an ufeful and efFeclual preventive. Yet thefe. In courfe of time,
may be lofi: by various accidents : or conftancyof the fame unvaried pay-
ment be alledged as a {Ironger argument on one fide, than they are on the
other. And if either fhould prove our cafe, contending at law with any
pariihioner will be a very undefirable thing : and contending with a
powerful one may be an impracticable thing. Therefore we ought ne-
ver to begin cuftoms, that may be dangerous : and if they are begun,
even by our predecefibr's fault, and yet more if by our own, we Ibould
think how to flop them without delay. But the leaft we can do, is re-
folutely to refufe authorizing fuch invafions, by giving any thing under
our hands, which may butfeem an acknov/ledgment that what v/e receive
is a prefcript and unchangeable payment, unlefs we are very well affur-
ed that the lavv^ will cfteem it fuch. We ought rather to lofe it ourfelves,
than procure it by an acf, that will prejudice our fuccellbrs. Barely
continuing to accept it unaltered, is doing more than enough to their
difad vantage : therefore we ought on no account to go further ; but on
^the contrary, labour to procure and perpetuate, if we can, fuch evi-
dence, as may be of fervice to them.

Nor fhould we be careful only to preferve our benefices from any di-
minution of income, but alfo from any addition of expence, v/hich
would amount to the fame thing : for heavy burthens, and very unfit
ones, of riotous entertainments In particular, and thofe fometimes at
the moft improper feafons, have been introduced and eftablifhed in ma-
ny places, by the inconfideratenefs and fupineneft of incumbents. We
fhall do well, abfolutely to break and annihilate fuch cuftoms, if it re- '
mains legally pofiible : and if not, to ufe our utmoft InHuencc towards
procuring the confcnt of the perfons concerned, to change them into
fomething elfe, lefs exceptionable and more ufeful, to be fecured to them
as firmly, as may be ; with a covenant added, that they fliall be intitled
to return to their old ufage, if ever they are denied the benefit of the
new.

Provided the abovementioned precautions be obfervcd, we are much at

liberty to treat our parilhioners as. kindly, as we will : and very kindly

, we ought to treat them : never permitting them, if we knov/ it^ to go

without any thing, which is their right ^ to pay any thing, v.'hich Is not

dutfi

'46 The Bljljop of Oxford* s

clue ; or even to take any thing too dear : always makiiig them equit-
able abatements, admitting every tolerable excufe for their delays of pay-
ment ; and rather chuling to lofe ever fo much by them, than with any
Ihadow of juftice be accufed of cruelty tov/ards them. Yet when we
fhew them any indulgence, we fliould let them fee, we are fennble of
what we do for them : elfe they may impute it to our ignorance, not
our goodnefs. And v/e ought not to be fo eafy with them, as to fet
them againft a fuccefTor, who cannot afford to imitate us ; or difqualify
ourfrlves, by " promifcuous kindnefs to all, from being efpecially kind
to fuch as v/ant. But wliatever improvements we make in our benefices,
by whatever ]ui\ means, it will be a prudent guard againft envy, as well
as a right behaviour on other accounts, to increafe, at the fame time,
either a fober modeft hofpitality, for neither excefs nor vain fhew at all
become our funftion j or, which is yet better, ,and ought never to be
excluded by the other, a judicious charity; above all, to the induf-
trious and virtuous poor, extended to their fouls, as well as their
bodies.

For the purpofe of recovering or preferving the rights of vicarages,
the original endowments of them may be very ufeful. And thefe you
are to feek for in the regifter books of the Diocefe of Lincoln^ out of
which this was taken. But I have collecSted copies of fome ; and can
direct you to books, printed or manufcript, in which are copies of others;
or to that part of the regifter-books, in which they may be found : and
fhall gladly give any of you v.'hatever information is in my power. But
you muft not always conclude vour prefent rights to be neither more nor
lefs, than fuch an endowment fets forth : both becaufe there may be a
fubfequent one, with variations ; and becaufe, where no fubfequent one
appears, long cuftom, in particular cafes, may create a legal prefump*
tion, that there was one, upon which that cuftom was grounded.

For the fame ufe, in rectories, as well as vicarages, terriers were di-
re6led : how anciently, I cannot fay. But the bi 7th Canon of 1603 en-
joins, that the Bifliop of each Diocefe ftiall procure them to be taken,
by the view of honeft men in every parifti, to be appointed by him,
■whereof the minifter to be one : it fpecifies the particulars, of which
they ftiall confift, and orders them to be laid up in the Biftiop's regiftry.
How often they fhall be taken, it doth not mention. But plainly the
changes, which time introduces, particularly in the names of the par-
cels and abuttals of glebe lands, require a renewal of terriers at reafon-
able diftances. This Canon hath been obferved fo imperfedly, that of
about 200 parifties, of which this Diocefe confifts, there are terriers in
the regiftry of no more than about 126 : and moft of them only one:
and of thefe, not 20, fince the year 1685. In the convocation of 1704,
complaints were made of the like omiilions elfewhere : and in thofe of
1710, 1714, 1715, a fcheme was formed, that where no terrier had
been made for 7 years then laft paft, (which looks as if a repetition eve-
ry 7 years was intended) (a) the minifter ftiould make one, with the

church-

(a) PrzV^<r;KAr, Directions to Church-wardens, (J 99. faith, that the Bifhop
at every vifitation ufually requires a new terrier. Bifliop Gibfon propofes that
, there ihould be a new one where there had been none fince tJhe reftoration.

i

fourth Charge to his Clergy. ^^

church-wardens, or fuch pariftiioners as the Bifhop fliould appoint : that
three indented copies of it in parchment (hould be figned by them » one
to be exhibited at the Bifhop's next vifitation, the fecond at the Arch-
deacon's, and the third put in the parifti cheft (b). But thefe propofals
having never received the fanftion of due authority, are to be confider-
ed as no more than prudent diredlions : the Canon of 1603 ftill conti-
nues our only legal rule. And I am very defirous to perform the part,
which it affigns to me. But then I muft beg your afliftance in order to
my nominating proper perfons, that is, parifliioners of the greateft pro-
bity, knovi^ledge, and fubftance, to be joined in the work with you.
Terriers indeed are of more ufe in caufes tried before ecclefiaftical judges,
than temporal : vi^ho will not allow the fpiritual judicatures to be courts
of record : but ftill, when regularly made, they will hav^e fome weight
every where. At leaft they will be valuable and authentic informations
to your fucceffors : and probably the parifliioners of future times will be
afhamed to infift on claims, contrary to what they will fee aflerted under
the hands of their predecefibrs, perhaps their fathers or near relations.
But then, to produce thefe good effe6ts, indeed to prevent their producing-
bad ones, they muft be made with great care. If there be a preceding-
terrier, it muft be confulted : if it be defedlive, the defeats muft be fup-
plied : if it be accurate, there muft be no variations from it in the new,
but where they are neceflary to render defcriptions intelligible ; or v/here
other alterations have been made that require them. For contradidory
terriers will hurt, if not deftroy, each other's evidence. It will alfo be
right to exprefs in them, what peculiar burthens are incumbent on the
minifter, or that there are none, as v^elL as what property belono-s to
him. . But If his right, or obligation, to any thing, be doubtful : either
no terrier muft be made, till the doubt is removed ; or it muft be fet
down there as a doubtful point ; but by no means given up, to pleafe
any perfon, or ferve any purpofe whatever. For terriers, that make
againft the Clergy, will do them abundantly more harm, than fuch, as
make in their favour, will do them good. And laftly, though it may be
needlefs and inconvenient to employ many perfons in drawing up a ter-
rier, yet the more fign it, the better ; efpecially of confiderable perfons :
for to omit any of them, and multiply the names of others, wiU appear
fufpicious. And as it may not always beeafy to procure fuch hands, as
you could wifli ; favourable opportunities muft be prudently fouo-ht
and waited for ; and the work undertaken, when they offer, and not
before.

Other very ufcful precautions, of near affinity to this of terriers, are
that if any augmentations have been made of your benefices, by pay-
ments referved in church or college leafcs, by the Queen's bounty, or
otherwife : or if any agreement have been entered into, between you, or
your predeceffors, and tlie patron and ordinary, for making any exchano-e
or inclofure, or doing any other act, which affecfts your income, or any
part of it, whether it be confirmed by a legal decree or not : proper evi-
dences

(ij See JVWiins, vol. 4. p. 638, 656. It wae alfo propofed that a calen-
dar fhould be made of thofe which were put in Uie regiftry and that they
fhould not be delivered out, without fecurity given.

48 Ths Bijhop of Oxford's

dences of thefe things ftiould both be kept amongft your parochial pa-
pers, and depofited in the public office. Indeed the law requires that
augmentations, made by ecclefiaftical bodies or perfons, be entered in a
parchment book, to be kept in the Bifhop's regiftry for that end [c).
And though aiSls of Parliament, paffed for any of the purpofes above-
mentioned, may be confidered as things more notorious : yet without
the fame fort of care, the memory of thefe alfo may be loft, or fome of
the provifions made in them controverted.

There is ftill one thing more, that, amongft feveral other ufes to
which it extends, may be very ferviceable to afcertain the rights of liv-
ings ; I mean repeating from time to time, the ancient pra6lice of per-
ambulations : which hath been long freed from fuperftition ; and, if pre-
ferved alfo from intemperance and tumultuous contefts, the laftof v/hich
evils may be prevented by friendly difcourfe beforehand with the chief
inhabitants of your own and the neighbouring parifties ; the thankfgiv-
ings, prayers, and fentenccs of Scripture, with which the injunctions
of Qiieen Elizabeth direft it to be accompanied, will render it a very
pious ceremony : and the civil benefits of it may be confiderable. For
though, without it, there feldom will arife any queftion, to what parifti,
lands, that have been long cultivated, appertain : yet concerning others,
in the whole or in part, there often doth. And fome, that are worth
but little at prefent, may come hereafter to be of great value.

But, bcfides preserving the incomes of our benefices from encroach-
ments, we are bound to preferve the lands and edifices belonging to
them, in good condition. If therefore we commit wafte on our glebe,
or, through covetoufnefs or negligence, impoverifli it, or fuffer our te-
nant to impoverifli it, we a6l difhonourably and unjuftly: as alfo, if we
permit our dwellitig-houfes or out-buildings to fall into decay, for want
of early or fufficient repair. A fmall expence in time may prevent the
neceffity of a much larger afterwards, and thus, by negiedting it, we
may hurt ourfelves ; which would doubtlefs be unv/ife : but defignedly
throwing the burthen on our fuccefibr deferves a harflier name. And if
we either fquander extravagantly, or hoard avaritioufly, what we fave
thus ; it doubles the fault. If mere indolence be the caufe of our omif-»
fion ; it is by no means a good principle ; and produces efFeds, as bad, as
if it were a worfe. Nay, if we are influenced by the defire of making only
a reafonable provifion for our families : we have no right to provide for
them by wronging our fuccefix)r ; and perhaps depriving our parifhioners
of the benefit of having a minifter rcfident amongft them. Poffibly fome
may fay, that their executors muft account for whatever they leave out
of order : and therefore they do no harm. But it may be, they will leave
them nothing to account with : efpecially as the common law prefers
the payment of other debts before dilapidations {d). 'At leaft they well
know, that the law, though it will allow more, than executors corri-
monly pretend ; and perhaps more, than would have prevented the da-
mage, if applied in time ; will not allow enough to repair it afterwards ;
or however not to compenfate moreover for the expence and trouble of
taking that remedy : and that therefore, in all likelihood, a fuccefibr, to

avoid

(c) 29 Car. 2. c. 8. $. 4, 5, 6.

(dj See G;'i5/e«'s Codex, p. 791.

fourth G)arge to his Clergy. 49

^vold law, will chufe rather to accept of lefs, than he ought to have.
Now driving him to this, is doing him a grofs injury j and that very
probably when he is juft coming into the world in fuch circumftances,
that it will weigh heavy upon him, and may put him behind hand for a
long time. Some again will plead, that they really cannot afford to re-
pair their houfes. And doubtlqfs the condition of many is very pitiable,
and deferves the afliftance, as well as compaffion, of their richer neigh-
bours and brethren. But ftill what reafon is there to think, that they^
who come after them, will be better able, when the houfes are grown
worfe ? And what muft it therefore end in, unlefs timely prevention be
applied ? Others may alledge, theirs are in repair ; and no dilapidations
will be found, when they leave them. But are they in fuch repair, (o
fubftantial and fo decent, as a minifter's houfe ought, that belongs to
fuch a benefice : or only juft habitable, and patched up to hold out a
little longer ? Perhaps you keep your houie in as good a condition, as
you found it. But did you think your predeceflbr aded well, when he
left it you in no better ? If not, that which was his duty, is now yours.
Thefe things all incumbents ought to confider : but fome more efpe-
cially ; as they who have large benefices, and they who have two ; which
may be ordinarily fuppofed equivalent to a large one. Yet thefe latter,
in how good order foever they may, for their own fakes, keep the houfe
they ufually refide in, have too often left the other to be treated as a
farmer or tenant pleafes : till it hath grown, if not ruinous, yet very
unfuitable to its next proper inhabitant. Again, rich perfons, that are
pofleired of poor livings, ought .peculiarly to refle£V, how noble an op-
portunity is put into their hands of being benefadlors to them : by re-
pairing, or if need be, rebuilding, and fitting up, the houfes ; and im-
proving whatever little fpace of ground lies about them, in fuch man-
ner, as will make both comfortable to the fucceeding owners. And the
very different method, which they have fometimes taken, of living in
better habitations themfelves, and letting thefe run into decay, is ex-
tremely ungenerous and illiberal. Yet indeed, on the other hand, mak-
ing parfonage or vicarage houfes, or the appurtenances of them, fo large
for their own convenience, as to bring on afterwards too great an ex-
pence in fupporting them, would be a mark, either of much vanity, or
little confideration.

On this whole fubje61: I might, inftead of perfuafion, ufe authority
alone. But as the latter would be much lefs pleafing to me : io I hope
the former will be as effedlual v/ith you. Elfe, the laws of the church,
in this nation, empower the Bifhop, if incumbents do not repair their
houfes in a decent manner (<?), to take cognizance of the negled either
on complaint or by voluntary inquiry, and to proceed againft them by
ecclefiaftical cenfures; or, after admonlfliing them" in vain, to make

himfelf

(€) Semper tamen rationabilis confideratio fit habenda ad facultates eccle-
fi3e. Conft. Edm. Si Reaor; on v/\nc\i Lyndivocd' s note is, Quia in benefi-
ciopinguiori requiruntur xdificia magis fumptuofa quam in beneficio minus
pingui. Lib. 3. Tit. 27. de eccl, sedificandu. Verb. Facultates EccUft^^
p. 251.

Vol. VI. D

50 TJ}e BiJJiop of Oxford's

himfelf what repair Is needful out of the profits of their benefi,ces : and
what proportion of them fhall be applied to this purjjofe, is left to his
difcTetion (/) : but the injuntlions of H. 8. Ed. 6. and Q. Eliz. di-
refted a fifth [g). And a further conftitution of Othobon^ publifhed in
the year 1268, exprefsly orders, that fuch a fequeftration be made in the
cafe of houfes fallen down, as well as decayed [h). And the Ref. Leg.
Eccl. had provided in the fame manner for the fame thing (?'), in con-
formity with evident reafon. Indeed, where no houfe hath been for a
long time, comipelling the incumbent to rebuild one may feem hard.
But is it not harder ftill, that his parilhioners and fuccellbrs ftiould ne-
ver more enjoy an advantage, intended to be a perpetual one ? At leaft,
whatever he may think of his legal obligation, he fhould confider, whe-
ther he is not in confcience obliged to devote fome fitting fhare of his
income to this ufe. Surely, if he doth not think it a ftri6t duty, he muft
think it, unlefs there be fome pe(?uliar reafon to the contrary, an excel-
lently good adtion. And fuppofing that what he can lay by, will amount
only to a tolerable beginning : yet others may, and probably will, fooner
or later, add to it, and complete the work.

But whatever care you ought to take, and I ought, to fee that you
take, in relation to your houfes : there is ftill a much greater, for the
fame reafons and more, due from you, who are redtors, in relation to
your chancels : and I am yet more exprefsly authorized, by Statute-law
as well as Canon, to fuperintend this matter. Chancels are the moft
facred part of the church : and the whole church bught to be preferved
in a condition, worthy of that Being, whofe it is ; and fit to infpire his
worfliippers with reverence. The light of Nature taught the Heathens
to adorn their temples {k). God himfelf provided, by exprefs and mi-
nute dire£lions, for the beauty of his fancStuary amongft the Jews : the
ancient Chrjftians imitated thefe precedents, as foon as ever the danger
of perfecution ceafed (/) : and if the following ages carried their notions
of magnificence and ornament in religious edifices too far, as undoubt-
edly they did, in heaping up treafures there, which had much better
have been diftributed to the poor, than kept to provoke the envy and
avarice of the great : yet in this country, for feveral generations paft,
the contrary extreme hath prevailed to fo (hameful a degree, as muft
needs give Papifts an exceeding great difguft to Proteftantifm ; and In-
fidels no fmall contempt of Chrillians, as either defpifing inwardly the
religion they profefs, or being too fordid to pay it the common outward
marks of refpedl.

Now what hope can we have of bringing our people back, unlefs we
fet them the example ? What can we fay to our parifhioners about their
church-es, or to lay-impropriators about their chancels y or, fay what

we,

(f) See G/'^^w's Codex, T. 32. c. 3. p. 7S9, Is'c.

(g) See Wtlkinsy vol. 4. p. 5. The Ref. Leg. Eccl. Tit. de Dilapidati-
onibus, c. z. p. 77. diredls only a 7th.

(h) Gib/oris Codex, Tit. 32 c. 3. p. 789.

(i) Tit. de Dilap. c. 2. p. 77.

(k) Hor. Od. 15. lib. 2, and Sat. 2. lib. 2. v. 103, 104, 105.

(I) t^tG Bingham* O

fourth Charge to his Clergy. rf

We will, how can it be expfedled they fliould mind us, if We are blame-
able ourfelvcs on the fame head ? In refpecl of their duty in this point,
and fome concern, (indeed not a little) v/hichyou have with it, 1 intend
to fpeak at large, if God fpare my life and health to another vifitation.
But at prefent I confine myfclf to what is more immediately and intirely
the province of the Clergy* Anciently the repair of the whole church
was incumbent on the redtor as of common right {m). I believe it con-
tinues to be fo ftill in other nations : but the cuftom of ours hath releaf-
ed us from the largeft part of the burthen : for which reafon we oiio-hC
to bear the remainder very chearfully ; and exceed what in ftrictnefs
might be demanded of us. Plainnefs of appearance, though carried al*
moft to the borders of negleft, in relation to our own perfons and
abodes, may be a judicious and inftrudtive mark of fimplicity and humi-
lity. But it will be much more fo, if, at the fame time, vVe are liberal
in providing for the honour of facred things. And if, inftead of that,
V/e take juft the contrary part ; dwell, as the Prophet expreffes himfelf,
lit ceiled houff\ and let the hoiife of God lie zvajle [n) ; fufFer the principal
part of it, and that with which we are intrufted, to be in a worfe con-
dition, than any common room we live in ; think nothing too good for
ourfelves, and every thing good enough for him and his fervice ; it is an
exceeding bad fign ; and muft have a moft undefirable efFe6l on all who
obferve it. I believe indeed that the chancels, which belong to incum-
bents, will be generally found in the beft condition of any; Yet fome even
of thefe, I fear, have fcarce been kept in neceffary prefent repair, and others
by no means duly cleared from annoyances, which muft gradually bring
them to decay : water undermining and rotting the foundations, earth
heaped up againft the outfide, weeds and fhrubs growing upon them, or
trees too near them. Where fufficient attention is paid to thefe things;
too frequently the floors are meanly paved, or the vralls dirty or patched,
or the windows ill glazed, and it may be in part'ftopt up, or the roof not
Ceiled : or they are damp, offenfive and unwholefome, for want of a due
fcirculation of air. Now it is indifpenfably requifite to preferve them
not only ftanding and fafe, but clean, neat, decent, agreeable : and it is
highly fit to go further, and fupcradd, not a light and trivial finery, but
fuch degrees of proper dignity and grandeur, as we are able, confiftent-
]y with other real obligations. Perhaps they may have been long, or
flerhaps always, as mean as they are at prefent. But the meannefs which
in ages of lefs elegance might give no offence, may juftly give more
than a little nov/. And whylhould not the church of God, as well as
every thing elfe about us, partake of the improvements of later times ? In
feveral of your chancels^ I doubt notj every thing which I have been
recommending is done. In others you have refolved to do it : and if
any have not rightly confidered the matter before, they muft be fenfible,
that it was my duty to admonilh them, and is theirs to regard the ad-
monition. For^ as to the excufes, which may be pleaded under this

head

Cm) See Conft. Othoh. Tit, 17, and John de Atbon, Verb. Cancellos,
(n) Hag. i. 4.

D2

52 The EiJJ)Op of Oxford's

head of chancels, they have been obviated, under the former of parfo-
nage-houfes.

It only remains now, that I fpeak briefly to the third point, our obli-
gations in regard to the temporalities of our benefices, when we have a
near view of quitting them : vi^hether by death, which may be near us at
any time, and miifl" be fo in old age ; or any other way. Some, becaufe
they were not to continue incumbents long, have fet themfelves to con-
fult their own interefts, by negledl of all expenfive duties, by commit-
ting vvafte, by allowing others to commit it. A manner of proceeding,
in all cafes unjuft : when they are removing to a better income, pecu-
liarly difhonourable : when they fee their latter end approach, fhocking-
ly wicked ; unlefs the decay of their faculties furnifh fome excufe for
them. Rcjedling therefore all fuch pra6lices with juft abomination, we
are bound in thefe circumftances, to confider ferioufly, what our paft
faults and omilTions, relating to this article, have been : to undo, as far
as we can, what we have done amifs : to do immediately what we
ought to have done fooncr : to make the amends we a) # able, if any
harm hath happened by the delay ; and indeed, fome amends for the
chance there was, that harm might have happened. But, how rightly
focver we may have aded hitherto, there will flill be duties, peculiar to
the time, which 1 am now fuppofmg : that we fecure to our fucceflors
whatever books, deeds, and papers, relating to our benefices, came
down to us from our prcdeceflors ; whatever evidences our own incum-
bency hath furnifhcd ; in a word, whatever notices may be of impor-
tance, concerning the rights, or the value, of the living, we enjoy. But
particularly, if we have been fo inconfiderate, as to make any long
agreement, which a fuccecding miniftcr may be in danger of miftaking,
or others may be tempted to fct up, for an eflablifhed prefcription ; as
may eafdy happen if it was done many years ago : we ought to leave
them the molt authentic proofs of the real flate and truth of the cafe.
Some have through indolence omitted thefe things. Others have defign-
edly kept in their own power, or left in that of their executors, all fuch
means of information ; that their fuccelTors, in order to receive them, may
be bound to behave realonably and kindly, as they are pleafed to term it;
that is, may be under a necellity of fubmitting to whatever unreafonable
things fnali be demanded of them. ; in refpect cf dilapidations, or any
other point. This, you cannot but fee, would be making an unfaithful
ufe of thofe lights, which have been intrufted with you. by others, and
an opprelTive one of thofe which you have added yourfelves. Or fuppof-
ing that only equitable requefts are made to a fucceflbr, and that he re-
tules them : Hill it is not a ChrilHan part, to prevent this injury by
threatning, and much lefs to revenge it by doing, v»hat in all likelihood
would be a far greater injury; and may extend its bad effects, beyond
the perfon, v ho hath given tiie provocation, to all that fhall fill his place
hereafter, though perfedly innocent ; and to every one that might have
fhared in the advantage of their enjoying a more plentiful income. Nor
is it fufficient, that you difapprove fuch condu^'c, unlefs you make a due
provifion, that your rcprefentatlves when you are gone fhall not be guil-
ty of it. You may have a better opiniou of them in this refpect, than

they-

fourth Charge to his Clergy, 53

they deferve : at leaft, there can be no harm in taking a little more care
of I'uch a matter, than might be abfolutely neceffiiry.

One powerful motive to be careful in all the points, which I. have
been mentioning, is, that few things \yill contribute more to vour main-
taining while you live, and leaving when you die, the character of men
of probity and honour, amongft your neighbours in general, and your
brethren of the Clergy in particular, than your diligent and difmterefted
attention to adl worthily and kindly in relation to your fuccefTors, though
probably you know them not, or however have no perfonal conne6lion
with them. Nor will many things throw a blacker or more Lifting ftain
upon perfons, than a low cunning, or a felfilh indifference, in thefe af
fairs. But indeed confcience, as well as reputation, is deeply concern-
ed in the matter, as I doubt not, but you are all fenfible. Nor furely
will any one elfe imagine, either that my exhortations to you, any more
than yours to your hearers, imply you to be guilty of, or efpecialiy in-
clined to any of the faults, againft which they are levelled : or that, by
fpeaking thus long of your worldly affliirs, I feem to think them of
weight equal, or comparable, to your fpiritual functions. But the beft
of us have need to be admonifhed of all our duties, be they duties of
higher rank or lov/er, each in their turns. Temporal things are not to
be negleiSled : and thofe leail of all, which are fet apart lor the fervice
of things eternal. But then we mult be watchful over them, in order
to employ them, as they were meant to be employed : and if wc nreferve
and tranfmit them ever fo faithfully, but ufe them unfaithfully ; itudying
only or chiefly to enrich or advance ourfelves, or gratify our fenfual ap-
petites, or love of diverfions, or of elegant appearance, by means of
thofe revenues, which were given us for ends widely different: (partly
to make a comfortable and moderate, not a fuperfluous and invidious
provifion for ourfelves and ours, and partly to ferve the purpofes of reli-
gion and charity) we offend God, fin againft our brethren, and provoke
men to take from us what they are too ready to fay we do no good with ;
as indeed little would be done, were fuch a conduct general. It is true,
and the laity ought to conilder it a great deal more than they do, that
we have very few of us much, if any thing, to fpare. But they who
have, fhould let their light jJnne before 7nen^ and be feen to lay it out in
pious ufes prudently chofen : and the pooreft fhould occafionally give
what alms they can ; and make amends for their inability on this head,
by a double diligence in ufeful inftruclion, pious example, and obliging
behaviour, to the meaneft of their people. Without a remarkable de-
gree of fuch care, we fhali have few or no friends : and notwithftanding
it, we fhall have many enemies. This is hard treatment ; but angry
complaints will only make it worfe ; and the moft reafonable expoftula-
tions not much better, unlefs we firft confider, wherein we are faulty or
defective, and amend it; wherein we are unjulily blamed or fufpedted,
and clear ourfelves : then patiently perfevere in well-doing, in all things
approving ourfelves ai the ?ninijiers of God^ by purenefs, by knowledge^ by
long-Juffering, by kind>iefsy by love unfeigned^ by the luord of truth, by the
armour of righteoufief on the right hand and on the left, through honour and
dishonour y thrgugh evil report and good report (<?). Other means^ if they

D 3 could

(0) 2 Cor. vi. 4, 6, 7, 8,

54 ^he Bijhop of Oxford's fourth Charge, Iffc,

could fuppof t us, cannot enable us to anfwer the end of our inftitution.
But by thefe we may ftill hope, not only to confute, but, which muft
ever be our chief aim, if poflible, to convert, at leaft to mollify our ad-
verfaries ; and fo recommend ourfclves to more impartial perfons, that
they may receive -with meeknefs ibe engrafted word^ zvhich is able to fave
the.' r fouls (p). Ov ftiould we, after all, in refpedl of ever fo many,
labour in vain^ andfpend our ftrength for naughty yd our judgment is zvith
the Lordy and our wor} with our God [q),

^p) James i. 21. (f) Ifa. xlix. 4.

#^#>^#

%.P-

A CHARGE

CHARGE

DELIVERED TO THE

CLERGY of the Diocese,

OF

OXFORD,

In the Year 1753.

Reverend Brethren^

tP5tt'^J^ HAVE never attempted in my former vifitations, nor fhall I
S I S in this, to entertain you with any thing new and curious :
^i^,;-^'J^ thinking it much fitter for me, and better for you, to fpeak to
you of fuch points, immediately relating to common pra6i:ice, as, though
eafily underftood, are too frequently difregarded. With this view I
have gone through the principal parts of your duty, as parochial minif-
ters, in refpe6l both of fpirituals and temporals. But befides what is
wholly incumbent on yourfelves, in fome things you are jointly con-
cerned with your church-wardens : and in others, though not exprefsly
commifTioned by law to interpofe, you may do it neverthelefs, with pe-
culiar propriety, weight, and influence.

D4 Of

56 The BlJ]}op of Oxford's

Of the former fort are thofe offences againft religion and morals,
which the church-wardens are bound by oath to prefent ; and the incum-
bent, or his curate, impowered and charged by the 113th and following
Canons to join with them in prefenting, if need be ; or to prefent alone,
if they refufe. This naturally implies, what the 26th Canon exprelles,
that the minifler is to urge the church- wardens to perform that part of
their office. Indeed your firft endeavour fhould be, by due inftru6tions
and exhortations, to hinder fuch offences : your next, hy due reproofs,
public or private, to amend them. But if both prove inefFeaual, what
remains is, to get them corre6led by authority. I am perfectly fenfible,
that both immorality and irreligion are grown almoft beyond the reach
of ecclefiaftical power: which having in former times been very un-
warrantably extended, hath fince been very unjuftly and imprudently
cramped and weakened many ways. I am fenfible alfo, that fometimcs
church-wardens, nay even miniflers, are fo dependent on perfons, who
deferve to be prefcnted, that they cannot prefent them without immi-
nent hazard of ruining themfelves : and forther ftill, that fome oftenders,
if they wefe thus cxpofcd, would only become worfc, and fet them-
felves to make others worfe : while fome again, as the Apoftle ex-
prefles it in this very cafe, would he Jivallowed up luith overmuch for^
row {a). Now furely it cannot have been defigned by our graci-.
ous Redeemer, or the rulers of his church, that the ^owqv of fpiri-
tual cenfures, which the fame Apoftle hath twice declared the Lord to
have gh^en for edification^ not for deJiruBion {h\^ fhould be exercifed in
circumftances like thefe. Therefore when circumftances are evidently
and undeniably of this kind, I think you fhould not infift on ycur church-
wardens prefcnting. But there is m.uch more danger of their being
guilty fif too great remiflhefs, than running into overmuch rigour. And
therefore you mufl advjfe, apd entreat tjiem to make prefentments of fm-
ners, where probably it will be ufeful ; and to contemn the difpleafure of
bad people, when it can have no extremely ill confequences, (of which
there is commonly much more fear than is necelfary) for the hope of
their amendment a/id the good of others round them. The. very office
of church-wardens obliges them to this : their oath yet more firmly.
And if they are backward ftill, after being told it doth, you mufl ac-
quaint them, that you are directed by the 25th Canon, (in the execution
of which however, as in all points of difcipline, difcretion fhould be
ufed,) to refufe them the holy communion ; not indeed for every ne-
gkdt of prefenting offences, but if they wilfully neglecSl it in defperate dcr
fiance of their oath, when they are urged to it by their neighbours, their
minifler or ordinary : for fo the fame Canon defcribes the cafe : in which
cafe likewife you will inform them, the court is authorized, by Canon
117, to proceed againfl them for pprjury. But, along with thefe ter-
rors, you will be fure to join fitting encouragements. You will pro-
mife to defend them to the parifhioners, and even to the perfon prefent-
ed, as doing only their duty. You will affure them, as yoa may, firfl,
that the court will take notice of their prefentments, no farther, than is
proper ; io that they fhall not incur the difpleafure of the offenders and
their friends for nothing \ then, that it will proceed, not with a view to

gain,
(a) 2 Cor. ii. 7. (h) z Cor, x. 8. and xiii. 10.

fifth CJ:nrge to his Clergy. ' ' 57

gain, but to reformntion and example ; not with exccfiive, nor, if it
can be avoided, with the utmoft rigour, but with equity and mode-
ration.

If all this be unfuccefsful, you mufi", in cafes that require it, offer to
join with them, or even refolve to prefent without them. But you muft
never take any ftep in thcfe matters, much lefs the more extraordinary
fteps, from motives of refentment, intereft, or party. If fuch inducements
can be with any colour oi reafon imputed to you, they will fo grievoufly
difcredit what you do, that probably jou had better do nothing. But on-
ly take care to fhew, that you aS: merely from good intention, accompa-
nied with temper and prudence, after trying gentler methods in vain : and
Ibme will vindicate, and even applaud you : more will inwardly and filently
refpe6l you ; and the number of the relt will not be formidable.

But then whoever brings a complaint, muft enable the court to take
due cognizance of it : elfe prefentments will be defpifcd ; and the con-
fequences be v/orfe, than if th?y had not been made. Evidence muft of
neceflity be furnifhed : otherwife there can be no proceeding. Expen-
ces, I hope I may promife, vv'ill be as low as poftible ; and they fliould
be cheerfully born for the good of the parifh and the public. It is not
reafonable that the court fhould bear them. Temporal courts never do.
And befides, there is room for plaufible, though unjuft, fufpicions of
partiality, where the judge appears to be in effect prolecutor too, and is
intcrefted in condemning the party accufed. ^

When perfons are prefented, you muft ufe your beft endeavours to
make them forry, not merely that they are in danger of being puniflied,
but principally that they have finned : and in proportion as you fucceed
in that, recommend them to fuch favour, as can be fhewn them. When
perfons are excommunicated, (which I heartily wifti no one ever was
but for crimes, though indeed a wilful contempt of authority is a great
crime) ycu muft prefs them to confider ferioufly, how they would be af-
fefted, if a phyfician or a lawyer of eminence pronounced their cafe de-
■fperate ; and of how much greater importance the concerns of eternity
are, than thofe of time. You muvt alfo admonilh them, that flighting
a cenfure, pafled on them for their amendment, will make their condi-
tion ftill more deplorable. And when they have been denounced excom-
municate, by the 85th Canon, the church- wardens are to fee, that in
every meeting of the congregation they be kept out of the church.
Nor muft you fuffer them to be fureties for children in baptifm, to re-
ceive the holy cucharift, or to have Chriftian burial. Farther, if they
continue vvithout abfolution for three months, the 65th Canon dire6ls
you to declare them excommunicate in the parifh church every half year j
that others, meaning fuch as have no neceffary connexions 'with them,
may thereby be admonifhed to refrain their company, and excited the
rather to procure out a writ de excommunicato capiendo : that is, if the
circumftances of the cafe make it requifite. Again, when perfons do
penance, you muft be diligent to make them ferioufly fenlible of the ufe-
fulnefs of fuch difcipline ; and the unfpeakable obligations they have to
the Gofpel of Chrift, which alone aifures men of forgivenefs on any
terms. And laftly, both on all fuch, and all other fit occafions, you
muft remind your people^ that however the cenfuies of the church may

be

5^ The Bljlwp of Oxford's

be relaxed or evaded, the final judgment of God onobllinate flnncrs is
both unavoidable and infupportable.

Befides the prcfcntnient of perfons who give offence, you are con-
cerned likev/ife in that of things belonging to the church, which are not
kept in good repair and order.

1 have already fpoken to you concerning the repair of your houfes and
chancelB : and enlarged on the reafons, why both, but efpecially the lat-
ter, fliould be always preferved not only in a firm and fafe, but decent
and refpedlable ftatc. Now the fame reafons hold in regard to the refi:
of the church : and after you have fet the example in your own part, you
may with reputation and weight call on your parifhioners to do what is
proper in theirs. And indeed you are bound to it. For, as John of
Athon hath juftly obferved (t ), Licet per coyijuetudinem exoneretur reiior a
fumptibtis prceftandisy non ianun cxlmitur a curd ^ foUcitudine hnpendendd.
Thus far even the body of the church is ftill under your infpe£lion : and
if any thing be remarkably amifs there, and you take no notice ; good
and confideratc perfons will lament it, as a bad fign and of bad confe-
quence : others will make your indifference a plea to excufe their own j
and yet while they are glad of it, will be likely enough to Condemn you
for it ; and perhaps be led by it to think meanly of religion, as well as
of you. Befides, church-wardens have often but little fenfe of proprie-
ty in thefe matters : therefore you fhould labour to give them a fenfe of
it : convince them, bv reafon and Scripture, of the honour due to the
houfe of God : fliew them, that their own honour too is interefted ; that
Z church in handfome condition is a credit to the whole parifh ; and in
particular to the officers, who have put it in that condition, and whofe
names will be long remembered on that account. They are often afraid
of the expcnce. Argue with them, that things may be done gradually,
3nd fo the expence be rendered almoft imperceptible : perfuade them to
leffen their expences in needlefs matters ; in eating and drinking at vi-
fitations, and on other occafions, fometimes to excefs, never to any
<Tood purpofe ; and obferve to them, how much righter and more com-
mendable it would be, to lay out or lay up that money for proper ufes :
how fhameful indeed, to fquander it in riot and folly, and be never the
better, but the worfe the next day j when they might difpofe of it fo, as
to fee the good effedls for years, and have them feen for ages. If ftill
you cannot influence the prefent church-wardens, try their fucceffors.
You have a concurrent right with the parKhioners in chufing them ; and
if your opinions differ, you are to chufe one, they another : unlefs there
be a cuftom to the contrary. Surely then, within fome reafonable time,
you may get fuch as will hearken to you. If you fail of fuccefs that
way, defire your people to refled how their money goes : not in fees of
vifitations, which are no higher now, than when the value of money
was thrice, perhaps five times, higher, but in extravagance and intem-
perance : that therefore they ought not to complain of the court, but of
their own officers ; indeed ought to difallow the wrong and idle articles
of their accounts j and may be affured, the court will fupport them in
doing fo.

Sometimes the church-wardens are willing to lay out i^ioney as they

ought,

(c) CevJl.Othob. 17. vt:\>. ad hoc tene?itur. p. 113*

fifth Charge to his Clergy, 5g

ouoht, but the parifhioners unwilling. In that cafe you muft acquaint
the former, that no man's confent is wanted for their repairing and keep-
in"- in good order, both the church, and every thing belonging to it,
which is either necefTary, or which they found there : nor is the confent
of every man requifite, but of the majority only of a parifh-meeting
duly called, for adding any thing new, provided the ordinary approve it.
Hov/ever, they fhould do their utmoft, and you fhould affift them, to
procure the concurrence of all the parifhioners j or at leaf!:, of as many
as poffible : to whom you will reprefent for this end, that a moderate ex-»
pence now will prevent a much greater hereafter : that almofl all the
churches in the nation were built many ages ago, and a very great part
of them about the fame time : that without conftant and fubflantial re-
pairs, in another generation or another century, they will be falling at
the fame time j and how will they be rebuilt ? The inhabitants, if we
may guefs from what v/e fee at prefent, will be both lefs able and lefs in-
clined. As for help from briefs : thofe for other things produce but
little ; but thofe for churches extremely little ; to the great fhame indeed
of perfons, who call themfelves Chriftians : and you fhould labour to
rectify their prejudices on this head, and excite them to be more charit-
able. But God knows whether they will ; and if hereafter they fhould,
what can be hoped from it, when almofl every parifh in the land will
want a brief? In many, it is to be feared there will be no churches j in
others, wretchedly mean ones ; to the contempt of all religion amongft
Infidels, and of the Proteflant religion amongfl Papifls. Repeat and
inculcate it therefore on your people, that they muft take care of the
churches they have : if not, their pofterity will run the rifque of having
none. Too many will fcarcely be moved even by that confideration :
but there is the more need of moving fuch as you can ; and, getting in-
to a condition of moving more, by all proper methods of recommend*
ing the Gofpel and yourfelves.

But to perfons of rank and figure in your parifhes, one fhould hope
you might apply v/ith very fair profpedt of fuccefs. To thefe you may
furely reprefent at favourable feafons, that labouring people part very
hardly with the money, which they get very hardly : that therefore their
fuperiors fhould not only ufe their influence and example to make them
willing, but indeed fhould do for them what perhaps they are almofl: as
unable to do, as they are unwilling ; efpecially what goes any length be-
yond repairs abfolutely necefTary : for that people of low degree, though
they may have fome notion of neatnefs and elegance, yet will murmur
grievoufly to pay much for it in their churches, and part of their ill hu-
mour will fall on the dodrine taught there : that efpecially if they are
tenants, their concern in the place being temporary, and poffibly alfo
fhort or uncertain, they will of courfe endeavour to fhift off the burthen
from themfelves : but that landlords have a more lafling interefl, and
will find their account better in doing things early at their own coft,
than in letting them run on, till the coft is much greater : for then, in
fbme fhape or other, it mufl come out of their pockets. With thefe
confiderations you will not fail to join others of a higher nature : that
facred fabrics are appropriated to the nobleft of iifes, the worfhip of the
great God j and to preferve or put them in a condition fuitable to it

is

6o . The Bijhop of Oxford's

is one very proper method of exprefling and cherifhing a fenfe of piety
in their own minds, and fpreading it through their families, neighbours
and dependants ; whereas, by fufFering his houfe to be an objett of con-
tempt and fcorn, while perhaps they fpare nothing to beautify their own,
they will be underftood, and will tempt all around them, to defpife the
fervice performed there, and him to whom it is paid : that repairing and
cmbellifhing their churches will employ the poor full as beneficially, as
adorning their feats and gardens, and procure them a much better
grounded, and more general, efteem. Indeed it is furprifmg, that no-
blemen and gentlemen will fquander vaft fums in the gratification of pri-
vate luxury and vanity, for which more condemn than applaud them ;
and not confider, that much fmaller fums bellowed on public works,
efpecially in honour of religion, would gain them the admiration of
a whole country ; and the peculiar blelling of many, whom they would
thus eafe from burthens : befides that they might (hew their good tafte,
if that be the favourite point with them, no lefs in one way than the
other. But even Heathen writers have obferved long ago, that expen-
five perfonal indulgence, and mean fpiritcd parfimony in what regards
the community, are often companions, and always ill fymptoms [d).

But you may prefs the obligation of repairing and ornamenting yet
more ftrongly, both on fuch of the nobility and gentry, and on fuch col-
leges and ecclefiaftical perfons or bodies, jis are impropriators : and like-
wife on the lelTees of thefe latter ; becaufe they have a more beneficial
intereft in the eftate, than the leflbrs. Being pofleffed of the greater
(hare of what was originally given for the fupport of the fervice and the
fabric, they are bound at leaft in confcience, to take care of both, if it
be needful: but of one part of the fabric, the chancel, they are indifput-
ably bound by law to take care. And yet too commonly even thofe
amongft them, who fhould be the molt attentive to this point, ftrange-
ly negle£i it ; or throw it on their tenants, who they know will of courfe
neglect it; and concern themfelv^es no farther. So their chancels are
only in fuch fort of repair, as their barns and out-houfes. Now hand^
fome benefa6lions to put them in a better condition, given from time to
time, and efpecially when good fines are received, would (hew piety and
generofity at once ; would abate the unjuft envy and hatred, to which
academical and ecclefiaftical owners of eitates are liable ; and fet an ex-
ample, which others might probably imitate.

I have already faid, in fpeaking of chancels, that the ornaments of fa-
cred places ought not to be light and gaudy, but modeft and grave.
Amongft thefe, a very proper one, of the cheaper kind, is, writing on
the walls chofen fentences of Scripture. This was done as early as the
4th century [e) : but in procefs of time ceaied to be done, at leaft in
the vulgar tongue : and being reftored at the reformation, was forbidden,
as promoting that caufe, by Bifhop Bonne?- in Queen Mary's reign [f].
It not only divcrfifies the- walls very agreeably and decently, but affords
ufeful matter for meditation to the people, before the fervice begins ;
and may afford them ufeful admonition, when their eyes and thoughts

are

(dj CU.pro Flacco. Hor. Od. 1, 2, I5. Sat. I. 2. 2, 103, 104, 105,
(ej Bingb, viii. 8, 3, (f) Wilkins, vol. iv. p. 108.

fifth Charge to his Clergy. 6 1

are wandnng in the courfe of it. For thefe reafons, I prefume, the Sad
Canon dire6ts, that fuch fentences be written in convenient places ; and
likewife, that the ten commandments be fet upon the eaft end of every
church and chapel : to which undoubtedly the creed and Lord's prayer,
though not mentioned in the Canon, are very fit companions.

You muft alfo endeavour, that fuch care may be taken of the furni-
ture of the church, ajid whatever is ufed in it, as the Canons and Ru-
brics and the nature of the thing require: that the furplice be original-
ly of proper linen, and kept clean, and renewed before it becomes con-
temptible by age : that the Bible and Prayer Books be whole and unful-
lied, and well bound : that the veflcls for the celebration of both the fa-
craments, and the cover of the holy table, but more efpecially the bread
and wine placed upon it, be fuitable in all refpedts to the folemnity : not
fuch as may give difguft to the more delicate, and tempt them to abhor,
as the Scripture expreifion is, the off'cring of the Lord (g). Thefe are,
in their kind, points of importance: and fuch as you may for the moft
part eafily carry. Another thing, worthy of notice, is the condition of
your church-yards. I take it for granted, though I am afraid I forgot
to name it, that you keep thofe, which belong to yourfelves, neat and
decent: not turning in cattle to defile them and trample down the grave-
ftones ; and make confecrated ground fuch, as you would not fuffer courts
before your own doors to be ; but taking the profits of the herbage in
fuch manner, as may rather add beauty to the place. And I hope, where
a church-yard belongs to an impropriator, you will do your beft to get
the fame refpedl paid it j and to whomfoever it belongs, the fences well
kept up.

If, in any or all of the particulars, which I have fpeclfied, your re-
prefentations will be lefs ofFenfively introduced, or your attempts be of
more weight, for your being able to fay, that I directed you to maks
them, I do hereby dire£l you accordingly; and defire you to fay I did.
Nor ihould you be contented with a tranfient mention of the fubjedt
once or twice; but where there is any hope, return it on proper occa-
fions, and try the force of modeft importunity. If, after competent trial,
you find no effeil:, you muft urge the church-wardens, to preient what
is amifs, if they will do no more. Indeed fuch things as belong to their
own care, they fhould not prefent, but am.enJ : and the Canons require,
not the former, but the latter. Only when they have not time for the
latter, the former is all they can do: and when they have, it is better
than doing nothing. For it gives notice, and furnifhes room for admo
nitions and injundtions. If there be need, here again you muft encou-
rage them to prefent, by engaging to plead their caufe with the pariihi-
oners. You may alfo fafely promife them, that they ftiall fufrer no op^
preflive or hard treatment, ftiall not be required to lay out upon any
thing more than is fitting, and fhall have reafonable time allowed, even
for that. I need not fay, that both to qualify yourfelves for prefling
them to prefent, and on many other accounts, you muft take efteftual
care, that nothing belonging to you be prefentable, Elfe they will have
a ready anfwer for you : and it will be a fad thing to ftand in awe and
be at the mercy of thofe, who ought to reverence you. If you cannot

prevail
J (g) 1 Sam,y\i, 17.

62 the BlJ})op of Oxford*!

prevail on them otherwife, I apprehend you may join with them ; an<l
if you cannot prevail on them at all, I apprehend you may prefent with-
out them, in the cafe of repairs, as well as offences, by virtue of the
interpretation, which practice hath put on the abovcmentioned Canon 3
though it fpeaks, I own, exprefsly of nothing befides offences. But in
doing either of thefe things, you rnuii be fare to obferve the cautions
given under the former head.

Yet after all, I am well aware, that you may often have great diffi-
culties to encounter, polTxbly fometimes too great to furmount. And
to diminifh them from you, I have endeavoured to procure a parochial
vifitation from the Archdeacon, which he hath promifed. But then,
for the credit of your pariihioners and your own, let this be an induce-
ment to put things in good order, that he may find them fo : not to
leave them in bad order, that he may rectify them.

Another very ufeful inftitution, for thefe and many valuable purpofes,
was that of rural Deans : which took place here before the conqueft,
was kept up till the great rebellion, was reftored afterwards in feveral
Diocefes, and particularly in this by the adm.irable Bifliop Fell (/;), was
found not quite extin6l and was completely revived by the late excellent
Bifhop of Glocefler (z), in that county, and is preferved to this day in
fome parts of the nation befides. Thefe Deans, being chofen out of
the refident parochial Clergy, could infped, with fmall trouble, the
churches and parifhcs within their feveral narrow diftrids ; and being
bound to report what they found amifs, could do it with little or no of-
fence. In the latter end of Qiieen Anne's, and the beginning of the late
King's reign, the convocation made fome progrefs towards the re-efta-
bliftiment and better regulation of this office. When that, or any other
branch of difcipline, may be the fubje£l of public confideration again, is
very uncertain. I fhould be very glad, with your approbation, to fet
it up once more amongit us, in fuch form as might be moft beneficial
and fatisfa6lory : but contented at prefent with hinting the matter, I
leave and recommend it to your ferious thoughts.

A third particular, of confiderable importance, in which you are
jointly concerned with the church-wardens, is the keeping of the regif^
ter book. The 70th Canon direds, that it be of parchment : and
though an a£t of Parliament, lately paffed, allows marriages to be re-
giftred in a paper book ; yet parchment is far more durable : nor is the
difference of expence worth regarding, as it returns fo feldom. This
book fhould be ftrongly bound, and not over large ; left it fhould be
worn and damaged, before it is filled. For the fafe prefervation of it,
and doubtlefs of all preceding books of the fame kind, the Canon orders,-
that a cheft be provided with three locks and keys ; one for you, one
for each of the church-wardens, who are ordinarily two ; and that oa
Sundays, if there hath been any chriflening, marriage or burial, in the
week before, it fhali be entred there. I am afraid it is feldom thus kept :
and yet there would he no great trouble in it, after a little ufe. Or
where that is othefvv'ife, either the minifter or a church-warden fhould
keep it : and each of them fhould fee from time to time, how it is kept.

Th«

fh) Rennet. Paroch. Ant. p. 653. (i) Biftiop Ben/on,

fifth Charge to his Clergy. 63

The entries, if they cannot well be made every Sunday, fhould be made
very frequently, and in the mean time the minifter, if he hath not the
book, fhould take memorandums. He is the perfon diretted to write
in it, and ufually much the fitteft. But if, through any accident, that
happens not to be fo, he fhould appoint a proper perfon, and fuperintend
him'. The names and furnames of the parents ought to be added, in
regiftring not only baptifms, where it is enjoined, but marriages and bu-
rials too, as far as may be : for it may prevent doubts and difputes. It
will alfo be very ufeful, to put down the day of the birth and death of
each perfon, as well as of the baptifm and burial. The late aft above-
mentioned hath direcSbed farther, that every page of the regifter of mar-
riages be numbered, to difcover if any leaf be afterwards cut out ; and
ruled with lines at equal diftances, to difcover if any article be afterwards
put in. And you will do very well to obferve the fame precautions tn
regiflring baptifms and burials. When a page is filled, the Canon re-
quires the minifter and church -wardens to fubfcribe their names ; w^hich
they fhould do jufl below the lafl line. And if this be not done imme-
diately, it may without any inconvenience be done foon after : and was
done by me and the church-wardens, for many years, in one of the mofl
populous parifhes of the kingdom. Laftly the Canon requires, that an
attefled copy of this book be annually tranfmitted to the Bifhop's regif-
try, received without fee, and faithfully preferved there : and it autho-
rizes me to proceed againfl thofe, who are negligent about any of its di-
reftions. I muft therefore both intreat and infifl, that you inquire in
what condition your old and your prefent regifter books are, and get
them kept for the future as they ought. I have more than once been
put under great difficulties in ordinations, for want of exa6lnefs in the
regifter of baptifms. That of marriages is of fo great concern, that al-
tering it defignedly to eftablifh or void a marriage, is by the a6t above-
mentioned made felony. In all cafes the book, faithfully kept, is good
evidence : and falllfying it is punifhable at common law. I would only
obferve farther on this head, that in the preamble of a bill, which pafTed
the Houfe of Commons this laft feffion, and had a fecond readino- in the
Houfe of Lords, it was afTerted as notorious, that " great inconvenien-
" ces have arifen from the prefent defedlive manner, in which parochial
•' regifters are formed ; and the loofe and uncertain method, in which
" they are kept and preferved ; whereby the evidence of defcents is fre-
" quently loft and rendered precarious." So far as this may be fa6l, it
will be moft for our honour to amend it, without the interpofition of the
legiflature.

A fourth point, of which I hope you will think yourfelves bound, if
not by law, yet in confcience, to take a joint care with the church-wur-
dens, is that of parochial charities. The minifter is the reprefentative
of the church, intrufted with its interefts ; and you ought to endeavour,
that fuch benefa£tions be firft preferved, and then applied in a proper
ttin nner.

If it be douMful, whether fuch or fuch a donation hath been given to
your church or poor, or the fupport of a fchoal in your parifh, you will
make proper inquiry concerning the matter. If it be" given by any writ-
ing, you will procure that writings or an attefteJ copy of it, to be laid

up

54 TI^eBlJhopGf Oxford' 3

up fafely, either in the parifii chefl, or the Bifhop's regiflry ; indeed a
copy in each place would be beft ; and an account of the gift fhould be
inferted in your parifli book. For if deeds are left in private hands,
and efpecially without authentic notice where they are left, they are fome-
times defignedly fupprefied ; and often undefignedly deilroyed or loft,
through the ignorance or careleflhefs of the perfons polTelled of them.
It will alfo be very proper, to have a table, mentioning the charity,
h\xw<- up in your church ; that a grateful ren:embranceof the benefadors
ma)^be continued to pofterity, and others incited to follow their good
example : cs a paper of directions drawn up by the lower houfe of con-
vocation m 1710, hath well exprcfTed it {k). If the benefaction be an
eftate veiled in truftees, it will be very material to get the truft renewed
in due time ; elfe in all likelihood there will be expence, if not danger j
and to truftees of as good credit and ability, as pofnble. Ihey muft
likewife be warned, never to let out fuch lands on long leafes, or at very
low rents, in favour of any body : but to raife the rents when they can;
at leaft to vary them, which will make it eafy to raife them, v/hen there
is opportunity : otherwife it will foon be pretended, that they have no
rio-ht'to raife them ; of which there are fome unhappy inftances in this
Diocefe. If the gift be in money, you muft prefs to have it placed in
the public funds, in cafe it be confiderable enough ; or elfe in the beft
private hands, and on the beft fccurify that can be obtained j paying no
regard in fuch cafes to perfonal friendlhips ; and being particularly care-
ful, that parifti officers do not keep it in their own cuftody. If they do,
the intereft will ufually be paid out of the public money, and moft pro-
bably the principal will be loft in a few years.

But charities are preferved in vain, unlefs they are well applied : and
they are often ladly mifapplied. Gifts to the church, where it is not
otherwife exprefled, muft be fuppofed intended for beautifying the church :
dfe it will be never the better for fuch gifts : for it will be equally re-
paired without them : the parifaioners are bound to that : and the chief
of the burthen ufually falls upon the richclt, for whofe relief charities
were certainly not intended. And yet fuch bencfoitions are too com-
monly employed,, not only in mere repairs, but in what hath no connec-
tion with the fabric ; in providing bread and wine for the communion,
in paying church-wardens bills for all forts of things, it may be for ex-
travagant and riotous entertainments amongft the reft, in eafuig the
poors rates, in I know not what ; and the church all the time, inftead
of being any way improved, fuffered to grow dirty and even ruinous.
A lamentable abufe of this kind, (where a fteeple fell down,_ and was in
part rebuilt by contribution, while an eftate, more than fufficient to have
kept the whole building in good order and beauty, was perverted to other
ufes) I have taken much pains to reaify, but fear it is not throughly
re(^ified yet. Again, gifts to the poor were certainly intended for the
benefit of the poo° ; to m.ake provlfion for fuch of them, as are not on
the parifli lift, or a better provilion for fuch as are. And yet they are
fometimes embezzled and fquandered, in a great meafure, if not whol-
ly ; fometimes beftowed to ferve private or party purpofes : and very
frequently funk into the legal rate j fo the wealthy are benefited ; and
i the

(k) See Wilkins, yol. iv. p. 638.

fiflh Charge to Ins Clergp 6^

the needy have not a farthing more, than if nothing had been given
for them.

I know it is not always eafy, perhaps not always poflible for you, to
remedy thefe ill pra<3ices. But a great part of the blame will be laid on
you, right or wrong, unlefs you try to remedy them. And it may pro\ e
lefs difficult than you imagine. Church-wardens and overfeers perhaps
are ignorant, or going on thoughtlefsly, and would be thankful to you
for good advice : or however would be ruled by it, on your reprefenting
to them the heinoufnefs of robbing God or the poor j and the honour it
will do them, and the confolation it will afford them, to have put things
into a right channel. Or fuppofmg them backward to comply, you may
be able to get confiderablc perfons in the parifh or neighbourhood to fe-
cond you. Atleaft you will get the reputation of a moft laudable zeal,
and if you conduit that zeal aright, of difcretion alfo : and thefe toge-
ther may produce unexpetfted fuccefs ; efpecially where the abufe is not
yet become inveterate. But if nothing elfe will do, and the cafe be
plain, and the object of fufficient importance : recourfe (hould be had
to the authority of the law ; and you (hould be willing to bear a pro -
portion of the charges, if it be requiiite and you are able ; only tak-
ing the ftricleft care to proceed with mildnefs and fairnefs.

1 have now finifhed the courfe of diredlions to you, which I began i^
years ago. And as I can truly fay^ that in this and every part of my be-
haviour as your Bifhop, I have, through the Divine affiitance, diligently
laboured, to do my duty with uprlghtnefs, and promote your good and
that of your parifhioners, prefent and future ; fo I hope you will accept
my endeavours with candour, and ftudy to profit by them j excufmg my
failings^ which I know have been many, and will now be too likely to
increafe. I am advancing apace into the decline of age. Three of my
brethren (/), my oldeft and bell friends, have gone before me in lefs than
twelve months. I muft expeit to follov/ them foon. Whether I may
live, or, if I live, whether I may be able, to meet you thus again, God
only can forefee. May he grant us to meet in a better world.

But before I conclude, permit me to fubjoin, to thefe general admo-
nitions, a few words concerning two particular occurrences.

In the firft place I return you my hearty thanks for the pains, which
you have taken in behalf of the Society for propagating the GofpeL
The colledtion hath upon the whole been made very fuccefsfully through-
out the kingdom ; and amounts to almoft 19000/. if not more : whereas
ten years ago it fell fhort of 15000/. But I believe the contribution ol
this county hath been in proportion the largeft of any. The lafl time it
was barely 300/. ; nor was that to be accounted fmall; and now it is
very near 500/. : I mean in both cafes exclufive of the Univerfity : which
diftinguifhed itfelf very honourably then, and I doubt not, will at pre-
fent. May God increafe, and blefs, and reward the zeal of all his fer-
vants every where for fupporting, and enlarging the kingdom of his
Son, and making the confeflion of his Name effectual to the falvation of
mankind.

The other fubje6t, on which I would fpeak to you, is the conteft- about

reprefentatives
(/) Bifhops Butkr, Bsnfon, and Berkeley,

Vol, VT, E

66 The B'tjhop ef Oxford's

reprefentatives for this county in the next Parliament. Let no one be
aiarmed. I need not, and I do not mean, to give you at a meeting
of this nature, my opirrion which of the candidates you ought to pre-
fer : of that I fay no more here than that you ought to regard, in the
firft place, the infeparable intereft of the excellent church we are mem-
bers of, and, its only human fupport, the juft and gracious government'
v.'c live under ; then other fubordinate confiderations. My purpofe is
merely to exhort you, (and I befeech you^ hrethroi^ fuffer the word of ex-
hortation) {rti) that on this occafion, your converfat'ion be fuchy as bccometh
the Gofpel of Chrijl : in doing which, I have neither one party, nor one
perfon amongft you, more in my view than another : but, if I may ufe
the Apoflle's words, am jealous ivith a godly jealoufy over you all [n). I
I cannot indeed fuppofe, that any of you would be guilty of the grolTer
faults too common at fuch times, or any wilful wrong behaviour. But
in the midft of fo many clafhings, provocations, and difappolntments,
as will happen, fo many miftakes and mifreprefentations as arife one
knows not how; the incitements to uncharitable and contemptuous
thoughts, to unadvifcd and injurious words, in anger or in mirth, nay
to unkind and hard and even unjuft adions, are very great, and the bcft
of us all fliould be continually fuggefling to our minds proper cautions
for avoiding thefe dangers. Elfe we fhall fall into fm againfi: God and
our neighbour : we fliall lofc the eflcem of part of thofe whofc improve-
ment by us depends on their eftecming us ; and fet a bad inftead of a
good example to the reft. Let every one of us therefore be very watch-
ful over our conduft : or if we have not been fo, let us amend it : and
if we find preferving our innocence difficult, let us meddle the lefs with
thefe matters : for indeed being over bufy about them is not very fuitable
to our fun61:ion. But while we are Uriel with ourfelves, let us be very
mild in regard to others, whom we think to have done amifs : we may
blame them without caufe ; or if we do not, it is eafy to err ; and we,
amongft others, are fadly liable to faults. But let us be efpecially mild
towards our own brethren. For why Ihould we diminifh our little re-
maining ftrength by inteftine dillenfions, and teach yet more perfons to
think ill or meanly of us, than do already ? Surely the common caufe
of religion and virtue, which we are jointly intrufted to fupport, fhould
iiave infinitely greater force to unite us, than any thing elfe to divide
lis.

Next to yourielves, you will ftudy to preferve as majiy of your pa-
rifliioners as poffible, from the fins thatfo eafily bcfet them at thefe feafons
of epidemical unrcalonablenefs and licejitioufnefs. Thofe, who are of
your own fide, you may counfel and reprove more freely. Witli the reft
you muft be extremely calm and patient : take the moft favourable op-
portunities, and ufc the moft perfuafive methods of fpeaking •. but ii>
fome way or other, private or public, all, who need it, ihould be told,
whether they ivili hear or -whether they will forbear^ that the great Chriftiaa'
laws of dutifulnefs to fuperiors, mutual good-will, forbearance, forgive-
nefs, equity, veracity, moderation, fobriety, lofe not the leaft of their
oblic-ation during the continuance of thefe difputes : that all virtues are
to be chiefly cxercifed, when they are chiefly tried : and that therefore

now
(w) Heb. xiii. 22^ (") 3 Cor. xi. a.

fifth Charge to his Clergy. Sj

now more particularly, you, as the Apoftle dirciSls, mufl put them in
mimU smd they muft keep in mind, to be fuhjeSl to ■principalities and
poiveri^ to obey magijirates^ to he ready to every good tvork^ tofpeak evil tffno
man^ to he no brawlers but gentle^ Jhcwiiig all ?necknefs unto oilmen [o). I
end this long difcourfe in the words of the fame Apoille : Finally^ breth-
ren^ whatfoever things are true, whatfoever things are venerable^ (for fo the
word is rightly tranllated in the margin) xvhatfoevcr things arc juji^ what-
foever things are pure., whatfoever things are lovely^ tuhafoever things are of
good report., if there be any virtue and if there be any praife., think ^and do
thefe things : and the God of peace jhall be with you (p).

(o) Tit. lii. 1, 2. (p) PKil. iv. 8, 9,

Ea ACHARGE

CHARGE

DELIVERED TO THE

CLERGY of the Diocese

ot

CANTERBURY,

In the Year 1758.

Reverend Brethren^

jp?C*:^H E Difpofer of all things having permitted his Majefly, by the
^- T '^; advice of his faithful fervants, to nominate me for your Bifhop:
^•^;#.'^ though I faw many reafons to dread this promotion, arifing from
the difficulties of the office and of the times, from the great qualities
of my predecefTors, and my own increafmg vireakneffes ; yet I thought
myfelf bound to obey his commands, and with the fame gratitude for his
favourable opinion, as if I had wiftied to receive them : determining,
through God's grace, to perform the duties of my flation as well as I
could ; and hoping for the candor, the affiftance and the prayers of good
people. To make fome amends by diligence for my deficiences in otlier
e refpe<as,

The Archhijhop of Canterbury' s firji Charge^ &c. €q

refpe£ls, I refolded immediately to vifit my Diocefe : for which purpofe
we are here aflembled.

Thefe meetings were defigned, partly to give the Clergy opportuni-
ties of conferring with each other, and confulting their fuperiors, on
matters relating to their profeflioni and I am very defirous, that you
fhould render them as beneficial in this way, as poffible: but principally,
to give Biftiops opportunities of exhorting and cautioning their Clergy,
either on fuch general fubje6ls as are always ufeful, or on fuch particu-
lar occafions as the circumftances of things, or the inquiries, made at
or againft thefe times, point out ; and of interpofmg their authority, if
there be need ; which, amongfl you, I am perfuaded, there will not.
To provide more fully for your inftruftion, I have ordered a Charge to
be fent you, which I delivered to the Clergy of Oxford/hire, and printed
at their requeft, about twenty years ago. Would God it were become
unfeafonable now. But, as unhappily it is not, I earneftly recom-
mend the contents of it to your moll ferious thoughts : and would
have you look on what I fhall at prefent fay further, as fupple mental
to it.

Counfels and admonitions to parochial minifters pre-fuppofe their re-
fldence. The founders of parifhes provided them with glebes, and built
houfes for them, purpofely that they might refide. The laws of the
church have from the beginning, and do ftill require, as indeed common
equity doth, that this valuable confideration, for which thefe endow-
ments were given, fhould be faithfully paid. And going over and per-
forming the lervice from time to time, or engaging fome other clergy-
man to take care of it, or of the occafional part of it, feldom anfwers
the original intention. Your people will not fo readily, and cannot fo
•conveniently apply to the minifter of another parifh : and when they do,
his afliftance, for the moft part, will be lefs early, or lefs conftant, than
it fhould : though doubtlefs they, who have undertaken to fupply their
neighbours abfence, ought to do it very confcientioufly. But befides,
even the Sunday-duty, when the incumbent unnecefTarily comes from a
diftant place to do it, will be confidered as accompanied with fomething
like a breach of the Sunday, will not always be kept to the ftated hours,
.will often be hurried over indecently : the catechifm will either not be
taught or not expounded, if the diftance be at all confiderable ; nor pro-
bably will the fermon be well adapted to the audience. For it is only
living amongft your people, and knowing them throughly, that can (hew
you, what is level to their capacities, and fuited to their circumftances;
what will reform their faults, and improve their hearts in true goodnefs.
Yet this is your bufmefs with them : and unlefs you perform it, every
thing elfe is nothing. Further, fuch as want your help moft may not
come to your fermons, or may not apply them to their own cafe, or may
need to have them enforced by coniiderations peculiar to themfelves, and
unfit to be fpecified in public. Speaking to them feparately, and agree-
ably to their feveral ftates of mind and life, may have unforefeen influ-
ence. And being always at hand, to awe the diforderly and countenance
the well-behaved, to advife and comfort the diieafed and afflicted, to re-
lieve or procure relief for the neceflitous, to compofe little differen-
ces and difcourage wrong cuftoms in the beginning, to promote friendly
E 3 offices.

yo T%e Jrchb'ijhop ef Canterbury's

offices, and keep up an edifying and entertaining converfation in a
neighbourhood, muft add incredible weight to public inftru6lion.

Indeed your congregations expe£l thele things from you, and have a
right to expe6l them. The nature of your office requires them : you
have all at your ordination exprefsly promifed to tifc loth public and pri-
'uate ?vonitions and exhortations^ both to the ftck and whole within your cures,
es 7ieedjhall require and occafion be glvcn^ the Lord being your helper. Now
we cannot ufe them duly, v/ithout being refident. But further ftill,
fmce their ordination, all vicars have fvvorn particularly to be refident
unlcfs they arc difpenfed with, which means by lawful authority : nor
doth any difpenfation of a Bifhop laft beyond his own time ; or beyond
the term, for which he gave it ; or, if that were indefinite, beyond his
pleafure : points, Vv'hich vicars ought to confider much more ferioufly,
than they often do. And every rector hath fworn in general, to obey his
Bifhop in all things hivful and honejl. Now furely refidence is lawful and
honefl : and what is punifhable by a Bifhop may, if done without his
leave, be well interpreted difobedience to him : and the non-refidence ©f
retftors is punifhable jufl in the fame manner with that of vicars.

It mufl not therefore be pleaded, that however necefTary the refidence
of fome minifler may be, that of a curate may fuffice. For your en-
gagement is, not merely that the feveral duties of your parifh (hall be
done, but that you perfonally will do them : and if it were enough to
fubftitute another to do them, a layman would be, in point of reafon and
confcience, as capable of holding a benefice, as a man in holy orders.
Befides, a curate will ufually have lefs knowledge and lefs experience,
than the incumbent : and he and the parifliioners will conceive, that
they are lefs related to each other. He will confider himfelf, as being
with them only for an uncertain, and he may hope, a fhort time ; which
will tempt him to neglecTc them. And they will confider him, as not the
perfon, who hath authority over them ; which will tempt them to difre-
gard him : efpecially as the largefl falary, that can be legally appointed,
or generally afforded to a curate, will not enable him to recommend
himfelf to them by doing good amongfl them in any expenfive way:
whilfl yet the people will think, and juftly too, that the whole income
of the benefice was intended to procure them a minifter, to do them
as much good in everyway, as could reafonably be expefted from it.

There are indeed cafes, in which the law difpenfes with holding two
livinfys, and by confequence allows abfence from one. But perfons
ouo-ht to confider well ; fuppofmg they can with innocence take the be-
nefit of that law ; whether they can do it on other terms, than their dif-
penfation and their bond exprefTes, of preaching yearly 13 fermons, and
keeping two months hofpitality, in the parifh," where they refide icaft.
For the leave given them on thefe conditions, is not intended to be given
them, however legally valid, if the conditions are neglected : always
excepting where juft impediments happen. There are likewife cafes, in
which the non-relidence of perfons, who have only one living, is per^-
mitted by law. But fome of thefe alfo are put under limitations, beyond
which the permifTion doth not reach.

Further flill, I am fenfible, that confiderations of health and flrengtb,

^nd particular circumflances of incumbents or their families, require

i leavQ

firji Charge to his Clergy, yi

leave of abfence to be fometimes allowed, where the law makes no al-
lowance. But then it fhould never be taken for any confiderable time,
without being afked : nor fhould it be afked without good caufe. And
mere fancy, or defire of living more at eafe, or in a checrfuller, and, it
may be, lefs clerical manner, is by no means a fufficient caufe. Nor
indeed is the allegation of health to be urged too fiir, or to be too much
regarded. For places, called unwholefome, prove upon trial very whole-
fome to many perfons : and thofe, which are lead fo, muft have fome
minifters in or near them ; and whom rather, generally fpeaking, than
fuch as enjoy the whole profits ? Much lefs is indulgence to be granted
for every prefent convenience, or profpe6t of temporal advantage : which
if clergymen appear to have greatly at heart, and the care of their pa-
riflies but little, indeed it looks very ill.

Another plea may be offered by fome, that though they live not on
their own cures, they ferve others. And it is not always an infufficient
one. But, with very few exceptions, the moft natural and moil ufeful
method by far is, that each take the overfight of the parifli, which pro-
perly beloiigs to him : and abfenting himfelf from that, for a little more
income, a little more agreeablenefs, or any flight reafon, is unbecoming
and unwarrantable behaviour.

At the fame time I acknowledge, that the poornefs of fome benefices
makes the refidence of a diflindl miniflcr upon each of them impradli-
cable : and therefore they muft be fervcd from an adjoining parifli, or a '
greater diftance; and no more duty expected, than there is a competent'
provifion for. But then I fear, indeed I have found, than in fome be-
nefices, not fo poor, one minifter fupplies two churches on a Sunday ;
contrary to a repeated injuncfion of fuccefidve Archbifliops to their fuf-
fragans, which they certainly defigned to obicrvc thcmfelves ; and the
words of which arc thcfe ; that you do not allow any Tiiinijier to [erve more
than one church or chapel in one day^ except that chapel be a member of the
parijh church ; or united thereunto ; and unl'fs the faid church or chapel be
not able to maintain a curate. The confequence of difregarding this in-
junction is, not only the very bad one, that the fervice is performed in
irreverent hafte, but that catechifing is negle£led in both places, if not
altogether, yet in a great degree. Nay, perh^ips for great part of the
year, if not the whole, each of them hath prayers but once. Where
indeed it can be truly alledgej in this laft cafe, that the inhabitants of
each parifh not only with convenience may, but actually do, attend at
both churcnes, the plea mufl be allowed its weight. But, as to other
excufes: if the number of the people be imall, the lervice is not lefs en-
joined, and is more eafily performed : if they had rather have a fermon
at another church, than merely prayers at their own ; they ought to have
more than prayers ; an expofition of the catechifm, which they will ac-
count equivalent lo a fermon; or you may reduce it with cafe into the
form of a fermon ; and then many of them will come to their own
church, who now go to no other, but profane the reil^of the day: if
they are content with part of the Sunday fervice, which however mav
be laid or believed without fufficient ground, yet probably thev would
be glad of the whole. But fiippofing them to be indifferent about it, or
even averfc from it, their minifler is bound to Ihew: them, that thev

K 4 ou^flit.

72' The Archbijhop of Canterbury^ s

ought not. And how long foever this hath been the practice ; if it ought
not to have been To at all, the longer the worfe. My pious and learned
predeceffor, Archbifhop Potter^ lamented heavily to me the irregulari-
ties of this kind, which he found in this Diocefe : and if any remain, I
mufr, after his example, endeavour to have them re61:ified.

I hope they will be rediiied by the beft method, beyond comparifon ;
your own ferious reflexions on what you ov/e to your flocks, and what
you owe to the great Shepherd of fouls. Though you are ever fo ex-
prefsly permitted by human laws to be abfent from your cures, or by
your ordinary to ferve them, or let them be ferved, by halves ; you are
anfwerable to an infinitely higher tribunal for what God, and not man
alone, hath made your duty. Therefore, if you regard the peace of
your own fouls and your final comfort, you will never do any of thefe
things, unlefs very ftrong reafons oblige you to it : and you will never
be glad of fuch reafons, but heartily forry. You will give your parifhes
both morning and evening prayer, wherever it is poflible : and you will
fupply them in perfon, unlefs particular circumftances render it imprac-
ticable, or unlefs, by living at a diflance for the prefent, you are more
ufeful to religion fome other way, and peculiarly qualified for that ufe-
fulnefs. Far from catching at weak pretences, you will be rather diffi-
dent about ftrong inducements ; and much readier to follow the direc-
tions, than folicit the indulgence of your fuperiors. But if any do chufe
the worfe part, they muffc remember, that we Bifhops are bound to op-
pofe, inftead of confulting their inclinations, from concern for them, as
well as their parifhioners. And therefore you will not furely think it
real good-nature to connive at liberties of this kind prefumptuoufly taken
without leave, or to grant requefts made for them, as matters of courfe:
nor impute it to a fondnefs of exercifing power, when compliance with
the rules of the church is required : nor yet haftily condemn it, as par-
tial behaviour, if an indulgence, denied to one, is granted to another ;
for there may be, in the cafes of different perfons, confiderable difpari-
ties, unknown to you, or unobferved by you.

But when it is ever fo clear, that the non-refidence of minifters ought
to be allowed, it is at leaft equally clear, that they fhould ufe their belt
endeavours to make their people amends for it. One thing, proper to
be done for this end, is relieving their poor : which as they could not
with decency avoid doing, according to their ability, if they lived
amongft them, they ought to do more largely, if they live elfewhere.
For no reproach will lie heavier on our order, than that of reaping all,
and fowing nothing : whereas, they who give alms in their abfejice, will
be in effe6l always prefent to one valuable purpofe : will be readily pre-
iumed to be well-wiihers to their parifhes in every way ; whilil they are
bencfaclors to them in this way: and by fuch a fpecimen of the influence
of religion upon themfelves, will remind their congregations, very ac-
ceptably, of the influence, which it ought to have upon them j efpecial-
]y if they make their charity more direcStly fubfervient to religion, by af-
fording diftinguifhed encouragenient to pious and virtuous perfons, and
thofe who appear likely to be made fuch ; by procuring children to be in-
ftrucled in their Chriftian duty, and other proper knowledge ; by diflri-
buting ufeful hooks amongfl the needy and ignorant. What is thus be-

ftowed.

jirjl Charge to his Clergy. ']■%

flowed, is of all the fervice it can be : whereas injudicious bounty may
even produce harm.

Another thine;, incumbent on fuch as cannot refide conftantly, is to
inlpect however^ the ftate of their parifhes as frequently as they can :
fpending days, or weeks, or longer feafons there occafionally ; and ia
proportion as their time is (hotter, ufmg more diligence in public and
private inftrudlions and warnings. For they are peculiarly bound to do
what they are able, who are not able to do what elfe they ought. But
if even this be out of their power, they may at leaft be affiduous in get-
ting informations from perfons of underftanding and ferioufnefs, in or
near their cures, with what regularity, with what fpirit and zeal, each
part of the parochial duty is performed ; whether true inward piety makes
any progrefs ; whether any and what abufes and neglects are crept in.
And he, who reckons it enough, that, for ought he knows to the con-
trary, his parifhioners go on like their neighbours, hath by no means
the requifite concern for their fouls, or his own.

But whenever abfence is neceflary, or tke largenefs of a pariih, or
the infirmity of a minifter, hinders him from taking the whole care of
it perfonally, the principal point is, the choice of a fit fubftitute, to be
employed in his ftead, or {hare his burthen : for no fuperintendeacy will
make an unfit one anfwer the end. And therefore I charge it upon your
confciences, not to fuffer cheapnefs, recommendation of friends, affec-
tion to this or that perfon or place of education, in fhort any induce-
ment whatever, to weigh near fo much wath you, as the benefit of your
people, in chufing perfons to ferve your churches. For on you the choice
of them lies in the firlt place : but not on you alone. The laws of the
church require, particularly Can. 48, that no curate or mrnijier he per^
mitted to jervz in a7iy place^ luithoiit examination and admijfton of the ordiua-
}y : in confequence of which, one of the before-mentioned archiepifco-
pal direilions to the fuffragans of the province, is this ; "That you make
diligent inquiry concerning curates in your Diocefe : and proceed to ecclefiaftical
cenj'ures againjl thofe, vcho /hall prefume to ferve cures^ without being firjt duly
licenfcd thereunto ; as alfo againjl all incumbents^ ivhojhall receive and employ
them without obtaining Juch licence. Yet 1 would avoid rigour in all cafes.
The expence of a licence, by means of the flamps, may to fome be
rather inconvenient, and greater than the government perhaps intended:
at leaft, if they are likely to remove, and fo repeat that expence, in a
ihort time. And fiich curates I would excufe : only defiring them to
confider, what fecurity of continuing in their ftation, and receiving their
falary, a licence brings them. But then you cannot think it right, that
I fliould be left in ignorance, who ferves a church under my care, till I
learn it by accident, or private inquiry, perhaps many months after ;
through which omiflion, men of bad charadlers, men nof in orders, may
intrude ; as there hath lately been a flagrant inftance in this Diocefe. I
am far from looking on the paft failures of giving notice, as defigned.
negligence of your flocks, or difrefpeit to your fuperiors. But I fliall
have caufe both to think of them and treat them as fuch, if continued
after the warning, which I now give, that no one is to officiate ftatedly,
or employ another to officiate fo, within my jurifdi6lion, unlefs he firft
obtain my confent 3 or what in effs(5t will be mine, that of your very

worthy

••^ The Archhijhop «f Canterbury's

worthy and vigilant Archdeacon. Think not, I beg you, that this is
taking more on myfelf, than my predecefTors did. Their own directions
prove, that they would have done the fame thing, if they had feen the
fame neccflity. Far be it from me to lord it over God's heritage [a) : but
I am bound to keep that which is committed to my trujl [h).

When you want curates, I recommend it to you, firft to inquire af-
ter perfons of merit, already ordained, and if poffible ordained priefts,
taking care to fee their orders, as well as to examine into their charac-
ters, before you think of granting nominations to others. The number
of clergymen indeed is rather dehcient, than fuperfluous. But ftill one
would not add to it by overlooking undefervedly thofe who are of it al-
ready. And particularly where help is wanted only for a fhcrt time, I
{hall infift on this point: nor will, without abfolute neceflity, ordain any
one upon fuch a title. And if fraudulent titles are brought merely to
procure orders, as I hope I (hall difcover them foon enough to difallow
them, fo I Ihall be fure to remark and remember, who hath attempted to
.jmpofe upon me by them.

The next thing to he confidered in relation to curates i?, their tefti-
monials. And here the Canon and directions already quoted enjoin,
that no Biiliop admit fuch as reinove out of another Diocefe to ferve in his,
without the tejiimo'ny in xvriting of the Bifhop of that Dioccfc, or ordinary^ of
the peculiar jurifdinion, from whoice they come, of their good life, ^ability,
tmd conformity to the ecclcfiajlical lazus of the church of England. For the
cler"-ymen of one Diocefe, or jurii'diclion, at leaft their hand- writing,
being ufually unknown to the Bifliop of another, he can fcldom, of
himfelf, be fure, either that he hath their genuine teftimony, or how far
he may truft it. Therefore it is fit, that he fhould defire the atteftation
of their proper fuperior. And even to this it will be prudent to add
fuch further information, as can be got : confidering how very carelefs-
ly teftimonials are fometimes granted, even by reputable perfons.

But let me intreat you never to be guilty of fuch carelefsnefs yourfelves,
for whatever purpofe one is aHced of you. Both the nature of the thing,
and the directions repeatedly mentioned, require, that no Bifhop accept
any letters tefiimonial, iinkfs it be declared by thofe who Jhallfgn them, that
they have perfonally known, not only the man, but his life and converfation,
for the time by them certified ; and do believe in their confcience, that he is
qualified for that order, office or employment, which he defires. Now tefti-
monials, concerning fuch things as thefe, cannot be matter of mere
form, unlefs our whole profeffion be a very empty form. We, the
Bifhops to whom they are given, do not, and muft not, underftand them
to be fo: it would be abfurd to demand them if we did. Some cuftoms
indeed may grow to be things of courfe : the reafons for them ceafmg,
or not being thought of moment ; and yet the law for them continuing.
But the reafons for teftimonials can never ceafe, or be thought of fmall
moment. They are the only ordinary information that we have, in a
cafe of the utmoft importance, in which we have a right to be informed.
For no one can imagine, that we are to ordain and employ whoever
comes, or depend on clandeftine intelligence. We muft therefore and
do depend on regular teftimonials. And if they be untrue, we are raoft;

injurioufty
(a) \ Pet. v. 3, (b) 1 Tim. vi. 20.

jirfi Charge to his Clergy* j^-

injurioufly deceived by them : and all the mifchiefs, that follow from
thence, will fit heavy one day on the deceivers. But, even exclufively
of this great confideration, would you "be chargeable with declaring a
deliberate falfehood under your hand ? Would you have unworthy men
fill ecclefiaftical ftations, and exclude their betters ? Would you have
your Biihop reproached, and your order vilified, through your fault ?
If not, remember, how utterly inconfiftent with all concern for religion,
■with all veracity, probity and prudence it is, to fign teftimonials at ran-
dom ; how lamentable a fort of clergy it will produce ; how dreadful an
encouragement to wickednefs and profanenefs it will prove. Remember
alfo, that you exprefs in thefe inftruments, not what you charitably hope
a perfon will be ; but what you a6lually know he hath been : not what
others tell you at the end of the time, for v/hich you vouch ; but what
you have feen and heard through the courfe of it : fo that, if for a confi-
derable part of the three years, commonly fpecified, you have feen and
heard nothing of him, for that part you can certify nothing about him.
And remember laftly, that though the affirmation of a perfon 's having
lived pioufly, foberly and honeiily, comprehends a great deal, yet the
concluding article, your belief of his fitnefs for what bedefires, implies
a great deal more. For let him be ever fo good and even learned a man,
he cannot be fit for a clergyman, and the care of a parifh, without com-
petent gravity and difcretion, and a voice and a manner fuitable to a pub-
lic affembly : of all which things they, that have had fome familiarity
with him, are ufually the befl, if not the only judges. This part of the
teftimonial therefore is highly necellkry : and every part of it muft be
well confidered, before it is given ; and no regard paid to neighbour-
hood, acquaintance, friendihip, compaffion, importunity, when they
ftand in competition with truth.

It may fometimes be hard for you to refufe your hand to improper per-
fons. But it is only one of the many hardfhips, which confcience bids
men undergo refolutely, when they are called to them. It would be
much harder, that your Bifhop fhould be mifled, the church of God in-
jured, and the poor wretch himfelf affifted to invade facrilegioufly an of-
fice, at the thought of which he hath caufe to tremble. And if you fear
he will be revenged on you for not yielding to him, this furnifhes an ad-
ditional reafon for denying him : for will you, or can you, fay of fuch
a one, that he is qualified to be a minifter of the Gofpel any where ?
But if the perfons, to whom candidates apply, would only make it a rule
to meet, and a6l jointly on the occafion, and keep fecret the particulars
of what paffed, it might be unknown, from whom the denial proceeded.
Or fuppofe it known, the refentment of fuch, as deferve to be refufed
will feldom do a worthy man much hurt : and a number of fuch refufals
will do the public unfpeakable good. Indeed the expe6tation of a refu-
fal's following upon wrong behaviour will in a great degree prevent fuch
behaviour, and turn this whole difficulty into a pleafure. But what is
unavoidable with innocence, muft be virtuoufly born : and inftead of
fubmitting to recommend unfit perfons, you ought, if others recommend
them, which God forbid, to interpofe immediate cautions againft the
danger, in all flagrant cafes. Still not every paft fault, nor every pre-
fent inlirmity, ftiould be ailedged, or allowed, as an impediment. But

into

y^ The Archbijhop of Canterhurf s

into an office, the moft important of all others, none fliould be admit-
ted, who are void of the proper fpirit, or a competent fhare of the need-
ful qualifications for it : and the lefs, becaufe, though we can refufe to
ordain them, we often cannot keep them back from very unfuitable fta-
tions, when once they are ordained.

After prefenting the title and teftimonials, whether for orders, a cu-
racy, or a living, follows the examination. For though the teftimonial
exprefles an opinion, that the perfon is qualified ; which may' be very
ufeful, to reftrain fuch from applying, as are notorioufly unqualified ; yet
we Bifhops muft not, efpecially in the cafe of orders, refi: on a mere opi-
nion ; but afiure ourfelves by a clofer trial, whether he hath fufficient
Itnowledge of religion and the holy Scriptures to teach them in public,
^id apply them in private, and defend them againft oppofers : the two
firft of which are abfolutely neceflary ; the third, highly requifite. As
therefore, on the one hand, I hope 1 never have been or fhall be over
ftri<St in this refpedl, and rejeiSing candidates will give me almoft, if not
quite, as much concern, as it can give them : fo on the other, I muft
adhere to my duty ; againft all folicitations of friends, and all intreaties
of the parties concerned, who little think what they do, when they prefs
into fuch an employment prematurely. I fhew my regard to you, when
I exclude unqualified perfons out of your number : and I ftiall never
doubt your candid interpretation of my conduft ; nor indeed your zeal
to vindicate it, when you are acquainted with my reafons, which any of
you fhall, who hath caufe to afk them. But that no injuftice may be
clone to thofe whom I poftpone, any more than to myfelf : I befeech you
to confider, and, if needful, to fay in their behalf, that though deficient
in knowledge, they may have a goodnefs of heart, more valuable than
the higheft knowledge : though not qualified yet, they may be, foon ;
may already have made a good progrefs, though not a fufficient one;
may indeed have more learning on the whole, than many who are ad-
mitted, only not have applied themfelves enough to theological learn-
ing.

Examination muft occafionally be repeated after perfons have been
ordained. The 39th Canon requires it before inftitution to benefices:
therefore furely it is advifable alfo before admiffion to curacies. A man>
who was fit to be ordained, may yet have become fince, through negli-
gence, or bodily indifpofition affedting his mind, unfit to be employed :
or he may be capable ftill of what he was ordained for, but not of what
he applies for : or his ordainer, though ever fo duly careful, may fome-
times have miftaken, or been mifinformed : and if he hath chanced to
be too mdulgent, the bad effects of his indulgence ought to be prevent-
ed. Accordingly re-examination is common. My brethren the Bifhops,
I am fure, will not blame me for ufing it : and I trutt, you my brethren
will not.

When a curate nominated hath been examined and approved, the next
ftep is, to appoint him a Iklary. And here I am very fenfible, that what
is far from a comfortable maintenance for life, may however be a toler-
able competency at firft : and likewife, that fome benefices are fo mean,
and fome incumbents in fuch low circumftances, or burthened with fo
numerous families, that they muft be excufed, if they endeavour to get

help

firft Charge to his Clergy,

help on as eafy terms, as they well can. But if any minlftef, who hath
either a a large preferment, or two moderate ones, or a plentiful tem-
poral income, tries to make a hard bargain with his brother, whom he
employs ; and is more folicitous to give the fmalleft falary poffible, than
to find the worthieft perfon ; it is matter of fevere and juft reproach : the
friends of the Clergy will be fcandalized at it ; their enemies will take
dreadful advantages of it ; indeed the people in general, if we think a
trifle enough for him that doth the work, will be apt to conceive it very
needlefs, that he, who doth little or nothing, fhould have a great deal
more, For this reafon therefore, amongft incomparably weightier ones,
it concerns you much, both to labour diligently, and to allow liberally.
Accordingly I hope I (hall never have the difagreeable office thrown upon
me of augmenting what is propofed, but the fatisfa6lion given me of con-
firming and applauding it.'

But befides making a reafonable allowance, the minifler of a parifh
ought to provide, with the kindefl attention in all refpedts, for the con-
venience and accommodation, the credit and influence, of his curate :
who is bound in return to confult faithfully the minifler's honour and in-
terefl in every thing j but above all, to be unwearied in that befl proof
of his gratitude, a confcientious care of the fouls committed to him ;
not proportioning his diligence to the poor recompence paid him here,
but to the unfpeakable happinefs referved for good fhepherds hereafter.

Indeed whether the principal or his reprefentative, or both refide, their
induftry and fervency and prudence will be the meafure of their people's
benefit, and their own final acceptance. If you content yourfelves with
a languid formal recital of flated offices, and by indolence, or amufe-
ments, or bufinefs, or even fludies, are loft to your parifhioners, while
you are in the midfl of them, or by indifcretions in converfation, drefs
or demeanour, become difliked or defpifed by them, you may, in refpe6fc
of any fpiritual ufefulnefs to them or yourfelves, be, almoft as well, per-
haps better, ever fo far off. But this is no excufe for being abfent, but
only a reafon for being prefent to good purpofe. And as the non-refi-
dence of fome, the unadtive refidence of others, and the ofFenfive con-
duct of a third fort, (which caufe great forrow, but moderate complaints
amongfl wife and good people,) are favourite topics of inventive againft
us, not only in the mouths of irreligious perfons, but of a new feft pre-
tending to the ilridefl: piety ; though we are bound always, we are pe-
culiarly bound at prefent, to behave in fo exemplary a manner, as will
cut off occafion from them which defire occafion to glory [c) of thernfelves,
and fpeak evil of us. It is not rendring to them railing for railitig (d) ;
it is not ridiculing them, efpecially in terms bordering on profanenefs^
or afFedling more gravely to hold them in contempt ; it is not doing them
the honour of mifcalling other perfons of more than ordinary ferioufnefs
by their name, that will prevent the continuance or the increafe of the
harm, v/hich they are doing. The only way is, for the Clergy to imi-
tate and emulate what is good in them, avoiding what is bad : to attend
their cures, edify their parifhioners with awakening, but rational and
fcriptural, difcourfes, converfe much with them, as watchmen for their

fouls

(c) 2 Cor. xi. 12. (^) I Pet. iii, 9.

yS The.JrchbiJhdp of CanterhuVfs

fouls {e)y be fiber j grave, temperate^ and Jhcw thenf elves in all ihpigs paU
terns of goodixjorks (/). If the people fee, or but imagine, their minif-
ter unwilling to take more pains about them, or preferve more guard
upon himfelf than for ifliame he muft, no wonder if It alienates them
powerfully both from him and his do£trIne : whereas when they perceive
him careful to inflrucl them, and go before them, in whatever is their
duty to do, they will hearken to him with great regard, when he cau-
tions them againft overdoing ; and be unlikely to feek for imaginary im-
provements abroad from irregularities and extravagances, whilft they ex-
perience themfelves really improved at home in an orderly eflablifhed
method.

But then, to improve them eiFe£lualIy to their future happinefs, as well
as to fil&nce falfe accufers, you muft be afliduous in teaching the principles,
not only of virtue and natural religion, but of the Gofpel : and of the Gof-
pcl, not as almoft explained away by modern itfniers, but as the truth is in
fefus [g) ; as it is taught by the church, of which you are members ; as
you have engaged, by your fubfcriptions and declarations, that you will
teach it yourfelves. You mull preach to them faxth in the ever-blefled-
Trinity : and vindicate, when it is requifilc, thofe parts of our Creeds
and offices which relate to that article, from the very unjuft imputations
of abfurdity and uncharitablencfs which have been caft upon them. You
muft fet forth the original corruption of our nature ; our redemption,
according to God's ctcnial purpofc in Chrijl (A), by the facrifice of the crofs ;
our fan6tification by the influences of the Divine Spirit j the infufficien-
cy of our own good works, and the efficacy of faith to falvation : yet
handlin"' thefe points in a do£trinal, not controverfial manner, unlefs
particularly called to it j and even then treating adverfaries with mildnefs
and pity, not with bitternefs or immoderate vehemence.

The truth, 1 fear, is, that many, if not moft of us, have dwelt too
little on thefe dodtrines in our fermons : and by no means, in general,
from difbelieving or flighting them ; but partly from knowing, that for-
merly they had been inculcated beyond their proportion, and even to the
difparagem.ent of Chrillian obedience ; partly from fancying them fo ge-
nerally received and remembered, that little needs to be faid, but on fo-
cial obligations j partly again from not having ftudied theology deeply
enouo-h, to treat of them ably and beneficially : God grant it may never
have been for want of inwardly experiencing their importance. But
whatever be the caufe, the eflccl hath been lamentable. Our people
have grown lefs and lefs mindful, hrlt of the diflinguifhing articles of
their Creed, then, as will alv/ays be the cafe, of that one, which they
hold in common with the Heathens ; have forgot in efFe6l their Creator,
as well as their Redeemer and Sanftllier ; feldom or never ferioufly wor-
{hipping him, or thinking of the flate of their fouls in relation to him ;
^but flattering themfelves, that what they are pleafed to call a moral and
harmlefs life, though far from being either, is the one thing needful. Re-
flexions have been made upon us, of different natures, and with diffe-
rent views, on- account of thefe things, by Deifts, by Papifls, by Bre-
thren, of our own, which it i> eafv to fliew have been much too ifevere.

But

(0 Heb. xiii. 17. (/) Tit. ii. 2. 7.

(^) Eph. iv. z\ . ('!') F-ph: iii. 1 1,

frjl Charge to hh Ckrgy. 7^

But the only complete vindication of ourfelves will be to preach fully and
frequently the dodrines, which we are unjuftly accufed of calling ofF or
undervaluing : yet fo, as to referve always a due {hare of our difcourfes,
which it is generally reported fome of our cenfurers do not, for the com-
mon duties of common life, as did our Saviour and his Apoftles. But
then we muft enforce them chiefly by motives peculiarly Chriltian: I
will not fay, only by fuch ; for the Scripture adds others. Arid v/hlle
we urge on our hearers the neceflity of univerfal holinefs, we mult urge
equally that of their being found 'm Chi/I ; not having their oiun righteonj^
nefs^ tvhich is of the law, but the righteoufnifs, which is of God by faith (i).
Copious and interefting as the fubjeil is, I muft now conclude. And
/ befeech you, Brethi-en, fiffer the word of exhortation (k) : for I have fpo-
ken to you from the fimplicity of a plain heart, and the fincerity of a
deep concern for the interefts of the church of Chrift, and the everlaft-
ing welfare of every one of you j not as condemning, not as dileileem-
ing you, very far from it, but as being jealous over you with godly jealoufy^
and deeply affected with the prefent ftate of religion amongft us. Wick-
ednefs, profanenefs, avowed infidelity, have made a dreadful progrefs in
this nation. The civil power, in moft cafes, doth little to check that
progrefs : and it is an unhappinefs in our moil happy conliitution, that
it cannot eafily, if at all, do what one might wifli. Ecclefiaftical autho-
rity is not only too much limited, but too much defpifed, as matters now
ftand amongft us, to do almoft any thing to purpofe. In the fmall de-
gree, that it can be exerted ufefully, I hope it will, and promife my ut-
moft endeavours, in all cafes notified to me, that it fhall. But the main
fupport of piety and morals confifts in the parochial labours of the Cler-
gy. If our country is to be preferved from utter profiigatenefs and ruin,
it muft be by our means : and, take notice, we cannot lofe our influence,
but in a great meafure by our own fault. If we look on what v/e are
apt to call our livings only as our livelihoods, and think of little more
than living on the income of them according to our. own inclinations:
if for want of a good confcience, or faith unfeigned [I), we forfeit the pro-
te6lion of God ; and by worldlinefs, or indolence, or levity in behavi-
our, talk or appearance, (for grofs vices I put out of the queftion) lofe,
as we afluredly (hall, the reverence of mankind : there will be no foun-
dation left for us to ftand upon. Our legal eftablifhment will ftiake and
fmk under us, if once it can be faid we do the public little fervice, and
much fooner if we are fufpccted of difquieting it. Wicked people will
attack us without referve : the good will be forced to condemn and give
us up : and well would it be for us, if this were the worft. // is afnall
thing to be judged of man' s judgment : He, that judgeth us, is the Lord [fu).
But while we teach the genuine truths of the Gofpel, and evidently feel
the truths we teach; and are more anxious about the fouls of men, than
our own profit, or pleafure, or power; while we fubmit ourfelves duti-
fully and affectionately, (as we never had greater caufe) to the King and
thofe who are put in authority under him : lead quiet and peaceable lives in
oil godlinefs and honejly {n) ; and join with our piety and loyalty and virtue,

but

(0 Phil. iH. 9. i^k) Heb. xiii, zz.

(/) I Tim. i. 5. {m) X Cor. iv. 3, 4.

{») I Tim. ii. 2.

86 The Archhifljop of Ganterhurf s firji Charge^ b'c.

but a common fhare of prudence : we {hall, in fpite of enemies, through
his mercy, who hath promifed to be with us alway (o), not fail of being
upheld. The religious will ejieem us very highly in love for our work's fake
{p) : the wife in their generation (q), though not religious, will perceive
our importance : the vicious and deftitute of principle will be awed by
us : and the feed of the word, however trampled under foot by fome,
will fpring up and bear fruit in the hearts of many. Let us think then
ferioufly, what depends on us, what it requires of us, a7id give our-
felves wholly to it (r). God hath placed us in a ftation of difficulty and
labour, at prefent alfo of reproach and contempt from great numbers of
men. But ftill, if we only learn to value our function ju 111 y, and love
it fincerely, we fhall be unfpeakably happier in difcharging the duties of
it, than we poflibly can be in any thing elfe. The things, in which the
world places happinefs, are very trifles. We may plainly fee them to be
fuch now, if we will : and we fhall fee in a little time, whether we will
or not, that the only real point of moment is, to have approved ourfelves
good and faithful fervants (s) to our great Mafter. Let us all therefore
bear in mind continually, how matters vi'ill appear to us then : and hear-
tily pray and earneftly endeavour, fo to pnfs through things temporal^ that
we finally lofe not the things eternal. Grant this, O heavenly Father^ for
"Jefus ChrijVs fake, oi4r Lord (t).

(o) Matth. xxviii. 20.

(p) I ThefT. V. 13. {q) Lukexvi. 8,

(r) 1 Tim. iv. 15. . {s) Matth. XXV. 21.

(/) Coll. 4th Sunday after Trinity.

A CHARGE

A

CHARGE

DISTRIBUTED TO THE

CLERGY of the Diocese

OF

CANTERBURY,

In the Year 1762,

The Archbishop being hindered by Illnefs from vifitlng them
in Perfon.

Reverend B7'€thren^

^5<^'^.fS T having pleafed God that I fhould live to come amongft you
0- I ^ a fecond time, I think it my duty to proceed with the fame kind
^*#j'i<^!^ of exhqrtations, which I gave you at firft. For though many
fubjeils of inftrudion might be proper, there is a peculiar propriety in
thofe, which relate more immediately to your condud : and though I
might very juftly give you, in general, praife inftead of advice, yet they
who deferve the moft of the former, will be moft defirous of the latter,
knowing how much need of it the beft of us have. And I hope the free-
doms v.nich I {hall take with you in this refpe6t, will the rather be par-
doned, as I both permit and intreat you to ufe the fame with me, when
Vol, VI. F occafion

82 The Archhijhop of Canterbury' i

occafion requires it ; being fincerely difpofed, if- 1 know myfelf, to fet
you an example of docility.

I began with your obligation to refidence ; and the appointment of cu-
rates, either to fupply your abfence when you could not refide, or to af-
fift you when the work was too heavy for you. And then I entered a
little into the common duties of incumbents and curates, in which I fliall
now make fome further progrefs : more felicitous about the importance
of directions, than the accuracy of method ; and ufmg no other apology,
if I fliould happen to repeat what I have given )'ou in charge already,
than that of the Apoltle : To fay thefaine things^ to me is not grievous, and
for you it isfafe [a).

The fame Apoflle's admonition to Timothy is, Tall:e heed ufito thy/elf,
and to thy do£lrine {h). The main point is what he begins with, the care
of our temper and behaviour. For without that, our preaching will fel-
dom be fuch as it ought, and fcarce ever bring forth its proper fruits.
Now a Chriftian temper confifts of various parts : but the full impreffion,
which a genuine faitii in the Gofpel makes on the foul, and the ruling
principle, which it fixes there is a deep fenfe of love to God and our fel-
low-creatures, producing an earneft defire, that we and they may be
for ever happy in his prefence. Whoever therefore is deflitute of this
feeling, ought not, though free from grofs vices, to become a Clergy-
man : and without obtaining it from the Giver of all good things by fer-
vent prayer, no man is qualified to fill the place of one. For notwith-
Handing that he may preferve fome fortn of godlinefsy without which he
would be mifchicvous and (hocking in the higheft degree : yet not having
the reality and pozver thereof {c)^ ho muft profefs, and feemingly attempt,
to make others what he is far from being himfelf. Confequcntly his
endeavours out of the pulpit will be infrequent, reluctant, faint : and in
it they will at beft be unnatural and ungraceful, whatever pains he may
take in his compofitions, or whatever vehemence he may affedt in his
delivery: Hence he will be diflatisfied within, dcteited aiid difcfteemed
by the judicious part of his hearers, and of little ufe to the reil, if he is
not even hurtful by mifleading them. Or whatever his cafe may be
amongft men, his inward want of the piety, which he outwardly pretends
to, muft render him uncommonly guilty in the fight of God. Heaven
forbid, that I (hould have need to enlarge on fuch a character irt this au-
dience.

But have we not moft of us caufe to apprehend, that our religious
principles, though fincere, are not fufficiently exerted ; and therefore
produce not the fruit, which they might ? Do we not rather take it for
granted, that we approve ourfelves to be duly in earneft, than find en
impartial examination, that we do? No man fhould raflily fay or fur-
mife this of another : but every one fhould fearch home into it for him-
felf. And we fhould attentively read the Scriptures, and the treatifes
written by v/ife and good men concerning the duties of God's rninifters :
to fee if we are fuch as they defcribe, and ftir up ourfelves to become
fuch as we ought.

Good incHnations, thus excited, will not fail, through the afllftance

of

. (rt) rhil. iii. 1. (3J I Tim, Iv. i6. (0 2 Tim. iii. 5.

fecind Charge to his Clergy, 8;}

of Divine grace, of diredling us into a fuitable condufl. And were a
man, who confefledly means well, to overdo a little fometimes, the right-
nefs of his intention would plead hisexxule very ftrongly. However we
ihould carefully avoid extremes, even on the better fide : not give un-
commanded dcmonftrations of our Chriftian zeal, when they will pro-
bably ferve no good purpofe, and be deemed oftentaiion, or turned into
ridicule, or provoke ill humour ; but reftrain, according as times and
places and company may require, the fentiments which elfe we could be
glad to utter. Only we muft do this in fuch a manner, as not to tempt
the moft rigid profelFor of religion to imagine, or the moft profligate
enemy of it tofuggeft, that we have little or none; but fhew our con-
cern for it on every fit occafion, with full as much diligence, as we de-
cline unfit ones. And here, I conceive, it is, that we of the Clergy
are chiefly apt to fail. We do not always appear in the common inter-
courfes of life, fufficiently penetrated with the importance of our func-
tion, or fuflSciently afliduous to promote the ends of our miffion.

Too poflibly a great part of our people may like the lukewarm amongft
us the better for refembling themfelves, and giving them no uneafinefs
on comparifon, but Teeming to authorize their indifference. But then,
fuch of us can do them no good. Our example can teach them nothing
beyond a little decent regularity, in which they will fancy they need not
quite come up to us neither. Our fermons, and reading of prayers,
they will confider only as matters of form : and finding in us hardly any
thing at other times of what we exprefs at thefe, they will prefume,that
our inward regard to it is not very great, and that they are not bound to
have more. Therefore if they are pleafed with us, if they efleem us,
while we continue to be of this turn, it muft be for fomething foreign
from our ofllice, fomething of a middle, or it may be a blameable na-
ture, not as teachers of the Gofpel : a chara6ler which they take us to
lay afide as much as we well can. And fo the better they think of us,
the more lightly they will think of our miniftry ; till at length they join
with thofe avowed Infidels, who boldly affirm, though often againfl their
own confciences, that we believe not what we preach, elfe it would have
more influence upon us.

Then, at the fame time, the right difpofitions of well inclined perfons
will languifh and decay, for want of that countenance and affiftance in
ferious piety, which they Ihould receive from their paftors. For if the
tokens of our piety be confined to the church, they will be of little fer-
vice either out of it, or in it. Or if fome good people fuffer no harm
themfelves from our defeds, they will fee with great forrow, that others
do: all of them will be much readier to think the clerical order in ge-
neral carelefs and light, if thofe are fo, of whom they fee moft : their
ears will be open to the invectives, which artful or heated men are daily
pouring forth againft us : they will eafily be led to undervalue and mif-
conftrue the beft inftrudions of thofe, with whom they are difgufted ;
and run after any teachers, who have the powerful recommendation, for
it will always, and no wonder, be a very powerful one, of feeming more
in earneft. The irregularities and divifions which have prevailed fo la-
mentably in our church of late, are greatly owing to an opinion, that
we are ufually indifferent about vital inward religion. It is true, the

F 2 fpreaders

§4 ^^^ ArcUiJhop ofCanterhurfs

fpreaders of this imputation, which hath been monftroully exaggerat-
ed, will have much to anfwer for : but fo fhall we alfo, unlefs we take
the only way to filence it, by cutting ofF hereafter all occafion for it.

Now the firft neceffary ilep to feem good is to be fo ; for mere pre-
tence will be feen through : and the next is, to let your light Jhine before
men (d), in the faithful and laborious exercife of your fun(9[ion. Living
amongft your parifhioners, or as near them as may be : inquiring fre-
quently and perfonally concerning the welfare and behaviour of thofe,
with whom you cannot be ftatedly prefent ; reverent and judicious read-
ing of the prayers and leffons in your churches, inftru6tive and afFe6ling
fermons delivered with difcreet warmth, readinefs to take extraordinary
pains for the occafional affiftance of your brethren, diligence in forming
the youth to a fenfe of their Chriftian duty, in bringing your people to
the holy communion, and where it can be, to week-day prayers : all
thefe things will tend very much both to your ufefulnefs and your credit.
Relieving or obtaining relief for fuch as are diftrefled in their circum-
ftances : hearing your people willingly and patiently, though perhaps
low in rank or weak in underftanding, when they would confult you
upon any difficulty, and anfwcring them with consideration and tender-
nefs : difpofing them to be vifited when fick, praying by them with fer-^
vency, exhorting and comforting them with fidelity, compaffion and
prudence ; and reminding them Itrongly, yet mildly, after their recove-
ry, of their good thoughts and pnrpofes during their illnefs ; will be fur-
ther proofs, very beneficial and very engaging ones, of your ferioufnefs :
which however you muft complete by going through every other office
of religion with dignity. 1 will fpecify two.

One is that of baptifm ; which, efpecially when adminiftered in pri-
vate houfes without neceflity, is too often treated, even during the ad-
miniftration, rather as an idle ceremony than a Chriftian facrament : or
however that be, is commonly clofe followed by very unfuitable, if not
otherwife alfo indecent levity and jollity. Now in thefe circumftances'
it is highly requifite, that the minifter fhoukl by a due mixture of gravi-
ty and judgment fupport the folemnity of the ordinance; and either pre*
vent improprieties in the fequel, or if it be doubtful whether he can, ex-
cufe himfelf, with a civil intimation of the unfitnefs of them, from be-
ing prefent. The other inftance is, that of faying grace over our daily
food : which many, if not mod, of the laity have, with a profanenefs
more than Heathenifh, laid afide : and I am forry to add, that fome of
the clergy hurry It over fo irreverently, in a mutter or a whifper, fcarce,
if at all, intelligible, that one might queftion, whether they had not bet-
ter lay it afide too, which yet God forbid, than make it thus infignifi-
cant ; and expofe to contempt an ad of devotion, and themfelves along
with it, as doing what they are aftiamed of.

Indeed far from authorizing any flights of this fort by our example,
and as it were our confent, we muft through our whole converfation
fteadily and refolutely, though with mildnefs and modefty, always keep
up the honour of religion and our order, which is infeparable from our
own : never fpeak a word, or ufe a gefture, which can with the leaft co-
lour be interpreted, as if v/e had fmall regard to our profefljon, or ex-
e eicifcd

IJ) IVIatt. V. 1 6.

fecond Charge to hh Clergy, 85

crclfcd it chiefly for a maintenance : never repeat, never hear, difcour-
fes of an irreligious or immoral turn, without expreffing a plain difap-
probation, briefly or at large, as the cafe may require : yet be on all oc-
cafions courteous, and on proper occafions cheerful j but let it be evi-
dently the cheerfulnefs of ferious men. Fooltjh talking andjejilng are not
convenient [e)y not becoming any perfon : but thofe leaft of all, who
ihould know beft, that every idle word which men jhall fpeak^ they Jhall give
an account thereof^ according to its tendency, in the day of judgment [f),
Unfeafonable or exceflive mirth fits peculiarly ill upon him whofe office
muft or ought to bring before his mind fo frequently, the aflliiSlions of
this mortal ftate, the holinefs of God's law, his own grievous imperfec-
tions, the deplorable fms of many others, and the hnal fentence, that
awaits us all. Doubtlefs we fhould endeavour to make religion agree-
able ; but not to make ourfelves agreeable, by leading our company to
forget religion. We fhould every one of us pleafe his 'neighbour for his good
[g) : but not (o pleafe 7nen^ as to fail in the chara6fer oifervants ofChriJl
(h). We fhould be made, in a fitting fenfe and meafure, all things to all
fnen, that lue tnay by all means fave fome (z) ; but we fliall lofe ourfelves,
not fave others, if we are quite different perfons in the pulpit and out of
it : nor can we act a more incongruous part, than to chufe raifing and
promoting the laugh for our province in converfation, inftead of duly
reflraining our own livelinefs and that of others. For out of the abundance
of the heart the mouth fpeaketh [k) : and our hearts ought to abound with
better things. I own, both affeded and exceffive reftraint, will do
harm. But if we are fmcerely pious, and endeavour to be prudent,
we fliall combine ufeful informations and reflections with harmlefs en-
tertainment : our fpeech will be luith grace, feafoned with fait, that lue may
know how we ought to anfwer every man (/) ; we fliall prove that we have
the end of our miniftry conftantly in view, by drawing profitable leflbns,
frequently, but naturally, out of topics of indifference ; and bringing
back the difcourfe, if it goes affray, from exceptionable or unfafe fub-
je6ts, to innocent ones ; yet if poffible without offenfive reproof, and
perhaps imperceptibly. For the fervant of the Lord tnufi notjlrive^ that
is, roughly and harftily, but be gentle unto all men (m), even the worft.
Yet on the other hand fervile obfequioufnefs, or flattering words («},
even to the beft, are far remote from having our converfation infmplicity
and godly fincerity ( 0 ) .

Talking with great earneftnefs about worldly affairs, or with great
delight about diverfions and trifles, betrays a mind overmuch fet upon
them: and numbers will reprefent the cafe, as worfe than it is. Nay,
our being only in a very peculiar degree good judges of fuch matters, or
of any that are unconnected with our oflice, will, unlefs we have fome
efpecial call to them, be commonly thought to imply, that we have flu-
died and love them beyond what we ought, to the negleCl of our proper

bufinefs,

{e) Eph. V. 4. (/) Matt. xii. 36.
{g) Rom. XV. 2. i^h) Gal. i. 10.

(/) I Cor. ix. 22. {k) Matt. xii. 34.

(/) Col.iv. 6. («) 2 Tim. ii. 24.

(») I Theff. ii. s, (0) 2 Cor. i. 12.

F3

86 The Jrchbtjhop of Canterbury's

bufinefs. For we are not to expeil very favourable conftrudlions from
mankind : yet it greatly imports us to have their good opinion ; which
we {hall not fecure, unlefs in whatever other lights they may fee us oc-
cafionally, the worthy clergyman be the predominant part of our cha-
radler. If practical Chriftian piety and benevolence and felf government,
with conftant zeal to promote them a'l upon earth, are not the firft and
chief qualities, which your parifiiioiiers and acquaintance will afcribe to
you: if they will fpeak of you, as noted on other accounts, but pafs
over thefe articles ; and when afked about them, be at a lofs what to
fay, excepting poffibly that they know no harm of you, all is not right:
nor can fuch a clergy anfvver the defign of its inftitution any where ; or
even maintain its ground in a country of freedom and learning, though
a yet worfe may in the midft of flavery and ignorance.

Adually fharing in the gaieties and amufements of the world will pro-
voke cenfure ftill more, than making them favourite fubje£ls of difcourfe.
I do not fay, that recreations, lawful in themfelves, are unlawful to us :
or that thofe which have been formerly prohibited by ecclefiaftical rules,
merely as difreputable, may not ceafe to be fo by change of cuftom. But
ftill not all things lawful are expedient (/)), and certainly thefe things, fur-
ther than they are in truth requifite for health of body, refrefhment of
mind, or feme really valuable purpofe, are all a mifemployment of our
leifure hours, which we ought to fet our people a pattern of filling up
well. A miniiler of God's word, attentive to his duty, will neither have
leifure for fuch diffipations, public or domeflic, nor liking to them. He
will fee, that pleafure, or rather a wretched affectation of it, is become
the idol of mankind ; to which they are facrificing their fortunes, their
famiilies, their healths, their reputations, their regard to God, to their fo-
cial duties, to the ftate of their fouls, to their future being. Now what
-are the clergy to do in this cafe ? If we but feem to go along with them,
who fliall call them back ? For as to the pretence of keeping them
within bounds by our prefence, it is vifibly a mere pretence. Or were
it not, the older and graver of us would furely think fuch a fuperinten-r
■dency no very honourable one : and few of the younger and livelier could
be fafely trufted with it. Indeed we none of us know, into what im-
proprieties of behaviour, at leaft what wrongnefs of difpofition we may
be drawn by the evil communications o^ \!^t{^ affemblies: whether, if hap-
pily they (hould not otherwife corrupt oxxr good mariners (^), we may not
however grow inwardly fond of them ; com.e to think our profeffion a
dull one, and the calls of it troublefome ; throw off as much of the bur-
then as we can, and perform with reluftance and cold formality the re-
mainder, which we muft.

At leaft it will he fufpe6led, that we cannot greatly difapprove the
cuftoms in which we voluntarily join, the perfons with whom we fami-
liarly affociate, or indeed any thing faid or done where we delight to be :
• that if we do not go the utmoft lengths, yet v/e fliould, if for ftiame we
durft: tor thefe things are our choice, not the duties of our miniftry ;
which therefore declaimers will fay we are not fmcere in, or however
unfit for. And even they, who plead our example as a precedent for
themfelves, will ufually honour us much the lefs for fetting \%»

Still
ip) \ Cor. vi. 12. (^) 1 Cor. xv. 33.

fecond Charge to his Clergy^ - §7

• Still I do not mean, that" we fliould be four and mofofe : condeftin
•innocent relaxations, and provoke men to fay, that we rail out of envy
at what we have abfurdly'tied up ourfelves from partaking of: but exprefs
our diflike of them as mildly as the cafe vv^ill bear ; (light with good hu-
mour the indulgences, in which others falfely place their happinefs ; and
convince them by our experience as well as reafoning, how very com-
fortably they may live without them. It is true, paying court to the
gay and inconfidei-ate by imitation of them, may often be the fhorter, and
fometimes the furer way to their favour. But the favour of the faftiion-
able world is not our aim : if it be, we have chofen our profeffion very
unwifely. And though we {hould fucceed thus with fuch perfons in point
of intercfl, we muft not hope even for their efteem. For they will both
think and fpeak with the loweft contempt of the complying wretch^
whom yet for their own convenience or humour they will carefs, and
now and then prefer.

Our predeceilbrs, that their abftaining from indifcreet levities mi^-ht
be notorious, wore conftantly the peculiar habit of their order. And.
certainly we fhould be more refpeded, if we followed their example jn
this more univerfally. They complained of no incoriveniencies from it :
nor did I ever, in a courfe of many years, find any worth namino-. In
the primitive and perfecuting times indeed Clergymen wore no peculiar
drefs: and long after were diftinguifhed only by retaining a greater fim*
plicity of garb than others. But gradually fuperiors difcerned reafons
for enjoining a different fort: and furely others may well pay them fo far
the obedience promifed to them, as always to fhew by fome evident and
proper marks, (for nothing more is expected) of what clafs of men they
are. If you do not, it will be (aid, either that you are alhamed of your
caufe, or confcious of your unfkilfulnefs to defend it, or that you conceal
yourfelves to take occafionally unlit liberties. Indeed fome external re-
llraints of this kind, merely as an admonition againft unfeemly difcourfe
and conduct and company, would, though not prefcribed, be very advife-
able for young Clergymen : amongft whom they, who difiike them the
mod:, might fometimes perceive, tliat they have the moft need of them.
And we that are older, Ihould keep up the cuftom for their fakes, though
uancce(rary for our own. Befides, we may all prevent, by fuch notili-
cation of ourfelves, a great deal of unbecoming talk and deportment in
others : and fo efcape both the difagreeablenefs of reproving it, and the
impropriety of not reproving it. Or if after all it cannot be prevented
they who are offended with it, will immediately fee in us a refuge from it!

But then a habit, vifibly a Clergyman's, muft be fuch in every part as
befits a Clergyman: have no look of effeminacy or love of finery in
it (r). For we had better put on the lay drefs intirel)-, than difgrace the
clerical one. And it is doubly contemptible, firft to fhew what a fond-
nefs we have for things utterly beneath us, and then how poorly we are
able to indulge it. Therefore let us be uniform : and as our chara6ter
iS a truly venerable one, let us think we do ourfelves honour by wearing
the ancient badges of it. I need not add, that our whole demeanor
fhould be anfwerable to our cloathing : that foftnefs and delicacy of
manner, fkill in the fcience of eating {$), and the perfcdlion of liquors, in

ihort
(r) Hitron, ad NepQtia?i, §. 9. (s) Ibid. $.6,

8S The Jrchbtjhop of Canterbury* s

fhort every approach to luxurious gratification, is ftrangely out of place
in one, who hath devoted himfelf to endure hardnefs as a good foldier ofje-
fus Chrlft {t).

Still we ought to judge very charitably of thofe, who take greater li-
berties, than we dare : never blame them more, feldom fo much as they
deferve ; and confine our feverity to our own pra6tice. Only we muft
v/atch with moderate ftriilnefs over our families alfo : not only keeping
up the joint and feparate worftiip of God in them, which I hope no Cler-
gyman omits, but forming them to every part of piety and virtue and
prudence. St, Paul requires, that not only deaco?is, but their wives be
^rave (u) : and that the higher Clergy be fuch, as rule well their own
houfes, having their children infubje^iion with all gravity : for if a man know
not how to rule his own houfe^ howjhall he take care of the church of Gad [w)?
Whence we have all promifed at our ordination, to frame and fajhion our
families^ together with ourfelves, according to the doilrine ofChriJi^ and to
make them, as much as in us lieth^ wholefome examples and patterns to- his
flock. They are naturally the firft objects of our care : we have peculiar
opportunities of inftruding and reftraining them. If we negled them,
we fhall never be thought to have much concern for others : if we are
unfuccefsful with them, we ftiall be deemed very unfkilful ; and bid to
look at home before we reprove the reft of, our flock. But exhibiting
inftances of goodnefs and happinefs, produced under our own roofs by
the methods, to which we direct thofe around us, muft needs add fingu-
lar weight to our exhortations.

For the importance of the rules hitherto laid down, we have the judg-
ment of a moft able and fubtle and determined enemy, the emperor Julian :
who defigning to re-eftabliih paganlfm, and accounting, as he declares,
the ftrictnefs and fan(5lity, profefled by Chriftians, to be a principal caufe
of the prevalence of their faith, in two of his epiftles gives directions,
undoubtedly copied from the injundions obferved by the Clergy of thofe
days, that the heathen priefts be men of ferioiis tempers and deport-
ment; that they neither utter, nor hear, nor read, nor think of any thing
licentious or indecent ; that they baniili far from them all ofFenfive jefts
and libertine converfation : be neither expenfive nor fhewifh in their ap-
parel ; go to no entertainments but fuch as are made by the worthicft
perfons ; frequent no taverns ; appear but feldom in places of concourfe j
never be feen at the public games and fpedacles ; and take care, that
their wives and children and i'ervants be. pious, as well as themfcives (x).
Let not, I intreat you, this apoftate put us to fliam-C.

But Clergymen, who are ferious in their whole behaviour, and the
care of their families alfo, are often too una6live amongft their people :
apt to think, that if they perform regularly the ordinary offices of the
church, exhort from the pulpit fuch as will come to hear them, and an-
fwer the common occafional calls of parochial duty, they have done as
much as they need or well can, and fo turn themfelves to other matters :
perhaps never vifit fome of their pariftiioners; and with the reft enter
only into the fame fort of talk, that any one elfe would do. Now St.
Paul faith, he taught the Ephefians both publickly and from houfe to houfe^

tejiifying

(t) z Tim. if. 3. (u) \ Tim. iii. 8, 1 1; (nu) i Tira. v. 4, 5.

\x) Ep. 49, ad Arfac, p. 430, 43 1. Fragm. Ep. p. 301—305.

fecond Charge to his Ckrgy. -Sa-

Ujlijy'mg repentance toward God^ and faith toward our Lord J ejus Chriji[y)',
and ceafed not to warn every one day and night (z). He alio commands
Timothy to preach the luord, and be injlant^ infeafon and out offeafon {a)'y at
ftated times and others : not forcing advice upon perfons, when it was
likelier to do harm than good : but prudently improv'ng lefs favourable
opportunities, if no others offered. Thus unqueltionably fhould we do.
And a chief reafon, why we have fo little hold upon our people is, that
we converfe with them fo little, as watchmen over their fouls. The
paftors of the foreign proteftants outdo us greatly in this refpecl, and are
honoured in proportion. The Romifh priefts have their laity under
their hands, on one account or another, almoft continually, and acquire
by it an abfolute dominion over them. Both the old diflenters from our
church, and thofe who are now forming new feparations, gain and pre-
ferve a furprifing influence amongft their followers by perfonal religious
intercourfe. Why fhould not we learn from them ? At firft fuch appli-
cations may by difufe appear ftrange ; and both have their difficulties and
their dangers. But the moft apprehenfive of them will be the fafeft from
them : and all vvill improve their talents by praflice. On young perfons
you will be able to make good impreffions by difcourfe with them before
confirmation : thefe may be renewed in private exhortations afterwards
to receive the facrament: and the fpiritual acquaintance thus begun,
may be continued ever after. Other means may be found with grown
perfons : on the lirft fettling of a family in your parifh ; on occafion of
any great ficknefs, or afHiftion, or mercy ; on many others, if you feek
for them, and engage worthy friends to affift you. Even common con-
verfation may be led very naturally to points of piety and morals ; and
numbers be thus induced to reading proper books, to public, to private,
to family devotion, to fobriety, juftice, alms-giving and Chriftian love.
When once you are well got into the method, you will proceed with eafe
and applaufe ; provided your whole character and condu6t be confident,
elfe you will fall into total difgrace ; and particularly provided you con-
vince your pariftiioners, that you feek, not their' s^ but them (h).

-A due meafure of difintereftednefs is one main requifite for the fuccefs
of a Clergyman's labours. You will therefore avoid all mean attentions
to fmall matters : never be rigorous in your demands of them ; nevfir
engage in any difputes about them, unlefs a part of your income, too
large to be given up, depends upon them. In all difputes you will prefer
difcreet references to proceedings at law : and when the latter become
neceflary, carry them on in the faireft, the leaft expenfive, the friendlieft
manner. You will be very tender in your demands upon the poor, and
very equitable towards the rich ; though you will confcientioufly pre-
ferve all the material rights, with which you are intrufted, for your fuc-
cefTors. If you find room and reafon to improve your income, you will
do it within bounds : and prove, that no wrong motive induces you to it,
by living with decent frugality, providing for your families with mode-
ration, and going as far as ever you are able in ails of good-natured, and
efpecially of pious, liberality ; which are the moft valuable in themfelves,
the moft incumbent on you, and the moft overlooked by others. For

nothing

(y) Aas XX. 20, 2 1. (%) ver. 31. («) 2 Tim. iv. 2.

{Jj) 2 Cor. zii. 1^.

go TJoe ArchhiJ]:)op of CanUrhurfs

tKithing gives greater or jufter offence, than to fee a;Clergyman intent
upon hoarding, or luxurious, or fplendid, inftead of being charitable. .

Few indeed of our order have much to fpare : . and many have caufe
to wifh for a more plentiful fubfiftence'. Yet even thefe, and much
more the better preferred, if they are earneft feekers and importunate
folli'citous for promotion, lovi-^er their chara£lers grievoudy : and fuch as
ufe indire6t means to obtain it, are often providentially difappointed ; or
though they fucceed, always difl^onour themfelves, and never do much
good to others : whereas the lov/efl of their brethren will be jultly re-
fpe6led, and may be highly ufeful, if he fubmits contentedly to God's
good providence, and labours to live within the compafs of his income:
exceeding which, without viable neceflity, will bring fome imputation
even upon him, and dcfervedly a much heavier on fuch as enjoy an am-
pler provifion.

However inoffenfivc we are, v/e muft expect to receive, from time to
time, injurious and provoicing treatment, as the Scripture hath fore-
warned us. We fliall hurt both our own caufe and that of jeligion
dreadfully, if we return it : and do honour to both, if we behave under
it calmly, with fuch vieeknefs ofwifdom (t), as may tend to bring our ad-
verfaries over, if not to our fentiments concerning the matter in queftion,
whatever it be, yet to a good opinion of our meaning and temper; or
may at leaft, if we fail of fuccefs with them, engage more impartial per-
fons to countenance and protect us. Indeed we ought, if poflible, to
keep not only ourfelves, but others, out of all angry contefts. We fo-
lemnly promifed at our ordination, to maintain and fet forwards y as much
as lietl) in us^ quidnefs, peace and love among all Chriflian people^ and efpe-
cially among the?n that are or Jhall be conwiitted to our charge : and by fo
doing we are bound never to raife or foment perfonal, family, parochial,
political or ecclefiaflical animofities, but do all in our power to compofe
.and extinguifh them: nor will any thing conduce more to our credit or
to our ufefulnefs. The political party-fpirit is, God be thanked, of late
years much abated. Let us guard againft the return of it : fhew, in
word and deed, becoming refpe6l, as we have great caufe, to our excel-
lent King, and all who are put in authority under him : not exercife ouV"
felves in matters too hi^h for us (d), but be quiet and do cur own bifmefs (^};
let our moderation^ even where are concerned to meddle, be known unto all
men (/9, exercifmg it even to thofe who have leaft of itj and always
remember, that neither patriot love to our earthly country, nor loyal
attachment to our earthly fovereign, will be accepted by our heavenly
Father, without uniform obedience to the whole of his Gofpel.

Another point of great importance to Clergymen is, that they be ftu-
-dious. This will keep your money from being fpent unwifely ; and
;likewife yaur time from being thrown away hurtfully or unprofitably, ox
hanging heavy on your hands. It will procure you reverence too, as
perfons of knowledge : whereas the idle will, even by the ignorant, be
thought deficient. And, which is the mam thing, this alone will enable
you to underftand the buhnefs of your ftation, and perform it well. But
then you muft apply to fuch things chiefly, as will fit you moft to anfwer

the

(0 James lU- \ 3. .(</) Ffal. cx;(xi. iz, - (/?) 1 Theif. iv. u »

(/) Phil, iv. 4.

fecond Charge to his Clergy. gi

the great end of your employment; and determine with St. Paul to know
nothings comparatively fpeaking, amongji your people, fave Chrijl Jefus
and htm cruafied{g). The concern of a parifti minifter is, to rpake the
loweft of his congregation apprehend the do£lrine of lalvation by repen-
tance, faith and obedience; and to labour, that when they know the
way of life, they may walk in it. If he doth not thefe things for them,
he doth nothing : and it requires much confideration to find out the pro-
per methods of doing them, and much pains and patience to try one
after another. Smooth difcouries, compdled partly in fine words which
they do not underftand, partly in flowing fentences which they cannot
follow to the end ; containing little that awakens their drowfy attention,
little that inforces on them plainly and home what they muft do to be
faved ; leave them as ignorant and unreformed as ever, and only lull
them into a fatal fecurity. Therefore bring yourfelves down to their
level ; for what fults the meaneft Chriftian will fuit the higheft : examine
if they take in what you fay, and change the form of it till they do.
This 1 recommend for your firft ftudy : and be afTured, you will improve
yourfelves by it no lefs than your hearers. But fo far as you have op-
portunity confiftently with this, apply to any part of Science, to every
part you can, that is connefted with your profefTion : only learn, by
weighing carefully the judgments and reafonings of others, to think mo-
defUy of yourfelves ; avoid, in the outfet of your inquiries more efpecial-
ly, drawing hafty conclufions : be at leaft as much on your guard againit
fondnefs of new opinions, as prepofleflion for eftablifhed doilrines : and be-
ware of being mifled, either by the pofitivenefs of vehement writers, or
the falfe colours of artful ones.

You will doubtlefs cultivate peculiarly thofe branches of knowledge,
which the circumftances of the times, or of your parifhes, peculiarly point
out to you. God hath permitted us, for our fins, to be attacked in a re-
markable degree, by infidels on one hand, and by maintainers of innu-
merable ftrange notions on the other. And we have need, that every
one, who is able to qualify himfelf well, fhould affift in defending his part of
the common caufe. For there are too many unanfwered books abroad in
the world, and more appearing daily, written againft chriftianity and mo-
rals and the doctrines of our church. Nor have we of the Clergy, for
fome time paft, born fo large ^ fhare, comparatively with perfons of
other communions, in vindicating what we teach, as might be expe£icJ
from us. I hope you are not often obliged, in this Dioccfe, to en-
counter unbelievers from the pulpit: andyou will certainly not chufe to
alarm your people, by refuting, in form, objedions to which they are
ftrangers; though it maybe ufeful to obviate them briefly, and if poiTible
without naming them. But as, probably enough, fome of you will at
one time or another in company meet with fuch perfons, or hear of their
talk, I would give you a few diredtions in relation to them.

If any of them are virtuous in their condu6t, and backward to offend
In difcourfe, they fhould not be unfeafonably provoked, but treated
with refpect. If any of them build their unbelief on ferious argument,
which plainly very few do, they fhould be direifted to the books or the
Icarncd'men, that are befl fitted to anfwer them : and the lefs able fhould
i prepare

{£) I Cor. ii. 2,

g2 57;^ Archbtjhop of Canterburfs

prepare for combat with them, but not engage too far in it prematurely.
If they cannot at prefent be convinced of the falfehood of their tenets,
they fhould be fliewn however, in a gentle manner, the pernicious effects
of promulging them. But if they will obftinately perfift to facrifice every
thing valuable amongfl: men to their own vices, or their own vanity, we
muft openly withftand them, and warn others againil them. Yet even
this ought to be done without paffion or bitternefs, otherwife all the
blame will be laid on us : efpecially without perfonal incivilities, even to
the worft of them, elfe they vi^ill become ftill worfe than they were. But
then we muft never affift the very beft of them in gaining influence and
growing dangerous ; nor bring our own fmcerity into queftion by inti-
macies with them, which they will ufually repreient, and fometimes be-
lieve, to proceed from our inwardly thinking as they do. Much lefs
fhould we ever condefcend to the {hocking meannefs of paying court
for private ends, either to them, or to wicked wretches of any kind^
though not infidels ; but connedi ourfelves with worthy perfons ; engage
their fupport, and excite their endeavours to reprefs prpfanenefs and im-
morality.

It is peculiarly unhappy, that while we are employed on one fide in
defending the Gofpel, we are accufed on another of corrupting it. I have
not now in my view either the Church of Rome^ or the Proteftants who
broke ofF from us a century ago. The methods of dealing with both
have been long fince prefcribed, and I repeat them not : but intreat your
attention to the movements of each, efpecially the. former, if you have
any of them in your parifhes. But I mean to fpeak of perfons rifen up
in our own times, and profeffing the ftrifteft piety : who vehemently
charge us with departing from the doftrines and flighting the precepts
of our Religion : but have indeed themfelves advanced unjuftifiable
notions^ as neceflary truths ; giving good people groundlefs fears, and
bad ones groundlefs hopes ; difturbed the underftandings of fome, im-
paired the circumftances of Others; prejudiced multitudes againft their
proper minifters, and prevented their edification by them ; produced firft
diforders in our churches, then partial or total feparations from them j
and fet up unauthorized teachers in their aflemblies. Where thefe irre-
gularities will end, God only knows : but it behoves us to be very care-
ful, that they make no progrefs through our fault.

Now it would not only be injurious, but profane, to brand, with an
opprobrious name, Chriftians remarkably ferious, merely for being fuch :
and equally imprudent to difclaim them as not belonging to us, to let
a fe6l gain the credit of them, and labour to drive them into it. Surely
we ftiould take, even were they wavering, or actually gone from us, the
moft refpedlful and perfuafive means of recalling fuch, and fixing them
with us. Nay, fuppofing any perfons irrecoverably gpne, we fhould not
be hafty to condemn, even in our thoughts, either them or their party,
as enthufiafts or hypocrites: whatfoever they are^ it maketh no matter to
xs (/)). And much lefs ought we to fay of either worfe than we are fure
they deferve. When we are undoubtedly well informed of any ejc^ra-
vagant things, which they have afferted or done, it may be ufeful to
fpeak ftrongly of them: but not with anger and exaggeration i which

v/ill
(-&) Gal. ii. 6.

Jkmd Charge to his Clergy, '^2

will only give them a handle to cenfure our uncharitablenefs, and confute
us : but with deep concern, that when fo few perfons exprefs any zeal
for the Gofpel, fo many of thofe, who do, run into extremes, that hurt
its interefts. Nor will ridicule become our charadler, or ferve our
caufe better than inventive. It may pleafe thofe very highly, who are
in no danger of being profelyted by them. But what fhall we get by
that? Perfons negligent of religion will at the fame time be confirmed
in their negligence : and think, that all they need to avoid is being righ-
teous overmuch (/'). Tender minds will be grieved and wounded by fuch
ill-placed levity : and crafty declaimers will rail at us with fuccefs, as
jcoffers [k)^ denying the power of godlinefs (/). But if we let fall any light
expreflions, that can be wrefted into a feeming difrefpedt to any fcrip-
ture docSlrine or phrafe, we {hall give our adverfaries unfpeakable ad-
vantages: and they have fhewn, that they will ufe them without mercy
or equity. Therefore we muft guard every word, that we utter, againft
mifreprefentations : be fure to exprefs, in public and private, our firm
belief of whatever evangelical truths border upon their miftakes: and
certainly be as vigilant over our behaviour, as our teaching : encourage
no violence, no rudenels towards them; but recommend ourfelves to
them by our mildnefs, our ferioufnefs, our diligence : honour thofe, who
are truly devout and virtuous amongft them, much more on that account^
than we blame them for being injudicious, and hard to pleafe; and be
full as ready to acknowledge the good they have done, as to complain
of the harm : yet beware, and counfel others to beware, of being drawn,
by efteem of their piety, into relifliing their fingularities, and patronizing
their fchifm.

AcSiing thus, we fhall not only cut offoccafionfroyn thofe who defire occa^
fion [m) to fpeak evil of us, and be able to remonftrate with authority and
effedl againft their excefles and wildnefles ; but, which is the chief point,
we {hall become better minifters of Chrift for their harfh treatment of
us. And we fhould always labour, that every thing may have this in-
fluence upon us: think with ourfelves, if others go too far, whe-
ther we do not fall {hort; afk our confciences, whether we really do all
that is in our power to reform and improve our people ; whether the
fmall fuccefs of our endeavours be, in truth, as it ought, a heavy grief to
us ; whether we have carefully fearched out, and try ince{rantly to over-
come the difficulties that lie in our way to making them better. Thefe
things, if we are in earnefl, we {hall chiefly have at heart: and if we
are not in earneft, we are of all men the moit guilty, and the mofl miferm
able («).

In giving you my advice thus largely and freely on thefe feveral
heads, I no more fuppofe you culpable in relation to any of them, than
you do your parifhioners, when you exhort them to any particular duties,
or warn them againfl particular fins. On the contrary, to ufe the
apollle's words, / am perfuaded of you, brethren, that ye are fall of goodnefsy
replemjhed with all knowledge, able alfo to admonijh one another. Neverthe-
lefs, if I may prefume to adopt, with due abatements, the fubfequent
words alfo, I have i^oktvi fomewhat boldly unto you in part, as putting you in

mindy

CO Eccl. vii. 1 6. (k) 2 Pet. iii. 3. (/) 2 Tim. ii. 15.
{m) 2 Cor. XI. 12. («) I Cor, xv. 19.

04, the Archhijhop of CanteYlurf s fccond Charge to his Clergy.

mindy iecaufe of the grace which is given me of -God, that I Jloould he the
minijier of Jefus Chriji to you (0), as you are to your refpeftive congre^
gations. And let us all pray for ourfclves and each other daily, that we
may fo fed the flock of God which is among us, and be enfa77iples to it, that
when the chief Jhepherd Jhall appear^ ive may receive a crown of glory ^ that
fadeth not away [p],

(0) Rom. XV. 14, 15, 16. (/) 1 Pet. v. 2, 3, 4.

%.J

^r

A CHARGE

CHARGE

DELIVERED TO THE

CLERGY of the Diocese,

OF

CANTERBURY,

In the Year 1766.

Reverend Brethren,

tf;!-*!;%>:.^ A V I N G diftributed amongft you, above three years ago, when
:S H S fickaefs prevented me from vifiting you in perfon, a printed dif-
tJiS^Sir^ courfe, in which I exhorted you, as St. Paul did Timothy, to take
heed unto yourfelves ; I proceed now to add, as he did, and to your doc^
trine (^).

To inftrudl perfons in religion is the leading part of a Clergyman's
duty. And though he will do it in a very ufeful degree by the example
of a Chriftian behaviour on all occafions ; yet he will do it more efpe-
cially in the peculiar difcharge of his office. When he is only to ufe
the forms prefcribed him, he may, by ufing them with due reverence and
propriety, greatly promote both knowledge and pious difpofitions in his

hearers.
(«) X Tim, iv. 16,

q6 ^he Archhtp)op of Canterbury's

hearers. Therefore we ought to watch diligently over ourfelves in this
refpeft : and then it will be eafier to convince our people, that they may
and fliould learn a great deal from the exhortations, the prayers, the
praifes, the portions of fcripture, of which our liturgy confifts; that
therefore, even when there is no other fervice, they fhould come to church
for the fake of thefe far more conftantly, and attend to them far more
carefully, than the generality of them do ; indeed fhould have them in
much higher efteem, than the mere produdls of our private thoughts.

But I (hall confine myfelf to the inftru6tions, which you give of your
own; fpeaking of them chiefly with a view of fuggefling fuch advice to
the younger part of you, as I hope the elder will approve, and enforce.

And here I mufl begin with repeating, what I need not enlarge upon,
for I have done it already, that the foundation of every thing in our pro-
feffion is true piety within our breafls, prompting us to excite it in
others. Even heathens made it a jule, that an orator, if he would per-
fuade, muft be a good man : much more muft a preacher. When a bad
one utters divine truths, we fliut our ears, we feel indignation. Form
yourfelves therefore throughly, by devout meditations and fervent prayer,
to ferioufnefs of heart, and zeal for the eternal welfare of fouls: for then
every thing elfe, that you are to do, will follow of courfe.

You will earneftly labour to complete yourfelves in all proper know-
ledge : not merely the introduftory kinds, which unhappily are often al-
mofl the only ones, taught the candidates for holy orders ; but thofe
chiefly, which have a clofer connexion with your work. And though,
amongft thefe, the fcience of morals and natural religion is highly to be
valued, yet the dodlrines and precepts of the gofpel require your princi-
pal regard beyond all comparifon. It is of the gofpel, that you are mi-
niflers : all other learning will leave you elTentially unqualified ; and this
alone comprehends every thing, that is neceflary. Without it, you will
never approve yourfelves to God^ as workmen that need not to be afmmed (^),
nor make your hearers wfe unto fahat'ion (r). Therefore you mufl dili-
gently perufe the holy fcriptures, and as much as you can of them in the
original ; that^ as the office of ordination exprefTes it, by daily reading and
weighing of them ye ?nay wax riper andfironger in your miniflry. And you
muft not grudge the expence, which may furely be well fpared in fome
other things, of procuring, according to your abilities, the afTiftance,
both of fuch commentators, as Will beft fhew you the true fenfe of holy
writ ; and of fuch alfo, as will beft dire£t you, how to draw from it need-
ful inftru£tions. General fyftems of theology, and particular treatifes on
points of moment, will enlarge your ftock of matter : and the moft noted
fermons will be patterns to you of compofition.

For I fuppofe the difcourfes, even of thofe who have the loweft quali-
fications, to be, in a great meafure at leaft, of their own compofition.
Elfe they will feldom either fufficiently fuit the congregation to which
they are delivered, or be delivered in the manner which they ought. Be-
iides, if perfons decline taking this trouble, they will probably alfo decline
that of fitting themfelves in other ways for parochial ufefulnefs, and
throw away their time unwifely, if not worfe. That will foon be ob-
ferved to their difad vantage j and if once it be fufpeded, that through

inca-

(b) 2 Tim. ii. 15. (c) 2 Tim. iii. 15.

third Charge u hts Clergy ^ 5^,

incapacity or idlenefs they fteal what they preach, they will haVe fttiall
influence,- if any. I do not mean, that no ufe ought to be made of tha
hibours of others : for indeed I have made no little ufe of them in what I
am faying, and about to fay. I would have young Clergymen, efpecially,
make very great ufe of the works of able divines: not inconfiderately
and fervilely tranfcribe them ; but ftudy, digeft, contratl, amplify, vary,
adapt to their purpofe, improve if poffible, what they find in them. For
thus it will fairly become their own ; mix naturally with what proceeds
altogether from themfelves ; and preferve their youthful produdions fromi
the imputation of being empty and jejune. In the choice of fuch au-
thors you will confider religious and judicious friends, alv/ays joining
your own experience. Thole writers, whom you find the moll: efFedual
to enlighten your underftandings, convince you of your faults, animate
you to good refolutions, and guide and fupport you in the execution of
them, will befl: help you to produce the fame effecSl on others. Thefe^
therefore imitate : but with judgment. If, amidft their excellencies, you
obferve miftakes, defects, redundancies, flights indifcreetly high, defpica-
bly familiar condcfcenfions, fallies over-vehement; beware of adopting
any of them. And rememtjer too that a very clofe imitation, of Angu-
larities above all, v/ill both betray you, and be difguftful.

When you go about to prepare an inftruftion for your people, firft
confider carefully of a proper fubjecl and text : begging God to dire£t
your choice, and difpofe you to treat them in a proper way. Chufing a
text, without need, that will.furprife, or a feeming barren one, to fhew
v/hat your art can extr.ict from it, will appear ingenious perhaps to fome,
but vanity to moft with good reafon. Chufing one, that requires much
accommodating to your purpofe, is but mifpending pains and time: and
fo is labouring to clear up a very obfcure one, unlefs it be of great im-
portance. And giving a new tranflation or fenfe of a text, unlefs the
prcfent hath confiderable inconveniences, will only puzzle your audi-
ence, and tempt them to doubt, whether they underftand the reft of their
bible. Such a text is moft convenient, as will branch out of itfelf into
the main parts of your difcourfe: but at leaft you fhould make it appear
to be the ground-work of your difcourfe, and not an after-thou^-ht.

Plan your method in the beginning of your compofitionj but chano-s
it afterwards, if you fee caufe. Never run the matter of one head into
another, nor digrefs to any thing foreign: for every fubjecSt, well confi-
dered, will afford you enough. It is ufually beft to propofe your gene-
ral heads together, before you proceed upon them feparately, and to o-ive
notice when you come to each. Subdivifions alfo affift the memory of
the hearer, if they are not too many : and paffing from a former head to
the next by an eafy tranfition, is graceful. But a difpofition may be very
orderly, without mentioning in form the feveral members, of which it
confifts: and fometimes that formality prevents a difcourfe from flowing-
with freedom and fpirit. After the explanatory part, proofs from reafon
and fcripture take the next place : then inferences, if any ufeful ones fol-
low peculiarly from what hath preceded; and laftly exhortations to fuit-
abie pra(SI:ice, which can hardly ever be omitted, and ought to be fuch as
may leave a durable imprellion. The length of fermons, thouc^h it
fhould always be moderate, may be very different at different tunes.

Voi. VI. G Only

^8 The Archhijhop of CanUrhurfs

Only give no room to think, that in a fhort one you have faid but little ;
or in a long one have either faid any thing w^hich was not pertinent, or dwelt
upon any thing beyond what was needful.

An indifpenfable point throughout is to preferve attention : for if that
be not paid, all your labour is loft. And perfons are fingularly apt to be
inattentive to preachers. Our fubjefts are, and ought to be, the moft
common and trite of any. And hence, unlefs we ufe a little honeft art
to prevent it, our people will think, will many of them find indeed, that
they know beforehand moft of what we fliall deliver to them, and fo will
foon grow weary of minding us. Coming to church, the bulk of man-
kind, even ftill, confider as a duty: but hearing as they ought, they partly
negledl, and partly expefience to be difficult. Therefore we muft not
only admonifh, but aflift them. For this end we muft ftiew them from
firft to laft, that we are not merely faying good things in their prefence,
but directing what we fay to them perfonally, as a matter which concerns
them beyond expreffion. More general difcourfes they often want (kill
to take home to themfelves ; and oftener yet inclination : fo they fit all
the while ftupidly regardlefs of what is delivered. Therefore we muft
intereft them in it, by calling upon them to obferve, by afking them
queftions to anfwer filently in their own minds, by every prudent incite-
ment to follow us clofely. But then we muft make them underftand>
that in preaching againft fm we never preach againft fuch or fuch a fm-
ner; but mean to amend and improve all, who want it: wifliing every
one to apply as much as poffible of what he hears to his own benefit, but
nothing to the reproach of his neighbour.

Still you will prefs them in vain to pay attention, unlefs you win them
to it by what you have to fay. And one principal contrivance for that
purpofe is to make your fermons extremely clear. Terms and phrafes
may be familiar to you, which are quite unintelligible to them: and I
fear this happens much oftener, than we fufpedl. Therefore guard againft
it. Your expreffions may be very common, without being low : yet
employ the loweft, provided they are not ridiculous, rather than not be
underftood. Let your fentences, and the parts of them, be ihort, where
you can. And place your words fo, efpecially in the longer, that your
meaning may be evident all the way. For if they take it not immedi^
ately, they have no time to confider of it, as they might in reading a
book : and if they are perplexed in the beginning of a period, they will
never attempt going on with you to the end : but give up the whole, as
out of their reach. Avoid rufticity and grofliiei's in your ftile: yet be
not too fond of fmooth and foft and flowing language ; but ftudy to be
nervous and expreffive ^ and bear the cenfure of being unpolifhed, rather
than uninfluencing. Never multiply arguments beyond neceflityj for
they will only tire : abftain from weak ones ; for they will difcredit the
ftrong. Employ no arguments to prove things, which need not be
proved : for you will only make them doubtful. Employ no long or fub-
tle arguments to prove any thing : but reft your affertions on the dictates
of plain good fenfe. Never exprefs yourfelves on any point, as having
^minion over the faith {d) of your hearers; but lay before them the beft
evidence, of which they are capable. In matters too high for them, let

them,
(d) 2 Cor. i. 24,

third Charge to his Clergy. ga

them know, in a modeft manner, that you fpeak the (entiments of the
nrwre learned, in which providence hath by their ftation directed them to
acquiefce : in others, reafon more at large, in the fpirit of St. Paul,v/hen
he told the Corinthians, I /peak as to wife men: judge ye what I fay [e).

You might perhaps give more entertainment, and procure more ap-
plaufe, by difregarding fome of thefe diredtions. But your bufiuefs is, not
to pleafc or be admired, but to do good : to make men think not of your
abilities, attainments, or eloquence, but of the ftate of their own fouls ;
and to fix them in the belief and praftice of what will render them happy
now and to eternity. For this purpofe (obferve further) it will by no
means fufEce to teach them outward regularity and decency; and let
them fancy they have religion enough, when they come to church pretty
conftantly, and live as well as their neighbours : though, in fome re-
fpeds, ill, and, fcarce in any, well from a principle of confcience. Or
be they from a fenfe of duty ever fo honeft, and fober, and chafte, and
beneficent ; another indifpenfable part of morals is the difcipline of ther
inward man. And afFedtionate piety is full as neceflary, as moral? can
be ; and gofpel piety no lefs than natural.

Here then lay your foundation : and fet before your people the lament-r
able condition of fallen man, the numerous adual fins, by which they
have made it worfe, the redemption wrought out for them by Jefus
Chrift, the nature and importance of true faith in him, their abfolute
need of the grace of the divine Spirit in order to obey his precepts. This
will be addreffing yourfelves to them as Chriftian minifters ought to
Chriftian hearers. The holy Scriptures will furnifh you with matter
for it abundantly. Short and plain reafonings, founded on their autho-
rity, will dart convidlion into every mind : whereas if your dodlrine and
your fpeech be not that of their bibles ; if you contradiil, or explain
away, or pafs over in filence, any thing taught there, they who are beft
contented with you, will learn little from you; and others will be of-
fended, and quit you when they can. We have in fa6t loft many of ouf
people to fe(3:aries by not preaching in a manner fufficiently evangelical ;
and fhall neither recover them from the extravagancies, into which they
have run, nor keep more from going over to them, but by returning to
the right way: declaring all the counfel of God {f)\ and that principally,
not in the words.^ which man^s wifdatn teachethf but which the Holy Ghoji
teach eth (g).

Yet the obfcurer of fcriptural pafTages we fhall do well to omit: or,
if there be need, illuftrate them, as far as we can, briefly: not to aim at
minute explanations of myfteries ; but urge the belief of them from de-
cifive paflages of God's word, quoted according to its real import, and
leave them as that hath left them. For by attempting to throw in more
light, than our prefent flate admits, you will only dazzle and blind thofe,
who faw before as through a glafs darMy [h).

Ton are debtors indeed both to the wife and to the iinwife (;'), But re-
member, the ignorant are by far the greateft number : and unneceifary
knowledge, if you could communicate it to them, is of fmall ufe. But yon
■will never be able to enlarge on abftrufe and difficult points to the edi-
G 2 fication

(t) I Cor. X. 15. (f) Afls XX. 27. (g) I Cor. ii. 13.

(h) 1 Cor. xiii. 12, (i) Rom. i. \\,

100 The Anhbifmp cf Canterbury* s

fication of the generality : whereas you may dwell on the plaineft to the
fatisfailion and improvement of the moft learned. It is true, declining
to fhcw reading or acutenefs may be to fome a painful felf-denial : but
iihlc judges v/ill eafily perceive, both that you could fhew them, and why
you do not. Therefore enter but little, if at all, into matters about
which your hearers are not likely to err, at leaft dangeroufly. Yet
fuffer not either the evidence or the fundamentals of Chriftianity, or the
honour of the Proteftant religion, or of the eftabiiihed church, to want a
due fupport, when you are any way called to the defence of them. At
fuch times demonlrrate your zeal ; but be fure to do it with Chriftian
temper ; in meeknefs hijlru£lmg tksfj ihat cppofe themfehcs [k) : at others,
avoid a controverfial manner, and confine yourfelves to brief inftrudions
on thcfe heads.

It may pofribl}':'ibmetImes be neceflary in our fermons to vindicate
our rights, and magnify our office {I). But this muil: be done very fparingly
and cautioufly; fo as to cut off all pretence, that v/e take the overfight of
God' s fock^ either for filthy Incre^ or from a defire oi being lords over his he-
r'ltagc (;;;). We mufl never fet up an undue, never a fufpicious claim:
but confefs, that the treafure of the Gofpel is committed to us entirely
for the fake of others, not our own ; and that we have it in earthen vef-
feb (n) J are liable to continual imperfections and frailties. Such Humi-
lity is no lefs our wifdom, than our duty. For that Clergyman will al-
ways acquire the greatefl refpeft, who {hews the moft care to deferve it,
and the leaft eagernefs to demand it.

Every part of your difcourfes muft prefcrve the gravity and the ear-
neftnefs, which is infeparable from fubje6ts of a religious nature. If you
can fpeak of thcfe lightly and negligently, your auditors will fufpe6l you
have little concern about them : they of courfe will have lefs in hearing
vou : their thougiits will wander to the ends of the earth, or their atten-
tion to every thing be buried in fieep. But though languid in no part,
you will however be comparatively cool in expofitions of Scripture, in
dodlrinal, in cafuiftical points, referving your chief warmth for the great
articles of Chriftian pra6fice. There your very utmoft endeavours will
be needful to produce in your people a due fenfe of guilt and unworthi-
nef?, fervent dcfires of pardon, love to him v/ho hath loved them, refig-
nation to God's plcafure, firm purpofes of obeying his laws ; to caution
them effectually againft profanenefs, lukewarmnefs, formality, refent-
mcnt, hard-heartednefp, unjuft love of gain, fondnefs of unlawful indul-
gences ; to infpire them v/ith good-will towards all men, with propor-
tionably kind regards to thofe who ftand in nearer relations to them, di-
ligence'to be ufeful in their feveral ftations, reafonable indifference to-
wards the things of this life, pious longings for a better. Their degree
of knowledge, ranlc and circumftances of life, their prevailing notions and
cuftoms, will afford you much further employment, to make your fer-
mons local, if I may fo exprefs itj calculated to promote the virtues
which they are chiefly called to exerclfe, and guard againft the fins, of
which they are chiefly in danger. For what perfe6tly fuits one congr(S-
•■^ation may be cxircmcly foreign from the exigences of another. And
' • fut-

. {Pj 2 Tim, ii. 25. (/) Rom. xi. I> -> • W ' ^^^- ""'' ^'3*

(/,) 2Cor. iv. 7. V^J^ivi ■ " ■ y

third Charge to his Clergy* lOi

further ftill you mufl not only urge them to do their duty, but to ufe the
means of doing it ; which mufl: be pointed out to them : avoiding temp-
tations, keeping clear of bad company, contracling friendfliips with feri-
ous and prudent perfons, employing themfelves in proper bufinefs, read-
ing good books, forming pious, yet prudent, refolutions, and begging,
in private prayer, grace to help in time of need [o) : not ftridtly conhning
their devotions to any forms, though forms are very ufeful, but varying
them according to their fpiritual condition. Thefe are the things, oti
which you mufl: infift with your whole force : not aspleafing men^ but God,
which trieth our hearts (p).

Yet, while you take without referve all requifite freedom, you muft
alfo take care not to provoke, inftead of reforming them; but fhew, that
you fmcerely wifh well to them ; and think as well of them as you can :
you mufl: praifc them when you have opportunity ; give them cautions
oftener than reproofs, and never reprove harfhly; but exprefs a fatherly
concern, rather than anger, at their faults. Reprefent no fault as worfe
than it is : and carry no injundtion to an extravagant height. If you
do, they will either think you unreafonable, or themfelves incapable of
becoming good ; or will run into fome abfurdity by attempting it. And
for their encouragement, along with the duties, hy before them, in a
ftrong light, the comforts alfo, prefent and future, cf^ religion.

It is but too pofTible, that fometimes you muft excite your people to
virtues, in which you are, more or lefs, deficient yourfelves. For it
would be heinous unfaithfulnefs to omit or explain away neceflfary pre-
cepts becaufe you are imperfe6l in the practice of them. And lament-
able is ou'r cafe, if there be any Chriflian obligation, on which we dare
not fot fliame fpeak freely: yet flill worfe, if we harden our tonfciences,
till we venture boldly to enjoin what we habitually tranfgrefs. For iii
that cafe, not only our credit will be utterly lofl:, but our amendment
almoft abfolutely hopelefs. Therefore correct your own hearts and lives
in the firft place by the difcourfes which you compofe ; become in all
points good men ; and then you may fearlefsly fpeak on all points like
fuch.

Yet even good men mufl: obferve a difference. Thofe of lefs know-
ledge mufl exprefs themfelves with lefs pofitivenefs, thofe of lefs gravity
and difcretion with lefs authority and' fl;ri£l:nefs, than their betters. And
every one fliould confider, what his age and {landing, reputation for
learning, prudence and piety, vvill fupport him in faying ; that he may
not take more upon him, than will be allowed him. Yet all mufl afli-
-duoufly take' pains to acquire, and preferve, fuch efleem, that they may
fay with propriety whatever their fun£lion requires. For how unhappy
would it be to .difqualify yourfelves from ufcfulnefs by levity or indif-
cretiori.f ' ''' '' ' '. ' ' ' ■' ' ,

But ^veh the beft^qualififW t--^ ekhort rrtufl keep within' due bounds j
codVihct the judgment before^ ihey 'Attempt to warmthe paffions ; rife
gradually into vi^-iat deferves the name of vehemence;' and 'be fufe nei-
'ther to rife 'any higher, nor continue in that flram any longcj^ than they
jire likely to carry their auditors along with theml'' For if th'ey are cold^
while tHe prfe^cher is pathefit'j; thd irtipreflion mafde' Upon- them will' He
• ■ " ^ ■ • ■ .,' ''-'- . ■ ' '• ■•■ ' ,•'■;-- - ■ very

(o) Heb. iv. 16. (/) 1 ThefT. ii. 4.

G3

102 ^he Archhijhop of Canterbury* s

very different from what he wifhes. And our nation Is more difpofed,
than mdft others, to approve a temperate manner of fpeaking. Evei-y
thing, which can be called oratory, is apt to be deemed affe£tation : and
if it goes a great length, raifes contempt and ridicule. But were the
moft icrious emotions to be raifed by mere mechanical vehemence, they
Would be unfairly raifud: and what is beyond nature will ufually foon
fubfide ; perhaps with fcorn, upon refletSlion, of what was admired when
heard. Or fuppofing fuch admiration to continue, bad effeds may as
poffibly follovi^ as good : whereas warmth of afFedion, excited to a proper
degree by the rational enforcement of folid arguments, promifes to be
durable, and will never do harm. The faculty of moving hearers thus,
is a moft valuable bleffing. And fuch, as have but little of it, may con-
fiderably improve it, by labouring to affect themfelves deeply with what
they v/ould lay : and thinking, what m.ethods of faying it will be moft
perfuafive. But they muft not attempt to force an unwilling genius too
far. If they do, what it produces will be fo ungraceful and unluccefsful,
that they had much better content themfelves to do as well as they can
in their own way*

Your delivery muft in the firft place be fuch, that you can be heard ;
elfe you preach in vain • befides that fpeaking too low argues indolence
and indifference ; whereas an audible exertion is a mark of earneftnefs :
and the common people are peculiarly pleafed, when their minifter ap*
pears to take pains about them. But then you muft neither be precipi-
tately quick, (for if your words be underftood, your meaning will not)
nor tedioufly flowj nor fmk any one part of your fentence under its pro-
per level, efpecially the concluding part. Diftinilnefs will do much to
fupply want of ftrength in fpeaking : which however it is very material
that you ftiould try to remedy gradually, as many have done, by a pru-^
dent exercife of your voice. Yet ftraining beyond your due pitch will
give your hearers pain, make you in feme degree inarticulate, and pro-
duce a fmging fort of cadence and tone. This laft indeed hath been
fometimes known to pleafe weak perfons : but it cannot poffibly make
them either wifer or better : and it offends the judicious extremely*
Many learn in their childhood a provincial dialcdl ; which they cannot
lay afide eafily ; and yet Ihould endeavour it, efpecially if they fettle in a
different part of the nation. Some acquire uncouth accents one knows
not how : fome bring them from, the fchool or the college : and now and
then one feems to hear a theatrical pronunciation ; which hath been
condemned even by heathen writers upon oratory ; and is the. very
worft, that a Chriftian orator can adopt. It reminds his hearers, greatly
to his difcredit, where he muft probably have learnt it : he will alfo ap-
pear by means of it to be only ailing a part, and be regarded accordingly.
Indeed all remarkable imitation, in delivery as well as compofition,
though of a perfon in your own profellion, and one juftly admired, will be
dill iked. You will never attain to an advantageous refemblance of his
manner : but, by a miftaken or overdone mimicry, turn what perhaps
may be graceful in the original, into oddnefs. Or could you avoid that,
you woul'?^ leffen your weight and influence : which muft arife From
Jpeaking in your own charadler, not perfonating another. £very's man's
voice and utterance, as well as his face, belongs to himfelf alone j and it

is

third Charge to his Clergy. 10^

IS vain to think either of looking or talking like fuch or fuch a one.
Therefore preferve what is native to you : free it from adventitious
faults- improve it, if you can : but remember, that you may deprave it
by the endeavour ; and certainly will, if you change it eflentially. Speak
to your people, as you would in coaverfation, when you undertake to
inform or perfuade a friend, in a concern of great moment ; only with
more deliberatenefs, more ftrength and energy, in proportion to the
numbers : and vary both your ftile and your elocution, as in converfa-
tion you always do, fuitably to your matter. For monotony both abfo-
lutely prevents emotion, and foon deadens attention. It is worft indeed,
when uniformly unnatural, by degenerating into a kind of chant. But
merely to be uniformly inexpreffive, be it through heavinefs, or effemi-
nacy, or infignificant lightnefs, is either very blamable, or, if it cannot
be helped, very unhappy. And perhaps a little even of injudicious va-
riety is better than a wearifome famenefs.

In public fpeaking, perfons commonly fall into errors, and fometimes
great ones, without j^erceiving it, though they can obferve fmall ones in
others. Therefore you will ail prudently in defiring fome well-wifher,
on whofe judgment and franknefs you can depend, to advertife you of
any thing wrong in the condudl of your voice, or in your a6lion ; and
you will ihew your gratitude and good fenfe by ftudying to amend it.

We of this nation are not given to ufe or to admire much a6lion,
either in ordinary difcourfe, or even in popular harangues. And, were
it for this reafon only, a preacher {hould be moderate in it. But befides, in
the nature of the thing, you had far better have none, than what is unbe-
coming, or unmeaning, or unfuitable to what you are faying, or repeated
at certain diftances, whatever you are faying. Yet fomewhat of gefture,
appearing to be artlefs, and regulated by propriety, may be very ufeful,
efpecially in the warmer parts, of exhortation, reproof, or even argu-
ment. For to be altogether motionlefs, when the fubjedl is- animating,
and our language perhaps vehement, feems an inconfiftency ; and may
raife a doubt, whether we are in earneft. But ftill defedt in adion is
better than excefs. And a great deal cannot well be ufed by thofe who
read their fermons.

This is one objedion againft reading them : and there are feveral be-
fides. Perfons, who are ftiort-fighted, have peculiar reafons to avoid it.
Indeed almoft all perfons are accuftomed from their early years to read
in a different tone, from that in which they fpeak at other times : and
we feldom correct it throughly. Or if we did, what we fay in fuch
manner as to make it feem the prefent diiState of our own hearts, will
much better make its way into the hearts of others, than if our eyes are
fixed all the while on a paper, from which we vifibly recite the whole.
It will ordinarily be uttered too with more difengaged freedom and live-
lier fpirit. The preacher alfo will be abler to enforce his words by
fignificant looks : to perceive from the countenances of his hearers, what
they comprehend, and by what they are moved ; and may accordingly
enlarge on that head, or proceed to another, as he finds caufe. He m.iy
likewife oppofe with fuccefs irregular itinerant declaimers, who affea;
and gain popularity by this method: and as their credulous followers are
apt to think it a fupernatural gift, he may undeceive them by imitating

G4 m

104 The ArchhiJhoptfCayiterlurfs

in this cafe the praftice of St. Paul in another, which he defcribes thus:
what I do, that I will do-, that where'm they glory, they may be found even as
we{q). But then there muft be a long and diligent preparation to do
this well : fome will fcarce ever attain fufficient prefence of mind, and
readinefs of exprelTion : others will acquit themfelves handfomely in a
good flow of fpirits, but meanly v/hen thefe fail them : and though little
inaccuracies will be obferved by fev/, yet hefitations will by all, and
every other confiderable fault by fenfible hearers, to the preacher's great
difgrace. Or if fuch do get the faculty of being always able to fay fome-
thing plaufible, it will tcir.pt them to neglect the improvement of their
underftandings and their difcourfes ; and to be content with digreffing,
whenever they are at a lofs, from their text and their fubjecl:, to any poin"t,
on which they can be copious : to utter ou" hand fuch crudities, as they
could not bear to write down ; and think the meaneft of extempore ef-
fufions good enough for the populace. Now on the contrary, previoufly
ftudying and v/riting fermons tends to fill them with well digefted and
well adapted matter, difpofed in right order: efpecialjy, if you will care-
fully revife them every time you preach them ; fupply deficiences, blot
out repetitions, corred improprieties, guard againll mifapprehenfions,
enlighten what is obfcure, familiarize what is too high, tranfpofe what is
wrongly placed, ftrengthen the weak parts, animate the languid ones.
Your compofition needs not be at a?l' the itifrer, but may be the freer,
for the pains thus employed upon it. You may frame it purpofely to be
fpoken as if you were not reading it: and by looking it over a few times
when you are about to ufc it, you may deliver it almoft without being
obferved to read it. The more you acquire of this art, the more you
will be liked, and the ftronger impreflion you will make. But after all,
every man, as the apoftle faith on a different occafion, hath his proper gft
■of God; one after this manner, another after that (r) : let each cultivate
his own; and no ohe cenfure or defpife his brother. Inhere is a middle
way, ufed by our predeceflbrs, of fetting dovv'n, in {hort notes, the me-
thod and principal heads, and enlarging on them in fuch words as prefent
themfelves at the time. Perhaps, duly managed, this would be the beft.
1 hat which is, or lately was, common amongft foreign divines, of wri-
ting fermons firft, then getting and repeating them by heart, not only
is unreafonably laborious, but lubjeils perfons to the hazard of (lopping
(illagreeably, and even breaking off abruptly, for want of memory. Or
if they efcape that danger, there full remains another, of faying their
ieffon with ungraceful marks of fear and caution.

Inftead of taking a text, which comprehends within itfelf the whole fub-
je£t, of which you would treat, it may often be ufeful to chufe one, which
hath a reference to things preceding and follov/ing it, and to expound all
the context. This will afrord you a variety of matter, and give you op-
portunities for fhort unexpe6ted remarks ; with which perfons are fre-
quently more ftruck, than with an entire difcourfe ; for of the latter
they forefee the drift all the way, and therefore fet themselves to fence
gigainft it.' Thus alfo you may illuftrate the beauties, at the fame time
that you fhew the pra<Stical ufes, of large portions of fcripture at once :
for in^ance, of a parable, a converfation, a miracle, of our bieffed t^ordj

QS

(q) 2 Cor. xi. 12, , (rj i Cor. vii. 7,

third Charge to his Clergy. X05

or a narration concerning this or that other memrorable perfon, whether
defervino- of praife or blame. For fcripture hiftories and examples are
cafily remembered, and have great weight. In proportion as we over-
look them, we Ihall appear lefs to be minifters of God's word : and our
people will have Icfs veneration for us, or for it, or for both. You may
alfo in this method, as you go along, obviate obje£tions topalFages of
God's word without ftating them in form, at which otherwife rhany may
ftumble, if they read with attention : and if they do not attend, they will
read with no profit. Several things in holy writ feem to be ftrange ;
hardly confiftent one with another, or with ournatural notions. Of thefe
difficulties, which muft always perplex perfons, and may often deliver
them over a prey to infidels, you may occafionally remove one and an-
other ; meddling v/ith none, but fuch as you can overcome : and from
your fuccefs in thefe, you may obferve to your auditors the probability,"
that others are capal 1j of folutions alfo. Perhaps they v/ill forget your
folution : but they will remember that they heard one, and may have it
repeated to them, if they pleafe. By thefe means you Vv'ill teadi your peo-
ple, what is grievoufly v/anting in the prefent age, to value their bibles
more, and underftand them better ; and to read them both with pleafure
and profit, drawing from them ufeful inferences and obfervatioris, as they
have heard you do. Formerly courfes of le6lures on Ayhole books of
fcripture were cuftomary in churches ; and they were doubtlefs extremely
beneficial. It would not be eafy, if pofiible, to revive thefe now ; but
the praflice, which I have been propofing to you, is fome approach to-
wards them.

I would alfo advice you to inftrudl: your pariihioners, amongft other
things, from fome proper text or texts, in the daily and occafional fervices
of the church : not with a view to extol either immoderately, much lefs to
provoke wrath againft thofe who diffent from us ; but miidly to anfwer
unjuft imputations upon our liturgy, and chieHy to ihew the meaning,
the reafons, the ufes of each part; that your congregations rtriay, as the
apoftle exprefies it, pr^y with the under/Jandhig [s ) . In all compofitions,
there will be fome things, which to fome perfons want explaining : and,
were the whole ever (b clear, men are Irrangely apt both to hear and
to fpeak words, that are become familiar to them, with fcarce any atten-
tion to their fenfe. And fo by degrees a bodily attendance and worfhip
becomes all thafthey pay: and they return home almolt as little edified,
as they would by devotions in a tongue unknown. Convincing them of
this fault, and alfifting them to mend it, muft greatly contribute to the
promotion of true piety amongft them. Nor will it be a fmall benefit,
if, in the courfe of your liturgical inftrudions, you can perfuade the bulk
of your congregations to join in the decent ufe of pfalmody, as their
forefathers did; inftead of the prefent ftiameful negledt of it by almoft
all, and the conceited abufe of it by a few.

But a fervent defire of being ufeful will teach you more than any par-^
ticular direcStions can, upon every head. Without this defire, you will
either be negligent ; or if you would feem zealous, you will be detedted
ior want of uniformity and perfeverance. Therefore make fure firft that
2.11 be right within, and out of the good trgafure of the heart you will bring

forth
(s) i Cor. xiv. 15.

Io6 '^he Archh'ijhop of Canterbury's

forth good things [t), naturally and prudently, and/ through the grace' of
the holy Spirit, effe6lually. ^ It is not eafy indeed even to inftrud the
willing; much lefs to convince the unwilling, and reform the wicked.
But ftlU thefe are the purpofes, for which we are God's embafladors: and
we muft try with indefatigable perfeverance every way to execute our
commiffion. We muft ftudy human nature in our own breafts, and thofe
of others : we muft acquaint ourfelves, by all innocent means, with the
opinions and pradices of the world, efpecially of our hearers, that wc
may lay their hearts and lives open to their view, and make them feel what
we fay. We muft confider all the while we compofe, and reconlider as
we preach and afterwards: *' Is this adapted fufficiently to the capacities,
*' the ftate of mind, the circumftances of the poor people who are to hear
" it : will this part be clear, that home enough, a tnird well guarded
" againft miftakes: will they go back as much better difpofed than they
** came, as it is in our power to make them?" Perhaps one or more
ways of reprefenting a neceflary doctrine or duty have failed. We muft
think, whether a more likely may not be found, or a lefs likely in appear-
ance prove more fuccefsful.

If you have preached a confiderable time in a place, and done little or
no good ; there muft, in all probability, be fome fault, not only in your
hearers, but in you or your fermons. For the word of God, when duly
difpenfed, is to*this day, as it was originally, powerful, andJJ^arper than a
tiuo-edged fword {u). Inquire then, where the fault may be. Never
defpair, nor be immoderately grieved, if your fuccefs be fmall; but be
not indifferent about it : do not content yourfelves with the indolent plea,
that you have done your duty, and are not anfwerable for the event.
You may have done it as far as the law requires : yet by no means have
difcharged your confciences. You may have done it confcientioufly,
yet not with the diligence or the addrefs that you ought. And as we
are feldom eafy in other cafes, when we fail of our end; if we are fo in
this, it doth not look well. At leaft confult your hearts upon the point.
And if you have been deficient, beg of God pardon, grace and direction :
endeavour to do more for your people : confult your brethren about the
means. Converfation of this nature will much better become Clergy-
men when they meet, than any which is not relative to their profefTion,
or only relative to the profits of it. But efpecially afk the advice of the
moft able and ferious.

I am very fenfible, that in all the particulars before- mentioned I have
been far from obferving fufficiently myfelf the rules which I have now
recommended to you : but hope I fliall make fome amends, though late,
to the church of Chrift, by exhorting and directing others. It was my
purpofe, after ("peaking of ftated inftrudions, to have proceeded to occa-
fional ones : a very important and fadly negle6led part of the paftoral
care. But my ftrength will not fuffice : and I have detained you already
too long. If God fpare me to another like occafion, that Ihall be my
fubjed. If not, as is moft probable, I fhall endeavour to leave behind
me fome admonitions to you concerning it {w). At prefent I can only
intreat you to confider very ferioufly, what numbers there are in moft

pariflies,

('/; Matth.xii. 35, (uj Uth.ly. \z.

(la) Nothing of this kind hath been found among his Grace's papers.

third Charge to his Clergy. jqj

parifties, and therefore perhaps in yours, whom you cannot think to be
in a ftate of falvation ; and how greatly it imports you to ufe with them,
hs you folemnly promifcd at your ordination, not only public but private
monitions., as need Jhall require.^ and occafion Jhall be given. The eternal
welfare of many poor creatures may depend on this : and your own is
deeply concerned it it, as God himfelf hath declared: who will certainly
expeit, that what he requires you to do, be done to the very utmoft of
your ability. Son of ?nan^ I have made thee a ivatchman unto the houfe of
Ifrael : therefore hear the word at my mouth.^ ayid give thein ivarnlng from
me. If thou doji notfpeak to vjarn the wicked frojn his wicked way., he Jhall
die in his Iniquity., but his blood tvill I require at thhie hand. But if thou
warn the wicked., and he turn not fro7n his wickcdncfs.^ he f) all die In his ini'
^ulty, but thou hafi delivered thy foul [x).

(x) Ezek. iii. 17, 18, 19. xxxiii. 7, 8,9.

I N S T R u a

•0050000 OOOOaeo»00»00«3C1003000»00030003^

INSTRUCTIONS

GIVEN TO

CANDIDATES

FOR

ORDERS,

After their fubfcribing the Articles.

Gentlemefty

^^^'^ O U have now made the fubfcrlption by law required. And
SYS as, in fo doing, you have acknowledged the liturgy and articles
i^gj^^ of the church of England to be agreeable to the word of God ;
1 hope you will thinic yourfelves bound, as you are, to be careful, that
the inftrudions which you give, and the dodrines which you maintain,
in public and in private, be agreeable to that liturgy and thofe articles :
that you neither contradift, nor omit to inculcate and defend, on proper
occalions, the truths, which they contain.

In the next place I exhort you to fpend a due fhare of the remainder of
this day in yvhzt, I truft, hath employed not a little of your time already;
weighing diligently the nature and importance of the undertaking, in
^)^^ich you are about to engage 3 forming fuitable refolutions 3 and ear-

neftly

JnJlruSlkm given to Candidates for Orders. lOg"

neftly begging that grace of God, which alone can make you aide tniuijiers
of the New Tejiament {a).

Nothing is better fitted to affift you in this good work, than the office
of ordination) of deacons or priefts, as you are refpe£tively concerned.
You muft certainly have read it over, before you offered yourfelves.
Since that, you have been direded to read it again. But I defire you to
perufe it once more this afternoon with your beft attention, that you may
join in it to morrow with a greater degree of rational ferioufnefs ; and
particularly, that you may anfwer, on more deliberate confideration, the
queftions, which will then be put to you. For there can hardly be a
cafe, in which either infincerity, or even thoughtleflhefs, would carry in
it heavier guilt.

And that you may be in no perplexity concerning the meaning or fit-
nefs of any part of the office, it may be ufeful to go through fome parts
of it along with you beforehand, proceeding as they lie in the book.

The firft thing, which Candidates, both for deacons and priefls or-
ders, after they are prefented, are required to do, as diftindl from the relt
of the congregation, is to take the oaths of allegiance and fupremacy.
For, as you are to be minifters of the church eftablifhed by law in this
nation, it is evidently reafonable, that the civil government, eftablifhed
by law, fhould be afTured of the fidelity and affeflion of perfons to whom
it gives and fecures privileges and profits ; and who are intrufted with
the care, amongft other matters, of making men good fubje6ls. Now
thefe oaths bind every perfon, who takes them, to honour the king (b),
and by confequence all that are put in authority under him, both in word
and deed ; and to lead., in fubje<3:ion to them, quiet and peaceable lives (c).
That thefe things may vi^Ith a good confcience be promifed and perform-
ed there is no juft caufe of doubt. But if any one thinks there is, he
ought to apply for fatisfaftion : and till he receives it, he ought to ab-
ftain from taking the oaths. For whatever is -not offaith^ is fin (d) : and
in this cafe it would be no lefs, than perjury. Nothing is. a plea fuffi-
cient for committing any fin, much lefs one fo heinous : not even all
the force, that canbe ufed. But here is no fhadou' of force. You are
come voluntarily to offer yourfelves, well knowing that the oaths muft
be tendered to you : that is, you have made it your choice to take
them.

But by your fubfcription you have entered into a further obligation :
to ufe the liturgy in all your public miniftrations (e) : and therefore, to
pray for the king by name, for his long life and profperity, for his obtain-
ing victory over all his enemies. God forbid, that any one, who doth
this, (hould be difaifedled to the government, under which we live. And
if we are friends, it is both our duty and our wifdom to fliew that we
are. For thus we ftiall ftrengthen an eftablifhment, on which, under
God, the fafe enjoyment of our religion intirely depends; we fliall
procure the fupport, which we cannot but be fenfible, that we want ; and
we (hall filence, or at leaft confute thofe, who love to fpeak defpitefully
againft us on this head.

After
(a) 2 Cor. iii. 6.

{b) I Pet. ii. 17. i^c) I Tim.i;. 2.

(rf') Rom. xLv. 23. (4 Can. 36.

i| lO In/iru5lions given ta

After the oaths. Candidates for deacons orders are afked : Do you trujl
that you are inwardly moved hy the Holy Ghoji to take upon you this office and
minijiration ? A folemn queftion : and which ought to be well confi-
dered, before it is anfwered. Obferve then: it is not faid, Do you feel ',
have you an immediate perception of fuch an impulfe from the Holy
Ghoft, as you can diftinguifh from all other inward movements by its
manner of imprefling you : but, Do you truJl ; are you on good grounds
perfuaded ? What then are the proper grounds of fuch perfuafion ?

]n the firft place, if he hath not moved you effedually to Yiyq. foberlyy
righteoujly^ and godly (/j, you maybe fure he hath not moved you to af-
fume the office of a minifter in God's church. Examine yourfelves
therefore ftridtly on this point : a moft important one to all men ; but
to you, if poflible, above all : and before you prefume to officiate in his
houfe, afk your hearts. Do you tranfgrefs, do you omit, no duty, wil-
fully or knowingly ? Have you a genuine pradlical faith in Chrift ?
Are you, on the terms of the Gofpel covenant, intitled to everlafting
life ? But fuppofmg that you are, more is requifite in the prefent cafe :
and what more, the latter part of the queftion points out. Toferve God,
for the frotnoting of his glory, and the edifying of his church. This then
being the defign of the office ; if, fo far as you know your own hearts,
this is your motive to defire it; and if, fo far as you can judge of your
own abilities and attainments, they are equal to it in fome competent
degree : then you may fafely anfwer, that you trift you are moved by the
Holy Ghojl to take it upon you. For we can have fuch trufl to Godward
enly through Chrijl, who hath fent us the Spirit : we are Jiot fufficient to
do or think any thing as of ourf elves : but our fufficiency is of God (g). To-
gether with this principal motive, offcrving God by edifying his people, you
may allowably have the fubordinate one, of providing a decent mainten-
"ance for your own fupport, and for thofc who may belong to you : but
if you are indifferent or cool about the form.er, and attentive only or
chiefly to the latter : fince you cannot think that fuch difpofitions are
approved by the Holy Spirit, as proper for the miniftry, you will be
guilty of lying to him (h), if you affirm, that he hath moved you to en-
ter on it with them. Therefore infpecl your fouls throughly ; and form
them, by the help of Divine grace, to be duly influenced by the right
principle, before you venture to anfwer this queftion ; which is very
wifely made the leading one ; becaufe your inducement will be the
rule of your behaviour, and probably aUb the meafure of your fuc-
cefs.

The next queftion, put to thofe who apply for deacons orders, and
the firft to fuch as have received them, and defire to be admitted priefts,
is. Do you think, that you are truly called^ according to the will of Chriji,
and the due order of this realm, to the ?nini/lry of the church ? That is, are
you confcious neither of any defed in body or mind, nor of any other
impediment, which may, for the prefent, if not for ever, be, according
to the laws of God or man, a juft obftacle in your way ? Such things
may cfcape our knowledge or memory. Therefore we call upon you
to inform us. And you are bound to anfwer with fincerity.

(/) Tit. ii. 17.

(^) 2 Cor. iii. 4, $. {h) Afts v. 3,

Candidates for Orders. lit

It is not requifite, that I (hould enlarge on every queftion ; though Ft
is, that you fhould weigh every one ferioufly. That, which recites the
duties of deacons, may feem to have fome difficulty in it : as it affigns
to them occupations, which the A6ls of the Apoftles do^not, in the hif-
tory of their appointment (i) ; and as they are but little employed now
in the fingle bufmefs, there allotted to them. But that paflage of Scrip-
ture plainly was intended to fet forth, only the immediate and urgent
Teafon of ordaining them, not the whole of what was, then or foon af-
ter, given them in charge. For we find in the fame book, that Philip
the deacon both preached and baptized (k). And the qualifications, re-
quired in deacons by St. Paul (l)y intimate very clearly, that more things
muft, even then, have been incumbent upon them, than adminiftring to
the relief of the poor. Accordingly, from the primitive ages downwards,
they are defcribed as performing occafionally moft of the fame offices,
which they do now; and being, what their name denotes, affiftant and
fubfervient to priefts in all proper employments (m). And the lefs they
are engaged in their chief original one, the more opportunity and the
more need they have, to fhew diligence in the other good works, be-
longing or fuited peculiarly to their ftation.

The next queftion is common to Candidates for each order : Will you
fajhionyour own lives, and thofe of your fajnilies^ fi fr^ ^^ i^ y^» lieth, to be
wholefome exarnples to the flock of Chriji ? This extends to avoiding in
your own behaviour, and reftraining in theirs, follies, levities, mean and
difreputable adtions, as well as crimes and vices. The Apoftle enjoins
deacons, and their wives, to be grave (n) : much more then ought priefts.
He enjoins every Chriftian to ah [lain from all appearance of evil (o). And
cur blefled Lord enjoins all his Difcipies to be wife, as well as harmlefs (p).
Therefore govern yourfelves and yours by thefe rules : and confider fre-
quently, whether you obferve them well. For without it you will neither
gain efteem, nor do good.

The laft queftion. put alike to the whole number of Candidates, is,
J^ill you reverently obey your ordinary, and them to whom the government
over you is committed? You would be bound to this, though you were
not to promife it ; for both reafon and Scripture demand it. Still more
firmly you will be bound, when you have promifed it, though it were of
(mall importance. But it is of very great, not only to the dignity and
cafe of your fuperiors, but to your own intereft, and the benefit of the
whole church. Our Saviour both commands, and prayed for unity
amongft his followers in the moft expreffive terms (q). Without union
there cannot be a fufficient degree either of ftrength or beauty: and with-
out fubordination there cannot long be union. Therefore obey, as the
Apoftle diredls, them that have the rule over you (r) ; and promote their
honour, their credit, their influence. This will make us abler to ferve

the^

(/•) Aas vi. ' (/{) Ads vlii. 5— 13, 26— 44.

(/) I Tim. iii. 8—13. {m) See Bingham\ Orig. Eccl, I. «. C. 2C«

(») 1 Tim. iii. 8, u. (<,) 1 Theff. v. 22,

(/) Matth. X. 16,

C?) Johnxiii. 34, 35. xvii. u, 12, zi, 22, 23,
(r) Heb. xiii. 17.
e

J 1 2 Inftru6liom given to

the caufe of religion, aiid prote6t you. And God forbid that, fo far as
we are able, we (hould ever fail to be willing arid zealous.

In the office for the ordination of priefts, after a pious and awful
charge, which I recommend to your moil ferious attention, follow feve-
ral queflions of the greateft moment, your anfwers to which, I hope,
you will remember to the lail: day of your lives. In thefe anfwers, be-
iides what hath been already mentioned, you promife, that the doiirine
and d'lfcipUne of Cbri/i, as contained in Scripture^ and received in this church
/2nd realm, fhall be the ftandard of your teaching and a6ling ; and every
thing contrary to them be faithfully oppofed by you : that you will ufs
both public and private jnonitions and exhortations, as well to the fick as to the
whole, within your cures \ and that, as frequently and fully as need Jhall re-
quire, and occafion he given. You promife alfo, \}^2Xyou ivill he diligent in
prayers and reading the Holy Scriptures ; which by the preceding exhorta-
tion evidently appears to mean, private prayer and reading ; a7:d infuch
Jludies, as help to the knowledge of Scripture ; laying afide the fludy of the
world and the fiejli : that is, not making, either grofs pleafures, or more
refined amufcments, even literary ones unconnected with your profeffion,
or power, or profit, or advancement, or applaufe, your great aim in life;
buflabourlng chiefly to qualify yourfelves for doing good to the fouls of
men, and applying carefully to that purpofe whatever qualifications you
attain. Further yet, you promife, that you ivill maintain and fet forwards,
as fnuch as lietb in you, quiet nefs, peace and love among all Chrifian people ;
and efpecially among them,, that are or Jhall he cominittedto your charge. By
this you oblige yourfelves, never to raife or promote perfonal, family,
parochial, ecclefiaftical, political, or any other, animofities ; but to dif-
courage, and, if pofTible, compofe aiid extinguifli them j than which
you cannot perform a more Chriftian part, or one more conducive to
your honour and your ufefulnefs.

But, befides pondering well beforehand thefe anfwers, which you are
to make, I earneflly beg you, to read and think them over often after-
wards : a;.d particularly, at each return of the ember weeks to examine
yourfelves, as in the prefence of Gofl, whether you have made good the
engagement, into which you entered at your ordination. So far as you
have, this pradice will afFora you the greateft poffible comfort : fo far
as you may have failed, it will fuggeft to you the moft ufeful admonition.

After thefe queftions, a fhort filence is appointed to be kept for the
fecret prayers of the congregation, that God would enable and incline
you to do what you have undertaken : which blefllng, 1 hope, you will
afk at the fame time for yourfelves very earneftly. Then follows a hymn
of confiderable antiquity : and to be repeated with much reverence, on
account of the important petitions and doctrines comprized in it, though
it be altogether void of ornament in that old tranflation, which we ftiU
retain. Next to this, follows a very proper addrefs to the Throne of
Grace, pronounced by the Bifhop alone, in the name of the whole af-
fembly : which is inftantly fucceeded by the aft of ordination.

The firft words of that. Receive the 'Holy Ghofl, were ufed by our Sa-
viour to his Apoftles, immediately after he had faid, As my Father, hflth
fcnt me, even fo fend I you (s) . God gave not the Spirit by vieffure untohim (t):
' , ,.■..:_,.,.! and

(j) Johnx:c. 21, 2 2. (/) John iii. 34.

9

'Candidates for OrddS, 1 1 j

and he was able to beflow what meafure he pleafecl, both of fplritual
gifts and graces, upon others. He meant however by this benedicSlion
to confer only the ordinary ones : for the extraordinary^ you know, were
referved till after his afcenfion. Far be it from the Bifhops of his church
to claim, even in refpeft of the former, the powers which he had. But
ftill thefe words in our mouths, when fpoken over you, properly exprefsj
in the firfl place, the communication of that authority, which proceeds
from the Holy Ghoft. For we read, X^^zt the Holy Ghoji faid^ Separate rne
Barnabas and Saul for the work., tvhereiinto I havs called. thera (u) : and that
the latter of thefe exhorted the elders of the church of Ephe/us, Take heed
to the jiock^ over which the Holy Ghoji hath made you cverfeers (w). They
alfo exprefs, in the fecond place, our earneft requeft to the Father of
Mercies, that you may at all times enjoy fuch proportions, both of the
graces and gifts of the Spirit, as will be needful for you : which requeft^
if it be not your o\vn fault, will prove effectual ; becaufe having, in the
common courfe of his Providence, appointed us, though unworthy, t&
a(Sl in this behalf, he will aliuredly be ready to own and blefs our minif-
trations.

It follows very foon : whofejius thou do^ forgive, they are forgiven ; and
whofe fins thou dojl retain^ they arc retained. Thefe again are the words
of Chrift to his Apoftles, immediately after the former. But he did not
grant to them the power, either of retaining the fms of penitent perfons^
or of forgiving the impenitent. Nor do we pretend to grant, by uttering
them, all the pov/ers, which the Apoftles had in this refpe6l. They had
the difcernment of fpirits (x) : and could fay with certainty, when perfons
were penitent, and confequently forgiven, and when not (y). They
were able alfo to inflicTt miraculous punifliments on offenders ; and to
remove, on their repentance, the punifhments, which had been infliited.
Thefe words will convey nothing of all this to you. But ftill, when we
ufe them, they give you, firfl, an aflurance, that according to the terms
of that Gofpel, which you are to preach, men fhall be pardoned or con-
demned ; fecondly, a right of infliiling ecclefiaflrical cenfures for a fhor-
ter or longer time, and of taking them off; which, in regard to exter-
nal communion, is retaining or forgiving offences. This power, beino-
beftowed for the edification of the church, muft be retrained, not only
by general rules of order, but according to the particular exigencies of
circumftances. And our church wifhes, with much reafon, for circum-
ftances more favourable to the exertion of it (%). But how little foever
exerted, the power is inherent in the office of priefthood. And thouo-h
we are no more infallible in our proceedings and fentences, than tempo-
ral judges are in theirs ; yet our a6ls, as well as theirs, are to be refpe<Sl;-
ed, as done by competent authority. And if they are done on good
grounds alfo, whatever we /hall bind or lofe on earth, will he hound or loofed in
heaven (a). Nor will other proofs of repentance be fufficient in the fight
of God, if fubmiflion to the difciplinc of the church of Chriff, when it
hath been offended, and requires due fatisfadtion, be obllinately refufed,
either from haughtinefs or negligence.

To
(;/) Aftsxiii. 2. {civ) Aftsxx. 28. {x) 1 Cor. xii. 10.

(j/) Aftsvili. 21, 23. (2:)OfHceofCommmation. («) Matth.xviii.i8.
Vol. VI. H

114 JnjhuB'tom given to Candidates for Orders.

To thefe words is fubjoined the concluding charge : and he thou a faith'
ful difpenfer of the tvord of Gody and of his holy facraments. This then is
the ftewardmip committed to you. And you cannot but fee, in what a
profane and corrupt age it is committed to you : how grievoufly religion,
and its minifterSj are hated or defpifed ; how lamentably both they, and
and its other profeflbrs, are degenerated and divided. Your bufmefs
will be, each within the fphere of his influence, to prevent thefe things
from grov/ing worfe ; which, bad as they are, they ftill may ; and, if pof-
fible, to make them better ; or at leaft, to recover or preferve fuch, as
you can, from the general depravity. But you will never fucceed in your
attempts for this purpofe, either by bitternefs againft Infidels, Heretics
and feciaries, or by contempt and ridicule of enthufiaftic or fuperftitious
perfons. The only right method is a very different one : diligent ftudy,
to fit yourfelves more completely for teaching and vindicating the truths
of Chriftianity : Scriptural and rational inftru£tion, afliduoufly given,
with zeal and mildneis duly tempered, and fuited to the capacities and
condition of your hearers : a willing and devout and affe6ting perform-
ance of all facred rites, whether in the church or elfewhere : but above
all, a behaviour, innocent, humble, peaceable, difmterefted, beneficent,
abftemious, difcreet, religious.

Take heed therefore to your fteps : and walk in the prefent evil days
with fuch piety and caution, that, as the office exhorts, you may neither
offend^ nor he occafton that others offend -y but may cut off occafton from them
•which defire occafion (b) againft you ; that they ivhc are of the contrary part^
andfalfely accuje your good converfatlon in Chri/i^viay he ajha?ned (c) of them-
felves ; or however, that your Mafter and Judge may not he a/hamed of
you (d) at the great day, but pronounce over each of you, If^ell doney goad
<i7id faithful fervant ; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord(e).

{b) 2 Cor. xi. 12. (<•) Tit. ii. 8. i Pet. iii. i6.

\d) Markviii. 38. Luke Ix. 26. (/) Matth. xxv. 21.

^•^^P

W

A TREATIS.E

TREATISE

CONCERNING THE

CAUSES

OF THE

PRESENT CORRUPTION

OF

CHRISTIANS,

PREFACE.

^XX^ E have reafon to wonder at the great corruptions that at pre^
^ W <5 fent are to be found among Chriftians. The religion they pro-
-CXX^ ^•^'s, does chiefly tend to fanftify men, and to purge the world
from corruption and vice ; and one would think it fhould produce that
efFedl, fince it affords fuch a clear light, fuch powerful motives, and fuch
effedual helps to holinefs. Notwithftanding all this, whoever enquires
into the notions and manners of Chriftians, muft have no great fliare of
fmcerity or judgment ; if he does not acJcnowledge, that religion has hue
little influence upon their minds, and that there is an amazing contra-,
<ii<aion between their lives and the rules of Chriftianity, This corrupt
fl JJ ticn

li6 Preface.

tion is fo evident and fo generally confefTed, that 1 need not ftand to
prove it.

Taking it then for granted, that Chriftians live in a great negleft of
their duties ; it is natural to enquire into the Caufes of this corruption,
and to confider what remedies fhould be applied to it. This is what I
intend to do in this Treatife, in hopes that fuch an enquiry will not be
altogether unufeful.

For firft, it may contribute to maintain the honour, and the truth of
the Chriftian religion, and to confute Infidels and libertines, who are apt
to defpife it, becaufe it's precepts are little pra6lifed. If religion, fay
they, be true and divine, How comes it to pafs, that it has fo little effi-
cacy, and that there appears fo much diforder, and licentioufnefs among
the profeflbrs of it ? To undeceive fuch men, and to infufe into them
a greater refpe^ for religion, it is of very great importance to difcover
the caufes of the decay of piety ; and to fliew, that if men are corrupt-
ed, it is not becaufe Chrift's religion is infufficient to introduce vertue
and order into the world ; but that this evil flows from fome other caufe,
and that if Chriftians did what they might and ought to do, true piety
would not be fo uncommon as it is amongft them.

A fecond advantage which may be reaped from this enquiry ; is this ;
it will appear by it, that how great foever the corruption may be ; it is
not however, as many imagine, paft remedy. Which imagination, is
a moft dangerous prejudice j while men look on it as impofTible to ftem
the tide of corruption, and to re-eftablifh order and purity of manners
in the world ; they do not fo much as attempt it, they let things go on
at the fame rate j and fo the diforder increafes and fpreads farther. It
cannot be denied, but that the corruption is great, general and invete-
rate J but God forbid, we fhould look upon it as an incurable difeafe.
The fountains of it may eafily be difcovered ; and it is not impoflible to
flop them. I hope this will be acknowledged by thofe, who fhall atten-
tively, and without prepolFelTion confider, what is propofed in this
work.

Thirdly, There is no means more likely to remove this corruption,
than to cut off the occafions of it : that is the fureft as well as the moft
compendious method. One of the main reafons, why fo many excel-
lent books defigned to infpire men with a love of religion and piety, have
not all the effedt that might be expefted from them ; is, that the authors
do not fufficiently obferve the general caufes of the depravation of man-
ners. It is to little purpofe to deplore the corruption of the age, to ex-
hort men, and to give them fine lelTons of morality : the work of re-
formation cannot be much advanced, as long as the evil is not taken in
its caufe, and as long as fuch principles and abufes continue among
Chriftians, as are, and will always be, obftacles to the progrefs of the
Gofpel.

Laftly, I confidered that this matter had not j'et been thoroughly
handled by any author, at leaft that I know of. Of thofe who have
touched upon it in their books ; fome have confined themfelves to con-
fiderations purely moral, and others to theological reflections, upon the
errors which are in vogue, or upon the controverfies which divide Chrif-
tians; but they have omitted many things which feem eflential ; no
a doubt,

Preface, 1 17

•doubr, becaufe they did not intend to treat this fubjecH: purpofely, or be-
caufe they did not take a view of the whole extent of it.

As thefe confiderations have made me wifh for a long while that among
fo many able men who write abou." religion, fome might undertake fo
important a fubjedl ; fo they have de««rmined me to publifh thefc EfTays
upon the Caufes of Corruption ; hoping that others will apply themfelvcs
to the full difcuffion of thofe matters, which are here but imperfedly
hinted at.

But that the fcope of this Treatife may be the better underftooi ; and
that no body may expe£l that in it, which according to the fchcme I
formed to myfelf, ought not to have a place here ; I I'hall acquaint the
Reader with one thing, which he may perhaps have forefeen, from what
has been already faid.

I do not propofe to myfelf to handle this matter in the way of the di-
vinity fchools. No man therefore ought to wonder, if I fay nothing of
the ftate in which all men are born ; nor of that inclination to vice which
is obferved in them. For tho' this is the firft original of corruption ;
yet certainly this corruption would be much lefs, if Chriftians did ufe
the means which God affords them, to overcome it j and if there were
not other fources which feed and ftrengthen that vitious propenfity. Be-
fides, 1 do not confider corruption in general, as it is common to all
mankind, but T enquire into the Caufes of the Corruption oiChriJliam in
particular. Neither do I defign to write a moral treatife ; fo that it muft
not be expected, that I fhould difcourfe of felf-love and pride, and of all
the other pailions, which are the ordinary occafions of mens fins ; or that
I fhould trace out all the particular caufes of every fin. This would
c^rry me too far j and fuch things have been often examined. \ there^
fore apply myfelf only to the general Caufes ; and I manage the matter thus".
I divide this Work into two parts, becaufe the Caules of Corruption
may be of two forts. I (hall call thofe of the firft fort, particular or in-
ternal J becaufe they are within us, and to be found in every particular
man that lives ill. Thofe of the fecond fort, which are more general,
I name external, becaufe they proceed rather from certain outward cir-
cumftances, and from the unhappinefs of the times ; than from the fault
of particular perfons.

The Caufes I fhall treat of in the Fir/I Part, are no other, hut the ill
difpofitions in which moft Chriftians are, and which hir^der their ap-
plying themfelves to piety : and of thefe I fhall obferve nine.

I. Ignorance.

II. Prejudices andfafe Notions con-
cerning Religion.

III. Some Opinions and Maxi7ns which
are ufed to authorize Corruption.

IV. 7be Abuf of Holy Scripture.

V. AfalfrModcfiy.

VI. 'The Delaying Repentance.

VII. Mans Sloth and Negligence iif
Matters of Religion.

VIII. IForldly Bufinef.

IX. Men^s particular Callings.

The Caufes to be confidered in the Second Part are thefe feven.

I . The State of the Church and of Re-
ligion in general.

II. The Want of Difcipline.

III. The Defms of the Clergy.

H

IV. The Defe£is ofChriJtian Princus
and Alagijirates,.

V. Education.

VI. Example and Cujlom,

VII. Books,

i declare

Il8 Caufes of the prefent Part I.

I declare here that in difcourfing upon thefe fources, I do not mean
to tax all Chriftians without exception : fo when I fpeak of ignorance,
and of prejudices commonly received ; knowing and learned men are ex-
cepted : and when I obferve certain defers in the ftate of the church and
of religion, in difcipline, in clergy-men, or in Chriftian magiftrates ; I
fuppofe thofe faults obtain more in fome places than in others. In Ihort,
whoever fhould apply what is faid in this Treatife, to all forts of perfons
and churches, would certainly miflake my defign.

And now I muft dehre thofe who may chance to fee this Book, to ex-
amine fer'oufly what I propofe in it. No lover of truth or religion, can
refufe his attention to a fubjeft of this nature. But I hope it will be
more particularly welcome to church-men and divines ; who are called
by their fundlion, to fet themfelves againft corruption, and to endeavour
all they can to promote piety and the glory of God.

To conclude; I heartily implore his Bleffing upon this Work, who
put it into my hand to fet about it, and who is my witnefs with what de-
iign and intention I publilh it.

J«MoeM6»eeeefleceeooe»oofleee»oeoaeo«eeeeos8MOOfOOK«i8eMoeo»o«soc«ooeo»oooec»9cooiseco80(!o(ooc8o9iio«oc8»oocsi>oeMe8M^

PART I.

CAUSE L

Ignorance,

^>K1^^HEN a man thinks of the Caufes of that Corruption which
^. W S over-runs the Chriftian world ; the firft M'hich offers it felf to
^■<^.;=«*f^ l^is mind, is Ignorance, and therefore I (hall begin with that.

Our notions and knowledge, are the firft principles of our actions.
We can never love a thing, or adhere to it, when it is not at all, or when
it is but imperfe£liy known to us : fuppoftng then that men are igno-
rant, or very little inftrudled in religion, there is no wonder that they
fhould be corrupt ; for they muft of neceffity be fo. On the other hand,
when they appear to be extremely corrupt, we may conclude, that they
want inihuition. I do riot deny, but that corruption proceeds fome-
times from the wickednefs of the heart, which reiifts the light of the
underftanding ; and that men frequently adl againft their knowledge.
But it may lafely be faid. That if Chriftians were well inftruded, they
would not be fo corrupt, and that wherever an extraordinary corruption
is vifible, there is likewife a great deal of ignorance.

This is confirm'dby the Scripture, and by God's condud in the efta-
blifhingthe Chriftian religion. When the Apoftles fpeak of thofe dif-

orders,

Cause I. Corruption of Chrijllans. jio

orders, wherein the Heathens lived before their conversion, they afcribe
them to the darknefs of their minds. * The Gentiles (fays St. Paul)
have their underjlanding darkned^ being alienated from the life of God through
the ignorance that is in them, becaufe of the blindncfs of their heart. The
fame Apoftle calls the times which preceded the comijig of Chrift, the
times of Ignorance. And the firft thing which God did to change the face
of the world, and to refcue it from Corruption ; was to difpel the clouds
of their ignorance, and to enlighten them with the knowledge of him-
felf, by the preaching of the Gofpel.

Although Chrillians cannot be charged with fo grofs an Ignorance as
that of the Pleathens ; yet they fall very lliort of that knowledge they ought
to have, and it mull be confeiledj^that for the moil part, they live in
fliameful and deplorable Ignorance. This is the reafon why piety is fo
much wanting among them, and why they are fo depraved and vicious;
which is the thing I will endeavour to make appear.

In order to this j as the Chriftian religion may be reduced to thefe
two heads,

Firft^ The Knowledge of the Truth.

Secondly, The Pradtice of Holinefs.

It is fit to enquire, Whether with refpeft to thefe, Chriftians are fur-
nifhed with neceflary information ? I Ihall make it appear that they are
very little inftructed.

I. In that which concerns the truths of religion. And

II. In what relates to manners, and to the duties of Chriftianity.
The reflections I fhall beflow upon both thefe heads ; will I hope,

clearly prove, That among thofe vaft multitudes of men, who profefs
themfelyes Chriftians, there are very few, who are well acquainted with
their religion. From whence it will be natural to conclude. That they
muft needs be very corrupt.

I. To begin with the Knowledge of the Truths of Chriftianity; we
muft diftinguifh two forts of truths in religion: the general, and the par-
ticular truths. The General Truths, are thofe, upon which the whole of
religion is founded ; fuch as thefe. That there is a God, That the Bible
is a divine book, and That the Chriftian religion is true. By Particular
Truths, I mean the various doctrines which religion contains, and which
are the parts of it ; but which at the fame time, depend upon the Gene-
ral Truths, as upon their principle. The do6lrine of the facraments,
of juftification, and many others, are of this number. Now let us con-
fider the Ignorance of Chriftians in reference to thefe two forts of
truths :

I. Every man who makes ufc of his reafon, may eafily apprehend.
That the General Truths are the moft important j that they are thofe
of which one ought chiefly to be perfuaded ; and that without thefe Ge-
neral Truths, the Particular ones would be ufelefs, nay, would not be
fo much as Truths. To enquire, Whether there be any facraments, or
how a man can be juftified ; one muft believe firft. That there is a God,
and a religion : for if I am not convinc'd of the exiftence of God, and
of the truth of religion, it would fignifie little to me, whether or not

there
• Eph. iv. 18.
H4

120 Cattfci of the prcfent Part I.

there were any lacraments, and all the time I fhould employ in the pro-
fecution of this enquiry, would be loil.

This fiift rellei5lion does already difcover to us an eflential and capital
defect. A great many Chriftians want inftrudlion concerning the prin-
ciples and foundations of Chrirtianity; they do not fufEciently confider
the certainty and importance of it. Their knowledge of religion, does
fcldom go further than the particular truths of it, and does not reach
ti.e general. This is fo common a fault, that it may be obferved even
in thofe whofe profeffion it is to ftudy religion and to teach it to others.
Some have fpent the beft part of their lives in the ftudy of divinity, or in
expounding the Scripture, who never ferioufly examined the arguments
for the truth of Chriflianity, or the divinity of the Scripture. Some
'are mafters of the principal controverfies which divide Chriftians, who
would ftand mute if they were called back to the firft elements of reli-
gion, and if they v/ere to maintain againft an Infidel, that there is a re-
ligion, or that the Chriftian religion is true. The people enter yet lefs
than the divines into the examination oi the general truths j and there
are very few who either attend to them, or indeed believe them as they
ought.

And yet the whole of religion depends upon a firm perfuafion concern-
ing'-the principle" of faith ; it is that which renders the particular truths
eftc6tual to falvation, and which begets piety and the love of virtue.
When a man is perfuaded that religion propofes nothing but what is cer-
tain, he immediately receives with reverence whatfoever it teaches; he
feels an inclination in himfelf to obfcrve its precepts, and he believes a
judgment and another life, as if he faw them before his eyes. Such is
' the efficacy of a true faith, and of a ftcady perfualion about fundamental
truths. But without this perfuafion it is very hard, not to iay impof-
fible, to adhere fmcerely to religion, and to perform the duties of it.
And this is the conftant fource of the Corruption of Chriftians.

It may perhaps be ohjeded, that all Chriftians receive the general
truths of their Creeds, and that thefe are not queftioned but by Pagans
and Atheifts. Upon v/hich I ft:all make two reflexions.

I. It is but too true, that in the point of religion, there is at this day
a (^reat number of perfons who entertain very loofe opinions, and that do
atleaft border upon Atheifm. Thefe pernicious tenets are fpread wider than
fome people think. Not only the Libertines are infefted with them, but
even the common people. All the prophane men and Deifts are not to
be found 'at courts, in armies, or among the learned j there are fome in
towns, among the vulgar, and even among country clowns. If we ex-
amine a little the difcourfes and apprchenftons of men, efpecially of thofe
v/hofe life is irregular, if we do but begin to reafon with them and prefs
them, we may foon perceive the principles of incredulity and Atheifm in
many of them. It will be found that they are not thoroughly perfuaded
that there is a God, and another life ; or that if they do not proceed to
that degree of inipk-ty which attacks directly the very foundations of re-
li^'ion, they harbour at le'aft this fancy, that God doth not narrowly ob-
ferve' mens deportment ; that he will not be fo fevere as to damn thein
for Tome fms they have committed, and that there is no fuch great harm
in gratifyiiig one's paffions, and living zi the ufual jate of the world.

Thefe

Cause I. Corruption of Chr'ijltans, I2i

Thefe and the like fentiments are general enough, and yet they lead the
ilraight way to Deifm, and tend plainly to the lubverlion of religion. It *
would be therefore highly necelTary, in order to root out fuch dangerous
errours, carefully to ellablifh thefe great truths ; That there is a God,
that this God fpeaks to us in his word, and that whatever the Gofpel
tells us of another life, is moft certain. I'his I fay would be altogether
needful, if it were but for the inftruiSlion of thofe I have now mention-
ed, and their number is greater than is commonly imagined.

7.ly. We may take notice, that tho' Chriltians profcfs to believe the
truths of their religion, yet that belief is not lively and ftrong enough
in them all. It is beyond all queftion, that moft Chriftians are fo only
becaufe they were engaged by their birth in the profeflion of Chriftiani-
ty J but that after all, they know very little of the truth and divinity of
it. They would in like manner have been Jews or Pagans, if they had
been born in Judajfm or Paganifm ; fo that properly fpeaking they can-
not be faid to have faith ; for faith is a perfuafion ; to believe, is to be
perfuaded ; and 'tis impoifible to believe a thing right without reafon or
examination. That which is called faith is commonly nothing elfe but
a confufed and general opinion, which makes but very flight impreffions
upon the heart and mind ; but true faith is a greater rarity amono- Chrif-
tians, than we are aware of. Now as faith is the only principle of
piety, fo a bad life does chiefly fpring from want of faith and from in-
credulity. And there are two forts of Infidels ; fome deny and reject
Divine truths ; others do not quite deny them, but they doubt and be-
lieve but weakly. The Infidels who deny the fundamentals of religion, '
are not many, but the number of thofe who doubt, and are not well
perfuaded, is very great.

This difcovers to us the reafon why men who are acquainted with the
Divine truths and profefs to believe them, do yet adt quite contrary to
the dictates of faith and religion. There feems to be in their proceed-
ing a manifeft contradiction : it is a thing wondered at ; that people who
believe a God, and a religion, (hould live as if there was neither God
nor religion ; upon this we are apt to fay, that finners are not confiftent
with themfelves j and as if it were impollible to reconcile their pra6lice
with their belief, we cry out, that the depth of man's heart is unfearch-
able. But there is no fuch wonder in the cafe, and the proceeding of
bad Chriftians, is not always fo contradi6lory, as it feems to be. I
confefs that men fin fometimes againft the convictions of their own
confciences, and that fo.ne who want not knowledge, do yet live
very ill.

This may proceed from inconfideration, from the violence of their
paffions, from too great a regard to their temporal intereft, from the flat-
tering hope of pardon, or fome fuch principle. But for the moft part,
men act confonantly and fuitably to their belief, and it is but feldom,
that in the conduct of their lives, they behave themfelves contrary to the
fentiments and principles that poUefs them. Wefuppofe that bad Chrif-
tians believe the truths of religion, and in that we are miftaken. Many
of them want faith, and are not fully convinced of thofe truths. Is it
lobe imagined, that fo many perfons who live in fin, who make con->-
Xcience ot nothing, and v/ho violate every minute the rules of their du-

121 Caufes of the prefent Part I,

tji fhould be thoroughly perfuaded, that there is a God who fees them,
and to whom they are to give an account ? From all this, I conclude.
That the Ignorance of the General Truths of religion, is one of the
principal fources of Corruption.

Some will fay, That thefe truths need not be proved, and that they
are of the number of thofe flrfl: principles, which are taken for granted,
becaufe they are imprinted on the hearts of all men. But this objeilion
13 eafily anfwered by what has been faid juft now. I own that the ideas
and principles of religion, carry in them a natural evidence, inafmuch
as they are demonftrable from reafon and confcience ; and becaufe there
5Lre principles in men by the help of which, they may arrive at the know-
ledge of the truths of religion. But thefe principles and ideas have been
in fome meafure flifled in many, either thro' ill education, or worldly
bufmefs, or vice, or fome other caufe ; fo that they feel the force and
evidence of them but imperfedly; and fome have no knk at all of them.

Upon this account it is neceflary to excite and enlighten thofe ideas,
to explain and eilablifh thofe principles. I acknowledge further, That
fome parts cf thofe proofs upon which religion is built, lie open to all
mens eyes ; but yet the ignorant, and thofe who are taken up with other
objeils, do not obferve them : they fhould therefore be made to attend
to'thcm : juft as we make ftupid and heedlefs people take notice of the
beauty of a palace, or the fldll of an artift in fome curious workmanfhip,
which would othervvife pafs unobferved by them. However the opinion
of thofe who pretend that the General Truths ought not to be proved,
is contrary to the Holy Scripture ; which teaches us to reafon upon the
principles of religion, and to fearch into the proofs of them •, where in
order to convince men that there is an Almighty and Infinitely good
God, it propofes to them, the beauties and wonders which fhine in his
works, and e>dhorts them to the confideration of them. This may be
feen in the book of Job. In the XIX. and CIV. Pfal. Rom. i. 19, 20.
and in many other places.

•2A;, It may further be faid, That the proof of General Truths, is toa
difficult for the common people, and that the learned only are capable of
fuch a difcuflion. I grant that all forts of perfons are not able to com-
prehend all ^hat has been writ upon thefe matters. And therefore I do
not pretend, that it is impoflible to have a true faith without entring into
the detail of all thefe proofs, and without following with the utmoft
ftridtnefs, all the deep and abftracled realbnings, which have been ufed
to prove theexiftence of God, or the truth of the Chriftian religion. I
think rather thofe matters ought to be treated with great difcretion, efpe-
cially in fermons. It would be a great piece of imprudence, to muiter
up in a publick difcourfe, all the objedions of Atheifts, or the fubtilties
of Libertines; thefe ought to be referred to private conferences. Thofe
who fpeak to the people, rauft take heed, leil by difputing and fpeculat-
ing too much, they render the fundamental truths problematical, and
raffe fcruples in mens minds. They ought to build upon this principle.
That men are carried by a common and natural inclination to believe
the exiilence of God, to acknowledge a difference betwixt good and
evil, and to own Providence, and the other truths of religion j but for

all

Cause I. Corritption of ChnJIldns* 123-

all that, It may be very ufeful and neceffary to confirm thofe truths, to
fet them in the cleareft light, and to convince the people of them.

As to what is faid, That the proofs of the principles of religion are
not fuitable to the peoples capacity : I anfwer. That moft of thofe proofs
are fuch, that there is no need of being either learned, or a divine, to be
afFe6ted with them. We ought to fuppofe here, that the more important
any truth is, the clearer and the eafier the proofs of it arc. I do not fpealc
of all truths ; there are fome that are moft certain, whofe proofs are dif-
ficult, and above the reach of common underftandings ; fuch are many
metaphyfical truths, and mathematical demonftrations ; but at the fame
time, the knowledge of thofe truths is not neceffary, and a man without
danger may be ignorant of them. I fpeak now only of thofe truths which
it concerns every perfon to know, and which are of general ufefulnefs
and neceffity. Thefe are always clear and eafily proved. And this, by
the by, ought on the one hand, to make us admire the wifdom and good-
nefs of God, who has fo well provided for theneceffities of men; and on
the other hand to fet bounds to our curiollty, and to fortify our faith
againft thofe doubts, which might ftart up in our minds, by reafon of
fo many things which we are ignorant of.

As therefore of all truths, none are of greater confequence, or of a,
more intire certainty than thofe, which religion depends upon ; fo the
proof of thofe truths ought to be fimple, evident and fuited to all mens
capacity. Thus when in order to prove the being of a God; we alledcre,
for inftance, the ftate and order in which the world fubfifts ; when we
Ihew that the world cannot be eternal, and that things had a beginning ;
when we eftablilh the infpiration of Scripture by the prophecies it con-
tains, which were undoubtedly written before their accomplifhment ;
when we prove the truth of the Chriftian religion by the truth of matters
of i-Adi and hiftory, and demonftrate that if the fadls upon which reli-
gion is founded, are not certain, there is no fuclh thing as certainty in
the world, in refpe£l of things that are paft ; and that if the teftimony
of the Apoftles is reje£l:ed, there are no witneffes or hiftorians, who may
not be rejedted upon better grounds : when v/e confirm the Sacred Hif-
tory, by the concurring teftimony of Pagan v/riters, and by the moft an-
cient, and the moft unqueftionable monuments, which paft ages can afford :
when we reflect upon the manner in which- the Chriftian religion v/as
planted in the world, and upon the alteration it has made in it : when
we infift upon the chara6lers cf truth, fincerity and divinity, which are
obfervable in the Scripture: in fhort, when we take religion to pieces,
and make men fee and feel, that its doctrines, its precepts, its promifes,
and its threatnings, have nothing in them that is abfurd or bad, or con-
trary to our natural apprehenfions ; nothing but what perfectly agrees
with found reafon, and the fentiments of our own confciences; and no-
thing but what is advantagious to particular perfons, and to focieties:
When I fay, we urge theie proofs and others like them, and have the art
of propofing them in a clear and judicious method, it is certain that they
contain nothing that is very difficult. Thefe are the cleareft and the
ftrongeft proofs that can be ufed, in a fubjedf of this nature ; and the ar-
guments which are made ufe of to eftablilh thefe proofs, are for the moft
part fo natural, and fo conform to the ideas of our minds, and to the

princii)le«

124, Caufes of the prefent Part I,

principles of common fenfe, that there are few even of the vulgar who
may not apprehend them ; if not perfectly and in their whole extent,
which is reierved to men of a larger capacity ; yet fo far at leaft as to be
fufficiently fenfible of their force.

If then difficulties and obfcurities are to be met with in the difcuflion
of the principles of religion ; it is becaufe this matter is negledted, and
the people are little informed. But if the fame care had been taken to
inftru6t Chriftians in the fundamental truths of religion, which was be-
llowed upon explaining and clearing particular ones ; they would have
another kind of perfuafion than they have of the truth of religion. Thefe
great and fublime truths, have without comparifon more fuitablenefs and
affinity with the nature of men and the fentiments of their hearts, than
many obfcure, difficult and lefs necefTary things, which yet have been
effectually taught them.

4/y, But againft this, experience may poflibly be obje6ted : it may be
faid, That there are Chriftians, who moft certainly have piety, and yet
did never meditate much upon the foundations of Chriftianity. I an-
fwer. That it is not conceivable, how a man fhould be a pious Chriftian,
"without being perfuaded of the truth of his religion. For at this rate
piety would be but meer conceit and enthufiafm ; and we muft fay not-
witbftanding all that Scripture and reafon tells us to the contrary, that
men are Chriftians without knowledge or reafon. It cannot be other-
wife, but that good men muft have been convinced of the truths of the
Gofpel, and have had a lively fenfe, that thefe are the moft certain and thd
nioft important of all truths. If we enquire what principle it is which
produces piety in the hearts of the moft fimple people, we ftiall find it
is an unmoveable perfuafion. That there is a God, a judgment, a hea-
ven and a hell ; which perfuafion is neceliarily founded upon fome of the
proofs I have hinted at.

I grant, which no doubt will be objeded to me. That in many this
perfuafion is not clear enough, and that it is not the refult of a particu-
lar examination ; but this does not Icflen the force of my argument.
For though the perfuafion of good men fhould not be fo clear and fo well
grounded as it might be, yet it does not follow but that it is lincere ; a
man may be convinced of a truth, tho' he does not difcover all the cer-
tainty and all the proofs of it, and tho' he is not able to anfwer all the
objedions againft it. So that ftill it is true, that there is no religion,
without the belief of the general truths of it. After all, we muft ac-
knowledge, That there are good men, who are not fo well inftruited
upon this head as it were to be v/ifhed. And this defed of inftru6lion,
this imperfection of their faith, is one of the main caufes of the defeCl
and imperfection of their piety. Thus we may frequently obferve, in
their conduCt fuch weaknefles and opinions as do not agree with the pure
light of faith, and with the exaCtnefs of the rules of the Gofpel. This
is part of the unhappinefs we lament, and of that Corruption of which
we feek the Caufes. But no man will difpute, but that if the fame per-
fons had more inftruction, they would carry virtue much farther than
they do. The degree of piety, does ordinarily follow the degree of
faith : where there is no faith, there is no piety ; and where faith is weak
and faint, piety is languid and deiective. This is the general ftate and

character

Cause I. Corruption of Chri/Uans. 'I25

charader of Chriftlans at this time ; either downright impiety, or a piety
that is both feeble and imperfe6l.

5//;/y, In the laft place, feme will perhaps, objefl here, That incredu-
lity is the effect, rather than the caufe of corruption ; and that Atheifm
does not produce corruption, but corruption Atheifm. To this, I fay,
that thefe two things do mutually uphold and fupport each other. Many
fall into Infidelity, becaufe their hearts are vitiated, their licentious way
of living takes them off from enquiring into religion, and hinders their
believing of Divine truths. But it is not lefs certain that one of the
great caufes, of the diforders of Chriftians, is that either they do not
believe at all, or that they believe weakly and confufedly j and this can-
not be reafonably contefted.

II. Here is then the firft and the principal defeA, That men are not
fufficiently inftrucled in the general truths and principles of Chriftianity.
I faid that the particular truths and the parts of religion were better
known ; which does not imply but that in this refpedl too, Ignorance is
very great and general.

I. I fhall not fcruple to fay. That there are prodigious numbers of
people, who fcarce have any knowledge at all of the dodrines of reli-
gion. If all Chriftians were obliged to render an account of their faith,
if they were examined upon the articles of their belief, or the main fails
related in Sacred Hiftory ; there would appear in moft of them, fuch an
aftonifhing Ignorance, or fuch confufed and intricate ideas ; that one
would hardly think them more knowing than if they lived in the darknefs
of Heathenifm. And vi^hat religion, what piety can we look for among
fuch men ?

But befides this grofe and palpable Ignorance, there are feveral defeats
of inftrudion to be obferved, even in thofe who have, or fancy that they
have more knowledge than others. I fhall particularly take notice of
thefe two.

ly?. Thofe who exceed the ordinary degree of knowledge, have yet
often but a falfe kind of light : either they do not know thofe truths
which they fhould know, or elfe they know them not aright. They ap-
ply themfelves to things which are not effential to Chriftianity, or which
are lefs confiderable than others which they do not ftudy. Thus in all
Chriftian focieties, inftruftion is commonly placed in the knowledge of
the do6lrines and opinions, particular to every one's own fe6l and party.
Whoever is able to debate thofe points, and is fkilled in controverfie, is
faid to underftand his religion. Thefe matters may perhaps have their
ufe ; but there are other things which men are more concerned to know,
becaufe they are more conducing to piety ; and yet they are almoft con-
ftantly negle£lcd. The occafion of this error, is that the various im-
portance of the truths of religion, is not duly weighed, and that religion
is not ftudied in an orderly method. Very few perfons diftinguifh be-
tween the more and the lefs neceflary things, between the moft ufefui
fubjeds and thofe which are of little edification. Moft men ftudy reli-
gion without rule, and to no purpofe, and fo run out upon many unpro-
fitable fubjeds. That which is called learning in divinity or knowledge
of religion, is frequently nothing elfe, but a heap of notions, which
have no influence upon piety, or refpeit to mens falvaiion. It is but a

confufe4

125 Caufes of the prefent Part I.

confufed medley, wherein the leaft neceffary things, are blended without
choice and diftinition, with the moft important. I do not fpeak here
of the perplext and unaccurate ideas which men often have about thefe
matters ; I pafs by the falfe reafonings, which are fometimes ufed to efta-
blifh the truths of Chriftianity, as well as thofe mifts, which the fchool-
divinity has caft upon the Gofpel : I do only obferve, That the know-
ledge which moft men have of religion, is not very fit to make them {&n-
fible of the beauties of it ; fo that when all is done, it is no wonder
that it fhould feem to many an obfcure, crabbed, unpleafant and in-
tricate fcience, and that it fhould have fo little efFed upon mens
minds.

2r//j, The other fault is, That men content themfelves with bare in-
ftru£tion, or with the fimple knowledge of the Chriftian truths, while
•they are ignorant of their ufe. If they do but know in an hiftorical
manner^ what is believed by Chriftians, and are able to reafon about it,
and to difcern truth from error, they think themfelves fufficiently in-
ftrucled. But thefe inftruftions do not reach the heart. Among that
fmall number of perfons who have fome knowledge, there are but few
-who confider that this knowledge, is to be directed to a holy life, as to
its proper end and intendment ; and they are fewer yet who adually di-
re6l it to that end, and make it fubfervient to the reforming of their
lives. And fo it comes to pafs, that a great many of thofe who are beft
acquainted with the truths of religion, have yet but an imperfect and
barren knowledge of it, and that with all their attainments, they live ftill
in the darknefs of corruption and vice.

II. Hitherto we have confidered Ignorance with relation to the truths
and dcxStrines, which the Chriftian faith embraces : let us now view this
Ignorance withrefpeil to the duties which Chriftianity prefcribes. Upon
this fecond head we ftiall difcover yet a greater Ignorance than upon the
firft. For after all, fomething may be done, when we are only to in-
fufe into men fome knowledge of truths and doctrines. It is ufual enough
to fee very ill men, who in this regard are not deftitute of light. But
it is much harder to inftrudt them in the duties of holinefs. We may
applv here thefe words of our Saviour's ; * Men love darknefs rather than
lights becGufe their deeds are evil \ for every one that doth evil hatcth the lights
neither co?neth to the light ^ leji his deeds Jhould be reproved. The maxims of
•the Gofpel and the rules of its morality condemn finners, and therefore
they do not care to be informed about them. Thofe who love the world
and their ftns, are glad if they can enjoy the fweets of thefe without di-
fturbance and inter'ruption : and therefore they will not enquire much
into the mof al precepts of Jefus Chrlft ; they are loth to come at fuch a
knowledge as would difclofe to them the turpitude of vice, and breed
difquiet and remorfe in them. Ignorance begets fecurity: the more ig-
norant a man is, the fewer ftings he feels in his confcience, the more
pleafure he takes- in his fm. The very Ihadow of evil frights a well-in-
ftrufted Chriftian ; but crime it felf does not daunt one who is ignorant :
he does not hear within himfelf thofe alarms or reproaches, which are
either the prefervatives againft ftn, or the remedies of it.

From this it may be judged already, that men are generally very little

inftru£ted
• John iii. 19, 20,

Cause I. Corruption of Chrijiians. i^j

inftrufted in what concerns manners. But that we may the better un-
derftand how great the ignorance is in this matter, it muft be obferved.
That whoever will perform the duties of religion, muft be perfuaded of
their neceflity, and acquainted with their nature. One cannot imagine
how they can be pradiied by a man, who either does not know them, or
does not think them neceflary: this is the plain reafon why men do fo
little addict themfelves to piety; they know neither its neceffity nor its
nature.

I. As the foundation of faith is the belief of the truth and certainty of
thofe fails and do6lrines which religion propofes; fo the ground-work
of piety is, to be perfuaded of the neceffity of the duties which Chrifti-
anity requires: without this perfuafion, it is impoflible for men to refiga
up themfelves to the praftice of virtue. Now one would think that
^11 Chriftians (hould be fully convinced of this neceffity. For if there rs
any certain truth in Chriflianity, it is this, that the practice of good
works is neceffary. Good works do fo immediately belong to the deiiga
and the efTence of religion, that it falls to the ground as foon as they are
taken away: and in proportion as the neceffity of a good life is weak-
ened, fo much is the power and beauty of that holy religion which Chrift
brought into the world lefTened. Religion contains doftrines, precepts,
promifes and threatnings. It does altogether depend upon the exiilence
of a God, and the certainty of another life, and a judgment to come.
But if you banifh out of religion the abfolute neceffity of good works,
you attack it in all its parts, and you undermine its very foundations.
For this makes the knowledge of its do£trines vain and needlefs; it
-turns its precepts into bare counfels; the promifes of it, which are con-
ditional, and fuppofe obedience, ceafe to be promifes ; the threats which
God denounces againft finners, are but empty menaces, which God
makes only to fright men, but does not intend to execute. This de-
ftroys the chiefeft and ftrongeft proofs of the exiftence of a God, and of
another life ; it ruins that great argument for religion, which is drawn
from the difference between virtue and vice, and from the deferts of
both ; and it contradids the neceffity, the nature and juflice of the lafl
judgment. All this may eafily be demonftrated. This neceffity of
good works might likewife be proved, from the plain declarations of the
word of God; and it might be (hewn, that there is no truth mor^
clearly and frequently inculcated than this in Holy Writ. But not to
engage in thefe particulars, which do not properly belong to my pur-
pofe ; I fhail take it for granted, that a holy life is abfolutely neceiTary ;
for either that is true, or there is nothing true in religion.

Yet how clear foever this truth may be, it is but little known, and
men are not much perfuaded of it. No man indeed, does flatly and
without fome preamble deny the neceffity of holinefs; ev^ery teacher
profefTes that to be his doctrine ; all Chriftians, in fhew at leafl, are
agreed about it. But when they come to explain their meaning clearly
concerning this neceffity ; when it comes to the application or to prac-
tice, or when they eftabliih other doftrines, they contradict themfelves,
they hefitate upon the matter, or they explain it with certain reftricStions,
which footh men in fecurity, and difpofe them to believe that falvation
may be obtained witliout good works ; which overthrows thcii- neceffity.
c Nay^

128 Caufes of the prefeni PaRt. I.

Nay, fome frame to themfelves fuch a notion of religion as even ex-
cludes good works ; this will appear in the following chapters.

If it be faid, That though this intire and indifpenfable necelTity of a
good life were not fuppofed, yet this would not prefently open a door to
Itcentioufnefs, fince there remain other fufficient motives to holinefs,
fuch as thofe which are derived from the juftice and reafonablenefs of
the divine laws, from the gratitude and love we ov/e to God, from the
edification of our neighbour, and from our calling and duty. 1 anfwer,
that thefe motives are very juft and prefling, and that they neceflarily
enter into that obedience, which all true Chriftians pay to the command-
ments of God. I acknowledge befides, that they would be fufficient to
infpire all men with the love of virtue, if they did all govern themfelves
by the principles of right reafon and juftice. But thefe are not the only
motives which ought to be urged ; God propofes others befides ; he pro^
mifes, he tlireatens, he declares, * that without holinefs no 7}ian jhall fee his
face^ which imports an abfolute neceflity. And furely as men generally
are, there are many of them upon whom thofe motives taken from de-
cency, juftice, gratitude, duty, or the edification of our neighbours, will
have very little force. The moft honourable motives are not always the
moft effectual. Man being fo corrupt, is fo many ways, and by fo
ftrong a bias carried towards evil, that it is hard for him, without an
abfolute neceflit)', to abftain from it. But how much lefs will he refrain
from fin ; if he is perfuaded that it is not neceflary to controul his incli-
nations, and to confine hinifelf to a kind of life, which appears unplea-
fant and melancholy to him ? Now as this is the difpofition in which
moft people are, we need no longer wonder, why there is fo little reli-
gion and piety among men.

2. If it is difficult to pra£l:ife thofe duties, which we do not think ne-
ceflary, efpecially when they crofs our inclinations; it is yet harder to
pra£life them, when we do not know them. It is not poffible to do
good or to avoid evil, if we do not know the good that we fhould do,
and the evil we ought to fhun. Now in this the generality of Chriftians
want inftrudlion. Every body fpeaks of piety and virtue, but fev/ men
know what they are. The common people are little acquainted with
the duties of religion or the rules of chriftian morals. This muft be
confeft, and the glory of God requires, that we ftiould ingenuoufly own
it. I cannot but enter here into fome particulars, to prove this igno-
rance.

I. There are fome eflential duties unknown to a great number of
Chriftians, and which were never thought of by an infinity of men. I
will alledge for an inftance one of die plaineft and of the moft neceflary
duties of morality, and that is reftitution. Tho' the fcripture fhould
not exprefly enjoyn it, we need but confult reafon and natural juftice to
be convinced, that he who has done an injury to another man by taking
from him any part of his property; is bound to make up that damage,
by reftoring to him v/hatever he has wronged him of. There is every
day occafton enough to make reftitution ; nothing being more common,
than for one man to appropriate to himfelf by unlawful means, what be-
Jpngs to another j and yet in many places reftitution is a thing without

prefident*
* Heb. xii. 14.

Cause t. Corruption of C^rl/ilam . i±q

precedent. But this we ought not to wonder af^ confidcring that there
are thoufands of Chriftians who never heard a word of this duty^ This
matter is fo little known, and the people are fo little inftru£ted about it;
that a treatife concerning reftitutioni, written by Mr. la Placette^ having
been publifhed fome years fince ; it has been read as a very fingular
book, the fuhjeft whereof was new and curious* Nay, feme have gone
fo far as to cenfure this do£lrine of reftitution, pretending that it was
/lovel and too feverej fuch a pitch of ignorance are men arrived at in
matters of morality. Arid this is not the only duty which is not under-
ilood; there are many others befides, either among thofe v/hich are
common to all men, or among thofe which are particular to every call-
ing, and which it does not appear that men were ever taught or ever
made the leaft refledlion upon. New a man muft needs negledl the
duties that he does not know.

2. There are divers fmSj which are not commonly ranked among
Xms, or which men do not think to be damning fms. Of this number is
lying and unfmcerity, either in difcourfe or in dealings^ Among thefe
|ve may alfo reckon luxuryj floth, a foft and voluptuous life ;"man/
indiredl pradices to grow rich, which are eftablifhed and authorized bv
cuftom; drunkennefs, which in fome countries is not efteemed a vice,
and all thofe fins which are only committed by our thoughts. Chriftians
now a-days think themfelves innocent, fo they do not do things mrni*
feftly criminah They conceive that murther is a crime, but they do r.ot
think themfelves guilty for paffing a rafli judgment upon their neigh-
bours, or taking up unjuft fufpicions of them* They believe uncleannels
to be a fm, tho' even fome are very indulgent to themfelves upon this
head; but impure thoughts or fenfuality go for nothing with them.
Thus there are many fins which men are not inftru6led about, and
Tvhat wonder is it then, if they commit them without fcruple, and if
there is fo much corruption in their manners.

3. There are fome general maxims in morality without the know-
ledge of which, it is impoflible to have a folid piety; and yet thefe are
almoft univerfally unknown; efpecially thefe two, which defcribe to us
the charailers of true holinefs. The firft: is, That a habit of fin is an
infallible token of a corrupt man; and that any one habitual fin vvhicli
a man does not forfake, efpecially when he is warned of it, is enough to

\(hut him out of heaven. This maxim is underftood but by very few
people. Moft men are ingaged in vitious habits; fuch as praying with-
out attention, fwearing, falling into a paflion, or the like : Thefe habits
grow ftronger with age, men live and die in them, and yet they think,
-they die in a ftate of falvation. The other maxim which is neither lefs
important nor better known; is, That there is a vaft differonce, between
fin and finj and between finners and finners ; that the frailties of good
men are one thing, and the great and wilful fins of bad men, another
thing. If men do not apprehend this difference, they will confound vir-
tue with vice, and good men with impious wretches; and yet this is little
obferved. It is commonly believed that all men being finners, they are all
upon the matter in the fame condition, and do all fin alike, fo that there
,»s no great odds between them. Such notions muft needs make way
for libertinifm,

VOL.VI. I 4.^, If

130 Caufes of the prefent Part I,

4/^^, If Chriftlans have fome knowledge concerning the duties 6f mo-
rality; yet that knowledge is too general and fuperficial. They know per-
haps in the main, that fome fins are to be avoided, and fome virtues to be
pracSlifed; but that they only know confufedly, they content themfelves with
fome general ideas, which for the moft part prove ufelefs and infignifi-
cant. The defign of morality, is to regulate mens adlions, in all the
circumftances they may be in, and to teach them how they ought to be-
have themfelves, in all the different cafes and emergencies of life. Now
as thefe cafes and circumftances are infinitely various, it is neceflary
that men fhould know their duty with fome exa6lnefs, and that they
fhould have rules at hand applicable to all particular cafes, by the help
of Avhich they may difcern, what is lawful from what is not. For here
fuperficial knowledge and general ideas, will not ferve the turn; becaufe
they do not determine particular cafes.

The principles of morality are clear, but it is requifite to make a juft
application of them, and to draw right confequences from them. Every
body acknowledges, that wrong is not to be done to any man, but few
know what the doing of wrong is. There are innumerable ways of
violating juftice in relation to our neighbours, or of getting money,
which are finful ; and yet thefe are made ufe of every day, and people
think that there is no harm in them ; and fo they are guilty of cheating,
extortion and injuftice, and they do not know it. Whence does this
proceed but from ignorance, or from thofe general and fuperficial notions
which I have mentioned? This is one of the reafons why fome books
and difcourfes of piety produce fo little effect, they handle things only in
the lump ; they treat of virtues and vices, of temperance, of covetoulhefs
and injuftice ; they exhort and threaten ; but they ufually go no further
than generallitics, and they feldom defcend to thofe particulars, which
are fo neceflary to inform and dire£l the confcience.

5/y. Men are no lefs ignorant concerning the degrees, than they are
concerning the parts of holinefs. Chriftians are not only obliged to the
praftice of many virtues ; but they ought befides that to pradlice them
in the moft perfect manner. Our Saviour does not require in his dif-
ciples a mean and ordinary degree of holinefs ; but he calls them to per-
fedlion. He demands that they (hould carry virtue much farther, than
either the heathens or the Jews did, that they fliould practice charity,
even to the loving of their enemies ; that th'ey fhould be lb patient, as to
think it their happinefs to fuffer; fb humble as chearfully to bear con-
tempt and injuftice ; fo pure, as tabanifti all uncleannefs from their very
thoughts; and fo of all the other virtues. But an infinite number of
Chriftians, are ftrangers to thefe ideas of perfection. They never knew
the extent of the duties of Chriftianity; they have neither tendernels of
"confcience, nor elevated fentiments about morality. They think they
do much, if they obferve that which is molt fimple and tdhe m every
virtue; they confine themfelves to that, and aim at no other perfe<Stionj
fo that fublime virtue and piety are not tobfe fought for amongft them.

6/t', Laftly mens ignorance does not only appear in that they do not
know their duty; but it does likewife difcover it felf ia this, that they
do not know themfelves. The knowledge of one's felf is a capital poino
in religion. For it is not enouji,h t'-> be informed of ones duty ; every

Ihallow

CaU3E I. Corruption of Chrijlianu 131

bne muft know befides, whether he obferves it or not, whether he really
has religion and piety; for upon this depends the judgment he is to make
of himfelf, and of his own condition: now people are as much in the
dark about this article, as about the others I have mentioned. The
greateft part of men live without refleiling "upon themfdves, and in a
prodigious unconcernednefs about their fpiritual ftate. They do not'
trouble themfelves to inquire, whether they are of the number of o-ood
or bad men, whether they are in a ftate of grace, or of damnation or
'hot. Or, if at any time they take this into confideration, they moft
commonly flatter themfelv^es, by pronouncing too favourable a judgment
upon their own condition. There are many who boldly rank themreives-
among good men ; and yet are not able to give a folid reafon of that opi-
nion they have conceived of their own probity and virtue; nay they are
perhaps actually engaged in vice and impiety. If they are but free from
noify and fcandalous fins, if they feel now and then fome good motions,
if they have fome good qualities, or an inclination to fome virtues, or
an abhorrence of fome vices ; that is enough to fill them with a good
opinion of themfelves. Now when men are thus blinded by felf-love,
and do not know themfelves; there is but little hope of them, and they
will undoubtedly fall into a ftate of fedurity.

Thefe confiderations plainly ftiew, if I am not miftakeri, that rrien for
the moft part live in very great ignorance. But I think my felf bound
to anfwer an objection, which may be ofFer'd againft what has beenfaid/
Some will think no doubt, that it is very difficult for men, to be fo well
inftrufted as I fuppofe they ought to be ; and that the people are not ca^
pable of fuch an exact knowledge of morality.

To fatisfie thofe who make this objection, and to clear this matter
fully : I obferve firft ; that by all I have faid, I do by no means pretend,'
that all Chriftians can, or ought to be equally inftrudted. I know that
there are degrees of knowledge, and that in morality, as well as in doc-
trines, divines artd men of parts, go a great way beyond the bulk of
mankind. It is fufficient for every one to be inftra6ted, according to
his capacity and his condition. But after all, it muft be granted, that
the knowledge of the principles of morality, is necellary to every body;
or elfe v/e muft ftrike feveral precepts out of the Gofpel; unlefs thai we
imagine that thofe precepts, are intended only for a fmall number of
learned and fubtil men ; which is dire6tiyoppohte to our Saviour's words^'
who faid, that his doctrine is defigned for all mankind, for the little onei"
and the fim.ple, rather than for * the zvife mid prudent. There is no Chrif-
tian but ought to be a fpiritual man and taught ofGcd, When St. Paul
fays, prove all things, hold fajl that which is good, irhatfoever things are
true, luhatforjcr things are honefl, whatfoeVer things 'ari juft^ whatfoevei^
things are pure, whatfoever things are lovely, ivhatfoever things are of good
report; .if there be any virtue, if there be any pralfe think on thfe things ^
When St. Peter exhorts Chriftians. to add to their faith all Chrlflian '^Jr-
tues, to grow and abound in all thefe vh'tues ; ftich exhortations do belong
equally to all the profeffors of Chriftianity.

It muft not be faid^ that there are men in the world of very dull and
I 2 {hallow

• Matth. }c5. i;. \ Cor.Jc. John vi. 45/ i ThefT, v. 20*
?hil. iv. i>. 2 Pet. ij. 5,6, 7, S.

132 Ciittfes of the prefent pART %,

fhallow capacities, and that country people and mechanicks cannot com*
prehend all thefe maxims of morality. This is not fo diiEcult as it is
imagined. The duties of morality are clear, they prefently afte£l a manj
becaufe they are confonant, to the common notices and fentiments of
confcience. Chufe what part of morality you pleafe, and you may with
due endeavours, make either a handy-crafts-man, or a day-labourer ap-
prehend it J fo you confine your felf to the knowledge and praftice of
thofe duties which are neceflary to fuch people in their feveral callings.
Is there any thing more fubtil or difficult in the rules of morality, than
there is in a hundred dexterities and fliifts, which are pra6lifed in the
affairs of this life ; and which common people can attain too without
any great pains ? If therefore mens underftandings are fo grofs and llu-
pixl in moral matters ; it is not becaufe thefe matters are above their
reach ; but becaufe they were never taught them, or never applied them-
felves to them. We ought not to judge of what meil might be by what
they are. The beft ground becomes barren, when it is not cultivated.
If things were well ordered among Chrlftians, in relation efpecially ta
the' inftru£lion of the people, and the education of children ; the gene-
rality of them would not be fo ftupid and ignorant as they are. Wc
may therefore conclude, That ignorance is one of the general Caufes of
Corruption. Chriftians being ill informed of the truths and duties of
their religion ; and wanting inflrudlion both as to faith and manners,
they muft needs live in a great negledt of religious matters.

It may be afked. Whence does this Ignorance proceed ? I fhall ob-
ferve three principal Caufes of it. The firft is Education j the way in
which children are bred up, does infallibly lead to Ignorance. The fe-
cond is the want of means to get good inftru6tion, and particularly the
defe61: of thofe inftrudions which are delivered to Chriftians, in fermons,
catechifms, and books. The third is the floth and careleihefs of men,
who will be at no pains to acquire necelTary knowledge. We might be-
ftow very weighty confiderations upon every one of thefe three heads )
but fince they will come again in our way, in the fequel of this Treatife,
it is enough to have pointed at them in this place, as the three main
fources of Ignorance. In truth, if men are ill educated, if they are de-
ftitute of the neceflary means of inftrudtion, and take no care about it ;
whence (hould they have fufficient knowledge ? unlefs they were inftrucl-
ed by miracles, by revelations, and infpirations, they cannot but be ig-
norant and corrupt.

But now if Ignorance be the firft Caufe of Corruption ; it is plain
that the firft remedy to be ufed againft Corruption, is the removing,
that Ignorance, It is that we are to begin at, if we would bring back
Chriftians, to a life worthy of the religion they profcfs. Exhortations,
^enfures, and all other fuch methods will fignifie nothing, as long as mens
minds are not prepared by proper inftrudions.

From all that has been faid in this chapter, it may be gathered. That
the right way t6 inftruiSl men, is before all things to Convince them of
the truth of religion ; and to make them fenfible that there is nothing
more certain, or of greater confequence in the world, than the princi-
ples of Chriftianity. The belief of the General Truths, ought efpe-
^ally to be well fi.xed in their minds; as that there is a God, a Provi-

dcn4-e»

Cause ir. Corruption of Chrijl tans » j'^^

dence, a judgment and another life. After this we muR proceed to the
Particular Truths of the Gofpel, and as we go on in explaining thenj,
we ought to Ihew, what influence thofe- truths have upon holinefs and
falvation.

But the moft important thing of all, when thefe truths are fettled ; is
to fhew, that the bare knowledge of the Chriftian doctrines, is not able
to make men happy ; that the fcope of religion, is to make men truly
good ; and that without piety and good works there is no falvation.

It will not be fufficient to recommend fan6lification in general, but
the nature of it muft befides be diftinitly explained ; it muit be fliewedi
which are the general and particular obligations of a Chriftian life, and
what fins are contrary to thefe. And here thofe whofe bufinefs it is to
inftru£t the people, ought to be as particular, as poffibly they can ; (hew-
ing upon each virtue and vice what the nature of it is, and what are the
feveral charaiSters, kinds, and degrees of it; and propofmg likewife the
motives which fhould difcourage men from thofe vices, and prompt them
to the practice of the oppofite virtues j as alfo the diredlions which may
facilitate the performance of all thefe duties. When teachers fliall go
thus to work, they will foon perceive fome amendment ; God's blefling
will accompany the ufe of thofe means which he has appointed. Chrif-
tians being rightly informed, will of their own accord apply themfelves
to virtue; Corruption will leiTen by degrees; and Chriftianity recover-
ing its ancient lultre, will begin to appear with another face than it does
at this day.

CAUSE II.

Prejudices andfaJfe Notions concerning Religion.

fy^:''^.'^^ O W ignorant and corrupt foever men may be, they cannot
^. H ^. live abfolotely without religion; very few at leaft can go fo far^
i^5fi;)g^ If they are hindered by their Corruption, to know and pradliifc
pure Chriftianity ; yet a remnant of light and confcience within them,
does not fuff*er them to run themfelves wholly into irreligion, and to lay
afide all thoughts of falvation. But to reconcile thefs two principles, of
■which one draws them off" from religion, and the other leads them to itj
they form to themfelves fuch ideas of religion, as are agreeable to their
inclinations, and flatter their fecurity ; and being pofiefled with thofe
ideas, they confirm themfelves more and more in their Corruption. Thefe
falfe Notions and Prejudices are -vi'orfe than Ignorance, and prove a greater
obftacle to the reviving of virtue and piety. It is better to deal with
men who are fimply ignorant, than with people who have wrong appre-
henfions, and arc full of prejudices. The former being not prepoflelled,
may more eafily be reclaimed ; but it is much harder to prevail upon pre-
ingaged perfons, efpecially in point of religion ; becaufe while they
maintain their errors, they fancy they defend the truth, and that they

1 3 promote

134 • Cmifes of th,e pre/at Part I.

promote the glory of God. Falfe Notions and Prejudices in Religion,
are therefore one of thofe Caufes of Corruption, which it concerns us
jnoft to take notice of. I fliall endeavour to point at the chief of them in
this chapter.

I. The firft I fhall name, is the opinion of thofe, who think that re-
Jigion is intended only to comfort men, and to render them happy. And
jt is no wonder that men fhould commonly refolve all religion into this.
The defire of happinefs is natural to men ; and as they are fenfible upon
ferious confideration, that perfect happinefs is not to be obtained in this
world, if it were for no other reafon but that they muft die ; they feek
in religion fome confolatlon and remedy, againft that fatal neceflity, of
quitting all the pleafures and advantages of this prefent life. Indeed the
fenfc of their Corruption fnould reftrain them from flattering thcmfelves
with the hopes of ialvation ; but they rely upon the affurances of the
Divine Mercy, which religion gives to men ; and they perfuade them-
felves, that their fms will not obr ru<3: their felicity. This is properly
the Notion which men entertain of Religion, and that which they think
it is good for. But that religion fhould indifr-eiViably oblige men to fear
God and to live well, and that without ihis, there is neither true reli-
gion, nor happinefs; is that which is not coinmonly believed.

There is no queftion but that the defign of religion is to comfort men,
nnd to lead them to happinefs. This was God's purpofe in finding his
Son to redeem the world. But this is not the onlv end of religion j it
is intended befides for the glory of God and the fmiSlificatipn of. oxen.;
and it does properly confift in the fervice and obedience which are paid
to God. Salvation is a confequence of this fervice, and a gratuitous
re ward J vyhich God is pleafed to beftowupon tiioie, who honour and fe^r
him. Nothing therefore is more abfurd than the conceit o^ thofe, who
look only upon that fide of religion, which promifes comfort and falva-
tion ; and nothing is more dangerous or more apt to make men remifs
and carelefs in their duty; yet this imagination is very common, and if
I was to define religion, by the ordinary apprehenfions which men have '
of it, I would fay; that it is nothing elfe, hut a meaii to bring finners
to heaven, and to make men eternally happy, whatfoever their cour(e
and manner of life may be.

II. But men would not fo eafily promife themfelves falvation, if they
had not very mean and imperfect ideas of religion. ' Ilhall therefore ob-
ferve.

Secondly^ That men commonly place Chriftianity, either in bare know-
ledge, or in an externa! profeflion, or in confidence. But holinefs do?s
not make a part of their Notion of Religion, or at bed it makes but a
nery inconfiderable part of it.

It is not to be denied but that knowledge is eflential to religion, and
that as it holds the firrt rank in it, fo it is the foundation of it ad. Nay
it is impofiible to engage men to holinefs, without laying firft in them
the foundation of good and found doctrine. This I have proved in the
firft chapter of this Treatife. An outward and publick profellion is like-
wife effential to religion, for one cannot be a Chriftian without it. And
further, it is beyond all doubt, that religion infpires confidence, peace
and joy. The knowledge of Chrift, and of the falvation he has oro.cur-
u ed

Cause II. Corruption of Ojrj/iians, 135

ed for us, muft naturally produce thefe efFefts. Knowledge, profefEon,
and confidence, are therefore included in the idea of religion, but as ne-
ceflary as they are, yet they are not fufficient.

Knowledge is not the whole of religion, fince the Gofpel as well as
experience teaches us, that it may be found in the worft of men ; it is
not therefore a faving knowledge but when it produces piety and charity.
The definition which St. Paul gives of the Chriftian religion, is that it
is * ^z knowledge of the truth according to godlinefs. We may read what
the Apoftle tells us concerning that knowledge which is void of charity,
I Cor. xiii. As for an outward profeflion, it is altogether ufelefs without
fan6tity. A hypocrite may live in the church, and perform even with
applaufe, the external duties of piety. This we may likewife learn from
Scripture and daily experience. Laftly, all confidence which is not fup-
ported by piety, is vain and deceitful. The bare perfuafion that one
Ihall be faved, gives no man a right to falvation, A very v/icked perfon
inay without any ground rely upon God's mercy, and thjs is what divines
call prefumption and fecurity.

But tho' ail this is very plain, both from Scripture and good fenfe, yet
men entertain opinions contrary to it. A great many think thcmfelves
Chriftians, becaufe they know the truths and docStrines of Chriftianity.
I do not enquire here, Whether all thofe who think they know religion,
do really know it ? But howfoever this knowledge true or falfe, makes
many judge moft favourably of themfelves ; it does fo pufF them up, that
they look on themfelves as the ftays and fupporters of religion. Others,
of whom there is an infinite number, imagine that fo they profefs the
true religion, they need not fear any thing concerning their falvation ;
efpecially if this outward profeflion is attended with fome apparent zeal,
and fome afliduity in the publick exercifes of religion. Laftly, it is be-
lieved by many, that God requires nothing elfe of men, but confidence,
and that if they are in that difpofition they cannot come fhort of falva-
tion. They think that in order to falvation, it is enough to acknowledge
that they are miferable finners, and to truft in the Divine mercy, and in
the merits of Jefus Chrift.

This laft Prejudice which reduces Religion to acls of confidence, is
perhaps the commoneft of all. And yet if we were to determine which
of thefe three, viz. knowledge, profeflion, and confidence, is the leaft
cfiential to religion j we muft fay, that it is confidence. It is a thing
Tuiconceivablc and contradidlory, that a man fhould be a Chriftian with-
out knowing and without making publick profeflion of his religion : but
a man may be a Chriftian and a good man tqo, and yet want confidence.
For as it frequently happens t^at a bad man is animated with a falfe con-
fidence i fo a good man may have a timorous confcience, and be poflcf-
fed with groundlefs fears. Sometimes melancholy, or a want of know-
ledge, or of force of mind, or even conftitution, may throw good men
into a ftate in which they feel no comfort. But without infifting upon
this J it is vifibly an error as common as it is pernicious, for men to pre-
tend, that knowledge, profeflion, or confidence, are fiifiicient to falva-
tion, when theyar^ feparated from the praclice of holinefs.

It may perhaps be obJ£(5led, that no man has thefe opinions, and that
I 4 > . ^ygj,y

• Tit. i. I.

13^ ' Caufes of the prefent Part T,

every body acknowledges, that religion obliges men to be holy. I grant
that no man does exprefly exclude holinefs -, it is confefTed by all, that
the pracStice of it is neceffary. But yet I maintain, that it is look'd yp--
On as the leaft neceffary thing in religion. And to prove this •, 1 need
but aljedge the difference which is made between knowledge, profeflion,
and confidence ; and the pradtice of good works. The three fir'A ai:c
generally preffed and recommended in another manner than the laft.

As to knowledge, it is not without reafon reprefented as abfolutely ne-
ceffary ; it is faid. That a man muft know and believe all the articles of
the Chriftian faith ; and whoever denies any one of them, is excluded
from falvation. This neceffity is extended to many dodrines, which is
not of the fame importance with fundamental truths ; many queftions are
determined, and all thefe dccifions are made articles of faith. If any
one raifes any doubt about them, he is treated as a Heretick, and pe6plei
cry out as if religion was upon the brink of ruin. So that upon thi^
head extreme feverity is ufed, every fault is capital, and no allowance !^
made for humane infirmity.

As to outward profeflion ; the necellity of it is openly maintained, and,
not without iuft caufe. In this point man's duty, and the precepts of
the Gofpelare rigoroufly preffed. The leaft diffembling of a man's be-
lief, the leaft a6l of unlawful worfhip, is called Apoftacy. It is declar-
ed, That men are bound upon pain of damnation, to forfake and fuffet
all; rather than do any thing againft their confcience. In relation to this
nothing is remitted or foftned, and the weak and timourous, are no ways
indulg'd.

As to confidence, it is fpoken of in fuch manner, as makes people
conceive, that it is the more effe6lual to falvation, the firmer it is, and
the more removed from doubt. The greateft finner relies boldly upon
the mercy of God, and does not queftion biit that he has a right to apply
to himfelf all the promifes of the Gofpel, provided he believe j that is to
fay, as it is meant, fo he has but confidence enough.

But when the pradlice of good works is difcourfed of the declarations
of the Gofpel are not preffed with the fame rigor. That zeal which
upon all other heads hearkens to no accommodation, becomes here very
tra6table ; and a great deal of remifnefs appears as to this article. The
do6trines are prefled, publick profefTion is ftriflly enforced, and confi-
dence is highly recommended ; but it is faid. That moral duties muft
not befo feverely urged, and that fomething is to be allowed for humane
frailty. And yet it feems that as the Scripture inculcates nothing ib>
much, as the neceftity of a good life ; fo it were neceffary to infift as
much at leaft upon this point, as upon any other, and that it fhould not
be rank'd as it is, in the loweft degree, and among the leaft neceffary
things, One would think likewife, that the preffmg fandification, is ttn
require nothing of men, but what is as eafy, if not more, than certain,
pther duties, which are abfolutely impofed on them, upon pain of dam-
nation ; fuch as the forfaking all that is dear to them in this world, and
the fuffering of death in time of perfecution. But without enlarging
upon this fubje<Sl:, it is evident, that the generality of Chriftians, do not
believe, that holinefs is fo eflential a part of religion, as it really ia ; and

that

Cause II. Corruption of Chrj/itans. ^yf

that the)^ db not well uiiderftand the nature of Chriftianky ; from whence
it neceflarily followB, that they muft negle6l the praftice of holinefs.

III. But there are fome Prejudices, which do yet more directly attack
piety, and they are thofe which people entertain concerning piety and
morality it felf. I fhall inftance this firft in the opinion of thofe, who
pretend that morality, is not of fuch great moment in religion, who
fpeak of it with contempt, and cry it down ; and who unreafonably fet-*
ting faith in oppofition to good-works ; maintain, that it is enough to
believe, and that thofe who infift upon morals do not apprehend the na*
ture of the Gofpel. Now one wonld think that fuch abfurd and un-
chriftian imaginations, fhould be univerfally rejedted ; but becaufe what-
ever gratifies corruption is ufually welcome to men; thefe opinions hav*
their advocates, even among divmes, as might eafily be fhewn from the
printed works of fome authors, who feem to have had a defign to difpa-
rage good- works, and to oppofe the neceflity of fandtification. '.rhi*
Prejudice overturns the foundations of morality, by deftroying its nc-
ceffity, and rendring it contemptible. I only give here a hint of it, be-
eaufe I am to fhew in other places, that it is the heighth of extravagance,
thus to fet up faith againft morality, to afcribe all to the one, and to fpeak
but very flightly of the other.

IV. And yet fome people do not flop here. They think It is dange*
rous to infifl: fo much upon morality ; nay, fome have proceeded fo far»
las to fay, This was one of the charaders of Herefy. I confefs, this opi-
nion is not very common. It ought not to be imputed to the people,
^or even to the Libertines. None but a few conceited divines have had
the face to maintain it, which by the by increafes the fcandal, that 1$
occafioned by fuch propofitions. I am willing to believe that thofe who
advance them, qualifie them with fome reftridtions, and that they arfr
not fenfible of the terrible confequences which flow from them ; but
that they have been betrayed into the fpeaking or writing of fuch things^
either through fome Prejudice, or through the heat of difpute. But af-
ter all, if thefe propofitions were ftridly taken; and fet out in their true
colours, they could not but be looked upon, as falfe, rafh, fcandalous, and
capable of producing moft difmal efFeds, efpecially, being aflerted by
'divines: and if we did not judge charitably of the intentions of their
authorsj we might juftly fay. That thofe who dare difparage morality,
^nd infinuate, that the preifing it is a mark of Herefy ; do themfelves
publifh, a moft pernicious Herefy. Can it be a mark of Herefy to in-
fift upon that, which our Saviour has fo vehemently prefled j which is
the only thing he inculcates in his fermon upon the mount ; which the
Apoftles perpetually * urge in their epiftles, f and declare to be the end
of our whole religion, and the charadler whereby the children of God
are difcriminated from the children of the Devil ; and without which,
}>oth Chrift and his Apoftles aflure us, (| that no man ihall enter into
the kingdom of heaven ?

By this, the truth of religion is as much ftruck at and injured as piety
it felf. It gives one an indignation to fee, that the honour of defending
yij-tue and piety, fhould be yielded up to Hefeticks. To fay that for the

moft
• Matth. V. 6,7. t , Tim. i. c. i John iii. 8.

U Matth. vii. 2u Heb,xii. 14.

ijg Canfes Qf the prefent Part L

Bioft part, Hereticks are llrong upon the head of morality, is ih a man-
ner to give up the caufe ; it is the ready way to confirm them in their
errors ; and it does bafely to afcribe that to Herefy, which belongs to
true religion, and is the glory of it. It would be to no purpofe to aU
ledo-e, that fome Hereticks have writ upon morality with good fuccefs.
For granting this to be true, it is not a token of their Herefy ; on the
contrary, fo far they are orthodox. Some orthodox Chriftians have re-
commended morality as much and better than the Hereticks, becaufe
they have eftabUftjed it upon the foundations and motives, which pure*i
dod:rines afford. On the other hand, there have always been Hereticks,
who did fubvert and ruin morality ; as for inftance, thofe who are de-
{bribed by St. Paid in the fecond to Timothy^ and by St. Peter in his fe-
cond epiftle. It is then very unreafonable to fay. That a thing which
neither agrees to all Hferctick":, nor to Hereticks alone, is a mark of He-
refy. There is much more reafon to charge thofe who fpeak fo injuri-
oufiy of morality ; with maintaining a Herefy, which comes very near
that of the Gnojlkks^ who were oppofed by the Apollles, and condemned
and detefted ■ by the whole church, as corrupters of the mofals of the
Gofpel.

V. But tho' the greateil part of Chriftians, rejecl the opinions I hav?
now mention'd, and acknowledge the txcellency of morality ; yet they
form to themfelves too eafie a notion of the duties of it. This is ano-r
tlier Prejudice, which does not a little contribute to that negledl of piety
they live in. The notion of thofe who think, that the practice of piety
is eafy, is true in the main; * God's commandments are not grhvous :
►f And Chrtji'syoke is eafy, and his burthen light. We ihould therefore air
ways fuppofe, that it is not difficult tp lead a good life, and to work out
one's falvation. But the error lies in imagining, toa great an eafmefs
in this, and in not confidering aright, the nature and the extent of the
duties of morality. There are but few whofe notions in this matter,
come up to the Itandard of the Gofpel, and to that perfedion which
Chriftians are to aim at. Few underftand to what degree the pradice
of virtue is to be carried : as for the purpofe ; what fort of juftice, equi-
ty, honefty, difintereftednefs, purity, or charity becomes a profeffor of
Chrift's religion ? Inftead of rifing up to that high and fubhme pitch
of morality which the Gofpel demands ; and inftead of being adled by
noble views and defigns worthy of Chriftianity ; men commonly take up
with mean and flight apprehenfions of it. According to the general
opinion, a very extraordinary and elevated virtue is not requifite, in
order to be a good man. It is enough for a man if he is not a notorious
villain, or a profligate wretch j and if he obferve fome of thofe duties
which have a fhew of fanclity. Thus holinefs is reduced to the loweft
degree of virtue, or rather, to the leaft degree of fm ; it is brought to
very little, and yet that -little is often neglected ; for men never go fo
far in pradice as they do in fpeculation ; they always do lefs than they
think themfelves bound to do ; fo that their a6lions ftill fall fhort of the
idea which they form of their duty.

VI. What judgment then are we to make of Chriftians now a-days,?
Tho' they fhould^acl fuitably to their notion of piety and morality ; yet

they

• I John-v. 3, :t Mat. xi. 30,

Cause II 0 Gorruptlon of Chri/itam. 13^

they would difcharge their duty but very indifFerently, becaufe that no-,
tion is but low and defedlive. But yet as mean and imperfe6l as it is,
their practice does not reach it. They frequently allow themfelves ia
things which are againft their own confcience; and tho' they violate the
cleareft and the ealieft rules of virtue, yet they fancy thofe to be fins
from which no man is free, and which will however be forgiven, AX.
this rate Corruption muil needs be very great.

But as men often form to themfelves too eafie a notion of piety, fo
they have fometimes too fevere an idea of it. It may perhaps feem at
firft fight, that it is not very neceflary to remark and confute this Preju-
dice. The general depravation of manners feems to make it evident^
that the notions which prevail at this time are not the rigid ones, and
that rnen do not much trouble themfelves about the rules, of top auftere
a devotion or morality. But yet it is ufual enough for men to run into
this other extream j and fuch an exceflive feverity is not fo inconfiftent
as it may be thought, with the corruption of manners. For tho' many
frame to themfelves too hard and rigid a notion of piety ; yet they do
not think themfelves bound to live according to it, but they leaye thofe
maxims to the devout, and they imagine that fo much piety is npt ne-
celiary j fo that they fafhion to thernfelves a commodious religion, and
fuch a fnorality as h.}S nqthing that is troublefome or difficult in it.

Howfoever there are many who look upon piety as an auftere thing ;

they conceive it to be an enemy to all joy, and that it debars men of all

pleafure, fo that it produces nothing but fadnefs, and melancholy. And

.they are befides pollefled with this error ; that the pradtice of it is unea-

. fie and difficult, or even impoffible. But why do men judge of piety

with fo much preppfleffion and injuftice? This proceeds frora two

. Caufes.

' The firft is their carnal difpofition. They are incapable of relifliing
_any other pleafures, biit thofe of the body or of this prefent life, becaufe
they are accuftomed to be governed only by their fenfes ; and that is
, enough to reprefent piety to them as fower and diftaftful ; not only be-
caufe it does not procure to them thofe grofs pleafures j but becaufe ^t
does likewife in many cafes oblige them to renounce them,

The fecpnd reafon why men entertain this Prejudice againft piety, is
. thaf it is not reprefented to them in its true fhape. And here firft, there
. is a great deal of hurt done by the falfe pretenders to devotion ; who af-
fe£l a mournful and fevere outward appearance, and whofe behaviour is
often intollerably ftern and favage. In the next place, profane men con-
tribute to this mifchief ; for as they neither know nor love religion, fo
they make odious pictures of it, and they take a delight in carrying the
notions of devotion too far, that it may appear ridiculous.

T hirdly, there are feveral well-meaning perfons, whofe zeal being
not regulated and foftned, by a difcreet and prudent knowledge, gives
an occafidn to thofe unfavourable judgments, which the world palles up-
on piety. Such peopje think that it is the duty of a devout perfon, n?-
ver to be fecn but in an auftere appearance, and with a dejected look j
they are continually cenfuring and never pleafed ; their zeal is either fu-
perftitious, fcrupulous, or ignorant, ftiarp, or unfeafonablc ; and fo it is
.pxtremely apt to alienate mens minds from devotion and piety.

Fourth!}',

§4.0 Caufes of the prefent Part I.

Fourthly, fbme divines and moralifts confirm this Prejudice, by their
way of recommending the practice of piety, both in their publicic dif-
courfes and in their books. Religion and its duties, are often propofed
to the people from the pulpit, in fuch a fevere; and frightful manner, as
is not very fit to make it appear lovely to men, who for the moft part,
have already a Prejudice againft it. We find too rigid a morality, and
Teveral flrained maxims in many fermons and books of devotion.
And it may perhaps be of fome ufe, to give here fome inftances of this
kind.

When worldly-minded men are told, that falvatton is a mof?: difficult
thing, and that vi'hoever will obtain it, ought to fpend his life in perpe-
tual mourning ; this is no great attraftive to gain them to the love of
leligion. Such maxims may be true in fome refpedl ; but they are falfe
and extravagant, when they are propofed without difHnftion or explica-
tion. By the defcriptions which are fometimes made of the vanity of
tSfe world, and of devotion ; one would think, that a man cannot live
Jike a Chriftian ; without laying afide all fecular concerns and bufinefs,
and giving up himfelf to folitude and retirement. Now this is what
few men are capable of; and befides it is againfl the order of Provi-
dence, which has placed us in the world, to live and labour in it, and
to enjoy the good things which the Divine liberality has provided
for us.

That which is aflerted by fome moralifls, concerning the love of God^
and their zeal for his glory; fuppofes that men are obliged, to think ac-
tually upon God at all times, and to have a pofitive intention to pro-
mote his glory in all the adtions of their lives. But fuch morality to fay
no more, is abfurd, and impoflible to be reduced to prailke. It is not
poffible for a man to have God always in his thoughts, and to make
pious refle6lJons upon every Hep he takes, or every word he fpeaks. And
there are fuch adlions in life, which cannot without profanation be re-
ferred to the glory of God by a diredl intention. St. Paul^ indeed en-
joyns us, * to da all things to the glory of God; but this rule is not to be
taken in the utmofl flridtnefs, nor extended to all particular adions. It
is enough to have a fmcere and general intention to procure God's glory„
and to do one's duty upon all oecafions. In order to which, thefe four
things are neceffary. i. That wc Ihould not fail to think of God aftu-
ally, in all thofe a6lions that require it. 2. That if by reafon of the pre-,
fent ftate we are in, we cannot think on God at all times, and in all our
adtions ; we fhould at leafl think often upon him, and make frequent re-
fle<Slions upon our own conduct. 3. That in indifferent actions, w©
ihould not abufe our liberty, but demean our felves according to the^
rules which the Gofpel prefcribes ; and that we fhould efpecially have a
great regard to the edification of our neighbour ; it being particularly ir»
that fenfe that this commandment of doing all things to the glory of Gody is
to be underflood. 4. That we fliould love God above all things, and
that it fhould be our chief care and endeavour to obey him, and to ad-
vance his glory to the utmofl of our power.

How many fcruples have been infufied into mens minds, by flraining
the fenfe of this declaration of our Saviour's, -^Men Jl)all give an accow2t

Hi
• I Cor. X. 31. t Matih. xii. 36.

Cause II. Corruption of Chrijiwm. j^£

at the day of judgment of every idle word that they Jhall fpeah What in-
ferences have not been drawn from this place, to fill good men with
dread and terror ? It is expounded as if all difcourfes, which neither con-*^
tribute to the glory of God, nor to the edification of our neighbours, nor
to the promoting of our own falvation ; were thofe idle tvordsy of which
inen are to give an account to God. And yet it does not appear that
words purely idle, are always finful, or that they deferve the feverc,
threatning which our Saviour denounces here. We cannot forbeqr talk-
ing every day, of many indifferent things, and holding feveral difcourfes
which do neither good nor harm. Indeed if this (hould grow into a
.habit, if we fhould for the mofl part fpeak ordy of trifling and frivolous
,thingsj It would be a fm. But I do not apprehend what hurt there caa
^e, in talking now and then of news, of rain, or of the weather. Cer-
tainly thefe are not the words which are meant in this declaration. Tha
place where we find it, and the terms in which it is conceived ; do ma-,
nifeftly (hew, our Saviour's meaning to be this; That men fliall give an
account at the day of judgment, of all the wicked and impious^ words
which they have Ipoken ; and that the Pharifees particularly fhould be
.anfwerable to God, for the blafphemies which they uttered againft his-
miracles.

Thefe ftrain'd maxims produce very pernicious efFe6h. They expofe
piety to the flouts and contempt of libertines ; and they difcourage great
numbers from it. Young people efpecially, are by this means difguftei
with religion, and they take up an averfion to it, which they feldom
ihake off^ afterwards. They accuftom themfelves in that age which is fo
fenfible of pleafure, to look upon piety under an auftere and melancholy
form; whilft on the fide of the world and of their paflions, they fee no-
thing but fweetnefs and charms. Between thefe two objedls ; one oi^
which is fo enticing, and the other fo difguftful; it is eafy to imagine
which fide they will chufe. They run into the embraces of the world
with the full fwing of their afFeilions. But as to religion tliey muft be
urged and driven ; and it is much if they can be brought to make fame
fteps towards it. Even good men being difcouraged by this exceffive
feverity ; do not make that progrefs in fanclification^ which otherwife
they might. Their confciences are difturbed with troublefome fcrunles
and continual fears. It is therefore very neceflary to remove this preju-
dice ; by reprefenting virtue and piety, under tliat eafy and agreeable-
fliape which is natural to them; and by propofing fuch ideas of relio-ion^
as may neither on the one hand, produce fecurity, and lull mens confer-
ences afieep, nor on the other hand, involve them in groundlcfs fcruples.

VII. But if men are averfe to things auftere and painful ; they are
wont likewife to defpife thofe, who they think have fomewhat in thoin
that is mean and ridiculous. And there are many who have fuch an
opinion of piety : which proceeds firft from the ignorance and corrup-
tion of men ; v/ho becaufe they are not v/ell acquainted with religion,
or are pofiTefled with falfe notions of honour; look with contempt upon
every thing, which does not agree with the prevailing cufloms and
maxims of the world. And then we may take notice befides, that liber-
tines do fometimes obferve either in that reUgion which obtains in the
f<?ciety whereiii they li.ve i of iji the d^ortment gf thof? who have the
i reputarioa

t45t Caufei of the prefenl Part I.

repUtatibn of being devout, feveral things, which lead them into this opi-
nion. With relation to doflrines, they find certain articles which mert
of good fenfe cannot digeft, iind they pefcelve manifeft abufes in the
worlhip ; they fee the people arxuifed v/ith childifh devotions, which fa-
vour of nothing elfe but fuperftition, credulity cr bigottry. Some of
thofe who doprofefs devotion feem to them to hold Opinions, contrary to
found reafon, and to have fome odd and ridiculous ways with them.
They perhaps, obferve in the minlfters of religion feveral whimfies, ig-
norances, and weaknefTes ; they do not always find the bdft fenfe in dif-
courfes of piety, neither do they think the idea yvhich is given tHem of
religion and it's duties, to be true, rational, or fatisfadlory. From all
this they conclude, that to give themfelves up to it, would be a difgrace
to them ; that it is calculated only for the vulgar, and for weak minds ;
and that the being neither pious nor devout, argues a ftrength and a
greatnefs of foul. This certainly is a moft falfe and unjuft prejudice-.
There is nothing more ferious, nor more worthy of efteem and refpefl
than religion, and it is the higheft pitch of injuftice, to take an eftimate
of it by the errors and weaknefTes of men. But yet this prejudice is very
common.

VIII. Laftly, we are to rank among the prejudices and falfe notion^
of men concerning religion, the opinions of thofe who are infatuated
with myftical piety and fanaticifm. And it is the more neceflary to
caution men againit thofe opinions, bccaufe they are grown of late years,
to be very common. Fanaticifm iprcads very much, and there is fcarce
a country in Europe^ where it docs not obtain under various denomina-
tions, and where it has not occafioncd fome difturbance.

It would be difficult to give here an exa6l account of myftical piety
and fanaticifm. It is a fubjeft upon which we cannot fpeak very clearly,
becaufe we can hardly have perfpicuous and diftinct ideas of it; befides,
that the Myjiicks are not agreed among themfelves : they are a fedl: which
is fub-divided almoft to infinity ; for not to mention the Anahapttjls^ the
^iahrsy the ^lietijh^ and all thofe who come up to the heighth of fana-
tical extravagances ; there are many particular feds which would fcorn
the name, and yet are wholly, or in part, poflefTed with the principles of
the fanaticks. But in the main here is their character.

They are almoft all agreed in one thing ; which is, that they make
but very little account of outward means, and of thofe a6ls which con-
cern the exterior of religion ; fuch are the order of the church, govern-
ment, difcipline, preaching, liturgies, and the publick exercifes of devo-
tion. All thefe, if we believe them, are to be confidered, as the firft
elements of piety, which are ufeful only to imperfed Chriftians. They
have no great efteem neither for thofe labours and ftudies, by which men
endeavour to acquire knowledge. They reafon little about religion, and
for the moft part, they alledge no other arguments for the articles of theii:
belief, but the inward fenfe they have of them. They do not condemn
morality and good-works, but among themfelves, they fpeak but feebly
of them, and in fuch a ftrain, as leflens confiderably their ufefulnefs and
neceflity. They fay, that our ,works are nothing but dehlement and
abomination; that God does not look upon works, and that ma:n ought
not to judge of his condition by them ; but that all depends upon faith,

and

Cause II. Corruption of Chrijlians. i^^

and an union with God. ' Hence it is that thofe books, which lay a
great ftrefs upon the pradice of Chriftian virtues, do not relifli beft with
them. They piefer contemplations, meditations and inward recollec-
tions, before an adive life and the pra6lice of morality. Nay there are
fome who think, that all the care which men ufe, and all the efforts that
they make to advance in piety, fignifie but little. According to them,
the way to perfedlion and folid virtue, is for a man to be in a ftate of in-
aflioriy to go out of himfelf, to annihilate himfelf ; to have neither
thoughts, nor defires, nor will, but to be as it v/ere dead in the fight of
God ; for thus they exprefs themfelves in figurative and myfterious
words. Under pretence of afcribing all to God, they afiert, that man is
a meer nothing, and an abyfs of mifery ; that in order to be happy, it is
enough for us to be ft-nfible of .our nothingnefs^ and to wsit xnjilence and
trajiquility^ till God is pleafed to work his will in us; and that when the
foul is thus in the ftate of inaPAon, and intirely abandons it felf to God-
then it is, that God fpeaks to, and operates in it. What they fay con-
cerning man's mthingnefs, does not hinder but that moft of them pretend
to be in a ftate of perfeftion, and look upon the reft of Chriftians as
carnal men, who are yet in darknefs, and who never tafted that which
they call the heavenly gift. I might relate here their refining upon divine
love and upon prayer; but what I have faid is fufficient, to difcover ths
fpirit and charailer of fanaticifm.

I am far from charging all thofe who hold thefe opinions, with hy-
pocrify and impiety ; I am perfuaded that there are good men amonaft
them, who are not fenfible of their errors; fcvthat I cannot but blame
the feverity which is ufed towards them in fome places, and the odious
imputations that are caft upon them in order to vilify them all, without
diftin6lion. If they err, it is for the moft part, thro' weaknefs and pre-
pofTeffion, rather than thro' malice.

Nay it may be faid in their behalf, that thefe illufions would not have
grown fo common, if there had not been a general, and in fome meafur^
an incurable corruption in the world. But they faw every where a pro-
digious decay of piety, and little hope of amendment. For what may
we not fay of the prelcnt ftate of Chriftianity ? There is in many places
an ignorant and fuperftitious Clergy and people; whofe whole relio-ion
confifts, in ceremonies, and in devotions, which are merely externalj'^nd
often ridiculous ; above all, there appears in thofe places a deluo-e of im-
morality. Is it then to be wonder'd at, that quietifm and fanaticifm
fliould rear up their heads in fuch places? Thefe grofs abufes do not in-
deed prevail every where ; but generally fpeaking, there is but little of
true piety among Chriftians, there is fcarce any order or difcipline left
amongft them; men^live as they pleafe; the facraments are prophaned;
the precepts of the Gofpcl are trampled under foot; charity and honeftv
are almoft entirely banifhed. No man fets about the redreffinp- of theVe
diforders; church-men make it their capital bufinefs, to maintain their
difputes and their tenets, and they apply themfelves but faintly to the re-
forming of- manners. Religion being upon this foot, many who had
good intentions, could not but perceive that this was not true and genuine
Chriftianity. But becaufe they fiiw no likelihood of things being brought
to a better pofture; or becaufe they wanted capacity to°hnd out the oc-

cafions

144 Caujh of t%e prefent f*ART t*

cafions and remedies of fo great an evil; or laftly; becaufe they were?
men of weak parts, they hearicned to thofe who propofed to them this
ciyftical piety.

This is the caufe of the pirogrefs of fariatleifm, and the reafon why
feme perfons of virtue and piety are ertgag'd in that party. And there-
fore the true way to reclaim them, would be to re-eitablifh Order in the
church, and to labour for the reformation of manners. As long as
thefe are negleded, all the precautions and methods ufed againft fanaticlcs
by the clergy, or by the magiftrate, will either prove unfuccefsful, or be
found contrary to the fpirit of Chriflianity.

But after all, this fpirit of fanaticifm is highly pernicious, p'or firfl?
it opens a gap to all manner of licentioiifncfs. Not to mention the mifr*
chiefs which may redound from thence upon civil fociety; myftical piety
is a large fountam of illufions ; it leads men into endlefs errors, and it is
ipt to turn all religion upfide down ; for as it is lodged only in inward
fentiments it cannot happen otherwife, but that vaft numbers of men
who either want knowledge or ftrength of partsj will take the wandrings
of their own fancies for divine infpirations. I know that fome of thole
contemplative men, acknowledge the Scripture for the rule of their faithj
and read it carefully; but the mifchief is, that thro' their prejudices, they
fix a wrong fenfe upon it, fo that what they read does but confirm them
in their errors. Their expofitions are very Angular; they do not affix
to words the fame ideas which other men do; they forfake the literal fenfe,
to run after myftical explications fuitable to their preconceived notions}
they rcjeiSt or make very light of thofe helps which the knowledge of
languages, hiftory, and the fcope of facred writers, afford; and it is
one of their principles, that women, mechanicks, and the moft fimple
people, are able to underftand the Scripture as well, if not better, than
the moft learned docStors.

2. Fanaticifm is an evil which is hardly to be remedied: a heretick,
Or a prophane perfon, may fooncr may be undeceived, than a man intoxi-
cated with myftical devotion ; for thefe will reafon, but the other will
hearken to no reafoning ; fo that he is proof againft all the arguments which
can be offered to him. It is in vain to difpute with people, who look on
all thofe who are not of their mind, as ignorant men; who think them-
felves illuminated above the reft of mankind, and who return no other
anfwer to the objeftion urged againft them ; but that they are otherwife
perfuaded in their minds. There is no good to be done upon them ; ei-
ther by reafoning or by ft-nfe, of which they make but little ufe; or even
by the Scripture, wherein they feek nothing lefs, than the literal meaning.

3. Tho' myftical men profefs a fubhme piety; yet their principles
j(avour corruption more than one may be apt to imagine. How can we
reconcile thofe maxims concerning comte?nplatiof7, inanition^ and filence^
With that adivity, zeal, and fervour which the Scripture recommends I
If a man is a meer nothing, if he is to wait patiently till God works his
will in him, and fpeaks to his foul ; it is in vain to exhort men, and it
would be to no purpofe for them to ufe any endeavours on their part*
Befides, that contempt of outward tneans which the Myjl'uh exprefs,
makes way for a total negle£l of devotion, introduces diforder and liccn-
tiouf^jefs, and is dire^^y oppofite tg God's defign^ who thpught fit tp

prefcribe

Cause III. Corruption of Chrl/lldns. 145

prefcribe the Life of thofe means. I might add, that the principles of
fanaticifm are cominodious enough for finners, fo that 1 do not wonder,
that-fome of them fhould go over to that party. A devotion which con-
fifts in acknowledging a man's own mthlngnefs^ or in contemplation and
fileticey is much more acceptable to a corrupt perfon, than an exa6i mo-
rality, which obliges a man, to do acts of repentance, to put his own
hand to the w )rk, and to fet about the reforming of his life,' and the
practifing of Chriftian virtues. , ,

Upon the \vhole matter, fanaticifm, makes . religion contemptible;
becaufe the men of the world confound' true with myftical pietv.
They fanfy that a man cannot be devout, without being fomething vi-
fionary and-enthufiaftical; and that devotion does not well agree "with
fenfe and reafon.

The prejudices I have mentioned in this chapter, are not the only oiles
which foment and cherifh corruption; fome others might have beer»
added, but they may niore conveniently be ranged under the titles of
fome of the following chapters. What I have faid in this, does yet far-
ther fhew the neceility of good inftru^iion ; which may conquer thefe
prejudices, and give men true notions of religion and piety.

^XXXXXXXXXXXKXXXXKXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXKXXXS?
CAUSE in.

T"/;.' Maxims and Sentiments zuhich are made ufe of to authorize CorruptloHi

^;*;;iK^T has been fhewn in the two preceding chapters,- that men are
% I S generally involved in ignorance, and that they entertain fuch
^^MJ^ notions concerning religion and piety, as muft of neceffity main-
tain corruption in the v/orld; But they are likewife; pofieft with divers
particular maxims and fentiments, which lead dire6!ly to libertinifm. A
modern author very well obferves j * That people are not only very Utile
acquainted, with the exteiit of that purity which the Gofpel requires-, but that
they are hefides full of tnaxims, incomparably more pernicious, than errors of
pure fpeculation. Thefe maxims do the more certainly produce corrup-
tion, becaufe they are ufed to authorise and countenance it. And in
faiSt, men's biindnef^; and llcentioufnefs are come to that pafs ; that not
being contented with the pracStice of vice ; they do befides plead autho-
rity for an ill life. They proceed fo far as to defend the caufe of cor-
ruption ; they difpute with thofe that condemn them, and they vent fuch
maxims and fentiments, as (if we believe them) will juftifie, or at leaft
excufe all their diforders. 1 could not omit here the examining of thofe
maxims, fmce their eftecl is fo pernicious j I iliall therefore obferve
them as the third caufe of corruption.

The maxims and fentiments which favour corruption are of two forts.
Some are vifibly profane and impious; fuch are a great many maxims of
the libertines, which go for currant in the work! ; but there are others

which
• New Moral EJfays, Tom. I, in the preface.

Vol, VL K

146 Caujes of the prejent Part L

which men pretend to draw from religion. I (hall infift particularly
upon the latter, becaufe as they are taken from religion it felf, they are
by much the more dangerous. When profane people undertake to de-
fend vice with maxims which are manifeflly impious, we ftand upon our
guard againfl them, and we may confute them by the maxims of religion.
But when they employ religion and the truths of it, in the defence of
vice; the danger of being feduced is infinitely greater.

I fhall reduce the maxims which are made ufe of to authorize corrup-
tion to thefe four orders.

I rank thofe in the/r// order, by which men endeavour to prove, that
holinefs is not abfolutely neceflary.

The fccond order contains thofe which tend to (hew, that the pradice
of holinefs is impoilible.

The third comprehends thofe which infinuate, that it is dangerous for
a man to apply himfelf to good-works.

The fourth and the lafl includes thofe which are alledgcd to excufe cor-
ruption.

But as it is not lefs neceflary, to know the remedies againfl corrup-
tion, than to difcover the caufes of it ; I (hall not only mention, but as I
go on confute thofe maxims.

I. Although nothing is more clearly afTerted in the Gofpel, than the
neceffity of good-works ; yet Chriftians entertain many opinions which
deftroy this neceflity, and which confequently open a door to licentiouf-
nefs. The neceffity of good-works cannot be overthrown but one of
thefe two ways ; either by faying, that God does not require them ; or
elfe by maintaining, that tho' God requires them, yet a man may be faved
without the practice of them.

I. In order to prove that God does not require fanflity and good-
works, as a condition abfolutely neceflary to falvation, thefe two maxims
are abufed. i. That we are not faved by our works. And 2. That faith it

fufficient to falvation. The firfl: of thefe maxims is intended to exclude
good-works ; and by the fecond men would fubftitute another mean for
obtaining falvation. I referr the difcufling of thefe two maxims to the
next chapter, becaufe they are drawn from the holy Scrijiture.

II. Men endeavour to perfuade themfelves, that tho' they negle£t ho-.
linefs, yet for all that, they {hall not be excluded from falvation. And
that which contributes mofl: to flatter them in this imagination, is firft,
the notion they have formed to themfelves of the mercy of God. Gody
fay they, is good^ and tuill not judge us with the utmofi rigour. This is faid
every day, and it makes every body hope for falvation. The Divine
mercy indeed is without queftion, the only ground we have to hope for
falvation. But the vilefl: affront we can offer to that mercy, is to make
it an occafion of fccurity. Becaufe God is good and merciful, muft not
we therefore endeavour to pleafe him? May we freely offend him, be-
caufe he is good, and we hope he will forgive us ?

Thofe who reafon at this rate, underfl:and very little what the Divine
mercy is. They muft: fuppofe that it extends indifferently to all men
without any regard to their obedience or difobedience. But this fuppo-
fition is evidently talfe, and contrary to the holy Scripture. The eftefts
of God's mercy, are promifed only to thofe who fear him and depart from
i evil 5

Cause III. Corruption of Chrijiians, t/^y

evil ; and by confequence, it is a falfe and pernicious maxim, to fay, Sa
?nuch hoUnep is not necejfary ; God is good^ and he will not mark fever elj
what is done amifs. This is to afcribe to God an eafmefs and a conni-
vance, utterly unbecoming the fovereign Judge of the world.

It is faid befides, That God tvill not judge us rigoroujly. That indeed,
Is true ; God is indulgent towards us, and the Gofpel is a covenant of
grace, in which God has a great regard to our prefent condition, and
wealcnefs. But it is likewife certain, that God will judge us accordins;
to the rigour of the covenant of grace ; and that no falvation is to be had
for thofe who do not fulfil the condition of the Gofpel j now this condi-
tion, is a true faith, inciting us to holinefs. This muft be granted, and
we muft acknowledge the neceflity of performing this condition, and of
leading a holy life ; or elfe the Gofpel is but a jeft ^ and we muft Hiy, that
God does not fpeak feriouHy in it ; that indeed he prefcribes certain con-
ditions, that he commands and threatens; but that nothing of all this is
to be ftriftly underftood ; fo that tho* a man does not comply with the
conditions which God requires, yet he fhall feel the efFeds of his cle-
mency. If this is true, there is an end of the Chriftian religion.

2. It will no doubt be replied, That provided a man repents^ and aflis
God's forgivenefs^ he Jhall he faved. This is an unqueftionable truth; fo
by repentance we mean that, which the Gofpel requires, and which con-
lifts in a fmcere deteftation of fin, in true converfion and amendment of
life. But this is falfe, if by repentance, we mean only a general con-
feflion of fins, accompanied with fome fenfe of grief and fear, whereby
fmners hope at the hour of death, to attone for all the diforder of a vi-
tious life. I would fliewhere that this is no faving repentance, but that
I am to handle this matter purpofely in another chapter.

If men commonly negleiS thofe things, which are not very neceflary;
they apply themfelves much lefs, to thofe which they think to be impoffi-
ble. Now this is the notion which men commonly have of piety. It is
faid firft, That it is impoffible for a man to he fo holy, and to do that which
God commands. A great many like the precepts of the Gofpel very well,
and acknowledge their juftice and excellency, Woidd to God, fay they, we
could live thus, but lue are not able to do it: and being pofleft with this opi-
nion, they ufc no endeavour to pra£life thofe duties which they own to
bejuft; or to attain to that holinefs, to which God calls them. And
indeed, what man would attempt that, which he looks upon as impoffible.

Now what is faid of man's incapacity to do good, is very true, whea
we fpeak of man confidered barely as man, in the corrupt ftate of nature.
But the queftion is. Whether thofe w^om God has refcued out of that
ftate, and called to the communion of the Gofpel, are incapable to ar-
rive at that degree of holinefs, which he requires of them? The Apoftles
gives us another notion of thofe who know and believe in Jefus Chrift.
They reprefent to us indeed the miferable condition in which men natu-
rally arc, and the greatnefs of their corruption ; but they tell us at the
fame time, that Chrift is come to deliver them from that ftate, * that a
Chrifian can do all things through Chrijl, that flrengtheneth him : f that he
is perfeSi and throughly furnijhed to all good works: % that he who laves God
keeps his commandments, and overcofne-^Mfi^woild. This plainly imports,

K 2 that

• Phil, iv. 13. f z Tim. xi. 21. J 1 John ver. 34.

14.S Caufes of th-; prefent Part I.

that v/e are no longer In that ft-ate of corruption and death, wherein man
beino- left to hlmfelr, is a flave to fin; or at leaft that we ought to be no
lono-er in that ftate, after all that which the grace of God has done for
us. It is the greateft injury, that can be done to Chriil: and his grace,
to fay, That his coming, his death, his Gofpel, and his Spirit, are not
able to {anctify men; and that after they are redeemed and adopted by
God, it is impoflible for them to be good, and to do what he commands.

If this v*'as true, where would be the power of the Chriftian religion,
and what could we think of God's proceeding when he addrefies his
commandments to us I At this rate, he gives us a law, not that we fhould
keep it; but rather to convince us that we cannot obferve it. In this
cafe, what will become of our Saviour's precepts, and what are we to
think of thofe pure and exalted morals which he has left us ? Evangelical
holinefs will be nothing elfe but an imaginary and unpracticable fandity,
Thofe ideas of perfe6tion will be but meer ideas, without any reality;
like thofe of that philofopher, who form'd a fine fcheme of the beft go-
vernment 0^ a common- wealth ; but it was a proje6l which could never
be executed. It were to be wiflied, we might remember, that, thanks
be to God, we are no longer heathens ; and that men fhould be en-
coura"-cd, and not difheartencd by extravagant maxims and difcourfes.
Which is the imitating thofe cowardly fpies, who after they had viewed
the land of Caftaa?i^ went about to difpirit the Ifraelitcs^ and to perfuade
them, that the conqueft of that land was impoflible.

2. It is not only faid, that we are not able to be fo holy as the Gofpel
requires ; but it is added befides, that God vjoidd ?iot have us be Ja\ that he
rnakes ufe of fin to keep us hwnhle, and to make us feel the conjlant need zve
have of his grace, as well as to kindle hi us^ the dfire of a better and more per-
fetl life. This maxim reprefents corruption as a thing unavoidable,
agreeable to the will of God, and in fome meafure ufeful. But what
can be more falfe than to pretend, that God ivould not have us to be holy?
Whv then does he command us to be fo? Why does St. PauKiiy, ^This
is the will of God^ to luit, your faneffcation F What can be meant by thefe
words of St. Peter, f -^^ ''^ '^^^^ ^^^^ called you is holy, be ye alfo holy in all i
jvMnntr of convcrfation:, for it is'writteny be yc holy, for I am holy? If it be
iaid, that God would have us to be holy, but not perfectly holy, as we
lliall be in heaven: I a(k no more, Who did ever pretend that we ought
to be as holy in this world, as we are to be in the life to come ? Nothijig
elfe is required of men, but that they fliould be as holy, as God would
have them to be, and as holy as his grace enables them to be in tliis life.
To alledge againil: this, 'That God luould not have us be fo holy, is a ridi-
culous evafion, which implies a contradii^tion. Befides, this maxim taken
in that fenfe,- which it lirft oflers to tl-.e mind, feems to make God the
author of fm. . For it fuppofef, not only that God would not have us to
be fo holv, but which is more llrange, that he wills the contrary, that he
has his views, defigns, and reafons, why he (hould not permit us, to at-
tain that degree of holinefs, to which the Gofpel calls us. That is the
meaning of thefe words, "That God makes ufe of fin, to keep us. humble, to
make ur feci the need %ve have of his grace, and to make ?,'» long for another
///>. If it was faid only, That God had fome reafons to "permit fin:

• fuch
* I Theff. iv. 3. t 1 Pet. i. k. i6.

Cause III. Corruption of Chrijiians. "r.4fl>

fuch an affertlon would be true ; but thofc who alledge this maxim, to
excufc themfelves from obeying the Gofpcl, afcribe to God a pofitive
defign; and a direct intention, which renders that obedience impoffible;
which derogates from his hoUnefs and juftice, and which is manifeftly
contrary to thofe declarations which he himfelf has made in Scripture.
If it were further faid, That our fms ought to humble us, and that they
fiiould ferve to make us wifcr, and more circumfpctSl for the time to
come, and to raife in us a longing after a happier flatc ; this would be very
reafonable. But it does not follow from thence, that we are to afcribe
to God, thofe views and intentions which this maxim afcribes to him.
There is a vaft difference between the defign which God propofcs to
himfelf, and the event of things. Thefe two fhould never be confounded.
Neither ought the natural effect of fin, to be confounded with the con-
fequences of it. The natural effcift of fm can be no other but evilj if
the confequences of it are not always fatal, and if men reap fome ad-
vantage from it, that is, as we fay, by accident. However God has no
need of vice to form us to humility j he has other means to humble us, and
to make us feel the need weftand in of his grace j without being necefll-
tated to let us live under the dominion of fin, to produce thofc difpofi-
tions in us. And there remain ftill even in the very holicft men, matter
enough for them to have recourfe to the Divine mercy, and to afpire to a
better life, notwithftanding all the progrefs they can make in holinefs.
This will be fully cleared in the fequel of this chapter.

3. Here is another maxim which is pretty common; it is faid. That
this world is the place of corruption., that this life is the time of ftn^ and that
holinefs is refcrved for heaven. Men's minds are fo infected with this
imagination ; that we hear it faid every day, even by thofe who have foms
piety ; That we live in this ivorkl only to offend God^ and that we do nothing
but Jin. But certainly, nothing is more contrary to the doftrine of the
Gofpel, than this: for tho' it is true, in a found fenfe, that this world is
the place of corruption, and that fin will never be intirely abolifhed but
in heaven ; yet that does by no means excufe us from ferving and fearing
God, as long as we live here. The firll: thing a Chrifcian ought to know;
is that God has placed him in this world, not to offend, but to to glo-
rifie and ferve him. The gofpel tells us, every where, that this life is
the time which God gives, us to fandlify our felves in. That this earth
is the place where Chriftian virtues are to.be praftifed ; that now is the
time to labour, to tvalk^ to fight., and tofow., if we intend to obtain falva-
tion; and that whoever neglects thefe duties fiiall be (hut out of heaven.
In the life to come thefe opnortunites will be over, the door will be fliut,
and the fentence which God fhall pronounce at the day of judgment,
will be founded upon that v/hich men do in this life.

Nay, we may drav/ an argument from the nature of holinefs it felf, to
demonilrate, that the practice of it is not referred fo another life. The
greateft part of the duties v/hich God prefcribcs j fuch as repentance,
patience, chaftity, fobriety, almfgiving, and hope, cannot be pra6tHed in
heaven. Here then, is the time, the place, and the opportunity, to per-
form thefe duties. Let us refledlupon what St. Paul fays, in his epiftle
to Titus., chap. xi. There he declares. That the grace of God ■which brings
fuhatiir.^ tcachis mm to live fikrly'., righteoujly^' and godly in ibis prcfent

K 3 iv6rld».

J 50 - Caufei of the prefeni Part I.

•world. That is, in this life, and upon earth ; and then he adds, looking
for that hlejTed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our
favioiir Jejlis Chrifi. He makes a diftin£lion between the duty, and the
hope of a Chriftian ; between this world and that which is to come*
This life is the time, and this world the place, wherein we ought to prac-
tife temperance, juftice, and godlinefs. It muft not be afked, where the
difference then lies, between this life and the other, between grace and
glory? For the difference is great and fenfible enough in other refpe6ls.
In the next life we fhall be perfedlly holy j our holinefs will be of another
nature than it is here ; we fhall be like th€ angels, and as we fhall prac-
tife no longer a great many duties, which we pradife here on earth, fo
we fhall exercife many virtues, which cannot be exercifed in this life.

4. I ought not to omit here another maxim, which is not only
very common, but is likcwife moft pernicious, by reafon of the ufe that
is made of it. Some fay. That there was ahvays, and that there will al~
ivays be corruption ; that this is the way of the world^ that men will always he
mcn^ and that the world will not change. It is neceflary to dwell a little
upon this maxim, becaufe it is fpecious, and tends as well as the former,
to make men believe that corruption is necefTary and unavoidable. It
has bcfides a general influence upon the fubjecl matter and defign of this
book ; for it is to little purpofe to defcant upon the fources of corrup-
tion, if there is no amendment to be hoped for, I have four things to fay
upon this maxim.

1. The inference which is made from it is abfurd. For the' an evil
is general, it does not follow, that it is to no purpofe to endeavour to
keep our felves free from it ; unlefs it were an evil from which men
could not poffibly preferve themfelves. There have been always and
there will always be difeafes in the world j and yet no man hitherto has
been fo weak as to maintain, that the precautions and remedies which
are ufed againfl difeafes, are altogether ufelefs. Thus tho' corruption
reigns in the world ; yet that does not hinder, but that men ought to ufe
thofe means which God affords them to that end.

2. This maxim is founded upon a falfe fuppofition. For' tho' it is true,
that there has been always, and there always will be corruption in the
world ; yet it ought not to be fuppofed, that this corruption is alike at all
times, or that things are always to be in the fame ftate they now are in.
This were a falfe fuppofition and contrary to experience, as may eafily be
proved with refpeif: to the time pafl, the prefent, and the future. FirfF,
when we refledt upon pafl ages, we cannot fay that all times have been
alike, in reference to religion. It is not to be denied, but that before
Chrifl's coming, the world was plunged in a general corruption, and that
the ftate of it has been confiderably altered by the preaching of the gof-
pel. Can any one deny but that the primitive church was purer, than
the church which we find in the ninth or tenth century? At this day,
tho' there is a general diffolutenefs, yet there is more or lefs corruption in
fome places than in others. It is true in fadl, that where the gofpel is
duly preached, and where there is fome order and difcipline left, there
appears more piety and religion than in other places. As for the time
to come we mufl not think it impoffible to reftore things to a better
ftate, or imagine that the world will always continue as it is, tho' the

means

Cause III, Corruption of Chrijiians, I^I

means were ufed which God has appointed to reform it. For this wil^
no fooner be done, but corruption will abate j as I hope to make it ap-
pear, in the fecond part of this book.

3. This maxim is diredlly contrary to the word of God. The fcrlp-
ture often fpeaks of the corruption of the world, but does it always in
fuch a manner, as gives us to underftand that Chrlflians may, and ought
to renounce it. St. Paul fpeaks of the finful courfes which the world
lies in, Eph, xl. But he fuppofes, that the Ephefmns did no longer fol*
low thofe courfes after they were converted to the Chrlftian religion.
The fame apoftle commands us, * not to be conforjncd to this prefcnt tvorld.
And St. James when he defcribes the fpirit and character of that \pure
and undefiled religion^ which is acceptable to God, he tells us, among
other things, that it confifts in a man's keeping himjelf unfpotted frotn the
world.

4. In the laft place, this maxim is extreamly dangerous. In that fenfe
and defign in which it is propofed, it leads to impiety, it robs religion of
all its power, and it furnifhes libertines with a plea, which does intirely
juftify them. For in Ihort, either corruption maybe remedied, and men
may be reduced to a more Chriftian life ; or it may not. If it cannot
be remedied, this maxim is true, and prophane men are in the right.
But in that cafe, I fay it again, religion is but a name ; for if no flop
can be given to corruption, if things muft ftill go on at the fame rate ;
why do we talk of religion, or why do we preach the gofpel ? We may
teach and exhort as long as we pleafe, but for all that, there will be nei-
ther more nor lefs fin ; men will always be what they are, and the world
will not alter. What notion muft this give us of the efficacy of Chrifti-
anity, or of the fincerity of its precepts, promifes and threatnings? I
grant then, that corruption is great, that the courfe of the world Is very
bad, and that in all probability, there will always be wickednefs upon
earth. But that this corruption fhould be always the fame, fo that no
reformation can be hoped j is what cannot be maintained without af-
fronting religion, without introducing fatality and extingulihing all zeal
among Chriftians.

III. By the maxims we have hitherto examined, men endeavour to prove,
that the pra6tice of holinefs, is either of no great neceffity, or that it is
impoffible. But there are fome others, which reprefent the ftudy of vir-
tue, as dangerous ; fo that here vicious men do not ftand barely upon the
defenfive part, but they attack their adverfaries, who recommend the du-
ties of holinefs.

I. They pretend, that we cannot infift fo much upon works, without
obfcuring the glory of the divine mercy. 7Ve muft afcribe all^ fay they,
to mercy^ and nothing to our own righteoufnefs. There is no true Chri-
ftian, but acknowledges, that our falvation is entirely owing to the di-
vine mercy; and rejeils the opinion which attributes any merit to good-
works. It is that mercy which gave us Chrift for our redeemer, and our
falvation is founded upon that redemption. It is that mercy which par-
dons the fins of thofe who believe and repent, and which bears with the
infirmities of regenerate Chriftians. And it is from the fame mercy, that
we expedl that glorious and un-merited reward, which is laid up in hea-
K 4 veil

• Rom. xii. 2. t James i. 2, 7.

tS2 Catifss of the prefent Part I.

^:•en for good men. All thefe are fo many a6ls of the pure niercy of God.
But as we haVe Ihewed that the mercy which faves us, does not excufe
us from good-works, {o the necelTity of good-works, does not leflen in »
the leaft the riches of God's nnercy. Unlefs we admit that there are
contradictions in fcripture ; we muft acknowledge, that the doctrine of
laadification, does perfeftly agree with the do6lrine of grace.

And in truth, to fay, that God gave up his Son to death, in order to
fave men, and that he wil) grant remiiTion of fms, and eternal happinefs,
to every believing and repenting Jinnerj is as mi'ch as can be faifl to
magnify the divine mercy : except we {hould pretend, that God would be
more merciful, if he did indiiiercntly fave all mankind, and rev/ard vice
and virtue alike ; but this would a horrid thought, an-d no Icfs than down-
right blafphemy. Then finners might fay indeed, Let us continue infm^
that grace may abound.

Let us fuppofe that a prince pardons a rebellious fubjedl, and that he
is ready to confer the greateft honours and benefits upon him, on Condi-
tion that this fubjeci:, ftiall accept of the pardon that is offered him, and
fnall reiapfe no more into the fame crime ; vi'ould any man be fo unrea-
fonable as to fay, that the clemency of that prince would be much
greater, if he did grant his favours to this rebel, tho' he fhould perfift In
his crime? And yet this is the fame thing which fome would have God
(do. It is very Grange, that any one fliould think to honour God, by
fuch conceits, as do not only injure his mercy, but his other perfections
too. Becaufc God is merciful, mud we fci^et that he is holy, juft and
good? It is faid, That we muji ajcrihe all to the mercy of God\ what then,
muft we havc.no regard to his hoiinefs, his juilice and his truth? Muft
what the icripture tells of thefe laft perfections, be fcinlly and tenderly
expounded, \vhilft we prefs and fcrue up to the higheft pitch, what it fays
pf mercy?

As to what is added, That we ought to afcribe Jiothing to our ozun rhhfe*
oifntfs; it is unqueftionably true. But do we afcribe any thing to man,
when we fay, that he is bound to do his duty, and to accept the favcur
3,vhich Gpd is pleafcd to beftow upon him ? Can any man fay, that the
rebel I mentioned juft pow, is the author of his own happinefs, and that
he deferves the pardon granted him by his prince; becaufe he accepts of
it, and fulfils the condition upon which it is offered? What reafon then
has a man to value himfclf upon his own righteoufnefs, or to arrogate
any merit to himfelf, fince he is indebted to the grace of God ; both for
the beginnings and the progrefs of his fanftihcation? In fhort, we Ihould
take heed, that for fear of afcribing any thing to man, we may not rob
the divine grace of what belongs to it, by not acknowledging its gifts
and power in a regenerate man.

2. Here is another maxim, which is alledged in confirmation of the
.preceding and which aims at the fiime mark; it is this, That tve muji not
fpecik fo much of gocd-works^ kfi we hfplre men with pride and prcfiimpticn.
And to fupport this maxim it"is ufual, to run out upon mens' inclination
to pride; and upon the heinoufnefs of that fm. But this maxim pro-
ceeds only from the' falfe and cor^fufed notions which men have about re-
ligious matters.

Either this maxim has no fenfe at aU, or elfe it amounts to this; that
whofoever applies himfclf to hoiinefs and good-worksj is in danger of

;l falling

Cause III. Corruption cf Chri/Iians. 153

fallin*!- into pride j and that a neglcdl of virtue contains a man within
the bounds of humility. Which is as much as to fay, thf,t a man may
be holy without humility, and humble without holinefs. Two things
which are the moft ridiculous and contradi^ory, that can be alferted.
At this rate it would be a dangerous thing to be a good man, and mo.re
fafe to be otherwife. By purfuing virtue and holinefs a man draws near
to fm, and to the greateft of fms, I mean pride ; and by neglecSting ho-
linefs, he attains humility, which is one of the chief Chriftian virtues.
If this is true, all that we call vice or virtue, is but an empty found. It
is much that men fhould not fee, that there can be no holinefs without
humility, nor humility \vithout holinefs ; that where there is holinefsj
there is humility, and pride is excluded; and that where pride is, there is
no true fan^lification. The holier a m.an grows, he becomes the more
humble ; and he is fo far from coming the nearer to pride by proceeding
in holinefs, that on the contrary he removes the farther from it. The
inftance of our blefled Saviour, who was both perfectly holy, and per-
fectly humble; is a proof, that humility is not incompatible with holinefs.
But the nature of humility is not well underftood. There are many
who conceive no other humility, bu': that which arlfes ftpm the diforders
of a vicious and irregular life. So that when they would humble good
men, they rank them among the vileft fmners ; they make them fay,
that there is nothing but wickednefs and abomination in them ; and that
they have deferved eternal damnation by innumerable fins which they
have committed, every moment of their lives, and even by the bcft ac-
tions they have done. The ftrongell expreffions and the moft exceffive
hyperboles, are fcarce fufHcient to exaggerate the number and greatnefs
of their fms. But there is enough of other inducements and motives to
humility, without thus confounding vice with virtue. It v/ould be a pretty
fort of humility, for a man to live in fin, to be at defiance with God, to
do nothing for his fake, and then with all this to confefs himfelf a mifcr*
able finner.

Pride and prefumption ftiould not be encouraged ; but yet under the
pretence of humbling men, we ought not to turn them into blocks, oi*
to confound a good man, with a profligate finner. When wc inveigh
agalnft the pride of mxan, we ought not to fink his courage ; for that
would immediately make him incapable of any thing that is good. Un-
der colour of honouring God, we muft not difiionour his workmanfhip,
fpeak fiightingly of his gifts, and overlook his image, in thofe who bear
it in a double capacity ; as they are men, and as they are Chriftians. It
is a piece of pride to arrogate any thing to our felves which wc have not,
or v,'hich dees not come from us ; but it is a falfe humility, it is hypd-
crify, not to acknov.'ledge the graces of God in us.

it is objected ; That Jorne prejiwie much upon themfehes, that man is very
apt to flatter himfelf^ and to this purpofe, the Pharijees are mentioned, zuho
trujled in their own jightcoufnefs. To this I reply, that thofe prefiimp-
tious perfons are hypocrites, who have no folid piety. I fay, that the
grace of God, beats down that pride, and that jjjhe Pharijees had nothing
but an external righteoufnefs, a deceitful and hypocritical fanftity. It is
therefore without rcafon, that men cry down holinefs, and pretend thdt
the Ibidy of good-works begets prefumption, becaufe there have been,
' ■ ■ "^ aiid

154 Caiijh cf the prefeni Part I.

and there ftill arc hypocrites. If we may fay where pride is to be found j
it is in thofe wild and extravagant inoralills, who make all thefe ob-
jections. Thofe men afcribe very little to good-works, and yet what
opinion do they not entertain of themfelves? They fancy themfelves
God's favourites, and the truly humble men ; and all this by virtue of
their flock of confidence: and which is yet worfe, they judge rafhly of
tliofe, who endeavour to live better than themfelves, and they make bold
to call them Pharifees and hypocrites. Is not this a moft intolerable pre-
fumption and boldnefs ?

3. The abettors of corruption infift mightily upon this maxim, 7hat
excefs in all things is to be condemned t, and that piety^ when carried too far ^
Regenerates into fitpefjlition and hypocrify. ' It is not only the libertines fpeak
after this manner ; many who would be thought wife and rational men,
ufe the fame language. They pretend to virtue, they condemn atheifm
and impiety ; but they likewife condemn thofe who would^tie men to the
^nSt pradice of the duties of holinefs. In all things^ fay they, a ju/i me-
diwn is to be obferved. The worft of it is, that fome moralifts give an
occafion to thefe opinions, by the pidlures they make of hypocritical and
fuperftitious men. They reprefent them as men, who carry all the ap-
pearances of dSvout perfons j they tell us, that hypocrify goes beyond
true devotion ; and they are not aware that by this, they turn religioB
into ridicule, and render it odious.

This maxim as well as the former, is founded upon the un-accurate
notions, which moft people have concerning morals ; for it will appear
to every man who examines this matter with fome care. i. That piety-
can never be carried too far, and that we can never do too much in obe-
dience to God, and in compliance with our duty. And 2. That piety,
and fuperftition or hypocrify, are things oppofite to one another : fo that
to imagine, that a diligent and earneft application to piety, leads men to
fuperftition, or hypocriCy, is a monftrous abfurdity, and the higheft con-
tradidion that can be maintained. It is juft as if one ftiould fay, that
gold or fdvej; by being very much refined might at laft degenerate into
lead, or earth. How or which way can piety turn to fuperftition, or hy-
pocrify? This is a thing that cannot be conceived. As long as men
reafon upon true principles, they may purfue them with aflurance, and
without fear of running themfelves into falfc or dangerous confequences.
Men will never fall into fuperftition or hypocrify, by the praftice of vir-
tue. So far from it, that the more true piety a man has, he will find
himfelf at the greater diftance from fuperftition and hypocrify : and a
fuperftitious perfon is fo far from out-ftripping a good-man, that on the
contrary he comes infinitely behind him. Solid virtue is always attended
■with thefe two charaders : firft it is fincere and from the heart, and by
that it deftroys hypocrify, inftead of producing it : and then fecondly, it
is well-informed and rational, it fills the mind and heart with true no-
tions, with great and elevated views ; and fo it fets men at an infinite
diftance from thofe mean, ignorant, and trifling things which the fuper-
ftitious are taken up withal. Let us conclude then, that hypocritical and
fuperftitious men, are Co far from having too much piety, that they have
none at all : if it happens fometimes, as it certainly does ; that men who
have a found and honeft heart, are fomewhat given to an odd kind of de-
votion^

Cause III. Corruption of Chrtjiians. 15^

votion, which in fome refpe£ls favours of fuperftition ; this does not pro-
ceed from piety it felf, but from a defe£t in thofe that profefs it, who
may either want knowledge, or force of mind.

IV. Tho' men endeavour to defend corruption, with thofe maxims I
have related ; yet as thefe maxims may eafily be confuted, fo they are
fometimes forced to acknowledge, that the depravation of the age is
great, and that the life of Chriftians is not agreeable to the rules of their
religion. But for all this, they do not give up the caufe. They betake
themfelves to various excufes, by which they think to exempt themfelvey
from their duty, or at leaft to leflen and extenuate the fin of not obferv-
ing it. Thefe excufes muft needs maintain them in fecurity ; they arc
belides very common, and even pafs frequently for good and juft. There-
fore I think it may be proper to refute them too, in this chapter. It
would be a difficult tafk, to reckon up all the excufes which are alledged
in the behalf of corruption, and to trace out all the doublings and ar-
tifices of man's heart, upon this matter. It will be fufficient to mention
thofe which are mofl: general and ordinary.

I . It is cuftomary to excufe corruption, by faying, That we are mev^
end not angels. This excufe might be defliroyed by what has been already
faid, but yet it may be ufefuU to dwell a little upon it. It is faid then.
That zve are ?ncn, and not angels ; and that is a moft certain truth ; but
there is no ground to juftify or excufe by that the ill lives of Chriftians.
For firft, that very thing that we are men, obliges us to the prailice of
virtue, inftead of exempting us from it. JVe are men^ and as fuch, we
have a reafon which diftinguifhes us from brutes, and a confcience which
difcerns between good and evil ; we ought then to live according to rea-
fon, and the principles of confcience ; and to do that which becomes the
nature of man. We are men^ and by confequence mortal, we know we
are not to live always in this world j and knowing this, Ave muft either
think of another life, or propofe to our felves no other end, than that of
beafts ; which follow their inftinft while they live, and then die never to
live again. We are men, but we are not independent, we have a creator
and a mafter; and as we are endued befides with underftanding, we are
to give an account of our adions before his tribunal ; it is therefore
agreeable to the nature of man, to live like a creature that depends upon
God, and that muft be judged. So that this confideration, that ive are
men, is fo far from excufing, that it condemns corruption.

But it may be faid that %ve are w'eak men. This is very true, our na-
ture is frail, and has befides a ftrong byafs to evil. But God fpeaks to
us as to weak men ; he commands us nothing but what is proportioned,
to that ftate of imperfe6lion we are in. Befides, this excufe does not
at all become Chriftians. To fay, we are weak men, is to Ihew we have
-but little fenfe of God's kindnefs towards us. We are not only men,
but we are Chriftians too, and this quality raifes us above the natural
condition of men ; it makes us new men and new creatures. Why do
we then forget the glory to which God has exalted our nature through
Jefus Chrift? Why would we ftill lie under the burden of frail and cor-
rupt nature ?

It is further fiid, that we are not angels. But neither is it neceflary
that we fhould be fo, to do that which God commands us. When God

gives.

156 Caiifes of the prefent Part I.

gives us his lav/s, he knows he gives them to men ; and therefore they
are admirably fiiited to our prefent condition in this world. If we were
angels, God would give us" quite other laws, the gofpel would be abo-
lifhed, ar»d the world fhould continue no longer in the ftate it is in. It
is therefore an abfurd imaginatioi:, to think that one cannot perform the
duties of religion without being of an angelical nature.

Let us then no longer pretejid, That becaufe vje are men we are too
weak to obfer-ve the duties which religion prefcribes ; this excufe charges God
with injuftice, as if he did require from us fuch things, as are not agree-
able with our nature and condition ; it is injurious to the gofpel and to
the Chriftian religion, as well as to the grace of Chrift, and the power
of his fpii-it ; it is falfe, fmce the fcripture declares, that grace regene-
rates and flrengthens us, and that it makes us able to overcome the vi-
tious inclinations of our nature, and to free our felves from the do-
minion of fm : and laftly, it is contrary to experience ; for thofe many
faints and good men, who praclifcd the moll *'fublime and difficult duties of
pict)', were men as \\q are, and as the f facred writers obferve, they were
fubje6t to the fame infirmities with us, and many of them perhaps, had
not thofe advantages which we have.

2.. It is often alledged as an excufe. That no man Is perfeSf, and that
every one has his faults. This is faid every day, and fome pretend with
that faying, to excufe every thing. Excufes for the moft part, have
fomething of truth in them. This propofition. That no man is perfe£fy
is very true in one fenfe, and altogether falfe in another.

No man certainly is perfe£l, in the diricl fenfe of that word, or as it
imports a full and accompliflied pcrfeilion, free from all Ac'itdi ; fuch a
perfection is to be had no where elfe but in heaven. But there is a per-
fedtion commenced, or begun, of which a man redeemed and fandified
by Jefus Chrift, is capable. If it was not fo : why (hould Chrift and his
apoftles exhort us, Xto be perfect? Why Ihould they tell us, \that he who
is born of God does nrAfin? And that a Chriftian is ^thoroughly fitrnijlud
io every good luork? If you afk, who thofe perfect men are? I anfwer,
that they are thofe who aij^ire to perfe£tion, in whom fm does not reign,
who do not allow thcmfelves in any vitious habit, who fmcerelyand ho-
jieftly apply themfelves to holinefs, and have accuftomed themfelves to
pra6tife the duties of it with delight. Whoever is arrived at fuch a
ftate, has attained that perfeilion which is attainable in this life, and to
which Chriftians are called by the gofpel ; tho' there remain ftill in him
fome infirmities infcparable from humane nature, and never totally, to be
rooted out, before he gets to heaven. We cannot be perfedl in that firft
and ftrid fenfe I have mentioned ; but we may be perfect, and God will
have us be fo, in rhe fecond and evangelical fenfe of that word.

It is therefore a frivilous excufe in the mouth of corrupt men,' to fay,
T})at no man is perfect ^ aiid that we cannot attain to the perfections or to the
Jiate of the blejjedin heaven -f^or this is to fhift the qiieftion, becaufe tha^
is not the perfection which God requires. We ought not to fix a falfe
•^nd abfard' fenfe upon God's comrriandments, that v/e may have a pre-
tence

* James v. 17. t Heb. xii. \.

,| Matth. v.48. Phil, i. 10. iTheff. v. 23. jj 1 JohnV. 9»

$ 1 Cor. i. 8. 2 Tim. xi. 21.

Cause III. Corruption of Chrlfiians. 157

tence not to obey them. The queftion is, whether Chrlftians are not
bound to do that which God v/ould have them do, and which they are
able to do in this world ; this is the perfection to v/hich he calls us.

We may apply very near the fame ahfvver to that other excufe, That
every body has his fault i : there are faults which do not deftroy piety ; and
God is graciouily pleafed not to impute fuch faults to thofe that fear him;
and in this fenfe, no man is free from fauks; but there is another fort of
faults, which fhould not be called bare, faults or defects; thofe are the
vices and pafTions which cannot confift with piety, the great, the reign-
ing, the habitual or deliberate fins. True Chriftians are free from fuch
faults, and thofe who are. not free from them, are not true Chriftians. If
this maxim, That every one has his faults^ is not thus explained ; we muft
fpeak no longer of virtue and vice; for this excufe will ferve for all fins,
and acquit every body. If a man is given to fwearing, if he is re-
vengful, palfionate, or falfe, if he commit adultery, it is but faying. Every
one has h'ls faults^ and no tnan is perfeB. Such language from a man full
of vicious habits is unfufFerable. What difmal confequences, would not
libertines draw from fuch a principle ? We mull therefore underftand
this propofition, in the {^.n^^^ and with thofe reftriclions I have obferved,
and then it may be ufeful to comfort good men, but it will never excufe
thofe who are vicious.

3. Men endeavour to excufe themfelves, by laying the fins tliey com-
mit, upon the great number and the force of temptations. // Is very
hard^{^.y they, to avoid fin^ we are fo 7nany ways drawn into it, temptations
are fa Jlrong and fo frequent^ that tue muft go out of the ivorld^ if voe zuould
prejerve our innocence. Sometimes they impute to the devi] the fins which
they fall into, and at other times fo great is their audacioufijefs, that they
throw them upon God and his providence.

All thefe excufes are trifling, and fome of them are impious. For, to
begin with that which is borrowed from the multitude and ftreno-th of
temptations ; it is unreafonable to imagine, that the number of tempta-
tions is fo great, that their force is irrefiftible. Temptations are fre-
quent, I confefs ; but it is an error to think, that there is nothing but
fnares and felicitations to fin in the world. This would give us a fi;range
notion of God and of his works, and in that cafe man's condition would
be very miferable. It is certain on the other hand, that the opportuni-
ties and folicitations to good, are very common, efpecialiy in relation to
Chriftians, whom an infinite number of obje<R:s and motives call back to
God, and to their duty. Even temptations themfelves give them occa-
fions of doing good. God fupplies them, ahindantly with all things ne-
eejfary to life and godlinefs ; as we are told, iPet. i. Certainly we are to
prefume, that if God permits that men fhould here meet with tempta-
tions and opportunities of undoing themfelves, he offers them on tha
other hand, many occafions and inducements to take care of their fal-
vation. So that the great number of folicitations to good, does already
deflroy the excufe which is taken from the great number of temptations.

Neither is it more reafonable to complain of the flrength of thofe
temptations. Such a complaint is very unfeemly from Chriftians, v/ho
arc appointed to overcome the world, the ilefh, and all other tempta-
tions. When all things, are well confidered, it will appear, that it is

•within

158 Cattfes of the prcfcnt Part L

within our felves, in our own negligence, and in the perverfnefs of our
wills, that we ought to look for that which makes temptations fo ftrong
and too hard for us. They have no more ftrength than we give them.
St. James has decided this queftion in fuch a manner as fhould flop the
mouth of thofe who feek the caufe of evil any where elfe but in their
©wn hearts. * Every many fays he, is tempted when he is drawn away of
his own lufiy and inticed.

The devil has no more power over us, than temptations have : for he
can but tempt us. But yet we are apt to afcribe to him a kind of om-
nipotence. According to the vulgar opinion, one would think, that the
devil is the author of all the fins that are committed ; that he is every
where ; and that men arc but his inflruments, which he ufes at pleafure.
If this was true, men were ijidced to be pitied, and it would be feme
cxcufe to thofe who live ill. The Scripture teaches us no fuch thing.

But the higheft pitch of temerity, is to charge God and Providence
with our fms. Thus fomc men are wont to fay, Such a thing comes ta
pafs becaufe God would have it fo; and fuch another thing did not happen be-
caufe it did not pleafe God that it flmild. When this excufe is made with
relation to fin, it amounts to the moft horrid of blafphemies; it lays
upon God all the evil that happens, and makes him the author of it : for
either this excufe fignifies nothing ; or elfe it imports, that God is the
caufe of what happens, and not we. This muft needs be the meaning
of it, becaufe men pretend to excufe themfelves with faying, God would
have itfo. In a word, here is no middle way ; either the caufe of fin is
in man, or it is not. If it is in man, he can accufe no body elfe but
himfelfj he cannot clear himfelf by faying, God would or would not
have it fo. If the caufe of fin be not in man, he is difcharged, and all
the evil lights upon God. It is an aftoniftiing thing, that men who be-
lieve God to be infinitely holy and juft, can entertain fuch thoughts.

4. Another excufe is often allcdged, and it is fetched from common
pradfice, cufiom and example. That which is generally done is thought
to be innocent, or at lead: pardonable. But the greatnefs and the uni-
verfality of corruption excufe no body : cuftom and example cannot
make any thing lawful which is bad. Where there is an exprefs law.
It is to no purpofe to plead pradlice to the contrary. Cuftom or num-
bers exempt no man from doing that which God commands, and will
never proteft him at the day of judgment. Cuftom and example are fo
far from excufing vice, that on the contrary, this very thing that the
cuftom is bad, ought to make men fenfible how necellary it is, to fet
about a good reformation.

5. But if men think that example and cuftom excufe them, they
fancy themfelves yet much more excufable, when they can alledge
the examples and the fins of good men. The libertines triumph here.
*/i? ivhat purpofe is it^ fay they, to recommend holi?iefs fa flriofly^ and to en-
force it with fuch fevere penalties^ when we fee many good men follow a courfe
quite oppofite to thofe 7naxi/ns, and to that exaSt morality P But they ought to
confider that it is extream hard, or rather impoflible, to know certainly,
whether a man is truly a good man or not. We cannot be afiiired of
this, unlefs we knew mens hearts, which belongs only to God. This

refledlion
1 James i. 14.

Cause in. Corruption of Chri/liam. jra

reflection does already defeat the excufe, which is borrowed from the fins
of good men. We frequently imagine the perfon who fms to be a good
man, when he is but an hypocrite, or an atheift. Indeed piety and cha-
rity require, that we fhould think the beft of our neighbours, efpecially
of thofe in whom the marks of folid piety and virtue appear ; but nei-
ther charity nor piety obliges us to confound vice with godlinefs, or to
call evil good. Sin is fm, and ought to be condemned wherever we
meet with it, and more particularly in thofe, who pafs for better men
than others. When men who feem to be pious fall into fuch fms as
are inconfiftent with regeneration; we ought to think, that thofe mea
either give the lye to their characSter, and are not what we took then*
for; and then we may apply to them the words of Ezekiel^ chap, xxxiii.
V. i8. JFlum the righteous turneth from bis righteoufnefs^ and committetb
iniquity^ he Jhall even die thereby ; or elfe we muft think, that tho' they
have fome piety, it is but weak as yet, fo that they are not what they
appear to be ; but however, we ought to be pofitive in this. That the
examples and the fins of others, will excufe no man in the fio-ht of God.

6. Another very common evafion, by which men endeavour to excufe
the negleil and omiffion of their duty, is that they do not profefs devotion
and piety. This is the ordinary plea of men of bufinefs, of worldlino-s,
of young people, of courtiers, of military men, and of a great many be-
fides in all conditions. JVe do not pretend to devotion^ they cry, we are in-
gaged in the world. And with this fhift, they not only think themfelves
excufable for negledbing piety ; but they fancy they have a right to neg-
lect it, and that they do a great deal, if they obfcrve fome of the external
duties of it. One can hardly believe, that thefe perfons are in earned
when they make fuch an excufe. It aftonifhes a man to find Chriftians^
who have the confidence to fay. That piety is not their bufinefs, that
they are of another profeflion, and that they are not at leifure to be de-
vout.

I fancy, there are two things which deceive thofe who alledge this
excufe. I. That they do not well underftand what devotion is; ^hey
look upon it as a very aufi:ere and fingular way of living ; from whence
they conclude, that but few people are able to apply themfelves to it,
and Co they turn it over to the clergy, to women, or to thofe who have
much leifure. I have obferve.d already the falfenefs of this prejudice,
and (hewed that piety is neither fingular nor auftere. 2. The other
caufe of their error feems to be this ; that they do not confider, that piety
is every bodies bufinefs, and that fuch is the nature of it, that it may be
praftifed by all men. Not but that fecular occupations and callings, do
frequently obftru^ piety, and ingage men in vice; and therefore a
Chriftian fhould never be fo taken up with the affairs of this life, as
thereby to difable himfclf from performing the duties of Chriftianitr.
But after all, a man may live like a good Chriftian in any lawful calling;
and in that fenfe properly we are to underftand the words of St. Pau/,
* That the grace of God zvhich brings falvation, has appeared unto all men^
teaching thein to live foberly^ righteoufly and godly^ in this prefent world.

Do thofe who plead it for an excufe, that they do not profefs devotion^
imagine, that there are two ways to go to heaven, the one for devout,

and
* Tit> ii. I u

l6o Caufes of the prejeni ^ Part t,

and the other for worldly itien ; the one narrow, and the other broad?
,Do they think that the commandments of God do not concern all meii»
that there is refpe6l of pprfons with God, or that he difbenfes with his
.own Jaws? How can they prove thefe diftinclions ? Are not we, all
Chrifiians ? Have we not all: been baptized I Does not God give us all
the fame laws ? Or have fome more reafon to love God than others ?
And ought not the great concern of our falvation, to be equally dear to
us all ?;■■•■,

1 grant, that thofe who have greater opportunities, and more leifure
than others j ought to make ufc of thefe advantages : but I maintain at
,the fame time ; That none (land in greater need of piety, than thofe who
faVj jye are ingagcd in the worldy zue do 7iot pretend to devotion. It is be-
caufe they are not devout, that their condition i'S very fad; and the more
.they are ingaged in the world, the greater are the temptations and di-
ftrailions to which they are liable : now he that is expofed to a ftorm,
had need take more care, than he who enjoys a calm.

Thefe are the principal maxims and fentiments, which are made ufe
of to authorife corruption. Whoever takes notice of what is faid and
done in the world, muft needs acknowledge that thefe and the like
maxims are vented abroad, every day; fo that in order to obftrudl the
progrefs of corruption, it is abfolutely necellary to undeceive men, in
reference to thefe fentiments, and to oppofe that criminal boldnefs,
which fhamefully corrupts the truths of religion, and turns impieties
into religious maxims, and articles of faith.

#

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CAUSE IV.

The Ah ufe of Holy Scripture.

e:?!'>"*"Q^T is a daring piece of confidence to authorize Corruption with
% I S maxims borrowed from religion; but it is the laft degree of au-
c^^-;^;g= dacioufnefs and impiety, to turn the holy Scripture to fuch a
fcandalous ufc, and to feek in that divine Book pretences and apologies
for vice ; and yet the extravagance and temerity of many bad Chriftians
come up to this pitch. Several declarations of the word of God, are
made by them as many maxims, under which they think to fhelter them-
felves; and if we believe them, there is nothing either in their prailice
or opinions, but what is agreeable to the will and intentions of God
himfelf. This abufe of the Scripture, 1 defign to fhew in this chapter,
to be one of the caufes of corruption ; and it cannot be too ferioufly
confidered.

The paffages of Scripture v/hich are abufcd to this purpofe, may be
reduced to th-fe four heads. The Firji comprehends the places which
are brought againft the neceffity of good-works. Under the Second., we
will examine thofe declarations of Scripture, by which fome endeavour
to prove, that all men without exception, are in a ftate of coruption

which-

Cause IV". Corruption of Chiyi'ians. l6i

which fubjcds them to fin. In the T7;zVW place, we fhall anfwer the
arguments drawn from the examples of thofe faints, whofe fms are
recorded in Scripture. And la/ily^ we fhall make fome reflexions upon
thofe Scriptures, in which the divine Mercy is promifed to the greateft
fmners.

There are divers plflages in Scripture, which being ill underftood,
lead many into this perfuafion. That good-works are not of abfolute
neceffity. And firft, nothing is more confidently alledged to this pur-
pofe, than what we read in many places ; * That we are jii/iijied by faith,
and not by our works. No doftrine is more clearly and expreily delivered
in the Gofpel, than that of juftification by faith. Biit it is a perverting
of this doctrine to conclude from it, that falvation may be obtained
without good- works. This cdnclufion muft needs be falfe^ fince the
Gofpel enjoins good-works as a neceflary condition in order to falvation,
St. Paul tells us, that f without holwefi no man Jhall fee God. And does
not that import, that nbne fhall be faved without holinfefs and good-
works ? The fame apoftle teaches lis, that at the day of judgment,
when men (hall be admitted into, or excluded from heaven ; God will
have a regard to their wolks, to the good or evil which they Ihall have
done. X God will render to every man according to his works. || TFe muji
all appear before the judgment-feat of Ghriji, that we may receive according to
what we have done.^ whether good or bad. This is very pofitive, and
therefore fmce there can be no contradiition in Scripture, here is
Enough already to convince us, that the do6trijie of juftification by faith,
has nothing in it which deftroys the neceffity of good- works.

But it will appear yet lefs difficult to reconcile thefe two doflrines ;
if we fuppofe that which no man can reafonably conteft, namely. That
when the Scripture fays, that faith is fufficient to falvation, we are to
underftand by the word faith in this propofition ; that true faith which
the Gofpel requires. Nov/ if we aik. What that faith is, and by v.'hat
marks may it be known ? All the apoflles will unanimoufly tell us.
That true faith produces a holy life, and that it difcovers it felf by all
manner of good-works. They affign good-works as the eiTential mark
and cha?a6ler, that diftinguilhes a faving from an hypocritical faith.
By that very thing therefore that the Gofpel requires faith, it does like-
wife require good- works, fince faith cannot be without works. And bv
confequence the opinion of thofe, who fancy that faith is fufficient with-
out works, is evidently abfurd, and contrary to the Gofpel, and to the
nature of faith it felf.

But to fet this matter flill in a clearer light ; it is necefiary to take
notice here of two miftakes, which men are apt to run into when thev
fpeak of faith and good-works. The firft is, that they feparate faith
from v/orks ; they look upon faith as a thing quite different from works,
and which fupplies the want of them ; or rather they oppofe faith to
v/orks, as if thefe two things were contrary to each other. A corrupt
man will fay, / confefs that I have not good-ivorks, hut hozvever I have
faith.

Thofe who fpeak thus, fuppole that they may have faith tho' they have
not works ; but St, James has directly confuted this imagination ;

What
* Rom. iii, &c. f Heb. xii. 14. % Rom. ii. 6. || 2 Cor. v. 10.

Vol. VI. L

i52 ^^^ ^ i^^^ prefm Part L

* TVhat docs it profit^ tny Brethren^ though a man jay ht has faith and have nat
works ? Can faith fave him ? If faith have not works, it is deadj being

alone.

Who can after this feparate faving faith from good-works ? Can we
feoarate that from faith, which God has declared to be infeparable from
it ? It fhews that men are ftrangely blinded with ignorance and preju-
dice, when at this time of day we are fain to prove things fo plain and
unqueftionable.

The fecond illufion is, that men place faith in confidence alone, and
many define it by that. They fancy that to have faith, is nothing elfe
but to believe that God is merciful, and to rely upon the merits o(
Chrift ; becaufe faith embraces the promifes of the Gofpel, the natural
effect of which promife is to fill the heart with afTurance and tranquili-
ty. It is beyond all doubt, that for the moft part true faith is attended
with confidence. But confidence is not the whole of faith ; and I can-
not imagine what part of God's word countenances that notion, which
places the effence of faith in confidence alone.

The faith which the Gofpel fpeaks of, confifts in believing that Jefus
is the Chrift, the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world ; in em-
bracino- his do£^rine as true, and in making profeflion of it, in doing his
commandments, and hoping for falvation from him. But the refolving
all faith and religion into ads of confidence, is the moft extravagant
conceit that can enter into a man's head. If this notion was true, it
would follow from it, that in order to be faved, it is enough for a man
to believe that he fliall be faved. Which is the fame thing as to fay.
That whoever would have a right to confide in God, needs do no more
in order to that, than adually to truft in him ; and that is a moft ridi-
culous thought, which turns all religion into a ftrong fancy. Before we
believe a thing we ought to know why we fhould believe it, and have
good reafon and folid grounds for our belief. Before we truft in God,
•we ought to fotisfy our felves that we have a right to confide in him ;
for can a man be faved only becaufe without any ground or reafon he fan-*
cies that he fhall ? We ought not to rely upon God but according to
his promife. Now God has promifed nothing to thofc who live and are
hardened in fin ; far from promifing any thing to them, he threatens
them with inevitable ruin. What claim or title then can an o'bdurate
fmner have to the mercy of God ? What confidence can he repofe in
God's promifes, as long as he continues impenitent? None at all,
except we fuppofe in God a general decree, to fave indifferently all forts
of perfons.

It inuft not be faid. That thefe confiderations are apt to alarm and
difturb the peace of mens confciences, for they will alarm none of thofe
who are animated with true faith and fincere piety. And as to others >
we do them a great piece of fervice ; when we awaken and terrify them
out of that falfe quiet, into which a groundlefs confidence has betrayed
them. On the other hand, it is a dangerous thing to teach, That con-
fidence is the moft eflential tbing to faith -, for by this we may alarm fome
good men, who either through melancholy or want of inftru£lion, arc
«ieftitute of confidence and inward peace. And it has certainly happen-
ed,
f James ii. 14, 17.

CAUfElV. Corruption of ChiJJ I anu l6j

ed, that feveral pious perfons are fallen into black thoughts and fad fcru-
pies concerning their falvation, and that they have in fome meafure de-
fponded, becaufe they did not find confidence, and a fenle of the love of
God in themfelves.

From all thefe reflexions it does evidently appear, that faith never
ought, nor can be feparated from good-work ; and that Chriftians are as
much obliged to apply themfelves to good-works-, as they are to believe^
and to have faith.

But now if it be afked, Why St. P^m/ then Oppofes faith to works, and
why he excludes works, when he treats of juftification ? I anfwerj
That the Apoflle aims at two things by this. His defign is to fhew,
I. That works are not the caufe and foundation of mens falvation; but
that it flows from the pure mercy of God through Jefus Chrift. This
he proves with refpedl both to the Heathens and the Jews^ in the firft
chapters of his epiftle to the Romans. But he did not mean to fay,
That good-works are not necefTary under the covenant of grace. ^1s
exprelfions are too clear .to leave the leaft room for any doubt about this
matter : to rejedl the meritorioufnefs of good-works is one thing, ancl
to deny their neceffity is another. But zdly. becaufe it may be object-
ed, that St. Paul does intirely exclude works, and that he ufes expref-
fions which imply, that Chriftians are no longer obliged to the pradife
of them, and that they have no influence on mens falvation either as
caufes or conditions ; but on the contrary, are oppofed to faith : there-
fore I add, That he fpeaks thus with relation to the works of the cere-
monial law, and efpecially to circumcifion. There were many in St.
Paul's time, who afl'erted, that Chriftians were bound to obferve thofe
legal ordinances. It was about this queftion that the Apoftlcs met at
Jerufalcm, and determined, * That Chrijiians are jujlificd by faith only, and
that the yoke of Mofakal ordinances^ ought not to belaid upon them. The
fame controverfy is handled by St. Paul^ in his epiftle to the Galatians^
where giving an account of his difpute with St. Peter^ and of his re-
proving him for his too great compliance with the Jews; he affirms.
That we are jujiified by the faith of Chrifi^ and not by the works of the
law.

Why has not that difference been obferved which St. Paul makes
about works ? When he fpeaks of the works of the Mofaical law, he
calls them the works of the law, or barely voorks \ but when he treats of
the works which the Gofpel prefcribes, he calls them good-xuorks ; be-
caufe they are really good, holy and profitable in their own nature; but
this title of good-iuorks^ is never bcftowed upon the works of the cere-
monial law, which confidered in themfelves had nothing of gcodnefs or
holinefs in them. In a v/ord, good-ivorks in St. Paul's ftyle, are quite
another thing than barely luorks, or the works of the law.

If this had been confidered, fuch great pains needed not to have been
taken, to make f St. Paul agree with St. Janiss. X St. Paul fays. That
man is juflified by faith tuithout the works of the lazu ; || and St. James, That
man is jujiified by works, and not by faith only. There is no contradiciioii
between thefe two Apoftles, Both follow one hypothefisj and argue up-

L 2 on

* Afta XV. f Rom. iii; 28. J Gal, ii. 16. || James ii. 24.

164 Caufes of the prefent Part I.

on the fame principles. St. P^w/ difputing againft the "Jews^ who would
tye Chriftians to the obfervance of the works of the Mofaical law ; af-
firms. That faith in Chrift is fufficient, provided it brings forth good-
works ; and that it is not neceflary to obferve the Mofaical rites. St.
'James difputing againft Hereticks, who pretended that faith did fave
without good-works, and fo did intirely ruin our Saviour^s morals ; de-
clares, that faith which does not produce good-works, is not fufficient
to falvation. Is not this the fame doftrine with St. PauV% ? But in-
ftead of reconciling thefe two Apoftles, fome people find here great dif-
ficulties. They do not reconcile St. "James with St. Paul^ but they ra-
ther refute St. James by St. Paul. St. James is expounded with great
caution ; as if he had gone too far by faying, That man Isjujiified hy works,
and not by faith only. This propofition is foftned as much as poffible, it
is excufed rather than explained ; but as for what St. Paid fays, That
faith alone jujiifies without works^ it is taken in the utmoft ftriftnefs ; fo
that all is afcribed to faith, and nothing .to good- works. Nay, faith is
fet in oppofition to good-works, and G<;fd to God himfelf ; the paflages
of Scripture which fpeak of faith being brought out againft thofe which
relate to works. It is true, fay fome, the Scripture fays, that without ho-
linejs no ynan Jhall fee God\ but it is likewife written, 'That we are not juf-
iifiedby our zvorks, hut cvly hy faith. And by this way of reafoning, 'men
raife themfelves above the reproaches and accufations of their own con-
fciences. I fay it once more ; this is to attack and confute the word of
God by it felf, and to charge the Holy Ghoft with felf-contradidtion.
For in fhort, if a man can be juftified without good-works, he can be
faved without them too ; fince the being juftified is the fame thing with
the being faved : now if a man can be faved without good-works, he
may fee the face of God without holinefs ; which is dire<Elly contra-
ry to what St. PW tells us, * That without holinefs no man fhall fee the
Lord.

2. A great many people imagine, that it is one of the privileges of
Chriftians, not to be tyed to the obfervation of God's law as the Jews
were ; fome miftaken places give occafion to that error, and particular-
ly this ; f We are no more under the law hut under grace. Thefe words
are thus interpreted. The law didprefcribe works, hut the Gofpel requires,
only faith; the Jaw did threaten, but the Gofpel fpeaks only of grace'artd par-
don. So that to require works, at this time of day, is to bring back the dif
penfation of the law. There is fomething of truth in this reafoning ;
but thofe who make ufe of it to free themfelves from the obfervation of
God's commandments, do very little underftand either what the law ox
the Gofpel is, and wherein thefe two difpenfations differ. It is certain,
that the law was a difpenfation of feverity ; it did not propofe to men
remiflion of fins aud falvation as the Gofpel does. The law had not
that power and efficacy to fanctify men, which grace has. The law laid
upon the Jnvs, a great many obligations which were not only burden-
fome and painful ; but which befides had no intrinferal hoHnefs in them ;
and thofe duties were enjoyned under a curfe. The law it felf was a
time of feverity and maledidlion, in refped to all the nations of the
earth, fince all the v/hile that osconomy did fubfift, they were excluded

from
• Heb. xii. 14. t Rom- vi. 14.

Cause IV. Corruption of Chrljimu. 165

from the covenant which God had made with the yews. In thefe feve-
ral regards, we are not under the law, but under grace.

But it' from this, that we are not under the law, we fhould infer, that
we are no longer bound to do what is juft ; this inference would over-
turn the whole Gofpel, and transform religion into libertinifm. If be-
caufe we are under grace we ought to fpeak no more of works ; why
fhould the Gofpel prefcribe works, and the fame works which the law
cnjoyned, excepting only the ceremonies ? Why fhould this Gofpel
call us to a holinefs, which exceeds that of the Jeivs^ and enforce this
obligation, with more terrible threatnings, than thofe of the law ? Why
did our Saviour, John the Baptift and the Apoftles, preach up repen-
pentance, and enter upon their miniftry with thefe words, * Repent ye P
According to the hypothefis of thefe men, they fhould have fpoken to
them after this manner, This is the time of grace, the law is pq/i, and the
covenant of works is abolijhed; therefore fear nothings let not your fins trouble
you, for falvation is promifed to all mankind^ Whence comes it to pafs that
our II Saviour fpeaks only of works, in his fermon upon the mount ; or
that St. Paul declares, that the natural intention and the proper efFedl of
grace, is to teach men to live according to the rules of temperance, juflice, and
godlinefs ? Muft we fay, that God is altered, that he does not love ho-
linefs fo much now, as he did heretofore ; or that fm is become lefs
odious to him, fmce it was expiated by the death of his Son ? But (it
is faid) lue are no more under the law. What, are Chriftians then alaw-
lefs people ? On the contrary we are under the law, I mean under the
law of Chrift, under % the laiv of the fpirit of life, which snakes us free
from the law of fm and death.

But let us hear St. Paul himfelf, in what fenfe and refpeil does he fay.
That we are no more under the law but under grace ? He fays this, precife-
ly to fhew, that we ought to live no longer in fin. Thefe are his own
words, t TVhat then ? Shall lue fm becaufe vje are not imder the law but
under grace ? God forbid. On the contrary, fin Jhall not have dominion
over you, for ye are not under the law but under grace ; you were formerly
the frv ants of fm, but now being made free from fm, and become thefervants
of God, ye have your fruit imto holinefs. We need but read the fequel of
his difcourfe to fee how he inveighs againft tliofe, who turned the grace
of the Gofpel into a pretence to live in fin.

Before I leave this matter, 1 fhall take notice of two errors, which
are pretty common. The firft is, the applying to Chriftians at this day,
all thofe things which were fpoken of old by the Apoftles, to the con-
verted fews. It is faid. That we are no more ujider the law, and Chrif-
tians are often exhorted to blefs God for being no longer under the curfe
of the law, and the yoke of Mofes. And upon this a great many oppo-
fjtions are obferved betwixt the law and the Gofpel. For my part, I do
not think thofe exhortations and oppofitions, fo very proper to be infill-
ed on, when we are fpeaking to men who never were fews ; unlefs we
do it with a defign to fhew the excellency of the Gofpel covenant, above
that of the law, and the advantages of Chriftians above fews. For af-
ter all, the law was given only to the fews, and the Gentiles were ne-

L 3 ver

* Matth. iii. 2. & iv. 17. II Match, v, 6. 7. % Rom. viii, 2.

f Rom. vi. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18,

i66 Caufes of the prefent Part I,

ver fubjeded to the ceremonies or the curfe of it, as the Jews were..
Why fhould we then fay to people who never were under the law, Ton
are no more under the law ? The ' Apoftles indeed fpoke in that manner
to the converted yews ; but as to thofe who were formerly Pagans, it
would be more fitting to tell them ; * Ton have been converted from idols
to the living God, Remember that ye were in times pafl Gentiles zvithout hope,
and without God in the world ; and therefore live no longer like Heathens. . It
is a great fault not to expound the Scripture according to the true fcope
of it, and to apply all that it contains, to all forts of perfons without di-
llinftion.

The other error is of greater confequence. People fancy, that be-
caufe we are not under the law, which was a covenant of rigor, we are
now to fpeak of nothing elfe to men, but of grace and promifes, and
that it is contrary to the fpirit of the Gofpel, to threaten and to denounce
C^rfes againft fmners. It has been faid already, in what fenfe the law
was a covenant of rigor, in oppofition to the covenant of grace > but
the Gofpel has alfo its curfes, and they are much more terrible than thof?
of the law. The Gofpel fpeaks of the future punifliments of another
life, in much clearer and ftronger expreffions, than the law does. To
be cpnvinc'd of this, we need b^t reflc£l upon that oppofition which St,
Ptfi^/ makes between the law and the Gofpel, in the tenth chapter to the
Hebrews, He that defpfed' Mojes^s law died ivithcut mercy, under two or three
luitnc^es ; of how muchfoy er pu7iijk?nent, fuppcfe ye Jhall he be thought worthy,
•who has trodden under foot the_ Son of God, and has counted the blood of the co-
venant wherewith he zvasfdnclified an wtholy thing, and has done defptght unto
the jj>irit of grace F IVe know him that has faid. Vengeance belongeth unto
me, I will recompenfe, faith the Lord. It is a fearful thing to fall into the
handof the living God.

3. The Libertines do likewife abufe what St. Paul fays in the epiftle
to the f Galatians concerning Chriftian liberty; when he declares that
Kyhx\^'\zn?, are freed from the bondage of the latu, when he exhorts them ; to
Jl and fajl in thai liberty, and protefts, that Chri/lprofiteth nothing to thofe,
xuho would be juflijied 'by the laiv. But a man may feewith half an eye,
that the Apoiile "meant only, that Chriftians are no longer bound to ob-
serve circumcifion, and the other ceremonies of the law of Mofe's, That
St. Paul has no other viev/ or defign but this, will plainly appear to eve-
ry one who will read the whole epiftle, and particularly the fecond chap-
ter of it.

■ In the y chapter we find two things which are decifive in this matter.
I. St. Paid fpeaks there exprefly of circumcifion." \ Behold I Paul fay
unto you, that if you be circumcifed, Chriji fiall profit you nothing y for I tejii-
fie again to every man that is circurticifed, that he is a debtor to do the whole
law. Chrij? is become of none effed unto you, vjhofoeverofyou are jujiified by
the law, ye are fallen from grace. i- It is very obfervablc, with what cir-
cumfpe6tion the Apoftle delivers himfelf, left his do6lrine fhould be Vv'reft-
ed to favour licentioufnefs ; after he had faid, 1| Tou are called liberty, he
iiddSj immediately on^.y ufe not liberty for an occafonio the fejh. He explains
■ • ' " whiJit

f Their, i. 9. EpheHii, \z. &iv. 17. f Gal. v. \.

\ Gal. V. 2,3,4. 'II Ver. 13. ■ •

Cause IV. Comiptloyi of Chrijiianf, 16^

what he means by living after the flefh, by making an enumeration, of
thofe fins which the flefh produces, and which exchide men from the
kingdom of heaven. He exhorts men to live after the fpirit, and to
pradife the ChriiHan virtues. In the iV chapter, he purfues the fame
exhortations, and he ends the epiltle with thefe remarkable words, which
contain tiie fum of his doccrine ; * For in Chriji J ejus neither circumcifi-
on availeth any things nor uncircumcifion^ but a neiu creature : that is to fay.
Whether a man be a Jew or a Heathen, it matters not, fo he believes
in Jefus Chrilt, and obferves God's commandments ; \\ Peace and mercy
be on them all. who walk after this rule. Is there any thing plainer than
this doctrine? And yet how clear foever it may be, Chriltian liberty is
alledged to fet men free from the obligation to keep God's command-
ments. All that St. Paul fays againft circumcifion and the ceremonies
of the law, is by an enormous blafphemy, turned againft the holy com-
mandments of the Son of God. Can any thing more odious or pro-
phane be imagined, than the perverting of the Holy Scripture at this
rate ?

4. Thofe who plead on the fide of corruption, are wont to object
againft what is faid in behalf of holinefs, this fentence of Solomon's^ XBe
not righteous over/nuch, ?ieither make thyfelf over-%uije,. And what inferenr
ces do they not draw from thence? They conclude from this place,;
That a man ought not to pretend fo much to holinefs, or to fet up for a
good man, and that in all things a mediocrity is belt. One may eafily
apprehend that fuch fentiments muft needs introduce licentioufnefs;
efpecially, when they are thoxight to be fupported by a Divine autho-
rity.

But let us fee whether or no, fuch conceits can be founded npon this,
fentence of Solomon's. I fhall a(k in the lirft place. Whether it is poffi-
ble for a man to be too juft or too wife, and whether there can be a vi-:
cious excefs in righteoufnefs or wifdom ? If a man may be over rightp--
ous, he may likewife love God too much ; for to be righteous, and to
love God is the fame thing. Now God requires that we Ihould love
him with all our heart, and confequently that we ftiould be as righteous,
as it is poiTible for us to be. But far from being over-righteous, we-
can never be righteous enough. And if we can never be righteous
enough, is there any occafion to exhort us, that we fhould not be over-
righteous ? I wifb men had at leaft that reverence for the Scripture, as
not to make it fpeak abfurdities.

I know the ordinary evafion : vicious men will fay, that when piety
runs to excefs, it leads to fuperftition or pride, and becomes troublefome
and ridiculous. Every body fays that^ but without reafon. I have re-
futed that opinion, and lliewed that^rue piety never degenerates into fu-
perftition, or pride, and that devout men who are fuperftitipus, or trou-,
blcfome, have but a falfe devotion, or a mifguided zeal.

This may dire<St us to the true meaning of the f?ntence.in queftlon ;
Solomon AoQS not (^QTik. here of true juftice and wifdom. For whether
he may have an eye here upon fuperltitious or hypocritical perfons whofe
righteoufnefs is but imaginary, which fcnfe is adopted by many inter-
preters, or whether he fpcaks of chofc who exercife juftice with too much
L 4, feverity,

• Chsp. vi. 15. )| \eu\t. X Ecckf. vii. 16.

I £8 Caufes of the prefent Part I.

feverity, as fome think ; or whether as it is conceived by others, he gives
this advice to bufy and prefumptuous people, vi^ho meddle in things which
do not concern them, and fancy themfelves able to determine all mat-
ters ; hovv-ever, it is plain, that Solomon does not fpealc here of good
men, who exactly follow the rules of true juftice and wifdom. If we
itick to the laft of thefe three expofitions, which feems to agree beft with
Boloymn'% defign ; then the meaning of this place is clear and rational,
and has nothing in it contrary to piety ; whereas the fenfe which is put
upon thefe words by the Libertines, is both abfurd and impious.

Thofe who would either juftify or excufe corruption ; ufe to obje6l in
the fecond place, That fmce the Scripture teaches that all men, and even
good men are deeply engaged in corruption j it muft follow from thence,
that holinefs and good-works are not fo very neceflary, and that the
practice of thefe is impoiBble. Now to prove this univerfal corruption
of all men, they bring feveral declarations of Scripture, and this a-
mong the reft, ^here is not one that doeth good, no not one^ kc. Pfal. 14,
Rojn. 3.

If their meaning in citing thefe words, was only to fhew, that there
is no man altogether free from fm ; and if it was granted on the other
hand, that good men do not fin in the fame manner that the wicked do ;
I would not quarrel much about this interpretation, though not altoge-
ther exaft or agreeable to the fcope of David in the igth Pfahn. But
there is another defign in it, which is to infer from thefe words, that
men differ very little from one another, that they are all guilty of many
great fins, and that none do, or can pradtife the duties of holinefs. In
a word, this is intended for the apology of corruption, and to filence
^.ofe who oppofe it.

If what David fays in this place is to be ftridly underftood, it wil|
follow, that there is not one good man upon earth ; that all men are
perverted, that they are all become abominable by their fins, and that
there is not one fingle perfon that is juft, or that fears God. But this
confequence raifes horror, it is contrary to truth and experience, and tQ
what the Scripture declares in a thoufand places, where it fpeaks of good
men, and diftinguiflies them from the wicked. Nay, this confequence
itiay be deftroyed from what we read in that very PJalm^ which mentions
the juft who are prote£led by God, and the wicked who perfecute tliem.
This complaint of David, muft therefore be underftood with forne re-
fcri^ons.

By reading the XIV Pfahn, we may perceive that David intends to
4?fcribe in it, the extream corruption of men in his time. There he
4raws the pi6ture of impiety and Atheifm, and fpeaks of thofe fools, who
fay in their hearts that there is no God, and whofe life is a continued
chain of fins. It muft be obferved in the next place, that when St.
f*aul cites thefe words out of the XIV Pfalm in the epiftle to the Ro-
mans, chap. III. he does it with a defign to fhew, that the Jeivs were
not much better than the Heathens, and that they had as much need of
^ Saviour. * What then, are zve better than they ? No in no wife, for w&
have before proved both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under fm. This
is the afiTertion which St. Paul maintains, and which he proves from

^ ^om. iii. ^4

Cause IV. Corruption of Chrl/ltahs. 169

that complaint which David made of old, % There is not one that does goody
&c. From whence he concludes, that alhnouths mujibejiopped, arid that
all the world is heco?ne guilty before God; (o that the hw of Alofes could
neither juftify nor fandify the Jews. But he teaches at the fame time,
that Chrift was come to refcue men out of that miferable condition.
And it were a ftrange thing if we muft ftill fay of Chriftians, That there
is none that doesgood, no not one.

2. This anfwer is to-be applied to that place in the Ephefiahs, where
it is faid, || That we are dead in trefpaffes aridfns^ for to the feflie endthefe
words are quoted. I do not deny but all men abftraiting from the Di-
vine grace, are to be confidered as dead in their fms. That is St. Paul's
meaning in that place ; he fpeaks here of the natural ftate of men, and
particularly of Heathens ; which was a ftate of corruption and death,
in which they had periftied had not God taken pity upon them. But the
Apoftle intends to make the Ephefians fenfible of that unparallel'd mercy
of God by which they were converted to Chriftianity, being but poor
Heathens before, who were dead in their fins, and obnoxious to the
wrath of God. He does not fay to them, you are dead in your fins ; it
is a falfifying the text to cite it fo, and to fay, we are dead in our fms j but
you were dead^ he fpeaks of the times paft when they were Heathens ;
* Among whom^ fays he, fpeaking of the Jews, we had our converfation in
times pafi, in the lujis of our flejl), fulflling the defires of the fejh and of the
mind, but now, he adds, God has quickned us together with Chrifi-y both you
that were Heathens, and we that were Jews, are raifed again from this fpi^
ritual death by virtue of God's great mercy. This is the true meanino- of
that place, which gives us a lively idea of mens natural corruption, and
of that, happy ftate to which Chrift has exalted them. I do not ^tny
but that many Chriftians, are ftill in the fame condition with Heathens,
or very near it, being dead in their fins, and following the courfeof this
world i but this can be faid only of bad Chriftians, and not of thofe
who have felt the divine" ^nd fandifying virtue of the Chriftian reli-
gion.

3. It will be further faid. That we muft needs acknowledge, that all
men without exception are finners, becaufe that is St. John's dodrine,
t If we fay that we have Ho fin We deceive ourfelves. That is a truth which
no man denies, becaufe it is too evident both from Scripture and expe-
rience. But we muft take care to underftand this propofition aright, that
oilmen are finners, and that we explain it fo, as that it may comport with
that juft difference we are to make between good and bad men ; elfe un-
der a pretence that all men are finners, the diftindion between virtue
and vice will be taken away. It is fit to remark upon this occafion,
that the Scripture does not give the name oi finners to all men, but only
to the wicked and impious, this maybe ken in the whole book oiPfabns.
When we fay then, that we are all poor finners we muft know in what
fenfe we fay it,

As tothefe words, If we fay that we have no fm we deceive ourfelves;
It is yifible that St. John fays this upon two accounts, which relate to
two forts of fins, into which m^^ may fall. Firft there are great fins,

there

t V. 19. 11 Ephef. ii. f.

? Ephef. ii. 3. & 5, &9, I j John i. 8.

jjto Catifes of the prefent Part I.

there Is that corruption in which men lived before their converfion. la
this regard St. Joh?! might fay to thofe he writes to, who were new con-
verted Chriltians, that they were all fmners, meaning, that they had all
been fo ; for indeed both Gentiles and fews had been extreamly corrupt.
Secondly, There are fms, into which thofe whofe regeneration is not
yet perfe6l, may fall j as there are infirmities from which the moft rege-
nerate men, are not free. In this fenfe all men are fmners, and the
Chriftians to whom St. yohn directs his epiftle, were all fimiers alfo,
tho' already converted. But the queftion is, Whether a true Chriftian
fins like other men, and whether he who is a finner^ taking that word
according to the ordinary ufe of Scripture, that is to fay, one in whom
fin reigns, is a true Chriftian ? That can never be faid. To this pur-
pofe we may hear St. John himfelf in the III chapter of the fame epiftle;
where he exprefly tells us. That he who is bom of God does not commit fin^
that tvhocver finneth is of the Devil., and that by this we may know the children
sfGod and the children of the Devil. Are not thefe words very plain?
Who can have the confidence after this ; to excufe corruption by fay-
fn-g, tue are all fmners? But yet it is not only faid that we are all fm-
ners by thefe men, but befides, that we are all great wretched and abos-
minable fmners. It is no wonder that men who have fuch fentiments,
Ihould be fo corrupt.

4. But to this, there is a reply at hand, to fiiew that thejufteft men
are guilty of very frequent fins^ and it is taken from thefe words, 77»? _;«/?,
man fins feven times a day. 1 might let this alone, becaufe I am engaged
only to anfwer' thofe places of Scripture which are wrefted into an ill
fenie about this'matter. And this, that the juji man fins feven times a day^
is no where to be found in the Bible. Thofe who quote thefe words as
if they were' Scripture j will pretend no doubt, that they are contained,
in Prov. xxiv. 16. But there is nothing like this in the facred text.
Thefe are the v/ords of Solomoji^ -^ j^Jl man falleth feven times, and rifeth
up again : but the wicked Jhall fall into mifchief. Solomon fpeaks of the
frequent affli6lions of good men, and particularly of the ill ufage they
npieet with from wicked men. In the 15 verfe he addrefles himfelf to
the wicked, and tells them, that it is in vain for them, to lay wait for,
and to perfecute the juft, for, adds he, a jufi man falleth feven times, and
rifeth up again, but the vAcked Jhall fall into mifchief and perijh. The
meaning is, that God takes care of the juft, and that if he permits that
they ftiould fall into many calamities, he does likewife deliver them.
This is aflerted almoft in the fame words, FfaL xxxvii. 24. Though the
juft fall he jhall not be utterly cafi down, for the Lord upholdeth him with his
hdiid. To the fame purpofe we are told, Job v. 19. He Jjjall deliver thee
infix troubles.^ yea in feven there jhall no evil touch thee : this admits of no
difficulty, and all interpreters are agreed about it. And yet for all that,
as rhen are apt to entertain every thing which excufes corruption; this
proverb. That the jifl man fms feven times a day, prevails and pafles for an
article of faith. Is it not a lamentable thing, that men ftiould be thus
obftinately bent to wreft the Scripture, into a fenfe favourable to corrup-
tion, and that they ftiould dare to falllfy it at this rate ? _

There are many falfifyings in the way of citing this paflage. I.

Whereas Solo7n9:'i uys only the jufi, he is made to fay the jujlefi man^ to

u • ■ give

Cause IV. Corruption of Chrl/iians. 17 j

give the greater force and extent to this fentence, to debafe piety the
more, and to infinuate, that the beft and holieft men, are great fmners.
2. Solo7non is made to fay, that the jujl fins^ but he does not fay that, he
fays only that the juji falls, I know that to fall^ fignifies fometimes to
/«, hut falling denotes likewife very fcequently, to be affiiaed, and a man
is blind vtho does not fee, that in this text, the w^ord fall is ufed in this
fecond fenfe. The 17 verfe vi^hich comes immediately after that which
we are now examining, proves it beyond exception, Rejoyce -not when thy
enemy falleth^ he. Befides thofe who are acquainted with the facred flyle
know, that it does not ufually exprefs the fms of infirmity, to which the
juft are fubje6l, by the word fall, that word importing commonly, the
iall of wicked men. 3. Salomon is made to fay. That the juflejl man fms [even
times a day. This is another falfifying, an addition to the text, which is
of no fmall confequence. Seven tiines a day, is not in the text, there is
only feven times. Every body knows that feven times fignifies, rpany
times. And fo the meaning would be, that the juft do nothino- elfe but
tranfgrefs j that many times a day he falls into fin. But who does not
fee, that this would be the defcription of a man in whom fin rei(*-ns, and
who is habitually engaged in it, and not the 'charadfer of a good man?
I do not fay, but that juft men have their weak fides, and fal| f6metimes
into fin ; this happens more or lefs according to the degree of their re.'^e-
neration; but it is impious to fiiy, that their life is fpent in continual
fins, and that they oflend God at every foot; and yet this is what men
would cftablifl-j from this maxim. That, the juflejl -man fns feven times a day.
Thofe who have a mind to quote the Scripture j {hould neither add to
nor diminifh from it, they fhould nqt alter the words, nor divide fen^
tences from what goes before and what follows ; for otherv/ife there is
no abfurdity nor impiety, which may not be proved from the word of
God.

5. But our adverfaries will fay. Whether that place is alledged ri'j-ht
or wrong, it does not matter much, fince there are others which fay the
fame thing in ftronger expreffions. Does not St. Paulimy, Ro?n. vii. */
cm carnal, fold under fm, for in me dwelleth no good thing: for that which I
dof^ I allow not : and what I would, that do I not ; but what / hate that da I,
I fee a law in my members, warring againfl the law of?ny mind, and bringing
me into captivity to the law of fin, which is in my members. O wretched man.
that I am, luho Jhall deliver me from the body of this death! If St. PWhim-
felf fpeaks after this manner, who can deny, that the greateft faints fall
into very heinous fins, and have ftill a large ftock of corruption in them?
Thofe who draw this inference from the words of St. Paul, make hini
fpeak that which is quite contrary to his thoughts. He is fo far from
faying any thing that favours the caufe of finners ; that on the contrary
his defign is to prove, the neceflity of a good life, and to make men fen-
fible of the efficacy of the Gofpel in reference to fanclification. He had
this in his view, in the vii chapter to the Romans,w\i^iQ he reprefents the
'^fPcrence between a corrupt and a regenerated man, and between the
ondition of man under the law, and his ftate under the Gofpel. So that
..11 he fays of the carnal man fold under fin, c^cc, is to be undcrftood of a
corrupt man, living under the law. . .

« n .. ^ ^^

• Rom. VII. 14, 15, &c.

J 72 Caufes if the prcjent Part I.

■ I am not ignorant that divines, otherwife able and pious men, have
thought that St. Paid fpeaks of himfelf in this chapter, and that he re-
prefents there, what pafFes within a regenerate man ; but I know like-
wife that a great many orthodox divines, have reje6led that expofition,
as contrary to the fcope of the apoftle, to the conftant dodlrine of the
New Teftament, and to the fpirit of the Chriflrian religion. It is a fad
thing that when a place is capable of two fenfes, men fhould pitch upon
that, which comes nearer to the pretenfions of linners. I do not intend
here to enter into a difpute, nor to offend thofe of a contrary opinion j I
am perfuaded that they have no defign to countenance corruption ; but as
in all things we ought to feek the truth, and as the truth here, is of great
confequence for the promoting of piety, fo I entreat thofe who might
have fcruples concerning thofe words, to make thefe following re-
flexions,

1. Let them ferioufly and impartially confider. Whether it may be
faid, that St. Paul was a carnal man fold under fin, a man who did na
good but evil, and a man involved in death j thefe are the ftrongefl ex-
preflions which can be ufed, and which the Scripture ufes to give as the
chara6^er of wicked and impious men? To believe this of St. Pauly is fo
very hard, that a man muft be able to digefl any thing, who is not ftartled
at it.

2. I defire them to attend to the drift of St. Paul^ he had undertaken.
to ftiew, that the doftrine of juftiflcation by faith, did not introduce licen-
tioufnefs ; this he had proved in the whole vi chapter, as may appear by
the reading it. Is it likely that in the vii chapter, he fhould overturn all
that he had eftablifhed in the preceding, and fay, that the holiefl men are
captivated to the law of fin? If this be St. Paul's doclrine, what becomes
cf the efficacy of faith to produce holinefs, and how could he have an-
fwered that objedion which he propofes to himfelf, chap. vi. i.. and 15.
Shall we continue in finy /ball we fin^ zve that are under grace? St. Paul
ought to have granted this objedlion, if it be true, that the moll regene-
rate, are fold to fin. But it is plain, that in the vii chapter he goes on
to prove what he had laid down already, to wit, that the Gofpel fanctifies
men, and not only this, but that the Gofpel alone can fandtify men, and
that the law could not. This is the fcope of the whole chapter.

In the very firfl four verfes, he fhews that Chrijiians are no longer under
the lawy nor confequently under fin, and that they arc dead to the law^ that
they may bring forth fruits unto God. He exprefTes himfelf more clearly
yet in the 5th verfe, where he fays, that there is a confiderable difference
between thole who are under the law, and thofe who are in Jefus Chrifl.
He plainly diflinguifhes thefe two flates, and the time pafl from the pre-
sent. When we were in the fejh^ fays he, the motions of fin which were by
the laiv, did work in our members to bring forth fruits unto death^ but now
•we are delivered from the law^ that we jhould ferve in newnefs of fpirit.
Thefe are the two ftates ; the ftate paft was a ftate of corruption, the
prefent ftate is a ftate of holinefs. But as it might have been inferred
from thence, that the law was the caufe of fin, the apoftle refutes that;
imagination, from the 7th to the 14th verfe.

After this, he defcribes the miferable condition of a man who is not
regenerated by grace, and who ftili is under the law. He begins to dq

this

Cause IV. Corruption of Clyrijiiant, tyj

this from the 14th verfe, by faying, the law is fpirkual, but I am carnal
fold under fm^ Sec. And here no doubt it will be faid, that St. Paul fpeaks
of himfelf, and not of thofe who are under the law j for fays he, / am
carnaly &c. But one may eafily fee that the apoftle ufes here a way of
fpeaking which is very ordinary in difcourfe, and by which he that fpeaks
puts himfelf in the room of thofe he fpeaks of. And St. Paul had the
more reafon to exprefs himfelf after this manner, becaufe he had been
himfelf under the law, before he v/as converted to Chriftianity. There
are many inftances in Scripture of this way of fpeaking, and we find one
in this very chapter which is beyond exception. St. Paul fays in the
9th verfe, I was alive zuithout the law once, &c. If v/e do not admit here
a figurative expreflion, or if thefe words are ftridlly taken ; then we muft
fay, that there was a time when this apoftle was without law, which is
both falfe and ridiculous. As therefore it is plain, that when he fays,
verfe 9. / was without law, he fpeaks of the ftate of thofe men to whom
the law was not given ; fo it is unqueftionable, that when he fays, / am
carnal, Scc. he defcribes the ftate of a corrupt man living under the law,
and not his own. This is the key which lets us into the meaning of his
difcourfe, in which the law is mentioned, almoft in every verfe.

3. Laftly, That which makes it as clear as the fun, that this is his true
fenfe, is, that when the apoftle confiders and fpeaks of himfelf as a Chri-
ftian, he ufes quite another language. To be fatisfy'd of this we need
but run over this chapter, and compare it with other places in his epiftles.

If he fays here, verfe 7, 8. That concupifcence is felt and reigns within a
man who is under the law ; he declares, Gal. v. 24. That Chrijlians have
crucified the flejl) with the lujis of it. If he fays, verfe 9, 10. That fin lives
within him, and that he is dead; he had faid, chap. vi. 2, 1 1. That he was
dead unto Jin, and living unto God through Jefus Chrifi. If he fays, verfe
14. That he is carnal and fold under fn, it is apparent that he does not
fpeak of himfelf, fince chap. viii. i, and 8. he tells us. That thofe who are
in Chrifi fefus are not in the flejh, and that thofe who are in the flefh cannot
pleafe God, and have not his Spirit. If he fays here, verfe 19. I know that
in me dwelleth no good thing ; he declares, Eph. iii. 17. That Chrifi dwells
in our hearts by faith. If he fays, verfe 19. The good that I would, I do
not, and the evil which I hate that I do ; he teftifies in many places. That
the faithful do that which is good, and abjlaln f'om evil. If he complains,
verfe 2i, 22, 23. of his being captivated to the law offin\ he teaches, chap,
vi-. 17, 22. That Chrifllans are no longer' the fervants of fin, that they are
freed from It, and become the fervants ofrlghtcoufnefs. If he crys out, ver.
24. O wretched man that I a?n, %vho Jhall deliver me from the body of this
death I It is manifeft, that thefe are not the expreffions of a man regene-
rated by Jefus Chrift; for he adds immediately, / thank God through Jefus
Chrifi our Lord. There Is therefore noiv no condemnation to them which are
in Chrljl Jefus, who tualk not after the flefh, but after the Spirit. For the
law of the Jplrlt of life luhlch Is In Chrifi jefus, has 7nade me free from the
law of fin and death, chap. viii. 12.

Now let any body judge, whether what is faid in this chapter, can be
applied to St. Paul, confidered as a regenerated Chriftian ? Can it be
faid, that concupifcence reigns in him who has crucify'd it? That fin
lives in him who is dead to fin r That he who is not in the flefb, is a

carnal

174 Caufes pf the prefent Part I;

carnal man ? That he who is freed from fin, is fold to fin ? That no
good thing dwells in thofe in whom Chrift dwells ? That a man is at the
fame time miferable and happy, a flave, and yet delivered by Jefus Chrift,
dead and alive? To fay this, is it not to call good evil, and evil good;
to put darknefs for light, and light for darknefs? Is it not to admit
downright contradictions in Scripture? But efpecially, is it not to open
a door to licentioufnefs, and to give us a ftrange notion of a regenerate
man?

By all that has been faid, I do not mean that there are no remnants of
corruption, in thofe who arc regenerated. Neither do I deny, but that*
in thofe whofe regeneration is but begun, there is fome fuch ftruggle as
that which is defcribed in this chapter. This is Mufculus's notion, in
his Commentary upon the *Romans. But that this chapter fhould be
the piiSture of a regenerate man, and of a true member of Chrift, is a
thing fo contrary to the Gofpel, and to all the ideas of religion, that one
can hardly imagine, how there could ever be men, who believed it.

III. But that which corrupt Chriftians endeavour to prove by thofe
paflages I have mentioned, they think to put out of all queftion, by the
examples of thofe faints whofe fins are recorded in holy Writ. To this
purpofe they alledge Noah^ Lot^ Abraham^ Samp/on^ David^ Solomon, St.
Paul, St. Peter, kc. and from thefe inftances they conclude, that fince
thofe great faints, fell into fuch heavy fins ; fin is no obftacle to falva-
tion, and that it is not inconfiftent with piety.

If we did make a right ufe of the word of God, we would draw
a quite contrary inference from thefe inftances ; and confider that it is
abfurd to plead precedents againft an exprefs law. If we muft needs be
governed by examples ; we ought certainly to chufe the good, and not
the bad ones; to imitate what is praife worthy in the faints, and not
what defcrves blame ; their faults being like fo many beacons, fet up to
keep us from ftriking upon the fame rocks.

But to anfwcr directly; I fay firft, that we are a little too apt to rank
among fixints, fome illuftrious perfons mentioned in the facred hiftory;
i^ho perhaps were nothing lefs than holy men, and who it may be did
perifti in their fins, tho' God thought fit to make ufe of them, to carry
on the defigns of his Providence, and to deliver his people. It would
be a rafh thing to pronounce upon any man's falvation, or to fpeak irre-
verently of thofe great men; but the inftance of Sohmo?i, whofe falvation
has been at all times queftioned by divines ; fhould teach us, not to be
fo hafty, in placing thofe among flints, of whom the Scripture fpeaks.
with fome honour, and in fhelteniig our felves under their examples.

As to thofe who by the teftimony of the Scripture it felf, did truly fear
God ; I might obferve that they fell but once into thofe fins related in
the facred hiftory ; which would by no means favour impenitent and
habitual finners. But this anfwer does not fully fatisfie ; for befides that
it fuppofes a thing which in refpedt of feveral perfons cannot certainly be
known ; there are fome fuis which are fo black, fuch as adultery and'
apoftacy, that a man can hardly commit them more than once, except he
is altogether fold to fin, and further, any one of thofe fins is incompatible
with a ftat« of regeneration.

W(5

• Page 11?.

Cause IV. Cvrruption of Chrijllms, ij^

We muft therefore frankly own, that when thofe great men finned in
that manner, they did not a6t like faints, that they put themfelves into a
ftate, which confidered in it felf, was a ftate of damnation, and that they
had perifhed, if they had continued in it; for as Ezekiel fays, chap, xxxiii.
1 8. JVhen the righteous turneth from his righteoufnefs^ and committeth ini-
quity^ he Jhall even die thereby. We may judge of the heinoufnefs and
danger of thofe fins, by the degree of repentance, which fome of thefe
men have exprefled for them, and by the publick acknowledgments they
made of them. What alarms was David in, when he compofed the li
Pfabn^ which is the Pfalm of his repentance ? What a deep fenfe had St.
Peter of his fault, in denying his mafter ? What do then fuch examples
fignify to thofe who live in fin and impenitency ; who can be fure that
God will give him the grace, to recover himfelf as thofe holy men did ?
Thofe who prefume to fin as they did, in hopes that they fhall in like
manner wipe off" their fins by repentance and amendment, reafon juft
like a man, who fhould fwallow down poyfon, and conclude, it would
not kill him, becaufe fome who have been poyfoned, have efcaped death.
But that which deferves here our greateft confideration, is the time
which thofe faints lived in. There is great difference between us Chri-
llians, and the good men under the old Teilament. Men before Chrift,
had not by a great deal that light which we have ; and did not know as
we do, the duties of holinefs. Our Saviour teaches us that diftin«51:ion,
when he fays, *That John the Baptiji was the grecdcft among thofe who luere
born of a woman^ but that the leaf in the kingdom of heaven was greater than
John the Baptiji; that is to fay, That Chriftians have a much greater
light than either John Baptift, or all the ancient prophets had. Now
the meafure of knowledge, ought to be the meafure of piety ; and there-
fore Chrifl:ians ought to excel the Jews in holinefs. What God did
bear with at that time, would be in us altogether intolerable ; and how
can it be lawful for us to imitate the ancients in their vices, when wc
are bound to furpafs their virtues ?

This principle is of great moment, and without it we can hardly filence
prophane perfons. A libertine infifting upon precedents, will fay, that
polygamy, the keeping of concubines, murder, divorce upon the flighteft
pretences, and fuch like diforders; are not fo criminal as they are ima-
gined to be; he will produce the inftances oi Abraham and Jacob, of the
judges of Ifrael, of David^ and the Jeivs. Far be it from us to detra6t
from the honour and praife due to thofe ancient worthies; they have
done much for the time they lived in. But God forbid too, that we
ihould lelfen the glory and the advantages of the Chriflian religion. \i
we fpeak like Chriftians, we will fay, That God in his goodnefs did pais
ever many things, by reafon of the time, and of the natural temper of the
Jews^ who were a grofs and carnal people. Our Saviour's anfwer to the
Pharifees concerning divorce, is very much to our purpofe. ■]■ Mofes fuf-
fered you to put away your wives, but from the beginning it was not fo ; and
then he adds, that whofoever fiiould imitate the Jetvs, and do that which
had been done and tolerated till then, fliould be guilty of adultery.

We may eafily apply this anfv/er to the inftance of St. Peter, fince be-
fore our Saviour's afcenfion, the apofties were weak as yet^ and poflefled

Vv'ith
• Matth. xi. II. f Matih. xix. 8.

j-^S Caufei of thi prefeni t*ART I.

with various prejudices. But I think my felf bound to add a word or
two concerning the example of St. Paul^ becaufe it is commonly mif-
talcen. That apoftle fays, \Tbat he was a blafphemer, a perfecuior,, who
was not worthy to be called an apojlle, and that he was the chief of fmnerSi
At the firft hearing of thefe words many imagine, that St. Paul had been
a profligate man, a fwearerj and a godlefs wretch : and yet he means
nothing elfe, but that he had once perfecuted the church. For other-
wife, St. Paul before his converfion to Chriftianity, was a good man, and
his life was blamelefs and exemplary; for this he appeals to God, and
the Jews^ A6ls xxiii. i. and xxvi. 4. If he did perfecute the church thenj
it was through a blind zeal and ignorance j and for that reafon, as he
tells us himfelf, verfe 13, He obtained mercy from God. Is not this quite'
another cafe, than that of thofe Chriftians, who knowingly and wilfully
allow themfelves in fm?

It is another miftake to make St. /*<?«/ fay, as fome do. That he is the
greatejl of fmners 5 he does not fay that, he fays only, That he is the chief
cr the firji of thofe fmners whom "J ejus Chrijl did fave. His meaning is^
that he holds the firft rank among converted finners, that he is a remark-
able inftance of the divine Mercy, and that Jefus had begun by him, to
fliew his clemency and goodnefs. Thus he explains himfelf, verfe 16.
For this cauje^ fays he, / obtained mercy ^ that in me firfi Jefus Chriji might
jheiv forth all long-fiiffering^ for a pattern to them which Jhould hereafter be-
lieve on him. This is exactly what he me^ntj for as to what fome ima-
gine, that St. Paul out of humility acknowledges himfelf the greateft of
all fmners ; I think that exphcation is wrong, and that it neither agrees
with truth, nor piety, nor good fenfe. A good man is not bound to think
himfelf worfe than the greateft fmners ; on the contrary, he ought to
blefs God, for that good which the divine Grace has wrought in him.

IV. But as the laft refuge of fmners is the mercy of God, fo they com-
monly abufe thofe places, which fet forth the greatnefs of that mercy.
They found this principally upon thefe words. Where fm does abound, grace
does much more abound. Under the covert of this fhort fentegce, the
moft flagitious fmners think themfelves fafe. But the bare reading St.
Paul's difcourfe, will foon convince us, that this is to wreft the Scrip-
ture into a falfe and pernicious fenfe. The apoftle's defign is to fhew,
that all men being rendred finners in Adam, and by the law ; the good-
nefs of God was fo great, that he was willing to fave them through Jefus
Chrift. In order to this, to eftablifh this truth, he had proved that be-
fore Chrift, fin and death reigned every where; not only among the
Heathens, but alfo among xSxo. Jews\ upon this he adds, T^hat^ where fm
did aboimdy grace did much more aboimd; to fignify God's having mercy
on them, when they were involved in fin and death. In a word, St. Paill
fets the happy condition to which men were advanced by Jefus Chrift,
in oppofition'to that which they were in before. This is the fenfe of
that place, and the drift of the whole epiftle. Can any one infer from
thence, that now we may freely fin, and that grace will exert it felf to-
wards us, whatever fins we may commit ?

It is fit to obferve befides, that when St. Paul fpeaks of grace, he does
not only mean the pardoning, but likewife the fanftifying grace; which

deftroys
t » Tim. i. 13, 15. 1 Cor. xv. 19.

Cause IV. Corrtiptkn of Chr'ijlidns-. lyj

deflroys the pretenfion of the libertines. The apoflle hlmfeif confutes \t
with a great deal of velifitnence. He fdrefaw that fome would argue like
thofe we now contend with ; and he maices this objection to himfelfj
* rp%7t thenf Jhall %ve continue inffi^ that, grace may abound? And this is
his anfwer, God forbid! how JJmll %ve that are dead to fin ^ live any longer
therein? IVe who have Jjeen baptized into Chri/l's death ^ that we Jhdufd walk
in newnefi of life. Reckon ye alfo your fives dead unto fin, but alive unto God
through Jefus Chri/i our Lord. Let not fin therefore reign in your mortal
body, that you fiould obey it in the lujh thereof. The apoftle purfues thef^
exhortations to the end of the chapter.

.2» The promifes and inftances of God's mercy^ are frequently alfo
taken in a fenfe which favours corruption and fecurityk All that the
Gofpel fays upon this head, is interpreted by vicious men, as if the Son
of God. was come into the world, to give men a Hcenfe to fin. To thia
purpofe the inftances of that wom.an who was a finner, of Zacheus and
the converted thief, are often, alledged ; as likewife the parable of the
prodigal fon, of the publican, and of the labourers. And from thefe in-
ftances, as well as from our Saviour's declarations, \That he is not com/;
■to call the righteous, but fnncrs to repentance. It is concluded, that the
greateft finners may obtain falvation, as well as the juft. But if thofe wh(S
quote thefe inftances, did narrowly examine them, they would read in
them, their own condemnation. For firft, all thefe finners mentioneid
in the Gofpel, did repent and were converted. That woman who had
been a notorious finner expreffes the moft lively forrow; the publican
frpites his brcaft, the prodigal comes to himfelf again, and detefts his
former excefles j Zacheus, if he was an unjuft man, reftores fourfold*
prom thefe inftances we may very well infer, that God never rejects re-
turning finners. But even this, is an invincible argument, that there
is'.no mercy for thofe, who perfift in their fins, and that too in hopes of
.pardon..

Befides, we muft know that our Saviour's defign in all thefe parables
and inftances, was to inform men that he was come to invite the greateft
fmners to repentance ; and efpecially to let the Jews underftand, that for
all the hrgh opinion they had of their own dignity and merit, the Hea-
thens, who lived in the greateft corruption, were to be admitted into
God's covenant, and to have a fhare in his favour. Which adually
happened to all thofe Heathens, who did believe in Jefus Chrift. Thefe
inftances and parables then reprefent the ftate men were in at that timcj
and not the ftate of thofe, who are entred already into the Ghriftian
church. It can never be faid too much, nor remembred too often in
the reading of the Gofpel ; that there is a vaft difference, between thofe
Heathens, who never heard a word of God or Jefus Chrift ; and Chri-
ftians who were born in the church and live in the covenant with God.

Thus I think I have examined thofe places of Scripture, which are
jnoft commonly abufed by the libertines. If I have omitted any, I hope
what has been faid in this chapter, may ferve to fuggeft pertinent and
iatisfadory anfwers to the in,

* Rom. vi. I, 2, 3, II, 12. t Mark ii. ij i

Vol. VI, M CaUS£

r*/^ Caufes of the prefent pART I.

C A U S E V.

Afalfe Modejiy.

e?:^::'«K^,ORRUPTION is not wholly to be imputed to that ignorance,
^ C S or to thofe prejudices and loofe opinions which prevail among
^;*:;>Jr.f?' Chriftians. For men do not always fm through want of know-
ledge, or out of meer wantonnefs and libertinifm. There are many who
acknowledge the vicioufnefs of the age, and the neceflity of a good life;
and yet they negle£l: their duties intirely, or at leaft they are very remifs
in the doing of it ; a6ling for the moft part, againft their own perfuaficns.

There muft have been then other caufes of corruption in men, befides
thofe which we have hitherto difcovered. It is neceffary to fearch into
thefe, and to find out, if poflible, why many perfons, who want no in-
ftrudlion, and are folicited by the motions of their own confciences, to
embrace the fide of virtue and piety, do notwithfl;anding, continue in vice
and corruption.

This feems to proceed chiefly from two difpofitions, which men are
commonly in.

On the one hand, they are reftrained by an ill (hame, from acting fuit-
ably to the fentiments of their own confciences ; and on the other hand,
they put off their converfion, hoping they fhall one day make up all the
irregularities of their condudt, by repentance. I look upon thefe two
difpofitions, as two of the principal caufes of corruption, and therefore I
thought it might be proper, to confider them both diftinclly. I defign to
treat oifalfe Modejiy in this chapter, and to Ihew, i. The nature, and 2.
The effedis of it.

I. By falfe Modffty^ I mean that fbame, which hinders men to do that
which they know to be their duty. I call this fhame vicious or ill, to
diftinguifh it from another kind of fhame, which is good and commend-'
able, which confifts, in being afhamed to do ill things. If falfe jhame is
a fource of corruption ; that other fhame which reftrains from evil, is a
principle of virtue, and a prefervative againft fin ; and therefore it ought
to be as carefully cheriflied and maintained, as vicious fliame fhould be
avoided or fhaken off. For as foon as the fenfe of this commendable
ihame is gone, 'innocency is irrecoverably loft. It is a part of the cha-
radler of finners in Scripture, that their wickednefs raifes no blufhing, or
confufion in them.

I fay then, that this falfe fhame, keeps men from doing at the fame
time what they know and approve to be their duty; and it is under that
notion particularly, that I am to confider it here. It is not my defign
to fpeak of that fhame, which arifes from ignorance, or contempt, and
which is to be met with in thofe profane and worldly men, who becaufe
they do not know religion, or judge it unworthy of their application,
think it a difgrace to follow its maxims. I refer fuch men to the firft
chapter of this book, and to fome further confiderations, which I am to
infift upon elfewhere. The fhame I fpeak of at prefent, fuppofes fome
knowledge in the mind, and fome value for, and inclination to piety.
Froaa whence it appears, how dangerous the efFe<^s of that fhame are,

and

I

Cause V. Corruption of Chrt/lians. 1^9

and how important it is to know and obferve them ; fince it feduces and
corrupts even thofe who are none of the worft men, and of whom other-
wife, we might reafonably hope well.

Now to apprehend the nature of this vicious fliame; it muft be o-i-
ferved, that fhame commonly fprings from two caufes; fometimes it
proceeds from the nature of the thing we are afhamed of, or from the
opinion we have of it : thus men are afham.ed of things, which either are,
or appear difboneft m their nature. But fometimes alfo fliame is ant
effeit of the regard we bear to other men's judgment, and then we are
afhamed to do things which may bring contempt upon us, and difgrace
us in the world. One may foon perceive that the fhame that is vicious
does not arife from the firfl of thefe caufes. Religion has nothing in it,
that is (hameful and diflioneft; for far from that, it is of all things the
moft comely and honourable, and the moft worthy of a man ; and it ap-
pears fuch, even to thofe, who by reafon of a groundlefs fhame, dare not
pra6tife the rules of it. The true caufe then of this falfe modefty, is a fee-
ble regard to men's judgment, and a fear of falling under their contempt
or hatred. Piety is little pradifed in the world, it is defpifed, and it is
hated ; and thefe are the three principal caufes of vicious fliame.

1. Piety is little pradifed in the world; few people love or pra6life it.
Now a man is very inclinable to do that which is commonly done ; he
thinks it is fafelt and moft honourable, to fide with the multitude : he is
afraid of making himfelf ridiculous, by being fuigular. It is a hiaxitn
generally received, That we ought to com.ply with cuftom, and to do
as others do. The reafon then why many have not the courage to be
on the irJe of religion, is becaufe that fide is deferted and abandoned.

2. Piety is often defpiied in the world. It is looked upon as a mean
and difgracefui thing. The ftriiSlnefs of a man, who afts upon princi-
ples of religion and confcience, is imputed to weaknefs of mind, fino-u-
Jarity of humour, or caprice, and fometimes to hypocrify and pride.
Thofe who profefs devotion and piety, are turned into ridicule : and on
the contrary, it is thought honourable to comply in every thing, with
the ways and fafhiojis of the age. Tho' thefe fentiments are very un-
juft, yet they make a great impreflion, becaufe ie\'^ people have firiKnefs
enough to flight the judgment and contempt of men. We have natu-
rally a quick ienfe of honour, and nothing is fo unfupportabje to felf-love,
as contempt ; fo that this temptation is dangerous, and it eafily pro-
duces in a man a falfe fhame, which diverts him from rcligiGn.

2. Piety does likewife procure the hatred of the world ; becaufe a

food life accufes, condemns, and reproaches thofe who li\'e ill, Bc-
des, religion obliges us fometimes to do things v/hich difpleafe and of-
fend men. How cautious foever it may be^ it is much, if upon many
occafions, it does not ilir up their jealoufy, their hatred, or their fpleen,
A good man is often bound to refufe what is defired of him. He is un-
acquainted with the maxims of that mean and fawning complaifance,
which is necefTary to get every bodies love. Many for this reafoa ne-
gled piety. They dare not let fhine a hght, which difcovers the weak-
jiclfes and errors of others ; and fei^r and fhame together malce them
think, that it would be ill-breeding, as well as a piece of imprudence, to
iclJow a coorfe of lif« which might render them odious,

M 2 From

jgo Caufes of the prefent Part I.

From thefe confiderations it appears already, that this fhame is one of
the general fountains of corruption, and that it can produce none but
very ill effecls ; firft upon thofe in whom it is, and next upon other men.

r . The natural efFe6t of vicious fhame, is to difluade a man from his-
duty, and to draw him into fm. It makes his knowledge ufelefs, it
fruftrates the warnings which his confcience gives him j and fo it extin-
o-uiflies in him the principles of virtue. Thofe who are pofTefled with
this fhame, dare neither fpeak nor adl: as they ought, they diflemble their
true fentiments, they offer violence to their confciences, they have not
the courage to fpeak the truth, or to reprove their neighbours, when oc-
cafion requires ; they are loath to confefs or to amend their faults; in a
word, they frequently negle6l the moft indifpenfable duties of piety and
charity: and all this, becaufe they are checkt by a falfe fhame.

But if this fhame hinders us to do good, it does as forcibly prompt us
to evil: as foon as a man thinks it a difgrace to do good, and to diftin-
guifh himfelf by a Chriftian deportment ; he prefently conceives like-
wife, that it would be a fhame to him, not to imitate the irregularities of
others. Hence it is that we applaud fm, that we are carried away by
the folicitations, or examples of perfons of authority ; that we cannot
withftand the entreaties of friends ; that we ingage in unjufl cnterprizes,
or criminal diverfions ; and that we fall into many other wicked praftices.
A very little refledlion upon our felves, will eafily convince us, that fhame
produces all thefe ill efFecls. A heathen author* has proved long ago,
in an excellent trail. That falfe modefly is one of the greateft obftacles
to virtue ; and that men commit many faults, and bring a great deal of
mifchief upon themfelves, only becaufe they dare not refufe to comply
with others.

2. The efFecls of this fhame are not lefs fatal in refpeiSl of other men.
As it proceeds from the regard we bear to their judgments, fo it ufually
fhews it felf in their company ^ fo that we cannot but fcandalize and cor-
rupt them, when we govern our ielves by the fuggeftlons of this falfe
fhame. For not to mention here the fcandal which this gives to good
men ; thofe very perfons for whofe fake we ufe fuch finful compliances,
and who defpife religion ; conceive yet a greater contempt of it, when
they fee, that thofe who ought to fapport it's intercft, are afliamed of it,
and dare not openly profefs it. They judge that piety mull be indeed a
very mean and contemptible thing ; and when they obferve that men are
afraid to difpleafe them, they take fuch an afcendant over them, that vir-
tue dares no more appear in their prefence. Befides, that fuch an in-
tlulgence towards vice, gives a new force to it. If vicious men are not
reproved, it confirms them in their ill habits ; if they are imitated, they
are authorized; if we are afhamed to confefs our faults before them, we
do not heal the icandal which we have given them, and that is the greater
for having been occafioned by men who are thought pious, and not by
libertines. But that we may be the more fenfible of the pernicious
efteils of this kind of fhame, we ought to take notice of three things,
which ars very remarkable in this matter.

I. Shame is a thing which has an abfoiute power over a man. Other
paffions may more eafily be refifted j but when fhame has gained aa

" afcendant
* Flutarch. ' • ■

Cause V. Corruption of Chrl/ilans. l8i

afcendant over the mind, it is extream hard to be conquered, efpecially
if it proceeds from the regard we have for men ; for when it arifes from
a natural difpofition, it may fooner be overcome. The greatell threats
and promifes will not fometimes ftiake a man, who will prefently yield if
{hame can be excited within him. How often do we find the moft vig-
orous efforts we can make upon our felves, and our befl refolutions quite
dafhed, by a filly baftifulnefs ? A jeft, a bare look, or a flight apprel^en-
fion of being thought ridiculous, or a bigot, is fometimes enough to
confound us, and to make all our good purpofes vanifn.

2. It ought to be confidered, that the fhame we fpeak of here, re-
ftrains thofe perfons, who in their 'hearts are inclined to virtue; thofe
who live in a profound ignorance, or in a total obduration, being not
fufceptible of this Ihame. It fuppofes, as has been faid, fomc remainder
of confcience and knowledge foliciting man to his duty ; but it over-
comes that knowledge and thofe good fentiments. We are to impute to
this vicious fliame, a great part of the fins of good men ; and this is one
of the articles upon which they have moft reafon to reproach thcmfelvcs;
as is well known to thofe who make any reflection upon their condu6l.
And if this fhame is able to fpoil thofe who otherwife are virtuous, and
to extinguifh their zeal and piety ; we ought to reckon it among the prin-
cipal caufes of corruption.

3. Shame may lead men to the higheft degrees of wickednefs. For
belides that a man fins agalnft his confcience, when for fear of men he
dares not do his duty ; befides that he offends God in a very provoking
manner, when he is aftiamed to obey him, and fears men more than him;
I fay, that this fhame is apt to betray him into the greateft enormities.
A man is capable of every thing when he becomes a flave to other men's
judgment, and when complaifance or humane confideration, have a
greater force upon him than the laws of religion, and his duty. When-
ever a man dares not appear good, he dares appear in fome meafure
wicked. And when he tycs to virtue an idea of fhame, he is not far
from affixing an idea of honour to vice, and from complying in every
thing with the opinions of loofe and prophane perfons.

I. Men do not arrive of a fudden at this degree of corruption ; falfe
fhame carries them to it by little and little. It makes one fin at firft
through complaifance, tho' with fome reludancy. By this, confcience
grows weaker ; a man contracts the habit of flighting i-ts fuggeftions,
and vice becomes more familiar to him. Then he begins to fin more
boldly ; the fhame of doing good incrcafes, and the fhame of finning
grows lefs. In a little time he comes to do out of cuftom and inclina-
tion, what he did before but feldom, and with fome inward confli£t.
From thence he proceeds to an open contempt of piety, and fo he for-
fakes an intereft to which he was well affected at firft, but which this
fhame has made him diflikc. Thus many perfons, who had good difpo-
fitlons in their youth; being let loofe into the world, have loft their inno-
cence, and are turn'd libertines and atheifts.

Now this falfe modefty being fo pernicious we can never labour too

much to prevent its ill effects. And this we fhall fucceed in, if we fe-

fwuOy tonfider, that there is a 2;rcat deal both of error and cowardice

""M 3 in

iSi Caufei of the pfefeni Part I.

jn the fentlments and condudi: of tho^e, who are hindcrM by fliame, from
difcharging the duties of religion and confcience ; firft, there is a great
deal of error in their proceeding. This ihan\e is founded upon nothing
elfe, but the judgment which the world makes of piety. But if those
who dcfpife religion are in the wrong, as they moft certainly are ; if it
is extravagance and folly in them, to pafs a falfe judgment upon piety;
it is a much greater madnefs in rhofe who underftand better things, to
iubfcribe to a judgment which they know to be falfe and erroneous, and
to make that the principle of their ailions. If virtue is a thing that is
good, jufl:, necedary, acceptable to God, and ufeful to thofe who prac-
tife it ; if with it we cannot fail of happlnefs, and if without it there is
nothing but dread and terror ; why ftiould we be afhamcd to give up our
felvcs To it? A v/ife man ought to eileem that which deferves efteem,
and if ignorant and corrupt people are of another mind, he ought to fet
himfclf above their judgment, and to defpife the contempt of the fenflefs
multitude. The judgment of men cannot make that juft which is un-
juft, nor fuperfcde the necefiity of what is neceffary ; fo that it (hould be
pf no weight in fo important a concernment, as that of our falvation.
Our happinefs is not to be decided by man's efleem, or contempt ; and
the approbation of God and our confcience, is infinitely to be preferred
before their groundleis opinions.

But if there is fo much of error in vicious fhame, there is likewife a
great deal of cowardice in it. Nothing is more bafe and unworthy,
than for a man to defert the intereft of virtue, when he is folicited by his
own confcience to adhere to it. Not to have refolution enough to do
his duty in fuch a cafe, is on the one hand to fubmit his reafon and con-
fcience to the caprice of others, and to deprefs himielf below the vileft
things in the world; and on the other it is to have greater regard for
nicn than for God. And is there any thing more abjcdt than this pro-
ceeding ? Is not this a lliameful cowardice in a Chriltian, who is called
to profefs openly his religion and faith, and ought to think it his glory,
to m.aintain the caufe of virtue and juftice, in fpight of all the contra-
diiStion and contempt of the age ? 'Fhat threatning which our Saviour
has denounced againft thofe, who fhould not have the courage to em-
brace the Chriftian profeffion, or fhould abandon it, belongs alfo to thofe
mean-fpirited Chriftians we are now fpeaking of. * JVhofoever Jhull bfi
afj}amed of rm and of my words m this adulterous and fmful generation., of
him qlfo jhall the Son of man he ajhamedy when he cometh in the glory of'hh
Father xvith the holy angels.

The firft and chief remedy, againfl this falfe ftiame, is then to be po{-
feffed with the following refle6bons. Before all things to have a right
^;^prchenUon of the certainty and importance of religion ; to confider
that it propofes to us infinite rewards, but that thofe rewards are referved
only for thofe, who have the courage to obferve its precepts ; to think
what pleafure and glory it is, to be approved of God and of one's owri
v;onfcience ; to fix deeply this great truth in cur minds ; that men's judg-
ment is very inconfiderable ; that our felicity depends neither upon their
1 ilcem nor contempt j and to remember that the Scripture calls the men

of
* yUxV viii. 38.

Cause VI. Corruption of Chrljilam. igj

of the world fools, and that a time will come, v^\\eTi Jhame^ confufion and
miferyy Ihall fall to the lot of thofe defpifers of religion, while f glory ^ ho^
nour and peace jhall he to every one that does good.

2. We fhall eafily conquer this (hame if we confider, that the danger
of incurring men's contempt or hatred by doing our duty, is not always
fo great as we may imagine. I confefs piety is often defpifed ; but yet it
frequently commands- re fpeft. Even thofe who think it ftrange that
their example (hould not be followed, cannot help having a fecret efteem
and veneration for good men. When zeal is accompanied with meek-
nefs and difcretion, there is no fear that a man (hould make himfelf odi-
ous or ridiculous by praftifmg virtue. A Chriftian deportment, is fo far
from expofmg men always to the contempt of the world ; that on the
contrary it frequently happens, that thofe who would avoid this con-
tempt, by negle6ling their duty, do thereby bring it upon themfelves.

3. There might be yet another remedy againft this vicious fhame ;
and that is the example of men of authority. Whatever they approve or
do, is reputed honourable in the world ; and on the other fide, what they
defpife or negledl, is thought mean and difgraceful. It would therefore
be an eafy thing to them, to corre6l the notions which men commonly
have of religion. As foon as they fhall love and honour it ; other men
will no longer be aftiamed of it, but will place their glory in pradlifmg it.
This I am to inlarge upon in the fecondpart of this treatife.

C A U S E VI.

The Delaying of Repentance,

e^^r^C^^ D O not know whether any illufion is more ordinary, or con-
^10 tributes more to the fupport of vice in the world, than that
Hi^'^^ which I defign to attack in this chapter, and that is the delaying
repentance. We muft not believe that men are fo blind and fo hardened,
as never to think of their falvation. There are few who have not a ge-
neral intention to obtain it. Even among thofe who live ill, many are
convinced, that converfion is neceffary, and that they are not yet in a
ftate of grace. If it be afked, why then they do not repent ? I anfwer,
that fo unreafonable a proceeding, which feems fo contradidory to it felf;
ought to be imputed to the hope they entertain, of clearing all fcores
one day by repentance ; and of obtaining the pardon of all their fms,
through the divine Mercy. This is the true caufe of the greateft part
of thofe fms which are committed in the world. It is that deceitful
hope which fruftrates all the endeavours that are ufed, to make men for-
fake their vicious habits. The delay of converfion, ought therefore to
be placed among the caufes of the bad lives of Chriftians ; and the im-
portance of this fubje*St, has made me refolve to beftow a particular
chapter upon it.

M 4 Now

t Rom. iii 10.

J.84 Caufds of the- prefeni Part I.

Now to handle this matter right, we are to obferve two different ways
of putting off converfzon ; for all men do not delay it in the fame man-
ner, and the fame fentiments and difpofitions ought not to be fuppofed in
them all. Some put it off to a remote time, and to the vtiy end of their
lives. Others do not adjourn it \o long ; ihey defign to go about it a
good while before death ; at leaft they hope fo ; and they put it off to an
undetermined time. 1-he hrft, fin properly in hopes of pardon, but the
others fm in hopes of repentance. The former deceive themfelves more
grofly, they think that in order to be faved, it is enough to beg for mercy,
and to repent tho' never fo late; the illufion of the others is more fubtil,
they conceive it i? neceffary.to reform and to forfake fin ; but for all that
they do not convert chemfelves. Tho' thefe two ways of delaying have
an affinity with one another, and might in a great meafure be encountered
with the fame argumeiit?, yetl fliall confider them here feparately. -

I. Men commonly entertain this opinion, that if they do but repent
at the end of their lives, their fins will be no hindrance to their falva-
tion. They allot for this repentance, the appioaches of death, old-age,
or the time of ficlcnefe ; and they fuppofe that then, they fhall fit them-
felves for a Chriftian death, by confeffing their fins, and having recourfe
to the divine Mercy. It is not, I think^ needful to prove, that this
©pinion is very common, for who can deny it ? Neither will I go about
to iliew that it feeds corruption and encourages fecurity, by propoung to
men fuch a m.ethod of falvation, as leaves them at liberty to live ftill in
fin ; for that is felf evident. It is more important to let m.en fee how
filfe and dangerOus an imagination that is, which makes them believe,
that fo they repent before death, they fhall avoid damnation and be faved.
In order to this, we muft endeavour to difcover the principle they ad; upon,
and to unfold the true fentiments of their hearts.

The delay of repentance includes two different motions ; the one car-
ries a man towards falvation, and the other towards fin. On the one
hand, man is neither fuch an enemy to himfelf, as to be altogether uncon-
cerned abqut his falvation, nor fo blind as not to perceive that repent-
ance is neceffary. On the other hand, he is fo addi6led to his IulIs, that
he cannot refolve to renounce them. In this perplexity, felf-love finds
him out an expedient by which he thinks to reconcile with his appetites,
the care of his falvation. And that is, that if he fins, yet he intends to
repent.

But here it is manifeft, that this man puts a cheat upon himfelf, and
that fuch fentiments proceed only from felf-love, and from a ftrong af-
fedlion to fin. Nothing elfe but the abfolute neceffity of dying, and of
giving an account to God obliges him to dellin the end of his life to
afts of repentance. For it cannot be faid, that the love of God and of
virtue has any (hare in this condud:. Is it any love or regard to God,
that makes a man defire him in his laft extremity, and when he can en-
joy the world no longer ? This fhev/s that a man thinks of God only
becaufe he expedt? falvation at his hands ; which is to deal with him as
with an enemy, to whom we furrenler our felves as late, and upon as
good terrxis as we tan, and only that we may npt perifli. Such a delay
include? a pofitive refoluiion to offend God, and to gratify one's paffions,
at leiift for the prefent. He that, thiiiks to repent hereafter, is not v/il-
a linpr

Cause VI. Cojruptlon of Chrljllam. 1^5

ling to repent now. He allots the prefent time for the foisfyingorhis
lulls, and for the committing of thofe fins, which are to be the matter
of his future repentance. This is all that is fixed and certain in his re-
folution ; for as to what he promifes for the future it is moft uncertain ;
and if we confider the thing right, he promifes nothing at all, for he does
not know, whether he fliall not die very foon, nor what he fhall do, in
cafe he lives fometlme longer.

The hazard to which a man expofes himfelf by this delay, is evident.
In order to a complete repentance, two things are requifite. The iirft
is to have time and opportunity to repent; the fecond is, to make ufe of
that time and opportunity. Thofe who put ofF their converfion to the
laft, muft fuppofe that they fhall have thefe two advantages. But thefe
things are extreamly uncertain, and no man in the world can be fure of
them.

1. No man can promife himfelf, that he fhall have time and opportu-
nity to repent at the end of his life. It is true in fa6f, that more than
one half of mankind, die without having time to prepare for death. If
we reckon up all thofe who are fnatched away in an inftant by unforc-
feen accidents, or a fudden death, all thofe who perifli in war, all thofe
who are feized with diftempers Vv'hich take away their fenfes, all thofe
whom the approaches of death do not move to repentance, becaufj the 7
do not apprehend themfelvcs in any danger of dying ; and if we add to
thefe, thofe whofe only preparation is to have a minifter to pray ^y their
bed-fide, when they can hardly hear a few words of what he fays. It is
certain, that all thefe together, make up above the half of mankind.
Upon this I aflc, even fuppofmg that it were time enough for a man to
repent when he fees death coining, whether it would not be folly and
madnefs, for him to venture his falvation upon the hope of repenting then ?

It feems to many, that it is the way to drive fmners into defpair, to
tell them they ought not to build the hope of falvation, upon what they
fhall do in the extremity of life. But what I have faid juft now proves
evidently, that if falvation did depend upon the manner of dying, men
muft live in continual fears, and in a kind of defperation ; fmce their
falvation v/ould depend upon a thing, which the half of mankind cannot
reckon upon. On the contrary nothing is more comfortable to men,
than to know that God grants them their whole lives to work out their
falvation in ; and that if they improve to that purpofe the leifure and
conveniences they have, their death will be happy, which way foever it
may-happen. But tho' what I have faid were not true, and tho' all mio-ht
allure themfelves that they fhall perceive the approaches of death, and
have time to prepare for that laft paffage ; yet what certainty have thev,
that they fhall make ufe of that opportunity, and that their converfioa
will not be moft difticult, if not impodible ? Converfion is not wrouo-ht,
without God interpofmg, by thofe means which grace ufes for that end.
And can any man flatter himfelf with the hope, that thefe means fhall i)e
oiTered him to the laft, and that God in his juft anger, will not withdraw
tncm from him ? Thers is neither particular revelation, nor general pro-
mife, -to give fuch alfurances to any man living. So far from it, that
God tells us many things in Scripture, which leave no ground for hope,
\o thofe who abufe his mercv.

l86 Caufci of the prefeni Part L

BM further, What can we imagine that God will do in favour of %
haxdncd finner, at the time of death ? When God has made ufe of the
preaching of his word ; of exhortations, promifes, threatnings, inward
fuggeftions and motions of his grace ; when God, I fay, has ufed all
tbefe means, for twenty, thirty, or forty years without any fuccefs : I
canndt apprehend, what men expect that he (hould do more, at the hour
of death. If it be faid, that he can by a particular difpenfation, by fud-
(den infpirations, by a kind of miracle, convert a fmner in his laft mi-
nutes; I will not difpute what God can do; but I will not fcruple to
fay, that in the ordinary courfe of grace, converfion is not wrought by
fudden and miraculous infpirations : the Gofpel fpeaks of nothing like
that, and thofe who look for fuch miracles, had beft fee, what they found
their hope upon.

It is certain befides, that repentance is moft difficult on man's part,
when he is at the point of death. If a man has lived in ignorance and
vice, is be not in great danger of dying ignorant and hardned ? How
will he perform duties then, of which he has not fo much as a notion j
Can a man at that time change his ill inclinations and fhake off his vi-
cious habits of a fudden ? All thofe who have applied themfelves to the
v/ork of converfion, know by experience, that the conqueft, I will not
fay cf many, but of one fnigle vice, has required both time, and afliduous
and conftant care. Vicious habits are not to be deftroyed but by de-
grees, and good ones are acquired only by reiterated acts. It is re*
pugnant to man's nature, that this fliould be done in an inftant. How
can any one then reckon, that fo confiderable a change, as that which
true converfion requires, will be efFe£led in the ftiort time of a ficknefs ?
And if this was podible, and through great endeavours might be done,
yet can any man allure himfelf, that he fhali have then all that freedom
and all that ftrength of mind and body, which are neceflary to fet about
this general reformation ; Is the time of ficknefs wherein a man is {o
much funk, and has the leail either of leifure or ilrength, fo very fit for
a buimefs of this importance? All that a man can do then, is to betake
himleif to fome confufcd and abrupt devotions, the ordinary refuge of
thofe finners, who have lived in a ftate of obduration. But will that
ferve the turn? Are fome hafty refleclions upon a man's paft life, fomc
acts of contrition, fome prayers proceeding from trouble and agony, and
extorted only by the fear of death, fome fobs and groans indiftinaiy
breathed up to heaven; are'thefe, I fay, fufficient to make amends for all
that is pall, to extirpate many inveterate habits, and to fecure to a finner
an eternity of blifs ?

I {hail add two confiderations which are convincing, and cannot be
contefted.

J. By growing in years, men lofe the fenfe and remembrance of their
fins. Age and cuftom produce this efte61:. Excepting fome extraor^
dinary fms which cannot be forgot, moft men do not remember their
faults. A.nd how Ihould they remember them, fince for the moft part
they do not perceive when they commit them ? We daily fee men who*
will lye and fwear, and fly out into paflion almoft every minute ; and yet
do not reflet upon it ; nay, they think themfelves free from thofe faults.
This error proceeds fo far, that fome very great fuinsrs, who are living

Cause VI. Corruption of Clmjitam. i%j

in criminal praftices, fancy themfelves pious, and make no doubt, but
that they are in the favour of God. >^ow fince the cuftom of finning,
does blind men to fuch a degree ; is it likely thai after they have fpent
their lives in this fecurity, they vi^ill effedtually repent at their death ?
Can a man repent who does not knovir the reafons why he fhould, who
does not feel, or has forgot his fms, and who thinks bciides, that he is in
a good ftate, and that he needs no repentance.

2. If repentiince fuppofes the knowledge of fin, it fuppofes befides a
hatred of it. But he who has love.d fin to the laft, is lefs able then to
hate, than he is to know his fins. I cannot comprehend, how a man
who has loved the world all his life, who has made it his only delight
and ftudy, to gratify his lufts, and who has always been cold and indif-
ferent towards religion; fhould when death appears, fuddenly change his
inclinations, hate what he loved, and love what till then he looked upon
with indifference. So quick a paflage from the love, to the hatred of
fin, Is very rare. The forrow for fin, and the hatred of it, are always
faint and weak in the beginnings of repentance, even in thofe who re-
peat fincerely. Converfion proceeds by degrees ; a man muft have dif-
continued finning, and be already fettled in the habits of virtue ; before he
can have a ftrong averfion to fin. And what kind of repentance then
can that be, which begins in the extremity of life?

'i. But here it is objefled firft, that God is always ready to reftore
the greateft finners to his favour, when they have recourfe to his mercy,
and that there are exprefs promifes in the Gofpel, which aflure us of this.
I grant it: God never rejects a repenting finner. But before a man can
build upon this, the hope of being received into God's favour at the hour
of death, he muf!: be fure that he fhall then fincerely repent. . Now I
think I have demonftrated, that this is what no man can depend upon.
As to the promifes which are made to repentance in the Gofpel; I do
not deny but that they may be applied in a good fenfe to all finners ; but
yet it is certain, that they are made in favour of thofe, whom God was
to call to the Chrillian religion, and chiefly in favour of the Heathens.
Chrift and his apofl:les were to aflure all men, that the fins they had
committed, fliuuld not exclude them from the covenant of grace, pro-
vided they did fincerely mourn for them, and part with them. When
the Heathens came to baptifm, nothing clfe was required of them, but
that they fhould repent, and make a folemn vow of being holy for the
time to come. But as to Chriftians it cannot be faid, that God demands
nothing of them but repentance and forrow for fins; for he calls them to
holinefs upon pain of damnation.

In this fenfe it was, that the apoftles preached repentance, and by this
we may know, how much Chriftianity is decayed. That repentance,
which confifl:s in the confeflion of fins, and in a refolution to forfake
them, is the duty at which the Heathens began. This was the firfl: thing
which the apoftles required of them; it was preparatory to the Chriftian
religion, St. Paul* places the dodrine of repentance, among the fun-
damental points, and the firft duties in which the Catechumens were in-
ftruded before baptifm. But now Chriftians look upon repentance, as
the duty with which they are to end their lives j that is to fay, they de-

• H€b. vi. I. ■

rS8 Caufes of the prefent Part I

fign to end, where the Heathens begun, and to enter heaven at the fame
gate, which admitted Pagans into the church.

2. It will be laid further, That fometimes men, who have lived in fin;
die to all appearance, in very good difpofitions. To this 1 reply ; That
we fee a great many more of thofe perfons who die in a ftate of infenfi-
bility; and that by coufequence, a fmner who puts off his repentance,
has more reafon to fear, than to hope. For who has told him, that the
ftite of thefe laft, will not be his ? and what furer prefige can there be of
fo tragical a death, than the prefent hardnefs of his heart? Befides I do
not know, whether it happens frequently, as the objection feems to fup-
pofe, that perfons who have lived ill, are well-difpofed when they die.
U repentance can be faving and effectual when it begins only upon a
death-bed, every body muft own, that it ought to be very lively and deep,
attended with demonftrations of the moft bitter forrow, and with all the
proofs that a dying man can give of the fmcerity of his converfion. But
we do not fee many inftances of this nature. There are but few great
finners, who exprefs a lively compunction at their death, or a fmcere de-
teftation of their fins, who have a due fenfe of their wickednefs, and en-
deavour as much as they can to make reparation for it, who pradtife
rcftitution, and edify all about them, by difcharging the other obligations
cf confcience. It is but feldom that we fee fuch penitents.

Bcfules, the exprefiions of devotion and repentance, which are ufed by
dying men, are not always fincere. It is much to be feared that their
repentance is nothing elfe but a certain emotion, which the neceflity of
dying, and the approaches of God's judgment, muft needs raife in the
mind of every man, who has his wits about him, and has fome ideas of
religion. Nothing is more deceitful, than the judging of a man by what
he either fays, or does, when he is under the effects of fear or trouble.
It is commonly faid of thofe, who have given fome figns of piety upon
their death-beds, that they have made a very Chriftian end : but there is
often a great miftake in that judgment. And to be fatisfy'd of it, we
need but obferve what happens to fome who have efcaped death, or fome
iminent danger. While the peril lafted, who could be more humble and
holy than they? They fhewed fo much devotion, and uttered fuch dif-
courfes, that all the ftanders by were edified by them ; their tears, their
prayers, their proteftations of amendment, in a word, their v/hole deport-
ment, had in all appearance, fo much of Chriftian zeal in it, that the be-
holders were ftruck v.-ith admiration. But there are many of thefe, who
when the danger is over, continue in the fame difpofitions, remember
their prpm.ifes, or alter any' thing in their former courfe of life; almoft
all of them return to their old habits as foon as the calamity is paft.
Thefe are generally the fruits of that repentance which is excited by the
fear of death, in thofe who recover : and what effects then can it have in
refpedt of thofe that die ?

I confefs, we ought not to condemn anybody ; but I think we fhould
not pronounce a definitive fentence, in favour of thofe who have led an
ill life. For tho' men's judgment makes no alteration in the ftate of the
dead; yet it may have a very pernicious effeft upon the living, who con-
clude from.it, that a man may die well, tho' he has lived ill. And whilu
1 am upon this fubjedtj I mull lay. that nothing coiitributes more to the
■ ' keeping

Cause VI. Corruption cf Chrl/Ilans. 189

keeping up of thefe dangerous opinions, than when the minifters of reli-
gion commend without difcretion, the piety of the dead. And yet this
is frequently done, efpecially in great towns, and in the courts of princes.
There are to be found in thofe places, mean-fpirited and unworthy
preachers, who proftitute their tongues and their pens to the praife of
fome perfons, who had nothing of Chriftianity in their lives, and whofe
condition fhould rather make a man tremble. But if fome remnant of
fhame retrains them from carrying their flattery fo far, as to commend
the lives of thofe, whofe panegyrick they have undertaken; then they
feek the matter of their praifes, in fome figns of piety, which thofe per-
fons gave, before they left the world. Now I dare fay, that the moft
atheiftical difcourfes, and the corruptefl: maxims of libertines, are not by
much fo fubtil a poyfon, as fuch kind of elogies, delivered before men who
are ingaged in all the diforders of the age, and then difperfed through
the world.

3. The inftance of the converted thief, who prayed'to our Saviour upon
the crofs, and was received into paradife, is feldom forgotten. But this
inftance is generally very ill underftood. Firft, it is fuppofed, without
any ground for it, that this thief repented only upon the crofs, and that
his convcrfion was the effe£t of a fudden infpiration. But who can tell
whether his converfion was not begun, either before he was taken, or in
the prifon, where it is probable that he was kept for fome time, before the
feaft of pafTover? But if his converfion, muft needs be fudden, and
wrought only a few minutes before his death ; if we muft of neceffity
afcribe it to a miraculous infpiration and to thofe lingular circumftances
■which he then happen'd to be in ; yet I do not fee what can be inferr'd
from this inftance ; fmce no man living can affure himfelf that any fuch
thing will befall him.

But be that as it will, we fhould, I think, obferve a vaft difference be-
tv/een the ftate of this thief, and that of a Chriftian. This poor wretch
had not been called before, as Chriilians are; he had never known our
Saviour ; or at leaft he had not profefs'd his religion ; he had not had
that illumination and thofe opportunities, which grace offers every day,
to thofe to whom the Gofpel is preached. And fo his repentance tho' it
came late, yet it might be as effedtual to falvation, as that of the Hea-
thens, who embraced Chriftianity in their riper years, and who happen'd
to die immediately after baptlfm.

I {hall fay a word or two upon the parable of the labourers, where we
read, * that thofe v/ho went to work in the vineyard only an hour before
fun-fet, received the fame wages, with thofe who had been at work ever
fmce the morning. From this fmners imagine it may be proved by an
invincible argument, that thofe who repent a little before death, will ob-
tain the fame reward with thofe whofe life has been regular. But this
was not our Saviour's meaning in that parable. It fignifies onlv, that
thofe whom God fhould call lali, and who fhould anfwer his call, were to
be received into the covenant, in the fame manner as thofe, who had been
called to it before, and that the Heathens fliould fhare in the fame privi-
ledgcs with the Jnos, tho* the yi:ius had been in covenant with God, a
great while before the Heathens. This our Saviour declares in thefe

words,
• Mattb. XX,

igo Caufes of the preferA Part I.

words, which conclude the parable; fo the laji Jhall he fir ft ^ and the jirjl
laji. Here is nothing that can be applied to thofe Chriftians, who delay
their converfion. They are not in the fame cafe with the labourers, who
■were fent but late into the vineyard. Thofe labourers went no fooner,
hecaufe no man had hired them-^ but they went as foon as they were fent.
I fay, Chriftians are not in this cafe, fince they have been called in the
morning, and at all the hours of the day, being born and having always
lived in the church.

I have been fomewhat large in (hewing how unreafonable and dange-
rous the proceeding of thofe men is, who pretend to repent only at the
end of their lives. But all thofe who put off their converfion, do not
put it off fo far. There are many who acknowledge, that it is dange-
rous to ftay till the extremity, and that it is neceflary to repent betimes;
they propofe to go about it in a little time, and they hope that they
{hall repent foon enough, not to be furprized by death under a total
hardning ; but in the mean while they do nothing toward their conver-
fion.

This way of delaying, is an illufion, which does not appear fo grofs
and dangerous as the former, becaufe it fuppofes fome inclination to
good. But yet it is no better than an artifice of the heart, a trick of
felf-love, by which a man deceives and blinds himfelf. Nay, in fome
refpe6ls, the ftate of thefe laft, is more criminal and dangerous, than
that of the firft. It is more criminal, becaufe they do not what they
approve of, and becaufe they fin againft the conftant admonitions of their
confciences, and do not perform their refolutions and their promifes.
But it is likewife more dangerous ; for with this intention to repent in a
little time, they think themlelves much better than thofe who are refolv-
ed to repent only upon their death-bed ; they applaud themfelves forfuch
a fenfe of piety as they have; and they judge, that if they are not quite
in a ftate of falvation ; at leaft they are not far from it. Now one may
eafily fee that fuch an opinion of themfelves, can only lay their confci-
ences afleep, and infpire them with prefumption and fecurity.

But all thefe things confidered, they go no farther with thefe good
difpofitions, than thofe, who without fhuffling refer the whole matter
to the end of their lives. All the difference is, that the latter do all at
once, what the others do fuccefiively. And therefore all that has been
faid in this chapter, may almoft be applied to thefe laft. They run the
fame rifk with thofe who defign to repent only upon extremity, fince
death may furprize them before they have executed their good refolu-
tions. They have as little love for God, and are as much addifted to
their lufts : that which deceives them, is, that they fancy, that there is
in them a fincere purpofe of converfion. But if this intention is fincere,
how comes it to pafs that they do not repent ? When a man is refolv-
ed upon a thing, when his heart is in it, when he defires it in good ear-
neft, he goes about it without lofing time.

But when a man ufes delays it is a fign that he is not well refolved
yet : a refolution which no effei^ follows, is not a fixed and fettled refo-
lution. This purpofe of converfion, is therefore but one of thofe wa-
vering defigns and projedls, which are formed every day, but never ac-
compiilhed. It is no more than a general and Uiiadtive intention, which

may

Cause VI. Corruption of Chri/itam. i^i

may perhaps be found in all men. But other forts of purpofes are ne-
cefiary for a man who hopes to be faved. Salvation is not obtain'd by
bare defigns and projeds, but by the adual praftice of holinefs.

Now men might eafily be undeceived, and convince themfelves of the
un-fmcerity of all thofe refolutions they make in relation to repentance;
if they did but refledl upon the time paft, and afk themfelves. Whether
they have not been very near in the fame fentiments and refolutions for
fome years together ? And yet thefe fentiments have produced nothing,
and thofe refolutions have made no change in them ; they are ftill in the
fame ftate, and perhaps farther from converfion than ever. Muft not
men blindfold themfelves, when they do not fee, that it will ft ill be the
fame thing for the future, and that life will flip away in perpetual delays ;
for what can they promife to themfelves from the time to come, and what
ground have they to hope that it will not be like the time paft ? Are
they more firmly refolved than they were before ? When will this refo-
lution be put in practice ? Will it be in a month, or in a year ? They
muft confefs, they do not know when it will be. So that when they
promife to repent, they do not know what they promife ; nay, they can-
not tell whether they promife any thing. They will fay perhaps, that
they hope to confirm themfelves in a good purpofe ; but what do they
found this hope upon ? what do they wait for, and what new thino- do
they imagine will happen to them ? Have they any afturance that God
will ufe for their converfion, other me.ms and motives than thofe, which
he has ufed already ? Nay, how do they know but that they fiiall be de-
prived of thofe means and helps which hitherto have been tender'dthem?
How can they tell whether there is a time to come for them, and whe-
ther their life is not juft ready to end ? All this is very uncertain. But
what is certainly true is this, that through fo many procraftinations
their hearts grow harder, and their return to virtue becomes more diffi-
-cult. The love of lin increafes by the habic of finning, and the means
appointed to work repentance, lofe fomething of their force every
day.

Thefe confideratlons do evidently ftiew, that the deferring- of conver-
fion, is an error as grofs as it is dangerous.

I think it will not be ufelefs to conclude this chapter, with obferving
that the reafon why fo many put off their converfion, is, becaufe they
look upon repentance as an auftere and melancholy duty. And this no-
tion muft needs put them upon deferring the pradice of it. It is there-
fore of the greateft moment, to deftroy that prejudice ; and to (hew on
the contrary, that if there is any fad and deplorable condition, it is that
of a man who lives in fin. For that is either a ftate of fear and un-
certainty, or of fecurity and infenfibility. Such a man can have no fo-
iid peace of confcience during his life, and what agitations muft he fall
into, when the thoughts of death and of a judgment to come happens
to make fome lively impreflion upon his mijid ? For grantinir that then
he may ufe fome endeavour to difpofe himfelf to repentance j'^yet befides
the danger of a late repentance, it is a fad thing to end one's life in
thofe ftruggles and terrors, which muft needs accompany fuch a repen-
tance. A man who delays his converfion, prolongs his mifery, and
makes it greater and more incurable, But joy and rranquUity are the
^ portion

102 Caufes of the prepnf P A R T I.

portion of a pure confclence. There Is no felicity or contentment, like
that of a foul which is freed from the bondage of fin. Repentance is
the beginning of that happinefs, which grows fweeter and more perfecSt,
according to the progrefs we make in virtue. Then it is that a man is
happy in all the circumftances of life, befides that he has the comfort
of being fupported at the approaches of death, with that peace and joy,
which flow from a well-grounded confidence in the Divine Mercy,
from the teftimany of a good confcience, and from a Heady hope of
immortality.

CAUSE vir.

Mens Skth and Negligence in Matters of Religion,

^StSI'^T is natural and ordinary to men, to be unconcerned about thofc
2« I ^ things which they do not know, or of which they do not appre-
^n«*.3 ^^""^ ^'^"^ "^^ ^"^ neceffity. And fo wc may eafily conceive that
mcniiving in ignorance, and being poirefled with thofe notions I have
now confuted, mufl: needs be very negligent and ilothful, in what relates
-to reli<^ion. But as this floth confidered in itfelf, is a vifiblc caufe of
•corruption, fo it will be fitting to take particular notice of it in this

chapter. ..„,.-

1 fuppofe, in the firft place, that it is impoffible for a man to attain
the end which religion propofes to him, without ufing the proper means
which lead to that end. In religious as well as in worldly concerns, no-
thing is to be had without labour and care. As there are means ap-
pointed for preferving the life of the body, fo there are fome ordained
for maintaining the fife of the foul ; and the ufe of thefe lall means, is
of the two the more neceffary, becaufe there is more care and forecaft
requifite in order to falvation, about preferving the life of the foul, than
for fupporting that of the body. It is certain that the more excellent
any thing is, the more it requires our care ; but befides that we fee the
life of the body is eafdy preferv'd ; a natural inclination prompts us to
thofe things v/hich are necefiary for our fubfillence, and the means of
fupplying our bodily wants, oficr themfclves to us, as it were of their
own accord. But it is not fo with the fpiritual life. Confidering our
pronenefs to evil, and tlie prefcnt ftate we are in, we cannot avoid being
undone, if we negled the neccftary care of our fouis, and if we follow
all the bents and propenfions of our nature. Religion obliges us upoa
many occafions, to refifl our inclinations and to offer violence to our
felves, it requires Ldf-denial, v/atchfulnefs and labour ; it lays many du-
ties upon us, and it prefcribes divers means, without the ufe of which^
we cannot but continue ftill in corruption and death: I fhall then but
iuft name the chiefdl: of thofc duties and means.

Before all things, a Chriftian ought to be inftruaed, he ought to
know with iome exAclnefs, both the truths, and the duties of Chriltia-

mty :

Cause Vlt. Corruption of Chrljlluni. 193

nity : Now this knowledge cannot be acquired, without hearing, fead-
ing, meditation, or fome other care of this nature. In the next place,
as religion does not confift in bare knowledge, but chiefly in prailice ;
none of thofe means fhould be negleiled, which are proper to divert
men from vice, and to fpur them on to virtue. Thefe means are very
many, but they are all comprehended under thefe two principal heads j
the exercifes of devotion, and the circumfpe^Slions which every perfon
ought to ufe.

The exercifes of devotion are mighty helps to piety and falvation ; t
mean fuch as meditation, reading, and particularly prayer, which is one
of the moft efTential a6ts of religion, as well as one of the moft effica-
cious means to advance holinefs. There are on the other hand feveral
methods of circumfpeclion and care, which are of abfolute neceility :
as for inftance, the forefeeing a/id fhunning the occalions which may
draw us into fm ; the fceking thofe opportunities and aids which pro-
mote piety, the not being over-much concerned about the body, the che-
rlfhing good thoughts, and the refilling evil one'^ ; but above all, it is a
thing of the greateft importance, that every one fhould endeavour tho-
roughly to knowhimfelf, which he cannot do, but by examining hi:- pre-
fent ftate, and by reflecting ferioufly and frequently upon his actions and
words, and upon the thoughts and motions of his heart. All thefe c^res
are efTential and neceiTary. For without the ufe of thofe means, it is as
impoflible to be religious and pious, as it would be to live and fubfift
without nourifhment. A man who will neither eat nor drink, muft
needs die in a little time. And fo the fpiritual life will foon be extinil-^
if the only means which can fupport it, are not ufed.

Let us now fee, whether thefe cares and means which I have fhcwrt
to be necefTary, are made ufe of. It is fo vifible, that they are almoft
totally negleited, that I need not be very large upon the proof of it.

Men take little care of being inftrudted, and of getting information
and knowledge about religion. The far greater part either cannot read,
or never apply themfelves to any ufeful inftruciive reading. Few hear-
ken to the inftruiStions that are given them, and fewer yet examine or
reflect upon them. Carnal lufts and fecular bufinefs ; do fo engrofs
them, that they feldom or never give themfelves to fearching the truth*
They generally have an averfion to fpiritual things. Hence it is, that
in matters of religion, they will rather believe implicitely what is told
them, than be at the pains of enquiring, whether it is true or not. And
they are every whit as carelefs about exercifes of devotion. Many would
think it a punifhment if they were made to read or to meditate. They
never do thofe things, but with reluctancy and as feldom as they can.
They go about prayer efpecially with a ftrange indifference, and a cri-
minal indevotion. In fliort, very ^tv/ take the neceffary cat c to preferve
themfelves from vice, and to behave themfelves with regularity and cau-
tion; very few feek the opportunities of doing good, and avoiding the
temptations to which the common condition of men, or their own par-
ticular circumftances expofe them : and the greateft number are Haves
to their bodies, and v/holiy taken up with earthly things* v)ne of the
moft fenfible and fatal effcdls of this negligence, is that thofe perfons
ufe no manner of endeavours to know themfel^s. It is very feldom if

Vol. VL N ever

194 Caufes of the prefent Part I.

ever that they reflect upon what pafTes within them ; upon their thoughts,
their inclinations, the motions of their hearts, and the principles they
a6l upon ; or that they take a review of their words and a6tions. They
do not confider whether they have within them the chara6ters of good
men, or of wicked and hypocritical perfons. In a word, almoft all of
them live without refledtion.

Mens carelefsnefs about religion is therefore extreamly great. But
they proceed otherwife in the things of the world, about which they are
as active and laborious as they are lazy and cold in reference to true
piety. They will do every thing for their bodies, and nothing for their
Ibuls. They fparc no induftry or diligence, they omit nothing to pro-
mote their temporal concerns. If we were to judge by their condutSl,
we would think that the fupreme good is to be found in earthly advan-
tages, and that falvation is the leaft important of all things.

I need not fay u'hat efFefls fuch a negligence muft produce. The
greater part of Chriftians being ignorant in their duty, having no know-
ledge of themfelves, declining the ufe of th«fe means which God has
appointed, and without which he declares that no man can be faved ;
and wearing out their lives in this ignorance and floth, it is not to be
imagined, that they can have any religion or piety ; and fo there muft
be a general corruption amongft them. I fay, it muft be fo j unlefs
God fhould work miracles, or rather change the nature of man, and in-
vert the order and the laws which he has eftablifhed.

But becaufe it might be faid that Chriftians do not live like Atheifts,
and that their negligence is not fo great as I reprefent it ; let us confi-
der a little, what fort of care they beftow upon the concerns of their
fouls. Certainly there are fome perfons who are not guilty of this ne-
gligence : but excepting thefe ; what is it which the reft of mankind do,
in order to their falvation ? Very little or nothing. They pray, they
aiTift fometimes at Divine-fervice, and at the publick exercifes of reli-
gion ; they hear fermons, they receive the facrament, and they perform
fome other duties of this nature. This is all which the religion of the
greateft part amounts to. But firft thefe are not the only duties which
ought to be pradtis'd ; there are others which are not lefs eflential, and
which' yet are generally negleded ; fuch as meditation, reading, felf-ex-
amination ; to fay nothing here of the duties of fanftification. So that
if fome a£ls of religion are performed, others are quite omitted. The
reafon of this proceeding may eafdy be difcovered. There is a law and
a cuftom, which oblige all perfons to fome atSts of religion ; to pray, to
receive the facrament, and to go now and then to church : if a man
fhould intiiely neglecSt thofe external duties, he would be thought an
Atheift : but there is neither cuftom, nor law, nor worldly decency,
which obliges a man to meditate, to examine his own confcience, or to
watch over his conduft, and therefore thefe duties being left to every
one's direction, are very little obferved.

As to the other duties which Chriftians perform in fome meafure, the
want of fincerity in them, does moft commonly turn them into fo many
aifls of 'hypocrify. They perhaps fay fome prayers in the morning ♦, but
this is done without devotion, haftily, with diftrad^ion, and wearinefs,
and only to get rid of it j after, they think no more of God all the day,
c but

IGau'se VIIo Corruption of Chri/iianSi ig5

but are altogether bufied about the world and their pa/fions ; and in the
evening they pray with greater wandring of thoughts than in the morn-
ing. If it fo fall out, that they go to church, or hear a fermon, they
do not give a quarter of an hours clofe attention to any thing that is
faid, or done in the publick aflemblies. In many places the whole de-
votion of the people, confifts in being ptefent at fome fermons, which
are as little inftrudlive, as they are minded or hearkned to. The ufe
\vhich is made of the facraments, efpecially of the eucharift, converts
them into vain ceremonies, and makes them rather obftacles, than helps
to falvation. As to the mortifying of the body by reafonable abftinencej
fafting and retirement, it is an Unknown duty. The indifFefence of
Chriftians is therefore but too palpable. What they do upon the ac-
count of religion is very little ; and yet they do that little Co ill, that
it is not much more beneficial to them, than if they did nothing at all.

And now what might not be faid, if after having thus fhewn, that
what men do for thfeir falvation is next to nothing ; I fhould undertake
to prove, that they dO almoft every thing that is necefTary for their dam-
nation; and that they are zealous and induftrious for their ruin, as they
are flothful and negligent in what is requifite to preferve them. There
are means to corrupt as Well as to fancStify our felvesi The means of
corruption and perdition, are ignorance, want of attention^ neglecl of
devotion, the love of the world, and of the flefh, unruly pafTionSj tcm.p-
tations, and ill examples; Now fuppofrng, that a man was fo monftrouf-
ly frantick, as to form the defign of damning himfelf; what would fuch
a man do? He would negle6l the exercifes of devotion, he would not
pray at all^ or he would pray only with his lips ; he would profane the
facraments by an unfancStify'd ufe of them ; he would only mind his bo-
dy and this prefent life ; he would give loofe reins to his paffions, as
much as he rtiight with decency and without danger ; if he had an op-
portunity to gratify his fenfualit}', his covetoufnefs, his pride, or any
other wicked affection, he would gladly embrace it. This is what a
man would do to damn himfelf: and is it not what a great many a6lual-
ly do? I confefs, no m.an is capable of fo wild a refolution, as to defign
to damn himfelf; but a man fufficiently damns himfelf, when he takes
no care of his falvation, and when he does thofe things, which will in-
fallible bring his perdition after them.

The floth and negligence of men in the concerns of their fouls, being
one of the caufes of their corruption, it would be highly necefTary to re-
medy that negligencr^ and to infpire them with zeal for religion ; but it is
hard to fucceed in this, lazinefs is attended with a certain fvveetncfs
to which men give up themfelves with pleafure. The flothful do love
and delight in reft ; they cannot endure to be egged on to labour. This
is one of thofe habits which are moft difficult to be conquered ; and to fay
the truth, there is but little hope of thofe, in v>^hom it is grown inveterate :
it is a great tafk to rouze them out of that fluggiih and Icthargick tem-
per. God muft interpofe by a particular grace, by great afflictions, or by
fome other extraordinary method.

But yet, I do not think it altogether impofTible to overcome this fin-
ful and dangerous floth, or to preferve thofe from it, whom it has not
feized as yet. Serious reflections upon the importance (^f. falvation, and

N 2 upon

156 Caufes of thg prefint Part T.

upon the necefHty of working at it, may produce that efFe6l. Men
would not live in this carelefnefs, but that they either do not apprehend
of what confequence it is to be faved; or that they imagine, there is not
much to be done for the obtaining of falvation. Thefe two prejudices
maintain their lazinefs. Nothing can therefore be more ufeful, than to
convince them on the one hand, that nothing in the world is of greater
mCiment than religon; and that eternal happinefs is the higheft of all con-
cernments : and to let them fee on the other hand, that this felicity is
not to be attained, but by afiiduous care^and an exa6t obfervation of
the duties of Chriftianity.

1 knbw that it is difficult to make men ferioufly enter upon thefe re-
,iIcclions ; but yet they ought ftill to be laid before them, and we fliould
not give over. If they have no efFect at one time, there are circumftances
in which they will prove fuccefsful. I think, few would continue in this
Huggifh difpofition, if they did rcprefent to themfelves what notions and
thoughts they fliall have at the end of their lives, every man is fatisfy'd
that he mufl: die one day, and that his condition will then be the happieft
that can be conceived, if he has made ufe of the time and opportunities
he had to fecure his falvation; but that if he has negle£led thefe means, he
ihall find himfelf in flrange agonies, and be reduc'd to difmal extremities.
"When death appears, when the world vanifhes, a man is then wholly
taken up with religion, he would give then all the world, if it was in his
poflcffion, to fecure to himJelf a better life. Now fmce we ail knov/ that
this mult one day be our cafe, wifdom requires, that we fhould over-
come betimes that negligence, of which the confequences will be fo fatal;
and thr.t v^-e fiiould apply our felve'-; with earneftnefs and pleafure to that
work, upon which our fovereign felicity depends.

€JX>OO<XXXXXXXXXXX>0<X>O(XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXia

Cause viir.

J Far idly Bufinef.

^•iir»^'Ki:EGlJGENCE commonly proceeds, either from indifference, or
;^i N S from diftraction. We neglect thofe things, which we look up-
'^;.^-^;-^^ on with indifference-, but we frequently alfo ncgle£l things of
jnoment, becaafe we are diftra6ted by other cares. Tliefe are the two
caufes of mens carelefnefs in matters of religion. On the one hand,
piety is indifferent to them>they neither know the nature nor the excellency
\^i it ; the duties which it prefcribes, do not appear very pleafant or necef-
fary to them ; they love and efteem only the things of the world, all this I
have proved, in the fore-going chapters. On the other hand, they are
diitracled by temporal cares, v/hich rob them of the leifure and freedom,
that are neceffary for the itudy and practice of religion. Worldly bufmefs
therefore is another fource of corruption, as I hope to prove it by the
follovi^ing confiderations.

I reckon among worldly employments, all thofe, cares which relate to
^ the

Cause VIII. Corruption of Chrtjilam. 197

the world, or this prefent life, whether they take up the body or the mind.
There are temporal cares which properly take up the body; fuch are the
cares of mechanicks, or hufband-meii ; and there are other fecular cares,
which chiefly employ the mind ; fuch is the ftudy of humane learning, of
politicks, or philofophy. Thefe laft as well as the firft, ought to be counted
worldly bufinefs. Nay, we may obferve that diiference between thefe
two forts of temporal employments; that the cares which take up the
mind are fometimes the more dangerous. While the body is at work
the mind may be at liberty ; but when the mind is employed, when the
heart is diflracted and pofieffed with temporal cares, it is much harder for
the thoughts of religion to enter, or to make any imprefllon upon a man.

But whether thefe employments relate to the mind or to the body, we
ought not to think, that they are of themfelves hindrances to piety. For
this imagination, would be a very grofs error. Worldly bufniefs is law-
ful and necelFary, and it were a fm to negleiSl it, fmce that would be con-
trary to the order which God has eftabliftied in the world. Nav, it may
be ufeful to our falvation, it may divert ill thoughts, it may take off men
from triffling and vicious employments, and it may ferve to mortify the
body, and to banifh idlenefs, which is the caufe of all manner of vice.

I make this remark, becaufe fome people fancy, that in order to be faved
it muft be necelTary to live in an abfolute retirement, to lay afide all tem-
poral cares, and to give up our felves wholly to fpiritual exercifes, to read-
ing, contemplation, meditation and prayer. But thole who do thus
ftretch the obligation of renouncing the world, and infift fo much upon a
retired and contemplative life, do not I doubt, very well underfland the
nature of piety, nor do any great fervice to it. Sometimes by endea-
vouring to fpiritualize men too much, we fpoil all, and we make pietv
appear ridiculous or impradticable. We fhould always remember that
piety is made for man. Now it is not one in fifty that can thus embrace
retirement, and abfolutely renounce the world. I am far from condemn-
ing retirement ; it is fometimes very feafonable, and I think it in fome knk
neceflary to all men. There are fome perfons who for the fike of tlieif
falvation, or the edification of the church, ought to chufe a retired life
difingaged from temporal cares. Others are called to that kind of life
by the circumftances which providence has placed them in. And befide's
there is no Chriftian, but ought to allow himfelf fome times of retire!
ment; nay, there are fome temporal employments which do not hinder a
man to live in a retired manner. But after all, it would be the ruin of
fociety, and of moft Chriftian virtues, if every one fhould live a-part and
bufy himfelf only in fpiritual exercifes. God does not require this' He
has created man to labour in the world, and thofe who follow an honeft
employment in it, a6t fuitably to his will, and their bufinefs may prove
a help to their falvation. ^

I need not I think, advertife the reader that I fpeak here only of lawful
employments, and not of thofe which are bad and contrary to the laws of
nature or religion. And yet thefe laft are very common; but becauie
everybody mayeafilyfee that fuch occupations muft unavoidably en o-ao-e
men into fin, I will make it my chief bufinefs to fhew, that lawfuf and
innocent employ.ments, prove to many perfons a hindrance to piety and
falvation,

N 3 Tcm.

ygS^ Caufes of the frefent Part I, -

Temporal employments then being not bad in themfelves, thev cannot
occafion corruption but by the abufe that is made of them. NW there
are four faults which men commit in this matter.

1. The firft is, when they are intirely taken .p with worldly things.
We have lliewed already, that men live in a prodigious floth and carelef-
nefs about religion, and that they do almoft nothing for their fouls and
their falvatiori. From this it follows, that they mufl be employ'd only
about their bodies and the concerns of this life. And in fait, if we inquire
into their cares, we (hall find that they terminate in the world, and ir^
their temporal intereft, and this I think, needs not be proved,

2. Their hearts fmk too deep into the things of the world. The
bufinefs cf life is innocent when it is follow'd with moderation; but it
diverts men from piety, when it is purfued more, and with greater eager •
nefs than it deferves. That exceflive love of the world, makes the un-
happinefs of men. Inftead of efteeming temporal goods in proportion
to their worth, and as remembering that they are not able to procure
them true felicity, inftead of confidering that they are not made for this
life only, and that they cannot long enjoy thofe advantages which they
court ; they give up themfelves wholly to the world, they fet their heart?
and afte6tions upon it, and they a£t as if this life w^s the ultimate end of
all their actions. They labour only for their bodies, and for the grati-
fying of their appetites. This is the mark aimed at in all their thoughts
and projefts : this is what inflames their defires, and what excites jn them
the moll violent paflions of grief or joy, of anxiety or impatience. They
are far from having fuch a hearty concern for religion and piety. In re-
lation to this, their affections are faint and languid, and they do nothing
^ut with indifference, or by conftraint.

3. The third fault is when men are too much employ'd, and when they
over-load themfelves with bufmefs. It is a great piece of wifdom, both
jn refpeil: of the tranquility of this life and the concerns of another, to avoid
the excefs and the hurry of bufmefs, as much as poffibly we may, without : ^
JDeing wanting to the duties of our calling ; to confine our felves to neceffary ,
cares, and to wave all fuperfluous ones. Men would live happy if they did
but know, what their profeilion requires of them, and limit themfelves tq.
it, without meddling in that which does not concern them. But here-
they obferve no bounds; they will fly at all, they will bufy themfelves,- ;
about many things, which do not belong to their province. This with-
out doubt is a dangerous difeafe, and the occafion of feveral diforders.

4. In the laft place, thei-e is one thing more to blame, and that is
when worldly bufinefs, becomes an occafion of fin, by the abufe that is
made of it. For befides that it is a very ill difpofition in a Chriflian to
be fond of the world ; moft men are fo unhappy as to direct all the bufi-
nefs of life to a bad end, which is to fatisfy and to enflame the more theiir
irregular appetites. And by this means, many enterprizes and particular
a£lions of theirs, which in themfelves are innocent, become evil and un-
lawful, and engage them in all manner of fins.

Thefe confiderations prove already, that the greatefl: part of men's;
vices proceeds from their temporal affairs ; but this will appear yet more
f learly by the following reflections.

;. This cxcefTive application to temporal cpncerns, engroffes almof^

our

Cause VIII. Corruption of Chri/liam. igg

our whole time, fo that it does not leave us a fufficient ^are of it, to be
fpent in cares of another nature. Men confefs this themfelves, and plead
it for an excufe. They alledge their bufinefs. A man who is engaged
in the world will fay, / have no time to read, or to perform the exerci/es of
religion ; / have too much bujinefs, my employ or ?ny calling does not leave me
a minute of leifure. And the truth is, they are too bufy for the moft part.
If they have any fpare time, fome hours, or fome days of reft, wherein
the courfe of their ordinary employments is interrupted ; they are not in
a condition, to improve to the beft advantage thofe fliort intervals of re-
laxation.

2. And truly, fecular bufmefs does not only take away the befl: part of
men's time, but it does befides diftrait their minds and invade their
hearts and affedtions. When for a whole day or week the mind and
body have been in agitation, a man is weary and fpent, the activity of his
thoughts is exhaufted, his head is too full to be clear, he is not able to
drive away in an inftant fo many worldly ideas, to calm his paflions, and
to turn himfelf of the fudden, to fpiritual exercifes. So that he muft
either abfolutely neglect the duties of piety, or perform them very ill.
When a man has brought himfelf to a habit, of being employed only in
worldly affairs, he is no longer mafter of his own thoughts and motions.
It is with great difficulty, if he can at all apply himfelf to objects that are
foreign to him. Thofe objects affe6l him but weakly ; he muft make
great efforts, before he can faften upon them ; and if he fixes there for a
few moments, it is a violent ftate in which he cannot continue long.
Thofe thoughts, of which he is conftantly full, crowd in upon him, and
he returns immediately to thefe things which he loves, and which com-
monly take him up.

This is the true reafon, why men love and relifh fpiritual things fo
little, and why they think it fo hard to fubdue their minds with reading,
attention, and meditation. This is particularly the main fource of in-
devotion in the exercifes of piety. Why is the mind fo apt to wander in
prayer ? The too great application to temporal affairs is the caufe of it.
As foon as a man is awike in the morning, a throng of thoughts and a
multiplicity of defigns and bufmefs break in upon his mind, and take poC-
feflion of his heart ; he is filled with thefe things all the day, he follows
and plods upon them without diftradlion or interruption. And how is
it to be imagined that amidft all this hurry and turmoil, he fhould find
that recollection, that tranquility, and that elevation, without which thft
exercifes of piety are but meer hypocrify ? Whence comes it to pafs that
men bring fo little attention and fmcerity with them, to the publick wor-
ihip of God ? Why do fermons produce fo little fruit ? Why do the moft
certain and important truths of religion, the cleareft and the moft folid
reafonings, make either no impreffion at all, or at leaft no lafting one
upon the hearers ? What is the reafon why in the moft folemn devotions,
and particularly in the holy communion, it is fo difficult for men to lift
up their hearts to God, and to fhake off a thoufand idle or finful thoughts,
which come then to amufe and diftradt them ? And laftly, Why do thofe
vows and promifes which are made even with fome fincerity, prove fo
ineffeifual ? Why do the beft refolutions vanifti fo eafily and fo foon ?
AU this comes from men's being too much taken up with temporal cares.
N% 3. Thefe

hefii

20O Caufes of the prefent Part I.

Thefe exceflive cares do not only diftrafl the mind, but they do
ides directly obflru6l fantification, and lead men into fm. For firft it
is impolTible to love religion and virtue, vi^hen the heart is fet upon the
world. Our Saviour tells us, *That no 7nan can ferve two majters', and
St. John declares, f That the love of God is not in thofe who love the world.
There is fuch an oppofition between bodily and fpiritual exercifes, that
thofc who give thcmfelves up to the firfl, are incapable of the others.
Worldly occupations render men carnal, fenfual and dull ; they keep up
io-norance and foment floth, and they w^eigh down all their inclinations
aiid thoughts, to the earth, fo that they muft be carelefs and indifferent,
about fpintual obje(Sts and heavenly concerns. And indeed they are very
ill difpos'd to value thofe good things as they deferve; or to feek them
with that eagerncfs and fmcerity which they ought. Can we think that
men, who prcpofe nothing elfe to themfelves, but the amafling of wealth,
the making their court, or the canvafiing for places^ ; and who live and
toil only for fuch things, fhould have a due fenfe of the concerns of their
falvation ? It is hard to imagine it.

But further, religion does not allow Chriftians to love the world, or to
cleave to it. % It requires, that they fljotdd pojfefs temporal goods as not pof-
fejjing thcni^ and that, they Jhould nfe the world, as not ahufing it ; becaufe
on the one hand, the figure of the world pafjes away, and it would be a folly
to fix their hearts upon vain and tranfitory enjoyments: and on the other
hand, they ought to afpire chiefly to the polfeffion of folid and eternal
happinefs.' To be therefore taken up only with earthly things, and to
let them enter too deep into one's heart, is a difpofition quite contrary
to that, which a Chriftian ought to be in.

4. Laflly, An exceflive application to temporal affairs hurries a man
into many diforders. We need but reflect a little, to be fatisfied that a
man who is filled only, with the thoughts and folicitudes of this life, mufi:
be a Have to his fenfes and paflions j and that he lays himfelf open every
moment to a thoufand temptations, which he is not able to withftand.
Tho' his employments are lawful in themfelves, yet he makes them cri-
minal, becaufe to him they are only means of gratifying his appetites.
And the greatcft mifchief is, that when a man is once entred upon that
courfe, he Hill confirms himfelf in it, fo that at laft he cannot leave it off".
On the one hand, his pailions are ftiil mounting higher ; on the other,
bufinefs and toil grow upon him. He firft propofes an end to himfelf,
land then he will bring it about at any rate, as being engaged in honour
and by intereft not to defift. If he meets with obftacles he will do any
thing to furmount them. If he fucceeds, fuccefs animates him with new
ardour; he is for going further: in a vi^ord, it is an endlefs labour, a
continual fucceflion of cares, which are ftill growing greater, and which
end only with his life.

From all this v/e may conclude, that the abufe of worldly bufinefs is
moft dangerous, and that if we would not have it obftrudl our falvation,
we ought to obferve thefe three rules,

'Fhe firft is, That we fliould purfue the things of this world with mo-
deration. One of the moft ufelul directions for a happy life, is this j To

lay
* Matth. vi. 2+. t * John ii. 15.

:t 1 Cor. vii. 31.

Cause IX. Corruption of Chrtjiiam, 20i

lay nothing too much to heart. The way to preferve our innocence and
tranquility, is to crave nothing too eagerly : not to rejoyce exceflively
at any profperity, not to be deje£led above meafure for any difafters
which may happen, and not to be too hot and peremptory upon any de-
fign. The fecond caution to be ufed, is the avoiding multiplicity of bu-
finefs, and excefs of employments, as much as is confident with the du-
ties of our calling. Every one {hould conlider what he is fit for, and
what he is called to, and go no farther. In the laft place, wifdom re-
quires, that among all the affairs of this life, we fhould referve the ne-
cefTary time and care, to pay what we owe to God, and to mind our fal-
vation, the moft important of all concerns. To this end, it is very ufe-
ful, to have certain times of retirement and leifure, and to accuftom our
felves to make now and then, even in the midft of temporal employments,
fuch reflexions as may call us back to our duty, and be like a counter-
poife to that byafs which carries us toward fenfible objedls. Let us often
think that we are mortal, that we have a foul, and that there is another
life after this. Let us confider what all our worldly cares terminate in,
and what judgment we fhall make of them upon our death-beds. Thefe
refledions will put us upon wife and moderate courfes, and fo we fhall
avoid innumerable diforders and miferies which nien fall into, by their
too great application to temporal bufinefs.

CAUSE IX.

Men's particular Callings.

^j^M^Y{0' we have feen already that corruption has its fource in the
^^ T ^ abufe of worldly bufmefs, yet it may be proper to infxft a little
Cjft"':S^'^ more upon this matter, and to confider it with relation to the
different ftates and callings which men are engaged in. When we fpeak
of worldly bufmefs, we mean chiefly thofe things, about which the great-
eft part of life is fpent. Now thofe occupations muft needs be fuitabje
to the particular kind of life which a man follows. And fo every man's
kind of life, maybe a fource, or at leaft an accidental caufe of corruption.
As the v/orld is conftituted, it is neceflary that there fhould be dif-
ferent profefiions among men, that fome fhould cultivate the earth, that
others Ihouid apply themfelves to arts and trades, and that others fhould
exercife magiftracy or traffick. The difference of fex, age, condition,
and other circuinftances, creates a great variety in relation to particular
callings. Now this diverfity of employs and conditions, is innocent in
it felf; the world fubfifts, and fociety is preferv'd by it. But yet it
cannot be denied, but that a great part of the diforders, which happen in
the world, proceeds from the kind of life which men chufe, and from the
particular Itate they are in; and that becaufe they abufe it, and do not
demean themfelves in it, with caution and prudence. The proof of this
fhali conclude tho firft part of this treatife.

But

J02 Caufes of the prefent . Part I.

But here we are to ufe fome diftindion. There are callings which are
bad in themfelves, and others which are lawful and innocent; they arc
not all therefore equally dangerous, and fome produce corruption, more
neceflarily than others.

- All profeflions, or callings are not lawful, fome are unlawful and cri-
minal. The world is full of people, who make fm it felf their ordinary
calling and profeffion. There are infinite numbers, who inftead of fol-
lowing an honeft employment, fubfift only by the fins which they com-
mit themfelves, or which they make others commit. This might eafily
be proved by abundance of inftances. How many are there, whofe trade
k aconftant praftice of obfcenity, lewdnefs and debauchery, of artifice
and intrigue, lying and knavery? How many are there, who are pro-
fefled extortioners and cheats, who are always employed in adls of in-
juftice, cruelty and violence ? nay, there are focieties form'd for that
purpofe ; the trade of robbing, of punifhing the innocent, and that by
committing rapine by fea and land, is ere<Sed into an honourable and
lawful employment. Many perfons are fufFered at this day among
Chriftians, whofe profeffion was formerly counted infamous ; many are
tolerated, who are only minifters of voluptuoufnefs, and whofe only bu-
fmefs it is to introduce licentioufnefs of manners, to corrupt the youth
by training them up to the love of pleafure ; and to a luxurious and , ef-
feminate life ; and to furnifh thofe who are inclined to debauchery, fen-
fuality, idlenefs, or gaming; with the means to gratify their inclinations.
>fow all thefe profeffions are not only infeparable from fuij but they like-
wrfe make way for all kinds of vice among Chriftians.

We ought to pafs almoft the fame judgment upon the way of living
of thofe, who without making a publick profeffion of vice, propofe no
other end to themfelves in this world, but the pleafing of their appetites.
Some have no other view, than to enjoy the pleafures of life, and they
level their whole conduit at that mark. Others defiring to grow rich,
or to raife themfelves to honours, make no fcruple of ufing all the means,^
which intereft, ambition and injuftice, have eftabliflied in the world.
They make ufe of fraud, violence and oppreffion ; it is their maxim and
their ftudy to difiTemble their fentiments, and to do mifchief to thofe who
ftand in their way. In a word, they betake themfelves to every thing
that may further the fuccefs of their defigns. Such a method of life, is
manifeftly contrary to the fpirit of Chriftianity, and it muft: needs be
highly finful, fince both the end of it, and the means ufed to obtain that
end, are fo.

There are other kinds of life, which do not feem altogether fo bad,
and yet are riot much better. This may particularly be faiJ of idlenefs.
The profeffion of many, is to have none at all, and to be as little em-
ployed as they can. They think it the happieft of all conditions to have
nothing to do, and to live at reft and free from adlion. But yet it is
unworthy of a man, and much more of a Chriftian, to be ufelefs in th^
world. And if this idlenefs is ftiameful and culpable in it felf, it is
much more fo in its effe6ls and confequences. It betrays men into fri-
volous or dangerous paftimes. For a man cannot be perfedly idle. The
want of ufeful bufinefs muft be fupplied with amufements ; arid thofe
amufements are generally finful. Thus we fee multitudes of people,

who

Cause IX. Corruption of ChriJIians, 20^

who excepting the time which they muft needs beftow upon the necefllties
of nature, and upon fome external and indifpenfable a£ls of religion, con-
fume the beft part of their lives at play, or in diverfions, in unprofitable
reading and converfations, in meeting companies, in receiving or return-
ing vilits, or in other fuch things, which tho' they are thought innocent,
yet they enervate the mind, they devour time, they enflave a man to the
opinions and modes of the world, and they make him moft frequently
tranfgrefs the laws of religion. It would not be difficult to apply this to
profeffed gamefters, to thofe who fpend their time in trifling difcourfes
and impertinent vifits, and to many other perfons. I might eafily (hew,
if it was neceflary, that fuch a life has little of Chriftianity in it, and that
it is a great deal more to blame, than is commonly believed.

Thus men follow divers kinds of life, which are efTentially bad, and,
wherein by confequence, purity of heart, and innocency of life, cannot
be prefer v'd.

As to thofe kinds of life and occupations which are lawful, I might
pbferve in the firft place, that for the moft part men are too much wedded
to them, and that they commonly abufe them. But I will not prefs this
confideration, having fliewn already in the foregoing chapter, that too
great application to temporal affairs, robs men both of the time, and of that
inclination and freedom which are necelTary to mind fpiritual things, and
that it makes them dull, earthly-minded, fenfual and flaves to their paf-
iions. To fpeak then only of what concerns particular callings, I fhali
pbferve thefe two general faults.

I. It is a great mifchief that men embrace prdfeffions which are not
fit for them. Every profeffion require fome particular qualifications and
talents \ and fince all men have not thofe qualifications, it follows that all
men ^re not fit for all employments, and that diftindlion and choice
^re to be us'd in pitching upon a profeffion. The welfare of focieties
and of particular perfons, does in a great meafure depend upon that
choice. If no care is taken of this, employments muft be ill difcharged,
9nd from thence a great many diforders will arife both in church and
ftate,

Now if we take a furvey of the different callings which men are en-
gaged in, we will find that they are often deftitute of thofe qualifications
which are neceffary for the right difcharging of them. And the worft
of it is that this happens in the moft confiderable employments, and in
thofe which might contribute moft to the preferving of order, and the
encouraging of virtue in the world. As to profeffions of leffer import-
ance, the choice is much eafier; every body almoft is capable of them,
and the faults which may be committed there are not of great confe-
quence. If a huftjand-man does not well underftand his bufinefs, or a
mechanick his trade, no great inconveniency will enfiie from thence in
relation to fociety. But when publick employments are in the hands of
men who are not qualified for them, it is hard to tell how much mifchief
js occafioned by it. Is it not for inftance a lamentable thing, that fo
many perfons fhould dedicate themfelves to the church, who want the
talents requifite for fo high a fun£Hon ; and that fo many who might do
great fervice in that profeffion do not embrace it ? '^y this it happens
|iiat fome of thofe who ^re placed at the helm in feveral churches, want

both

204 Caufes ef the prefent PaRT I,'

both learning and probity, and that religion is very ill adminftred, fo that
the people beinj without inftruftion or condu6t-, live in ignorance
and diforder. The fame may be faid of the office of magiftrates, when
it is entrufted to thofe who are not proper for it.

2.' Lawful callings may prove great occafions of corruption and dif-
order, both in refpecl of thofe who embrace them, and of the publick,
when they are ill exercifed, when the duties annexed to them are ne-
gle6ied ; when men do not watch againft the temptations which are par-
ticular to them, and when they look upon them only as means to gratify
their inclinations, to get money, to have a rank, to gain credit, or to hu-
mour fome other paffion. I might enter here upon many particulars,
but becaufe this would lead me too far, I (hall confine my felf to a few
inftances.

It would be very proper to fpeak here of the profeffion of church-men,
and of the office of princes, magiftrates and judges, and to fhew how
pernicious both thefe kinds of life prove often, not only to thofe who are
raifed to them, but I ike wife to church and ftate. But thefe two articles
are of too great moment, to be touched upon only by the by. They are
two general caufes of corruption, which deferve to be purpofely handled,
and which are to have a place in the fecond part of this book.

The profeffion of military men, is a kind of life which corrupts vaft
multitudes; I do not condemn the profeffion in general. It is lawful,
a man may live in it like a Chriftian, and there are perfons in military
employments, of a folid virtue and an exemplary piety. But it muft be
confefs'd, that the number of thofe perfons is not great ; and that for the
generality, the maxims and deportment of the men of that profeffion,
agree very little with the rules of Chriftianity. Thofe who follow the
employments of war, are for the niofl: part men of loofe and vicious
frlnciples. Every body knows, that if on the one hand fome good men
are found to embrace this profeffion, on the other hand it is the ordinary
receptacle, and the laft fhift, of idle and debauched people ; and of thofe
who are over-whelmed with poverty and n;Tiifery. Befides, how do rnen
live in that profeffion? faving fome few diforders which military difcipline
does not allow of, every thing is lav/iul there j I fpeak of what is com-
monly obferved. To fpend their life in idlcnefs and gaming, is the
leaft fault of foldicrs. Lewdnefs is a thing about which no great fcru-
ple is made among them. The fame might alfo be faid of injuilice ; it
IS well known that commonly officers do not thrive but the foldiers pay
for it. I fay nothing of unjuft wars, nor of the cruelty and inhumanity
which often'attend that kind of life, becaufe I will not enlarge upon this
fubjeft. But it is moft certain, and every confidering perfon will own,
that after the rate that military men live almoft everywhere; war is the
fchool of vice, and that the prodigious number of thofe, who follow that
emplovment, is one of the principal caules of corruption and debauchery.
Commerce is one of the moft lawful and neceflary profeffions of life.
Not only fociety, but religion it felf may reap great advantages froni it.
But yet this calling has its dangers and temptations, and it is exercifed
by many in a way which is contrary to good confcience. As the only
end of traffick is gain, and as the oppoftuniti:-. of getting by unlawful
uiethocls, which may be pradifcd with impunity, ofter themfelves every

day:

Cause IX. Corruption of Chrlfllam, 205

day ; fo it is 'evident, that if a merchant has not a ftrict and well-in-
forn:ed confcience, and virtue enough to refift the perpetual temptations
to which his calling expofes him, he will forfeit his innocence, and vio-
late every minute the rules of juftice and equity, of charity, truth and
honefty.

There are fev/ callings more innocent and more fuitable to the order
which God did eilablifh at firft, than the employments of thofe whoexer-
cife mechanick trades, and get their livelihood by bodily labour. And
yet this kind of life proves to a great many an occafion to vice, becaufe
they do not arm themfelves againft the temptations and fms which are
ordinary in thofe callings. It is almoft the general character of this or-
der of men, to mind nothing but the world, to labour only for their bo-
dies, and to do nothing for their fouls. Hence it is, that they are igno-
rant, that they know their religion very little, that they are grofs, fenfual,
given to intemperance, and feveral other exceffes. They are apt befides,
to be unjuft and falfe. They make no confcience of doing their work
ill, of lying, and detaining what is not theirs. There is a thoufand
petty frauds and little knavifh tricks, ufed in every trade, which are
thought innocent and lawful ways of gain. Now it is plain, that all this
does not contribute a little towards corruption.

What I have faid of the employments of life, may be applied to the
different ftates men are in, with relation to age, condition, and their way
of living. All thefe are fo many occafions and circumftances, which
may divert them from their duty.

Thus youth has its particular temptations. Young people are vain,
prefumptuous, fenfual, given to pleafure, violent and bold in their paf-
fions. They are likewife imprudent and fickle, becaufe they want know-
ledge and experience. Being thus difpofed at that age, they will almoft
infallibly, unlefs prevented by a good education, corrupt themfelves, and
contract ill habits, which will ftick by them, as long as they live. Daily
experience (hews us, that youth ill fpent is the fource of the corruption
of a great many for the reft of their whole life.

Old people are commonly covetous, morofe, fufpicious, wedded to the
opinions they have once embrr.ced, and moft deeply engaged in their vi-
cious cuftoms. Their paflions are not fo boiftcrous, but they are more
lafting and harder to be cured, than thofe of young people. And from
this we may judge, that if reafon and religion do not corredl: thofe faults
of old people ; that age, which ought chiefly to be employed in prepar-
ing for death, will prove an obftacle to piety and falvation.

The rich as St. Paul obferves,* are proud and high-minded ; they are

• apt befides to be flothful, they love to fatisfie their paflions, are full of

felf-love, minding themfelves in every thing, and being little afFeclcd

with the miferies of others. So that riches may eafily fpoil thofe who

poflefs them, and do actually fpoil many.

The poor are almoft all of them vicious, becaufe they are ignorant,
forfaken from their infancy, and grown up in want and idlenefs, and
among bad company. They have little religion, they will live without
working, they are given to ftealing and difhonefty. Envy fills their

hearts,
• Tim. vi. 17.

4o6 Caufes of the prefeni Part I.-

hearts, and tliey only keep within the bounds of duty, when they can dd
no mifchiefi

Thofe who live un-Confined and much in the world, have for the
inoft part little of a Chriftian character. They lie open to abundance
of temptations, and what is moft dangerous in that kind of life, is, that
a man has no fooner embraced it, but he thinks it honourable, lawful
and neceffary ; he hearkens no longer to the rules of religion, he is
afhamed of them, and governs himfelf only by the maxims of the worlds
Others lead a retired life, they avoid great companies, and they feldom
appear in publick. That ftate may have its advantages, but it has its
dangers too. Thofe who live thus retired, are apt to think themfelveS
much better than other men, becaufe their condu£l feems regular and
free from fcandal ; and this infpires them with a fecret pride, a great
opinion of themfelvesj an auftere and imperious humour, which makes
them apt to fpeak ill and to judge raflily of other people, and this drive*
charity, gentlenefs, and humility out of their hearts.

I think I have faid enough to (hew, that men's various kinds of life^
have a general influence upon the irregularities of their deportment.
But to make this truth yet more evident, 1 fhall add two refle6l:tons to all
that has been faid.

The firft is, that of all the temptations which are apt to feduce men^
none are more dangerous than thofe, which are, i . Neceflary and una-r
voidable. 2. Ordinary and frequent. 3. Hidden and imperceptible.'
Now the temptations arifmg from men's particular callings have thefe
three charafters. l. They are neceflary and unavoidable, we may with-
ftand them, but we cannot avoid altogether being expofed to them. ii
They are frequent and Conftant, thofe employments in which the greateft
part of our lives is fpent, offering them to us perpetually. 3. They are
hidden and imperceptible ; for befides that men refleiSt little upon what is
ordinary and happens every day ; thofe temptations are varnifhed with
the fpecious pretences of example and cuftom, and even of the lawful-
nefs of the calling and of neceflity. Thus a trades-man, is neceflarily
expofed to the danger of wronging his neighbour, and of tranfgrefling
the rules of jufl:ice, equity or fmcerity : the opportunity of doing this
returns every minute, and as often as he buys or fells ; this teniptation is
imperceptible, and except he has a nicenefs of confcience, he will not be
fenfible of it, by reafon that his profeflTion is innocent, that he is allowed
to get, and that moft of the unlawful ways of gain, are authorized by
Cufl;om.

2. The fecond reflection is, that the greateft and the moft infuperable
obftacles to piety, proceed, for the moft part, from a man's calling. It
is that which obftrudls more than any thing elfe, the efFe£t of the gofpel,
and men's converfion. We preach, we exhort to repentance. But to
whom do we fpeak ? We fpeak to men engaged in profeffions, which,
confidering how they behave themfelves in them, divert them from piety^
and furnifti them with a thoufand opportunities of finning. We fpeak
to people who have chofen already the courfe of their whole life ; who
refolved to continue in the ftate they are in, and to alter nothing in it ;
and who have formed to themfelves, that fcheme of employments, which

they

Cause IX, Corruption of Chrljllans, 2(3^

they intend to follow at any rate. We preach to people who are noi
fooner out of the church, but they meet at home and in 'their ordinary
bufmefs, with perpetual hindrances to holinefs, and with temptations,
which it is certain they will not withftand. Such hearers may be preached
to long enough, before they reap any fruit from what they hear. Ser-
mons are prefently gone ; but the temptations arifmg from the profeffions
which men chufe, are continual, and laft as long as their lives. They
accompany a man every where, he is not jealous Of them, he feeks them,
he gives up himfelf to them, and he fancies he may lawfully do fo. This;
is the vifible occafion of the gofpels having fo little efficacy upon men's
minds.

I fhall conclude this chapter with two remarks which may ferve for a
remedy againft this fource of corruption, i. Every one ought to examine
the ftate and kind of life he is in ; that if this ftate has fomething in it that
is evil or contrary to the duty of a Chriftian, he muft alter and correal:
it. If the profeifion is bad in it felf, nothing elfe can be done, but to quit
it. If it is lawful, we muft take care not to render it dangerous or fm-
ful, either by negledling the duties to which it obliges, us, or by not
avoiding the fnares and temptations that attend it, or by making it an
occafion and pretence, to fatisfie our inordinate afFedions. Iconfefs we may
meet here with difficulties. It is hard for a man to leave off a profeffion,
to go out of his ordinary road of life, and to renounce fome engagements
when they are once formed. And yet this ought and may be done, if
thofe engagements are not lawful. It is better we fliould offer fome
violence to our felves, by breaking them off, or by correding what is
amifs in them, than to run our felves into infinite miferies. But the beft
way is to obviate the evil in its beginning.

Therefore, I fay, idly. That fmce people ufe to refolve upon a profef-
fion while they are young ; that choice requires a great deal of prudence
and caution ; for no lefs than temporal and eternal happinefs or mifery
deperids upon it. But it is a fad thing to fee, how rafhiy and inconfide-
rately this matter is gone about. Intereft, chance, paffion, the humour
of parents or of young people, are the things which determine fo im-
portant a choice. It is not much confidered whether a calling is lawful,
or proper for him that embraces it ; little or no care is taken to form tjie;
inclinations of young perfons ; they are given up to their own condu61-,
and to all the temptations of that profeffion to which they are deftined.
And thus we need no longer wonder, why employments are ill difcharg-
ed, why moft people lofe their innocence in them, and why there is a ge-
neral corruption to be obferved, in all ftates and conditions. This is the
ordinary effed and confequence of men's particular callings.

ATREA-

TREATISE

CONCERNING THE

C A US E S

OF THE

PRESENT CORRUPTION

OF

CHRISTIANS,

AND THE REMEDIES THEREOF.

P R E F A C Ei

PXX^ LTHOUGH it cannot be contefted, but that the Corrup*
Q A ^ tion-of Chriftians proceeds from thofe Caufes, which have been
4oXX(J obferved in the Firft Part of this Work; yet thofe Caufes are
not the only fprings from which Corruption flows : there are others be-
fides, which we are to difcovcr now, and which deferve our moft ferioiiS
attention.

Hitherto we have found the Caufes bf Corruption, in the ill difpofl-
tion of moft Chriftians. But thofe which will be the fubjedt matter of
this Second Part, are of another nature. They are mOre general and
of a greater influence, and they may be looked upon as the occafions of

the

CaOs£ I. Caufes of the prefeni Corruption^ kc, 2og

the others. For if it be afkedj Why men are ignorant, full of prejudi-
ces, poflefled with falfe maxims, or negligent In the concerns of their fal-
Vation; we may eafily fee that this proceeds chiefly, from the want of
Order and Difcipline, from the defecSts of Paftors and Magiftrates* front
Education, and from thofe other Caufes, which I defign to enquire in-
to, at prefent. Things are upon fuch a foot among Chriftians in rela-
lation to thefe heads, that it is almoft impoilible but that the Corruption
of men muft be very great ; and we muft not hbpe to flem the tide of
it, unlefs we remove thofe publick, and general Caufes of Corruption.

In the next place thefe Caufes are lefs known^ and lefs obferved than
the others. I cannot tell whether it is becaufe they'are not thought of,
or becaufe no remedy is hoped for ; but men do not appear very folici-
fous to remove them;, nor do they feem to know them. Great endeavours
are ufed in Books and pulpits, to inftru£l men and to bring them to a
more Chrirtian life : matters of religion and morality are carefully ex-
plained, but this does not heal the general diforders. The main Caufes
of remifnefs do fWl fubfifl, and hinder the effects of inllrudtions and ex-
hortations. It were therefore to be wifhed, that thofe who are concern-
ed for the reftoring of Chriftianity, had larger views^ and did more di-
ligently labour to take away the general Caufes of Corruption.

Indeed it feems more difficult to remedy thefe I am now to mention,
than the firft General Abufes are hardly reformed, efpecially when they
are confirmed by a long cuftom ; and to attempt it may be thought a
fruitlefs labour. But all this ought not to difcourage us. Truths fo
important as thefe are, ought not to be fupprefled ; they may produce
their fruit in their feafon, it is ftill a great matter to have fet them in the
belt light we can : and this is *hat I fhall endeavour to do at prefent.

PART If.

v3J(3o«o«acoe«oocoeotccoooooo!:ooceo(!t:OMeeM<;ooocooocoooco«eoeocoeocooocooooMo«oBocM

C A U S E I.

The prefent State of the Churchy and of Religion in general,

^5*!!^'^ IE T.Y is always necefTary, and the practice of it is never im-
S P w poflible, to thofe who are well inclined. But yet we muft con-
k^P-^^':3 fefs, that the various circumftances of time, place, and of the
ftate of religion, contribute much to to the progrefs of piety or of cor-
ruption in the world. There are fome happy circumftances, and fome
times very favourable to piety ; as on the other hand there are unhappy
VoL.Vi. O circum-

2lO Caufes of the prefent Paht II.

circumftances and times in which it is like a ft ranger upon €arth, the
means to promote it being then neither lb efFetftual nor fo frequent. The
defign of this work, obliges me to confider, what may be thought in
this refpedl of the time we live in, and whether this Corruption which
difhonours Chriftianity, does not proceed froin the unhappinefs of thp
times, and from the prefent ftate of the Church and religion.

But we cannot fucceed in this enquiry, nor pafs a found judgment
upon the prefent ftate of religion, without running back to its iirft ori-
gin and nature, and without taking a view of thofe ages which are elapf-'
ed, fmce its firft eftabliftiment. The knowledge of the fcripture and
of hiftory are here of great ufe. The fcripture Informs us what the
ftate of religion fliould be, and hiftory ftiews us the different ftates thro'
which it has pafled. When we examine religion by thefe two rules, we
perceive that it neither has been, nor will be, always in the ftate it is
now in.

It is fit in the firft place to feek the true notion of the Chriftian
Church and religion in fcripture. There it is that Chriftianity ftill fub-
fifts in all its beauty, for neither the ages which are paft, nor the changes
which ha^'e happen'd, have been able to tarnifli in the leaft, the bright-
nefs of thofe native and lively colours, in which our Saviour's religion
is fet forth in holy writings. We may take notice of four principal cha-
racters in the idea which the fcripture gives us of the Chriftian Church
and religion ; and thefe arc, truth, holincfs, union and order.

1. The firft and the chief character of this Church and religion, is
the knowledge and the profeflion of the truth ; this is what diftinguiflies
Chriftianity from falfe religions. The Church is the Church of Chrift
no longer, than while {lie retains the puBty of faith and of evangelical
do&ine. It would be necdlefs to prove this.

2. The facred writers reprefent the Church as a fociety altogether
holy. They name her * The fponfe of Chri/ly a glorious Jpotfe^ having nei-
ther/pot nor wrinkle nor any fuch things hut being holy and without hlemijh.
They call her f Thehotfe of the living God^ a holy natioi?^ and the affemhly
of the firji born which are written in heaven. They give to Chriftians,
the glorious titles of kings^ P^i^Jl^ faints, ele^^ children of God, and new
men \ they fpcak of them, as a people feparated from the world and its
vices, dedicated to God and good works, and living In the practice of
piety, temperance, juftice, charity, and all other virtues.

3. Union and Love is the third character of the Church and of the
true Difciples of Chrift. The fcripture does not fpeak to us of many
Churches but of one, of which all the faithful are members, in what
place foeverthey may be. St. Faid fays that there is but one faith, one
baptifjn, and one God; the Apoftles enjoyn above all things, Union and
Charity, and they give many precepts to maintain thefe, and to make
them flourlfli among Chriftians.

4. As Holinefs and Union cannot be preferved, where there is no or*
der ; fo the Church was to be a well regulated fociety in which every
thing might be done in a convenient and orderly manner. And in fadt,
there are in the facred writings many laws to this purpofe. We find
there feveral regulations, concerxiing the way in which the Church

ought
* Eph. V. 27. Ptt. n, t Heb. xii.

Cause I. Corrupt icn of Ch/ijitam, 2il

ought to be governed, and concerning the calling of Bifhops and paftors,

and the principal functions of their office. The fcripture does befides
appoint the exercife of difcipline, the manner of proceedinp- in relation
to fcandalous finners, and the adminiftration of publick • alms. It pre-
fcribes the chief aiSls of religion and divine worfhip, prayers, falling, fa-
craments, preaching, and fome other heads. All thefe laws are de-
figned to eftablifh order and piety in the Church, and to banifli con-
fufion and fcandals out of it. And this order cannot be a thin^ indiffe-
rent, fince the Apoftles have given us laws about it.

It is not difficult to fliew that moft Chriftian focieties are hardly to be
known by thefe marks. But before we come to that, it is neceflary to
obferve the different ilates through which the Church has pafftd from her
infancy to this time.

, 11. ii we confider the Church in her infancy, we muft acknowledge,
that the firft ages of Chriftianity were very pure, in comparifon of the
following. But yet we muft take heed, when we fpeak of the purity of
the primitive Church, that we do not form to our felves too advantage-
ous an idea of it, as if Chriftianity had been then in its utmoft purity
and perfedlion. The Church in her beginnings did confift of Jews and
Heathens. Thefe men embracing Chriftianity, did not fo entirely ftrip
themfelves of their prejudices and cuftoms, but that they brought with
them into the Church, fome of the notions of Judaifm, and even of
(jentilifm. It is well known that this was the firft occafion of thofe
herefies which did ftain the purity of the Chriftian do6lrines, and mo-
rals, and the caufe of feveral diforders, which happened in the \txy
times of the Apoftles. Befides, the Apoftles and the firft minifters of
the Chriftian religion, were nWable, by reafon of the perfecution and
of the obftacles they met with, to regulate all things as they would have
done, if the Church had been in peace. We need not therefore won-
der if we find imperfections and defedts apparent enough, in the ftate of
the primitive Church. And it is of fome importance, to obferve this,
not only that we may have true apprehenfions concerning this matter,
but that v/e may befides obviate an unhappy confequence, which mio-ht
be drawn in favour of the prefent corruption, from what has been known
in the firft ages of Chriftianity. No doubt but there were diforders and
fcandals at that time ; but we are to remember, that the Church was
then made up of men, who for the moft part were born, and had lived
in Paganifm, and whofe life had been fpent in the thickeft darknefs of
ignorance and vice.

Yet for all that the Church was then more holy and pure than fhe has
been fince, or is at this day in moft places. This is matter of fa6f which
cannot reafonably be contefted ; for befides that it may be verified, from
the teftimony which the facred, and fome of the heathen authors bear
to the innocency of the primitive Chriftians, and that it is probable, that
men were kept in awe while the Apoftles were alive in the time of mi-
racles, befides all this I fay, there are two confiderations which prove,
that corruption could not be then fo great or fo general, as it is
now.

Thefe confiderations are founded upon two undeniable fa£ls. i. That the

Church was. then perfecuted. And 2, That difcipline was then exer-

O ?, ciled

212 Catifes of the prefent Part IL

cifed in it. Thefe were two powerful means to remove vices and fcan-
dals from the Church. We may eafily imagine, that men who loved
the world and their fms, would not have embraced Chriftianity at a time,
when whofoever became a Chriftian, did by that very thing expofe him-
felf to perfecution, torments and death. This did fright away the great-
efl: numbers of wicked and impious perfons. But if any of thefe entred
into the Church, difcipline for the moft part drove them out, when they
made themfelves notorious by a fcandalous life. It is eafy to judge, that
in fuch circumftances there was more piety at that time, than we obfcrve
now in the Church. The firft Chriftians were fmcere in their profef-
fion. Being inftruiflcd by the Apoftlcs, and apoftolical men, they pla-
ced the Chriftian religion chiefly in a good life, to which they did fo-
lemnly engage themfelves by baptifm. They were united among them-
felves ; they governed themfelves in matters of order and difcipline by
the prefcripts of the Apoftles, as much as the perfecution gave them
leave ; and they did with courage lay down their lives for the truth.
Such was the Chriftianity of the firft ages.

But the Church did not continue long in that ftate before this zeal of
thofe primitive Chriftians began to cool. On the one hand perfecution
ceas'd, and on the other, the ancient difcipline was flackned. Thefe
two fences being pluckt up, and the emperors turning Chriftians, the
corruption of the world broke in upon the Church. Divers abufes
crept into doctrine, difcipline, worfliip and manners, till the Church fell
at laft, into fuch a difmal darknefs of ignorance, fuperftition and vice,
that Chriftianity feenvd almoft quite extin£l and deftroyed. All thofe
who had any true fenfe of religion, did lament this ; they complained
openly of it, and they longed for a go(^ reformation. This was the
ftate which the Church and Religion were in, for fome centuries.

It did not pleafe God that thofe times of ignorance fhould laft for
ever ; that darknefs began to be difpcrs'd in the laft century. Then it
was that learning and languages revived, and that the holy Scripture,
which had been for a great while, a book unknown to the people, was
refcu'd out of that obfcurity, in which the barbarifm of former ages had
buried it. Men did perceive that divers errors had been introduced into
religion ; they difcovered feveral abufes, they went about to redrefs them,
and they fucceeded fo far, that in this refpedl, Chriftianity was reftored
to its purity. But that great work could not be finiflied ; fo that at this
day the Church and religion, are not yet brought to that ftate of per-
fciShion which they might be in.

III. For to come now to the prefent ftate of religion, it is certain,
Firft that many Chriftian Churches are ftill very near in the fame dark-
nefs, men were in fome ages ago. I fliall fay nothing of the fmking of
Chriftianity in Jfia and Africa ; there is more knowledge in Europe ; but
yet in many places we may nbferve almoft all thofe diforders, which pre-
vailed in the times of the groffeft ignorance. Nay, our age is more
unhappy than the precedent, in that thofe abufes have been confirmed
and authorized by laws, and are now fupported by force. How many
countries and Churches are there, where the people know almoft no-
thing of the Gofpel, where religion is reduced to childifti and fuperfti-
tious devotions and pradices, where the moft ridiculous things are be*

lievedl,

I

•Cause I. Corrupuon of Chnjllans. 213

lieved, and the moft fhameful errors received ; where the loofcnefs of
manners may ahnoft be parallel'd with Heathenifm, where the moft ex-
ecrable crimes are committed ? In a word, where the ignorance both
of the people and clergy are general, excepting only fome few under-
ftanding men who are fenfible of thefe diforders, but are reftrain'd by
fear from difcovering their fcntiments. From thofe places Corruption
fpreads to others, and it would not be difficult to ihew by feveral inftances
that the caufe of impiety, ignorance and vice, is to be found in thofe
places which fhould be the fountains of piety and religion.

What I have now faid, is not to be applied to all Churches ; for fome
there are where religion is not fo corrupted, and where a purer Chrifti-
anity is profeffed. But yet let us enquire in the fecond place, whether
there are any Chriflian focieties, where nothing is wanting or to be de-
fired in the ftate of the Church and religion, and where it would not be
neceflary to make fome alterations and conilitutions, in order to come
nearer to perfection ? This deferves to be examined with care, and
without prepofTeilion. We ought here to lay afide the fpirit of a party,
and ingenuoufly to acknowledge defects where they are. For elfe if
every one is wedded to the fociety of which he is a. member, nothing
can ever be remedied. For fuppoimg that there are defeats, whatre-
medy can be ufed, if we are all poiTeiTed with this prejudice. That all is
perfe<5l in our fociety ? Is not this the way to canonize abufes, and. to
prevent the reftoring of order ?

And firft, we ought not to wonder, if there fhould ftill be imperfc6li-
ons in the pureft focieties. It would be a kind of miracle, if there were
none remaining. God does not always think fit to finifh his work all
at once ; unlets he had made^fe of infpired men, luch as the Prophets
or the Apoftles were. It was impoffible fo to attain perfection, and to
provide for every thing at firft dafli, that nothing more ftiould be defired.
Befides, circumftances are fo much altered that it feems neceflary, to
change feveral things that were left in the laft age. It is further to be
coniidered, that tho' Chriftians did long for a good reformation, yet
great difficulties v^ere to be overcome to bring it about. Mens minds
were not much enlighten'd, they were juft creeping out of darknefs, and
a long cuftom had almoft obliterated the true ideas of religion. Almoft
all thofe who were in civil or ecclefiaftical authority, did obitinately de-
fend the abufes which all good men thought it neceflary to redrefs. Ex-
tream fcverity was ufed towards thofe who defired this reformation of
the Church. All this did terrify a great many well-meaning perfons,
and was the caufe, that in feveral places, thofe who had courage enough
to condemn the abufes openly, were not able for want of means, to do
all that the interert of religion required. They were fain in thofe places
to yield fomething to the iniquity of the times, and to fettle things as
well as they could till a more favourable opportunity. Some Churches
came nearer to perfection than others. But howfocver, if we would
pafs a right judgment upon the prefent ftate of the Church and religion,
we ought to examine the thing in it felf, and without partiality. Upon
this I fhall offer here fome general confiderations, and refer to the fol-
lowing chapter fome heads, which will require an cxa6t and particular
difcuffion. I will firft refume the four chara^^ers, which the Scripture
O 3 gives

214 Caufei of the pefeni Part II.

gives us of the Ckriftian Church and religion 3 which are, Truth, Holi-
nefs. Union and Order.

1. All Chriftian focieties boaft that they profefs the Truth; and that
very thing is enough to fliew that many of them are in error, fmce they
do not agree among themfelves about the articles to be believed. I will
not enlarge on this head, becaufe it would lead me into many particu-
lars, and in fome refpeft, into controverfy. I fhall only fay, that if we
did judge of what is to be believed in religion, by that which ought to
be the principle and rule of faith among Chriftians, I mean, the holy
Scripture, v/e would foon perceive on which fide the truth lies. We
might obfcrve in that fociety which vaunts it felf to be the pureft of all
and even which pretends to be infallible, and the. only true Church ex-
clufive of alloth'.T, abfurd tenets and monllrous dodlrines, equally re-
pugnant to Scripture and reafon, and we fhould be convinced, that the
doctrine of thofe Churches which did feparate from that fociety, is much
more confonant to the Gofpel.

2. We muft have a very mean notion of Chriftianitv, if we can be-
lieve that Holinefs, which is the fecond character of the Church, is to
be found among Chriftians at this time. The complaint of the laft
ages was, That religion wanted to be reformed in dodlrine, worihip, dii"-
cipline and manners. It was reformed in part by the rejecting of thoic
errors and abufes, which were crept into do6lrine, worfhip and difci-
pline ; but the reformation of manners is IHll behind. The people have
not as yet been reformed in this regard, except perhaps in thofe times
and places where they have been perfecuted. As for the reft, they have
fcarce changed any thing befides their belief and woriliip \ this alone
"proves that the ftate of ibe Church is ^t imperfeft. Holinefs iS the
fcope of religion, it is the chief charter of Chriftianity j fo that
where holinefs and purity of manners is not, religion muft be very de-
ie:;>ive.

III. Union, Peace and Charity, as v/as faid before, are one of the ef-
lential marks of the Difciples and Church of Chrift. But where is this
characlcr to be found ? I'he Church at this day is rent into factions
and parties. We cannot fay, that there is but one Church ; we muft
fay, that there are many religions and Churches. Chriftians divide not
only upon lawful grounds, which make feparation necefl'ary, but about
things of fmall confequence. Upon the leaft diverfity of opinions^ they
pronounce anathewa againft one another, forni diftercnt fects and com-
munions. Even thofe Churches which might have a common belief
and intereft are not united. Thofe men who by their office lliould bp
the minifters of peace, are but too often the firebrands of divifion. \
deure no other proof of this, but that zeal which moft divines exprefs
about the difputes of religion, and that little difpolition which, is found
among them, to facrihce fome opinions, or expreffions, to the peace of
the Churcii,

1 do not condemn all difputes without diftin£lion, for fome are necef-
fary. The Apoftles command the rulers of the Church, to eftablifli
with care, pure dodtrine, and to confute thofe who endeavour to corrupt
it. They did themfelves on many occafions difpute againft falfe teachers,
fo defert the truth when attacked, were to make but little account of

it:

Cause I. Corruption of Chrijiians. jjl^

it : this would be a betraying the intereft of piety, fince piety is always
founded upon truth. Difputes become neceilary, when eflential truths
are to be defended. Neither would I reduce all profitable or lawful dif-
putes, to thofe only which concern fundamentals. There are errors,
which tho' not mortal, yet are dangerous, and fo it is needful to oppofe
them : and there are truths, which tho' not fundamental, are yet of great
ufe in religion, and may ferve to confirm the principles of Chriftianity.
It is fit that fuch truths fliould be difcufiTed, provided this be done with
moderation and honefty.

I only blame ufelefs difputes, or.thefe, which tho' they may have their
ufe, yet are accompanied with thofe pallions and diforders, which blind
zeal infpires. Such controverfies which are but too common, are ex-
treamly fatal to religion. We are not able to exprefs what mifchiefs
they occafion in the Church, and how prejudicial they are to the pro^-refs
of Chrillianity in general, and of piety in particular. It may feem at
firft, that becaufe the people do not take cognizance of thefe contefts
they fhould prove hurtful only to thofe learned men by whom alone
they are managed ; but yet the whole Church feels the ill efFeds of
them.

I. By reafon of thefe difputes, the people are dcftitute of edification,
or at Icaft they or not receive all the edification which is neceflary.
Church-men being only full of thefe, ftudy and meditate upon nothing
elfe ; in their fermons they fpealc only of thefe matters, which take them
up, and which feem capital to them. They have neither leifure nor in-
clination to mind things of another jiature, and to fet about the reform-
ing the manners of Chriftians ; or they do it but faintly and carelefly.
Whilft a minifter is very bufy in his ftudy or pulpit, about confuting ait
adverfary whom he never faw, or an error which is unknown to his
whole flock, his fheep are loft, his hearers remain pofleft with mortal
errors concerning morality, and ingaged in the moft vicious habits.
This is the fruit of moft difputes, they occafion the ruin, rather than the
edification of the hearers.

2. Difputes keep up among Chriftians falfe zeal, hypocrify and licen-
tioufnefs. The people learn by the example of their teachers, to place
their zeal, not in oppofing vice, but in underftanding controverfy, in
adhering to certain opinions, and in bearing a ftrong hatred to thofe
who difient from them. They judge that what makes the ordinary em-
ployment oi divines, what they infift moft upon, what kindles their
zeal, and excites in them the moft violent paflions, muft needs be the
moft important thing in religion.

3. Sometimes the people take part in the quarrels of their teachers,
from whence proceed unavoidable animofities and divifions, which ex-
tinguifti love, and the fpirit of Chriftianjty, and which create infuper-
able obftacles to the peace of the Church, and the re-union of Chriftians,
Of this we have but too many inftances.

4. Laftly, the little union which is in the Church, is one of the great
caufes of the fmall progrefs of Chriftianity, Chriftians inftead of mak.^
jng their religion appear lovely and venerable, to Jews and Infidels, ex-
pofe it to their contempt. Inftead of endeavouring to propagate the
Chriftian faith, and %q deftroy idolatry, they turn their own wea-

O 4. pons

2i6 Caufes of the pre/eui Part II,

pens againft themfelves ; they mind nothing but the promoting the in-
tereft of their peculiar ieds, and they negle6l that of Chriftianity in ge^
neral. On the other hand, unbeHevers, feeing that Chriltians are not
agreed among themfelves, take occafion from thence to queftion every
thing, and they judge that there can be nothing but uncertainty and ob-
fcurity in a rehgion, where there is nothing but controverfy and diffe-
rent opinions.

The want of Union is then, a moft: confiderable imperfection in the
prefent ftate of the Church. It were to be wiihed, that fome remedy
might be appKed to fo great an evil, and that thofe controverfies which
produce and cherifh it, might be turned out of doors. The way to com-r
pafs this, would be to endeavour in good earneft, the reforming of man-r
ners, and the relloring of order. This great and noble defign will no
fooner be purfucd, but menwi|l be afhamed of all thefe contentions, they
will look upon them as trifling amufements, and find no relifti in thofe
dilputcs, which to fay the truth, do only employ fiich perfons as are con-
ceited with vain learning, and narrow- fpirited men, who are not capa-
ble of larger and higher views.

IV. If we examine the prefent ftate of the Church with relation to order
there we muft ingenuoufly confefs, that great defeats are to be found. In mat-
ters of order and difciplijie, Chriftians ought to regulate themfelves, firft by
the laws which Chrift and his apoftles have fet them; and then by the
examples of the primitive Church and of the pureft antiquity. It being
evident, that what has been pra6tifed in the firlt ages of Chriltianity, and
does befidcs agree with the rules and the fpirit of the Gofpel, fhould have
a great regard paid to it, by all Chriftians. Now it cannot be denied,
but that moll: Churches have confiderably departed from that ancient
prder.

To prove this by fome inftances, it is certain in fact, that the eccle-
fiaftical order and government, which obtains in many places, is not fuch
as it ought to be. None can be ignorant of this, but thofe who are alto-
gether unacquainted with antiquity, or who being full of prejudices find
what they pleafe in Scripture, and Church-hiltory. Can it be faid, that
the elections of bifliops or paftors, are Canonical, as they are managed in
many places, and that the practice and order, eftablifhed by the apoftles
and the primitive Chriftians, are obferved every where? ft is certain
■ likewife, that all Churches are not furniflied u^ith a fufficient number of
perfons to perform divine-fervicc, and to inftruft and edify the people.
When we look back upon the primitive Church, we find, that tho' it
was poor and perfecuted, yet it had its biftiops, its priefts, its catechills
?,nd its widows. At this time we fee yet in feyeral places, that one
fingle town maintains a great number of Church-men, who indeed, for
the moft part, are very infignificant; but elfewhere it is quite otherwife,
one Imgle man does often perform all the ecclefiaftical fundtions ; nay,
fometimes many Churches have but one paftor. This diforder as well
•,is many others, proceeds partly from the want of neceflary means and
funds, to fupply the occafions of all Churches. Here it might be proper
to fpeak of the paftoral functions, and of the adminiftration of difqipline ;
but thefe two heads being important, I r^ferye what I have to i'ay about
them, iox the two next chapters.

Wc

Cause I. Con-uption of Chr'i/ilans. 21 y

We ought here not to omit the want of union and correfpondence
among Churches. If they had more communication and intercourle one
with another, great advantages would follow from thence. Right mea-
fures might be taken for the edification of the people, and for the re-
drefling of abufes and fcandalsj that uniformity which is fo neceflary,
both in worfliip, and in Church-government, and difcipline, might be
eftabliflied ; and that would contribute much to the honour and ilifety of
religion in general. The Church would appear then like a well-ordered
Ibciety, and like one body, of which all the parts fliould maintain a rela-
tion to, and a ftridl dependance upon one another. On the other hand,
it is a great unhappinefs, when Churches have little or no intercourfe or
communication one with another, fo that everyone orders its matters and
cuftoms, the form of its worfhip and government, within it felf.

Thus in m-any refpedts, it would be eafy to fhew, that things are hot
altogether regulated in the Church, as they ought to be, with relation to
order. Men are not fenfible of thefe defeiSis, becaufe they are apt to judge
of religious matters, by the practice of the prefent time, and by the cultoms
of their refpedfive countries ; befides, that antiquity is but little known.
And yet thefe defects contribute more than is commonly imagined, to
the decay of piety and zeal. The want of order in any fociety, does moft
certainly bring confufion and licentioufnefs into it.

V. The worfliip of God being the end and the eflcnce of religion,
we cannot but inquire whether all things are well regulated with relation
to that. To fpeak here only of the publick worfhip, it would be very
neceflary, that it fliould be performed every where in fuch a manner that
the people might underlland, the moll eflential parts of religion and di-
vine worfliip, to be adoration, praife, and the invocation of God ; and
that the difcharging of thefe duties is the end of publick aflemblies.
I remark this particularly, becaufe in many places, devotion is placed only
in the hearing of fermons. Churches are properly nothing elfe but
auditories. People fancy that fermons are the chief thing they meet for,
and that preaching is the principal funilion to be exerciled by minifl:ers
in the Church. Ihe prayers and the pfahns, are looked upon only as
preliminaries or circumftances to a.fermon. This is a dangerous notion,
becaufe on the one hand it makes Chriftians neglect divine fervice, and.
on the other it renders religion contemptible, when fermons are not fo
edifying as they fliould be, which happens but too often. And therefore
it would not perhaps be amifs, if as it is pracfifed in feveral Churches,
divine fervice was dilHnguiflied from fermons by fome circumllances
of times or perfons; fo that it might be one thing to celebrate divine
fervice, and another, to hear fermons.

Several reflections might be offered here concerning the principal
things relating to publick worfliip, fuch as forms of prayers, liturgies, the
manner of praifing God, and facred hymns. It would be a queflion
worth the examining, whether we ought in Chriftian Churches, to ufe
only Pfalms and Canticles, out of the old Tefl:ament, among which tho'
fome are mofl: edifying and full of excellent expreflions of piety; yet there
are many which relate altogether to fome particular palfages of thofe
times ; or if they fpeak of Chrifl:, it is only in a prophetical fl:yle, very
pbfcurc to the people. One would think that Chriftian hymns, which

fliould

2 1 8 Caufes of the prefent P A R t. II.

fhould be fung to the honour of God and Jefus Chrift, chiefly to celebrate
the wonders of our redemption, might be extraordinary ufeful, to nourifh
piety and to ftir up devotion, as well as more agreeable to that, which
the apollles prefcribe, and which the primitive ChrifHans prai^ifed in
their affemblies. Would it not lilcewife be necelTary to agree about giv-
ing the holy Sacrament to ficlc and dying perfons ; and to reftore the more
frequent ufe of the eucharifl", according to the practice of the apoftles
and of the primitive Church? Fading being enjoined by our Saviour, and
cltablifhed by the example of the apoftles, and by the univerfal practice
of the iirft Chriftians, and of all the Churches in the world for feveral
ages ; there is reafon to wonder that in fome places this duty fhould be
almoft out of date. For as to folemn fafts, which are celebrated from
time to time, and feldorn enough ; thofe are not properly the fafts of which
the Gofpel fpeaks, and which were obferved by the ancients : they are
acTls of publick humiliation, defigned for times of calamity, or of extraor-
dinary devotion, and the ufe of thele ought not to be too frequent, becaufe
cuftom is apt to leffen their efteft. But I mean thofe fafts which are
.helps to devotion and hdlinefs, and means to mortify the body, and to
difpofe men to humiliation and repentance.

Uniformity in divine worftiip would be another very necefTary efta-
blifhment. It would fhew the unity of faith, it would render religion
venerable, and prevent thofe diforders and confuftons, which are inevi-
table, when rites and pra6tices quite difterent, nay, fometimes contrary
to one another, are obferved in feveral Churches.

Laftiv, Care ftiouid be taken, that divine fervice might be performed
every where, in an orderly grave and decent manner. The exterior of
relio-'ion, has a greater influence than we imagine, upon the effence of it*
beftdes that we have en exprefs law, * which fays, That all things Jhould be
done decently and in order. Indeed, pageantry and pomp, the great num-
ber of ceremonies, and whatever favours of fuperftition, ought to be
avoided, as well as every thing which is contrary to the eflence of evan-
o-elical worfhip : and it were better to fall into an excefs of fimplicity,
tiian to clog religion with too many ceremonies. But yet under pretence
of fimplicity, we are not to run into ponfufion, and to negleft the exter-
nals of religion and divine fervice. If we fhould examine by this rule
what is done in fome Churches, with relation for inftancc, to the laws
and forfns of publick aflemblies, to the celebration of divine worfliip and
the facraments, and to the perfons who receive the communion, and who
officiate •, we miaht lind there feveral things to be reccilied. And it would
be very ufeful to' take this into confideration, for the want of gravity and
decency, and a dry and carelefs performing of publick worfhip, render
religion defpicable', and make the people, who commonly judge of things
by then- outfides, to entertain a mean notion of divine fervice; which
produces the contempt of religion, and by conlequence ill manners.

VI. This contempt of religion is another fault, which ought not to be
paiTed over in filence. It has been ahmiys the general fenfe of mankind,
that religion is to be honoured and rcfpected, I'he Heathen religions^
as falfe as they were, did attra6l the veneration of the people ; and the fame
may be k^ix at this day, among the feveral nations of iuridels. Cer-
Q tainly

• 1 Cor. xiv. 40.

Cause I. Corruption of Chri/llans. 2ia

tainly then the Chriftlan religion deferves all the veneration and refpedl,
which men are capable of. But it muft be confefled, that in many
places, it is falling of late, into a very great outward meannefs. Men
are accuftoming themfelves, to look with indifference, with haughtinefs
and fcorn upon every thing whix:h has any relation to the Church or to
religion. This appears efpecially in the contempt, which is exprefled
towards the Clergy. Tho' the Scripture reprefents their office, as a
moft excellent and honourable imployment; tho' it enjoyns Chriftians
to * honour, love and reverence thofe, who have the rule over them ; yet
the ecclefialHcal order is generally but little honoured ; and what is more
I'urprizing, it is moft deprefTed and abafed, in thofe Churches which
otherwife profefs a purer doctrine and worfhip, than other Chriftian fo-
cielies. 1 do not fpeak of all Churches in general ; but whoever fees
what is pra61:ifcd in many places, would be apt to think, that it was a.
part of the reformation of the Church, to ftrip the Clergy of all eccle-
iiaftical authority, and of every thing that might render them venerable
to the people, and to fet them upon a low and contemptible foot. Their
charafter is become abjefl, if not odious, and it becomes fo more and
more every day. That which makes it more defpicable, is the poverty
which many of them are forced to live in.

It is not difficult to find out the grounds of this contempt. It may be
juftly charged upon the Clergy themfelves, their chara6ler is become vile,
becaufe they expofe it ; but it does not follo)v that men have a right to
defpife them ; ail that is to be done, is to endeavour the reclaimino- of
them. If under pretence of perfons being unv/orthy, or of fome abufe in
offices, it was lawful to delpife the profeffions themfelves, would not feven
magiftracy be often the vileft of all imployments ? May we not fay alfo.
That Church-men do not well maintain their character, becaufe they are
defpifed ? An office which is flighted will never be well difcharged j it is
feldom that great worth is to be found in a poft which is little honoured,
or rather much defpifed.

The chief caufe of this contempt was the manner in which things were
ordered in the laft Century. Periecution, poverty and the- oppohtion of
the higher powers, were at firfl great obftacles to the eftablilhmg of good
order. Princes and great men did pcllefs themfelves of the revenues and
authority of the Church. Nothing was left to Church-men, but the
care of making fermons, and of adminiftring the facraments. They were
turned into bare preachers j a character which for the moft part is not
Very fit to create refpedf. I fay nothing here of the difcipline and go-
vernment of the Church, becaufe 1 am to fpeak of thefe more largely by
and by.

This abafement of religion and of the miniftry, is a vifible caufe of
corruption. As foon as facred things are difregarded, impiety muft
needs prevail ; efpecially if the minifters of religion are defpifed, then re-
ligion can have no great force upon men's minds. The mafter cannot
be honoured, when his fervants are flighted. Men, who are without
authority, cannot keep the people in their duty. Whatfoever comes
from ari abject perfon, who is neither beloved nor efleemed, can never
be received with fubmiifion. The contempt of paftors, draws of necef.

• Heb. xiii. 17. i The/T. v. 13. "^

220 Coufes of the prefent Part II.

fity after it the contempt of divine fervice, of preaching, and of other
lacred fundions.

The poverty of Church-men, is not much lefs fatal to the Church,
than the immenfe and excefllve riches vi^hich did formerly corrupt the
Clergy. For befides, that in thofe times and places in vi'hich the Chri-
ftian religion is predominant, and profefled by perfons of quality. Po-
verty makes the minifters of religion contemptible to the people, and
even to 2;reat men, it being certain that in thofe circumftances, it is
nccelTary that minifters fhould live with fome credit ; befides this I fay,
that poverty difablcs them from exercifing hofpitality, from minding their
fitndion as they ought, and from difcharging the duties of it with au-
thority and zeal : it forces them to have recourfe to feveral mean or un-
lawful methods to fupply their neceilities, and thofe of their families, and
to do many things which do not comport with their imployment. From
thence proceeds likewife the want of able minifters. A great many per>
ions who might have the necefl'ary talents, qualifications and means, to
be very ufeful in the Church, take a difguft at that profeflion, by the fear
cf contempt or poverty. As long as things are in this ftate, religion
will be defpifed, and corruption will ftill be in vogue.

It is not fo eafy to remove this caufe of corruption as it is to detcfl it.
The re-eftabliftiing of order, feems to be a thing extreamly difficult. To
this end it would be requifite, that Princes and Church-men fhould act
in conjunction. But there are few Chriftian princes who lay this to
heart, and divines have quite other things in their thoughts ; their great
bufmefs is to maintain what is eftablilhed, and to difpute with thofe who
find fault with it. On the other hand, knowledge or refolution is want-
ing, and there is not enough of honefty or greatnefs of foul, to confefs the
truth. Few writers have the courage to fpeak fo impartially, as the fa-
mous author of the hiftory of the reformation in England has done, in the
preface to his fecond volume. It is thought by many perfons, that all
would be ruined if the leaft alteration was made. Some of thofe defeats
which have been mentioned in this chapter, are now become inviolable
cuftoms and laws. Everybody fancies true and pure Chriftianity to be
that which obtains in his country, or in the fociety he lives in ; and it is
not fo much as put to the queftion, whether or not fome things ftiould
be altered. As long as Chrittians are polTefled with thefe prejudices, we
muft not expect to fee Chriftianity reftored to an entire purity.

But yet it is to be hoped from the grace of God, and the force of
truth, that Chriftians will open their eyes at laft, and that divines will
grow fenlible of the neceffity of minding thefe things. The main point
here is to fhake oft' all prejudice, and to confider things in their nature
and original. Our Saviour has left us an excellent rule, when fpeaking
of the abufes which had been fo long received among the Jews^ in refe-
rence to marriage, he tells us, * That froin the beginning it was not fo.
This maxim is of great ufe, and a lover of truth and virtue, fhould al-
ways have it before his eyes. It were to be wifhed, that we fhould ftill
appeal to it, and that inftead of governing our felves by the cuftom of
the prefent time, we fhould run up to the ancient conftitution, and com-
pare what is done at this day, with that which has been, and ought to be
e done.

• Matth. xixr

Cause II. Corruptlcn of Chrljitans, 221

done. This would be the true v/ay to reform abufes, and to draw near
to perfedion, and to bring things back into the natural and primitive
channel.

^«'

C A U S E II.

the want of DifclpUnet

t^XX^T is not my defign in this chapter to fpeak of Church difcipllne
<^} I <) in general. I ftiall only infift upon that part of it, the end of
c^XX'^ which is to regulate the manners of Chriftians. And this is an
important matter. The want of difcipline is one of the greateft imper-
fedions which have been obferved in the prefent ftate of the Church, and
one of the moft evident and general caufes of the corruption of Chri-
flians. But becaufe fome men have pretended, that difcipline, fuch as I
fuppofe it in this chapter, was a humane and arbitrary inllitution, the
obfervation of which was not abfolutely neceflary, and might be dange-
rous ; I think it proper to fay fomething here, concerning the original
and the neceffity of the difcipline of the Church.

I. It is certain in the firft place, that all focieties and bodies have a
right to eftablifh an order to regulate themfelves by, and to provide for
their fecurity and prefervation. When feveral men or people, unite to
form a body, they have power to make laws and regulations, to which
all the members of that body, may be tyed; and to exclude thofe from
their communion, who will not fubmit to them. But thefe laws ought
not to clafh with other laws already eftablifhed, nor with juft and ac-
knowledged rights. I think, this power which is granted to the meaneft
of focieties, cannot be denied to the Church ; and this proves already
that the Church had a right to appoint a difcipline to which, all her
members fhould be fubjecSt, provided, that difcipline did not on the one
hand prejudice publick tranquility, and the authority of the magiftrates;
nor any ways contradict on the other hand, the laws of the Gofpel.
Now as difcipline is not liable to either of thefe inconveniences, but
does rather perfectly agree with the welfare of civil fociety, and the fpirit
of the Chriftian religion, as will be proved hereafter ; fo the eftablifhing
of it, feems to be equally lawful and necelTary.

II. But further, difcipline is an order, which has God for its author.
We find the inftitution of it in holy Scripture, and in the laws of Chrift,
and of his apoftles ; I fhall recite the chief of thefe.

I. In St. Matthew's Gofpel, chap, xviii. 15, 16, 17. we read thefe
words. If thy brother Jhall trefpafs againjl thee^ go and tell him of his fault
between thee and him alone : if he Jljall hear thee thou hajl gained thy brother %
hut if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or tiuo more, that in the
mouth of two or three witnejfes every word rnay be ejlahlifyed. And if he Jhall
negleEl to hear them, tell it to the Church ; but if he negleSl to hear the Churchy
let him he unto thee as a Heathen man and a publican. For the right un-

derftanding

Ill Caufes of the prefent Part II.

derftanding of tbefe words, we muft know that our Saviour does not en-
k&. here a new law, and that an order like that which is here prefcrilj)ed,
was already obferved among the yews. But here, as upon many occa-
fions, our Saviour did comply with the cuftom and practice of that na-
tion, becaufe he judged that thofe cuftoms were good, and fit for his
views and purpofes. The firft Chriftians did the fame in matter of order
and government, they did form the Chriftian Church upon the model of
the Jew'ijh afTemblies, and upon the method which was there obferved.

This is the key of the place I have now quoted. Our Saviour ap-
proves the y^uv/?) practice and enjoyns his difciples to obferve the fame
order amongft them. It cannot be doubted but that this was his mean-
ing. For he fpeaks to his difciples, and it appears by all the circumftan-
ces of this paflage, and by the fequel of his difcourfe, that he is giving
here a law, which concerns the Chriftian Church. It is true indeed,
that he properly fpeaks of private difference, but what he fays ought to
be applied to all thofe difordcrs, which may happen in the Church, and
particularly to fcandals. And furely it is evident, that if we may pro-
ceed in the methods here enjoyned, when the cafe is only concerning
fome differences between private men, we have much more right to do
fo with relation to publick fins, fince they are cafes which concern the
whole Church, and that diredlly^ and which do yet more properly belong
to her cognifance, than the quarrels of private men. The meaning of
Chrift is then, that there muft be an order in his Church for the remov-
ing of fcandals. He fuppofes that the Church has a right to interpofe
iip'on thofe occafions, and he commands that thofe who ftiall refufe to
hear the Church, be looked upon as if they were her members no longer,
and that communication with them fliould be avoided : this is the import
of thefe words, Let him be iinto thee as a heathen man and publican.

1. The V. chapter of the firft epiftle to the Corinthians, ver. 2, 3, 4,
decides this matter. St. Paul having been informed, t!iat there was a
man among the Corinthians., who lived in inceft, he writes about it to
that Church ; and firft he reproves them, /or not having cut off from their
communion., the pcrfon who had committed fo infamous an adiion. ^n the next
place he does himfelf excommunicate that man and deliver him up to
fatan. 1 know that perhaps this power of delivering up to fatan belonged
only to the apoftles, and it is liicely, that this was one of thole extraor-
dinary punifliments, which they had a power to infliiSf upon prophane and
rebellious perfons. But as for excommunication, it is the common and
ordinary right of the Church. This right, or rather this duty of the
Church, is clearly afierted by the cenfure which the apoftJe addreftcs to
the Corinthians, becaufe they had not taken that incejhious perpn from among
the?n, and becaufe they had not obferved the order he had given them be-
fore, not to fuffer fornicators ; * / zcrote unto you already not to cojuPany
with fornicators. He repeats this order in thefe words, which contain an
exprefs and general law againft all fcandalous finners. f / w}-ite it mita
you amin, not to keep company ; if any man that is called a brother, be a for-
?7icotor< or covetous, or an i'dolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extor-
tioner, with fuch an one, no 7iot to eat. This is pofitive : and what the
apoftle adds, bo not ye judge them that are ivithin ? Is a confirmation that

• Ver, 9. t ^'^'■'J''

Cause II. Corruption of Chrijihns, 223

the Church has a right to do fo, with relation to her members. Laftly
he concludes with thefe words, * Therefore put away from among your felves
that wicked pcrfon ; for thus this verfe is to be rendred, as the drift of the
whole chapter, of which this is the conclufion, ftiews it evidently. I de-
fire the force of this proof may be confidered. It is not one Angle paf-
fage which I here produce, it is a whole chapter, it is a thread of argu-
ments, and of exprefs and reiterated injundions. St. Paul defcribes
thofe whom the Church ought not to fuffer in her bofom, he appoints
what is to be done in reference to them ; which is, that they ought to be
cut off from the body of Chriftians, and that their company is to be
avoided. There cannot be a clear and exprefs law, if this is not fo.

3. There are fome other places which have no ambiguity in them,
iTheJf. iii. 6. JVe command you in the name of our Lord Jejiis Chrijl^ this
preface is remarkable j here is a law in due form, which the apollle is
gping to deliver, he propofes it by way of command, and he interpofes
the authority of our Lord Jefus Chrift, IFe command you in the name cf
our Lord Jefus Chrijl^ that ye withdraw your felves from every brother that-
wglk^th diforderly^ and not after the tradition which he received of us. This
law is repeated, v. 14. If any man obey not our word by this epijile^ note
that ?nan.i and have yio company with him^ that he may be a/ha?ned.

4. The I ft epiftle to Timothy^ affords us proofs unanfwerable. The
defign of St. Paul in this epiftle is to eftablifh order and difcipline in the
Church. To this purpofe he gives feveral precepts to Ti?nothy ; he in-
ftrudts him exa£lly how paftors ought to proceed about information, cen.
fures, and the principal offices of Church-government, f Rebuke not an
elder but inftruSl him as a father .^ ayid the younger 7nen as brethren ; the elder
women as mothers^ the younger as fijicrs.^ with all purity. % Jgainji an elder
(or a Prieji) receive not an accifation but before two or three witnejfes : them
that fm rebuke before all^ that others alfo ?nay fear^ L charge thee before God
and the Lord Jefus Chrift and the cle£i angels^ that thou obferve thefe things^
without preferring one before another^ doing nothing by partiality. I might
add other places out of this epiftle and the following, and out of that to
Titus. 11 Here js then again, a whole thread of difcourfe, prefcribing
the order according to which the Church is to be governed. Here are
particular rules ; and St. Paid ufes an adjuration to oblige Timothy to ob-
ferve them. Thei'e laws do not concern Timothy in particular, but St.
Paul fpeaks here of the epifcopal funtSlion, and of the duty of the paftors
of the Church in general. We need but read the epiftles to Timothy^
and the beginning of that which he writes to Titus^ to be fatisiied that
he intends that this order ftiould be fettled in all the churches.

Either there is nothing plain in Scripture, or it appears from all thefe
places, that difcipline is inftituted of God ; that the exercife of it is com-
mitted to paftors ; that fcandalous finners are not to be tolerated in the
Church ; that private men ought to avoid their company ; and that the
governours of the Church are bound to proceed againft them, by pri-
vate and publick cenfures, and even by excommunication. If the paf-
fages I have cited do not prove sU this, we may wrangle about every

thing,

* Ver. 13. f Chap, v,

X 1 Tim, V. I, 2, 19, :o, 21, jj Tit, Jii. 10.

224 Caufes of the prefent pARt II.

thing, and all arguments from the facrcd Writings maybe eluded. The!
inftitution of the facraments is not more exprefs or pofitive.

III. But tho' thefe places were not fo pofitive and fo clear as they are^
yet we may be afTured that this is their true meaning, becaufe this is the
fenfe in which the whole primitive Church underftood them. The prac-*
lice of the firft ages, in conjun6tion with the laws of Chrift and of his
apolHes amounts to a demonilration, which cannot be withftood ; be-
fides that we are to prefunie, that What has been pra£tifed from the foun-
dation of the Church, and in the time of her purity, Was fettled by the
apofties thcmfelves, or by apoftolical men, fo that we ought as much as
po/Tibly to conform our felves to it. Now we know that difcipline was
obferved in the primitive Church, notwithftanding the unhappinefs of
the times, and the perfecution. This is unqueftionable matter of hS:^
and therefore I fhall take it for granted ; and only fay in fhort, that then
all thofe who embraced Chriftianity were engaged by a folemn vow to
renounce the vices of the age, and to lead a holy life ; that thofe who were
baptized were not fuffcred to live diforderly ; that vicious perfons were
debarred the holy myfteries ; that thofe who fell into great fins were ex-
communicated, as well as thofe who were contumacious and incorrigi-
ble •,- that fuch were not reftor'd to the peace of the Church, but after
various degrees of penance, and a publlck acknowledgment of their
faults ; and that as to thofe who relapfed, they were received only at the
hour of death. Very clear monuments of this practice are ftill extant,
in the writings of the ancient doctors of the Church, as well as in the
old canons and decrees of councils. This difcipline mufl needs have
been very feverely obferved, fmce St. Amhrofe was not afraid to put it in
practice againlt the emperor Theodofuis.

I am not ignorant, that the primitive Church has varied about cer-
tain circumftances, that the penitents v.'ere treated fometimes with more
and fometimes with lefs feverity, and that the time of their penance was
ion"er or fliorter : but as to the main or the efl'ence of difcipline, it did
always obtain in the primitive Church. And it was as little queflion'd
then, whether difcipline ought to be obferved, as whether Chriftians
fhould be baptized. This ufage among the firft Chriflians is at leaft a
ftrons; prefumption in favour of difcipline; but it being confonant befides
to what we read in the New Teftamcnt, I do not fee how there can re-
main any doubt about this matter.

IV. In the laft place, the nature of difcipline it felf, proves the ufc-
fulnefs and neceflity of it. All thofe who are not blinded with prejudice,
muft own, that dil'cipline confidered in it felf, is altogether agreeable to
the fpirit of Chriftianity. i. The honour of religion, and the promot-
ing of Chrift's kingdom, require order in the Church. Who does not
fee but that if the Church did tolerate fcandalous perfons and take them
into her bofom, and make no difference between them and the faithful ;
fhe might juftly be charged with all the diforders and fcandals which are
obferved in the lives of bad Chriftians, and be looked upon by inhdels,
as a prophane fociety, where vice is permitted. But the exercife of dif-
cif)line is an authertick difowning of vice, whereby the Church declares
publickly that flie does not allow of it.

2. Difcipline is a moft efficacious means to procure the converfion of

fmners.

Cause II. (Corruption of Chrtjliari;. ?2^

finners. A man muft: be very much hardened, vvheii the being removed
from the communion of Chriftians, does not reclaim him. But when
a fcandalous perfon is fufFered to live in the fociety of the faithful, w^hea
he is admitted to the fame priviledges with ether members of the
Church, this gives him an occafion to harden himfelf in fin, and to think
that he is as good a Chriftian, and that he has as much right to falvicjon
as others, which is a moft dangerous, but withal a moft common ima-
gination.

3. Difcipline is ufeful to the Church in genet-al. Many who may
Dtherwife have ill inclinations, are reftrained by example, or fhame or
fear, or even by confcience : good men are thereby doubly edified ; fince
on the one hand this rigour confirms them in their duty^ and that on the
* other hand, it makes reparation for the fcandal which other men's fins
give them.

From all this, I conclude, that difcipline is a facred, necefiliry arid in-
violable order. It cannot be faid, that it is a humane, or arbitrary
eftablifliment, v/hich may be altered, or which was only to contijiue for
a time. An order which has its original in the exprefs laws of Chrifc
" and his apoftles, and which is appointed in Scripture as a general law -
an order which has been obferved in the primitive and apofi:oIical Church -
an order which is founded upon the very nature of the Church and relil
gion, and which perfectly agrees with the fpirit of the gofpel ; fuch an
order certainly ought to be followed, as being of a necefi^ary and indif-
penfable obligation. I fay it again, there is nothing more pofitivQ than
this in the inftitution of the facraments, difcipliiie as well as the facra-
ments, is founded upon divine inftitution, and confirmed by the practice
of the primitive Church ; but in difcipline there is one thing more than
in the facraments ; for whereas the facraments confidered in" themselves
and without refpect to the divine inftitutions, are things indifferent and
of no ufe ; difcipline in it felf is juft and ufeful, agreeable to the princi-
ples of Chriftianity as well as to plain rcafon and knk.

I have perhaps been too large upon this fubjedt, but it was to be prov-
ed in the firft place that difcipline is neceflary and inftituted by God
ilnce that is the ground I go upon in this whole Chapter.

II. This facred order which had been fettled in the beginnino- oi Chrif-
tianity was altered in procefs of time ; and in this as in many other
things Chriftians grew remifs. This was done by degrees ; for o-ood
laws are not commonly aboliflied all at once, but throu«h infeiifible
changes. We learn from ecclcfiaflical hiftory, that thellackning of
difcipline, is chiefly to be imputed to the taking away fome publick pe-
nances. Thofe penances were converted into private confeflions and
penances. At firft this alteration was only concerjung fome fins- which
were not thought to deferve the utrnofi: rigor of difcipline j for as to
great fins, fuch as murder and adultery, the ancient order was flil] Jn
force. But at laft, about the end o^ the IV Century, publick penances
•were abolifhed, firft in the eaftern, and fome time after, in the weftern
Churches. Inftead of penances, private fatisfa6tions were appointed
and then men unhappily began to be more concerned about the exterior
of penance, than about what is fpiritual in it, and fit to reclaim finners.-
This was done at firft by a kind of relaxation or indujoen^-e ; but that

'^^'" VI- F which

5t26 Caufes 9f the prefent Part IF,

which at the beginning was no more than an exception to the law,
fucceeded in the room of the law it felf ; and from thence fprang indul-
gences, fatisfaftions, penance, auricular confeffion, and many other
practices, which are but corruptions of the ancient difcipline. The
Bifliops on the other hand being diftra6led by temporal cares, after the
con«crfion of the emperors to the Chriftian religion, began to negle6l
the effcntial parts of their funiSlion, and the conduil: of their flocks.'
They were for humouring great men, who thought it hard to fubmit to
the publicic order. This is a fhort account, how the purity of the
Chriftian religion was confideiably adulterated in the point of difci-
pline.

III. We are now to examine what the prefent ftate of the Church
and religion is, with relation to difcipline. All the abufes which came
up in the room of the ancient difcipline, do ftill fubfift in moft places,
both in the Greek and in the Latin Church. The Canons and laws of
the Church in the firft Centuries have been abrogated by contrary laws
and Canons. This is acknowledged by all men of learning and fm-
cerity.

Let us fee then whether this difcipline Is to be found any where elfe.
There are many Churches in the laft age, which did redrefsthofe abufes
I now mentioned. But they ought to have gone further ; as thefe abu-
fes had fucceeded in the room of apoftolical difcipline, fo that too fliould
have been reftored, when thefe were taken away. But this was not
done as it might have been wiflied. The diforder was removed, but
order was not re-eftabliflied j and it is not hard to apprehend how this
came to pafs.

It is no wonder that thofe abufes fhould be taken away ; they were
grown too intolerable •, and they could not hold out againft the learning
of an age more knowing than the former were. Things were gone fo
far, that a turn and a revolution were neceflary. It is very probable be-
fides, that intereft, pride, or ambition, did move great numbers of per-
fons, who after all had not much piety, to fet themfelves againft thofe
many and great diforders, and to ftiake ofF a yoke under which the
Chriftian world then groaned. But the fame principks hindred them to
fubmit to the yoke of Chrift, and to bind themfelves to the obfervation
of evangelical difcipline. We are to confider further, that the rules of
difcipline and penance had been difufed for feveral hundred years, fo that
it was not eafy to bring the world to fubmit to an order, of which the
notion was loft. Policy had perhaps a large fliare likewife in this revo-
lution. Princes and great men were eafily determined, to pull dov.^n.
the exceflive and ufurped authority of the Clergy, but they did not all
exprefs the fame zeal to reftore to the Church, her lawful authority. In
fine, among divines themfelves, there were many who could not endure
that difcipline fhould be named, and who difputed and writ again thofe,
who were for excluding fcandalous perfons from the holy facrament, and
for making ufe of excommunication and publick penances. In fuch
circumftances the reftoring of difcipline was a hard taflc. It will not
be improper to relate here concerning this matter, the opinions and the
Ycrv words of thofe who were then imployed about the reformation of
.•^.eChurch.

They

Cause II. Corruption of Chrijllans, ^i')

They looked upon difcipline as a capital point to reftore religion to
its purity. They wrote * That difcipline was the heji^ nay the ONLY
MEAN to hep the people in obedience \ that the Church would never Jiand
upon a firm and folid foundation^ till difcipline and excojnmunicat'ion were ufed
to purge it, to give a flop to licentioufnefs^ to banijh vice, and to mend man-
ners, and that tuhofoever did rejc6l the lawful and moderate ufe of excommu^
fiication, /hewed himfelfhy that to he ?Jone of Chriji^ s Jheep .

But we do lilcewife obferve in their writings, that they had the ill for-i
tune, of not being able to fucceed in their defign, they fay openly, that
they met on all hands with infuperable obftacles. \That there was a
company of minijiers, who preached a Gofpel zuithotd difcipline, and who even
quefiioned, whether the ife of difcipline was to be brought back into the Church :
Ihatfome introduced licent'toufnefs injlead of Chrijiian liberty, and thought that
to rejeSi the Pope %vas enough in order to he truly evangelical : That others oh'
ferving the daily decay of Chrijlianity, wifoed that the authority of the mlnijiry
might be reflored^ but that either they did not fee the true voay of bringing this
ehout, or that iftheyfaw it they defpaircd of ficccfs : That thofe tvho endea-
voured to revive difcipline zvere called tyrants, who woidd have ifurped the
liberty of the Church : That the people had Jhaken off" all refrain, and were
Gccufiomed to licentioufnefs ', as if by taking away the Pope's authority, the
m'lni/iry had been dejiroycd, and the word of God and the facraments hadhjl
their efficacy. They have faid, that the want of difcipline did produce
corruption. J That hecaife there were neither ccnfures, nor cori-eStions, nor

penanceSy

* Calvini epift. 13 refponfa. pag. 337. DIfciplinam jure vocare poflumus
optimum, atque adeo unicum retinendae obedientise vinculum, Et Paulo
poji. Itaqueecclefias noftras turn demum rite fuitultas arbitrabor, ubi ifto
nervo colligatasfuerint, Et pag. 336. Cieterum non aliter confillet ecclefise
incolumitas, quam fi ad eam purgandam, fr^enandas libidines, tollenda fla-
gitia, corrigendos perverfos mores, vigeat excommunicatio, cujus modera^
turn ufum quifquis recufat, prxfertim admoinitus, fe ex Chriiti ovibus non
efle prodit.

f Capita in Calv. epijl. p. 7. Peritiores rerum ecclefiafticarum, cernunt
in causa (ejeftionis veltr3=) fuiffe totam cohorcem minilboium, evangelium
docentium fine difciplina, imo ne fcientium an difcipHna fit in ecclefiam re-
vocanda. Otiofam enim funftionem quidam tueri malunt, quam fruduofam :
quidam licentiam pro Chrifti libertate induxerunt, quafi ab evangelio ftent,
quijugumpontificium abjecerint. Aliqui vero id eil, plerique omnes, ani-
madvertentes rem Chrifti indies abire in pejus optarent quidem reftitutam auc-
toritatem miniftrorum, fed aut veram ejus reparanda; rationem ignorant, aut
(earn videntes defperant prorfus. Et Paulo poji : auditis enim tyranni efTe vb-
luiftis in liberam ecclefiam voluiftis novum pontificatum revocare, atque id ge-
nus contumeliarum, ^r. Et Paulo poji: nam frsenum prorfus excuifit multitudo,
quas affueta eft & educata propemodum ad licentiam, quafi authoritatem prn-
tificiorum frangendo, vim verbi, facramentorum, & totius evangelii evacua-
rcmus, ffff.

X Bucerus de animarum cura, p. 171. Et quis negare poteft, cum om-
nium peccatorum, quam atrocia etiam ilia fint, adeo nulla increpatio, ca-
ftigatioaut poenitentia eft in ecckfia, hinc fieri utjuventus & plebs eo levio-
res reddantur ad omne malum.- Pador & dedecus abeunt, homines eiFerun-
tur, redduntur (ut Paulus conqueritur) oftinino impcenitentes; dedunt fe

libidini,
P2

£28 Caufes of the prefent Part II,

penance!, tior excojnmuTiications in the Church.^ even for the greateji crimes,
the people and youth^ did commit all manner of fms : That no perfon was re-
frained by Jhame^ and that men became proud and altogether impenitent i That
if the ?nore odious fin Sy zuere expiated by penance and a reafonable feverity, as
St. Paul enjoyyiSy and as it zvas anciently praSfifed^ there would be lefs corrup-
tion and more %eal in the Church.

Thefe were the fentiments of many do6lors in the laft age ; they faw
that the want of order and difcipline, was going to bring libertinifm into
the Church. But yet their endeavours were not altogether ufelefs.
Some Churches drew confiderably nearer to the apoftolical inftitution,
and there are fome where difcipline is not yet quite abolifhed : they ftill
make ufe of fome part of thofe means prefcribed by the Gofpel for the
correction of manners : they do not admit all perfons indifFerently to the
llicramcnt : they retain the ufe of publick penances, and even, in fome
places, of excommunication. But yet there are ftill many things want-
ing in the order and government of thofe Churches, as will appear by
comparing their prefent pradice with that of the primitive Church, and
with the Canons of the ancient difcipline. I do not pretend that in this
matter the practice of the firft Chriftians ought to be copied in every
thing, but certainly in many points we ought to conform to it.

If we examine in what manner difcipline is adminiftred now a-days,
we may obferve feveral defeats in it which are very confiderable. P or
inftance, we fhall find Churches where excommunication is us'd about
matters of no great importance ; where that which is sailed excommu-
nication, is rather a civil fentence or punilhment, than an ecclefiaftical
cenfurc, and where, not the paftors of the Church, but civil judges ex-
communicate. Another common fault is, that difcipline is exercifed
only upon two or three forts of fmncrs j fornicators and notorious blaf-.
phemers arc indeed feverely proceeded againll, but a great many perfons
;ire fuffered In the Church, who have nothing of Chriltianity in their de-
portment j fuch as drunkards, idle people, and fcvcral other finners;
whom the aivine laws fubjeCt as much to the rigour of difcipline, as adul-
terers. It would be altogether neceffary to ufe difcipline againft thofe
who enter into marriage only to conceal their (hame, and yet in moft
Churches no fatisfaftion is demanded of fuch people : this is a matter of
Very great moment. There is no fufficient care taken, to be fatisfy'd
i>bov.t the fmccrity of fmners repentance, when they are to be reftored
to the pe:u.2 of the Church. The apoftolical precept about avoiding
all familiar intercouifc with fcandalous finners, is out of ufe. By all
this we may fee, that few Chucches can boaft of a pure difcipline. Byt
fyppofmg that true difcipline might be found in fome places, yet how

many

libidlni, omnique vanitati ; denique vita Ifta petulanti atque perdita fatlari
nlillo modo poiTunt.

Idetn. p. 189. Si craffiora df li£la feveriore pcenitentia compenfarcntur, ut
fandus docet Apoftolus, uique in fanfto atque falutari ufu fuit inecclefiis ve-
teribus bene conftitutis: major inde apiid omnes Dei Filios peccatorum fuga
& deteltatio, majorque vita; Chrillian Zelus exifteret, quam proh dolor! ho-
die apud nos deprehendimus. Vid^ i2 Buceri epijiolam ad Cahinum, in epfola.
Cahini, pag. 370 & 37 i -

■Cause II*. - Corruption of Chrijitafts. 229

many defeils do creep Into the beft conftituted Churches, erither through
the ftubbornnefs of finners, the oppofition of corrupt magiftrates, or
through the fault and carelefnefs of paftors ? The beft laws are good
for nothing when they are not obferved, fo that whether thofe, who
ought to exercife difcipline for the giving a ftop to fcandals, do it not,
or whether they hav^e not the power to do it, it is ftill true that corrup-
tion proceeds from the want of difcipline.

What muft we fay then of thofe Churches, where difcipline is wholly
unknown ? where neither Church nor paftors have any authority to go-
vern or infpe£l ; where minifters dare not exclude any one from the fa-
cramentjbut admit all perfons indifferently to the holy communion; which
abufe would have been thought an unheard of profanation in the primitive
Church ; and where all publick penances are out of doors ? I fay no-
thing of excommunication ; if any man (hould propofe the rcftoring of
it, his defign would be look'd upon in many places as an unpardonable
crime; and the ftrangeft thing of all, is, that this want of difcipline, is
to be found in Churches, which acknovvdedge the Scripture for the rule
of religion ; and that there are divines, who inftead of promoting the
re-eftabliftiment of difcipline, oppofe it, and maintain that none are to be
debarred from the facrament ; who cannot endure the very name of ex-
communication, "and who pretend that where the magiffrate punifties
vice, there is no need of any other difcipline. Thofe divines have not
the greater number on their fide, but their opinion prevails, becaufe it
favours policy and licentioufnefs.

We are to impute to this fatal remifnefs, the loofenefs and irregularity
of the manners of Chriftians. I need not infift more upon this, for
every one is fenfible of it. Good order keeps men in duty, but where
there is no order, vice muft of neceflity bear fway. What ftiould re-
ftrain people ? Excepting fome general admonitions which are delivered
in fermons, every perfon is left to himfelf, and lives as he thinks fit.
Private men are not bound to give an account of their ccnducl to any
body. Thofe who lead the moft unchriftian life, fwearers, covetous
profane, lewd and intemperate perfons, all forts of people, live peace-
ably in the Church; they are reputed members of it, they are mino-Jed
among true Chriftians, they enjoy with them the fame fpiritual privi-
leges, at leaft in ail outward appearance, and they are admitted to the
fame facraments. As long as things are in this ftate ; we muft not hope
to fee any abatement of corruption.

But that nothing may be omitted which may contribute to the clear-
ing of this matter, it is neceflary to anfwer fome objedlions, and that
which is alledged to excufe, or even to juftify the taking away of the an-
cient difcipline.

I. Againft the reftoring of difcipline, fome fay, (which was objefled
in the laft age) That it is fiifficient for the edification of the Church, that the
Gofpelfimild be preached in it ; fince that is the ordinary means which God has
appointed to procure the converfion and the fahation of inen. The Gofpel no
doubt, is fufficient to teach us, all that is neceflary to be ki:own in reli-
gion, but it is not true, that God makes ufe only of the preaching of
the Gofpel, for the falvation of men : for he ufes other means beftdes
as for inftance, the facramsnts ; and thofe means, among which difci!
^ 3 pUno

230 Caufes of the prefent Part II^

pline is to be reckoned, are prefcribed by the Gofpel it felf ; fo that who-
foever fubmits to the Gofpel, muft Hkewife fubtnit to that order we fpeak
of. But further, the Gofpel barely preached and known is not fufficient
to falvation ; nothing but the practice of the Gofpel can fave a man,
and it is to little purpofe to preach it, if the manners of Chriftians are
not regulated, and if difcipline is not ufed to that end, as a mean ap-
pointed of God. As to preaching it will be fliewn in the next Chapterj^
7'hat men afcribe more efficacy to it than it has, and that there U a mif-
take in the opinion which they commonly entertain of it.

2. Thofe who are for myftical devotion and piety will certainly fay,
That difcipline is not effential to religion.y that it is a matter of external order ^
dnd that external things are ufeful only to carnal and imperfe^ Chrijliani.
But J defire thofe who have fuch opinions, tp fpeak more reverently of
an order of which God is the author, and which the Apoftles have fp
exprefly recommended. It cannot be thought X^t the Apoftlen, who
did abolifh the Mofaical cererhonie^s, would at tlie fame time have bur-
dened the Church with needlefs laws, or that they would have interpofeci
Chrifl's authority, for the obfervation of an order, which had not bee;tV
neceflary. They are defired to confider befides. That men have bodies
as v/ellas fouls ; that among a great multitude, there are many perfons
of a grofs underflandrng, who cannot be reftrained but by external laws ^
and that it is abfurd to pretend, that men can be fo fpiritualized, as ^0
need no longer outward aids to piety. But it is a grofs error to Ipq]^
upon difcipline, as an order purely" external : for properly fpealing it \%
an order altogether fpiritual. Difcipline does not touch either men's
bodies or their efbtes, it ufes only fpiritual means, an4 it is eificaoiou^
ho farther, than as it operates upon the heart and confcience. . ,

3. But others will cafl the objedion I have now confuted into this
form ; they will fay. That in external things.^ arnong which difcipline is to be
ranked^ Churches are at liberty to rcgidate thcmfelves as they think good. \
grant that Churches have that liberty in indifferent things, which are
hot appointed by a divine authority, but this cannot be applied to the
matter in hand. An eftablifhment of divine inftitution cannot be rec-
koned among things indifi'erent. Do we look upon the facraments as
indifferent ceremonies, which we are not bound to obferve, under pre-
tence that they are but. external rites and ordinances ? Chuixhcs indeed
have a liberty where there is no law, tho' flill that liberty is to be wifely
and difcreetly ufed, for fear of confuflon ; but v/hen God has fettled an
order. Churches are not at liberty to chufe another, to make new laws
and to fet up a new form of government. Such a liberty would be meer
unrulinefs, and a criminal and facrilcgious prefumption. This would
be the way to multiply itfXs and religions infinitely.

4. The fame anfwer may ferve to refute fuch, who to juflify the
practice of thofe Churches, which do not obferve the form of difcipline
ufed in the primitive Church, make a diftinftion between difcipline and
and the manner of exercifing it. They own That difcipline is necejjhry^
and that there ought to be order in the Church ; but they think that the way
of exercifing difcipline may vary, according to time, place, and other circum-

jlances. This diftinftion may be received, when the cafe is only about
ionje indifferent ciicumftances, but it is aJIedged without reafon, when

the

Cause II. Corruption of Chrijliam, ft^j

■ the queftion is concerning the fubftance or the eirence of the thing it felf.
The diforder we complain of, is, That what is eflential in difcipline has
been taken away, to fubftitute in lieu of it, another order, and to fet up
a new difcipline of v/hich the Apoftles did not fpealc a word. Now that
which is moft eflential in difcipline, and which is not obferved in moft
Churches, is this. That fcandalous finners are not to be fuffered in the
Church ; ?ind yet they are fuffered : that they are to be warned and re-
proved in private, and even in publick; this is feldom done, and in fome
places it is never done : that Chriftians ought to feparate themfelves
from thofe who live diforderly ; and this is not obferved : that upon c-er-
tain occafions, they are to be cut off from the body of the faithful ; but
pafcors dare not fo much as mention this : that the adminiftration of dif-
cipline belongs to padors ; that they ought to prefide, proceed and judge
in all emergent cafes ; the Scripture gives them that right, and afcribes
to them thofe ofHces ; but they have been divefted of them, new politi-
cal bodies have been eredted, in which there is but one Church-man,
or two for form's fake, who often have neither vote nor authoritv in
them. It is of divine right that fmners fhould give real proofs of their
repentance, as for inftance, by making reftitution, by reconciliations,
by acknowledging their fault ; but this is not now required of them ;
nay, in fome Churches it is not fo much as enquired into. It is ac-ainit
all the laws of difcipline. That none fliould be excluded from the holy-
communion, and yet in moft places this is not regarded. Laftly, it is
an apoftolical order and prailice, That fmners fhould be received to the
peace of the Church, but 'tis after they have fitted themfelves for it, by
a fmcere, and if the cafe requires, by a publick repentance ; but now
a-days thofe ancient rules of difcipline are abolifhed.

After all this, can it be faid that no alteration has happen'd in the ef-
fence of difcipline, but only in the manner of it ? Cenfures, fufpenfi-
ons, excommunication and the authority of paftors are taken away ; the
government appointed by the Scripture is overturned, another and quite
different form is brought into the room of it ; and yet people will fay,
that the queftion is not about the thing it felf, but the manner ! It is
not fufficient to have any kind of order ; the order which God has pre-
fcribed, and no other, ought to be obferved. Some circumftances may
be varied according to the necefiities of Churches, but the fubftance of
the thing it felf is unalterable.

5. Many are of opinion. That the authority of the magiftrate fupplies
the want of difcipline, and that this way is by much preferrable to the
other. I coniefs, that the punifhments infli£led by the magiftrate upon
fcandalous livers are of great ufe ; that magiftrates who ufe their autho-
rity to fupprefs vice are very commendable, and that difcipline is of much
greater force, when it is fupported by the authority of civil powers.
But ftill the divine inftitution is to be preferved intire ; it does neither
belong to the magiftrate, nor to any power to alter that which God has
commanded, and to deprive the Church of her right. After all, the
difcipline of the magiftrate is not the difcipline of the Church ; thefe
are two diftind things and of a quite different nature. The magiftrate
ufes external and corporal puniftiments ; iines, imprifonments, banifli--
jnents, force, ^c, Thefe methods are certainly ufeful, they may ter .
P 4 rify

.2T^Z Caujes. of the prefent Part II.

rify fmncns, and in fome refpecls keep them in awe and duty : but be-
fides this, it is neceflary to work upon the heart, and to bind the con-
icience by thofe methods which difcipline ufes, or elfe it is to be
feared, that we iball only make hypocrites, and that men will abftain
from, evil more out of the fear of punifhment, and upon temporal confi-
derations than from motives of conTcience.

Nay there are people, who if they had nothing to fear but a fine, or
fome days imprifonm.ent, would gladly purchafe at that rate the liberty of
faming, and fancy that provided, fatisfaclion be made to the magiftrate,
there is no more to be cone for the clearing of their confcience. Befides,
what a.diforderly thing is it, that an offender who is profecuted, fined,
and imprifoned by the magiftrate, ftiould ftill be treated like a member of
the Church, and admitted to the holy facrament ? The magiftrate's au-
thority is therefore a very efficacious mean to promote the glory of God,
when it is joined with ecclefiartical difcipline ; Uut to think that civil laws
are fufficient to regulate manners and to reclaim finners, is a conceit al-
nioft as unreafonable, as it would be ridiculous, to proceed againft rob-
bers, or the other difturbers of the publick peace, only by fpiritual punifh-
ments, Let no man then confound thofq things which God has fet
afunder.

6. It is farther faid. That thefe rules of difcipline were only for a time^
and that the times are altered. But how can it be proved, that the laws of
difcipline were only made for a tim.e ? Is there any ground for this either
in t(ie Scripture, or in the nature of thofe laws ? Are the laws of difci-
pline like thofe of Mofes, which do no longer bind us ? Did the apoftles
inake this diitindion ? Did St. Paid fay upon this fubjedl, as he did in
another cafe, * / only give my judgement ; / have no commandment of the
Lord? Does he not ipcak politively of the order according to which the
Church is to be governed ? Does he not command in the name of Jefus
Chrift ? Does he not eftablifh general laws and maxims for all the
Churches? The apoitles indeed appointed fome rules, the obfervation of
which is not neceflary at this day, becaufe thofe regulations were vihbly
founded upon particular reafons, which do no longer fubfift, and there-
fore they are not propofed as general laws. But the reafons upon which
difcipline is founded, and which are taken from order and edification,
from the honoyr of the Church, from the converfion of finners, and fi'om
the nature of the Chriftian religion, thofe reafons do ftill fubfift; and
confequently the rules of difcipline are facred and inviolable, efpecially
being delivefed by way of command, and repeated in fo many places.
The Chriftian Church is to be diffufed all the world over, fometimes
fhe is perfccuted, and fometimes fhe enjoys a calm ; but whatever ftate
ihe rrjay be in, her nature does not alter. As there is but one God, one
Church, one fajth, onebaptifm ; fo there is to be but one order, at leaft as
to efl'ential things, and that order ought to be conformable to the laws of
the appftles. Or elfe there will be, as in fadt we fee there are, as many
difterent cuftoms and difciplines, as there are kingdom?, ftates, pro-
vinces, nay towns and churches.

^j". It is commonly objeti:ed. That the %eal of the prinntive Chri/iians is
ixt'.nil^ that ?nen are hqiu very corrupt^ a?id that it would bs impojfible to brin^

theJk
f } Cor. vii.

Cause II. Corruption of Chrjjlians. 2jj

them to a fuhnitjp.07i to the difcipline of the Church. But that very thing that
men are corrupt, proves the neceflity of difcipline. Order is never
more neceflary than when all is in confuficn. * St. Paul fays, That the
law is not made for a righteous man, but for the latvlefs and difohedient.
Difcipline feems more neceflary now, than it was in the firft centuries ;
becaufe then perlecution kept corruption out of the Church, but when
the Church is in peace, vices and fcandals do infallibly multiply; and
then it is, that good difcipline is of excellent ufe.

But then it is faid. That it ivotdcl be impcjfihlc to reflore it, confAering the
difpofition men are now in. I confefs this defign would meet with oppo-
fition. Thofe who go about to refl-ore order and fupprefs Hcentioufnefs,
muft ftill encounter difficulties ; but yet this might be compafled, if
princes and magiftrates did not oppofe it. If all the paftors did fet about
it, with a zeal accompanied with prudence and gentlenefs; if they did
carefully inftrutSt the people concerning the neceffity of difcipline; and if
they did apply themfelves to the civil powers with equal vigour and re-
fped ; they would carry the point at laft. After all, the people are not
in a worfe difpofition than the Heathens were in, before the apoftles
preached the Gofpel to them ; and there are Chriftian princes and ma-
giftrates who have piety and zeal. If then the Heathens of old could be
brought under the difcipline of Chrift, in the light of Heathen magi-
ftrates, fhould we defpair of fubjecling Chriftians to it ? The inftance of
thofe Churches where difcipline is obferved, at leaft in part, and where
excommunication and publick penances are in ufe, fhews that there is no
impoflibility to fucceed in this defign. If the thing was impoflible, God
would never have commanded it.

8. In. the laft place, here is an obje^lrion which is commonly urged
with great force, and which feems to have much weight in it. It is faid.
That zue have reafon to fear that difcipline would bring tyranny into the
Church, and that thofe luho govern it, xvould then affiwie too much authority.
Let us fee whether this fear be well grounded.

And firft, if we fuppofe this principle, That difcipline is inftituted of
God, and that the apoftles did commit it to the Church and her gover-
nours, which I think has been fully demonftrated, will it not be a kind
of blafphemy, to fay. That difcipline is not to be fuffered, left paftors
Ihould become tyrants? Would not this refle6l upon our Saviour and his
apoftles, as if they had eftablifiied a dangerous order, which is apt to in-
troduce tyranny? At this rate the apoftles and ihe primitive Chriftians,
did incroach upon the liberty of the people, and the authority of princes.
Every Chriftian will abhor this confequence, and yet it refults naturally
from the opinion of thofe who reject difcipline for fear of tyranny. Be-
fides, fuppofing that Chrift has inftituted the order we fpeak of, can we
thus argue againft it, without fhaking oft' his yoke? But men do not
confidcr this. They fancy that every thing that is granted to the Church
is granted to her governours, whereas they fhould remember that it is
paid or yielded to Chrift, whofe right it is, and who cannot be defpoiled
of it without facrilege. Here we might retort the charge upon thofe
yilxo bring it. They talk of tyranny, and is it not an intolerable piece of

tyranny^

^ 1 Tim. i. 9>

-iX^ Caufes of the prefent . . , ,

tyranny, to oppofe a divine law, and to debar the Church and her gov ; -
Hours of tlae enjoyment of thofe rights, which Cod had given them ?

But to come clofer to the obje6lion. Nothing can be feared, but :. ;
of thefe two inconveniences ; either an empire over confciences, or (oiti
prejudice to the publick tranquility, and to the authority of civil powers.

As to the firft of thefe two inconveniences, there is no great reafon to
fear it ; fmce the apoftles, who fo exprefly recommend difcipline to paf-
tors, forbid them at the fame time to affume a dominion over confciences.
Provided difcipline is ufed only in thofe cafes, and in that manner which
the Scripture appoints, and as it was practifed by the firil Chriftians *,
nothing like this is to be feared from it. The difcipline we fpeak of,
dqes not meddle with points of faith, and fo fear in this refpeft is ground-
Jefs. As to thofe cafes which concern manners, injuftice can hardly be
r<tommitted about them. The Church does not judge of fecret and un-
known fa<5ls. She only prpceeds againft notorioufiy fcandalous and im-
penitent finners, and {he receives them, as foon as they exprefs their
repentance ; And is there any thing of tyranny or danger in this ? It is
proper to obferve here efpecially with reference to excommunication,
v/hich is thought the fevereft part of dlicipline. That when the Church
proceeds to that extremity, {he does not, properly fi:)eaking, a£l by way
of authority, as if fhe had an abfolute power to punifh a fmner, and to
cut him off from her body: but that fmner has already by his life cut
himfelf off from the comnfiunion of Chrift, he is no longer a member of
the Church ; fo that the Church only declares that, which is done and
determined already, tho' flae fhould not declare it.

Neither is there any caufe to fear that the publick peace (hould be
€li{turbeji by the exercife of difcipline. On the contrary, fociety willije
the better regulated for it. For difcipline does not touch civjil matters.
Excommunication it felf, does not hinder a man from being ftill a mem-
ber of the common-wealth, nor that all the duties of juftice and huma-
nity {hould be difcharged towards him.

As for the authority of civil powers, it is no ways injured by this, as
evidently appears from the firfl Chriftians exercifuig difcipline openly in
the fight of the Heathen magiftrates, without any oppofition from them.
Chrift did not come into the world to ereft a temporal kingdom, nor to
draw men off from their fubmiffion to the authority of kings and magi-
ftrates. It is the principle of a true Chriftian, XTo render unto Cafar
ihe things ivhich ore Cafar' s^ and to God the things which are God's. This
principle will not deceive a man, and as long as we adhere to it, all things
^ill be in order. Religion is fo far from having any juft umbrage to
princes, that on the contrary it ftrengthens their authority. Submiffion
to the higher pov/ers is recommended by the apoflles in the moft earne{t
manner. The Chriftians of the firft ages, who were very {Iriifl ob-
iervers of difcipline, diftinguiihed themfelves by their loyalty to princes.
Nay it is obfervable, that their difcipline which was fo fevere againft
fmners, was as ftricl againft thofe v/ho were wanting in the fidelity and
refpedl due to fuperiours ; witnefs that Canon, f which enjoyns the de-

polition

• I Pet. V. 2. 2 Cor, i. 24.

X Mat. xxii. 21. t Can. Apoll. 84.

Cause II. Carmptlon of Chrijlhns, 535

pofition of thofe bifliops and clergy-men, who (hould of&r an affiont to
the prince or his officers,

Who/oever will take the pains to weigh this matter, will acknowledge
that difcipline is a diftincSl thing from the civil power. Each of thcfe
has its bounds and limits. #The Church does not touch the body nor
civil matters, and it is not the magiftrate's bufinefs, to regulate things
relating toconfcience and falvation. Indeed if magill:rates imagine, that
'they have a right to govern the Church as they think fit, and that they
hold the fame rank in it, which they hold in the civil fociety, fo that the
minifters of religion are but their officers ; difcipline may feem to them
to lefl'en their authority: but let thofe who entertain fuch thoughts, fee
how they can reconcile them with the Gofpel, and with the nature of the
Chriftian religion.

Notwithftanding all this it will be faid, that Churcli-men have beer|
known to ufurp a dominion over confciences and over kings. It is true.
Church-men have abufed their authority, but becaufe a thing has been
abufed, is it therefore to be abolifhed ? Wife men will rather fay, that
things ought to be reflored to their natural ftate and to their lawful ufe.
Elfe the whole authority of kings and magiftrates might be pulled down,
;ind we might argue thus. Aionarchical government is liable to great
inconveniences, kings have been tyrants and ufurpers, therefore there
muft be no more kings. Magiftrates and judges have been unjuft, co-
vetous, cruel, and therefore no magiftrates are to be endured. Would
not this argument be extravagant and impious ? And yet the like argu-
ment is ufed againft difcipline. In Church as well as in ftate govern-
ment, there will be always fome inconveniency to be feared; this evil is
almoft unavoidable, there being no form of government which the malice
of men may not abufe : but thofe abufes are without comparifon, a lefs
evil than anarchy, which is the moft dangerous ftate of all.

But let us clear the matter of fa6t, upon which the obje6tion I am now
confuting, is founded: it is fuppofed, that difcipline did introduce ty-
ranny; but on the contrary, it was upon the ruins of difcipline, that ty-
ranny was erected. This is known to all thofe, who have any know-
ledge of antiquity. When did Bifliops and Clergy-men ufurp that ex-
ceffive authority, over men's eftates, perfons and confciences ? It was
when the obfervation of the ancient difcipline was flackned, when difci-
pline began to wear out of ufe, when fmners, and efpecially great men,
were exempted for money ; when that which fhould have been tranfacled
by the whole Church, was referred only to the Clergy, and when pub-
lick confeffion was changed into a private one. It was by thefe means,
and not by the due exercife of dilcipline, that Church-men made them-
felves mafters of all.

What we ought to do then is this, firft, to enquire what is of divine
inftitution in difcipline, and to rcftore that; in the next place to confider
what the falvation of finners and the honour of the Church require, and
what was good and edifying in the pi-adice of the primitive Church, in
order to conform to it; and laftly, to provide by good laws, that no
man may exceed the bounds of his calling; particularly, that in reftoring
to the Clergy their lawful authority, all juft meafures may be taken, to
prevent their abufmg it. If Chriftian princes are bound to prefcrve die
u rights

236 Caufes of the prefent pART II.

rights of the Church, they ought lilcewife to take care that nothing be
done againft their own authority, and to punifh thofe who oppofe it, or
who difturb the civil fociety, whether ecclefiafticks or lay-men. This
we are to treat of in another place.

Befides, when we fpeak for the re-eftablifftment of dlfcipline, we mean
that paftors ibould be fubjedted to it as well as their flocks, and that if
there is an order in the Church to regulate the manners of Chriftians,
there fhould be one alfo to regulate the Clergy, and to lay ftrift obliga-
tions on them to difcharge their duty in all its parts ; and that according
to the ancient pracSlice, dlfcipline ought to be more fevere, againft the
ecclefiafticks who fail in their office, than againft the people. But as
we have complained in this chapter of the want of difcipline, with rela-
tion to the Church in general, fo we are going to fliew in the next, that
this want is neither lefs obfervable, nor lefs fatal, in thofe things, which
concern the govcrnours of the Church.

I conclude with faying, that in order to remedy the corruption of man-
ners among Chriftians, it is abfolutely necelTary to reftore the ufe of dif-
cipline. This is what has been and is ftill heartily wiflied for, by many
perfons of eminent learning and piety, and it is that which I defire ali
thofe who have a zeal for the glory of God, to take into their ferious con-
fiderations.

SVKS')©.^

CAUSE III.

The Defers of the Clergy,

^yi/i^^l^ fearching after the caufes of the decay of piety, we cannot but
^; I -^ enquire. Whether corruption does not proceed from the paftors
c^j^-^^^ and governours of the Church? Paftors are appointed to oppofe
the progrefs of vice, and to be publick fountains of inftrudion, edifica-
tion and good example; fo that in truth their miniftry is of moft excel-
""lent ufe, when duly exercifed. But when vice reigns, when fcandals
multiply ; that general corruption is, if not a certain proof, at leaft a
ftrong prefumption, that there is fome fault in paftors.

If we would be fatisfied about this matter, we need but refle£l: upon
the nature of their office, and upon their way of difcharging it. This is
what I defign to enquire into in this chapter : in order to which, 1 ftiall
f onfider, i . What functions and duties are annexed to the office of
paftors. Andj 2. What qualifications are requifite in them to difchargQ
it worthily.

1. There are two principal functions incumbent on paftors: In-
ftru^lion and the government of the Church.

I. It would be needlefs to prove that the office of paftors obliges them
to inftru£l the people and to preach the Gojpel, for this is beyond a)}
queftion. It will be fitter to oblci ve, that the fruit of publick inftru6tions
f!?liv?r'd ifi ferpions, depends upon two things 3 the matters treated of,

and

Cause III. Corruption of Chrl/iianu 237

and the way of propofing them; fo that the faults committed in fefmons
are either in the things themfelves, or in the manner of handling them.

I. The matters handled in fermons, are either of doctrine or morality.
What has been faid in the firft chapter of this treatife, may ferve to dis-
cover to us the defe£ls in preaching, with relation to thefe two heads.
Thofe who preach the Gofpel do not fufficiently inftru6l the people, nei**
ther in the fundamental doclrines, nor in the duties of religion : and as
catechifmg is properly defigned for the explication of thefe truths and
duties ; I think ignorance and corruption chiefly proceed from this, That
in moft Churches, things are not well ordered, with reference to cate-
chifmg. They are neither frequent enough, nor fo proper for inftruc-
tion as they fliould be. Befides, catechifmg is almoft every where neg-
lected, if not defpifed. The common notion is, that catechifms are only
for children and for the meaner fort of people. The fundlion of a cate-
chift, which was anciently fo confiderable in the Church, is look'd upon
now as a funClion of no great importance, and it is ufually committed tQ
perfons of the leaft knowledge and experience.

Thefe faults might eafily be remedied. One of the moft ufeful efta-
blifhments in Churches, would be to encreafe the number of catechifms,
and to appoint them inftead of the fermon. But to render them more
ufeful and more frequented, it would be neceflary to eftablifh two forts of
them. In thofe of the firft forts the elements of religion ftiould be ex-
plained in an eafy and familiar manner, for the benefit of children and of
the lefs-knowing part of Chriftians. The other ftiould be for thofe who
have attained a higher degree of knowledge, and in thefe, matters that
had been propofed but generally before, fliould be more fully and exactly
handled. But if it be thought that an eftabliftiment of this nature, and
that the multiplying of catechifms, might meet with difficulty and ob-
ftrut^ions, it would be neceflary at leaft, for the inftrudlion of great
numbers of perfons, who never affift at thofe exercifes, that minifters
ftiould be obliged to preach upon the fame fubje<Sts, which are commonly
treated in catechifms.

As for fermons, the church would reap more benefit from them, if
preachers did always fliew true judgment in the choice of the matters
they handle. We muft not think that all forts of fubje£ls are inftru6live
alike, and that in order to preach the Gofpel, it is enough to fpeak of
God in a fermon, and to take a text out of Scripture. Every fubjeCl
ought to be propofed and prelled according to its importance. To infift
upon matters of lefler moment, whilft thofe which it moft concerns Chri-
ftians to be informed about are negleited, is to fwerve from the true in-
tendment of preaching. But becaufe all preachers have not the capacity
to make this choice, it would be fitting, that part of the matter of their
difcourfes fliould be appointed and prescribed to them by a law. For
when they are tyed to no rule, when they are at liberty to preach upoa
any fubjedl, which they think fit to chufe, it happens that many inftead
ot handling the muft important things in religion, and of confulting the
prefent ftate and neceffities of their flocks, apply themlelves to various
ilibjedls which are of no great edification.

Preachers for the moft part, confult only their own inclination in the

choice of their matter j and when they pitch upon a fubjecl^ it is rathef

a - ' becaufe

5^ Caufes of the prifent . Part 11^

becaufe it pleafes them, and becaufe they apprehend a facility in treating
it, than out of regard to the neceffities of their congregations. Thofe
who are fond of myfteries and allegories, apply their time and ftudies to
the expounding of the prophecies, and to the unfolding of the types of
the old Teftament. Thofe who are given to difputing, fill their fer-.
mons with nothing elfe but controverfy. And the fame may be-faid of
fpeculative divines, who are converfant in the fathers and hiftory, they
entertain the people with thofe things which are the ordinary fubjett of
their meditations and ftudies. I do not mean, that fuch things ought
never to be fpoken of; they may fometimes be touched upon, provided^
this be done judicioufly: but they have a forry notion of religion and
preaching, who make thofe matters their main bufmefs, and fancy they
have entirely fulfilled all the parts of the Gofpcl miniftry, when they have
preached upon types, or controverfy.

What I have now faid, may be applied to the choice of texts. *Jll Scrip*
iure indeed, as St. Paul fays, is profitable for in/lru^iion ; that divine book
contains nothing but what is ufeful ; but yet the various ufefulnefs of the
feveral parts of Scripture, is to be diftinguifhed, and it muft be owned
that fome places are more ufeful and inftrudtive than others. Some
difference is to be made between thofe books and chapters, which ex-'
plain the do6trine of redemption, the defign of Chrift's coming into the
world, or the duties of a Chriftian life ; and thofe which ferve only to
acquaint us with the order of times, and to confirm the certainty of
hiftory. Thefe laft have their ufe, fmce the truth of hiftory is one of
the main proofs of the truth of religion ; but thofe places are more ufeful
which treat of what we are to believe or to do in order to falvation. It
is of another fort of importance, to explain the Gofpel, than to preach
upon the book of fojhtia or Ruth, or upon fome places of the prophets*
I am not ignorant that fome have thought, that the Scripture is equally
rich every where ; that all dodlrines may be drawn from all texts j that
thofe chapters and verfes which feem the moft barren, and where there
appears nothing extraordinary, contain myfteries and treafures which
might exhauft even the meditations of angels ; but this conceit is fo ab-
furd and repugnant to fenfe, that I do not think it worth my while to
confute it.

Morals being fo efiential a part of religion, fhould be very particularly
infifted upon by preachers, and yet few do it ; fo that morality, of all
things is that which is the moft fuperficially handled in the greateft part
of fermons. This fault in preachers proceeds from feveral caufes. Some
have a prejudice againft morality, and think it ought not to be infifted on^

Others who are conceited with vain learning, imagine that to preach
morals, argues but an ordinary meafure of parts, and little fldll in divi-
nity, and that it becomes them better to foar after high fpeculations^
and to dive into the myfteries of faith and of the moft fublime theology*
This cuftom of infifting more upon do6lrine than morals, proceeds alfo
from another caufe, which is, that in this laft age divines v/ere fain to be
continually explaining and difputing j and fo the fame method has been
followed ever fince.

I am apt to think beftdes, that many divines negle£l morality, becaufe

the
* 2Tim. iii. 16.

Cat;?e hi. Corruption of Chrj/llam. d^-

the treating of it is more difficult, than the explaining doftrlnal matters. '
Let thofe fupercilious and fpeculative divines fay what they will, the
right handling of morality is the hardeft thing in preaching. It is eafie
to explain a text, or a point of dotlrine; and a man muft be very meanly
gifted, if with the help of a commentary or a common-place, he is not
able to do the feat, and to furnifh out his hour. But to preach rriorals is
quite another thing. I Confefs that there is a way of preaching morality
which requires no great pains. If men content themfelves with deli-
vering moral fayings concerning vice and virtue, this may done without"
much labour. But when a preacher purfues true morality, when he is
to mafter the hearts of men, to reform the m.anners of a whole congrega-
tion, to encounter the inclinations of his hearers, and to make them re-
nounce their paflions and prejudices ; then it is that he meets with many
and great difficulties ; this Is an Inexhauftlble foring of labour and medi-
tation, and atafk which few preachers care to take upon them.

In religion, dodlrine fhould never be feparated from morality, nor one
of thefe preferred before the other. But yet it is neceflary to infift more
upon morality than upon dodlrine, not only becaufe the defign of our
whole religion is to make us good men, but alfo becaufe morality cannot
effedtually be taught v/ithout being much dv^elt upon. It is only by en-
larging on matters, and entering into many particulars, that the two
ends of morality are to be attained, which are i^iftrudlng men in their
duty, and perfuading them to the pradfice of it.

Morality Is of a vaft extent, as may appear by confidering how many
duties are comprifed under thefe three heads of Chriftian morals, piety,
juftice and temperance. Eefides thefe duties which are 'common to all men,
there are fome particular ones relating to the different conditions, call-
ings, ages, and ftates which men are in. And how many things are
there to be confidered upon all thefe heads ? This is not all, for thefe du-
ties vary infinitely, by reafon of the diverfity of circumflances. There
are almoft as many different difpofidons as there are perfons amono- a
great multitude of men who are addicSted to the fame vice ; there are
hirdly two who are vicious in the fame degree and manner. It is there-
fore requifite that preachers fhould defcend Into particulars, and that they
fhould fo characterize duties, virtues and vices, that every one may know
himfelf In the defcription.

And yet this relates only to bear infl:ru61:Ion. Now if in the next
place we intend to engage men to the pradice of thefe duties, there new*
difficulties will arife, and no good fuccefs can be expected but from af.
fiduous care and conftant labour. There are in man's heart, fo many
different difpofitlons and motions, fo many Illufions and prejudices, fo
many windings and artifices, that a very particular application is required
for us to Infmuate our felves into it. When the truths and doctrines of
religion are to be taught, things need'not be fo minutely handled, 2thd
there is no occafion to ufe fuch mighty endeavours ; nay, the being very
particular may be a fault. He that would inflru6t, fo he is clear, fhould
rather be fhort than prolix. The hearers do eafily apprehend thr^ truths"
v/hich are propofed to them, and the inofl corrupt men are able to dif-
cern truth from error j a libertine will find who is in the right or in the'
wrong, in a difpute. But it is not fo eafie a thing to touch the heart, or

to

2^0 ' Caufes of the prefent Part II.

|o conquer Inveterate habits. What Tully fays In his dialogue of the
orator, deferves to be Inferted here, it is this, * Pajjiom are not to be ex-
cited in a moment^ os a proof does prcfcntly perfiuade fo foon as it is propojed.
A proof is co)ifir?ned by reafons^ and reafons clearly ft outy make an imprej-
fion immediately \ but when we intend to raife the paffions^ the fuccefs does not
fo much depend upon the convi£iiony as upon the perturbation of the mind ;
Oratory cannot have its effe£is then^ without prolixity^ variety^ copioufnefs and
•vehemeyue of difcourfe. Thofe therefore who fpeak brief y and calmly ^ are fit
to injhutly 'but not to rnove.

From thefe reflexions it appears, that the method of thofe preachers,
who are large upon the explication of do6lrines, and fuccin6l upon mo-
rals is, directly contrary to the true way of preaching, and that thofe do
very ill underlbnd what morality is, who either defpife it, or look upon it,
as the eafieft thing in preaching.

We may likewife apprehend from what has been faid, what are the
moft ordinary faults of preachers when they treat of morals. I ftiall ob-
ferve three of them. I'heir morality is too general, it is dcfe£iive^ and it
is fometimes/fl^.

1. Many preachers are too general in handling morality. This is the
head which is the moil flightly touched upon. They fpend the greater
part of their fermons in explaining the fenfe of a text, they fift all the
words, and examine all the circumftances of it with the utmoft nicety.
In a word, they drain the fubjecl. But when they come to the applica-
tion, they content themfelves with two or three general ufes ; they ad-
drefs to their auditory fomc loofe exhortations to a good life ; even when
they are to fpeak upon a moral fubjeft, they confine themfelves for the
moft part to general confiderations : nothing is particularized, or treated
with the neceflary exa6lncfs. Now generalities arc of no great ufe in
matters of morality. To fay in general terms, that men ought to be
<Tood, and to declaim againft fenfuality, or covetoufncfs, is that which
will convince no man. It is not bawling or fending finners to hell, that
is likely to win upon them. It fhould be diftimftly fhewn, what it is to
be a good man -y virtues and vices fliould be charaiterized, and their va-
rious kinds and degrees obferved ; particular rules ought to be giver to
the hearers, they ought to be furnifhed with neceflary motives and di-
redions; we are to confute their mifl:akcs, and to obviate their objedions
and excufes. Till we come to this, preaching will be attended with lit-
tle fuccefs.

2. The moral difcourfes of preachers are often defeSlive ; for befides
that they handle rrtorallity in a fuperficial manner, there are fome eflential
articles which they feld'om or never fpeak of, among which we may

reckon

• Cicero de oral. lib. 2. non cnim ficut argumentum, fimul atquepofitum eft,
arripitur, ^terumque & tertium pofcitur; ita mifericordiam aut invidiam,_aut
iracundiam fimulatque intuleris, poffis commovere. Argumentum, enim ipfa
ratione confirmat, quse fimul aique eniifla eft adhx-refcit. Illud autem genus
orationis, non cognitionem judicis, fed perturbationem requirit, quam confc-
qui nifi multa, & varia, & copiofa, & fimili contentione orationis nemo potelU
Quare qui aut breviter, aut fummifle dicunr, doceiejudicem pofiimt, commo-
vere non poiTunt.

CaMse ni. Corruption of Cbrijilans. 241

reckon reftitution. The moralities of preachers turn almofl together
upon four or five heads, tack only fome of the grofTer fins, fuch as blaf-
phemies, uncleannefs, and fuch other vices. But this is to confine them-
felves, to the firft elements of piety and morality. True morality goes
a great deal further. Piety does not only banifh the more heinous fins ;
it does befides fill the heart with a fincere love of virtue ; it foftens and
reiSlifies the inclinations, it produces in a man, gentlen-fs, humility, pa-
tience, refignation to the will of God, divine love, tra,i|uility under all
events, charity towards other men, and a zeal for jullice and goodnefs.
This is the main of piety, this is what fnould be incefiantly laid before
Chriftians, to make them apprehend tne extent and perfection of the mo-
rals of the gofpel.

3. The moral dircourfes of preachers zvc falfs. i. When they are too
remifs ; 2. When they are too fevere, and 3. When they are contradic-
tory. Their morality is too remifs, when it does not propofe all the du-
ties of holinefs in their full latitude, when it flatters finncrs, or does not
fufficiently awaken their confciences. It is over-fevere, when it raifes
-groundlefs fcruples in men's minds ; when it reprefents as a fin, that
which is not really fo ; or when it makes a neceflary duty of any thing,
which may be omitted without danger. Preachers likewife over-do
things, in the pictures they draw for virtues and vices. If they are to
fpeak of covetoufnefs or forbidden pleafure, they Itrive to make of thefe
the moft hideous pictures they can ; they paint out a covetous or a vo-
luptuous man as a monfter, they affeit the moft lively defcriptions and
figures, and their fermons are loaded with every thing that their collec-
tions afFord upon the fubjeit. But all this is only noife, and fo much
breath fpent in vain. Such morality does not hinder the voluptuous or
covetous man, from purfuing his ordinary courfe, it is rather apt to
harden him in it ; becaufe as he does not fee himfelf in the difmal pic-
ture which is made of thefe vices, fo he thinks himfelf free from them,
or at leaft not very guilty of them. Laftly, preachers do fometimes de-
liver contradictory morals. Having not fufficiently meditated upon the
principles of religion and morality, they run themfelves into contradic-
tions ; they fay one thing in one place, and the contrary in another ; they
lay down principles Vt^hich deftroy the confequences they will draw from
them, or they draw confequences which over-turn the principles they
have laid down.

II. The faults I have hitherto obferved, relate to the matter of preach-
ing ; thofe v/hich are committed in the manner are not indeed fo efien-
tial, but yet they are important enough to deferve fome fome notice here.
It is to no purpofe to preach pure dodtrlne and good morality, if this
is not done in a proper way to inftrudl and to perfuade. The moft im-
portant truths lofe their force in the mouth of a man, who either cannot
fpeak of them in a fuitable manner, or expreffes them obfcurely. And fo
likewife the way of exhorting and cenfuring, is often the reafon why ex-
hortations and cenfures prove ineffectual. Either they are not accurate
or convincing enough, or they are cold and languid, or they are not
feafoned v.'ith prudence and mildnefs ; but are a kind of fire, which has
more of anger and indifcretion, than of true zeal in it, and which of-
fends more, than it affects or perfuadci the hearsrs.
Vol. VI, Q. Divers

24.2 Caufes of the prefent Part II.

Divers confidcratlons might be here infifted upon concerning the way
of preaching ; but I think what is moft material to be faid on this fub-
je6t, may be reduced to this one thing ; that the manner of preaching
is not fimple and natural enough. The way of preaching fhould cor-
refpond with the defign of religion and fermons, which is to inform the
underftanding, and to move the heart. This end is attained by thofe,
who think and fpeak clearly and naturally, when every thing, in reafon-
ing, method, flile, and exterior, is regulated by nature and true fenfe.
But It has been obferved long ago, that preachers are particularly apt to
fail in this refpcft. Falfe and confufed ideas, un-accurate reafonings,
ftrained or impertinent refle6lions, forced and unnatural expreflions, are
almoft become the property of that order of men. One would think
that moft preachers take pains not to follow nature ; as if a man was no
fooner in the pulpit, but he muft fpeak no longer like the reft 0+' man-
Itind, as if the part of a preacher was fomething like that of a prophet
among the Jews. Nay this is pafled into a proverb; fo that odd ways
and injudicious refleiEtions, are called ways and reflections of preachers.

I. If nature was confulted, and if men did conftder the end of preach-
ing, they would fee in the firft place, that the method which is followed
by many, in the explaining of Scripture and the compofmg of fermons,
had need be reformed in fomc refpeCls, and that it does not agree fo well
as it fliould, with the funplicity of the Gofpel. For inftance, why ftiould
time be wafted in exordiums and preliminaries ? Why fhould a preacher
'dwell upon the explaining of words and phrafes which every body under-
ftands, or upon prefling the leaft circumftances of a text ? What fignify
thofe needlefs digreffions, thofe obje(R:ions which no body thinks of, thofe
citations and ftories, which in fome countries fill up fermons, and fo
many other fmall niceties, which clog thefe kind of difcourfes. All this
might be let alone, without prejudice to publick edification.

1. It is for want of confulting nature, that preachers are obfcurc-
"Sometlmes the obfcurity of their fermons arifes from the things they
fpeak of, when they are obfcure in themfelvcs. But at other times this
obfcurity proceeds, from their not having diftinil ideas of the fubjecls
they treat. Their ftile and language do alfo contribute much to make
them dark. Some ufe feholaftical words and terms of art, which are
arabick to the people; others delight in figurative and improper expref-
ftons, which prefent falfe ideas to the mind. Now they might avoid all
thefe faults, if they did not forfake nature and fimplicity. But fome
preachers affe6l the faying new and fingular things, and they would be
forry if they had made ufe of fimple and common ideas, reafonlngs and
expreflions, which yet are the cleareft and the beft.

3, Falfe eloquence proceeds from the fame fource. Preachers com-
monly aim at eloquence ; and it is to compafs this end, that they take
I'uch pains in the compofing and delivery of their fermons, and that they
afFeft a ftyle, a pronunciation and geftures, which become a ftage-player
or a prophane orator, much better than a minifter of jefus Chrift. I
might remark here, that this affei5Lation of eloquence, is not very fuita-
ble to the fpirit of piety, which ftiould animate a Clergy-man. But not
to moralize upon this, I fliall obferve that thefe preachers mifs their
mark, by making fomuch work, and by ufing fuch mighty endeavours

to

Cause III. Corruption of Chrl^tans. 24.2

to hit it. True eloquence, the force of a difcourfe, an elevated and fub-
iime ftyle, confifts in following nature. Nothing admits of greater ve-
hemence and loftinefs than the fubjedls v^^hich religion affords. Let a
preacher be v^^ell acquainted v^dth thefe, let him go about them in an eafy
and natural way, but efpecially let him feel and be thoroughly afFeded
with them ; and he needs not trouble himfelf about any other helps ; he
will defpife all the falfe fparkling, and the vain ornaments of infipid and
boyifti eloquence, and he will not be capable of fpeaking like a granlmar
fcholar, or a declaimer. All that which cofts preachers fo much labour,
flights of wit, refined thoughts, ingenious defcriptions, polite language,
all that I fay, is very mean. By fuch things they may raife at mod a
vain admiration, but they will never inftru£l nor convert a fmner. One
dram of good fenfe is worth more than all that.

4. Some preachers run into another extreme, their way of preaching
is neglected and courfe ; they think to juilify themfelves, by faying, that
they are fimple and popular, that they fpeak naturally and without art.
But they fvverve as much from nature as the others, and as it is a fault
to be affe(51;ed, it is another to be flat, homely and barbarous : it is as
much againft nature, to ufe ridiculous and ofFenfive geftures, tones and
ways, or to fland without motion or ailion in the pulpit, as it is to play
the declaimer there.

I might add other confiderations about the manner in which the Gof-
pel ought to be preached, but I fliould engage too far in this fubje£l. We
may judge now whether ignorance and corruption, do not proceed from
the defeils of thofe who preach the Gofpel. The people have fcarce
any notion of religion, but what they gather from fermons. If fermons
then are not inftruclive and edifying, either becaufe all the truths and du-
ties of Chriftianity are not propofed in them, or becaufe they are ill pro-
pofed, the people muft of necefiity be very much in the dark.

I ihall fay one word more concerning the inftruclion which paftors
owe their flocks. Publick inftruclion, how ufeful foever they may be,
are not fufficient. The edification of the Church requires, that upon
certain occafions, paftors fliould likewife inftru6l in private. This
neceifity of private inftruftions, may be proved by the following argu-
ments. I. If there be none but publick inftrudlions, and exhortations,
what in%u61:ion can a great many perfons receive, who either do not
frequent, or do not hearken to fermons? What will become of thofe who
hear, but do not underftand what they hear, or who underftand it, but
forget it prefently, and fo do not pradiife it? 2. All things cannot be faid
in fermons, how particular foever they may be ; yet itill many things
remain untouched. Nay, there are matters which a preacher cannot
bring into the puipit. Can he enumerate all the cafes in which injuftice
may be committed, or reftitution is to be made ? Can he fpecify thofe
infinite frauds which are pradlifed in mens feveral callings and trade-G?
can all cafes of confcifence, about v/hich the hearers want inftruftion, be
decided in afefmon? Dare we infift in the pulpit upon the head of impu-
nity ? And may not this be one of the reafons v/hy that fm is fo common ?
If Chriftiaiis then have no opportunity to be inilructed in private about
thefe articles, they will be ignorant with relation to them as long as they
live. 3. In order to good inftrudiori it is necfelTary, that the teacher and

0.2 thofe

244 Caufes of the prefait Part II.

thofe who arc taught, fliould communicate their thoughts to one another.
For the hearers may have their doubts ; they may fometimes be at a ftand,
by reafon of fomething which they do not know, or of fome difficulty
which ftarts up in their minds. Some have been hearing fermons for
thefe twenty or thirty years, who yet entertain fcruples and doubts con-
cerning the fundamentals of religion. If fuch pcrfons receive no other
information, they v/ill not be moved by any thing, that is faid in publick,
fcut they will retain their fcruples to their dying day.

All this (hews that private inflru6lion is a part of the paftoral care: and the
pra6lice of it would certainly be very ufeful, not only for the edification of
the people, but alfo to keep the Clergy from growing amifs, and to make
them more diligent in the difcharge of their office. For when they have
nothing to do but to preach fermons, it is much to be feared; confidering
mens propenfion to lazinefs, that they will become negligent. It is
therefore an unhappinefs, that private inftruitions fliould be almoft out of
life, and that there fhould be fo little communication about religious mat-
ters, between the people and their miniliers. We have no inftrudion
remaining, but what is delivered from the pulpit; and that would not be
Sufficient, even tho* fermons were fuch as they ought to be. But
^hen private inftruilions are wanting, and when fermons are defeflive
befides, it is impoffible but that the greatcft part of Chriftians, being defti-
tute of neceflary informations and aids, muft live in corruption.

II. The fecond function of paftors, v/hich fhould perhaps be named in
the firft place, is the conduct and government of the Church, upon this
1 obferve. Firft, That thofe do not underftand the nature of the paftoral
office, who confine it to preaching. There was a time when preaching
was quite laid afide, and when Church-men did only perform divine
fervice. But now a-days in many Churches, the whole miniftry is
pbced in the bufinefs of fermons, and the ecclefiafticks are looked upon,
not as paftors, but preachers ; as men v/hofe office it is^upon certain days
and hours, to fpeak in the Church. Preaching is without difpute, a part
pf the office of paftors. But it is a great miftake to think, that God has
appointed them only to preach ; for they are entrufted befides with the
government of the Church, and this part of their employment is atleaft,
as eftential as preaching. It is remarkable, that the fcripture fpeaks of
paftors in divers places, and that the titles it gives them, and the funitions
it afcribes to them, relate chiefly to the government of the Church. This
is implyed in the name of biftiops, priefts or elders, guides and paftors.
St. Paul has writ concerning the duties of the miniftry, if we examine
fi.'hat he fays of the fundtions of that charge, and oi the qualifications of
aiofe who are to be admitted into it ; we fhall find that he is much larger
upon the government of the Church, than upon preaching. To this
purpofe, the epiftles to Timothy and Titus may be confulted.

But further, all Church-men are not called to preaching. The apoftles
diftinguifti their functions ;. they tell, us, * That all are vot doSiorSy thai
all do not interpret^ that all do not admini/ler the word^ that all do not teach and
exhort \ that fome are appointed to ifi/lru^y to exhort -^ and to expound thefcriptureSy

others

* See I Cor. xit, 4, 5, 6, 2i, 29, 30. A^ vi. 2,lcc. Rom. xii. 6, 7, 8.
i Tim. V. 17.

Cause III. Corruption of Chriftlatis. 245

others to govern^ and others to do works of charity. Tho' we fhould fuppofe
that there is nothing in this, which"' relates to the extraordinary gifts
conferred upon the firft minifters of the Gofpel, and to the order which
was then obferved; yet it is plain that thefe places are to be underftood,
of the gifts and functions of ordinary paftors.

This is confirmed by the praftice of the primitive Church. The
principal and the moft general fundion of paftors then, was the infpe<5i:ion
and governing of the Church. Preaching was not neglected, but all
Church-men were not preachers, this province was committed to thofe
who were fit for it. Would to God this diftindion was ftill obferved!
The Church would be better governed, and the Gofpel better preached
than it is. There are talents requifite to preach the Gofpel, which every
body has not, and others are neceflary for the conduct of the Church ;
and all thefe gifts feldom meet in one perfon. If then no regard is had
to different gifts and functions if without diftindlion every thing is com-
mitted to one perfon, it is vifible that the Church will be ill edified.
Befides that I have fhewed in the firft chapter of this fecond part, that it
Is a dangerous notion, which reftrains the miniftry to preaching. But
to remove this inconveniency it would be neceflary, that a competent
number of ecclefiafticks ftiould be had in every Church.

1. Toexprefs my thoughts more particularly concerning the office of
Mftors, with relation to the government of the Church ; I obferve, firft.
That difcipline is worn out of ufe, as I have fhewn at large in a chapter
upon that fubje6l. It is true, that this defe6l is not wholly to be imputed
to paftors. If they do not govern the Church by a good difcipline, it is
becaufe they have been deprived of their authority. Many of them are
fenfible of this diforder and lament it : but what can they do when they'
exercife their miniftry in places where their hands are tyed up, where
they dare not refufe the facrament to an adulterer, and where they fhould
bring themfelves into great troubles, and perhaps be depofed, if they
took upon them, to obferve the apoftolical difcipline ? They are forced
then to confine themfelves to preaching, which when it is not backed
with difcipline, can never have that effe£l which it would produce in
conjundlion with it. There was nothing left to paftors but what could
not be taken from them without abolifhing the whole miniftry: all that
remains is only preaching and adminiftring the facraments. And yet for
all that, a great part of the Clergy, may juftly be charged with that fault
we complain of, and with that corruption of the people which is a confe-
quence of it: (fince there are thofe among them, who oppofe the reftora-
jtion of difcipline, and look upon it as an indifferent order; and others
who are placed in Churches, where fome form of difcipline is left, render
the exercife of it ineffectual, either through imprudence and exceflive
feverity, or through a ftiameful remifnefs, and a cowardly indulgence.

2. Befides the publick, there is a private difcipline, which confift in
infpedling the lives of private perfons, in vifiting families, in exhortations,
warnings, reconciliations, and in all thofe other cares, which a paftor ought to
take of thofe over whom he is conftituted. For neither general exhorta-
tions, nor publick difcipline can anfwer all the occafions of the Churchr
There are certain diforders, which paftors neither can, nor ought to
^edrcfs openly, and which yet ought to be remedied by them. In fuch

Q. 3 cafes

246 Caufei of the prefent Part II.

cafes private admonitions arc to be ufed. The concern of mens falvation
requires this, and it becomes the paftoral carefuhiefs, to feek the ftraymg
(beep, and not to let the wicked perifh for want of warning. But thefe
are cares to which fome pallors do not fo much as think themfelves
obliged ; they content themfelves with admoniihing fmners from the
pulpit. .There is very little intercourfe between paftors and thofe who
are committed to their charge. Private perfosis live without being ac-
countable for their conduct to any body; and except they commit tlae
greateft enormities, they fancy no man has a right to enquire into their
actions. Nothing reaches them but fermons, and thefe they mind as much, -
and as little as theypleafej this muft needs produce licentioufnefs.

The vifiting of Tick and dying perfons, is one of the mofl important
fun<?l:ionsof the office of pallors; butwhen itis not performed with exa£lneis
and zeal, it contributes as much as can be imagined to the keeping up of
ftcurity. Every one muil needs fee, of what confequence this part of
the miniflry is, if he confiders that it is at the end of life that we are to
be judged, and that our eternal flate depends upon the condition we dye
in : and if we reflect; at the fame time upon what the fcripture tells u?,-
* that we J})all receive in the world to come^ according to the good or evil we
have done in this-, we will eafily apprehend, what miniftcrs ought to do,
when they vifit fick and dying perfons. Their chief bufmefs Ihould be,
to difcover what llate thofe perfons are in, that they may fuit their ex- •
hortations to it. Then is it that they ought to fpeak to the confcience
of finners, and to perfuade them by all poffible means, to examine their'
lives, and the difpolition they are in, in reference to their falvation. And
when a minifter meets, as it happens too frequently, with Tick perfons,
who are engaged and hardned in vitious habits, or wiiofe repentance may
juftly be queilioned ; it is then that he had need ufe all his fkili and pru-
dence, all his zeal and endeavours, to fave fouls which are in fo great dan-
ger. Upon fuch occafions both the minifter and the fick perfon, have
need of time, leifure and freedom, and a hafty difcourfe of prayer fignifies
nothing.

And now we may judge whether a man difcharges the office of a paftor,
who only in general exhorts dying perfons to acknowledge themfelves
miferable fmners, and backs thofe exhortations with alTurances of the
divine mercy through Jefus Chrifl, or who only reads foi-fie forms of
exhortations and prayers, as the cuftom is in fome places. This method
is fitter to lay afleep than to awaken a guilty confcience; and this way
of exercifmg the miniflry, overturns the doiStrine of a future judgment,
and moft of the principles of religion. A minifter fpeaks to a fick perfon
of the pardon of his fins, he exhorts him to leave the world with joy, he
difcourfes to him of the happinefs of another life, and fills him with the
moft comfortable hopes ; and perhaps this fick perfon is a man loaded
with guilt, a wretch who has lived like an Atheift, who has committed
divers fins for which he has made no fatisfailion, who has not pra6tifed
yeftitution, who never knew his religion, and who is a6lually impenitent.
Such a man ought to tremble, and yet fuch confolations from the mouth
of his paftor, make him think that he dies in a ftate of grace.

But if this way of vifiting and comforting the fick, betrays them into

.. (ecurity,
• 2 Cor. V. 10,

Cause III. Corruption of Chrl/lians. 247

fecurity, it has^the fame efFeft upon the (landers by, who when they hear
the confolations which are adminiftered to perfons, whom every body
knows not to have led very Chriftian lives ; make a tacit inference, that
the fame things will be faid to them, and that their death will be happy,
whatfoever their paft life may have been.

Befides the want of ability and zeal, there are two things which hinder
paftors from difcharging towards dying people, the important duties to
which their office obliges them : The one is, that commonly paftors vifit
the fick only in cafes of extremity; and the other is, that they have too
little communication with their flocks, and no fulHcient knowledge of
the lives and condudl of private perfons ; fo that being ignorant of the
ftate and occafions of the fick, they cannot at the approach of death, ad-
minifter to them wholefom counfels and exhortations.

Thefe I think are the moft elfential defedls of paftors, both in the in-
ftru£tion, and in the government of the Church.

Having thus far treated of the duties of the paftoral charge ; I come
now toconfider thofe qualifications, with which paftors ought to be endued.
And thefe are of two forts: firfl. The endowments of the mind, by which
I mean thofe abilities and talents, which are neceflary for the inftruiSlion
and condudlof the Church ; and fecondly, the qualifications of the heart,
by which I mean probity and integrity of life.

I . No man queftions but that abilities and talents are requifite in thofe
who exercife the office of minifters in the Church. Firft, Some are ne-
ceiTary for preaching the Gofpel, and for the right expounding ot fcrip-
ture. Preaching requires a greater extent of knowledge, than is commonly
imagined. To preach well, a man fhould be well fkilled in languag^es,
hiftory, divinity and morality. He fhould be accquainted with man's
heart, he fhould be of a fagacious and difcerning fpirit, and above all
things he fhould have a true and exa£t judgment ; to fay nothing of fonie
other quahfications, which are neceffary to every man who Ipeaks in
publick.

Neither are thefe endowments fufficient; particular talents are requifite
for the conduct of the Church. To guide a flock and to be accountable
for the falvation of a great number of fouls, is no fmall charge, nor an
employment which every body is fit for. A man to whom the govern-
ment of a Church is committed, in whofe hands the exercife of difcipUne
is lodged, whofe duty it is both to exhort and reprove both in publick
and in private, and who ought to fupply all the occafions of a flock, and
to be provided for all emergencies ; fuch a man has need of a great deal
of knowledge, zeal and firmnefs, as well as of much wifdom and prudence,
moderation and charity. That all thefe qualifications are requifite in a
paftor, is evident from the nature of his office ; and St.. Paul teaches it,
when he appoints that none fhall be admitted to this employment, but thois
in whom they are to be found.

What effect then can the miniftry have, when it is exercifed by men
who want thefe qualifications, or perhaps have the quite contrary ; who
are ignorant, who know nothing in matters of difcipline and morality,
•who can give no account of a great many things contained in Scripture,
and whofe whole learning is confined to a Commentary ; whocanjiei-
ther reafou true, nor fpeaic clearly ; who are either indifcreet, negligent
0:4 ""'

24^ Caufes of the prefent Part II.

pr remifs in the exercife of their office ? But I do not wonder that thefe
qualifications are wanting in moft Clergy-men. Vaft numbers who
were not cut out for this employment, afpire to it. And befides thefe,
abilities are not to be acquired without labour and application. Now
many Church-men are fhamefuUy idle ; they look upon their profeffioft
as a mean to live eafy, fo that declining the duties of their place, they
content themfelves with the incomes of it. Thofe who are to preach
are more employed ; but their fermons are almoft their whole bufmefs :
their work confifts for the moft part in copying fome Commentaries, and
as foon as they have acquired a little habit and facility of fpeaking in
publick, almoft all of them give over ftudy and labour. We may al-
moft make the fame judgment of thofe ecclefiafticks, who thp' they ftu-
dy hard, yet do not dired their ftudies to the edification of the Church.
The learning and the ftudies of divines, I fpeak of thofe chiefly who have
cure of fou^, is often vain, and of no ufe for the edifying of their flocks.
They apply themfelves to things fuitable to their inclinations, and their
ftudies are but their amufement, or their diverfion. Now he who ne-
gle£l6 the duties of his calling, and purfues ether employments, differs
very little from him who does nothing at all.

II. Probity is, not lefs neceflary to paftors, than knowledge and abi-
lity ; and this probity ought to have three degrees.

I . The firft is, That paftors give no ill example, and that their life
be blamelefs. This' is the firft qualification which St. P^a/ requires in
thofe v/ho afpire to this holy office. * Let a Bijhop^ fays he, be blamelefs -y
that is, his manners ought to be fuch that he may not juftly be charged
with any vice, or give any fcandal. Then the Apoftle fpecifies the faults
from v/hich a paftor ought to be free ; not given to wine^ noflriker^ not
greedy of filthy lucre, but patient j not a brawler, not covetous, one that rul-
eth well his own houfe, having his children infubje£iion with nil gravity, and
tiho /.. not lifted up with pride and felf conceit.

Every body knows how much might be faid, if the condufl of Cler-
gy-men was to be examined upon all thefe heads. Are not many of
them fcandalous by the irregularity of their manners ? How grofs and
Ihameful foever the fin of drunkennefs may be, yet do they never com-
tnit it, and is not this vice very com.mon among them in fome Coun-
i^ries ? Are not fome of them furious and pailionate in their actions and
words ? Do we never obferve in them a fordid covetoufnefs, and an ex-
cefHve ftudy of feif-intereft? Are their families always well ordered ?
Are not pofitivcnefs and pride very remarkable in fome perfons of that
profeffion f Is there not often juft caufe to complain, that they are im-
placable in their hatred, that they have little charity ; and that there is
lefs prepofTeflion, and more of gentlenefs and true zeal to be found
among lay-men, than among divines ? I fay nothing of fome other
faults which are not lefs fcandalous in Church-men j as when they are
given to fwearing, when they are difTolute and undecently free in their
words, when they are wedded to divertifements and pleafyres, worldly-
minded, lazy, crafty, unjuft and cenforious.

When fuch vices appear in the lives of Clergy-men it is the greatefl
of fcandals j from that minute the Gofpel becomes of no effect in their

mouths,,
* I Tim^ii. Tit. i.

Cause III. Corruption of Qmjilam. ^n

mouths, the laws of God are trampled upon, the moft facred things are
no longer refpecled, divine worfhip and the facraments are profaned,
the miniftry grows vile, religion in general falls under contempt, and
the people being no longer curb'd by the reverence due to it, give up
themfelves to an entire Ticentioufnefs. I confefs that Chriftians ought
to follow the doftrine rather than the example of their guides, and that
it is poflible to profit by the inftrudtions of a man, who does not praftifc
what he teaches. But every body has not difcretion and firmnefs enough,
to feparate thus the do£irinc from the example, and .not to be fhaken by
the fcandal occafioned by Church-men, when their life and their preach-
ing contradidl each other. Men are very much taken with outfides, and
govern themfelves more by imitation than reafon. A great many per-
i'ons want nothing but pretexts and excufes, to juftifie them in 111 things;
and there is no pretence more fpecious, than that which the ill lives of
the minifters of religion affords. When the people fee men who are in-
celfantly fpeaking of God and recommending piety, and yet do not
praclife themfelves what they preach, they reje6l all that comes from
them, they fancy that the Gofpel is preached only for form's-fake, and
that the maxims of religion may be fafely violated.

2. Bit St. Paul requires fomewhat more in paftors, than not to be
fcandalous ; this is but the firft and the loweft degree of probity. He would
have them befides to be adorned with all manner of virtues. * To be vi-
gilant^ prudent^ grave, tnodejl and given to bofpitallty, gentle, charitable, lovers
of good men, tvtfe, jujl, holy and chajie, /hewing therrifelves In all things pat-
terns of good woris, of pur iiy, gravity, and integrity. And indeed paftors
are not only appointed to inftru61: and govern their flocks, but they are
obliged, belides to fet them a good example, and to be their patterns ;
and they do not edifie lefs by their good examples, than by their exhor-
tations. The purity of their manners, and the regularity of their con-
duct, give a great weight, to all the functions of their miniftry, thefe
make their perfons venerable, and engage a great many to imitate them.
Now whether thefe qualifications are to be found in paftors, every body
may judge. I except thofe who ought to be excepted, but for the ge-
nerality, Wherein do Church-men differ from other men ? Do they
diftinguifti themfelves by a regular and exemplary life ? Their exterior
indeed is fomething different, they live more retired, they preferve a
little decorum, tho' even this is not done by all ; but as for the reft, are
they not as much addicted to the world, and taken up with earthly
things, have they not as many humane and fecular views, are they not
as much wedded to intereft and other paifions as the bulk of Chriftians
are ?

3. This fecond degree of probity is not fufficient. The life of an
hypocrite may be blamelefs and even edifying ; by compofing his exte-
rior he may pafs for a faint. There is therefore a third degree, and that
is the rectitude of the heart, a good confcience, a great meafure of true
piety, devotion, humility and zeal. Paftors ought to be in private, in-
wardly and in the fight of God, what they appear to other men. And
/certainly none can have greater inducements to piety, than a man v/hofe
prdmary bufinefs it is to meditate upon feligion, to fpeak of it to others,

to
* Tim. iii, ^c. Tit. i. and ii.

250 Caufes of the prefent Part II.

to reprove hypocrifie and vice ; to perform divine fervice, to adminifter
the facraments, to vifit afflicted and dying people ; and to give an ac-
GGunt to God of a great number of fouls. I do not know vi^hether there
is a higher degree of impiety and hypocrifie, than v/hen a man who is
in thefe circumftances is not a good man. Such a man makes but fport
with the moft facred things in religion, he does properly play the part
ot" a Comedian, and of an hypocrite all his life. No profeflion damns
niore certainly, than that of a Church-man, when it is thus exer-
cifed.

It may perhaps be faid, that all thefe moralities are nothing to my pur-
pofe ; that this third degree of probity, is neceflary only for the falvation
©f pallors in particular, and that as the people are unacquainted with
the inward difpofitions of their teachers, and are not able to diftinguifh
true from counterfeit piety, it is enough for their edification, that the
exterior fhould be well regulated. But thofe who think this, are very
much miftaken. This want of piety and devotion is capital, and here
we find the main Caufe of the remifnefs of paftors, and of the Corrup-
tion of the people. From whence do thofe faults proceed v^'hich we have
©bferved in Clergy-men ? How comes it to pafs that fome of them are
ignorant and lazy, that others apply themfelves to unprofitable fubjedts
and ftudies, that others preach only out of vanity, and that their dif-
courfes are languid and jejune ? All this, is becaufe their hearts are void
of devotion and piety.

There are fome preaching matters, and thofe too the mofi: edifying,
which can never be well managed, but by a man animated with fincere
piety. Thofe preachers who defcribe the beauty of virtue, or the hap-
py ftate of a good confcience, the hopes of another life, or the neceffi-
ty of working out one's falvation, and who are not afFe6led and pierced
thorough with what they fay, do but Hammer about thefe things, and
they will hardly excite thofe motions in other men's hearts, which they
never felt in their own. We cannot preach with fucceis without know-
ing the heart of man, and this knowledge ought to be the chief ftudy of
thofe who preach the Gofpel. But the fureft and moft compendious way
to know man's heart aright, is to confult our own, to reflect upon our
felves, and to have a fpotlefs confcience : without this a man is ftill a
novice and a bungler in preaching. And fo in the exercife of difcipline ;
in private exhortations, in the vifiting of the fick, in prayers, and in all
other paftoral fundions, there is ftill fomething defe6tive, when a man
does not perform them, out of a principle of charity, but only to dif-
charge the outward obligations which his office lays upon him.

Pious and good Church-men, who are not on the other hand deftitute
of gifts, fulfill much better the duties of their miniftry. A paftor who
loves his profeflion, who lays the fun6lions of it to heart, who is tho-
roughly convinced of the truths of religion, and who praftifes the rules
of it ; who in private humbles himfelf before God, and ardently im-
plores his bleffing ; who is ever intent upon feeking means to edify the
Church ; who turns all his meditation that way ; who thinks day and
night of the neceffities of his flock ; muft needs be fuccefsful, he has in
hinifelf the principle of all benedi6lions and happy, fuccefs. When he
is fpeaking or exhorting, it is his heart that fpeaks, and the language of

tho

Cause III. Corruption of Chri/llc^s. 251

the heart, has a kind of eloquence and perfwafiveiiefs in it, which is fooa
tiifcerned by the hearer?, and which always raifes a pious and a zealous
preacher, above a mercenary and hypocritical one. The want of piety
fn paftors, is therefore the principal fource of the faults they commit,
and of the mifchiefs which proceed from their remifnefs.
■ Whofoever will ferioufly and without prejudice confider all that I have
now faid, muft own, that the Caufe of the Corruption of Chriftians is
chiefly to be found in the Clergy. I do not mean to fpeak here of ^
Church-men indifferently. We muft do right to fome, who diftinguifh
themfelves by their talents, their zeal and the holinefs of their lives. But
the number of thefe is not confiderablc enough to flop the courfe of thofe
diforders which are occafioned in the Church by the vaft multitudes of
remifs and corrupt paftors. Thefe pull down, what the others endea-
vour to build up. Some perhaps, v/ill afk, Whence do all thefe faults
of the Clergy proceed ? In anfwer to this qucftion, I have three things
to fay.

1 . It ought not to be thought ftrange, that paftors fhould not fulfill
all the obligations of their office. As things are conftituted almoft eve-
ry where with relation to difcipline, to the infpe£fion and authority over
private perfons, to the vifiting of the fick, and to fome other parts of
their employment, they cannot if they would difcharge their duties.
Neither the magiftrates nor the people would fufFer it. On the other
hand, the defeats of paftors, are the confequences of the contempt and
abafement which their office is brought under, as well as of the poverty
they live in. This contempt and poverty difcourage a great many, who
might otherv/ifc confider^ly edify the Church ; and they are the caufe
why multitudes, who have neither education, nor talents, nor eftates,
dedicate them.felves to the miniftry of the Gofpel. It is commonly ima-
gined, that all forts of perfons are good enough for the Church; and
whereas the Jews did ofter their moft- excellent things to God, among
Chriftians, what is leaft valued is confecrated to God and the Church.
Some are devoted to the holieft and the moft exalted of all profeffions,
who v/ould not be thought capable of an employment of any confidera-
tion in the Common-wealth. If then we intend to remedy the faults of
the Clergy, we ftiould begin with redreffing what is defetStive in tjie ftatc
of the Church and religion in general.

2. Many ecclefiafticks fail in the duties of their calling, becaufe they
do not know what it obliges them to ; and this they do not know, be-
caufe it was never taught them. There are indeed fchools, academie-5
and univerfities, which are defigned to inftrucl thofe young men, who
afpire to this profeffion ; but I cannot tell whether fchools and acade-
mies, as they are ordered almoft every where, do not do more hurt than
good. For firft, as to manners, young people live there licentioufly,
and are left to their own condu6l. The care of mafters and profeftbrs,
does not extend to the regulatijng of the manners of their difcipleg. And
this diforder is fo great, that in feveral univerfities of Europe^ the fcho,-
lars and ftudents make publick profeffion of diffolutenefs. They not onr
ly live there irregularly, but they have priviledges, which gives them a
right to commit with impunity, all manner of infolencies, brutalities and
icandals, and which exempt them from the ,magiftrates jurifdiction. It

.3152 Caufes of the prefent Part II,

is a fhame'to Chriftianity, that princes and Church-men fboujd not have
yet abolifhed thofe cuftoms and eftablifhments, which fmell fo rank of
the ignorance and barbarifm of the Heathens. And yet thefe univerfi-
ties are the nurferies out of which paftors, do£lors and profeiTors are ta-
ken. Thofe fcholars who neither iiave birth, nor fenfe of virtue or ho-
nour, and who have fpent their youth in licentioufnefs and debauchery,
fpread themfelves into all Churches, and become the depofitaries, and in
fome meafure the arbitrators of religion.

As to the ftudies which are purfued at univerfities, I obferve in them
thefe two faults. The firft relates to the method of teaching. Divinity
is treated there and the holy Scripture explained in a fcholaftical and al-
too-ether fpeculative manner. Common places are read, which are full
of fchool-terms, and of queftions not very material. There young men
learn to difpute upon every thing, and to refolve all religion into cojttro-
verfies. Now this method ruins them, it giv^es them intricate and fal'fe
notions of divinity, and it begets in them difpofitions diredlly oppofite
to thofe which are neceflary to find out truth.

The other fault is more efTential : little or no care is taken in acade-
ttiies, to teach thofe who dedicate themfelves to the fervice of the
Church, feveral things, the knowledge of which would be very necefla^
ry to them. The ftudy of hiftory and of Church antiquity, is negleft-
ed there.

Hence it Is that moft divines, may be compared with people, who
having never travelled, know no other cuftoms or ways of living but
thofe which obtain in their countries. As foon as you take thefe divines
<5ut of their common-places, they are in a maze, and every thing feemS
new and fingular to them. Morality is not taught in divinity-fchools,
but in a fuperficial and fcholaftick manner ; and in many academies it is
not taught at all. They feldom fpeak there of difcipline, they give few
or no inftructions concerning the manner of exercifmg the paftoral care,
or of o-overning the Church. So that the greater part of thofe who are
admitted into this office, enter into it without knowing wherein it con-
fifls ; all the notion they have of it, is, that it is a profeffion, which
obliges them to preach, and to explain texts. It were therefore to be
wifhed, that for the glory of God, and the good of the Church, fchools
aud univerfities Ihould be reformed, and that the manners and ftudies of
young people, fhould be better regulated in thofe places. This refor-
mation would not be impoflible, if divines and profeffors would ufe their
endeavours about it. But thofe kind of eftablifhments are not eafily
altered. The ordinary method is continued, and things are done as they
were of old, becaufe men are willing to keep their places, and the fti-
pends which are annexed to them.

3. The third and principal remedy would be to ufe greater caution,
ihan is commonly done, when men are to be admitted into ecclefiaftical
offices. The firft qualification to which, according to St. Paul^ regard
^s to be had, is probity and integrity of life. The perfons therefore who
olFer themfelves, ftiould in the firft place be examined in relation to
manners, and to all thofe moral difpofitions, which St. Faul requires in
them, and thofe fhould be excluded in whom they are not found. But
tthis article is commonly flubbered over, and a young n^an muft hav?

bee,n

Cause IV. Corruption of Chrljiiam. 253

been very diflblute, if he Is refufecf upon the account of immorality. So
that the moft facred of all cliaraiters, is conferred upon many p^rfons,
who according to the divine laws, ought to be reje£ted.

The other part of the examination of Candidates, relates to their abi-
lity and talents. Now in order to judge of their capacity, it is not
enough to enquire whether they know their common-pbce-book, or
whether they can make a fermon ; it would be neceffary befides to exa-
mine them about the fundamentals of religion, about hillory, difcipline,
the holy Scripture and morality. All thefe important matters, the know^-
ledge of which ii of daily ufe with reference to pradlice, and in the ex-
cife of the facred miniftry. But they are not inlifted upon. The exa-
mination turns upon fome trials about preaching, and upon fome head*
of divinity which are fcholaftically handled, by arguments and diftindli-
ons : after which if the Candidate has fatisfied in fome raeafure, ordina-
tion follows.

Now when fuch infufficient perfons are once admitted the mifchief is
done, and there is no remedy. Thefe men are afterwards appointed
paftors in Churches, where for 30 or 40 years, they deftroy more thaa
they edify. How many Churches are there thus ill provided, where th»
people live in grofs ignorance, where the youth are loft for want of in-
llrudtion, and where a thoufand crimes are committed ? The caufe of
all this evil, is in the ordination of paftors.

It will no doubt be objetSted, That if none were to be admitted but
thofe, who have all the necefTary qualifications, there would not be a
fufficient number of paftors, for all the Churches. To which I anfwer.
That tho' this fliould happen, yet it were better to run into this incon-
venience than to break the exprefs laws of God, A fmall number of fe-
ItSt paftors, is to be preferred before a multitude of unworthy labourers.
We are ftill to do what God commands, and to leave the event to Pro-
vidence. But after all, this fcarcity of paftors is not fo much to be
feared. Such a ftridtnefs will only difcourage thofe, who would never
have been ufeful in the Church, and it is a thing highly commendable
to difliearten fuch perfons : but this exaftnefs will encourage thofe, who
are able to do well, and the miniftry will be fo much the more efteem^d
and fought after.

^

CAUSE IV.

The Defe£is of Chrijllan Princes and Magljirates,

^^M^ F it had been poftible without an effential omiflion, not to have
^ I ^ detedted this Caufe of Corruption, I would have pafTed it over
iiaJSJ^ in filence. We ought not to fpeak of the higher powers, but
.with great difcretion and refpeil : and therefore it is not without fome
kind of reluftancy, that I fuppofe in the title of this Chapter, Lhat one
Qf the Caufes of Corruption is to be found in Chriftian Princes and Ma-
a giftrates.

•2^/^. Caufes of the frefent Part 11.

giftrates. But if I had fuppreft this, I fliould have diffembled a moft
important truth, and omitted one of the heads, which are the moft ne-
ceffary to be infifted upon in a work of this nature. By reafon of the
rank which princes and magiftrates hold, they have always a great fhare
in the good or ill manners of the people. And fo I cannot excufe my
felf from fliewing, that the Corruption of Chriftians, may partly be im-
puted to thofe, who are ordained for the government of Civil Society.
In order to this I Ihall offer fome reflections upon the duty of prin-
ces and magiftrates, confidered i. As Civil, and 2. As Chriftian Ma-
giftrates.

Although the inftitution of princes and magiftrates does properly re-
late to civil matters ; yet the manner of governing their people, has a
oreat influence upon the things of religion. This cannot be queftioned,
if" we fuppofe this principle ; That God who is the author of the reli-
gion, is alfo the author of civil fociety and magiftracy. It is St. PWs
dodlrine, * That there h no ptiver btd of God^ and that the pozvers that be
are ordained of God. If God is the author of religion, and of civil fo-
tiety, he is alfo the author of thofe laws upon which both religion and
tivil fociety are founded. Now God being always confiftent with him-
Telf the lav/s which arc deriveti from him, cannot contradi6l one ano-
ther ; and this fhews already, not only that there is no oppofition be-
tween religion and civil fociety, but that thefe two things having be-
fides, a neceflliry relation to one another. This will yet more clearly
appear, if we confided that religion does not cut off Chriftians from the
fociety cxf other men, and that the Church does not conftitute a ftate by
it felf, to have nothing to do with civil fociety ; but that thofe who
are members of the Church, are likewife members of civil fociety,
fo that the fame mftrt ',i^' af the fame time both a Chriftian and a Ci-
tizen.

But it is chiefly neceflary to confider the nature of the Chriftian reli-
gion. I. It was to be preached to all men, and to be received by all
the world, without diftin6lion of nations, kingdoms, or ftates. In or-
der to this, two things were neceflary. Firft, that there ftiould be no-
thino- in religion, contrary to the natural conftitution of ftates and of
civiffociety. For elfe, God by ordering the Gofpel to be preached,
would have deftroyed his own work, Chriftianity could not have taken
footing in the world, and the firft Chriftians would have been juftly
looked upon, as feditious perfons. But it is not lefs neceffary on the
Other hand, that there ftiould be nothing repugnant to the Chriftian re-
ligion, in the natural conftitution of ftates and civil fociety j otherwife
God by eftablilhing fociety, would have put an infuperable obftacle to
the planting of the Gofpel, unlefs the civil order and government had
been altered. But our Saviour has affured us that there was to be no
fuch thing, by declaring f That his kingdom was not of this worlds and by
commanding his followers, % t^ render to Cafar the things which are
Ccsfars.

2. One of the chief precepts of the Chriftian religion is, 1| That nil
men Jhould obey and befubjea to the higher powers. Now this precept could

not
• Rom. xiii. i. t John xviil.

J Mat. xxii. (i I^om. xiii.

Cause IV. Corruption of Chrijiians. 255

not pofTibly be obferved, if in the natural eftablifliment of civil fociet^,
there was fomething incompatible, with the profeflion of Chriftianity.
* No man canferve two majiers, when they command contrary things.
But St. PW goes further, he tells us. That the prefervation of kings,
and the fubmitting to their authority is a mean for Chriftians f to lead a
quiet and peaceable life in all godliuefs and honejiy.

3. It is remarkable, that whatever is good, and juft in the civil, is fo
likewife in the religious fociety j and that whatever is prefcribed by rfe^
-ligion is juft, and even beneficial to civil fociety. The law of nature,
which is the foundation of civil laws, is confirmed by the Chriftian re-
ligion, and does perfeftly agree with the principles and morals of the
Gofpel. An evident proof of this, is, that when Chriftian emperours
and law-givers did fet about the making of laws and conftitutions, they
retained the eflential parts of the laws and conftitutions received amono-
the Romans and the Greeks in the time of Heathenifm. And to this day
the old Roman law is followed among Chriftians, excepting fome laws
which have been altered or abrogated, either becaufe they were contrary
to natural juft ice and equity, or becaufe they were not of a general and
neceiTary ufe.

4. It is certain, that religion and civil fociety, do mutually fupport
one, another, when both are well regulated. Religion contributes to the
happinefs of fociety, by rendring the authority of princes more facred
and inviolable ; and the good order of fociety, contributes to the wel-
fare and the progrefs of religion. Let us fuppofe a magiftrate who loves
piety and juftice ; it is plain, that at the fame time that he promotes the
intereft of religion, he ftrengthens the welfare of fociety, and that he
cannot procure the good of fociety, without advancing the intereft of
religion. If we fuppofe on the other hand, a magiftrate who does not
aft by the principles of religion and juftice ; it is vifible, that by fuffer-
ing religion to be violated or defpifed, he ftiakes the fureft foundation of
his own authority, and of publick tranquility, and that by failing in the
duties of his office, and in the exercife of juftice, he makes the people
grow vicious and negleft the duties of piety.

From thefe confiderations it does manifeftly appear, that princes and
magiftrates may either procure great advantages to religion, or do it a
confiderable prejudice, and that they are in part the authors of the cor-
ruption which reigns in the world.

When civil-fociety is well governed, men are difpofed by that very
thing to practice the duties of Chriftianity. In proportion as the people
are well ordered, they are more tradable and fufceptible of the impref-
fions of piety. As they are lifed to be governed by the laws of the ma-
giftrate, they do the more eafily fubmit to the holy difcipline of Chrift;
yea, and by obeying civil-laws, they do already difcharge fome part of
the duties of religion. But when princes and magiftrates, either thro*
ignorance, or want of probity and virtue, give way to the violation of
juftice and good order, it is impoffible but that religion muft fuffer by
it. For befides, that the people cannot break the civil laws, without
violating the principles of religion : How can they perform the duties of
Chriftianity, when they do not difcharge thofe of nature I It is very

hard
* Mat. vi. f Tim. ii. 2.

2^5 Caufes of ihe prefent Part IL

hard to p^rAiade people to the obfervatioii of the precepts of the Gofpel,
who do not fubmit to the laws of natural reafon and juftice. It is not
to be expe<^ed that men who do not order their outward actions aright,
Ihould regulate their thoughts and refift their pafTions ; or that being
ftrano-ers to the firft elements of virtue, they fhould come up to the
pra<Elfce of the moft fublime precepts of Chriftian morals,

Befides, the want of order in the adminiftration of juftice and govern*
ment, draws after it all kinds of diforders with relation to manners, fuch
as difhoneftv, and what is moft dangerous, a fpirit of libertinifm and in-
dependance^ which makes men untoward and refra61:ory to good difci-
pline. We are to obferve here that the greateft part of men's lives are
taken up with civil matters. All perfons are bound to obey the magif-
trate, and few are altogether irtQ from law-fuits and bufinefs ; fo that
when the people are not well governed with relation to civil things, they
do fo accuftom themfelves to Tive without rule or reftraint, that religion
can no longer have any power over them. The negled and remilneij
of princes and magiftrates do occafion all this mifchief.

But if the bare carelefnefs of magiftrates is fo fatal to fociety; how
muft it be when they themfelves are vicious and unjuft, either in their
own particular conduft, or in the exercife of their office ? The greateft
unhappinefs that can befal any people, is, when thofe who are inverted
with the fupream authority, favour injuftice and vice. It may be faid
then, that the publick fountains are poyfoned. The whole ftate is or-
dered by the fov€reigns ; they are thofe from whom the laws receive their
force, who appoint judges and magiftrates, and who regulate the admini-
ftration of juftice. When inferior magiftrates prevaricate, this may be
remedied by the fovereign, but when the fovereign himfelf fails in his
duty, no redrefs can be expetted.

Not but that fubordinate officers and magiftrates, may likewife occa-
fion a great deal of mifchief. If we fuppoie in a province, or a town,
magiftrates and judges who want integrity, who confult only their profit
and intereft in the exercife of their offices, who are not proof againfl:
bribes, who adminifter juftice from a principle of covetoufnefs or paf-
fion, who act by recommendation or favour, and who are full of artifice
and'dilfimulation. This is enough to introduce and authorize wicked-
nefs throughout their whole jurifdi6lion, to pervert right, to banifh juftice
and honefty from all courts, to make way for knavery and litigioufnefs,
for the protrafting of fuits, the abufe and violation of oaths, and many
other diforders. Then it is that vice is in faftiion and repute, that vir-
tue and innocency are oppreflcd, and that the people grow corrupt. Now
all this being a direft undermining of religion and piety, let any body
judge, whether I have not reafon to fay, that the corruption of the age
may be imputed to princes or magiftrates.

But all thefe evils are yet more unavoidable, when the princes or ma-
giftrates who are the authors of them, profefs the Chriftian religion. A
heathen magiftrate has not by much that influence upon religion and
manners, that a Chriftian has. The Church was purer and more fepa-
rated from the world, when the fuperior powers were contrary to it^ but
as foon as the emperors had embraced Chriftianity, piety and zeal did vi-
fibly decay. Not but that religion may receive, and has actually received

great

Cause IV. Corruption of Chrl/liani. 257

great helps from Chriftian magiftrates ; they have fometimes contributed
very effectually to the promoting of piety, and thofe who do fo, defcrve
immortal honour. But it muft likewife be granted, that the vices and
ill examples of Chriftian magiftrates, corrupt the Church more, than if
it were under heathen governors.

The duty of Chriftian princes and magiftrates, as well as of all the
members of the Church is double. They are bound, firft, to ferve God,
and to difcharge the obligations which religion lays upon, all men ; and
fecondly to take care, that God may be ferved and honoured by all thofe,
who are fubje6t to their authority.

I. Every Chriflian ought to ferve God and to live according to. the
precepts of the Gofpel. That very thing then, that a rnagi^hate is chrif-
tian^ obliges him to be a lover of piety and virtue. It is a commoa no-
tion efpecially among great men, that piety and devotion do not become
thofe who are exalted to dignities, and that publick perfons are not to be
ruled by the maxims of religion. But whofoever maintains this opinion,
muft deny the principles of religion, and be either an Atheift or a Deift.
For fuppofmg the truth of Chriftianity, it is beyond all doubt, that a
Chriftian prince or magiftrate, has as much need of piety as other men
have. He is bound to be a good man by the fame duty and intcreft,
which engage private men to be fo ; he has a foul to be faved as well as
they ; and as he is a publick perfon, he is to give an account of his con-
duit to that judge, with whom there is no acception of perfons, and be-
fore whom the greateft of monarches, is no more than the meaneft of
flaves.

If the eminent ftation of a magiftrate makes fome difference between
him and Chriftians of a lower order, that difference obliges him to a higher
degree of piety. The chara6ler he bears requires a great ftock of vir-
tue. No fmall meafure of probity is requifite to acquit himfelf wor-
thily in that calling; to do no injuftice, not to feek in his dignities the
means to gratify his intereft, his vanity, his pride, or his other pafHons.
Without a firm and folid virtue, he cannot withftand thofe temptations
which offer themfelves every minute, and which are the more dangerous
and fubtil, becaufe in thofe exalted pofts, ill things, for the moft part,
may be done with fafety. If we add to all this, that an ill magilhate is
anfwerable for the greateft part of the diforders which happen, and of
the crimes which are committed in fociety, it muft be confeifed that
magiftracy is a kind of life, wherein piety is extreamly neceffary, and in
which, great circumfpection and a fublime virtue, are the only preferva-
tives againft a thoufand opportunities, of tranfgrelfing the duties of con-
fcience, and violating the moft facred laws of religion and juitice.

II. It is the duty of Chriftian princes and magiftrates, to labour for
the promoting of virtue and the fupprefilng of vice among men. We have
fhewn already that it is their intereft to do fo, fince religion is the furcft
foundation of their authority, and of the fidelity of their people ; but their
duty does befides indifpenfably oblige them to this. It cannot be denied
but that this obligation lies upon them, fince every Chriftian is bound to
advance the kingdom of Chrift, and to edify his neighbours as much as
he can in that ftate and condition he is in. The duty here is anfwera-
ble to the ability, fb that we may apply to this purpofe, that maxim of the

Vol, VI. R Qofpej,

258 Caufcs of tJk prefcnt pAitt^II.

Gofpel, * that to fvhomfoever much is g'lven^ of him inuch /ball be required.
Private men cannot do much towards promoting the glory of God; their
zeal ana good intentions are for the moft part ufclefs ; it is not in their
power to liinder general diforders, this ought therefore, to be done by
men of authority, and they may do it eafily. Befides, a Chriftian magi-
ftrate is to confidej* that it was providence which raifed him to the pofl
he is' in, and th^^t by Confequence he is engaged in juftice and gratitude,
to ufe his authority for the glory of God. Laftlv, v/ould it not be a
ftrange thing, that Chriftian J>rinces and niagiiirates fhould do no fervice
to religion, v.hcn kings and princes who are not Chriftians, can do fo
much hurt to it ? Now they may advance the kingdom of God and ba-
iiilli corruptions, thefe two ways. i. By their example. 2. By their
care,

I . By their exr.mple. This method is of great efficacy. Examples
arc very forcible, but their efFe£t, depends for the moft part upon the
quality and character of the perfons they come from. It has been made
appear in the foregoing chapter, how much benefit redounds to the
-Church, from the good lives and examples of the governours of it. But
ihe example of kings, princes, and magiftrates is in fome refpc6ls of
greater weight. When a Church-man recommends virtue by an exem-
plary life, it is often faid that his profeffion obliges him to live fo, and
this confideration makes his example to be of little force upon worldly-
minded men. But when princes and magiftrates are pious, thofe men
have no fuch thing to fay. I^he fplcndor and authority which furround
greatnefs, gives much credit to every thing that comes from great men.
They may Ibmetimes do more good vi'ith one word, than a preacher can
do by many fermons.

I have riiewed in the firft part of this work that one of the greateft ob-
ftacles to piety, is a falfc Ihame which reftrains men from doing their du-
tv, for fear of being obferved and dcfpifed ; and I am to fliew hereafter,
tliat cullom has introduced among Chriftians a great many maxims and
pracSlices contrary to the fpirit of the Gofpel. Thefe two things occa-
fion corruption and til! they are remedied, vice and impiety muft ftill
reign. But the example of great men is fuificient to remove almoft in-
tirely, both thefe caufes of corruption. They are the judges of honour
and Cuftoni; it is in their power to make anything which is reputed
fhameful, to be thought honourable and to abolifti that which is generally
received. So that how fcarce and defpifed foever piety may be, an idea of
honour would be affixed to it, if it was fiivoured and profefled by great
men, and that would be refpeded in them which in others, is looked up-
on with indifference or contempt.

That which has hapned with relation to duels is a ftrong proof of what
I fl\y. To decline fightiiig a duel, has been thought for a long time a
difgrace and an infamy : a falfe notion of honour did then bear down the
{Irongeft principles of nature, reafon and Chriftianity i and drive m.en to
that excels of brutality and madnefs,- that they would cut one anothers
throat for a trifle. But in thofe places where Chriftian princes have
aboiiftied duels, people are now of another mind, and think it no fhame
to refule a challenge. And thus fwearirig, drunkcnncfs, and the greateft:

♦ Luke xu.'48.

Cause IV. Corrupt mi of Chri/^iam, ^59

of other clamorous fins, might be fupprefled, if great men plejfed. Is it
not obferved befides, that when a prince is devout, devotion tomes into
faihion ? It may be that this devotion which proceeds from the example
of princes, is not always fincere ; but at leaft it regulates manners as to
the exterior ; and fuch an outward reformation, may be a ftep toward true
devotion. However this Ihews that the opinion and example of men in
authority, has a great power. And furely if by their credit they can make
vice it felf to be honoured, would it not be much eafier for them, to mak,e
Other men honour virtue, fmce it is honourable in its own nature ?

lam notable to exprefs of what confequence the example of great men is,
cither for good or evil. A prince who is vicious, cruel, diflblute, artilicicus
or unjuft, is enough to infe6l a whole ftate in a very little time, to banifh
piety from it, and to bring into repute drunkennefs, lewdnefs, cheating,
iudevotion, and all the other vices which he allows himfelf in. This we find
by daily experience. Such as the prince is, fo are thofe about him ; and
from thefe, the evil fpreads upon the whole people, by reafon of the credit
and authority to which they were raifed, and of the influence they have
upon publick and private affairs. What might not be faid here of the
life which is led in the courts of princes? Excepting fome few courts
where hcentioufnefs is not fufFered. That kind of life which is followed
at court, for the generality, agrees little with the fpirit of Chriftianity.
People live there altogether in a loofe and worldly manner, in luxury,
idlenefs, pomp and pleafure. There, the ftrongeft and the moft inticing
temptations are to be met with, and the moft criminal intrigues, adultery
it felf, are rather a matter of railery, than reproach. It is almoft impofli-
bie for a man to infmuate himfelf into the favour of princes, and to advance
his fortune at court, unlefs he makes it his maxim to dlllemble his {cn-
timents, and to fpeak diredly againll his own thoughts. The worft of It
is, that from thence corruption difFufes it felf almolt every vv'here ; fo that
many diforders which are in vogue, would be unknown, or at leaft very
rare in the world, if they had not been introduced by that licentioufnefs,
which reigns in the courts of princes. ^

I come now to the endeavours, v/hich Chriftian magiftrates ought to
ufe, for the editication of the Church and the reviving of piety j thefe
endeavours relate either to civil matters, or to religion.

1. In civil matters, it is their duty to reftrain libertinifm and corrup-
tion, by regulating the manners of their fubjedts, either by repealing the
laws and cuftoms which do not agree with religion, and which engage
the people into the violation of the precepts of the Gofpel, or by reform-
ing the abufes which are introduced from time to time, particularly thefe
which creep into the adminiftration of juftice. In relation to all thefe
things, there are feveral faults which the Church cannot provide againft,
and which nothing can remedy but the magiftrates authority.

2. The other care relates diredly to religion, i. Princes and kings
profeffing Chriftianity, arc bound to procure, as much as in them lies, the
welfare of the Church. They ought to fet about the eftablifhing
of truth and peace, provided that in order to that, they ufe no means but
fuch, as are fuitable to the Gofpel. They ought by tneir authority to fee
that the Church and religion want nothing of v/hr.t is neceftary, for the
xikaintaining of order and decencv; that divine fervice be duly performed ;

I<.2 that

26o Caufes of the prefent PaRT IF,

that there be both places for that purpofe and a fufficient number of per-
fons to take care of the edification of the Church ; that thofe perfons may
fubfiil honourably, that they do their duty and keep themfelves within the
bounds of their calling. They muft not fufFer Church goods or revenues
to be applied to ufes meerly civil ; and when thefe revenues are not fuffi-
cient, it becomes their piety and juftice, to allot fome part of the publick:
revenues, for the necelfities of the Church. In fine, as to manners, I
obferved before, that they may c;ifi!y give a flop to vice and impiety, to
luxi:ry, fwearing, and other fcandals which dilhonour the Church. And
if thcv can do this, they ought to do it, every Chriftian being bound to
do all that is in his power, to promote the glory of God.

2. It is certain, thatmagiftrates who arc members of the Church, ought
to protect it, to maintain the order which God has eflabliflied in it, and
not to fufi^er any breach to be made there. So that the' they may regu-
late many things which concern religion, and tho' the Church owes them
a great regard, yet they cannot without ufurpation and injuftice, arrogate
to themfelves the whole authority, with relation to the ecclefiaftical affairs.
They are neither the princes nor the heads of the Church, as they are
the princes and the heads of civil fociety. An authority fuperibr to
theirs, has inftituted, religion, pallors and difcipline. There is a law
enacted by the KING of kings, and the head of the Church, which
clearly determines the rights and duties, both of the Church and of the
governor of it; all thefe are facred things, which earthly powers are not
to meddle with. 7'hey are laws which princes and magirtrates did fub-
mit to, when they became members of the Church ;: with refpe6l to thefe
(I mean ftiU effential things appointed by the word of God) they have
acquired no right by embracing Chriftianity ; fince he who becomes
member of a fociety, cannot by that acquire a right to alter the natural
form and conftitution of it.

The inftance of the kings of Jicdah^ fhews that a prince who profefles
true religion, may interpofe in the affairs of it : but we muft take care
not to carry this inftance too far, as thofe do, who afcribe to the magi-
ftrate, a fuprcme authority in the Church ; who allow him a right to order
cverv thina; there ; not excepting difcipline, the calling of paftors, nor
even the articles of faith. For befides that under the law, kings were
by no means the judges of every thing, which concerned religion ; we are
not to arc;ue altogether about the Chriftian religion, from what v/as done
in the Jewifli Church. Among the Jews the Church and the ftate were
mixed together, and in fome meafurc undiftinguilhed from one another.
That meerly fpiritual fociety which is called the Church, and which is
confined to no ftate, or people, or any particular form of civil govern-
ment; was properly ere6led fince the coming of Chrift. God a6led
among the Jeujs as a civil magiftrate. The laws of the Jewifti religion
were for the moft part external laws, which might and ought to be main-
tained by force and authority. The rights of divine fervice, and the
fund^ions of prieftrs, were very different from the evangelical worfhip and
fi-om the office of Chriftian paftors. After all, if we fliould go by the
■ptactice of the Jewifli Ckurch, it would follow, that the minifters of re-
■li<»-ion are inveited with civil authority, jnd a very great authority too.
'The Jewiihupriefts held a confiderable rank in the ftate as well as in reli-
gion.

Cause IV. Cormptlon of Chri/Uans. 2,6t

gion. If upon fome occafions kings have depofed prlcfts ; upon other oc-
cafions priefts have oppofed Icings and altered the government.

* So that without prefling too much thofe inftances out of the old
Teftament, the beft v/ay is to confult the new, and to proceed according
to the laws of the apofHes, and the nature of the Chriftian religion. And
whofoever examines without prejudice thofe facred books, which have
been writ fmce the coming of our Saviour, will acknowledge, that things
are now altered, and that magiftrates have but a limited authority in
matters of religion. It is remarkable, that the fcripture never mentions
them, when it fpeaks of the Church and of the government of it.

3. And yet as the authority of princes and magiftrates, is derived from
God, it ought ftill to fubfift entire, and therefore they have an un-
queftionable right, to take care that nothing be done in the Church, to
the prejudice of their lawful authority, and of publick tranquility; and
that the minlfters of religion do not flretch their authority, beyond fpiri-
tual things. The honour and the fafety of religion, require that this
principal ftiould be laid down ; for religion, as was faid before, ought not,
to difturb fociety, aiid true religion will never difturb it. If then any
Chriftians or Church-men under pretence of religion, fhould break in
upon the civil government and the publick peace, kings and princes have
a right to reftrain them, and then they do not oppoie religion, but thofe
only who abufe and diftionour it. *

After thefe confiderations, I think any man is able to judge, whether
the decay of piety and religion, is not in part to be imputed to Chriftian
princes and magiftrates. We need but enquire whether both in civil
and religious matters, they obferve the duties I have now defcribed. I
fay no more of this, becauie every body is able to make the application.

But I muft add, That if the want of zeal in magiftrates is enough to
introduce confufion and vice into the Church; the mifchief is much
greater, when not only, they do not what they ought for the good of
religion, but when they ufe their authority befides, to the prejudice of it.
I cannot forbear mentioning here two great abufes.

7. The firft is. When princes and magiftrates aftume the whole autho-
rity to themfelves, fo that except preaching and adminiftriilg the facra-
ments, they will do every thing in the Church : -when they prefume to
determine articles of faith, to rule the confcience of their fubjedb, and
to force them to embrace one perfuafion rather than another; when they
will by all means take upon them to call paftors, without regard to that
right of the Church and Church-men, which is eftablifhed in fcripture,
and confirmed by the practice of the firft ages of Chriftian! tyj when they
ieize upon Church-eftates, tho' there is no reafo;i to fear that wealth
Ihould corrupt their Clergy,and tho' fuch revenues might be applied to fe veral
pious ufes, and particularly to the relief of country-Churches, moft of
which are not fufficiently edified, for want of neceflary endov/ments and
funds. A great deal -might be faid about that which was done in the
laft century with relation to Church-revenues; and it were to be wiftied,
that people had been a little more fcrupulous than they were, when they
invaded the pofteffions of the Church, and confounded them with the
revenues of the ftate.

R3 ' Befides

• See Chron, xxiii. and xxvi.

262 Caufes of ty prefeni PaRT IT,

Befides this the magiftrates authority is fatal to the Church, when
he hinders the exercife of true difcipline, and when he fubftitutes fuch
regulations as he thinks fit, in the room of apoftolical laws. This is
one of the greateil obftru£lions to the reftoring of apoftolical difcipline.
Tho' the Church and her paftors fhould be willing to obferve the an-.
cient order, and to oppofe corruption by thofe means which the Gofpel
enjoyns, yet this is not to be done, if thofe who have the authority in
their hands will not give way to it. The Church is not in a condition
to refift, and to make head againlt the magiftrate, when he ufes force j
and fhe ought not to do it if ihc could.

The fecond abufe is, v/hen the magiftrate makes it his bufmefs to
abafe religion, in the perfons of its rninifters, by defpoiling them as much
as he can, of every thing that might procure them refpedt and authority
in theChuich. This policy is as contrary to the intereft of religion,
and to the promoting c:" piety, as It is common now adays, in feveral
Chriftian dominions. It is v\^eil done of the magiftrate to preferve his
authority, and to keep the Clergy from exceeding the bounds of their
calling; but from theace it does not follow, that he ought to trample
them under foot, to bring them under a general contempt, atid to vilify
their chara£ter, which after all is facred and venerable. This is to fa-
crifice religion to policy and pride, and this proceeding is a manifeft
caufe of the contempt of religion, and of the corruption which neceifarily
follows that contempt, fince commonly, nothing is more defpifed in the
world, than that v/hich great men defpife.

I declare it once more, by all that has been faid, I do not mean to de-
traft any thing from the refpect due to civil powers, neither do I fpeak
of all Chriftian princes and magiftrates, among whom there are fome
who have piety and zeal, and who labour with fuccefs for the good of
religion. But the glory of God requires, that we fliould fpeak the truth,
fo that I could not but take notice of this caufe of corruption. Upon
the whole matter, it is to be hoped, that if Chriftian magiftrates would
be pleafed to make ferious reflcvitions upon all thefe things, we fliould
foon fee an end of fome of thefe diforders ; and that a happier time will
come when they will ufe their authority, to advance the honour of God,
^nd to reftore truth, piety and peace among Chriftians.

CAUSE V,

Education.

c^j4^.<*^^OT H ING is more natural than to look for the original of
^: N ^; corruption, in the time at which it begins ; I mean in die firft
^!*t'»'i^ years of life. It is not only when men have attained to a ripe-
nefs of age, that they are inclined to vice, but that inclination difcovers
it felf x''rom their youth. The root of that ignorance, of thofe prejudices,
and of the greateft part of the ill difpofitions they are in may be found
u in

Cause V. Corruptjon of Chrl/liani. 263

in their tender years. We had need then look back upon the beginnings of
life, and feek in youth, and in infancy it felf the fourcc of corruption.

When we enter upon this enquiry, and confider that men, if nothing
reftrains them, will run into vice from their youth, out of a propenfion
which is common to all, we cannot but perceive at firft fight, that there
muft be in them a certain principle of corruption, which makes them
thus prone to ill things. But if we reflect upon this matter with any
attention, we may likewife be fatisfied, that it would not be impoffible to
reclifie at leaft in part, that vicious inclination, and to prevent the fatal
confequences of it by the means of education ; and that it is chiefly the
wrong method of educating children, which feeds that difpofition to evil,
and which encreafcs and ftrengthens it. This is what I intend to fbew
in this chapter. 1 hope to make it clearly appear, that the corruption of
men, is to be imputed to the education they had in their youth j and
that confidering how children are brought up, it is impofiible, but that
ignorance and vice, muft generally prevail in the world. I fhall begin
Vv'ith general refleilions, upon the education of children, and in the next
place I fhall fpeak of their education, with a particular regard to religion
and piety.

My firft reflection is, That the world confifts for the moft part of peo-
ple who have no education, and whofe unhappinefs it is to have been
wholly neglecSled in their youth. This may particularly be obferved
among perfons of mean birth. Every body knows that fuch kind of
people,_have no manner of education ; that from their childhood they are
abandoned to themfelves, without either inftru6lion, correction, or any
other help, and that living with ignorant grofs and vicious parents be-
tv/een worldly bufiuefs and ill examples, they fpend their youth almoft
like brutes.

This firft reflc6lion, which may be applied to many thoufand Chriftians
difcovers to us already a plain reafon of the extrea'm corruption, which
appears in their manners. We wonder fometimes that men are fo de-
praved, and that great multitudes of them have almoft no fenfe at all
either of religion or confcience, or of reafon and humanity. We think
it ftrange, that there fhould be among Chriftians, impious perfons, blaf-
phemers of the name of God, thieves, poifoners, men who defile them-
felves with the moft infamous fins, and who make confcience of nothino-.
One would think human nature were not capable of fuch enormities'*
and yet they are committed by a great many. But v/e may eafily ap-
prehend how this comes to pafs, if we confider what educatian thofe
perfons had. Inftead of being brought up like Chriftians, they have not
fo much as been educated like rational creatures. The li-rht of nature
has been extinguiftied in them from their very infancy, fo that havino-
fcarce any notion of good or evil, they give up themfelves to vice with^
out fcruple or remorfe, almoft in the fame manner as the Heathens did
of old.

II. But as this total defed of education is not univerfid, fo we are to
enquire in the fecond place. How children are bred up, and to obferve
here the principal faults which are committed about their education.

I. The education of children is not begun foon enough, nothing is

done to them in tl>e firft years of their lives. As foon as children begin

R4 to

264 Caufes of the prefejit Part 11.

to have Tome kind of reafon, the firft principles of virtue fhould be in-
ilill'd into them. For tho' the ideas and actions of young children are
verv confufed, yet it is in infancy that paffions and habits begin to fpring
up. At three or four years old, children give fome figns of what they
are to be all their lives, and from that time it maybe known, what their
predominate inclinations will be. If that time was well improved, it
would be an eahe and compendious way to give children a good educa-
tion. They may then without any great trouble be made to do thofo
things, which they cannot be brought to without much time and diffi-
culty, when they are once come to fourteen or fifteen ; fome little care and
gentle correilion, may ftifle a paflion in its birth, it may cure anger and
ilubbornnefs in a child, it may foften his inclinations, and make him
obedient and towardly. A little caution ufed about his diet, may render
him fober and temperate for his whole life. But that time which is fo
precious, is that, wherein children are mofl neglefted.

This delay of education proceeds from two caufes. ifl. That men
have not a true notion of the education of children, and of the end to be
gimed at in it. It is commonly imagined, that the breeding up of chil-
dren, is the teaching them latin, learning a trade, or fome other things,
which are ufually taught them, in order to fit them for thofe callings to
which they are defigned. And as children are not capable of applying
themfelvcs to arts and fciences before a certain age, fo their education,
is deferred till then. But if men did well underftand, that the chief de-
fign of education, is to form the judgment and the temper of children,
they would not flay fo long before they took care of them. 2d.

The firfl years of children are negleded, and their conduft then is
not much minded, becaufe vice does not then fliew it {cli in all its de-
formity. All that they do is then look'd upon as innocent, and every
thing in them appears pleafant, not excepting their very faults. If they
are too lively, or of a relblute humour, if they happen to be in a paflion,
to lye, to fpeak undecent and filthy words, to do little fly naughty tricks;
all this for the mofl part, makes only people laugh, commend and ap-
plaud them. It is not confidered that thofe are the fore-runners of vice,
and that thefe beginnings call for a fpeedy remedy. Young children are
not capable of crimes : impiety, uncleanncfs, cruelty and premeditated
malice, are not to be found in them, but if we narrowly obferve them we
may fpy out the feeds and the buddings of thofe vices In their a6lions and
manners. This is not much taken notice of; paffions and ill habits arc
buffered to grow quietly during childhood, and they are quite formed and
fettled before they are obferved. At feven or eight years of age, inno-
cency is already loft and thp heart is corrupted. People begin to think
of educating their children when the fittefl feafon for education is paft,
and when thf y have already thofe principles of corruption in them, which
they will never fhake ofF.

2. There is no care taken to form the mind and judgment of children.
Reafon being the moft elTential property of men, is that which ought to
be chiefly cultivated in young people ; and all that they are taught be-
fides, is of little ufe, if they are not accuftomed to this. Great labour is
ufed to learn them languages ^d fciences, their memory is exercifed,
they are loaded with feyeral inftrudtions, their heads are filled with a

multitude

Cause V. Corruption of Chri/Iians. 265

multitude of words and ideas; but it would be without comparifon more
important, to cultivate their judgment. Whatever they maybe defign'd
tor, no greater good can be procur'd to them, than to make them able to
pais a found judgment upon things, and to govern themfelves by reafon.
True fenfe is necelfary at all times, and it is of a general ufefulnefs in our
whole life. It is therefore an unhappinefs for children that in this re-
fpe6t they are fo much neglected. Men have not the patience to reafoa
with them, and to teach them to fpeak and to a6t wifely. They are fuf-
fer'd to be among people who can neither fpeak nor reafon, they con-
vcrfe for the moffc part, only with fervants or other children. By this
means they accuftom themfelves to take up falfe notions, to judge of
things only by their appearances, to refolve rafhly and without confidera-
tion, and to be governed only by their fenfes, paflions, or prejudices.
From thence proceed almoft all Vm faults which they commit afterwards;
but this is efpecially the caufeof that affeftion which men bear to fm and
to the th ngs of this world. The fir!} quality of a Chriftian, is to be a
rational mxan, it being irnpoiTible that a man who cannot make ufe of h's
reafon, and who has no fenfe, fhould judge aright of fpiritual things,
curb his paflions, renounce his prejudices, and conftantly follow the rules
of his duty.

3. I fhall not here enumerate all the particular faults which are fuf-
fer'd in children ; but there are two v/hich I cannot but take notice of, be-
caufe I look upon them as the caufe of moll of the paflions and vices, to
which men are addi6ted. Firfl there are no fufficient endeavours uftd
to make children tradable, and to fubjeil them to the will of others.
The ground -work of a good education is to keep them in awe and obe-
dience ; and not to let them grow independant, and obftinate in their
own will and palTions ; fo that wlien we command or forbid them a thirg
it is by all means neceilary to make them obey. When we obferve in
them too ftrong an inclination to any thing, tho' the thing were inno-
cent, yet becaufe they defire it too earneftly, they are not always to be
indulg'd in it. But care is to be taken, that when we crofs their will,
■we do it v/ith mildnefs, and in fuch a manner, as may give them to un-
derftand, that it is with reafon, and for their good we oppofe them,
and not out of humour, or only to vex them. When children are thus
dealt with, they may be turn'd which way foever we pleafe. It keeps
them from (tubbornnefs and felf-love, it teaches them to overcome their
defires, to fubmit to correftions, and to follow the advice which is given
them. In a word, trailablenefs in a child, is a difpofition to every thing
that is good, and the foundation of all virtues. But no good can be ex-
pected from a child who is not docile and obedient. If he is permitted
while young to be independant, and to do what he lifts, he will be much
more abfolute when he comes to a riper age.

The other fault v/hich it is very neceilary to prevent, is the love of
the body and of the objedts of fenie. A carnal temper, is by the teili-
mony of Scripture it felf, the root of all vices. But the firft rii'e of that
irregular afFeftion, which men bear to every thing that gratifies their
body, is in their infancy. For befides, that children govern themfelves
only by fenfe ; that byafs they have towards feniible things, is forfeited
by the fenfual education, which is beltowed upon them. Noie but
o grofs

266 Caufcs of the prefent Part 1'.

grofs and material obje<5ls, are propofed to them ; they are entertain'd
only with thofc things which affc<ft the fenfes, and no ideas but thofe of
bodily plea!uics or pains, are excited in them. The promifcs and threat?,
the rewards and punifhments, which are ufed to gain upon them, relate
only to corporeal things. And here it ought not to be omitted, that they
are chiefly fpoiled, by being indulged in gluttony, and vanity of cloaths.
Thcfe are the two lirft paffions of children ; the two inclinations by
which they begin to grow corrupt and to love the world; nothing makes
To nmch imprcllion upon them as that which afFeds their eyes or their
palate.

If children were ufed to a fimplicity of diet and apparel, this would
prefcrve them, from many dangerous vices and palTions ; it would dif-
pofe them for thofe virtues which are the moft neceflary to a wife man
^nd a Chriftian, it would inure them to fobriety, labour, prudence, hu-
mility, to the contempt of pleafure, and to firmnefs and patience in cala-.
mitics. This would make their conftitution ftronger, and prevent divers
infirmities, v/hich both affiitt and fliorten their lives. But ill cuftora
prevails againft the maxims of reafon and Chriilianity, Little caution
is ufed in relation to their diet ; they are fuffercd to eat much beyond
that which nature requires, and they are accuflom.ed to be liquorifh and
dainty in their eating. As for cloaths and decking, fathers and more
efpecially mothers, have that weaknefs, that they love to fee their children
fine and fpruce. Befides this, the way of breeding up children of the
better fort, makes them foft, effeminate and lovers of pleafure. The
fruit of fuch an education, is, that children become flaves to their bodies
and to their fenfes ; they are taken with nothing but bodily pleafures and
worldly things. From thence fpring in procefs of time, intemperance,
uncleannefs, pride, covetoufnefs, and moft of the greater kind of lins.
This is likewife the principal caufe of indevotion, and of the little relifh
which men find in fpi ritual things, particularly in religion and piety. A
fenfual education occafions all thefe evils.

4. It will not be improper to obferve here. That frequently the edu-
cation which is given to thofe children, who are deftined to fciences and
confiderable employments, either in the Church or in civil fociety, does
but corrupt their inclinations. They are fent to colleges and univerfi-
ties, where being trufted with themfelves, they live in independence and
libertinifm ; and they are fent thither at an age, in which without a kind
of miracle, they cannot fail of being undone. They are as it were
emancipated from the infpedion of their parents; they are expos'd with-
out defence to the moft dangerous fedu<Stions, and that at the very
time, when they are the moft unfit to regulate their condu61:, and the
nioft fufcepdble of ill impreflions and vicious examples. Children would
be much better educated with relation both to fciences and.good manners,
if their parents did not make fo much hafte, and if they did not fpur
•them on'tq ftudy, till their judgment was a little formed, and efpecially
if they took care to confirm them in the principles of religion and virtue,
before they were fent from home. Some alteration fhould likewife be mad/=
in colleges. For the very ftudies which youths purfue there, are ipftrn-
mental to debauch them. They learn Latin and obfcenity together.
Authors are put into their hands, the reading of whom raifes impure

ideas

Cause V. Corruption of Chrijiians, 267

ideas in their minds ; and as if there was a defign to ftifle in them all
lenfe of inodefty, they are made to interpret and to rehearfe very unde-
cent things. When all is well confidered, young people acquire but
little of ufeful learning in colleges and academies, at the rate they live
and ftudy in thofe places ; and there too they commonly leave their in-
nocency.

5. The means of procuring to children a happy education, are hot
ufed as they fhould be. Thefe means are inftru6lion, encouragement,
and corre£tion,

Inftrudlion is very much negle^ed, as I fhall more particularly fhew,
when I come to fpeak of the education of youth with reference to reli-
gion. Parents feldom give good diredlions to their children, to teach
them how they ought to live. They do worfe, they train them up to ill
things, and give them bad inftr actions. By the difcourfe and the maxims
they utter in the hearing of their cliildren, they infufe fentiments and
principles of covetoufnefs, pride, fenfuality and diflimulation into them ^
they teach them to acl upon the motives of interelt and paiHon, or by
the notions of a falfe honour. Nay, they do fometimes directly teach
them vice, they encourage them to lye and cheat, to be revengeful and
paflionate. So that young people are not only dellitute of good in-
ftruflions, but they are befides, infected from their infancy v/Ith feveral
moft pernicious principles. I need not fay, what the confequences of
fuch an education are like to be.

If few children are formed to virtue by inftru^lion, (tvf are made vir-
tuous by the good example of their parents. It is much when this ex-
ample is not bad and dangerous. In moft families children fee nothing
that favours of Chriftianity, except fome external a£ls of religion; they
obferve that every one of the family is employed about temporal things j
the difcourfes they hear, turn altogether upon intereft, or fome trifling
fubjecl. They are witneifes of a great many diforders, of the heats and
quarrels of their fathers and mothers, of their avarice, their fwearing,
their lying, their intemperance, their impiety, and their want of refpei't
for religion. Thefe are the examples, which for the moli part, children
have before their eyes, and which corrupt them more than any thing elfe.
At that age almoft every thing is done by imitation and example; and
no example makes more impreflion upon them, than the example of their
parents, becaufe it is always in fight; and they think belides they cannot
do amifs, as long as they copy after it.

It is very ufeful in educating children to encourage them. I mean
not only that they fliould be exhorted and incited to their duty, and that,
from the motives of honour and from the pleafure that attends the doing
of it ; but that likewife, we fliould exprefs our fatisfadlion, and our love
and efteem of them, when they do as we would have them. A word of
praife, a little reward, infpires new ardor into them. We may do what
we pleafe with children, when we can prevail upon them with gentle
methods, and win their love : they then accuftom themfelves betimes to
do their duty, out of inclination, and from noble and generous views.
But to ufe always feverity towards children, and to take no notice of
their endeavours to do well, is the v/ay to difcourage them, and to ex-
tinguifh in them the love of virtue.

Yet

268 Caitfes of the prefent ' Part IT.

Yet feverity is necefTary, and upon fomc occafions we ought not to
forbear rigour and correction. Thofe indulgent parents, who being re-
ilrained by a falfe tendernefs, cannot find in their heart to chaftife their
children, do infallibly ruin them. But if the want of corredlion and
difcipline makes children unruly; chaftifemcnt ill difpens'd produces the
fame effecl. There are commonly three faults committed in the cor-
recting of children.

The firft relates to the caufe for which they are chaftifed. Correflion '
fhould not be ufed but for thofe faults, which have fomething of vice
in them ; as when children are guilty of malice, of fome ill habit, or of
great negligence ; and even then we fhould not proceed to chaftifement,
but after we have tried other ways to no purpofe. But this rule is little
obferv'd. Children are punifli'd for all forts of faults indifferently, and
very often for fmall ones. They will fometimes be feverely chaftifed
becanfe they cannot fay their leflbn without book, or for fome other little
diforder they have done in the houfe through imprudence and without
malice; and at the fame time faults againft piety and good manners fhall
be pafled over. Thefe corrections produce feveral ill effe'fls, and efpe-
cially this. That children form to themfelves falfe notions of their duty.
They fancy that the faults for which they are punifli'd are the moft con-
fiderablc, and that there is more hurt in fpoiling their cloaths, or in mif-
fing a word of their lefTon, than in lying, or in praying without atten-
tion, which Icflens in them the abhorrence of vice.

The fecond error, which relates to the nature of the correction infliCl-
ed upon children is, when no other chaftifements are us'd but thofe which
make the body fmart. Such corrections without doubt are ufeful and
neceffary, becaufe children are chiefly moved by thofe things which ftrike
the fcnfes; but they are not the only ones to which recourfe is to be had.
To beat children every time they do amifs, is to ufe them like beafts.
There are other ways of punifning and mortifying them. The moft
profitable corrections are thofe, which excite in them forrow and (hame
for the ill they have done.

Ivaftly, There is an error in the chaftifing of children, when they are
not corrected with difcretion and gentlenefs. Prudence and even juftice
requires, that regard fliould be had" to the nature of their fault, to the dif-
pofition they are in, and to other circiimftances ; and it becomes that
love which a father owes his children, to correCt them with lenity and
moderation, and to forbear exceilive feverities. Children ftiould perceive
the tendernefs of their parents even in their corrections, and be made
lenfible that it is with reluCtancy, and only in order to their good, that
they treat them with fome rigour. Tf chaftifements were difpenfed with
thele cautions, they vi^ould at the fame time that they caufe pain, beget
in childrens minds, a forrow for having done amifs, and that would make
them love their parents, even while they are puniftiing them. But for
the moft part, parents, or thofe who have an authority over children,
chaftife them without difcretion, and with u rigour which borders upon
cruelty: they punifti them rather out of paffioh, fpite or revenge, than
upon wife and fober confideration. Such a proceeding difcourages and
provokes children, and it makes them hate their duty. I confefs this
method may ftrike terror into them, and curb them a little, but they

srrow

Cause V. Corruption of Chrijiians, 269

grow the more flout and incorrigible by it, and they will certainly ruh
into licentioufnefs, as foon as they are no longer reftrain'd by the fear of
punifhmentJ

From what has been faid hitherto, it is plain, that men's corruption is
a confequence of the education they had in their youth : but this will yet
more evidently appear by the reflections I am now going to make^ upon
the way of bringing up children in religion and piety.

We are here to confider education, in reference to the two ends of it,
which are the educating of youth, firft in the knowledge^' and then iri the
pra6lice of religion.

I. The considerations to be infifted on concerning the firft head, re-
late either to the things which children are to be inftru6\ed in, or to the
manner of inftrudfing them.

I. As to the things themfelves, there are two articles upon which -the
inftrudion of youth ought to depend ; and thofe are the truths aiid the
duties of religion. '

The chief rule to be obferv'd with relation to the truths of religion, is
to infift upon thofe which are the moft necelfary, and to give a diftinft
notion of them to children. And here two faults are committed ; the
firft is, when they are not inftru6led in all the truths which are to be
known in order to be a Chrift-ian; the fecond is, when fuch inftruilions
are propos'd to them as are unfuitable to their age, or even ufelefs;

To explain my meaning a little further; I fay firft. That there -are
fome eflential things, which children are not at all, or but im-perfe6tly
taught. Among thefe we may reckon the knowledge of facred hiftory^.
Religion being founded upon hiftory and fa6ts, it would be requifite that
inftruclion ftiould begin at the hiftorical part of religion, and at the main
events which are related both in the old and new Teftament: fo that
children might know at leaft in general the principal ages of the world,,
and the moft remarkable things, which did happen from the Creation to
the coming of our Saviour; what the Flood was, what were the Egyp-
tian and Babylonifti Captivities ; what time Mofes^ David^ the Patriarchs
and the Prophets lived in ; what fort of people the Heathens and the Jews
were, and what kind of life our Saviour led.

It muft not be faid, that hiftory is above tiie capacity of children ; for
on the contrary, it is that, which is to them the eafieft part of religion,
which they hearken to with the greateft pleafure,and which they remem-
ber beft. Nothing does more fmoothly enter into their minds than
hiftory; all the things I have now mentlon'd may be taught them in a
week. And this knowledge is as neceftary as it is eafily acquired. A
man can never underftand his religion well, or be thoroughly convinced
of its truth, if he does not know the fa(Sts which it fuppofes. We fee that
it was by the means of hiftory that God chofe to inftruct mankind, and
that matters of fait make up the moft confiderable part of the facred
writings. And therefore it is a ftrange thing, that in catechifms and
other inftructions given to youth, hiftory ftiould be fo little infifted upon.
This is vifibly one of the caufes of that profound ignorance, which the
greateft part of Chriftians live in ; this is the reafon- why they underftand
almoft nothing of what they read or hear in fermons, and why the doc-
trines which they are taught make fo little impreilioii upon them.

Teaching

fjo Caufes of the prefeht Part II.

Teaching children hiftory, gives them beforehand, fome notions of the
truths and doflrines of Chriftianity; but yet thefe truths and do<Strines
ought to be propofed to them feparately, that they may have a more di-
ftindt apprehenfion of them. Above all things great care ftiould be
taken, to imprint upon the minds of thofe vi'ho are to be inftruited : the
knowledge and the belief of the principles of Chriftianity. But this like-
wife is not done as it (hould be. In catechifms, as well as in fermons,
particular truths are dwelt upon, and the general ones are touched only
by the by. This is a fault 1 have obferv'd in the very beginning of this
work.

Now at the fame time that children are fufFcr'd to be ignorant about
many important articles, they are perplex'd with divers ufelefs, or not
very ncceflary inftrudtions. Inftcad of limiting them to the eflential
parts of religion, their minds and memories are iili'd up with many
things which they may fafely be ignorant of. Some would have them
underftand the difputes of divines, concerning the moll curious and ab-
ftrufe qucfticns, and they are made to get feveral things by heart, which
they do not underftand, and which aye of no great ufe. In the mean
time children learn thefe things and fay them without book, and being
poflefled with the conceit, that they are as many articles of faith, they
rank among divine truths fchool-terms and doiSriues, of which they
neither apprehend the certainty nor the ufe. And thus having none but
intricate ideas about rehgion : they do not perceive the beauty, the fo-
Jidity, or the excellence of it, and they have neither true love nor refpedl
for it :

When children are once inftruclcd in the truths of Chriftianity, it is
particularly neceflary to acquaint them with the duties of it. There are
two diftinct forts ot duties in religion. Firft the duties concerning di-
vine worfhip or fervice : and then the dutie^i of morality. The firft are
adoration, the honour which is paid to God, prayer and thankfgiving :
but as thefe duties may be perform'd either outwardly or inward^, it is
of very great moment to make children apprehend. That prayer and all
other acts of divine worftiip, ought to proceed from the heart, that
* God will be ferved in fpirit and in truth, and that without this the wor-
fhip which is paid to him, either in private or in pubiick, does only pro-
voke his difpleafure. It is not enough therefore, to tell children. That
they muft pray to God or go to Church, and to teach them fome forms
of prayer to be faid at certain times and hours : all this is but external^
and if we go no farther, if we do not carefully inform them, that true
worfliip is internal and fpiritual, we ftiall make but hypocrites of them,
by teaching them to pray and to perform religious ads. The faults then
which are committed in this point, are of great moment, and we may
eafily perceive, that hypocrify and indevotion are the confequences of
this negligence. The religion of moft Chriftians conlxfts only in fome
external adions ; they think they have fuliilled their duty when they have
recited fome prayers, or been prefent at the pubiick worfhip of God,
tho' in all they do of this kind, they have neither attention nor elevation
of heart ; but this error which is lb capital, and yet fo common, arifes

chiefly

* John iv. 23.

Cause V. Corruption of Chrijiians. i^l

chiefly from hence, that children are formed only to a meer outfide de-
votion and worfhip.

Young people are not much better inftru6led in moral duties. I fhall
not enter here upon all the confiderations which the fubjcdb might afford,
becaufe I have treated of the v/ant of inftruftion concerning morals in
fcveral places of this treatife, and particularly in the I. Chapter of the
firft Part. Yet I muft fay, that this defe£t proceeds from the inftrufti-
ons which are given to youth. Much greater care is taken to inform
them about the doctrines than about the duties of Chriftianity. The
articles of the Creed, the queftions concerning the facraments, and the
other points of do6lrine, are handled and examined largely enough in
Catechifms, and controverfy is not forgot ; but the Ten Command-
ments are explained in fo fuccinft and fuperficial a manner, that we do
not find there fo much as the names of a great many vices, virtues and
duties. Children who rtiould be raifed up to Chriltian perfedion, ar&
only taught the Ten Commandments, and from the explication which
is given of thefe, they gather that they fliould not be idolaters, blafphe-
mcrs or profane perfons, thAt they Ihoidd neither commit murder nor
adultery, that they fhould not fteal or bear falfc witnefs. But how ma-
ny other duties are there of which they have no manner of notion ?
They are not taught what it is to be gentle, humible, fincere, charita--
ble, pure, fober and patient. Many perfons becaufe they were never
inftru6led in thefe virtues which arq the principal ornaments of a Chrif-
tian, do not pradife or fo much as know them. We are to impute to
thefe flight and defeftive inftrudlions, that opinion which is commonly
received, That whofoever is free from thofe fix or feven great fins for-
bidden in the decalogue, is a good man.

2. The fuccefs of inftruflions depends iji the fecond place upon the
method and way of teaching. The method of teaching, fkould on the
one hand be clear and proportioned to the age and capacity of children,
and on the other, it fhould be delightful, and fit to make them love reli-
gion. By this, two ends which ought to be aimed at, will be attain-
ed ; the mind will be enlightned, and the heart moved. What is clear
informeth the mind, and what is delightful wins the heart, and infpires
into it a ftrong affeftion for religion and for the duties of it.

I. Perfpicuity is never more neceffary, than it is in the inftru^ting
of youth. Children having no ideas as yet of moft things, and not be-
ing ufed to the fignification of words, cannot underftand what is faid to
them, unlefs it be delivered with much clearnefs and fimplicity, and \xn-
lefs every thing be avoided, which may puzzle or feem obfcure to them.
This perfpicuity refults firft, from t\\t things that are taught. It is a
certain truth, that whatfoever is efleiitial in religion, is always clear
and eafie to be underftood ; and that on the contrary, whatfoever is'ob-
fcure and difficult, is not very neceffary. So that provided inflruclioti
goes no further than efTeutial doctrines and duties, it cannot be very hard
for children, to apprehend what is faid to them. Secondly, Clear ex-
preffions, and plain and popular ways of fpeaking, produce diflin^l ideas
in the minds of thofe who are inftrudled ; but a dark or too high a ftile,
figurative or learned phrafes, fpoil the fruit of inflruclions. Laflly, or-
der and method contribute mightily to clearnefs.. It is not fit that chil-
dren

2^2 Caufes of the prifcnt Part II.,

jJren fhould be loaded at firft, with many do6lrines and precepts. Gs"
neral inftrudions, the principles of religion, and the fimpleft ideas,
ought to go foremoft, and then particular rnftrucSlious and more complex
ideas, may be. propofed ; but flill with a due regard to the age, capaci-
ty, and progrefs, of children. . ,

2. Inftrudion is to be delivered in a delightful manner. This is the
way to infmuate our felves into the minds of children. Nothing wins
more upon them, thana'fweet andpleafant way of fpeaking, and nothing
gives them. fo much difguft, as roughnefs and feverity. If religion was
leprefented to them with, an attra6iive afpe6t, they would certainly em-
brace,it with eagerncfs. But for the m Oil part thofe who teach or fpeak
to them of religion, do it with an air of feverity,, and a difmal tone, and
with thofe circumilancer., which make them averfe to it. Commands,
threatnings, and conftraint are ufed, to make them take their Catechifms
or fay their prayers ; if they fail to do this, their teachers are angry and
beat them. When we exhort them to. piety, inflcad of going about
this with fuch a gentlenefs as might make virtue amiable to them, we
ipeak ia a harfti and chiding manner. The efFe(5t of this i.'^, that children
ieeing nothing in religion that is inticing, take, up a prejudice agalnft it;
they look upon that inftrudion, to which they are compelled, as a hard
piece of labour and drudgery. ,, Religion is^no fooner mentioned, but it
damps their good humour, they do nothing but, by conftraint and againft
their will ; they free themfelves from that conftraint alToon as they can,
anjd they bear during their whole life an averfion, or at leaft, an indiffe-
rence to religion.

II. ,1 have been difcourfing hitherto, of what relates to the knowledge
of religion, and I hope 1 have clearly proved, that generally fpeaking,
children arc ill inftruded. I am now to confider education with rela-
tion to praclice. For it would be to no purpofe, to Infufe into young
people, a perfed knowledge of the truths and duties of religion, if they
were not tauoht to make a good ufe of that knowledge, and to diredt it
to its true end, which is the pradice of virtue and piety. But it is fel-
dom that the care of parents, and of thofe who have the inftruding of
children, goes fo far. If they take fome care about their inftru6lion,
they generally negled them as to. the practical part, and they little

en-

quire whether they live according to the precepts of religion. Now in-
ftrudllons thus difpenfed, do not only prove ufelefs, but they may like-
wife make children doubly wicked, and fill them with the moft dange-
rous prejudices. When children obferve that religion is propofed to
them only, in an hiftorical and fpeculative manner, and that provided
they remember what is told them, and are able to give an account of it,
they are commended for being well (killed in religion ; and that as for
the reft, they are permitted to live as they pleafe, and that they are not
chid, tho' they do not pradlife what they were taught ; they conclude
from all thi^, that religion conftfts wholly, in the knowledge and profef-
fion of certain truths, and that it is not abfolutely neceflary to frame
their lives according to the rules of the Gofpel. They accuftom them-
felves befides to flight their knowledge, and to ad againft the principles
of their own confciences. Thefe pernicious fentiments are infufed into

children.

Cause V". Corruption of Chrifilam. 273

children, when inflructions are not diredled to pracllce. To prevent (o
great an evil, thcfe rules are to be obferved.

1. The defign of propofing the truths and doctrines of Chriftianity
to children, fliould be to beget in them a love and a refpeft for them ;
and in order to that, -we fhould let them fee, their certainty, their im-
portance, and their ufe. It ought then to be carefully inculcated to
them, that there is nothing more true and certain, nothing of greater
importance, or that concerns us nearer than religion, and that in com-
parifon with it, all that v/e fee in the world, is of very little or no con-
fequcnce ; and laftly, that it was revealed for no other end, but to make
us good, and to conduit us to the higheft bleflednefs. By this method,
in{l:ru6tion will always terminate in practice. By teaching children to
know God, we {hall excite in them a love and reverence towards that
Supreme Being. By fpeaking to them of Providence, v/e fiiall make
them apprehend that God fees every thing, and what reafon we have to
depend upon,, and to fear him. iBy telling them the hiftory of the Bible,
we lliall make them obferve in thoie various events, the effe6ls of God's
wifdom, of his goodnefs pov/er and juftice. In explaining to them the
doctrine of the facraments, we fliall chiefly apply our felves to make
them underftand, what thefe facred ceremonies oblige Chrifrians to,
what an auguft and venerable thing baptifm is, and what purity is re-
quired in thofe who are baptized : and fo when we fpeak to children of
Chrift and his fufferings, of the refurredtion and a future judgment,
of the punilhments and rewards of another life, and of all the other
truths, we fhould do it in fuch a manner, as may flir them up to piety
and holinefs.

2. In the next place We ought to engage children to the practice ^ni.
obfervation of the duties of Chriftianity, with relaition both to worfhip
and manners. And firft it is altogether necelTary, to teach them to ren-
der to God the worfnip that is due to liim. There are fev/ Chriftian
families, where fomething is not done with this intention. Children are
made to learn Tome prayers, to fay them mornings and evenings, and to
be prefent at the publick and private exercifes of piety. But the rnain
fhould be, to bring them to fmcerity in divine-fervice, left they fall into
impiety and hypocrify. The greateft endeavour fhould be, to accuftom
them to pray with attention and reverence. This may at firft feem dif-
ficult ; we neither fee the heart of children, nor can regulate the mo-
tions of it. But yet I think, there are w:ays to fix their minds, \^^hich
might be fuccefsfully ufed : and I hope my readers will not think it*
amifs if I dwell a little upon this head, confidering the importance'
of it.

I. I would not have children pray, before they haw fome knowledge'
of what they arc doing. There is a cuftom eftabliflied every where,'
which I look upon as the firft caufe cf indevotion ; and that is, to make
little children recite prayers, and long ones too. I do not apprehend the'
life of this, nor where the inconvenience would be, if children did not
pray at an age when they can hardly fpeak an articulate word. It would'
be time enough to make them pray, vi^hen they are capable of fome re-
flefcion. If we did wait till then they might pray with attention ; and,'
i make no doubt, but th,at they would do it with pleafure and reverence.

Vol. VI. S Children

2/4 Catifts of the prefent Part II.

Children think it an honour to do what is done by men ; if therefore
they were not permitted to pray till they came to a certain age, they
would look upon praying as a particular priviledge. But when they arc
mads to pray before they have any feiife of what they do, it puts this
notion into their heads, that praying is nothing elfe but reciting of
prayers : and bcfides, that obligation which is laid upon them, to
perform regularly a duty, of which they do not yet understand the
ricceflity or the ufe makes that they only obferve it out of cuftom,

2. I could wifh that when we begin to make children pray, we fliould
teach them plain and fhort prayers, wherein they might fay nothing but
what they underftocd. Two or three fentences are enough in thofe be-
ginnings, and as they grow in years, longer prayers may be prefer ibed
them. Brevity is to every body a help to devotion; but children being
not capable of a long attention, it is certain that long prayers are not at
^11 fit for them.

3. It wouid be very ufeful to difcourfe with them about the excellency
and the neceffity of prayer, and to make them apprehend what an honour
it is for us, to fpeak to God and to lay open our neceflities before him.

4. In order to accultom children, to look upon prayer with reverence,
and to go about it with ferioufnefs ; they fliould not be allowed to pray
when they are flrongly polTefled with fome paffion, or objecl, or when
they have committed a confiderable fault againft piety.

5. It is particularly neceflary to regulate and obferve their behaviour
and looks, while they are at prayers, and then likewife to exprefs a re-
verence our felves, and to fay or do nothing that may give them any
diftra£lion. It is a cuilom as bad, as it is ordinary in families, to go to
and fro, to be bufy and to talk all the while that children are faying l;heir
prayers. How is it polTible that amidft all that noifc, which would even
hinder older people to pray as they ought, children, whofe thoughts are
fo rambling, fhould not be diftracied ? And what reverence can be ex-
pe<Sted from them about the exercifes of piety, when their fathers and
mothers who are prefent fliew none at all ? This is what I have to ob-
ferve, concerning prayer, which is the principal part of divine worfhip.

As to what concerns the duties of morality, very particular care ought
to be taken, to make children obferve them. The iirft mean to be ufed
next to inftruclion, is to exhort them to the practice of virtue, and to
reprefent to them, that piety and holinefs are the elVential characters of
a Chriftian, But the exhortations direiSled to them will have no great
efFe£l, if they are not difpenfed with prudence. Sometimes parents
fpoil all, tho' they mean well. They exhort and chide at every turn,
they are perpetually admoniihing and moralizing ; by this they give a
difsuft to their children, inftead of winning upon them. Exhortations
ought to be accompanied with difcretion and gcntlenefs ; above all, we
fhould endeavour to perfuade and to prevail upon children by reafon, that
fo being convinced in their own hearts of the juftice, beauty, and .ufe-
fulnefs of virtue, they might pradife it of their own accord, out of in-
clinntion and with pleafure.

That we may be able to exhort children as is fitting, it is requifite to
be well acquainted with their temper, and to obferve which are their pre-
dominant inclinations ; that if thofe inclinations are good, they may be

cultivated,

Cause V. Corruption of Chrijllam, " 275

cultivated, and if bad correfted. And it is eafy to know the temper of
children, becaufe they deal ingenuoufly, and have not yet learned the art
of diffembling. If men did make this their l^rudy, if they did take hold
of the good difpofition which may be in children, if they did apply them-
felves to oppofe the predominant faults, to which either their age or their
conftitution Inclines them ; they would preferve them from many vices,
and make them great proficients in virtue.

Befides this, parents either by themfelves or others, ought to watch
over the conduit of their children, and to enquire ftridtly, whether they
praitife the lefTons which are given them, whether they are afraid of do-
ing ill things, whether they forbear thofe faults for which they have been
reprov'd, whether they refift thofe vicious inclinatiojis, whether they are
gentle, fober, humble and moderate in their difcourfes, adfions, and be-
haviour. To this end, it is very proper, that they {hould not have too much
hberty, and that they Ihould be for the moft part under the eye of lome
wife pcrfons, who may obferve their deportment. I do not enlarge up-
on thefe confiderations, becaufe they would carry me too far ; neither
do I fpeak here of encouragement, correction, and example, nor of fome
other means which might be very ufefully taken in hand for regu-
lating the conduct of children, becaufe thefe have been fpoken to al-
ready.

There is ground enough to conclude from what has been faid, that
corruption proceeeds primarily and chiefly from the ill education of youth.
The ordinary education of children being not Chriltian, v/hat wonder is
it, that true Chriftianity and folid virtue ihould be fo fcarce ? The firft
impreflions are the ftrongeft. The principles which have been imbibed
in the firft years of life, do not wear out afterwards ; and thofe who had
not a good education, are not often known to be wife and regular in their
conduct.

Let it not be objected here, what many are wont to alledge upon this
fubjeCt, That the errors of education are not fo confiderable, but that,
they may be corrected afterwards, and that wifdom comes with years.
Thus thofe men reafon v/ho only examine things fuperficially j but fuch
perfons did never ferioufly reflect upon man's temper, upon the manner
how ill habits are formed, or upon experience. Almolt all good or ill
habits begin in infancy, and they grow ftronger afterwards. The age
which fucceeds youth is fo far from fupplying the defects of education,
that on the contrary, the longer a man lives, the more difficult it is
for him to return to virtue, if he did not fet out well at firft. For
befides, that habits are then ftronger and deeper rooted, bufmefs does
alfo come with age, and people have no longer that leifure and freedom,
which they had when they v/ere young. Thofe therefore who do rot
^ake right meafures early, and who launch into the world with ill
principles, are ftill growing worfe inftead of amending. This is ve-
rified by daily experience. Age feldom alters men for the better.

I do not deny, but that people who were neglected in their infancy,
or whofe youth has been unruly, are fometimes known to change their
manners and their condudt, when they come to a riper age. But we
are to confider how this change happens, and what the nature of it is.
In fome it is a thorough change and a lincere return to virtue. God
S 2 Ibmetimes

2y6 Caufes of the prefent Part IL

fometimes works converfion in the greateft finners ; and he does this
commonly by afflictions, ficknefles and pains. But fuch kinds of con?
vcrfion are not very frequent. The change whieh we think we obfcrve
both in our felves and others, is not always fmeere • it is often no more
than an effect of age, of the ftate we are in, or of,cuflom.

Age does two thing?, it deadens the paflions, >and it changes them.
In the heat of youth pafTions are violent, and make a great ftir; when
the prime of life is over, a man perhaps is no longer a libertine or a de-
bofhee ; but his exterior only is reformed. The fame principle of corrup-
tion remains in his heart. He that was fenfual and given to lewdneis,
moderates himfelf ; but ftill his heart and his imaginations are defiled.
He that was profane and impious, does' no longer profefs libcrtinifm
openly, he practifes fome duties of religion. But for all that, he has no
more devotion, or faith than before. Age does likev.'ife change mens
paflions and inclinations. Young people have their paffions, and fuppwf*
ino- thefefhould abate about forty or fifty, or even that they fliould be
quite left of}', which yet happens but feldom ; there are other paifions
which fucceed thofe of youth, and which work the ftrongcr, becaufe
they are not fo much millrufted, and becaufe they make lefs noife, and
are'hid under the pretence of a lawful calling. Thus we fee often that
libertines and dcbofliees, end with ambition and covetoufncfs. The
world calls the change whieh is obfervcd in thofe men, converfion and
amendment. A man is faid to be reclaimed from the errors of his
youno^er days, when his conduct is no longer fcandalous, or manifeftly
criminal ; but if he is free from the faults of his youth, he is guilty of
others, which he had not then. He is no longer diflblute, but he is a
ilave to ambition, he is covetous, unjufl, and wedded to the world, more
tlian ever. Niiy, all things well confidered, he is worfe than he was in
his youth ; fmce he has run from one vice into another, and loaded him-
felf with the fins of the feveral flages of life. We are not to imagine,
that every alteration which age makes in mens conduit and manners is;
a true converfion.

The various ftates, callings, and profefTions jof men, do likewife put
many of them upon altering their way of living and make them give
over thofe exccfles to which they have been addicted for fome time. As
foon as a man comes to be the matter of a family, or to be preferred to
place?, he mufl of necelTity grow more regular in his conduct, and for-
fake feveral difordcrs which he allowed himfelf in l>efore. He becomes-
more ferious, he applies himfelf clofer to labour, he lives more retired,,
and he' takes leave of the amufements of youth. Honour, decency, in-
tereft, the neceflity of making a family, and other confiderations, ob-.
lige him to this ; but religion has not always a fhare in this change.

Lafily, a habit of finning does often blind and harden men to that de-
gree, that they .imagine, there is a fincere amendment in them, when,
there is none at all ; nay, when they are more corrupt than when they-_
were yoiuig. Men at firft are fenfible of their faults, confcience checks
tlieni for the fins they commit ; but in- procefs of time they perceive them,
no more ; confcience grows feared, and they fin without being aware of
it. Habits feldom fail to produce this effe>5t, of which- we fee a thoufand
iuftances iii old finners.

AI-1

Cause V. Grriipuon of CJmJliam. 277

All this (hews, that the foundations of the condu£l: of our whole lives
are laid in youth, and that the chief reafon why men live ill, is becaufe
they have not been well educated.

I do not think it necefTary to mention the remedies of this Caufe of
Corruption : I have obferved them all along, in {hewing the faults which
are committed in the education of youth : I (liall only add, before I dif-
mifs the fubjedl, that all this does properly concern mafters of families
and paftors.

It were therefore to be wifhed, in the firft place, that parents would
take more care than they do, to breed their children well, and that in
this they would proceed by the rules which reafon and religion prefcribe.
They are miftaken if they think they may excufe themfelves from this
obligation, which both nature and piety lay upon them, and which can-
not be negleiled without a fin. But the carelefnefs of parents in this
point, may veryjuftly be wondered at; the education of their childran
is generally that of all things which they mind the leaft, and the reafon
of it is, that they themfelves want religion and piety.

It would be rcquifite in the next place, that paftors {hould difcharge
their duty with relation to young people, and that to this end in all pla-
ces and Churches, the neceflary order and method were eftabliftied for
inllruding the people and particularly children. I remark this, becaufe
in this refpecl things are not well ordered, fo that in many places fuch
helps and means are very much wanting. It is well known, that the
opportunities of Inftruftion and the helps to piety are mighty fcarce in
the country and in villages. Schools are there managed at a very ordi-
nary rate, and many places have no fchool at all, whereby it happens
that many perfons cannot fo much as read. There likev/ife, divine fer-
vice is but feldom performed, and very carelefly too. The minifters
who are appointed in thofe places, are generally either men of little
worth, or men who do not watch' over their flocks as they ought, and
who are remifs in the exercife of their office. Thefe are the eflential de-
feits which lliould be remedied, by thofe who have authority in Church
or ftate.

Above all, it is requifite that Church-men fhould have a ftricl infpec-
tion over fchools and families, and that catechifmgs were more frequent
than they are. Young people ought to be the chief objeds of the care
of paftors ; no part of their office is more ufeful, or rewards their la-
bours with better fuccefs than that. Their endeavours to mend thofe
who are come to age, are for the moft part to little purpofe, but what
they do for children is of great benefit. If therefore they have a zeal
for the glory of God, and if they wifh to fee a change in the f:ice of the
Church, let them apply themfelves to the inftru6ling of youth, and make
it their bufinefs to form a new generation.

Among the particular eftablifiTiments which might be made, for the
edification of the Church and the benefit of young people there is one
which would be of great ufe, and which feems to be abfolutely necefTary.
And that is, that with relation to children, who have attained the age
of difcretion, the fame order (hould be obferved for their admiffion to
the facrament, which was praftifed in the primitive Church, when ca-
techumens were to be received iito the Church by baptifm. This ad-
S 3 mllnon

278 Caufei of the prefent Part II.

miflion was very folemn. A long probation and inftruilion went before
it. The catechumens were required to give an account of their faith,
and they bound themfelves by folemn promifes and vows, to renounce
the world and to live holy. No fuch thing is done at this day in the ad-
miniftration of baptifm, becaufe young children are baptized ; but what
is not done at the time of baptifm, fhould be done when they come to
years of difcrction. And truly if there be not a publick and folemn
profeffion, a promife in due form on the children's part, I do not fee how
we can well anfwer what is objected by fome againft infant-baptifm,
which yet is a good and laudable practice. A man cannot be obliged
to profcfs the Chriftian religion, againft his will or without his knowledge:
this engagement is a perfonal thing, in which every body fhould a£l and
anfwer for himfelf. \Vhen children are baptized, they know nothing of
what is done to them j it is therefore abfolutely neceflary that when they
come to the years of reafon, they fliould ratify and confirm, the engage-
ments they came under by their baptifm, and that they fhould become
members of the Church out of knowledge and choice. Now the fitteft
time for fuch a confirmation and promife, is when they are admitted to
the participation of the holy fiKrament.

The orc'er then which 1 mean is this: firft that when children defire
to be admitted to the fscrament, they fhould be inftmded for fome weeks
before, and that at the fame time they fliould be informed of the facred-
nefs and importance of this action, and of the promife they are to make,
that fo they might prepare for it betimes. In the next place, that they
fhould be examined, and that they fhould publickly render an account of
their faith. This examination being over, that they fhould be required,
to renew and confirm in a publick and folemn manner their baptifmal
vow, to renounce the devil and his works, the world and the pomp of it,
the flefh and its lufts, and to promife that they will live and die in the
Chriitian faith : and then that they fhould be admitted to the communio|i
by benedi6lion and prayers.

It will no doubt, feem to fome, that I am here propofing a novelty,
and that too not very necefTary ; that there is no occafion for all this fo-
lemnity ; that it is enough to examine and exhort children in private, anc|
that this confirmation of the baptifmal vow is included and fuppofed \i\
the admidion to the facrament. To this I fay, that the order I propofe
will be thought a novelty by none but fuch as do not know what was an-
ciently practifed, and who call innovation every thing, which does not
a^^ree with the cuftom of their country or their Church. This is an
imitation of the ancient and the apoftolical order ; and befides, this
eftablifhment bein? altogether fuitable to the nature of the Chriftian re-
ligion, as I have juit now made it appear, it ought not to be rejected.

As for what is faid, that it is fufficient if childrea are examined and
admitted in private : I anfwer, that the corruption of the age we live in
is fo great, that in many Churches this admifHon, and the examination
which precedes it, is but three or four hours work, and fometimes icfs.
pallors and thofe to whom this function is committed, do otlen go
rtbout it very negligently; they content themfelves with fome queftions,
which for the mofl part relate only to doctrine and controvedy ; they ad-
drefs to children general exhortations to piety, but they take no care to
u inftruct

Cause VI. Corruption of Chrljiiafts, 279

inftrudl them in morals, or to examine their conduct ; they do not re-
quire of them an exprefs ratification of the baptifmal vow. I know
there are paflors who do their duty, but the beft thing would be, to have
this form of examination and admiflion regulated in fuch a manner, that
it might not be in the breaft of every minifter to do in this matter as he
thinks fit. And that all this might be done the more orderly, it would
be fitting that according to the pra6lice of the primitive Church, fome
perfojis ihould be appointed on purpofe to in(i:ru6l young people and ca-
techumens. What care foevcr may be taken of children, and whatever
may be done for them in private inftruitions, it is certain, that publick
and folemn exhortations on the one hand, and promifes on the other,
would make a much greater impreffion upon them. 7'hey would then
look upon their admiilion with refpeft, they would remember it all
their lives, and this folemnity would prove as ufeful and edifying to
the whole Church as it woiild be to young people. I offer this with
the greater confidence, becaufe an order like this has been fettled of late
in fome Churches, and is there obferved with extraordinary fuccefs.

»^

CAUSE VI.

Exa?nple and Ciijlom,

^y^-:^^ H E R E is no doubt to be made, -but that birth, education,
w T w and imitation, are three general principles of the irregularities
SJt^^-^i^;!^ of men's conduil. The ftate in which they are born gives
them a byafs towards vice. Education, as has been fhewn in the fore-
going chapter, cheriihes and maintains in moft men that vicious incli-
j'.ation : but cuftom and example give the finifhing ftroke to men's cor-
ruption, and make vice reign in the world v/ith a fovereign fway. This
third principle is fo general and fo powerful, that fome have thought it
the chief caufe of corruption, and that we cannot better explain how fin
is propagated and tranfmitted from the parents to the children, than by
faying, that this happens through imitation. And indeed it cannot be
denied, but that men are particularly drawn into evil by example and
cuftom. If this be not the primary or the only fpring of corruption, it
is at leaft one of the principal fources of it. And therefore I thought it
proper to confider this matter here with fome attention.

All that I am to fay in this chapter is founded upon thefe two fuppo-
fitions. I. I fuppofe that men love to act by imitation, and that exam-
ple is one of thole things which have the greateft force upon their minds.
But when the example is general, and fupportvJ by cuftom and multitude,
they are yet more inclined to follow it. 'V\\t)> not only conform to cuftom,
but they think it befides juft and lawful to do fo. General ufe is to them
inftead of a law, by which they judge of what is innocent and forbid-
den. And that which doth yet more forcibly determine them to follow
example and the greater numbers, is, that tney th;nk it a difgrace to do

S 4 otherwife.

28o Cauje^ of the prefeni Part IL

otherwife. So that the fear of contempt added to their inclination makes
them perfeft ilaves to cuftom. If fome remnant of knowledge and con-
fcience does not fufFer them to imagine that there is no hurt in comply-
ing in all things with cullom, however they comfort themfelvcs with the
thought that the evil they do is not very great, and that if they are not in-
liocent, they are excufable at leart, when they can plead example and com-
mon pradice in their own behalf.

I fuppofe 2dly, That example and cuflom are bad for the mod: part.
This I think needs not be proved ; and if it did, this whole treatife might
?ifford us fufficient proofs of it, fince ignorance, prejudices, falfe maxims
and all the other caufes of corruption I have mentioned, are fo many dif-
pofitions, fentiments and pradices, which are grown cuftomary, and are
eftablifhed by the molt general ufe.

But it is not io needful to prove that the multitude of ill examples is
very great, and that cuftom is generally vicious, as it is to {hew that un-
der the flielter of example and cuftom, corruption is ftill fpreading far-
ther in the world and in the Church.

In order to this, I lliall confider the pov/er of cuftom and example, in
thefe three refpects. With relation, i. To matters of faith. 2dly. Tq
the order of the Church. And, 3dly. To manners. What I am to fay
upon thefe three heads will difcover the fource of thofe three great im-
perfections which are obferved in the Chriftian Church, I mean error,
v/ant of order, and thc.bad life of Chriftians.

I. Matters of faith fhould not be fubjecTced to the tyranny of cuftom.
Religion does not depend upon men's fancies and opinions : the truths
of it are eternal truths, it is founded upon an immutable principle, and
it is not more liable to change than God who is the author of it. And
yet v^-e fee but too frequently, that in religion as well as in worldly af-
fairs, example is more prevalent than either rcafon, jultice or truth. Men
do fcarce ever examine things in their own nature, but cuitom is the
rule of their faith and fentiments ; by this rule they determine what is
true or falfe, what they are to believe or to reje6t. And this prejudice is
fo rtrong and men have carrried it fo far, that inultitude and cuftom, are
looked upon as a proof and chara6ter whereby Chriftians are to diftin-
j:;uiih truth from error, and to judge what fide they are to chufe in mat-
ters of religion.

What is the reafon why fo many people do not perceive, that certain
doctrines are palpable errors, and monftrous tenets .? V/e wonder how it
is poilible in lo learned and refined an age as this is, that the grofleft fa-
bles and extravagances Ihould ftill go down with men of parts, for di-
vine truths and adorable myfteriesv A time will come, when pofterity
will hardly believe, that ever fuch opinions were received, or that ever
men did in earneft difpute for or againft fuch or fuch a tenet. It is only
the prejudice of example and multitude, which do blind men at this day;
they have been nurs'd up and educated in thofe perfuafions, they fee
them obraiijing among numerous focicties, and that is the occafion of
their ohftinacy in error.

Nothing but this inclination of men to follow cuftom,, keeps up in the
Church thoie difputes which rend it into fo many different lefts. The
principle and dehgu o| moft difputes is no other, but that men will main-
tain

Cause VI. Corruption of Chri/lians. 281

tain at any rate, the fentiments of their party; and by this means thofc
who are in error, inftead of being undeceiv'd, are more and more con-
firm'd in it. Every body fwaliows without chewing, all that is profeft
in the fociety or communion in which he lives, and condemns without
examination the opinions which are maintained by fmall numbers or by
perfons of another country or fociety. Thofe who are prepofiefled do not
fo much as make it a queilion, whether they may not be miftaken, and
whether the truth m.ay not be on the other fide. It is to no purpofe to
ailedge to fuch people the moft invincible reafons, to prefs them with ex-
prefs declarations of Scripture, or with un-anfwerable obje6lions ; for ei-
ther they do not attend to all this, or if they examine thofe reafons and
objecflions, it is with a mind full of prejudices, and refolv'd before-hand
to think them frivolous, and not to alter their fentiments. They fatisfy
themfclves with fome forry argument, or wretched anfwer. If any
fcruples and difficulties remain, they ftiake them off in a trice, and fet
their confcience at reft, with this confideration, that they follow the
common opinion; they make no doubt but that they are fafe, as long as
they fide with the greater number. Befides, the advantages of the world
which may be obtain'd by the adhering to the general opinion, would
fully determine them, if they were not determin'd before, and they eafily
perluade themfelves, that their fpiritual welfare and the truth are to be
found in that party, which agrees beft with their temporal intereft,

2. Cuftom is likewife, the chief obftacle to the reftoring of order in
the Church. I could here make a long article, if I would mention all
the defeats, which may be obferved in the ftate of the Church and of
religion, with relation to order. But having done this already in the be-
ginning of this fecond part, I fhall only fay in general, that nothing con-
tributes fo much to the maintaining of diforder as cuftom does. The
moft beneficial laws and inftitutions are look'd upon as dangerous inno-
vations, when they are not authorized by pra6lice ; men dare not fo much
as attempt to introduce them. On the other hand, ufelefs or ill prattices,
are thcRight facred eftablifhraents, as foon as they are confirmed by time
and cuftom. If men do but endeavour to lay afide fome ceremony, to
make fome alteration in a liturgy, or in the form of divine-fervice ; it
feems to many, that the very eflence of religion is ftruck at. Thus it
happens that abufes which are palpable, and acknowledged by all men of
{enict fubfift for whole ages and cannot be reformed.

The difficulty of reviving the apoftolical difcipline, and of reftoring.
Church-government and the miniftery of paftors, to the ftate they ought
to be in, proceeds from the fame caufe. Becaufe a certain form of ec-
clefiaftical government and difcipline, obtains in a country, it is pre-
tended to be the beft and moft perfect, in which nothing is to be altered,
and thofe are not fo much as heard, who propofe the eftabliihing of an-
other. If any one thinks it a fault to fuffer fcandalous finners in the bo-
fom of the Church, if he thinks that they ought to be excommunicated,
and that Chriftians ought to maintain no familiar intercourfe with them;
tho' fuch a man has the laws of the apoftles on his fide, yet he fhall be
callei an innovator. Tho' he ftiould plainly ftiew the inconveniences of
the ordinary pra6tice, and the neceffity of difcipline, from Scripture,
fro.n the pattern of the firft Chriftian ages, and by the moft convincing

arguments;

jjgjt . Caufes of the prefent Part II.

arguments ; yet cuftom will ftill be urged againft him ; the divine laws
fhall e:;ive place to common ufage, and the prefent practice ihall prevail
above that of the primitive Chriftians.

III. Example and cuftom have a great force, efpecially in thofe things
which concern manners. Men are not altogether fuch flaves to cuftom
in matters of opinion about religion, becaufe opinions are fhut up within
the heart, but in practical things and in manners, there are hw men who
are not carried away by the ftream of the multitude. People think them-
felves excufed from the obfervation of the plaineft and the moft facred
duties, as foon as they cannot obferve them without departing from cu-
ftom and fo they conform to the common ufe how bad foever it may be.
Thofe who condemn the vicious and corrupt manners of the age, and
practice the rules of the Gofpel, who for inftance abftain from fwearing,
and reprove thofe who do it, who make fcruple of lying and of tranf-
^rreHino' the rules of their duty j are look'd upon in the world as humour-
iome people, and ftigmatized with odious names and imputations. If
they plead the cxprefs commands of Chrift and his,apoftles; inftead of
civin^^ up the caufe, men will ftrain the Scripture, and by forced expli-
cations and impious glofles, endeavour to fix a fenfe upon it which may
favour the ordinary. pra(Slice. While piety dares not {hew it felf, vice is
refpe6\ed, and bad men carry it boldly every where, becaufe the numbers
are of their fide. Maxims dire£lly oppofite to the moral precepts of our
Saviour, are not only received and tolerated, but they are defended as in-
nocent for this fmgle reafon, that the generality of men approve and
pra^tife them. This might be confirmed by innumerable inftances.

We can hardly imagine any thing more contrary to the precepts of
the Gofpel, than that worldly life which is led by many Chriftians. They
fpend their whole time in the cares of the body, they wear out their lives
in idlenefs, gaming, pleafures and divertifements; they deny themfelves
nothino-, they make it their ftudy to live luxurioufly and to gratify them-
felves. This kind of life is inconfiftent with piety, but becaufe it ob-
tains among perfons of the higher rank, it is very hard to perfuade thofe
who follow it, that they ought to quit it. It is by alledging common
practice that men defend a loft and effeminate life, faftiions contrary to
chaftity and modefty, the too great familiarity of the young perfons of
both fexes, the reading of ill books, the plays which wound honefty and
reli"-ion, fcandalous diverfions, and thofe aflemblies where the moft en-
ticing baits and allurements to vice are to be met with, and where the
minds of young people receive the moft dangerous impreftions ; all thefe
things, I fay, are defended by cuftom.

So that when luxury, and expenfivenefs and ftate in apparel, eating, or
furniture, are once eftabliflied; we endeavour to no purpofe to bring men
to Chriftian moderation, and to banifti that multitude of fcandals and
vices which muft needs attend fuch kind of exceftes. Thus in fome
nations where drunkennefs is in vogue, it is in vain to oppofe fo vicious a
cuilom. In fpight of all that can be faid againft drunkennefs and intem-
perance, people are fo far from parting with that vice, that they fancy
there is no fin in being drunk.

To put up no injuries, to indulge revenge, to be tender and nice upon
the point of falfe honour, to ftick at nothing that can promote one's for-
tune,

Cause VI. Corruption of Omji'ians. 2%:

tune, to afTume all Shapes, to difguife one's fentiments, and to fupplant
others ; all thefe are maxims which are followed without fcruple, becaufe
they are authorized by ufe, and by the falfe opinions of men. It would
fignifie nothing to alledge to thofe who are poileired with fuch fentiments,
what the (Jofpel enjoyut; us concerning patience, forgiving of injuries,
humility, fmcerity, julHce and charity, fuch morals will not be fo much
as hearkened to, becaufe thefe matters are otherwife determined to
cuftom. By the fame reafon it is pretended, that in offices, in trade, in
arts and in the various profeflions of life; every thing which is ufually
pra6lifed by men in thofe feveral callings, may lawfully be done. Nay,
even an oath is not fufRcient to undeceive people ; moft men explain their
oaths and regulate their confciences by the examples of others j thev ufe
all the methods of gain which cuftom has introduced, without enquiring
whether they are juftifiable or not.

When I fpeak here of cuftom and example, I do not only mean that
which is eftablifhed by general ufe, but that likewife which is authorized
by men in credit. The quality of perfons produces the fame effect that
great numbers do ; one fingle example has fometimes as much force, as
the united examples of a multitude. All that is done and approved of by
princes, great men, magiftrates, and perfons of quality, is a law to a great
many people. A fmall nuxiiber of confiderable perfons, who join their
endeavours to bring a practice into fafhion, is enough to make it in a
little time to be generally followed, how bad foever it may be. .This is
fo commonly feen, that I think it needlefs to give inftances of it."

I fhall add three confiderations, which deferve a very particular atten-
tion ; I h:ive already touched them by the by, but I will propofe them
more diftindly here.

I. That common opinion, that it is necefiary to embrace the fenti-
ments and the ways of living which are received in the world, is that
which makes corruption fpread and infmuate it feif every where. Men
make it a law to themfelves, and repute it honourable to comply Avitb
cuftom. It is laid down for a maxim, that we muft live as others do,
and accommodate our felves to the faihions which are eftablifhed, and
that it would make us ridiculous, if in behaviour and manners we fhould
differ from the ag^ and the place we live in. I do not abfolutely rejeft
this maxim, becaufe it is capable of a very good fence. A Chriftian
fliould not profefs an unfociable piety: he may lawfully obferve certain de-
cences, and comply to a certain degree with the opmions and manners of
thofe he converfes with ; nay, he ought to do this for the intereft of re-
ligion and piety. But fuch a compliance and fuch regards become cri-
minal, when they engage him to a6l againft duty and confcience. If
the cuftom be bad, he ought to depart from it, and to do in fpite of it,
whatfoever God commands ; he does not deferve the name of a Chriftian,
who has not the courage to do this.

And yet few people are capable of this refolution, the greateft part is
overcome by the temptation of the multitude ; the regard they bear to
the example and judgement of others, produces in them a falfe fhame
which hinders them from doing their duty, and prompts them to evil
notwithftanding all the checks of confcience. And nothing is fo fatal
and pernicious in the (late of thofe who thus comply with cuftom, as

that

284 Caufes of the prefent Part II.

that they become fuch habitual flaves to it, that they are no more able
to alter their condu6l. When a man is once got into a certain courfe
of life in the world, he purfues it, and he is ftill engaging deeper into it,
till at laft he comes under a kind of impoflibility of leaving it tho' he
would; becaufe in order to that, he muft break of thofe ties and engage-
ments, which he has been contrac^ting for a great while ; he muft with-
draw from divers companies, and enter quite upon another way of livins: >
now it is very feldom, if ever, that people can refolve upon all this.

2. Even thofe perfons who are well difpos'd, are fhaken by example
and cuftom : I faid fomething of this in the chapter of falfefhame. A
great many are fatisfied, that the fide of the multitude is not the beft, and
that the manners of the age do not agree with religion ; but they dare not
fwerve from cuftom, the fear of being hated, reproached, or defpifed,
reftrains them, and frequently, extorts hnful compliances from them.

I fhall take notice to this purpofe of what happens every day to young
people, whom parents have endeavoured to breed up to piety and good
manners. When they firft go out of their father's houfe, they are
afhamed and afraid of doing ill things, fm raifes fome kind of horror in
them. With thefe difpofitions they lanch into the world, they are placed
either in the army or at court. And there they do not find thofe maxims
of piety practifed which have been infufed into them, but they have only
ill examples before their eyes. They fee there perfons who have been
recommended to them for patterns, of whom they are to learn how to
behave themfelves, upon whom their promotion and fortunes depend, and
who are reputed honeft men; they fee fuch perfons I fay living in a licen-
tious manner. This at firft furprizes and troubles them, their confcience
holds out for a while, but example does infenfibly leflen in them the ab-
horrence of vice, their good difpofitions vanilh in a little time, and at laft
they fwim with the ftream, they embolden themfelves in ill things, and
they become finiflied libertine?. They do in like manner drink in the
atheiftical fentiments, which commonly i-ite in fafhion among perfons of
quality. If they are but told, that men of wit and qaulity do not believe
a thing, or, that they entertain any opinion ; that is enough to make
them embrace that opinion, and queftion-the truths of religion.

3. In the laft place men are apt to think that if cuftom does not juftify,
it does at leaft excufe vice, and that if they do amifs in the following the
general pra6tice, it is but a fin of infirmity which God will not take
notice of. This is the laft refuge of a great many perfons ; they will
own, that mens manners are very much depraved, and that there is little
of true piety among them, but they will fay ; this is ^the fafhion now a-
days, this is the way of the world, and he cannot be very guilty, who does
pnly what others do. Naj'^, feveral men who are not libertines, and who
fee what fnould be done for the good of the Church, and the promoting
of piety, fancy themfelves under no obligation to oppofe cuftom. Their
excufe is, That it fignihes nothing to ftrive againft a torrent. So that
floth and timoroufncfs together, magnifying the difficulties which their
imagination leprefcnts to them, they make no efforts, and they let things
go on at the ufual rate. While cuftom corrupts and blinds fome, it in-
timidates and difcouragcs others; and thus vice and diforder are ftlll
taking deeper roots.

o Nov/

Cause VI. Corruption of Chr'ijliariu 2S5

Now two forts of remedies maybe applied to this caufe of corruption,
to wit, particular and general remedies.

The particular remedies are thofe cautions which every body ought to
ufe, to prevent his being feduced by example and cuftom. There are
two principal means for a man to keep himfelf free from this fedudlion,
the hrft is to avoid ill examples as much as poffible, to withdraw from
thofe converfations, and to abftain from thofe imployments which
draw men into fin, and to chufe a kind of life which may not engage us
too far into the world ; and on the contrary, to feek after good examples,
and to be converfant with virtuous perfons.

* But as notwithftanding all thefe circumfpe£tions, we cannot avoid
being often tempted by ill example, fo we ought in the fecond place to
arm and fortify our felves againft this temptation ; by ftrongly pofleifino-
our minds with the fentlments v/hich religion infpires. I have fliewed
elfewhere, what judgement a Chriftian ought to make of cuftom and
men's opinion. It is evident, that God having fet us a law, by which he
will judge us, and having given us the knowledge of that law, and power-
ful encouragements to make it the rule of our deportment ; neither exam-
ple nor the judgement of the world, can any ways excufe us from doino-
what God commands, or deliver us from the punifhment which oar dif-
obedience deferves. Thofe who have a greater regard to cuftom than
to their duty, are fo much the more incxcufable; becaufe the Gofpel
exprefly forbids us, to govern our felves by the pradtife or example of th«
men of the world. St. Paul exhorts. Chriftians, \ Not to be conformed to
this prefent worlds not to walk after the courfe of this tuorld, not to follow
other men's way of living , to renounce the world and the lujls of it. Our
Saviour, enjoyns his difciples, To avoid the wide gate and the broad way of
the multitude^ and to ftrike into the narroiu path which is walked in but by
a feiu. Thefe are reflections, which every man who believes the Gofpel,
.fliould frequently and ferioufiy make, and which Ihould ferve him fof.
remedies againft the temptations arifmg from example and cuftom.

There are other general remedies, which tend to leffen the number of
bad examples, and to alter the cuftom and ufages which are contrary to
the Chriftian religion. For tho' it may feem,. that to go about the abo-
lifhing of that which is eftabliftied, by a general cuftom and a lono- ufe
is to attempt an impoiTibillty; and tho' we cannot expedi that this°caufe
of corruption ftiould be entirely removed, yet the difficulty is not fo great
but that it might in fome meafure be overcome.

This we might have reafon to hope for, if firft, thofe who know and
love their duty would difcharge it with courage, and if they did add ta
their knowledge a zeal fupported by prudence and firmnefs. How great
foevcr the degeneracy of men may be, there is ftill fomething in virtue,
which attracis their refped and their love. The endeavours of good men
againft vice, are alvi'ays attended with fome fuccefs : if the benefit of
'their exhortations and good examples does not reach far, they may at
leaft be ufeful to their families and their acquaintance.

But fomething more than this is requifite to reform general cuftoms.

and

* See Part [. Caufe III. Art. 11. 4, &c. Canfe V. Art. IF. about the end.
t Rom, xii. Eph. ii, and iv. Tit. ii. Mat. vii. 13, 14.

286 Caufe-s of the prejent Part II.

and prailices, aw^ none can do this more cafily and cftedlually, than
thofe who arc railed above other men, and who are n\ publick ftations.
I fay therefore fecondly, That if Chriltian princes and magiftrates, would
vfe their authority to this end, and be exemplary themfelves, the cor-
ruption of the world would confiderably abate, and bad examples would
neither be fo frequent nor fo forcible as they are. It is in their power
to baniih the greatell part of thofe culloms which are commonly re-
ceived, and to eflablifh contrary ones. The care and example of paftors
are likewife a moft efficacious remedy. If they did inftrudl Chriftians
as they ought, if they did oppofe the corruption of the age with the pure
maxims of the GofpeL, if they did fet themfelves againft abufes, if they
did endeavour in publick and in private, to bring all thofe that err into
the way of truth, if they applied themfelves to the inftruding of youth,
and if their manners were edifying and exemplary, there is no doubt but
that they would foon ftop the current of vices and fcandals. It fhould
be their chief care to oppofe abufes and ill cuftoms in their beginnings ;
becaufe when they have once taken root, the remedy is much more dif-
ficult. In fine, as cuftoms are eftablifhed by degrees, fo they are not
abolifhed all at once, and therefore thofe who do not fuccecd at firft in fo
good a defign, ought not prefently to be difcouraged and to grow away.

CAUSE VII.

Books.

S'^^^ H I S is the laft Caufe of Corruption which I {hall mention, but
^."T '^•i without queftion, it is one of the moft gei^eral and of the moft
^._^..^p, remarkable. Books are as many publick fouiitains, from which
vaft numbers of notions and fcntiments which are commonly received
amono- men, and which are the principles of their a6tions, diffufe them-
felveslnto the world : and as it is impolfible but that among an infinity
of books, a great many muft be bad, fo it is certain, that books contri-
bute very much to the keeping up of corruption. If men, as we have
{hewed in the precedent chapters, are ignorant and full of prejudices, if
they have loofe and impious notions concerning religion, if great defers
are obfervable, both in the lives of Chriftians and in the ftate of the
Church in general ; if the people are ill inftrudled, and children are ill
educated, the caufe of all thefe diforders is partly to be found in books.
It is therefore a moft important fubjeit which I am to handle in this
chapter, but it is likewife a very large one by reafon of the prodigious
multitude of books, which I might have an opportunity to fpeak of here.
But I muft confine my felf to that which is moft material to be faid upon
this head. I fhall fpeak, i. Of ill books. And, 2. Of books of religion.
The number of bad books is infinite, and it would be very hard to give
a catalot^ue of them ; but I think that among all the forts of ill books
none do^reater mifchief in the world, than either thofe which lead to

irreligion

Cause VII. Carrupthn of Chriji'ians, 287

irreligion and impiety, or thole which are impure and filthy. The firft
attack faith, and the other corrupt manners.

I. The moft dangerous of all books are thofe which attack religion,
fuch are not only all the books of Atheiits and Deifts, but fuch are like-
wile all thofe works which tend to overthrow either the authority of the
holv Scripture, or the fails and dodlrines of Chriftianity, or the difference
between virtue and vice, or any other principle of religion. I rank alib
in the lame order the books which introduce icepticifm, and the defign
of which is, to render the principles of faith or morality uncertain and
dubious.

Thofe books in which impiety appears bare-faced, are not the moft
pernicious. Few perfons ever durft maintain Atheifm openly, or deny
dirccliy the fundamentals of religion. And befides avowed Atheiits and
Deifts have not many followers. Their opinions raife horrour, and a
man's mind rebels againft them. But thofe men, who tho' they do not
openly efpoufe the caufe of impiety, but pretending all the while that they
acknowledge the exiftence of a God and a religion ; do yet (hake the
principal truths of faith; thofe men, I fay, diffufe a much more iubtil
and dangerous poifon, and this may be particularly laid of the Scepticks.
In the main they drive at the fame thing with the Atheifts, they aflauk
religion with the fame weapons, and make the fame objections. There
is only this difference, that the Atheift decides the queltion and denies,
whereas the Sceptick after he has muftered up all the objc6tions of the
Atheift and ftarted a thoufand fcruples, leaves in fome manner the quef-
tion undetermined ; he only inhnuates that there is no folid anfwer to
thofe difficulties, and then he concludes with a falfe modefty, and tells
us, that he dares not embrace either lide, and that which way foever a
man turns himfelf, he meets with nothing but obfcurity and uncertainty:
this differs little from Atheifm, and it does naturally lead to incredulity.

It is an aftoniiliing thing, that books containing fuch pernicious prin-
ciples ftiould have been publilhed, and that libertinifm in opinions about
religion, (hould have grown up to that pitch which we now fee it at.
The enemies of Chriftianity did pever oppofe it with fo much fubtlety
and with fuch vigorous efforts, as fome Chriftians do at this day. Some
books appear from time to time, which are only cplleilions of all the ob-
jciStions of Heathens and Atheifts againft the exiftence of God, againft
Providence, the divinity of Scripture, the truth of facred hiftor)', the
foundations of morality, and many other important heads j fo that im-
piety is now arrived at its greateft height. It might be more general,
but we cannot imagine how it could rife higher.

And this occafions a very confiderable objedion. It may be allced.
How it came to pals that incredulity and fcepticifm, fliould appear in {o
knowing an age as this is, and that men of parts and learning Ihould en-
tercain fuch impious fentiments? It is neceffary to dwell a little upon the
examining of this difficulty, becaufe it is fo apt to perplex many. The
Inlidels urge it with great affurance, and they pretend to infer from it,
that religion cannot ftand a philofophical and learned age, and that none
but the mob and the credulous part of mankind believe it. They fay,
that ignorant ages were the moft favourable times to religion, tjiat then

every

i88 Caufes of the prefent PaRT It.

everything was believed; but that fince men have begun to examine
matters a little more narrowly they are become credulous.

But any reafonable man who does not love wrangling, may eafily be
fatisfied upon this point. Firft, Infidels have no ground to fuppofe, that
men had more faith, in the ages of ignorance than they have now ; for
this fuppofition is altogether falfe. There was but little faith in thofe
ages, tor we are not to call by the name of faith, a filly credulity which
made the grofieft impoftures to pafs then current, for certain, and everi
for divine truths. The Infidels do likewife fuppofe falfly that the learn-
ing of an age more enlightened than the precedent, is prejudicial to re-^
ligion; for on the contrary it has done great fervices to it. If fome
ftibtle fpirits have attackt it, a great many knowing and judicious perfons
of extraordinary erudition and eminent worth have illuflrated and proved
the truth of it, with greater folidity of arguments, than ever was known
before. 1 his muft be acknowledged to the honour of God, and for the
credit of the Chriflian religion.

But it will be faid, That thofe who make objedllons againii religion^
are learned; chat they are philofophical men, who in all other things rea-
fon true, and can diftinguifh truth from error. Let it be fo ; but then I
a(k thofe who urge this objection, how it happens that we fee every day
men of parts and fenfe, who yet will obftinately maintain palpable errors,
and refufe to yield to the evidence of fome truths, which are clear as the
fun ? To this nothing clfe can be faid, but that fuch men are not fd
knowing and perfpicacious as thcv fijould be, or that they do not make
that ufe which they ought of their parts and judgement. I coiifefs, that
indeed that a man mull have fome parts and fubtilty to be able to find
difficulties every where. But that man makes a wretched ufe of his
parts, when they ferve him only to wrangle about the mod certain truths.

Thofe which the Infidels call ftrong obje6lions agaimi: the truths of
faith, are but for the moft part vain fubtilties and nicer flights of wit,
which maybe ufed alike upon all forts of fubjeds. That we m.ay be con-
vinced of this, 1 fhall only name here fome of thofe truths or matters of
faft, which are thought unqueflionable, and which no man, tho' he had
a mind, can doubt of. It is certain that the fame obje-flions by which the
Infidels attack religion, may be turned againft fuch truths or matters of
fad. The fubtilties of fcepticifm may puzzle a man, who fl:kall main-,
tain, that there was heretofore an emperor at Ro7m called Angujlu^ of
who ihall believe with all mankind that parents ought to love their chil-
dren, and that it would be a fin to murder a poor wretch who is beg.*
<ring an alms ; I fay, a man, who maintains thefe truths, may be hard pUt
to it, before he can get rid of all the queftiohs of a captious fophifter.
But does it foUov/ from thence that this man is miftaken ? Is it to be
imagined that a man can doubt in good earneft wiiether or not there
was ever at Rome an emperour named /lugtijius^ or whether parents
ought to love their children ? Will any eVer be fo extravagant as to be-''
lieve ferioufly, that it i^ indifferent whether we can cut a poor man's
throat, or give him an alms? The fubtilties oi arguments fignify no--
thin"- ao-ainft fa6ls which are well averred, or againft thofe natural fenti-
ments, which are common to all mankind. Novc^ religion is founded
upon fafts, and its principles are in part natural truths and fcntiments,

which

Cause VIIJ Corruption of Chri/iians. aSg

which we muft needs feel and believe at all times. He that would de-
ftroy religion muft confute thofe fads and fentiments, and infidelity will
never be able to do it.

Philofophical knowledge is very much extolled by the Infidels; they
pretend chiefly to a great exadnefs in reafoning, and yet they vifibly run
counter to right reafon, and tranfgrefs the rules vi^hich true philofophy
prefcribes. It is contrary to reafon, to judge that a thing is falfe or du-
bious, becaufe there are fome difficulties in it ; it ought to be confidered,
that no man knows all things, or is able to anfwer all objeftions, and
that what feems obfcure to one man, will appear very clear to another.
When we have reafons on the other hand to believe that a thing is true,
when Its proofs are ftronger and more numerous than its difficulties,
and when there are proofs which upon other occafions are fufficient to
determine our judgment, true fenfe requires that we Ihould yield to fuch
an evidence. This method is particularly to be followed, when the mat-
ter in queftion is of fome moment. In fuch things we are wont to o-q-
vern our felves by the greater evidence, and to chufe the fafer fide.
What can be therefore more irrational, than to hazard eternity, and to
queftion the truth of religion, upon fuch confiderations as would have no
weight with us, and as v/ould not ftop us a minute in the ordinary affairs
of this life ?

Further, it is contrary to the rules of good fenfe, to pafs a judgment
upon thofe things of which we have no dlftlndl idea, or which we do not
thoroughly know, Men who can give no account of the operations of
their fouls, or of a hundred things, they fee before their eyes, will yet
talk at random about the manner in which God a6ls, or forefees future
events ; about what God ought or ought not to have done for the orderly
difpofmg of all things; about the ends which that fupreme Being propofes
to It felf, and about the means which may conduce to thofe ends. This
is the height of extravagance and temerity, and yet it is at this rate, that
the Infidels reafon.

I muft add befides, that men of parts are fubje£l: to the fame paffions
with the vulgar, and that thofe paffions hinder them from difcerning the
truth. Thefe makers of obje(£l:ions who pretend to politenefs and wit,
are not generally found at heart, but they lov^e licentloufnefs ; they are
not addldfed perhaps to a grofs and ftiameful, but to a more refined liber-
tinlfm ; they obferve a little decorum, but they do not relifti the maxims
of devotion and piety, and they cannot endure to be tied to them. Va-
nity has likewife a great fhare in their condu6l. A great many imagine,
that it Is for their credit to diftlnguifti themfelves from the vulgar, and
not to believe the things which are believed by the people : and when they
have once embraced this way and fet up for Scepticks in the world, the'v
think themfelves bound in point of honour, to maintain that charader.

Men of knowledge are fometimes governed by many prejudices, and
falfe motives. A preconceived notion or a meer circumftance is fuffi-
cient to determine them to the embracing of an opinion. What has
been faid of the condu£l: of princes, may be applied to the opinions and
hypothefes of the learned. Wars and fuch other great events, upon
which the fate of nations depend, and which make fo much ftir in the
world, do not always proceed from wife and mature deliberation; fome-

VoL. VI. T times

290 Caufes of the prefent Part II

times they are but the efFeil of a paflion, of^ humour, or of fome parti r
cular circumdance. Thus it is with the learned : we think too well of
them, if we fancy that they are always determined by the greater weight
of reafon. The motives which prompt them to maintain certain opi-
nions, are often very flight. They are not fenfible of this; they thinld
themfelves guided by reafon, and they do perceive the true principle of
their adions or judgments. If Infidels did ftriiftly examine themfelves,
they would find perhaps, that their fcruples were firft raifed, and have
been maintained fince, either by fome book they read when they were
young, or by the love they had for fome perfons, or by their averfion to
others, or by fome ill treatment they have met with, or by the praifes
which have been given them for their wit, or by fome prejudice they have
conceived againft religion in general, when they heard it ill defended j
or againfl certain tenets which are particular to the fociety they live in,
and manifeftly abfurd j or by fome other motion of this nature.

If we call to mind in the laft place, what has been faid in the begin-
ning of this treatife, to wit, That few Chriftians apply themfelves Im-
cerely to the fludy of the general truths, and of the principles of faith ;
we Ihall not wonder that among fo many, who never inquired into the
proofs of religion, fome fhould be inveigled by the objections of liber-
lincs, and fall into infidelity.

I have in a manner ftept out of my way ; but this digreflion is not im-
pertinent, fince thefc confiderations may ferve as a remedy againft in-
credulity and fcepticifm, which fome authors would fain eftablifli by their
writings.

One would think that every body fhould abhor thofc impious books,
but yet they arc read and liked by many perfons. Young people efpe-
cially, who for the moft part love novelty, and are inclined to vanity and
licentioufnefs, do eafily imbibe the principles which are fcattered through
fuch books : they are impofed upon by the genteelnefs, the wit, and fome
kind of learning which they commonly find there: being not well
grounded in religion, they are ftruck with the reafonings of Infidels; the
very firft objection puzzles them ; they begin to doubt of many things,
and in a little time they become thorough-paced Scepticks. I leave
any one to judge, what efFe£ts this may produce in an age fo prone to
vice as this is, and if young people can avoid being corrupted, when
they are no longer reftrained by religion and confcience. There is no
condition more remedilefs, nor is there any ftate more deplorable, than
when incredulity is joyned with dlflblutenefs of manners. People then
are hardly to be reclaimed; age and ill life fortify their doubts and fcru-
ples, and they continue in that ftate to their dying day. This is the
fruit which many reap from the reading of thofe pernicious books, but
it is not all the mifchief which is occafion'd by fuch writings. They
may fall into the hands of many who have no great compafs of know-
ledge, and beget feveral fcruples in the minds even of good men. After
thefe reflexions, I make no doubt but it will be granted, I'hat no books
are more dangerous than thefe, and that to have the confidence of pub-
lifhing them, is a fuperlative degree of impiety.

II. The books I have now fpoken of, aflault religion and piety in ge-
neral, and by confequence open a door to all manner of diforders and

.. vices,.

Cause VII. CorrUpVnn of Chrijllans. 2ni

Vices. There are others whicli tho* they do not attack the principles of
faith, do yet introduce Ijcentioufnefs of manners. It would be a lono-
work, if I lliould fpecify here their feveral forts, which are as many as
there are vices, paltions, ol: received errors among men : this is a detail
which I cannot enter into. Being then forced to ftint myfelf, I (hall
only fpeak of impure books : and I chufe this particular fpecies of ill books,
becaufe the number of thefe is not only very great, but becaufe they are
thofe likewife, which do moft generally corrupt men.

Their number is prodigious. Firft we have the obfcene books of the
Heathens, which are not only read by men, but are put likewife into the
hands of youth. Some people are fo infatuated with thefe books, that they
fancy one cannot be a mafter of the Greek or Latin, unlefs he has read all
the obfcenities written in thofe two languages j which is as extravagant an
opinion, as if a man fhould pretend, that whofoever defigns to acquire a
thorough knowledge of the French, or of any other living language, and
to be able to fpeak and write elegantly in it, muil read all the lewd poems
and all^the fcandalous books which this age has produced.

Secondly, Befides impure books of Pagan authors,, we have thofe that
are writ by Chriftians. The world is over-run with books of this ftamp,
their number increafes every day, and their amazing multitude is one of
the itrongeft proofs of the extreme corruption of the times. It is th^
laft degree of impudence to write in that flyle, and then to difj^erfe it in
the world by the prefs : the diflblution muft needs be very great, when
this is done fo freely and fo often as it is in this age. Nothino- can be
imagined more lafcivious or execrable than fome books which have been,
and llill are publifhed from time to time: Paganifm did never produce
any thing more abominable upon the head of impurity, than feveral works
which were hatch'd in the very bofom of Chriftianity ; fo that In this re-
fpedl Chriftians have no caufe to reproach Heathens.

Thefe deteftable books are not the only impure ones, nor perhaps the
more dangerous; vaft numbers of others are current in the world.
What are fo many books of love and gallantry, fo many fcandalous no-
vels either feigned or true, and fo many licentious pieces of poetry, but
the produ6lions of that fpirit of impurity and difl'olutenefs which prevails
in this age ? Nay, even books of learning which treat of ferious fubjecSts,
have a mixture of impurity. This infeition is dilfufed throuo-h all forts
of books, and appears every day in fome new fhape.

As the number of impure books is great, lo their effecl is moft per-
nicious J and none ought to wonder that I fhould aflign thefe books as
one of the general caufes of corruption. No bad books are more gene-
rally read than thefe, none can with more reafon be called publick foun-
tains of vice and dilTolutenefs. The mifchief they do in the world can-
not be imagined. They prove to an infinity of pcrfons, but efpecially
to young people, fchools of licentioufnefs. It is by the readino- of them,
that youth learn to know and to love vice. That age is prone to plca-
fure and to every thing that gratifies fenfe ; and that inclination is fo
much the ftronger, becaufe it is cheriflied and fortified by an education
altogether fenfuai, and becaufe young people for want of good inftruc-
tion, have not much piety, nor any great averfion to vice. From whence
we may eafdy judge, that they are fufccptible of thofe paffions which gra-

T 2 tifie

202 Caufes of the prefent Part II.

tifie fenfuallty ; and that it is hard for them to refift thofe impreffions,
which the reading of impure books conveys into their minds. We fee in
fa6l, that uncleannefs is commonly the firft fm and the firft paflion which
feduces men in their youth, and which engages them into vice, for their
whole life : for it feldom happens but that all the ages of life, retain a
fpice of the irregularities of youth.

And yet for all that, thefe books have their advocates. Many perfons
reckon, that there is no harm either in reading, or even in publifhing
them. If we believe fome authors, who infecl the publick with books
full of obfcenities ; none but fantaftical people, pollefled with a ridiculous
and precife devotion find fault with thofe that write upon this fubjed.
And in defence of their opiiiion, they alJedge this maxim, * To the pure
all thing' -M-e pure j as if St. Paul who does not allow Chriftians fo much
as to fpeak an undecent word, did permit them to read and write things
which are contrary to modefty, and may occafion fcandal : from this
maxim they conclude, that there is nothing in thofe books that offends
modeffy or religion ; and they proteft that for their part, the reading of
them does not defile their imagination. I do not know the particular
frame of thofe men's hearts ; perhaps impure ideas and lafcivious ob-
ie£ls, are grown fo familiar to them, that they do no longer perceive,
that fuch ideas and objects make any impreffion upon them. But it is
unconceivable how people can preferve a chalte heart, when they delight
in writing or reading filthy things. After all, tho' the reading of fuch
works fhould have no ill effects upon fome perfons, there are a great
many more who will make an ill ufe of them; and this is enough to make
every man who has any fenfe of religion to deteff impure books.

What I have now faid will be granted by many, but it will be thought,
that to rank books of love and gallantry among impure books, and to
condemn the reading of them, is foniething too fevere. I confefs, that
all thofe books are not equally bad, and that fome do not hurt modefty
fo vifibly as others do. But yef there are not manv, in which a fpirit of
impurity and licentioufnefs may not be obferved. That love which makes
the fubjeil of fo many books, is nothing elfe at bottom, but an impure
and irregular paflion, of which the Gofpel obliges us to ftifle the very
firft motions. What the world calls a meer intrigue of gallantry, is
fometimes a pretty large ftep tov/ards the fin of adultery. Sin indeed
may be difguifed in thofe books under another name, and may be drefs'd
in a modeft garb, but that makes it flide the more eafily into the mind.
It is dangerous to dally with things, which deferve the utmoft averfioi^
of a Chriftian ; and it is almoft impoflible but that the horrour of impu-
rity a.nd of every thing that comes near it, muft infenfibly abate, in any
one who is addidled to fuch readings. There are two maxims in the
Gofpel which decide this matter; the one is, f That we are to ahjlainfrom
the appearance of evil the other, that in things indifferent, we ought to
avoid whatfoever may prove a fcandal or an occafion of falling to any
body, efpecially when the fcandal may be forefeen. Now here is at leaft
the appearance of evil ; it is certain that divers perfons will make an ill
ufe of thofe books, and by confequence the reading and publifhing of
them cannot be excufeJ.

Bui

• Tit. i. 15. t I Theff. v. 22. Sec Rom. xiv. ij* 1 Cor. 10, fcc.

Cause VII. Corruption cf Chrl/ilans. 293

But as if ir were not enough to maintain, that the books In queftion
may be read without fin ; it is pretended befides, that the reading of them
is ufeful and neceflary to open the minds of young people. I do not
deny but that it is a valuable quality to have quick and well-fafliioned
parts, but there are other books which may be read without danger, and
which are much fitter to form the minds and jud2;ments of young peo-
ple, than books of gallantry, the reading of which, every body knows,
has often fpoiled the minds of thofe who were given to it. The greateii
mifchief that attends this kind of reading, is that It corrupts the heart
and fullles the imagination, at the lame time that it opens the mind.
Now it were better to have a little lefs of that fafhionablenefs and polite-
nefs of parts, which Is fo much efteemed 'u\ the world, than to acquire it
at the expence of one's innoeency.

But fome people do not flop here. They proceed fo far as to fay,
that thefe books are ufeful even In reference to religion, and that they are
proper to reftrain youth from vice ; becaufe we fee in them the follies
and misfortunes which irregular paflions betray men into. I can hardly
think that this is alledged in earneft. It is a ftrange fort of remedy
againfl: impurity, to make agreeable pidures of love, and to reprefent
minutely, and in a natural and infinuating maimer, all the motions
which that paflion excites in thofe who are polTefled with it. We muft
be very ill acquainted with the tempersof men, and particularly of youno-
people, if we can fancy that the reading of fuch books, will put them
upon moral reflections, and infpire them with an averfion to vice. Daily
experience fhews that nothing is more vain or falfe than fuch an imacri_
nation.

It will be fald, that at leaft thofe books ought to be excepted, in which
among love-matters and licentious fubjeCls, the reader meets with fine
moralities ; which may however ferve for a prefervative. But thefe books
are not much better than the others ; nay, t cannot tell whether they are
not more dangerous. Thofe moralities are very ill placed, and few peo-
ple are the better for them. It is a very fufpicious kind of morality,
which comes from the pen of thofe authors, who write indifferently upon
matters of love, and religious fubjecls ; who fometimes feem to be liber-
tines and fometimes devout; who after they have faid a hundred licen-
tious things, given you the hiftory of a great many diforders, and related
fcveral fcandalous paflages; entertain you with devotion and piety : this
is a monftrous mixture. If thofe authors were truly religious, they
would forbear writing thofe things which religion condemns, and which
fcandalize the publick. Such books are particularly fit to confirm worldly
men in their opinion, that gallantry, provided it does not proceed to the
higheft degree of crimes is no great fin, and to perfuade young people
that they may eafily grow devout hereafter, tho' they nov/ fpend their
youth in llbertinifm. From all thefe confiderations I infer, that let peo-
ple fay what they will, all the books which prefent their readers with im-
purity, either bare-faced, or under fome vail, are extremely pernicious.

Having thus difcourfed of ill books, I come now to the books of re-
ligion. It may feem at firft, that I fhould rather feek in thefe the re-
medy, than the caufe of corruption. Indeed the end of religious books
(hould be to banifh corruption and to eftablifh piety in the world, and
'1^ 3 there

2g4 Caufes of the prefent ^ART H,

here are many of them which attack ignorance and vice with fucg^fs, »
and which may prove excellent prefervatives againft the corruption of
the age. But I hope no body will take it amifs if I fay that there art
books of religion, which do not conduce much to the promoting of pi-,
ety, nay that iome prove hind'rance to it.

This 1 fhall now endeavour to fliew. I fhall not fpeak of any par-
ticular book, I will only offer fome general confideration?, which my
readers may apply as they fee caufe. it is not my defign to rank among-
bad books all thole v/orks, to which fome of the following reflections may
be applied. Some indeed are down-right bad, but many are in fevera]
refpecls good and ufeful tho' they have their faults ; and as good book$
ouo-ht to be dillinguifhed from bad ones, fo is it no lefs necefiary, to dif-
cern what is good in every book, from what is naught or ufelefs.

The books of religion which I think ought here to be taken notice of,
are of four forts, i. Thofe which explain the Scripture. 2. The books
of divinity. 3. The books of morality. 4. The books of devotion.

I. It cannot be denied but that among the books of the firft fort there
fome very good ones, and that we have at this day great helps for the
underftanding of the holy ScrTpture. But it ought iikewife to be granted,
that fome of thofe books which are defigned for the expounding of Scrip-
ture, do only obfcure and perplex the fenfe of it. It would be tedious
to mention here all the defeds of that kind of writing, I Ihall therefore
obferve pnly the principal.

I. The firft and the mod eiTential is the not expounding of Scripture,
according to its true meaning ; and this fault, which is but too frequent
m commentaries, proceeds chiefly from two caufes : i. That expofitors
do not apprehend the fcope of the facred writers : and, 2. That they
enter with prejudices upon the reading of Scripture.

'I'he true way to underftand the Scripture, is, to know the fcope of it,
and neyer to fwerve from that. Good fenfe and piety, joyned with the
iludy of languages, hiilory, and antiquity, are. here very ferviceable. A
commentator ought in a manner to tranfport himfelf into thofe places
and times in which the facred authors lived. He fhould fancy himfelf in
their circumftances, and conJider what their defign was, when they fpoke
or writ ; what perfons they had to deal with^ and what notions, know-
ledsre or cul'loms did then obtain. But thofe who, being ignorant of
thefe things, fet about expounding the Scripture, can hardly do it witl^
fuccefs. it is a wonder if they do not mifs the true mark, and if they
dp not- obtrude forced, and very often, falfe gloffes upon their readers.

On the other hand, many authors apply themfelves to the examining
of Scripture with a mind full of prejudices. They explain it by the
prefent notions of the world. Nothing is more ufual with commentators
than to make the faithful under the Old Teftamcnt fpeak as if they had
b^cn as well acquainted with the truths of the Gofpel as Chriflians are j
?,nd as if thofe qucftions and difputes, which are treated in common-
places of divinity, had been a^tated at that time. When thofe expofi-
tors, for inflance meet with the word righteous or r'lghteoufnefs in the
Pfahm^ they fancy that David hiad in his thoughts all that divines have
vented concerning juftification ; and upon this fuppofal, what do they not
fav, or what do they not make preachers fay? It has been obferved, that

almof£

Cause VII. Corruption of Chri/lians. 295

almoft all commentators are partial, and endeavour to put upon the Scrip-
ture a fenfe that favours the opinions of their refpedtive fecSts. This fpi-
rit of a party is chiefly remarkable in fome of thofe commentators which
thefe laft centuries have produced.

2. The fecond rule of a commentator fhould be, to expound clearly
and familiarly the literal fenfe of Scripture, and never to have recourfe to
a myftical expofition, but in thofe places where the fpirit of God direds
us to look for it : and yet a great many authors do almoft intirely fcr-
fake the literal fenfe, to purfue myftical explications. In their opinion,
every thing is myftical in the holy Scripture, efpecially in the old Tefta-
ment. They are not contented with unfolding the true myfteries and pro-
phecies which manifeftly relate to the times of the Gofpel, but they turn
all things into figure. They find myfteries, allegories, types and prophe-
cies every where, even in the plaineft difcourfes. This they call fearch-
ing and diving into the Scriptures. But this way of expounding the
word of God is a fountain of illufions: for as the Holy Ghoft does not
explain thofe pretended myfteries, fo they muft be put to their gueffes and
be beholden to their imagination for the difcovery of themj and he that
is the moft copious or lucky in his conjedures, is the greateft man. Now
I leave any one to judge, whether commentators, who follow no other
guide but their imagination, can avoid being very frequently miftaken,
and giving a great many handles to libertines and infidels.

3. V/e are not to forget here the fchool-commentators. The holy
Scripture ftiould be expounded in a fimple and popular manner ; and this
cannot be denied, if we confivler that it was given for the inftrudtion and
the falvation of all men, and that the difcourfes of Chrift and his Apoftles
were addrelled to the common people, and to fuch perfons as were far
from being philofophers. Nothing therefore feems more repugnant to
the defign of Scripture, than to explain it philofophically, and, which is
worfe, according to the principles of a falle philofophy, as divers com-
mentators do. They make ufe of the method, notions, and terms of the
fchools, to find out the meaning of the facred writings. They apply fo
all fubjecls the rules prefcribed by the fchool-men. They carefully di-
ftinguifh in a text in thofe things which are called in the fchools Materia^
Forma, Caufa cffictens. Finis, SubjeSium, AdjunSium, &c. They feek in all
reafonings the Major, the Minor, and the conclufion, as if the Holy Ghoft,
infpiring the facred authors, had followed the fcheme oi Arijhtle\ logick,
and had intended to make fyllogifms in mood and figure. I fay nothing
here of that fpirit of difpute and wrangling which runs through the fcho-
Jaftical commentaries, nor of the falle fenfes and metaphyfical explica-
tions, which they put upon the Scripture. Such books are obftacles ra-
ther than helps to the underftanding of the word of God; they are fit
only to perplex what is clear, and to fpoil divines and preachers, by tak-
ing away from thern that qualification they have moft need of, I mean,
good fenfe.

4. Another very diiFerent way from that fimplicity with which the
Scripture fhould, be handled, is the method of thofe authors, who without
neceflity infift upon all the circumftances of a text, who fift all the terms
of it, as if a myftery did lurk in every word; who defcend to the mi-

,'nuteft things and weary themfelves in conjetlures and queftidris. This

T4 exaaaefs

296 ' Caujes of the prejent Part II.

exa6lnefs is very ufelefs and infipid. It may be fometimes necefTary to
clear a difficulty, to unfold an intricate meaning, and to obferve the criti-
cal fignification of words : but when the fenfe is natural and eafie, and
M'hen the words are clear, to what purpofe fhould a man infift upon all thofe
jllullrations ? What need is there for him to be always preffing the figni-
fication of words, to remark all their different acceptations, and to ex-
plain what is to be underftood by the words. Death, Faith, J^/^'i every
time that thefe terms occur. The true method is to purfue the things
themfelves and the meaning of a text, without criticizing upon words and
circumftances.

5. It is the fault of many commentators to be prolix and too large.
From every verfe, nay, from every word, they take occafion to run into
a common-place, and to vent a multitude of notions, fo that they really
give us fermons, djffertation?, or lectures of divinity, under the title of
commentaries. I do not abfolutely condemn diffus'd commentaries ; we
meet fometimes with good things in them, but we find there likewife a
great many which fignifie nothing. When all is done, brevity, clearnefs,
and exaftnefs, are infinitely to be preferred in a commentary before pro-
lixity and copioufnefs : fuch length Kreeds obfcurity and confufion, it
makes preachers lazy, it tempts them to fill their fermons with a hundred
ncedlefs things, it brings them to a cuftom of being tedious, of making
digrelTions, and of palling by that which is effential and folid : all which
is very far from promoting the edification of the church.

Befides, it is evident. That the defeats of commentaries contribute
very much to the corruption of Chriflians. The holy Scripture is the
foundation of religion and piety ; but commentaries are the flores from
which the fenfe of Scripture is drawn, and from which preachers com-
monly take the matter of their fermons. Few of them endeavour to
find out the fenfe of a text by their own induftry; they coiifult their
commentaries like oracles, and they blindly follow their decifions; it is
therefore highly requifite that thefe books fhould not lead into error thofe
who have recourfe to them. When a blind man leads another, they both fall
into the ditch. If then the guides, to whofe conduit preachers give up
themfelves, are deceitful and falfe, the word of God will neither be well
underftood, nor well preached, and both preachers and people will err.

II. It is with divinty books as with commentaries-, fome are good,
and others bad. The diverfity of opinions which we fee among authors,
is a proof of what I fay: fome maintain as divine truths, things which
others rejedl: as falfe and pernicious fentimcnts ; fo that there muft be no
fmall error on one fide or the other. All divines will own the truth of
this remark •, but it is here of no ufe, becaufe it does not decide which
books of divinity are good, and which are bad. Every body will pretend,
that the bad books are thofe which teach a docStrine contrary to that
which obtains in the fociety to which he belongs. In order to know
who is in the right, or in the v/rong, it wovild be neceffary to judge here
upon the merits of the caufe, and to enter into the examinatioji of all the
Controverfies which divide Chriftians. But this I will by no means take
upon me to do : it would be fitter for me to take notice of thofe faults
which are common to the greateft part of divinity-books, I fhall fay
nothing but what muft needs be owned by all the fenfible divines of any

partyi

Cause VIL Corruption of Chrl/itans. 297

party J and the refle£tions I am to make, tho' general, may perhaps be of
fome ufe to dire6l our judgement concerning the dodrine it felf con^
tained in thofe books.

1. Almoft all the authors who have writ of divinity, have made of it,
upon the matter, a fcience of meer fpeculation. They eftablifh certain
doftrines, they deliver their opinions, they prove them as vfell as they
can ; they treat of controverfies, and confute their adverfaries ; but they
do not feem to have meditated much upon the ufe of the do6lrines they
teach, with relation to piety and falvation. They are very ftiort upon
this head, which yet is the chiefeft of all ; they arc not by half fo follicitous
to affert the duties, as they are to maintain the truths of religion. Now
this is not teaching divinity. The defign of religion is to teach men
how they ought to ferve God, and to make them holy and happy. If
this was confidered in the handling of divinity, and if care was taken to
fhew what relation all the parts of religion have to the glory of God,
and to the holinefs and felicity of man, there would be much more piety
than there is now among Chriftians. Thofe who ftudy divinity would
learn betimes to direct it to its true end ; and this would likewife be a
means to diftinguifh material from infignificant points and queftions, and
to eafe religion of all thofe needlefs difputes, which are one of the main
caufes of the corruption of Chriftians.

2. What I have now faid leads me to a fecond obfervation; which is,
that as feveral things might be left out of divinity-books, fo other things
are wanting, which it would be neceflary to add to them. For the pur-
pofe, common -places do not infift much upon the general truths and
principles of religion. They fcarce give us any inftrudlion about Church-
difcipline and government, or about the belief and pra6lice of the firft
ages of Chriftianity : as for morality, it is there touched but very fuper-
ficially. And yet thefe are efTential articles in divinity, the knowledge
of which is neceflary to thofe who are called to preach the Gofpel, to
guide a Church, or to dire6t man's confciences.

3. Divinity-books are, for the mofl: part, too fcholaftical. The me-
thod of the fchool has been long in vogue ; and tho' the fchoolmen's ways
of handling divinity, mayjuftlybe looked upon as a defiance to fenfe
and religion; yet that method has prevailed to that degree, that for fome
ages it was not lawful to fwerve from it. Of late years indeed the
fchool-men have loft a great deal of their credit ; and in divinity, as well
as in philofophy, many perfons have no longer that blind deference for
them which was paid heretofore. Yet, for all that, a great number of
divines do ftill fet up that method for their rule, and it is ftill as it were
facred in colleges and univerfities. Common-places to this day favour
too much of the barbarifm of the fchools, and we find there but too many
remainders of that dry and crabbed theology, which had its birth in the
ages of ignorance. Inftead of thofe fimple and clear idea's, which render
the truth and majefty of the Chriftian religion fenfible, and which fatisfie
a man's reafon, and move his heart, we meet with nothing in feveral
bodies of divinity but metaphyfical notions, curious and needlefs queftions,
diftinftions, and obfcure terms. In a word, we find there fuch intricate
theology, that the very apoftles themfelves if they came into the world
again, would not be able to underftand it, without the help of a parti-
cular

^

298 Cciufes of the prefent Part II.

cular revelation. This fcholaftick divinity, has done more mifchief to
religion, than we are able to exprefs. There is not any thing that has
more corrupted the purity of the Chriftian religion, that has more ob-
fcured matters, multiplied controverfies, difturbed the peace of the
Church, or given rife to fo many herifies and fchifms. This is the thing
which confirms fo many ecclefiaflicks in their ignorance and prejudices,
and which keeps them from applying themfelves to the folid parts of
divinity, and to that which is proper to fan6tify men.

Now all thefe defeats are vifible caufes of corruption, which may be
proved by this fingle confideration, that it is in common-places that
Church-men learn their divinity: fuppofe then that thofe books do not
give them a true idea of religion, what religion or whaj: divinity can fuch
men teach their people? One fcholaftick and injudi.v-'ms author who is
in credit in a country, and who is patronized by a profcfibr, is enough to
fpoil the minds of young divines, and to bring into repute the moil abfurd
and dangerous opinions and fyftems.

Tho' catechifms are not ufually reckoned among divinty-books, yet it
will not be ufelefs to fay fomething of them here, fome great men have
befiowed their pains upon works of this kind to very good purpofe ; and yet
in this refpedl there is Hill fomething to be defired for publick edification.

1. It is to be wifhed that thofe fubjeds fliould only be treated in cate-
chifms, which ought to be handled there, and that all the matters and
queftions which are above the reach of the people and of children, or
which are not neceflary to falvation, fhould be banifhed from thence.

2. That fome eflential articles, about which catechifms are very jejune
fhould be added to them, and particularly thefe three ; a general idea of
the hiftory of the bible j the main proofs of the fundamental truths of re-
ligion ; and an exadl explication of the duties of morality. This laft
article is for the moft part extremely negle6ted in catechifms ; nothing
can be more dry and fnperficial than what they fay upon the decalogue,

3. It would be fitting to make fome alteration in the method obferved in
catechifms; for they are not all familiar enough: fchool-terms or figura-
tive phrafes are ufed in them j which either the people do not underftand,
or to which they affix falfe idea's. For inftance, I would not have it faid,
That the eucharijl is thejymbol of our fpiritual nourifimerd^ and of our union
•with Jtfus Chriji : for befides that this is not an exact difinition, this ftylc
is not proper for a catechifm. Thefe words Jynihoi, fpiritual nourijhmenty
union with Jefus Chrifiy are figurative and obfcure terms, would not the
thing be plainer both to children and to every body, if we fhould fay, that
the eucharifl is a facred action and ceremony, wherein Chriftians eat
bread and drink v/ine, which are diftributed in remembrance of the death
of Chrift, and of the redemption wrought by him ? In thofe works which
are intended for youth and for the common people, it concerns an author
to be clear and accurate, to omit nothing that is eflential, to fay nothing
that is needlefs, to ufe plain and proper expreflions, and to propofe
nothing but what is natural and eafy to be apprehended. Catechifms
are deligned to give children the firft tin6tures and idea's of religion:
now thofe idea's, we know, commonly ftick by them as long as they
live; if then they are not clear and true, it is not polTible for them ever

be well acquainted with their religion,

^ IH. Tho

Cause VIL Corruption of Chrijltans, l^g

III. The tliird fort of books are thofe of morality. This important
part of religion which regulates manners, has been treated with a great
ideal of folidity and force in feveral excellent works. Nay, it is obferv-
ed, That morality is more cultivated of late than it has been heretofore.
But it were to be wifhed that the good books of morality we have at this
day, were of a more general ufefulnefs than they are. The beft works
of this kind, are above the people's capacity. There are various things
in them, relating either to the reafoning part, the turn of thoughts, or
the ftyle, which cannot be underftood, but by knowing and difcerning
perfons. Almoft all the able men who write lipon morals have this fault.
That they fpeak too much like ingenious men, and do not accommodate
themfelves enough to the capacity of the readers. They do not confi-
der, that they ought to be ufeful to every body, that what feems clear to
them, is obfcure to the greateft part of thofe who perufe their writings,
and that a book of morality, which is only underftood by men of parts
or learning, is of a very limited ufefulnefs. They fhould therefore, at
leaft in fome of their v/orks, endeavour to fpeak in a popular manner,
and to handle matters with all poflible clearnefs and fimpiicity. This
would be no difparagement to them, and the doing it well would, I
think, require all the abilities, parts, and talents, of the befl writers :
it is more difficult than it feems, to fpeak or write in fuch a manner, as
that a man (hall fay all that is proper to be faid, and at the fame time be
intelligible to all forts of perfons.

But if there are good books of morality, there are many on the other
hand, which have confiderable faults in them, and thofe faults are of
great confequence, becaufe morality ill explained, is capable of doing
more hurt than good.

I. An author who treats of morality fhould always have thefe two
rules in his view. i. To explain exadly the nature of the duties which
it prefcribes. And 2. To perfuade nien to the prailice of thofe duties,.
Now thefe two rules have not been fufficiently obferved by all thefe who
have publifhed moral books, i. They do not always reprefent with due-
exa6lnefs the nature of vice or virtue. Either the notions they give of
them are not true, or they are too general. On the one hand, they are
not accurate enough, in defcribing the true characters of each virtue and
vice ; and on the other hand, they do not diftinguilh their various kinds
and degrees, which yet ought to be done if they intend that men fhould
know their own pi6lures. 2. They do not prefs men enough to the
pradlice of virtue. The end of morality, is to work upon man's heart
and pallions. In order to compafs this end two things are necelTary,
I. That all thofe great motives which the Gofpel affords, fhould be;
llrongly urgeH : and 2. That thefalfe reafons and motives which engage
men into the love of this world and give them any averfion to holinefs,
fhould be confuted. Morals cannot be ufefuily handled without the ob-.
fervation of thefe two maxims, the fecondefpecially : for the reafon why
many are not prevailed upon by the arguments and motives which arq.
offered to them, is, becaufe they are hindred by other arguments and
motives. A reader frames in himfelf a hundred objections againfl what
he reads in a book of morality ; man's heart is no fooner inclined to any
vice, but it grows ferj;il.e in evafions, reafons, and pretences. Ever>s^

i*00 Caufes of the prefeut Part II.

fmner has his excufes and his fhifts. If thefc who teach morality do not
obviate thofe objeftions and dcflroy thofe excufes, they can never obtain
their defign j but this is a trouble which few authors care to take upon
them.

2. Books of morals would produce more fruit than they do, if the
morality they teach was neither too much relaxed, nor too fevere. Mo-
rality is relaxed, when it does not propofe the duties of a Chriftian life
in their full extent, or when it does not afTert the abfolute neceflity of the
obfervation of thofe duties. It is ftrained and too fevere, when it im-
pofes duties which God has not commanded, or which cannot poflibl-y
be pra£lifed ; and when it ranks among lins things which are innocent.
I touch this only by the by, becaufe I have fpoken already in fome other
places of this Treatife, both of the remifs and over-fevere notions which
men form to themfelves about religion. See Part I. Caufe I. Art. 11.
and Caufe II. Art. V. VI. and Part II. Caufe III. Art. I.

3. Some of the authors who handle morality are guilty of another
fault, and that is a want of accuracy and exaftnefs in their ideas and
reafonings. They do not confider enough, whether every thing they
advance is ftridly folid and true, whether the principles they lay down
will hold, whether their maxims are not flretched too far or abfurd, whe-
ther they do not contradid themfelves, whether they do not make ufe of
frivolous reafons, whether nothing is falfe or mean in the motives they
urge ; in a word, whether or not their works will be able to ftand the
cenfure of a judicious reader. Moralifts as well as the generality of
preachers, are a little too much carried away by the heat of their ima-
gination and zeal, and they do not reafon enough. They often go about
to move people with rhetorical figures, rather tlian by dint of reafons.
And this is a very ill method. In matters of morality, it chiefly con-
cerns a man to fpeak and to argue clofe ; without this it is impoflible
that he (hould either convince the mind or produce a folid and difcerning
piety.

4. The world is full of books of morality, and yet there are feverai
important fubje6ls which have not hitherto been treated as they ought,,
or if they have, it was in works which are not read by the people.
Thofe who fludy morality are often fenfible of this defeil, and complain
juftly that they do not find in books, all the light and helps they look
■for there : it is but of late that any thing has been writ with exadnefs.

in French, upon reftitution. Who can doubt but that a good book
concerning impurity would be highly ufeful ? This lin is exceeding com-
mon, but i"t is one of thofe about which the people are the leaft Inftrua-
ed. If Chriftians underftood the nature of this vice, its confequences»
and the duties of thofe who have fiillen into it, they would certainly avoid
it more carefully than they do. I might fay the fame of injuflice, of
fwearing, and of fome other fubjedls.

IV. I come in the laft place, to books of devotion : it is very necef-
fary to make a right choice of them, becaufe of all the books of religion*,
they are thofe which are the moft read.

1. I cannot help faying in the firft place, That there are books of d^-»
votion which are capable of introducing corruption of manners, and di-
verting Chriftians from the ftudy of holinefs. We may cafily apprehend

how

Cause VII. . Corruptkn of Chrijlzans, 301

how there fliould be books of this kind, if we confider that many, even
among divines, think it dangerous to infift upon good works, and to
prefs morahty : and there are books of devotion, which were made on
purpofe to maintain fo ftrange an opinion. Some authors have taught
that true devotion and folid piety, is not that which confifts in the prac-
tice of good works ; they have writ that the doctrine which reprefents
good works as a necefTary condition in order to falvation, overthrows the
do(5lrine of juftification by faith ; that works cannot be looked upon as
the way to heaven ; that all we have to do now under the Gofpel-co-
venant, is to receive and to accept of the falvation purchafed for us ; and
that the Gofpel requires works, only from the motives of gratitude and
iove. Nay thofe authors enter into difpute ; they attempt to refute the
arguments drawn from the exhortations, promifes and threatnings of
Scripture which might be urged againft them, and they tax with Phari-
faifm or Pelagianifm, thofe who are of an opinion contrary to theirs,
I cannot think the authors of fuch books did publifh them with ill in-
tentions, but I could wifli they had abftained from writing things which
give fuch mighty advantages to libertines, and which may blaft the fruit
of all the books of morality, and of all the exhortations which are ad-
drelfed to fmners. And yet thefe books are printed, and which is more
furprizing, thofe divines who are fo rigid and fcrupulous in point of books
and fentiments, do not oppofe the publifhing of fuch works, but they
lufFer them quietly to pafs for current in the world.

2. The books of myftical devotion are likewife moft dangerous ; and
their number is greater than we imagine. For to fay nothing of thofe
in which myftical and fanatical principles are openly propofed, many
works which are otherwife fuH of good things are iprinkled with that
fpirit of fanaticifm. I fhall not ftand to give here the character of thofe
books, nor to Ihew the mifchief they may do in relation to libertines, oir
to thofe perfons who want either knowledge or a difcerning judgment ;
tecaufe 1 will not repeat what I have faid of myftical piety. Part I',
Caufe II. Art. VIII.

3. Some authors who have put out books of piety have made it their
whole bufinefs to adminifter comfort. Thofe who read their works^
may eafily fee that they looked upon the comfortable fide of religion,
and that their principal defign was, to fill their readers, with confidence,
hope and joy. Without doubt it is a laudable and pious defign, to ufe
one's endeavours to comfort the afBided, and particularly good men ;
and I confefs that we find in the books which have been compofed with
that view, many edifying things and noble fentiments of piety ; but for
all that, thofe books may eafily infpire men with fecurity when the con-
folations which they difpenfe, are not attended with great circumfpedion
and prudence.

I could wifla that all thofe who have publifhed books of this kind, had
well confidered thefe two following truths. The firft is, That the com-
forts which religion affords, belong only to true Chriftians ; fo that is an
eflential part of the duty of comforters, carefully to diftinguifh perfons,
?nd to mark clearly who thofe are that have a right to religious comforts.
The fecond is, that it is as necefl'ary to fan»5tifie, as it is to comfort
men j nay, That the fandtifying them is the more neceflary of the two,
e becaufe

^61 Canfes of the prefent P ART IT.

beQauleiloliners is more eflential to a good mail, than confolation and
jby ; and alfo becaufe men are much more incUned to prefume than to
Condemn themfelves ; befides that there are but few who v/ant comfort,
in cbmparifon with thofe who ought to be terrified.
■ The co'nfolations of which the books of piety are full, are intended
either for afRidled perfons or for fmners. As for the firft, it is better to
teach them hoW to make a good ufe of their affli6lions, and to bring them
to examine and amend their lives, thari to difcourfe to them upon fome
general topick of comfort, which perhaps will only lay them fafter afleep
Ki fecurity, and which Is befides generally mifappHed. For all that the
Gofpel fays of affli£lions is commonly laid together, and that too with
ho great judgment ; and what is faid only of the afflictions of the
faithful who fufFer for Chrift's fake, is applied to the affli6lions which
are cpmrnon to all mankind. It is much more riecelTary to teach men
how to die well, than to fortify them againft the fear of death ; nay, we
cannot give them a more fubfiantial comfort, than if we perfuade them
to live well, fince a good life will moft certainly bring them to a happy
death.

But we ought to be particularly cautious when we comfort finners and
give them afliirances of the divine mercy ; for if this is not done with
great circumfpe6tion, we may eafily harden and ruin at the fame time,
that we are comforting them. This is the mifchief of thofe books,
which fpeak but little of repentance and Infift much upon confidence,
whofe only defign it is to encourage the greateft finners, and to exhort
them to a bold reliance upon God's mercy, without fearing either the
heinoufnefs, or the multitude of their fins. Such confolations are ca-
pable of a good fenfe ; but if they are not propofed with due explication
and reftrldions, vaft numbers of people will abufe them. That which
has been writ by fome authors in books of devotion, concerning fin and
good works, is apt to lead men into this fancy, That good works fignify
nothing in order to falvatlon, and that fin does not obftrufl it. Under
pretence of anfwering the accufations of the devil and of the law, thefe
authors enervate the ftrongeft arguments for the neceffity of good works,
they confute the declarations of Scripture concerning fanftification, and
they deftroy as much as in them lies, the fincerity and truth of the pre-
cepts and threatnings of the Gofpel. For what they call the accufa-
tions of the devil and of the law, is fometimes nothing elfe but the juft
apprehenfions of a guilty confcience which are infpired by the Gofpel,
and which fhould be cherifhed and fortified to bring finners to repen-
tance, inftead of being removed by ill-difpenfed confolations.

It is faid to this, that finners are not to be driven to defpair. But do
we make finners defperate, by faying that they are not in a ftate of faU
vation, when really they are not I Do we not comfort them enough,
when we exhort them to have recourfe to God's mercy and to repent ?
What if we fliould by unfeafonable confolations, fill them with a vain
and groundlefs confidence ; would not that fecurity ruin them more cer-
tainly than defparatlon ? To make men fearlefs is the ready way to undo
them. After all, I cannot imagine, why people ihould talk fo much of
defpair, and feem fo hugely afraid of it. By the endeavours ufed in books
and.fermons to ke'ep finners from it, one v/ould think that we had great

reafon

Cause VII. Conuptwn of Chri/iians. ^V^'

jeafon to fear on that hand, and that nothing were more ordinary than
for men to defpair of the divine mercy ; and yet there is nothing more
unufual. For one fmner who is terrined with his fins, thoufands are un-
done by fecurity. It is remarkable that the Scripture fpeaks but feldomi
of defpair, and when we have well examined all the places which are
thought to mention it, we fliall not find many that fpeak pofitively of it.
Many Church-men who have cure of fouls, confefs that they never faw
any perfon affliiled with defpair. And as for the inftances which are al-
ledged to this purpofe,it is certain that what is called defperation is com-
monly nothing elfe but a fit of the fpleen and an effe61: of grief and me-
lancholy. So that thofe who make long difcourfes to prevent finners
falling into defpair, take great pains to little purpofe, and do for the moft
part fight with a lliadow. >

4. There is another fault in fome books of devotion quite contrary
to this I have now obferved, which is, that they terrify their readers, with-
out reafon. If authors, otherwife pious and learned, had not fpoken in
their writings of the fin againft the Holy Ghofl, of reprobation, defpair,
the power of the devil, and of fome other matters, many people would
have been free from thofe terrible frights which the indifcreet handling
of thofe fubjeds did throw them into. The reading of fuch books has
occafioned, and does ftill produce great mifchiefs, when they are read by
men of weak heads, that are inclined to melancholy ; and the number
of fuch perfons is very confiderable. Some have fancied they had com-
mitted the fin againft the Holy Ghoft ; and being poflefled with that dif-
mal thought, they have fpent their liv^es in dreadful apprehenfions, of
which nothing could cure them. Others have imagined. That their cafe
was defperate, and that they were in a ftate of reprobation, and damna-
tion ; others have conceited, that they were' given up to the power of
fatan ; and they have taken the diforders of imagination, for certain figris
of their being pofleffed with an evil fpirit : and the worft of it is, that
fuch indifcreet difcourfes are more apt to alarm good, than wicked men.
In fine, I reckon among the books that fright men without caufe,
all thofe which contain too rigid and auftere maxims of devotion and
morality.

5. Piety would be better known, and more efteemed than it Is, if
books of devotion were always writ with judgment, and good fenfe, and
if there was nothing in them, but what, upon a fevere exaniination,
would appear to be ftridly true. Thofe who fet about works of this
nature, do generally make it their bufinefs to move the heart, and to
excite fentiments of piety. This is a good defign ; but we ought to know
that it is the force of reafons ; the evidence of proofs, the greatriefs of
the objedts propofed, and the clearnefs and folidity of what a man fays,
which does truly affect the heart. This is what judicious authors chiefly
mind ; and thereby many have had good fuccefs in thofe excellent works
which they have enriched the publick with. But other writers do not
confider this ; they rather choofe to fay tender and pathetical things,
than to think, or fpeak v/Ith exadtnefs : they confult imagination more
than good fenfe, they pour out every thing, which is in the heat of medi-
tation, or "in the fervency of their zeal, feems to them proper to move,
to melt, to comfort, or to terrific. Hence it is, that there are weak

o places

304 Caufes of the prefent Part IL

places in their books and thoughts ; which appear mean, and even falfe,
to difcerning readers j contradi6tions, and fuch like^defedts : for on the
one hand, they produce only a confufed, and not a very rational devo-
tion, in thofe who read . and relifli them: and on the other hand, they
expofe religion to the flouts, and contempt of libertines. We are often
troubled and fcandalized, to find, that fome men of parts exprefs but
little efteem for books of piety : we hear it is faid every day, that thofe
books are only good for women, and for the vulgar. This contempt
chiefly proceeds from a profane humour, and from libertinifm ; but it
fprings likewife from the want of exaitnefs and folidity, which is obferv-
able in fome books of devotion,

6. Divers confiderations might be ofi'ered here about thofe books
which contain forms of prayers and devotion ; but I fhall confine my
fclf to thefe two, which appear to me the moft material. The firft is.
That thofe kinds of forms, make all forts of perfons indifferently, and
even good men fay things, which cannot agree, but to the greatefl and
the mofl notorious finners ; which gives people this dangerous notion,
That all men, without excepting the regenerate, are extremely corrupt.
In divers prayers we plainly fee, that thofe who compofed them, had ho
other defign, than to draw the picture of the moft heinous finners, and
that they fuppofcd all men engaged in a deep corruption, and in the moft
criminal diforders. Exaggerations, and hyperboles, are fo little fpared
by fome people upon this head, that they utter abfurdities and falfhoods
in their prayers : as when they fay,. That ever fince we were born, w^
have been continually, and every moment, offending God, by thoughts;
words, and deeds. ■ '

1 do not deny, but that {uch prayers may have their ufe, provided no-
thing be faid in them that is extravagant, or contrary to truth and com--
mon fenfe ; they fit great numbers of perfons : there are but too many
of thofe wretched Chril^ians, who can never fufiiciently bewail the enor-
mity of their fins, and the irregularities of their condudl. I know be-
fides, that all men are finners, and that the heft of them have reafon to
humble and abafe themfelves in the fight of God, out of a fenfe of their
own weaknefs and unworthinefs. Neverthelefs, fince the Scripture
makes a difference between good and bad men, it is at leaft a great piece
of imprudence, to appoint the fame language for both, and to make
them all fpeak as if they were guilty of the moft horrid crimes, and as
if there was not one good man in the world. This takes away the di'f-
tinftion between the finners and the righteous ; for if thefe prayers are
proper for all forts of perfons, if all that is faid in them is true, it is a
vain thing to diftinguifti a good man from a bad ; and, it is to no purpofb
to pray to God for his converting grace, or to make any promife of
amendment to him : all thofe leffons of holincfs which the Gofpel gives
us, are but fine ideas ; all men are upon the matter equally bad, and they
may all be the objedls of God's mercy, how irregular foever their deport-
ment may be. Thefe are the inferences which may be drawn from thofe
forms of devotion I have mentioned, and which finners do adually draw
from them. From all this, I conclude, That in fuch works it is necef-
fary to diftinguifh perfons and conditions : and this accordingly has been
judicioufly obfervcd by fome authors.

The

Cause VII. Corruption of Cbri/ilans. 3^5

The other confideration relates to the form of prayers ; thcfe are not
always plain enough. They are fometimes ftudied difcourfes, which have
more of art and wit than of afFe£tion in them. And we may eafily dif-
cern how far moll prayers are removed from a due fimplicity, if we com-
pare them with thofc v/hich are contained in holy Scripture, or with the
ancient way of praying which vi'as received in the Church, and of which
we may judge by the liturgies which are now ufed, or Vv^hich have reach-,
ed to us. Prayers were neither fo intricate then, nor fo long as they are
now. Long preambles were not ufed in the beginning of prayers, and
men did not then by fo many VvMndings approach the throne of grace, to
confefs their fins, ai;d to beg pardon for them. Prayers then were fhort,
fimplp and natural, much titter to excite devotion, to lift up the heart
to God, and to nourilh piety and zeal, than many forms which obtain
at this day.

7. Of all the books of piety, none are more carefully read ; and none
perhaps have a greater influence upon the conduiland manners of Chrif-
tians, than th^ books of preparation for the holy communion. The ufe
of the facrament is one of the moft important asSLs of religion, and one
of the moft efficacious means to promote piety ; and it is certain that
the books which people read, in order to prepare themfelves for that fa-
cred adion, contribute very much to the good or bad ufe of the eucha-
rift, and by confequence to the good or ill life of Chriftians. Nov/ what
I have faid of the other books o'i devotion may be applied to thefe. Some
books of this kind are extraordinary good, but there are others, in v/hich
among many good things fome dcfedts are obfervable, and particularly
thefe three.

1. All the books of preparation for the holy Communion, are not in-
ftru6tive and folid enough. We ^wd nothing elfe in fome of them, but
a heap of thoughts, which have no dependance upon one another, of rhe-
torical figures, allegories, and comparifons fetched from the Old Teila-
ment, or from prophane hiftory. Theie things may have their ufe; they
may be placed in a fermon : but not to-fav that fometimes, thofc thoughts
and comparifons are not very appofite or fuitable to the fubjecti:; I ihall
only obferve. That fomething more than this is neceilary, to ftir up de-
votion in the communicants, I do but juit name this, becaufe I have
delivered my opinion more at large concerning this defeiSl, in my three
reflections upon books of morality, and in the fifth upon books of
devotion.

2. Other books of preparation are too general. They only confider
in the lump the duties of Chriftian.s in reference to the communion ; they
fpeak of felf-examination, repentance, faith and charity: but all this is of
no great u(e to many grofs and ignorant Chriftians, who neither know
thofe duties, iKjr how they ought to be performed. Befides, all thofc who
come to the facrament are not in the fame condition, fome being good
men, and others impious and hypocritical perfons. There are likcwifo
feveral degrees of good men as well as of hypocrites and ungodly perfoiis,
and the lame man may be better or v/orfe at one time than he is at an-
other. Therefore it would be fitting that books of preparation, were
compofed in fuch a manner, that every reader ma^ be led by them, imo
thole r-flciHons which are fuitable to the ftate he is in. It. is a groft

Vol. VI. U error

3o6 Caiijes of the prejhit f*ART II,

error to imai^iiie, that a general preparation or difcouiTe concerning the
deceiving of the facrament, is proper for all forts of perfons. I confefs
that this is not the fault of all the books of preparation, fome we have,
■W'hich are particular enough. The true charailers by which every man
may know his own ftate, are very exa6lly defcribed by fome authors; but
it is an unhappinefs that fuch works, are not better calculated for the ufe
of the common people.

3. I think I may fafely fay in the third place, That the too fevere no-
tion which fome books give of the communion, is one of the caufes, why
fo many people do neither live, nor receive the facrament asthey ought.
It is a fad thing that the minds of Chriftians (hould be filled with fo many
fcruples in relation to the facrament, by inconfiderate difcourfes and over-
ftrained maxims j writers and preachers do fometimes fpeak of the holy
facrament, as if every thing in it was full of fnares, and as if hell and
damnation were conftantly waiting about it. They reprefent the com-
munion, as fo extraordinary, fo difficult and fo dangerous an adtion, that
thofe who read or hear thofe difcourfes, are tempted to keep off from the
holy table, and defpair of partaking of it as they ought. So that whereas
there fhould be nothing but joy, when the eucharift is celebrated in the
church, many are then agitated with extreme perplexities and terrors.

By this indifcreet feverity it happens, that many good men receive the
facrament without comfort; ,becaufe their confciences are difturbed with
divers fcruples, which proceed from the reading of thofe books. There
is a great number of pious Chriftians, v/ho never receive the facrament
but with ftrange apprehenfion and dread, infomuch that feveral think they
receive it to their condemnation. Nay this difcourages likewife many
fmners who have fome inclinations to good, and fome defire to fet about
the work of repentance. Indeed we muft take heed not to flatter fmners
in their vices, nor to propofe to them too eafie a devotion and morality.
It is very fit in my judgment, to give them a great idea of the purity
which is required in fo holy and folemn an adtion as the communion is,
and of the flate which a Chriftian ought then to be in. But as this ftate
of purity and holinefs is attained only by degrees ; that idea, how true
foever it may be, is apt to fright a finner, in the begiiming of his conver-
fion^ becaufe he does not find in hlmfelf at firft, all the characters of true
repentance and fincere regeneration ; he ought therefore to be informed,
that the beginnings of repentance are weak, that it has its degrees and its
progrefs ^ and fo that he ought not to be difheartned ; that God will ac-
cept of his devotion and endeavours, provided his repentance increafe
afterv/ards and he forfake his fins honeftly. The matter is over-done in
point of devotion and morality, not only when we propofe rules which are
too rigid, but alfo when we fay things, which tho' true and confonant to
the Gofpel, are not fufficiently accommodated to the ftate of thofe w^
fpeak to.

. Thefe arc tlie principal refle£lIons 1 thought fit to beftow, both upon
l^ooks of religion and upon, bad books. All that remains now is to in-
quire, what remedies are to be applied to the caufe of corruption. Tlie
foreft of all would be to exterminate all the ill books, and to take care that
none fuch ftiould be made for the time to come. But as this is not to
be hopedj the only remedy which can be tried, is on the oni? hand, to
a prevent

Cause VII. Corruption of Chr'i/iianf, 307

prevent as much as we can the effect of bad books •, and on the other,
to engage men to read and to make a good ufe of good books.

The books which are contrary to religion and good manners may ea-
fily be known; but how to keep men from reading arid being corrupted
by them is the difficulty: and in all probability this is a point which wia
never be entirely gained. Yet I think it is not impoffible to prevent in fomS
meafure the mifchief which thofe books occafion in the world. In order
to this, it would be requifitCjto take care in the firft place, that young peo-
ple might not read books which infpire libertinifm. To this end, the
authors who have writ things repugnant to modefty and honefty, fhould
be expelled the fchools. It is a furprizing thing that the ecclefiafticksi
who have the diredlion of academies and colleges, and who arc bound by
their characters to redrefs this abufe, have not done it yet. In the next
place it would be neceflary, that in families, books that are apt to cor-
rupt youth {hould be taken out of their way, and that they fhould not be
indulg'd in dangerous readings. As for the reft, I fee no other remedy,
but that preachers ftiould ftrongly infift in their fermons, upon the rea-
fons which ought to make Chriftians averfe to the reading of ill books.
I know that all thefe precautions, will not wholly fupprefs thofe books ;
nor prevent their being read by divers perfons, but we may however gain
thus much, that ill books fhall not be fo freely and fo commonly read as
they are, and that they Iball do lefs hurt.

As for books of religion, every one fliould endeavour to difcern thofe
which are good, and to make a good ufe of them. Indeed the difcern-
ing and the choice of books of religion, is attended with fome difficulty.
The general rule is to chufe thofe which are inftru6live and edifying.
Every body will own this to be a good rule, but all men do not agree in
the application of it. What feems edifying to fome, appears quite other-
wife to others. In point of religion all men fliould be of the fame mind,
fince they are all bound to believe the fame truths, and pradtife the fame
duties, but their taftes are different, becaufe many of them have a vitiated
palate.

To fpeak my mind upon this fubjeft, I think that Chriftians flioulJ
chiefly ftick to thofe books, which prove the truths of religion, and
which eftablifh by folid arguments the fundamental articles of the Chrf-
ftian faith, and to thofe which give a clear and exadl view of the duties
of morality : to thefe it may be ufeful to add the works, in which we find
the examples of perfons eminent for their piety and virtue. Such exam-
ples are very efficacious to excite men to the pracStice of what is good,
and they prove a great prefervative againft the icandal occafioned by bad
example, and againft the corruption of the age. But not to enlarge
further upon the choice of books, I refer the reader to what has been faid
in this chapter.

A judicious choice of books being once made, the next thing is to
make a good ufe of them. And here two rules are to be obferved. i. A
man ftiould read with judgment; and, 2. he fhould read in order to
practice.

I. What book foever we read, it is abfolutely neceffary to read it with
difcretion and judgment. We are commanded in Script Vfe, * To prove
U 2 al^

' I Their. V. 21. 1 John Iv. 1,

368 Canjes d/ the prefent Part If.

alltlnngs^ ^ntl to hdd faji that which is good; to try the J'pir'its and the doc-
irines whether they ^Y£ of God. This caution is to be uled left we fall into
errors, fince every author is a man, and by confequence may fometimes
be miftaken. The common people do particularly need this advice,
becaufe they are very apt to believe, that whatfoever is read in books,
efpecially in books of devotion, is true. But tho' a book (hould contain
iiothini; but vi^hat is goodj difcretion is neceflaryto make ajuft applica-
tion ofthe contents of it to our felves, becaufe that which is proper for
fome is not fuitable to others. The not obfcrving this rule is the rea-
fon whv fome readers, who have a pure, but a timorous and fliort-fighted
confcience, are terrified without caufe, and apply to themfelves v/hat is
faid onlv of wicked men -, when on the otlier hand, hardned finners de-
ceive themfelves with vain hopes, by adapting to themfelves, what relates
only to good men-

2. We ought to read, in order to praftice, and that we may grow bet-
ter ; this is the more important rule of the two, and that which diftin-
o-uifhes true from hypocritical devotion. Many are very regular and
conftant in reading, and theyfeldom fail to do it mornings and evenings:
hut the deportment of thofe perfons who arc fo afliduous in the perufing
of good books, is not always agreeable to the rules of devotion and piety.
When they are but juft come from their reading, we may find them often
fowT, pcevifli, and palTionate •, after they ha\ e read in the morning, they
fpend the day m llandering, gaming, or idlenefs, and they avoid only the
groiler, and the more noifie fins. There are readers of another cha-
raiSter; they read, and even delight in the reading of books of religion:
they like well enough thofe works which prove the truths of the Chriftian
religion, or treat of morals ; they fpeak of them advantageoufly, and they
will fay hne things coi^.<?erning the abufes which are crept into religion,
and upon the necelTity and the beauty of morals ; but all this terminates
only in a vain and fruitlefs approbation, which they give to the truths
and duties of the Goipel; for after all, they reform nothing in their
Hv-es : fuch readings are but mecr amufements, and they are good for
nothing but to rock confcience into a moll dangerous fleep. The enA
of reading, as well as that of religion, ought to be the pradice of holinefs.
I fKsU heie obferve, laft of all. That Chriftians have a book, which
alone might fuffice to preferve them from the danger of ill books, and to
fectire them againft the corruption of the age, if they did ufe it as they
ought; I mean the holy Scripture : it is the beft of all books, a work di-
vijiely iiifpireil, which contains nothing but what is mod excellent and
tftii/c, and wherein we liad every thing that is neceflary to inilrudt, and to
(antSifie men- But it were to be wiflied,

1. That the tranilations of Scripture, wiiich are in the hands of tiie
people, /hfDtdd be rendered more perfect, fo that they might exprefs the
ienfe o^ facred authors with all poiTible exa6tnefs. All thofe who have
^nAiei. the original text of the Bible, will own, that this is a neceflary
workt aad that the tranflations need fome amendments. And fo we fee
auCiCotriiingly-, tliat now and then, divines and tranilators, apply themfelves

N to the correding of them.

2. ft would be to no purpofe to have ex^dSc tranflations of Scripture, if
mee could, not read it.: I liave already remarked it e]fev.:heie, as a crying

and

Cause VII. Cormpuon of Omjluviu jog

and fhamefiii abufe, that a great part of Chriftians fhould not be able to
read. This abufe fhould have been reformed long ago ; and this might
eafily be done, if every paftor did endeavour it in his own church, and if
the raagifh-ates did lend a helping hand towards it,

3. The holy Scripture ihoidd be read more than it is, pnd mcB fbould
make that life of it for which it was given. Other books are tvnly liyeams,
but when we read the Scripture, we drink at the very fountain- head.
Humane books have their fiiults, and therefore they ought to be x'ead with
great difcretion: but this divine bonk is nioft perfedt^ it is x guide to
whofe conduct we may give up our felves without fear or danger : this
being certain, is it not ftrange that the beft of all books fiiould be the
moft neglected ? In many countries the Bible is a book unknown to the
people. In other places the reading of it is permitted but with great
cautions, as if it were dangerous for Chriftians to read a book, by which
God was pleafed to reveal his will to men. In thofe places where Chri-
ftians have an entire liberty to read the Scripture, great multitudes make
no advantage of that freedom. Many that are adclidled to reading leave
the word of God for other books. In a word, very few read it with
Suitable difpofitions, and with a fmcere defign of learning the will of God
and of growing the better by it. And thus the far greater part of man-
kind, is deilitute of the moft efScacious mean and remedy, which the
divine goodnefs has aftbrded to men, to preierve them from the contagioii
of fin, and to make them happy. And fo we need not wonder that the
corruption of Chriftians fhould be fucb, as it hath been reprefented in
this work.

"The Ccnchfion of this Treatife.

c^XXfLs H I S is what I had propofed to fay concerning the Caufes of
-w- T :^: Corruption. I might have been larger upon thefe matters, and
%<X^ have added many things which I have not touched. This is a
very copious field, and a fubject which can hardly be exhaufted j yet I
think I have obferved what is moft material.

But it will be to little purpofe to have detefted the caufes of corrup-
tion, if thofe caufes do ftill fubfift ; and therefore I conclude this work
with an earneft entreaty to my readers. That they will make ferious
refiedions upon it, and that if they find that in fix(3:, corruption proceeds
from thofe caufes I have mentioned, they will ftrive to remove them.
The undertaking will, no doubt, appear very difficult to many. They
will own the truth of what I have faid, but they will look upon the de-
fign of oppofing the corruption of the age, as vain and chimerical.
They will fay that all this is very fine in the theory, but that the practice
of it is impoflible: I confcfs here is fome difficulty, but yet I am per-
fuaded, that what I have propofed might fuccefsfuUy be done, at leaft in
fome refpefls.

But the general caufes of corruption can fcarcc be remedied but by

■ lick:

\J X publi

310 Caufes of the prefc7it Corruption^ id'c. Part II.

publick perfon?. I therefore apply my felf here particularly to divines
and to the paftors of the church, and I conjure them to make it their fe-
ricus bufincf?, to difcover and to ftcp the fprings of corruption. Let thetn
turn all their endeavours that way ; let them labour to difpel the igno-
rance and prejudices which fo many Chriftians live in, and to confute
thofe maxims and fentiments which feed fecurity and libertinifm ; let
them prefs with zeal the reftoring of order and difcipline ; let them in-
ceifantly lay before the people and the magiflrates, the neceflity of re-
dreffing feveral abufes which are now in vogue ; let them inculcate thefe
things and infift upon them with zeal, but at the fame time with pru-
dence and charity; let them concert meafures among themfelves; let
them a6t unanimoufly in fo noble a defign. Above all things let them
take care to feafon young people with good inftru£tion, and to infpire
them with fentiments of religion and virtue. Thefe are the follicitudes
which become the minifters of Jcfus Chrift. Thefe are enterprizes wor-
thy of their character and their zeal, and the things which ought chiefly
to be confidered in the alTemblies of the Clergy. But let them not be
tlifcouraged by the difficulties they are like to meet with. They will
ftill gain fomething, even when they may fancy they labour in vain. If
they do not obtain all that they defire, if they do not cure the whole evil,
they will remove at Icaft fome part of it. So holy an enterprize will
fooner or later be fortunate in the ifTue, and God will pour down a blef-
ilng upon thofe means which he himfelf has appointed.

One would think that Providence is at work to bring about happier
times, and that things are tending that way. This is an age of know-
ledge, and religion is now better proved and explained than ever it was.
There is a confiderable number of judicious and learned divines, and
paftors, who are deeply griev'd to fee the prefent face of things, and who
are fenfible how neceil'ary it would be to oppofe corruption. So many
books which are writ on purpofe to revive true Chriftianity, and to bring
men to holinefs, feem to bode fome blefled revolution, and to argue a
general difpofition towards it, God who prcfides over all things, and
particularly over that which concerns religion, blefs the defigns and en-
deavours of ail thofe, who have good intentions, and grant that we may
quickly fee truth, piety, peace and order, intirely reftored among Chri-
'fuans.

THE

THE

DESIGN

O F

CHRISTIANITY.

INTRODUCTION,

ff*C^!.^HE accufation that Celfus and Julian the grand adverfarles of
;§ T %_ the Chriftian religion, had the impudent confidence to fallen
^5C^>'L? "P°" ^^ » "amely, That it indulgeth men in, and encourageth
them to, the practice of immorality and wickednefs, is fo notorioufly
falfe and groundlefs ; that there is nothing truer, or more perfpicuoufly
held forth in the books that contain Chriftianity, than that the per-
fecflly contrary is the great defign of it. But yet notwithftanding, thofe
that (hall heedfully obferve the lives and actions of an infinite number
of fuch as call Chrift their mafter, would be very fhrewdly tempted un-
doubtedly to conclude, that they fecretly think, what thofe Heathens
had the face to publi(h.

And as for (I fear I may fay) even moft of thofe profeflbrs of faith
in Chrid, which have efcaped the fcandalous and more grofi pollutions
of the world ; that man that fhall take an exact furvey of their conver-
fations alfo, and confider what matters they moft bufi« themfelves
about, what the defigns are which they chiefly profecute, and that not
only as men, but as Chri/lians too; what things they are that exerciTe
moft of their zeal, and for and againft which is fpent the greateft pare
of their religious heat ; will be ftrongly enclined to fufpedl, that, though
they have not entertained fo highly difhonourable an opinion of their
Saviour, as to efteem him a patron of vice, yet they think fo underva-
luingly of him, as to judge him fo mean a friend to holinefs, as that
the promoting it in mens hearts and lives, if it was at all a defign of

U 4 his

,j2 IntroduSiisn.

his comin<y into the world, and of tl)e religion he left hehind him, yet,
it was at bel\ but z bye-one, and that fome other matters were much
more in his eye, and principally intended by him.

Thoii2,h I will not fay that the greater part of our mofl; forward pro-
felTors have their lieads leavened with fuch thoughts, yet any one may
dare to affirm that they behave themfelves exactly as if they had : and
moreover I am abfolutely certain, that it is utterly impolFibie, men
Ihould make fuch a buftle, and flir about matters of none, or but fmaii
importance, to the ferving or prejudicing the real intereft of their fouls ;
and, on the other hand, be as lukewarm!, unconcern'd and.^carelefs in
diverfe thint^s that have the moll immediate and dire£l tendency^to their
eternal weltare ; if thev duly confidered and had a quick fence of what
•was now intimated, viz. That the bufwejs that brought the hlejfed Jcfui by
the appointment of God the Father doujn from heaven ; and the end of his
making us the objeP.s of fuch rich and tranfcendent kindnefs, was the dejiroy-
i,ig ojftn in us,' the renciving of our depraved natures, the ennobling onr fouls
with virtuous jualiiiey and ■.divine diffmfitions and tempers, and (in one
word) thi making ui partakers of bis holinef. And fo loag as. there arifc
but few that either believe or confider, that this is the endof ChriJiianUy,
and that alone which it dire^ly drives at, it cannot be matter of won-
der, if multitudes of thofe which lay a great claim to it, fhould be (as
excellent a religion as it is) little iht better, nay, and in fome refpetS^
even the ivorfe for it.

And on the contrary, it is not to be in the leaft doubted, That no-
thing can be fo available to the introducing of a better (fate of things,
the abating and.perfpaiy quenching our intemperate heats, the regulat-
ins and bringing into due order our wild exorbitances, the governing
and retraining ouf ox,uavapant and heady zeal, the intluing us with
becamiog leinpcrs, fober th:0«gl>tS ^nd good fpirits, as would the
thofow- belief, th.e dv»!e n)lo<^ing and digefting of this one principle.

And for this.r^a:!4Prn, I.am not able to imagine how time may b*
ip«nt to; better piu^pofe, than in endeavouring to poflefs mens mmds
with it.: and to contribute thereunto, what it can, is the bufinefsof
jhis Treatife : wliereof thefe following are the general heads: which
IhaJJ be infifted oniwith all,poJijblc,,pei:fj)icui«y, and convenient bre^
vity^ vi^^i. . .

.'..Yxx9i>,-A plaifi .Demiifiration, thaU True Hnii'i&fi is ihe Special DeJ^n
cfChri/iianity. ^

■■ S^cm^^^', Jft.Jecoant,: hHiv.ii wrm U pafi rihipt , our Sav}pur.;hfi.(h: laid
fuch. Strefs upm tbi:ii. as ia prefer ii:bef^re, all. ojjov, .., ....... .;. ,': - ..

, TiiijcHy,'/f« Improvement: of the ivhok Difcourfe^ mdivt^xfi {(in^mfl
tf:ih'em•^^i2,^^2^) Inferences.

SECT.

The Defign of Chrijiianity, 31.3

SECT. I.

A Denwujl ration^ tl-at True HcUnefi is the Dep.gn of ChriJiianUy,

C H A P. 1.

The Nature of True Hoheft'de^cribed.

^>*!5iJ:.^N order to the demon ftration hereof, it is'tieceflaryto be'pre*"
^J I -^•: mifed, Tiiat the holinefi which is the defign of the religion of
ii_^-^:"jj;^ Chrift Jcjus^ and is by various forms of fpeech exprefs'd in thfc
Gofpei (as by godlinefs^ right eoufuefs, convcrfion and turning from ftn^ par'*-
taking of a divine nature^ with many other) is fuch as is fo in the moft
proper znd higheji fence: not fuch as is fubje6led in any thing without
■us, or is made ours by a. mete extenml application, -.or is on\y partial:
but is originally feated in the /owl and fpinty is a coinplication and com-
bination of all virtues, and hath an influence upon the whole man (as
(hall hereafter be made to appear) and may be defcribed after this
manner* '

- It is fo found and healthful a complexion/ 'offoul^ as maintatmin life and
vigour what foever is efjential to it, and fuffers not any thing unnatural ta
/nix with that which is fo ; by the force and. pnver .whereof a man is enabled
to behave hinijelj as becometh a creature indued iviih' a principle of rtafon ;
-htpz his fapreme f acuity in its thrcnx^ i)rmgs into due jubje£licn aid- his infe-
riour oneSy his fenjual -imagination, his briaip.i pafftansand affe^iions.

It is .the purity of the human£.:naiure, engaging thofe in- whom' it refides,
■to demean themfelves fuitabiy to ihat flate inijolmp God. hath placed thm-i axd
not to att difl^ccomvigly in any-condition^ . cirxumflancei or relation. :r' ■"

// is a diznne or gsdlike naiureif caufwg an 'hearty approbation of and an
affe^ionate compliance with the ■eternal laws jof righteoufriefs :^ ana a behaviour
agreeable to the efjential and immutable differences of good and eviL
• But to be fomewhat moreexprefs and diftin^t, though very brief.
(.: T\\\i. hoUuejs is fo excellent a;principdie>; or habit;of foul,, as caufetfi
.ihofe that are potTefled af:at. (LmeatarfafenfbC'm'asfSt isvigoram aod
.-predoniinaat in them,) - ■ • : ■. .; ',■ • , -■ ' ' 1 ;; , .

Firft, To perform alJ good, and virtuous a6f ions, whenfbever there
is Qccafion and opportunity ; anxl ever carefully to abftain from thofe
that are of a contrary nature.

Secondly, To do the one, and avoid the other, from truly ;^^«<fr^2/^
moiives and principles.

Now, in order to the right underftandlngof this, it isto:beobferv'-d.
That aciions qwy become duties ox fins thefe two ways. :■ -

Firft, As they are compliances Vs^ith, or tranfgreffions of divine pofi^
tim precepts. Theie are fuch declarations of the will of God, as re-

e firain

314 'The Defign of Chrijiianity. S E c t , I.

ftrain our liberty for great and wife reafons, in things that are of ati
indifferent nature, and abfolutely confidered, neither good, nor evil :
and fo makes things not good in themfelves (and capable of becoming
fo, only by reafon of certain circumftances) duties ; and things not evil
in themfelves, fms. Such were all the injundtions and prohibitions of
the ceremonial law ; and fome few fuch we have under the Gofpel.

Secondly, Adions are made duties or /;«;, as they are agreeable or
oppdfite to the divine moral laws : that is, Thofe which are of an in-
difpenfable and eternal obligation, which were firft written in mens
hearts, and originally dictates of humane nature, or necefTary conclu-
lions and dedudions from them.

By the way, I take it for granted (and I cannot imagine how any
conftderat'ive^ fuppofing he be not a very debauch'd^ perfon can in the
leafl: doubt it,) that there are firft principles in morals^ as well as in the
mathematickst mctaphyftcks, t5fc. I mean fuch. as are felf-evident, and
therefore not capable of being properly demonftrated ; as being no lefs
knowable and eafily afl'ented to, than any propofition that may be
■brought for the proof of them.

Now the holinefs we are defcribing is fuch, as engageth to the per-
formance of the former fort of duties^ and forbearance of the former fort
'^f ffjSy for this reafon primcirily, becaufe it pleafeth Almighty God to
<Jdmmand the one, and forbid the other : which reafon is founded upon
•tlus certain principle ; That it is moji highly becoming all reafonable crea-
'iures to obey God in every thing ; and <;; much difhecoming them^ in any thing
to difobey him. And fecondarily, upon the account of the reafons (if
they are known) for which God made thofe laws. And the reafons of
ih^pofttive laws contained in the Gofpel are declared, of which I know
not above three that are purely fo, viz. That of going to God by Chrift,
.and the inftitutions oi baptifm and the Lord's fupper.

Again, This holinefs is fuch as engageth to the performance of the
duties^ and forbearance of tht fins of the fecond kind; not merely becaufe
it is the divine pleafure to publifti commands oi thofe, and prohibitions
oi thefe-y but alfo, and efpecially, for the r^^y^wi, which moved God to
make thofe publications : rtamely, becaufe thofe are good in themfelves^
and infinitely becoming creatures indued with underflanding and li-
berty of will J and thefe are no lefs evil in their own nature^ and unwor-
thy of them.

That man that would forbear, gratefully to acknowledge his obliga-
tions to God, or to do to his neighbour as he would that he fhould do
to him, &c. on the one hand; and would not flick at di(honouring his
maker, or abufmg his fellow creatures in any kind, &:c. on the other;
if there were no written law of God for the former, and againft the
latter; doth not thofe duties.^ nor forbears thefe fins, by virtue of an holy
nature that informs and adfs him ; but is .induced thereunto by a mere
animal principle, and becaufe it is his interejlio to do. And the reafon
is clear, becaufe no one that doth thus, only in regard of the written
precepts and prohibitions of the divine Majefly* doth fo out of refpedt
to them, as fuch, but. as they have prcmifes, but efpecially threainiags
annexed to them : for to be fure, he that performs the one, and for-
bears the other frocn any lovely notion he haih of cbediencCf and any

hateful

Chap. 11. The Dtfjgn of Chrljliamty. 315

hateful one he hath conceived 0^ difohedience^ will alfo make confcience
of thofe and the like duties, in regard of the goodnefs, becomingnefs,
and excellency he difcerns in them ; and will abftain from thefe and the
like fins, becaufe of the intrinfick evil, turpitude, and deformity he ap-
prehends in tkem : for thofe are no whit lefs manifeftly lovely, and wor-
thy of mankind, than is obedience to the divine will, confidercd in an
abftra(5led notion ; nor thefe lefs apparently vile, and abominable than
is difobedietice. For, tliat very reafon, that makes it an intolerable thing
to difobey a law of God, [viz. becaufe it is highly uyujl fo to do)
makes it fo alfo to commit the forementioned, and fuch like fins; and
fo on the contrary ; now this propofition. That it is a bafe thing to da
unjujlly^ is one of thofe which I call frjl principle: -y than which there is
nothing mankind doth more naturally aflent to : and thofe fins, with
many other, are alike plain inftances and expreflions of that fliameful
vice injuftice^ though not of an equal degree of it.

The Tum of what we have faid in this account of the nature oUrue
hoUnefs is this, viz. That it is fuch a difpofttion and temper of the inward,
man., as poiverfuUy enclines it carefully to regard and attend to^ affe6lionately
to embrace and adhere to^ to be a^uated by^ and under the government of all
thofe good praHical principles that are made known either by revelation, na-
ture, or the ufe of rtz^on.

Now though nothing is more natural to the fouls of men, confidered
in their pure eflentials, and as they came out of their Creator's hands,
than this mofl: excellent temper; yet by their apoftafie from God, and
fmking into brutifti fenfuality, did they fadly difpoffefs themfelves of it,
and fo became like the beafts which perilli. But it pleafed the infinite
goodnefs of the divine Majefty not to give us over fo ; for when we had
deftroyed our felves, in him was our help found. He greatly concerned
himfelf for the recovery of fallen mankind by various means and me-
thods, and when the world was at the very word, did he make ufe of
the moft fovereign and efFedual remedy. He, who at fundry 'times^ and
in diverfe manners, fpake in time pajl unto the fathers by the Prophets, did
in thefe lajl days fend his dearly beloved and only begotten Son to us. And to
prove that the great errand he came upon was the efFeding of our de-
liverance out of that fmfui ftate we had brought our felves into, and the
putting us again into pofiTeflioa of that holinefs which we had loft, is
now our next bufmefs.

♦i^©©©©©©©©®©©©©©®^©©©©^©^©©©©©©'^^

CHAP. 11.

J general Demonjiration that the Holinefs defcribed is the Deftgn of Chri"
fiicinity^ by a Climax offeven Particulars,

^;C«N the firfj: place, in order to the proof of this, it Is worthy
0 I '^ our obfervation, that St. John the Baptifl being fent to prepare
tj^jij^S^l^ the way before our Saviour, did fo, by teaching the do^^trine

of

J r 6 ^^^ De/iin of Chrijlianiiy^ S e c t . I,

&^ reptniante^, and baptizing men thereunto: and that we no fooner
fead of his appearing in publick, and entriiig upon his office of harbinger
m forerunner y but we tind him preaching thi? doctrine, and making uie
©f the news of the MeJJiaFs approach, as a morive to perfwade them
«o that duty. Matth. xn. i, 2. In thofe days came John the Baptift preach-
ing in the wiUernefs of Jvdea, and faying -, Repent ye, for the kingdom of
}oeamn is at hand. And this was that which the angel foretold T^achariai
lie fliould do, when he gave luin the firft notice that he fliould be the
father of fuch a.fou. Luie i. 16, 17. And vmny of the children of Jfrael
fiall he turn to the Lord their Go.d't and he Jhall go before him in the power ^
mdfPirit (j/'EUas, to' turn the. hearts of the fathers to the children., and the
difobedient to the wifdom of the jufi ^ to make ready a people prepared for the
Lord: that is, He Ihall make way fo.r \\\q Meffioh with the fafeie zeal
againff all wickednefs, a« was expreiled by\£"//^; ; and likewife with an
ranreiediate commiffion from heaven, as he had, in order to the working
of a general reformation among the Jeivs. This ftveweth that Chvift's
gfeat errand to us, was our thorow converfion from fin, and the mak-
ing us holy ; feeing that the only preparation neceflary for tlie enter-
tainment of hnn, confifted in having this work begun in us.

Secondly, Upon the firil news of ChrilVs near" approach, brouglit
%j MaJachi the laft of the Prophets, this is expreffed by him as that
fR'l^eb Ihoul.d be his grand bufmefs when he was eome, Mai. iii. ij 2,
34 The Lord., mhom ye feek, fjjall fiiddenly come to his temple, even the mef-
■jjenger of the covenant whom ye delight in {ox., have a longing expeSialion of.)
Behold, he fhall comey faith the Lord of hofls : but ■wi)o may abide the day of
'Us coming? Or, %vho- fhall fl and when he' appearethf'' For he is like a re-
par's frCy : Q?ul like fuller's fcap : and he Jhdll fit as a refiner., and purifier
af.ftlver\ and h'e fhall purifie the. fons o/Lqx}^ and' purge them as' gold .is
pHtgedjtff.. . ^.'. , ,;'/ , .[,, ' '" ,,■,•:'.

Thitdly^ Im,njediat€ly aft?r hh concQptjpii in the WQinb of the blefled
Tirgin,. this was foretold to jofiph concerning him by an angel, Matt,
J. 21. She /hall bring forth a Jon, ond thou fh alt call his name Jelus j for he
Jliali fave his people from their fins. This bkiTuig of making men holy
waisfo much the dcfign of Chrifl's coming, that he had his very name
from it. Qbferve the words 5}i-e, He fl)all.fave his people from their fins j
Kot from the puni/kment of them •• and (as will fully appear hereafter)
that \s \ht primary fence of tliem, uhich is moft plainly exprefTed in
«hem : that he fhall fave his people from the puniflment of fin is a true
fence too, but it \s feiondary and implied only j as this latter is the ne-
vejN failing and neeeiTary ceafctjuent of th€ former falvation.
■ This again was foretold by Zacharias, betwixt his conception and
fcirth. He faith, Luke i. 72, &c. That God performed his covenant in
fending Chri/l -, which covenant confills in this. That he would grant us,
that we, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might Jerve him
without fear^ in hoUneJsand righteoujuefs before him, 4ill the days of our

life; "■ ■ •■ ■ ■•

Fourthly, We 1 kewife find this exprefled by Simeon, immediately
upon his b;rth, Z.«^^ii. 32. wh(?re having called him God's y^/z/^y/zW,
wh'ich he had prepared before the face of all' people, he adds that, Ue
"ti'-^cfTght io lighten the Gentiles : whereby is m.eant, that he (hould bring

' them

t

Chap. II. The Deftgn of Chrifimrty. 3iy

them into the way of righteoufnefs and true holinefs. HoTtnefs Is not
in a few places exprefied by the metaphor of lights and wichSnefs by
that of darknefi : turning from darhiefs to light is explained by (a) Turn"
ing from the power of Satan unto God, And the following claufe, viz^
And the glory of thy people IfraeU fignifieth the fame thing : nam'ely, that
in the place of their outward and ceremonial obfervances, called by the
Apoftle (b) Beggarly Element',, he fhould bring in among them a far
more noble, viz. an inward, fiibftantial and everlafting righteoufndsi
and by abrogating that, and eftablifhing only this righteoufnefs, he
(hould enlarge their Church, an accefiion of the Gentiles being by th^
means made unto it.

- I'''ifthly, This is eKpreflTed by St. John the Baptift, immediately fee-
fore our Saviour's folemn entrance upon his office, as the buGnefs he
was undertaking, Matth. iii. ii, 12. 1 indeed baptize you with water unts
repentance (that is, efpecially from the more plain and confefied exor-
bitances) but he that cometb after me is mightier than /, ivhofe /hoes I am
not Ivor thy to bear ; he Jhall baptize you with the Holy Ghojl, and with f re ■i
(which will take away thofe rtains and pollutions, that water cannot:)
whofi fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor.

Sixthly, Again, after our Saviour's entrance upon his office, he him-
felf declared, that he came to call fviners to repentance: and that he was
fo far from coming to deftroy the law and the Prophets, that he came
(c) •^•^)J^«3■a(, to fulfill, or perfedl them, that is, by giving more and
higher inftances of moral duties than were bsfore exprelly given: and
he tells the 'Jews prefently after, that except their righteoufnefs fhall exceed
the righteoufnefs of the Scribes and Phcrifees (that is, unlefs it be above
their partial and merely external righteoufnefs) they /hall in no cafe enter
into the kingdom of heaven. And he abundantly made it appear, (as will
be quickly ihewn) that tlie reformation of mens lives, and purification
of their natures, were the great bufinefs that he defigned.

Laftly, This was frequently aflerred, after he forfook the world, by
the Apoflles he left behind him. St, Peter told his country- men, A^s
iii. 26. That, as God fent Chrifl: to blefs them, fo the bleffing defigned
them by him, confifted in turning them from their iniquities. To you firji
(faith he) God having raifed up his fon "Jefus, fent him to blefs you, by turn-
ing every one of you from his iniquities. Again, A5ls v. 31. the fame Apo-
ftle, with others, faith that. Him hath God exalted ivith his right handy
to be 0 Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Ifracl, and forgivenefs
of fins. Repentance firft, and then forgivenefs. St. John tells us, i EpijL
iii. 8. that, for this purpofe the fon of God was manifejled, that he might
deflroy the ivorks of the devil. And St. Paul calleth the gofpel of Chrilf,
I Tim. vi. 3. The myjlery of godlinefs, i Tim. iii. 16. The do£lrine that is
according to godlinefs. And gives us to underftand that, that which
the grace of God which brings falvation teacheth, is. That denying un-
godlinefs, and all xvorldly lufts, we /liould live foberly, righteoujly^ and god-
lily in this prefent world. Tit. ii. 12.

(a) k€t% xxvi. (b) Gal. iv. g.

(c) Mat. V, 17. or t7K>j5wcr«j, may fignifie-/^/^ to preach, as Rom. xv. 19.
and Col. i. 25.

CHAP.

3 1 8 Tie Deftgn of ChrljUanliy* S e c t , L

CHAP. III.

A particular DcmonjlraUon that Holme fs is the only Deftgti of the Precepts
of the Go/pel. And that they require^ i The mojl extenfive Holinefsy
2. The mojl Intenfwe. An Obje^ion anfwered.

ciJXX^UT to give a more particular proof of what we have under-
^ B 5 taken.

fcsyy^ Firft, It is moft apparent, that holinefs is the defign, the
only defign of tl-.e Chrijiian precepts, and that this is the mark which
they are wholly levelled at. What the (d) Apoftle fpake of the Jeiuifiy
may be much more faid of the Chriflian law, that // is holy^ juji, and
good. For as Clemens Jlexandri?ius in his P^edagogus faith, U Xitrw vn-rnoTioz
TiXsIwo-ij eriv, &c. Even infant Cbrijlianity is perfei^iony compared with the
law, or the Mofaical difpenfation.

There is no affirmative precept in the Gofpel, but it either com-
mands holinefs in the general, or one or more particular virtues, or
habits of holinefs, or fome eflential ad or a6ts of it j or means and
helps to the acquiring, maintaining, or encreafe of it. Such as hearing^
and reading the word, prayer, meditation, good conference, watchfulnefi
agoinji tempt atio7is, avoiding occafions of evil, ^c.

And there is no negative precept, but doth forbid the contrary to fome
one or more of tliofc duties ; but doth forbid fome thing or other that
doth tend either directly or indiretftly, immediately or mediately, in its
Cvvn nature, or by reafon of foms circum.ftance, to the depraving of
humane nature, and rendring us perfectly wicked, or in fome degree or
other lefs holy.

To make this appear by going over the feveral precepts contained in
the Gofpel, would be a work of too much time ; but whofoever, as he
reads them, Ihall duly conlider each of them, cannot be to feek for
• fatisfadtion, concerning the truth of what I have now faid ; and 1 dare
undertake he will readily acknowledge, that there is nothing tiiat is
not upon its own, or fome one or other account, greatly becoming u>,
and perfective of humane nature, in the whole Gofpel commanded: and
that there is not any thing in it felf, and in all refpe^ils innocent, there
forbidden. This can be by nu means faid concerning i\\t precepts of tiie
law oi Mofes; but that it may concerning thofe of the Gofpel, is ab-
folutely certain.

But my whole difcourfs upon this prefent argument (hall be confined
to thele two heads,: naniely to (liew, '^[hat the Chrijiian pruepts require
the moft extenfive, and mo/i inteniive holinefs ; that is, exadlly fuch a ho-
linefs as hath been defcribed.

Firft, Thiy require the mojl ex'enfive holinefs, not only towards God,
but alfo towards our neighbour, and our felves. In the forecited place,
Tit. ii. 12. Sr. Paul puts all thefe together, under tlie phrafes oi living
foberly, right eoufl^, and godhly, as making up that holinefs which the grace
'efGod, that brings falvation, teacheth. The precepts oi our Saviour

commaDd

(dj R

oil).

Chap. III. Thi Deftgn of Chriji'ianity. 319

command us not only to give unto God the things that are God's, but alfa
H Csfar the things that are Casfars : not only to obey God in all things,
but to be fubjeB likcwife to every ordinance ofmzn for the Lord's Jake ;
that is, to every ordinance of man that doth not contradict the law of
God : not only to fear God, but alfo to honour the king, and to obey
our fpiritual governours, vjhich watch for our fouls^ iffe. and to behave
our felves towards all perfons futably to the relations we ftand in to
them : IP^ves to fubmit themfelves to their own hujbands., as unto the Lord;
kujbands to love their wives even as Chri/l loved the church : children to obey
their parents in the Lord; and fathers not to provoke their children to wrathy
but to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord : fervants to
be obedient to their ma/lerSy with finglenefs of heart as unto Chriji, iffc. and
mafiers to do the fame things unto themy forbearing threatning^ or a harfli
behaviour towards them, (e) knowing that they have a mafier in heaven^
with whom is no refpecfl of perfons. We are commanded to love not
our relations^ or our friends only, but alfo all mankind \ and to do good
to (?// without exreption, though efpecially to the houjhold of faith -^ to
good men. Nay our Saviour hath laid a ftri6l charge upon us, not to
exclude our malicious {f) enemies from our love (that is, of benevolence)
but to pray for them that defpitefully ufe us, and to blefs thofe that
curfe us. Which law, as harihly as it founds to carnal perfons, they
themfelves cannot but acknowledge that what it enjoyneth, is heroi-
cally and highly virtuous.

Secondly, The Chriftian precepts require the mofl intenfve holinefs ; not
only negative but pofuive^ as was now intimated ; that is, not only the
forbearance of what is evil, but the performance alfo of what is good :
not only holinefs of onions and words, but likewife of offe^ions and
thought's : the worfliip of God with the fpirit, as well as with the out-
ward man; a holy frame and habit of mind, as well as a holy life.
They forbid cheriOiing fm in the heart, as well as pra(5lirmg it in the
tonverfation. They make lu/ling after a woman adultery, as well as the
grofs ad of uncleannefs. They make malice murther, as well as killing ;
they forbid coveting no lefs than defrauding; and being in love with
this worlds goods, as much as getting them by unlawful means.

And I (hall digrefs fo far as to fay, That there is infinite reafon that
thoughts and the inward workings of mens fouls fliould be retrained by
Jaws, upon thefe two accounts.

Firll, Becaufe irregular thoughts and affe^ions are the immediate de-
pravers of mens natures ; and therefore it is as neceflary in order to the
defign of making men holy, that thefe (hould be forbidden, as that evil
actions and words (hould. But fuppofe this were otherwife; yet

Secondly, Laws made againfi evil words and actions would fignifie
very little, if men were left at liberty as to their thoughts and cffetlions.
Ir would be to very little purpofe to forbid men to do evil, if they might
think and love it : for where the fparks of fm are kept glowing in the-
foul, how can they be kept from breaking out inro a flame in the life?
From the abundance of the heart the mouth will fpeak, and the
Iiands a6l.

But to proceed, The precepts of the Gofpel command us not only to

perform
(e) Eph. vi. (f) Matt. v.

320 7he Deftgtt of Chrijiiamty. Sect. I,

perform good aclions, but alfo to do them after a right manner, with
right ends, &c. or in one word, from good principles. Whatfoever

we do, (g) to do it heartily y as to the Lord and not a% to men. To be
{h) fervent in fpirit in our fervice of God. To do all to the [i) glory
of God. To be holy {i) as he that hath called us is holy, in all manner of
converfation, (/) To be perfe5i as our heavenly Father is perfe£i : Which
precepts fliew that we ought to imitate him, notfonly in the matter of
our adions, but likewife in the qualif cations of them: among which,
that which I faid is effcntial to true holinefs, is a principal one; name-
ly. To do good alliens for thofe reafons which moved God to enjoyn
them, and, I add, which make it plealing to him to perform them
himfelf, viz. becaufe they are either in themfcives and upon their own
account, excellent, worthy and moft fit to be done, or are made fo to
be by fome circumftance.

Our whole duty to God and our neighbour (as our Saviour hath
told us) is comprehended in the love of them ; and the love of God re-
quired by him is a moft inteiife love: we are com.manded to love him
(m) with all the heart andfoul, mind atidflrength ; and that of our neigh-
l)our which he hath made our duty, is fuch, as for the kind oi it, is
like the love which we bear to our felves ; fuch as wiJl not permit us
to wrong him in his (n) good na/ne, any more than in his ejlate or per-
fon; fuch as will not allow us ra/l^ly lo/peal; or fo much as ihinit ill of
l)im; fuch as will caufe us to put the beft conftru6lions on thofe ac-
tions of his that are capable of various interpretations. Sec. And for
the (o) degree, fuch as will make us willing to lay down our very (p) lives
for him, that is, for the promoting of his eternal happinefs.

To fum up all together. We are commanded to (^) add to cur faith
virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge temperance, to temperance patience, ■
to patience godlinefs, to godlinefs brotherly Vmdnefs, and to brotherly kindnefs
charity. To behave our felves in all refpedts towards our Creator as
becometh his creatures, and thofe which are under unfpeakable obli-
gations to him : towards one another, as becometh thofe that are in-
dued with the fame common nature, and according to the diverfe re-
lations, engagements and other circumftances we ftand in each to other ;
and towards our felves according as the dignity of our nature requires
we fliould. In ihort, [r) whatfoever things are true, zvhatfoever things
are honefi, ivhatfoever things are juft, whatfoever things are pure, zvhatfo-
ever things are lovely, ivhatfoever things are cf good report, whatfoever things
have virtue and praife in them, are the objects of the Chriftian precepts,
and by them recommended to us. Let any one read but our Saviour's
incomparable fermon upon the mount, the twelfth to the Romans, and
the third chapter of the epiftle to the Colcffians, and well confider them,
and it will be (Irange ftiould he find it difficult to aflent to the truth of
that propofition.

Even Trypho himfelf, in the dialogue betwixt Jujlin Martyr and him,
confefled, that the precepts contained in the book called the Gofpel are

(g) Col. iii. 23. (h) Rom. xli. 11. (/) i Cor. x. 31. '

(/J) I Pet. i. 15. (/) Mat. v. 48. (m) Mat. xix. 19.

(«) Tit. iii. 2. (0) I Cor. xiii. 5. (/) i John iii. 16.

(f) 2 Pet. i. (r) Phil. 4.

Chap. IV. The Def.gn of Chrtftmity. 321

SatY-tar« ^ iKiyd-Kxt great and admirable. He faith Indeed, that they are
fo admirable^ ai that he fufpecled them not to be by humane nature obferti-
able ; but in that he fpake not unlike to hinjfelf, that is, a prejudiced
and carnal 'Jnv.

If it be now objected, that notvvuhftanding what hath been faid con-
cerning the ChrijUan precepts recommending the mod elevated virtue to
be pradifed by us, it is acknowledged by all fober Chriftians, that they
sre not to be underftood in fo high a fence as to require of us indefec-
tive and unfpotted holinefs, or at leaft that our Saviour will accept of
and reward that holinefs v/hich is far fliort oi perfect ; and therefore he
can be no fuch great friend to it, as hath been affirmed : the anfwer
is very eafie and obvious, viz. That our Saviour's not rigidlv exa(5l-
ing fuch a degree 6f holinefs as amounts to perfections proceeds from
hence, that the attainment of it is in this flate impoffible to us; and
therefore it is not to be attributed to his liking or allowance of the leaft
fin, but to his fpecial grace and good will to fallen mankind : Nay,
mor-eover, it proceeds from his paflionate defire that we may be as pure
and holy, as our unhappy circumftances will admit ; he well knowing-,
that fhould he declare that nothing fhort of perfeBion fhall be accepted
at our hands, he would make us defperate, and take the mod effec-
tual courfe to caufe us ,to give over all thoughts of becoming better,
nay, and to let the reins loofe unto all ungodlinefs. But yet nothing
fhort oi fincerity^ and diligent^ feriom endeavours to abftain from all fn,
will be admitted by him in order to our being made the objedls of his
grace and favour : and as for wilful and prefumptuous fins of what kind
foever, he makes no allowances for them^ but hath by himfelf and his
minifters declared very frequently, that they (hall not be pardoned,
without our reformation. And, Laftly, notwithftanding the allow-
ances and abatements that in tender compaflion to us he is pleafed to
make us, no lefs than our abfaiutely perfeSl holinefs is defigned by him,
though not to be effected in this, yet in the other world.

CHAP. IV.

That Holinefs is the only Defign of the Promifes of the Gofpel, Jhewed in
Two Particulars : and of the Threainings therein contained.

gSSK^ECONDLY, the prowifes and threatenings of the Gofpel have
^ S g moft apparently the promoting of Holinefs for their only defiL'n,
'^JSJfi-? Firft, The promifes^ it is plain, have. This St. Peter affur-
eth us, 2 Epift. chap. i. ver. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great
and precious promifes^ that by thefe you might be partakers of the divine na-
ture., having efcaped the corruption that is in the world through luji. And
St. Paul Ao\\\ more than intimate the fame, in 2 Cor. 7. i. Having
(faith he) theje promifes^ dearly beloved^ (viz. thofe which the foregoing
chapter concludes with) let us cleanfe our felvcs from all filthinej's of the-
fe fh and fpirity perfe^ing holinefs in the fear of God. Again, Rom, 12. t.
Vol. VI. X I be-

322 The Deftgn of Chrljlianity. Sect. I.

/ be/tech you, by the mercies of God, that ye prefent your bodies a living
facrificey holy acceptable to God, which is your reafonable fervice. And be ye
not conformed to this prefent worlds but be ye transformed by the renewing of
your minds, &c.

1. We always find thde promifes either limited to holy perfons, or made
ufe of as encouragements and exciting motives to holinefs. TheApof-
tle tell us, that it is godlinefs which hath the (s) promifcs of the life that
now is, and of that which is to come. The promife of the beatifical vifion
is made to the pure in heart, (t) Blejfedare the pure in heart, for they Jhall
fee God. That of the kingdorn of heaven to the (u) poor in fpirit, or thofe
that are of humble and lowly tempers. Tlie promife of obtaining mer-
cy to (x^ the merciful. That of inheriting the earth (of temporal felicity^
to the (y) meek, or fuch as live in obedience to government, Is'c. That of
eternal life to thofe that (z) patiently continue in well-doing. That of fitting

' with Chrift on his throne, to thofe that overcome, (a) that is, that mortifie
their lufts and corrupt affedions. The promife of a crown of life is
tifed as a motive to perfwade to (b)fa'ithfulnefs to the death. But to what
purpofe do I multiply inftances, when as there is not a particular pro-
mife throughout the whole Gofpel, but it is exprefled, or plainly in-
timated, that its performance depends upon fome duty oi holinefs to be
on our parts tirft performed, or at leall heartily endeavoured. And
whereas the promifes of pardon, and of eternal life are very frequently
made to believing, there is nothing more evidently declared than that
\\\\s faith is fuch as purifieth the heart, and is productive of good works.

2. Nay the nature oj the fe promifes is fuch, as is of it felf fufficient to
fatisfie us, thai holinef is the defgn of them.

I. This is manifeftly true concerning t!ie /ir//;^://)^//^,?//;;/^^, or thofe
which relate to the other life. They may be reduced to thefe three
heads ; that of the holy fpirit ; of rennffon of fm ; and of eternal happi-
nejs in the enjoyment of God.

Now for the firft of thefe, viz. The promife of the fpirit, that is it to
which we arc beholden for grace and afiiftance in the great work of fub-
duing fm, and acquiring the habit of holinefs ; and this is the very bufi-
nefs for the fake of which that promife is made to us.

And for the fecond and third, tliey are fuch as none but holy fouls
are capable of. That none but fuch are capable of having the guilt of
their fms removed, and of being freed from the difpleafure and wrath
of God, is felf-evident ; for x.\\t guilt of fm muft needs remain while its
power continues ; thefe two are infeparaiely from each other: fin is fo
loathfome and filthy a thing (as fhall hereafter be fhewn) that it is per-
fectly impofiible that the blood of Chrilt it felf Ihould render a finner
lovely, or not odious, in the fight of God, any otherwife than by wafh-
ing away the pollution of it. And nothing is more apparent, than that
holy fouls alone are in a capacity of the happinefs that confills in the
enjoyment of God in the other world j than that, as without holinefs
no mzn pall fee the Lord, (as faith the author to the Hebrews) fo with-
out it i\Q:\Qeanfe him : for the full and complete participation ofOod,

which

/;) I Tim. 4. (t) Mat. 5. 8. (u) Verfe 3.

Cx) Verfe 7. (y) Verfe 5. (z) Rom. 2. 7.

(qj Rev. 3.21. (hj Chap. 2. to.

Chap. IV. The Defign of Chrijiianiiy, 313

which our Saviour promifeth his difciples and faithful followers, arif-
eth out of the likenefs and conformity of mens fouls to him : but there
is fuch a perfed unlikenefs and contrariety in impure and polluted
fouls to the infinitely holy God, that it is impoffible there (hoiild be
any communications from him to them, any friendly agreement and
complacency between him and them. He is not a God that hath pleafure
in wickednefs, neither can evil diuell with him. Pfal. 5. 4. What communion
hath light with darknefs faith the apoftle, 2 Cor. 6. 14. But vicious and
unholy fouls are full of darknefs, whereas God is pure fplcndid light,
and in him is no darknefs at all. The Platonijis would not admit that
any man is capable of being acquainted with divine things, that is not
purged from that which they called laQvf*;*, and a'Aoyia, remijjiiefs
of mind and hrutijh paffionu How utterly impoflible then is it, that fucii
as are not fo, fhould be acquainted with divinity it felf ? Hierocks faith,
utTTts^ otp^xT^iA.^ ^)}^w^^^, &c. Js d bker-cye cannot look upon cr(p'J^ci, (pareivx
things very bright and Jhining^ Jo a foul unpoffffedofi/irtue is unable to behold
the beauty of truth : how unable then is fuch a foul to behold the beau-
ty of God himfelf, to fee him as he is, and be happy in the fight of
him ? thofe eyes which have continually beheld vanity (as faith aa
excellent late writer of our own) would be dazled, not delighted, with
the beatifick vifion. (c) Thanks be to God (faith the apoftle) who hath
made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the faints in light. Thofe
can by no means partake of it, that are not by holinefs made meet
and difpofed for it. What h.appinefs can we find in the enjoyment of
God, when he is of a perfedlly contrary nature to our own ? and more-
over, how can we then enjoy him I there muft be in us a likenefs to
him, or we cannot fee him as he is \ for St. John proves, that when he
appeareth, we Jhall be like him^ by this agreement. It was one of the
maxims of the excellent Socrates. * It is unlawful for an impure na-
ture to touch pure divinity. Now this being the happinefs promifed in
the Gofpel, we eafily learn from the confideration of the nature of it (it
being not at all grofs and fenfual, but purely fpiritual) what is the de-
fign of thofe promifes that contain it. At the firft hearing of them,
though they fliould found (as they do not) like ahfolute ones, we may
be certain that holinefs, and fincere endeavours after a participation oi a
divine nature muft necefllirily be tacit conditions of them, as without
which our fouls cannot poftibly be qualified and put into an apt difpo-
iition for them.

2. As ihe promifes which concern the other life are fuch as none but
holy fouls are capable of' fo thofe that only relate to this life are fuch as
none but fuch fouls will be contented with. They are only neceffaries
which the Gofpel gives us an afifurance of, and fuch things as may be
a help to tjie exercife of virtue and holinefs ; not fuperfluities., and fuch
as ferve to gratifie liquorifh appetites. So we are to underftand that of
our Saviour, Mat. 6. 3. Firfi feek the kingdom of God., and his righte-
fiufiefi ; and all thefe things Jhall be added unto you ; the words foregoino-
(hew, that by [/j// thefe things] we arc only to underftand meat, drinhy
and cloathes. The temporal bledings that Chrift engageth himfelf to
X 2 beftovv

(c) Col. i. 12.

324 The Defign of ChijVianity, Sect. I.

beftow upon his difciples, are fuch alone as tend to zn^wer moderate de-
fires, not to fatisfie inordinate cravings : in fhort, they are only fuch as
are needful to keep their bodies in fuch a ftate as that they may be
meet habitations and inftruments of their fouls, fo long as it fhall be fit
for them to continue in them.

Secondly, and as for the threatenings of the Gofpel, which are moft
terrible and difmal, that they have the fame defign that the promifes
have, is out of queftion : for they are never ufed to fcare men from any
thing but what tends to pollute and debauch their fouls : and the end
of them is every where to excite us efFedually to diligence and induftry
in the purfuit of real righteoufnefs and fubftantial holinefs.

(d) The wrath of God is nvealed from heaven in the Gofpel, againjl all
ungodlinefs^ and unrighteovfnefs of men : fuch as dilbelieving and difobey-
ing Clirift's Gofpel, in the general , and particularly fuch as (e) idola-
try, adultery, fornication and uncliamief of all forts, theft, coveioufnefs,
drmikenucf, reviling, wrath, contemptuous behaviour, implacability, unmer-
cfulncfs, ' illiberality, malice, cenforioufnef, lying, pride, hypocrifte, rebellion
and dijuhedience to govermurs, kc. And therefore are the committers of
thefe and fuch like fins threatned, that fo thofe, which from the con-
fidcration of their vile nature and uglinefs will not be withdrawn from
them, may from a principle of felf-prefervation be afraid of them : and
our Saviour is infinitely good to us in his terrifying threatenings, as well
as in his alluring /)r(7w?7^i. For (as Clem. Alex, in his Padagogus, faith)
his threatnings proceed not from anger, but from great goodwill', and he
therefore threatneth punij])ment, that finners being thereby feared into re-
formation, may by that means prevent their being punifhcd. He doth not (as
he proceeds) like a fer pent bite before he giveth warning. And therefore
only doth he give warming, that he may not bite.

CHAP. V.

That the promoting of Holinefs was the Defign of our Saviour* s whole Life
and Converfation among Men ; both of his Dijcourfts and A^lions. And
that he was an eminent Example of all the Parts of Virtue, viz. Of the
greatefl Freedom, Affability and Courtefie : the greatejl Candor and Inge-
nuity : the mofi marvellous gentlenefs and meeknefs : the deepefl Humility :
the greatejl contempt of the IVorld : the moji perfe£l Contentation : the
mofl wonderful Charity and tenderefi Compaffton : Jiupenduous Patience^
and Submiff.on to the Divine IVill : the mofi paffionate Love of God, and
devouteji temper of Mind towards him : mighty Confidence and Truji
in God. An Obje^ion anfwered : the moji admirable Prudence.

f;:*:>S^HIRDLY, The promoting of holinefs was the defign of our
^^■■- T -p Saviour's whole life, and converfation among men. All his dif-
^<^-'fX^ courfes that are on record carried on this great bufinefs : not

only

(^) Rom.i. 18.

(e) I Cor. vi, 9. 10. Mat. v, 22. Mat. xi. 26. chap, xviii. 28.
chap. XXV. 42. I John iii. 15. Mat. vii, 1. Rev. xxi, 27. Jam. iv. 6.
Mat. xxiii. 13. Rom. xiii. 1, 2.

Chap. V. l^he Defign of Chrijilaniiy, 32^

only \{\s fermons, but likewife thofe which were Jefs folemn, and that
Gccafionally^ and as it were by the bye dropt from him. There is not a pa-
rable he uttered, but fomething highly conducing to the inftiiling of
virtue into thofe to whom he dire6ted it, was the moral of it : and all
advantages and occafions he greedily embraced for the infufing of true
piety and hohnefs into the fouls of men.

To give a few inftances : when it was told him that his mother and
brethren fought for him, he took, that opportunity to tell them, that
whojoever will do the will of God, the fame is his brother, Jifer, and mother,
Mark 3. 35. When he obferved a reafoning among thedifciples, which
of them (hould be the greateft in the kingdom of God, he took occa-
fion from thence to preach to them the neceffity of the grace of humi-
lity and becoming as little children, oi f elf -denial, mortification of their mofl
beloved lufts, and to teach them feveral other very ex'cellent lelTons,
Matt. 18. in the beginning. Upon a certain woman's faying to him,
BleJJed is the ivomb that bare thee, and the paps that gave thee fuck ; he
minded his hearers of the bleflednefs of obedient perfons ; yea rather
(faid he) are they bleffed that hear the word of God, and keep it, Luke 11.
28. Upon Martha's defiring him to command her fifter to help her in
ferving, he reproved her over-folicitoufnefs about the affairs of this
life, and put her in mind of the one thing needful, Luke 10. 41. From
a Pharifees marvelling that he wafhed not before dinner, he took ani
advantage to reprove their fuperftition, hypocrifies, partial righteouf-
nefs, pride, and feveral other immortalities, Luke 11. 38. l^c. From a
perfon's defiring him to fpeak to his brother to divide the inheritance
with him, he took an opportunity to difcourfe againft covetoufnefs, and
to difTwade from fetting the heart upon earthly riches, from foHcitouf-
nefs and carking carefulnefs, and to exhort to feveral mofl: weighty and
important duties, Luke 12. 15, &c. Upon feme mens talking of the
lamentable difafler that befell the Galileans, he took occafion to give a
caution again rajh judging, and to preach to them the abfolute neceffity
<ji repentance, as that without which they fhould all perifli, Luke 13.
begin. Upon his obferving how that a feall they chofe the uppermoft
rooms, he laid hold of that opportunity to teach the virtue o'i humility,
Luke 14. 7. And in the fame chapter he took the advantage that was
offered him by other paffages for the inftiiling of diverfe other profit-
able inftrudions. And you may find in the four Evangelifts abundance
of obfervations of this nature.

And as it was the bufinefs of all his difcourfes to teach virtue, fo was
it alfo of all his a^iofis : he preach'd hoUnefs to mens eyes no lefs than to
t'leir ears, by giving them the mofl admirable example in his own perfon
of all the parts of it. His whole life was one continued lecTture of the
moft excellent morals, the moft fublime and exad virtue.

For inflance; he was a perfon of the greateft //Yfd'^w, affability, and
courtefie, there was nothing in his converfation that was at all auftere,
crabbed or unpleafant. Though he was always ferious, yet was he
never fowre, fullenly grave, morofe or cynical ; but of a marvelloufly
converfable, fociable and benign temper. Thofe who had checks from
his difciples, as rude and troublefome, were never accufed by him for
being foj but v/ere moft kindly liftned to, and lovinelv received : ev«n

X 3 " littli

326 TheDcfign of Chrtjlkmty. Sect. I.

Tittle chiUrtn^ as unwelcome as they were to them, were tenderly em-
braced, and bleft by him. He never blamed any for interrupting him
in his difcourfes, or other bufinefs : nor was put into the lead chafe
by their fo doing, but ever patiently heard them, and fent none of
them from him (fuppofing they had no ill defign in coming to him)
without fatisfadion. When he was invited to mens tables (as little
as their chear could tempt him) he readily went ; nor did he efteem it
as dilbecoming his gravity to make one at a marriage- feafl ; nor to con-
tribute to it himfelf t\cnhtx. He did not think \\\m{c\^ defiled by bad
company, nor baulked the fociety of publicans and Tinners themfelves,
(as loathfome as they were to ivcrfe men, the Pharifees) but freely in
order to the reforming ot them fate down, when there was occafion,
and converfed with them. His firfl entertainment of the woman of
Canaan^ as uncivil as it might feem, was nothing lefs than fo ; for the
unkind and contemptuous language he gave her, though it was but the
fame which the feivi always bettowed upon thofe people, proceeded
from no tontempt of her; nor was it defigned, as the event fhewed, in
the leaft to difcourage her, but on the contrary, to give her occafion
to flievv the grcalncjs of \\tx fai'.h^ in the anfwer fhe returned to it. The
ever and anon infirm, imprudent and impertinent talk of his difciples,
and others, could not at any time put him out of his good temper, but
only gave him an opportunity of imparting to them feafonable inf^ruc-
tions and wife counfels.

The candour alfo and ingenuity of his fpirit did to great admiration
difcover it felf : whereof take this one inflance. Where as he (as was
faid) forbad cenforious judging of other men ; and commanded, confe-
quently, to put the beli conftrudions upon thofe adfions of others that
are capable of various interpretations, he hath given us no fmall en-
couragement fo to do, by his behaviour towards thofe three difciples,
•whom he could not perfwacie for a little while to forbear fleeping, no
not in \\\% agony ; as great obb'gations as he had laid upon them, to do any
thing he Ihould pleafe to defire of them. T\^t\x fleeping at fuch a time
feemed a certain fign of their being very much unconcerned for their
bleffed Lord, and of great coolnefs of affe(5lion to him; efpecially he
having (I fay) before defired them to watch with him, and given them
the reafon why he did fo : yet for all this would he impute it to no
worfe a caufe than mere infirmity, nor entertain any ill opinion of them
upon that account ; and when they themfelves had notlung to fay to
excufe their fault, he makes this apology himfelf for them'; The fpirit
indeed ii willing but the fffl) is weak : nay though, for all this, and not-
withflanding that friendly expofiulation of his with Peter^ [Coulde/i
thou not watch with me one hour F] they fell afleep again, yet did he not
at his laft return to them pafs any ccnfure upon them, but carried it
towards them as he was wont to do.

And the gentlenefs and meeknef of his difpofition was very marvellous:
when fames and fohn in a great heat, would have perfwaded him to
call for fire from heaven, after the example o( Elias, to confume the
Samaritans for their inhofpitable and barbarous refufal to give him en-
tertainment, he rebuked them immediately for that revengeful motion,
snd gave them this reply j Te how not what manner cf fpirit ye are ofy

for

C H A p . V . The Deftgti of Chri/liantty. 327

for the [on of man is not come to deftroy melt's lives but to fave them^ Luke
9. 55. and fo, filently went his ways, without giving them lb much as
a lalh of his tongue for fo rude an affront. Never had any one fo
flrong provocations to wrath and revenge, as the blefled Jefus ; but
never were either fo undifcernible in any as they were in him. In his
carriage indeed tov/ards the Pharifees he tnight feem to fome to be
once or twice tranfported with a fit of unordinary palfion, but it would
not have become the zoal he Iiad for God and true goodnefs, to behave
himfclf otherwife towards fuch monftroufly immoral wretches and mod
hatefully conceited and proud hypocrites. Nor was his overturning the
tables of the money-changers, or whipping the buyers and fellers out
of the temple, any other tlian a very befitting and feemly exprefllon
of his jull difpleafure againft thofe facrilegious and prophane people.
But he was never fo concerned for himfelf for his own reputation, or
ought elfe that belonged to him, as to be put into the leaft heat by all
the ignominious language that was from time to time given him, and
the vile reproaches and unfufferable abufes that were heap'd upon him.
When he was accofted with a never- to-be- parallell'd impudence by his
old difciple Judas^ in the front of an armed multitude, who could have
forborn to receive fuch a villainous and intolerably bafe traytor with
the moft emphatical expreflions of an exafperated and enraged mind?
but with what wonderful mildnefs was that monrter of ingratitude and
diflimulation treated by our dear Lord I the worft words he beftowed
upon him being thefe, Judas^ betrayeft thou the [on of man iv'ith a kifs ?
nor did he more angrily befpeak the wicked followers than he did their
leader, when they rudely alTaulted and apprehended him. And fo far
was he from revenging himfelf upon them, as able as he was to do it
effedually ; and notwithflanding (as he gave them to underftand) that
he could, if be lilled, have no fewer than twelve legions of angels
imployed in his fervice, that he wrought a miracle for the healing of
the wound that one of them received from the fword of Peter \ and
withal, charged him to put up that weapon.

Nor was it ever in the power eitlier of the calumniating and black
tongues, or rude and cruel hands, of his bittereft enemies to draw
from iiim fo much as a reviling or fierce word. But of fo rarely mode-
, rate a temper and ferene fpirit was he, that (as S. Peter faith,) (f) When
he was reviled^ he reviled not again ; xvhen he fuffered^ he threained not.
but committed himfelf to him that judgeth righteoufy. (g) He gave his back
to the fiuiters^ and his cheeks to them that pluckid off the hair., he bid not his
face from /Jjame and Jpittmg, (h) He was opprefed and he was afflitied^
yet he opened not his mouth ; he is brought as a lamb to the f aught er^ and
as a Jheep before her /hearers is dumb, fo he opened not his mouth. And
thus hath he taught us by the moft excellent example to obey thofe
precepts of his whereby the pradtice of that virtue of meeknefs and fedatc-
nefs of fpirit towards injurious perfons is injoyned on us.

Nor was his meeknefs lefs to be parallell'd or more obfervable than his
great humility ; from whence indeed that proceeded, and was of this
no fmall exprefTion. And efpecially confidering his high defcent, moft
tranfcendent perfections and infinite worth, it was impolTible he (hould

X 4 have

(f) 1 Pet ii. 23. (g) Ifai. 1. 6. (h) Ifai. liii. 7.

328 The Deftgnof ChriJJianiiy. Sect. I.

have been fo meek as to put up fuch contemptuous ufage and inexpref-
I'lbly provoking affronts as he did, if his humility u-ere not equal to his
other excellencies ; if he had not been moft lowly minded, and of a
profoundly fubmifs fpirit. God only had the glory of all his mighty works,
he would not afcribe to himfelf the leall. 'The father, faith he, that
dwellcth in me^ he doth the works, John xiv. jo. Verily, verily, I fay
unto you, the f on can do nothing of himfelf , but ivhat he feth the father do :
for, whatfoever things he doth, thefe doth the fan likewife, John v. 19, /
can of mine own f elf do nothing ; as I hear, f judge ; and my judgment isjuji,
becauje I feek not mine oivn will, but the will of the father which hath fent

me, verfe 30. 1 do nothing of my fef : but as my father hath taught me ^

Jfpeak thefe things, John viii. 28.

Though he was king of kings, and lord of lords, the prince of the kings of
earth, yet did he hide his greatnefs, told his dilciplcs that his kingdom is not
of this zvorld, and chofe the condition of a fubjed and a private man in
it : nor would he be perfwaded to alTume to himfelf fo much authority,
as judging but between two perfons in a cafe of civil right did amount
unto. In the above-cited place (Luke 11,1^.) when one defired him,
to fpeak to his brother, that he divide the inheritance witii him, he re-
turned him this anfwer, Alan, who made me a judge or a divider over you ?
nay he put himfelf into the condition, not only of a private, but alfo of
a mean, a mofl defpicably mean perfon. As he chofe to be born of a mean
woman, in the meanefi and even viicjl of places, a ftable, where a man-
ger was his cradle, and brute beafts his chamber- fellows ; fo did he
afterwards fubjecS): himfelf to his poor mother, and the carpenter her
hufband. He was not unacquainted, when he was but a child, with
the nobility of his defcent, the greatnefs of his extradlion, he even
then did well underftand whole fon he was, and that no lefs a perfon
■was his father than the infinite God of heaven and earth ; for faid he
to Jofeph and Mary, when after a forrowful fearch after him they found
him in the temple, ivijl ye not that I mujl be about my Father'' s bufinefs?
yer notwitiiflanding, he ivent doivn with them from jerufalem, and came
to Nazareth, and was fubjeiJ unto them, Luke ii. 49, 51. And under "Jo-
feph, though he knew him to be but his reputed Father (if we may
believe * one of the rnoft ancient Fathers) he wrought at his owr^
trade, and, a^ he faith, rexloica i'e7» sioya'^Elo, did carpentry-work ; and
parti.ularly buficd himfelf in making d^ol^a k^ ^vya, ploughs and yokes.

Again, the perfons that he took for his moCt intimate alTociates were
of no better quality than forry filhcrmen, and men of the lowed rank.
As for his worldly eftate, I cannot fay 'twas fnean, for he had none at
all (that is, but what nc was beholden to others for.) The foxes, faid
he, have holes, and the birds of the air have mjls, but the fon of man hath not
tvhere he may lay his head. And as for employments, he thought not him-
felf too good lu undertake the vilefi, even one in comparifon of which
making /j/i?;/^/?; viVid yokes was moft gentle, viz. The W'-iJhing of his dif-
dples Jeet. In ihort, fo marvelloufly humble was this infinitely ^r^tf/
perfon, that (as he faith, Matth. xx. 28.) He came not to be mini/lred
tintOt but to mini/ler ; and was in this world as one that ferveth, Luke
xxii. 27. and that, though he was rich, he became poor, that we through

lis
♦ Jujin Martyr,

Chap. V. The Deftgn of ChriJJianity. 329

his poverty might be rich, f/j That, though he was in the form of God,
be thought it no robbery (or fpoil) to be equal with God\ but made himfelf
of no reputation^ and took upon him the form of a fervant^ and was made
in the likenefs of men ; and being found in fajhion as a man, he humbled,
himjef, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the crofs, Phil. ii.
6, 7. And our Saviour hath declared that he was our pattern both in
his meeknefs and humility. For, learn (faid he) of ine, for I am meek and
lowly in heart, Matth. xi, 29. And therefore did he fubmit to that
meanert ofiice of a fervant (which was but now mentioned) that we
might from the confideration of his example, not look upon the low-
eft, whereby we may ferve our brethren, as below us : for, after he
had wafhed his Difciples feet, and was fate down again, he faid thus
to them, John xiii. 12. Know ye ivhat I have done unto you? Te call me
Maflcr and Lord, and ye fay well, for fo I am: If I then your Lord and
Mafter have tvajhed your fet, ye alfo ought to wafo one another s feet. For
J have given you an example, that ye /hould do, as I have done unto you.
Verily, verily, I fay unto you, the fervant is not greater than his Lord,
neither he that is fcnt, greater than he that fent him. If ye know thefe
tbefe things, happy are ye if ye do them.

Coiifidering what hath been faid of his chufing io mean and defpi-
cable a condition in this world, I need not fpend time in Hiewing what
an example he hath given us oi contempt of it. Never was any one fo
dead to its pleafures as he was : nor were ever its glories fo trampled
on as by our Saviour : and that, not as were the carpets of Plato by
that cynic k Diogenes, who was truly enough (no queftion) told by that
great philofopher, that he trod under foot the pride of Plato, with a
greater pride ; for he was guilty of no infolent behaviour either towards
great men or their greatnefs, nor oi" any thing that looked in the leaft
like it. But he gave moft eminent demonllrations of the mean opinion
he had of popularity and applaufe among men, of titles of honour, and
vaft revenues, and that he infinitely delpifed them in comparifon of
mental endowments and accomplifbm.ents. He confuted the idle fan-
cies of the world concerning thefe and the like things, and difparaged
thofe vain eftimations that are founded upon them, in that he chofe
to be wholly devoid of them, and in the very other extreme to thofe
which abounded with them : whereby he Ukewife fignified how little
evil he apprehended in difefteem, reproach and poverty; which we
vain creatures have fuch frightful conceptions of, and fo greatly dread ;
in that he did not at all matter them, nor in the leaft concern himfelf
at them.

So great and generous a foul had he, as to be fo far from fufFering his
mind to be at all difquieted with them, that he voluntarily and freely
chofe them. For it lay in his power to be the riehe/l man under hea-
ven, and moft to abound with this worlds goods, if it had fo pleafed
him ; and he could, if he had lifted, have been alfo the moft popular
perfon upon earth ; could always have kept the credit which for a
while he had among the common people, and gained, the like among
all forts : for he had infinitely the advantage above ail that ever ap-
peared in the world to have raifed to himfelf a moft mighty renown,

and
('J z Cor. viii. 9.

330 The DefignofChriJliamty. Sect. I.

and to be adored by all people. So that the truth of that faying of
Epicietus, {*They are not the things themfcives which fo affright and feare
men, but the falje opinions they have conceived of them^'\ is greatly con-
firmed as to the forementioned reputed evils, by our Saviour's practice.

And this bleffed perfon, chufing fo tnean and contemptibly poor a
condition of life, I need not tell you that he was r^^xitSCi^ contented \n\\\\
]t ; nor that he was altogether free (though he had many times fcarce-
lyfrom hand to mouth) from thouglufulnefs and anxiety of mind, con-
cerning his future maintenance. For as he cautioned his Difciplcs
'&%z\x\'iS. taking thought for their life, what they fljould eat, what they f})ould
drink, and whemvith iheyfh'.uld be clothed; and" (hewed the folly and fin-
fulneis thereof, as proceeding from diftruftfulnefs of the divine provi-
dence, (Matt. vi. 25, ^c.) So was he fo far from being guilty of
that fault himfelf, that he was no lefs liberal than he was poor. For
when he was provided witha.fmsU pittance of vicfluals, infl:ead of
hoarding it up, or being faving of it, he would not think much of
fpending it upon others whofe needs craved it : we read tv/ice of his
beftowing the little ftock that he and his Difciples had gotten between
them, upon the hungry tnultitude, and of his working a miracle to
make it hold out among them.

And how full he was of charity, and tender compaffton, is beyond ex-
preflion : for as he commended to his difciples, and inculcated upon-
them nothing more, nor fcarcely fo much, \q in the exercife of no vir-
tue was he more exemplary. We read often of the yerning of his
bowels towards rniferable mortals, and his pity did always exert it
felf in a6\s of mercy. Never did any make application to him for de-
liverance from the evils that did afflid them, that had not their re-
quefts granted them : nor were any more forward to beg relief of any
kind of him, than he was to beftow it upon them : nay he frequently
made poor creatures the objects of his mercy before it was fought foi*
by them. It was even his whole bufinefs to oblige the world by fig-
nal kindnefles, and (as fhall be farther fhewn anon) be continually
went up and down doing good either to the bodies or fouls of men.
Nay his charity was of fo large and univerfal extent, that the wicked
and unthankful, and even his bittereft enemies, were (as well as others)
very ample partakers of it. Whereas the duty of blejfing thofe that
turfe us, and praying for thofe that defpitefuUy ufe us, is to our corrupt
natures one of the harflieft and moft difficult of any he hath impofcd
upon us, he hath taken a courfe by the admirable example he hath
herein given us, to m:5kc it one of the eafieft and mod: pleafant to us.
For the deviliQi malice that by the vileft of men was exprefl: towards
him, could not in the leafl: imbitter his fpirit or harden his heart
againft them : nor could he be diffwaded by it from perfifting in do-
ing good to them : but continued to entreat them to accept of life
from him, to grieve at their infidelity, and with lears to bewail their
mofl: obftinate perverfenefs. And laftly, when their inveterate and im-
placable hatred came to vent it felf in the cruellefl and moft barbarous
manner imaginable upon him, did he pray to his father for them ; even
whilft they were tormenting him, did he befeech him to forgive them ;

naya

Chap. V. TkeDf/tgnofChri/limty. 331

nay, and in order thereunto laid down his very life for them ; even for
them, I fay, that took, it from him.

And this gives occafion to difcourfe fomething of his mod wonder-
ful patience, and fubmillion to the will of God, which he gave us in his
extreme fufFerings an example of. We are exhorted, Heb, xii. i, 2,
to run with patience the race that is fet before us^ looking unto Jefus the au"
ihor and finijher of our faith ; tvho for the joy that ivai fet bejore him^ en-
dured the Crofs^ dejpiftng the fhame^ &c. The ignominy that was caft
upon him by ungodly creatures, he defpifed ; and as for the excedive
tortures felt by him, them he endured : he did not indeed defpijg
thefe alfo, but neither did he faint under them ; according as we are
forbidden to do, ver/e 5. of the now mentioned chapter, My fon defpife
not thou the chafiifement of the Lord^ neither faint when thou art rebuked of
him. There were on the one hand no Jioical rants heard from him,
fuch as that of PoJfido?nus in the prefence ai Pompey (when he was af-
flicted with a fit of tlie gout, or fome fuch difeafe,) viz nihil agis dolor^
^c. 0 pain^ thou art an inftgnificant things I don't matter thee : For we
find that our Saviour had as quick a fence of pain, as have other men ;
and his agony in the garden did fo affeft his foul, as to force, 5^o/a6's5
u'iincil^, dodders of blood through the pores of his body. We read that
he was fore amazed, and very heavy ; and he told his Difciples that his
foul was exceeding forrowfuU t'uen unto death : But yet, on the other hand,
notwithftanding the immenfe weight and mod heavy preflure of grief his
mind fufFered under, through liis Father's with holding the wonted
influences of his love from him, and the intolerable torments of body
that he underwent, (though, both in regard of the greatnefs of his
fufferings, and alfo his mod perfed innocence, and therefore non-
defert of them, he might have the greated temptations imaginable
to be impatient) he never uttered a murmuring or difcontented word,
nor conceived the lead difpleafure at the Divine Majedy, or doubted
either of his jujiice or goodnef. ; but intirely fubmitted himfelf to this
his fevere difpenfation of providence, and willingly acquiefced in it. He
prayed indeed to his Father, that this bitter cup, if it ivere poffible, might
pafs from him-, but it was on this condition, that it might feem good to
him. And as fo much is implied in thofe words, [^If it be poJfible'\ fo
is it exprefied, Luke xxii. 42. where it is faid, Father, if thou be willing^
remove the cup from me : And it immediately folio weth ; Neverthelefsnot
my ivill, but thine be done; according as he hath, in the abfolute form
he left us, required us to pray. And agsin, faith he, fohn xk\\\. u.
Ihe cup vjhich my Father giveth me,JJ)aU I not drink it ? And John xii. 28.
After he had put up the forementioned petition to be delivered from
that mod difmal hour that was approaching near him, he doth, as it
were, recall k prefently, in thefe words. But for this caufe came I unto this
hour; and then put up this fecond, Father glorifie thy name : which is
plainly as much as if he had faid. Father^ as dreadful and terrifying as
ihe thoughts are of my future fufferings, feeing glory will redound to thy f elf
by them, I am not only contented but alfo defirous to undergo them.

Celfiis having mentioned that celebrated Bravado oi Jnaxarchus to

the tyrant of Cyprus, when he cruelly pounded liim in his mortar ;

and the merry faying of Epi£leius to his mader when he brake his leg,

e and

33* The Defign of Chrijlianity. Sect. L

and thereupon fcoffingly demanded of the Chriftians, what faying Hke
to either of thofe, was uttered by their God in the midft of his fufFer-
jngs, Origen makes this good reply to him, viz. That our Saviour's
ftlcnce in the midft of the tortures he endured, fhewed greater patience
and fortitude of mind, than did all the /ay i figs of the Greek philofo-
phers in the hke cafes : And he adds that thofe words of Chrift, Not
as I willy but as thou wilt, were not only (puvn IvS'Juxor©-, ivct.^ea->cniji.eiia JJ
Tor^ avi^Qulma-iv, ^c. the Voice of one that patiently fuffercd, but alfo that wai
zuell pleafed with his fufferings, and fpake his preference of what was ap-
pointed for him by the divine providence before his own defires and
natural affedions.

In the next place, our Saviour gave us the moft eminent and noble
example of Love to God, and the devouteft temper of mind towards
him. That love of him, with all the heart and foul mind and fir ength
which he commended to us as our duty, did he himfelf give the high-
eft demonftrations of. His laft mentioned patience, and perfedl fubmif-
fion to the divine pleafure under the moft dreadful fufFerings, is alone
fufficient to convince us that his love to his father was moft intenfe :
for it was utterly impoflible that his zvill fliould be fo entirely refigned
up to the will of God, if his love of him had not been, as fincere, fo of
the htgheji degree and abfolutely perfed. So his heavenly Father might
thereby be glorified, he was willing to endure the extremeft miferies,
that ever were inflided on any mortal : and indeed his mere well in-
terpreting fo fevere a providence was a great expreffion of no fmall
love. And befides, it was (as he told his Difciples) his very (k)
meat to do the will of him that fent him, and to finijh his work. As he
was heartily well pleafed to fuffer his will, fo he took infinite content,
fatisfa£lion and delight in the doing of it. It was to him the moft plea-
fant thing in the whole world to be about his Father's bufinefs ; and
therein he abounded, and was indefatigable. All he did was referred by
him to tlie honour of God ; and of each of his glorious works he gave
him the o/^ry, and hi?n only : which thing was no iefs an argument of
the ardency of his love, than (as we have faid it is) of the depth of his
humility. In all his ways he acknowledged God, and toak all occafi-
ons to make mention of him, and to fpeak of his excellent perfec-
tions. When the ruler called him but good marter ; which v/as an epi-
thet, had he been but a mere man, he v/as infinitely worthy of; as
Height an occafion as this may feem to fome, it minded him to fpeak of
God's goodnefs'y and he prefently replied, IFhy callefl thou me good?
there is none good (that is originally and from himfelf) but God only.
He was much in delightful converfe with God, and in prayer to him,
and ever and anon retired from all company for that purpofe ; according
as he hath enjoyned us to do, Mat. vi. 5, 6. And we read Luke vi. 12,
of his continuing on a mountain a whole night in prayer.

A mighty confidence and trufi in God^ as it could not but be an effecSt
of our Saviour's no Iefs love of him, fc did he give marvellous in-
^ances thereof. The ftorm that put his Difciples into a dreadful con-
fternation, could not terrifie, nor fo much as difcompofe him ; no,
though he was fuddenly awaked out of a found lleep by their difmal
cries. When he was hoyfted up into the air by his grand gdverfary,

(k) John \v>

Chap. V. The Defign ofChriJiianity, 233

the devil, and fet upon a pinnacle of the temple, and then by abufino-
fcripture folicited to caft himfcif down ; as much as he feemed to be
abandoned to his power, and under :js great a difadvantage as he was
through extreme fading, his mind was as Jlrong as his body weak, his
conftancy remained unfhaken, his thoughts undifordered, and with an
undaunted courage he readily replied to him, // is zvritten again. Thou
Jhalt not tempt the Lord thy God, Mat. iv. 5. Where you have alio two
other fignal inftances of the like nature. By all which he fhewed that
his truji in God was fo invincibly ftrong, and his adherence to him fo in-
feparably clofe, that the utmoft attempts, and fierceft affaults of the
devil could have no other efFed than to prove them fo. Our Saviour
could never be prevailed upon to go the leafty?^^ out of God's way, in
order to his prefervation from the moft imminent dangers, fo firm was
bis faith in him : and he flill doing the things that were pleafmg in his
fight, he was undoubtedly alTured of the continuance of his prefence
with him. This he hath himfelf told us, John viii. 29. And he that
hath fent me, is with me, the Father hath not left me alone, for I do always
thofe things that pleafe him.

So vifible and apparent was his trufi in God, that when he was given
up to his adverfaries moil: barbarous rage, they themfelves could not
but take notice of it, and fcoffingly when he hung on the crofs (and
therefore feemed to be in a defperate condition) did they upbraid him
with it : He trujied in God, faid they, let him deliver him now if he will
have him, for he faid, lam the Son of God, Mat. xxvii. 43. And where-
as it hath been objedled by fome of our Saviour's adverfaries, that a
little before his death, he exprefled very great diftrufl, if not perfe<5l
defpair of his Father's love, in that tragical exclamation. My God, my
God, why hafl thou forfaken me ? There are thofe that conceive it may-
be fatisfactorily enough anfwered, that it is moft unreafonable and bar-
barous to take advantage from words uttered in the very pangs of death,
accompanied with unfupportable mifery; it being not ordinarily fup-
pofabte that any can be themfelves, who are in fuch circumftances ;
and why the Man Jefus, or our Saviour, according to his humane na-
ture, fhould not be under as great difadvantages as others in fuch a
condition, he being as was faid, no lefs fenfible of pain than other
men, no reafon can be afligned : Yet we (land not however in any ne-
ceffity of this reply. But I fay, fecondly, though we ftiould fuppofe
our Saviour to be now as perfedly mafter of his thoughts as he ever
was, thefe words may not be underftood in fo harfh a fence ; for they
were but a repetition of the firft verfe of the 22d. Pfalm ; which does
relate not to David's cafe only, but alfo to the Mejfiah, whom he of-
ten perfonated, and was a type of. The ancient Jews themfelves did
fo underftand this Pfalm. Nor can it be gathered from our Saviour's
rehearfal of thefe words, that he either concluded, or at all doubted,
he v/as utterly rejeded and caft off by his Father, but the contrary :
for feveral verfes in the forementioned Pfalm adure us that they are not
there to be fo underftood ; for David doth again and again afterward,
not only pray for, but likewife expreffeth good hopes, nay, and un'
doubted affurance of a gracious deliverance ; and praifeth God for it
lop, as if it were already effeded. So that this fad complaint of the

o blefled

334 Tho Defignof Chrijlianityt Sect..I«

blefled 'Jefuu as it could not be occafioned by the leafl: dijlrufi^ fo rt
may be more than prefumed, to have proceeded from the higheft ari?l
intenfeft degree of love^ which cnufed in his foul the mofl: pungent and
fmart fenfe of his Father's hiding his face, and abfenting himfeff
(though but for a while) from him. But the leaft favourable inter-
pretation it is capable of is no worfe than this, viz. That our Savi-
our did thereby exprefs how excefTive the mifery was which he then
felt ; efpecially fince the word \^Lamd\ doth fignifie hovo as well as
vohy. But laftly, his dying words, and the laft he uttered^ exprefs his
retaining his confidence in God (as much as he might feem to be caft off
by him) to the very laft j which were thefe, Father^ into thine handi 1
commend my fpirit.

I will inftance in one virtue more wherein our Saviour was alfo fln-
gularly exemplary. Whereas he advifed his Difciples to be wife as fer-
fents^ ViVid innoceiit as doves i they beheld in his converfation a patteint
to walk by in following the former as well as the latter part of this
advice : nor was the wijdom of the ferpe7it lefs confpicuous in him, thafi
was the innocence of the dove. Prudence is the firft of the primitive vir-^
tues, or of thofe from whence all other have their original. She is
the chief governefs of humane a6lions ■■, and thofe which are perform-
ed without her direction, do v/ant a main circumftance that is necef-
fary to give them the denomination of truly virtuous, A raih and
heady doing of thofe actions which are for the matter of them praife-
worthy, will render them culpable as to the manner of their perform-*
ance : and he that hath no regard io prudence., though he may do good
things, and poflibly may fometimes mean well, yet he will never merit
the commendation of a well-doer. I fay therefore that our blefled Sa-
viour, as he hath by his example., no Jefs than by his doBrine., taught
us the exercife of all other virtues, fo hath he of this alfo; and
his prudence did wonderfully difcover it felf through his whole life. As
very great as was his zeal for the Glory of God., and the good of men., it
was not too ftrong for his reafon ; it was not a blind zeal ; but he was
ever very careful to give each of his anions their due circumftances.
As eagerly as he was bent upon accomplifhing the work that he was
fent into the world about, he was not for making more hafte than
good fpeed. He H^ewed grezt prudence in his mjundions, his preach-
ing, and difcourfes : He never urged any duties unfeafonably., and had
a care not to give fuch fevere precepts to his novice Difciples as might
difcourage and over-burthen them. (I) He was not for putting a piece
of new cloth into an old garment, or new wine into old bottles.

He very wifely timed his difcourfes ; did not preach all his doc-
trines at once : what was faid of the orator Demoflhenes., cannot be
truly affirmed of him, viz. That he knew what to fay well enough, but
not what not to Jay : for as he well underftood what dod^rines to preach,
fo did he alfo what not to preach. He fpake the word unto them as they
were able to hear it., Mark iv. 33. And faid he, John xvi, 12. I have yet
many things to fay unto you., but ye cannot bear them noiu. He knew both
when to fpeak, and when to hold his peace ; and in whatfoever he
faid, he confidered the geniuSy tem^per^ and capacity of his auditors. He

wo\^ld
(IJ See Matt, ix, 14. to 17.

Chap. V. 7heDtftgnofChrl/lianity. 335

would not cajl pearls before fwine^ as he cautioned his Difciples not to
do, for this reafon, (m) Leji they turn again and rend them. When he
thought good to deliver thofe do<5lrines that were likely to exafperate,
as that. of the calling of the Gentiles, and rejedion of the Jews, &c.
he ciiofe to fold them up in parables, unfolding them in private 10 his
Difciples, who were fitly difpofed for the receiving of them ; and there-
fore had the favour beftowed upon them to underjland the myfieries of the
kingdom, as he told them.

We find that till he knew his time of fufFering was come, he wifely
ftill avoided danger ( wherein he properly (hewed the wifdom of the
ferpent) one while by withdrawing himfelf, as Matt. xii. 14. and at
other times (as was now faid) by concealing thofe do6irines, which h«
was well aware the unbelieving Jews would be fo far from embracing,
and making good ufe of, that they would take occafion from them the
more indurtrioufly to defign his ruine : we rezd John x. 33. to 36.
That he would not exprefly own himfelf to be the Son of God in any
other fence, than fuch a one as he might acknowledge with the leail
danger; and concealed that which he very certainly knew would but
confirm them in their opinion of him as a wicked blafphemer, and
make him fo much the more obnoxious to their fpight and rage. So
far was he from running headlong upon fuff"erings, and making him-
felf through a rafli and indifcreet zeal, liable to thofe that hated him;
fo far was he from being in love with per/ecution^ that he did (as the
Apoftle exhorted the Ephefan Chriftians to do) s^uyo^d^i^xi r xai^ov,
buy out or gain time, becaufe the days were evil, and full of danger.

Again, how wifely did our Saviour from time to time defeat and
render unfuccefsful, the plots and machinations of the Pharifees, and his
other'eneinies againft him! we find in Matth. xxii. 15. the Herodians
(or thofe of the Jews that adhered to the Roman authority) and the
Pharifees (who efteemed it as an ufurpation) combining together to
intangle him in his talk : and they fo ordered their plot, as that they
might get an advantage from whatfoever he (hould fay, either to ren-
der him obnoxious to Herod^ and the Roman party, or to inrage the
moft popular and highly efteemed i^cS. of the Jews, the Pharifees. In
order hereunto tliey cunningly put to him this queftion, wz. Whether
it were lawful to pay tribute to Ctefar ? if he fhould anfwer that it was,
he would make himfelf liable to the latter mifchief; if that it was not,
to the former, and the far greater. Now (as is to be feen in the 19,
20, 21. verfes) our Saviour with fuch z(\m\\-zh\Q prudence contrived his
anfwer, that (verfe 22 J both fa6tions are faid to wonder at it, and to
be baffled by it. ff'hen they had heard thefe words, they marvelled, and left
him, and ivait their loay. Diverfe other inftances there are of a like na-
ture ; as in John viii. 3. to 9. Malt. xxi. 23. to 27. Matt, xxi 41. to
46, &c.

And thus we have fufficiently and fully enough proved, that it was
the whole bufinefs of our Saviour's life to make men in all refpeds
virtuous and holy; and that thereunto were fubfervient, as bis difcourfes
with them, fo his aSlions likewife, and whole behaviour. Plus docent
esmpla qudm pracepta : examples are the moft natural and eafie way of

teaching,
(m) Matth. vif.

336 The Defign of Chrl/iianlty. Sect. I.

teaching, and they are fo by reafan of nnankinds being ^o greatly ad-
di(5>ed to imitation ; and, I fay, it doth from our part difcourfe fuffici-
cntly appear, that our Saviour's whole converfation was a rare exem-
plification of all kinds of virtue and true goodHefs.

CHAP. VI.

That to make Men truly virtuous and holy, was the Deftgn ofChr'ijVs un-
ifnitabk A£liom^ or mighty JVorks and Miracles. And that tkefe did not
only tend to promote it^ as they tvere convincing Arguments that he came
forth from God^ but luere alfo very proper to effect it in a more immediate
manner,

P<X'^U T It cannot be amifs if if we moreover add. That it was not
<5 B v^ only the defign of our Saviour's imitable adions, to teach the
^vy^ world virtue, but alfo of thofe which are not imitable, viz. of
liis miracles and mighty tvorks : and that thefe did not only tend to the
promoting of that defign, as they were convincing and infallible argu-
ments that he came forth from God, but were likewife very proper to
efFeiSt it in a more immediate way. For they were not only argumenta-
tive., or a proof of the truth of his doctrine., but alfo inJlruSiive, and
minded men of their duty. Thofe miracles which he chofe to work,
were of fuch a nature, as to be hugely fit to accomplilh at one and the
fame time both thefe bufinefles. They were not fuch as the foolilh
and carnal Jews expected, that is, figns from heaven, that were apt to
produce dire^ly no other effe6l than that of pleafing their childifli phan-
fies, or ftriking their fenfes with admiration and altonilhment, by mak-
ing prodigious and amazing (hews and reprefentations before their eyes ;
but mod of them were exprefllons of the greateft kindnefs and charity to
mankind. For inflance, his healing the fick of all manner of difeafes',
his making the lame to walk, and the blind to lee, and the deaf to
hear; his cleanfing the lepers, feeding the hungry, raifing the dead,
and ejecting of evil fpirits out of thofe that were miferably pofielTed
with them, and tormented by them, &c. In A^s x. 38. the Apoftie
exprefleth our Saviour's working of miracles, by this phrafe [Doing
good] who (faith he) went up and down doing good, and healing all that zvere
cppreffed of the devil. And in his ?niracles did he give inftances of great
kindnefs and good will even unto thofe which did lead deferve it : for
he made ufe of his divine power for the healing and relief of the difinge-
nuous and unthankful, ill nafured an(\ wicked, as well as of the better-dif-
pofed and more worthy perfons : therein imitating his heavenly Father
(as he required us to do) who rnaketh his fun to rife on the evil and on the
good, and fendeth rain on the juji and on the unjufl, Matth. v. 45. And
the laft miracle we (I think) read of before his crucifixion, was the cure
of one of thefe his enemies that came with clubs and ftaves to appre-
hend him.

And

Ch A p . V I. rhe De/gn of Chri/Vumitp 337

And the few miracles befides thofe that confided in doing kindmjjh
to men (for thofe we have on record are almoll: all fuch) were fuch as
by which he gave us an example of other virtues : as particularly of
piety ^ trujl in God, and zeal for bim. Of his piety and tru/l in God,' his
farting forty days and forty nights was a great evidence: it was fo of
his tru/i in him, and conllant adhering to him, as by thus doino- he
put himfelf by his Father's appointment upon moft violent and ftroiifj-
temptations; in conflicting wherewith (as hath been (liewn) he came
off a mod noble conqueror. Of his zeal for God was his whippino-
the buyers and fellers out of the temple a great inftance; as it was alio
of his moft gracious refpedl to the contemned Gentiles, whofe court
they were whip'd out of; they making their houfe of prayer a den of
thieves, as our Saviour told them. And this may defervedly be num-
bered among his miracles, becaufe it is unconceivable how a man un-
armed, in no authority, and of mean efteem in regard of his parentage,
poverty, and low circumftanccs, Ihould ftrike fuch a fear into thofe
pefiple, as to force them without the ieaft offer of refiftance to flee
before him, if the caufe thereof were not extraordinary and more than
natural.

And even that miracle which might feem the mofl: inconfiderable,
namely his cauflng his difciple Peter to catch a fi(h with a fmair piece
of money in its mouth, was alio inftrudive of a duty ; it being an in-
ftance of his loyalty to the fupreme magiftrate ; for the money was ex-
pended in paying tribute, and taken out of the fea in that flrange man-
ner for no other purpofe.

In (hort, I know no one miracle that our Saviour wrought, but over
and above its being a feal for the confirmation of his divine miflion, it
teacheth fome one or other good leffon, and is proper for the bctterino-
of the fouls of thofe that ferioufly confider it. ^

And that great miracle, which after his afcenfion (according to his
promife) he (hewed in fending the Holy Ghofl, did promote the bufi-
nefs of making men holy, in a far higher way than that of example : for
the grand and ftanding office of the fpirit in the world, is the excitino-
in us holy defires, and the afl'ifting of us in the performance oHooly aiiionT:
it is the making the Gofpel, and all means, effectual to the renovation
and reformation of our hearts and lives.

If it be objeded, that we read of two miracles, namely, his curfinf*-
the fig-tree, and fending the devils into the herd of fwine, which are
fo far'from containing any leffons of morality, or tending to the leaft
good, that they feem to be on the contrary only of an evil and mif-
chievous confequence.

I anfwer, That as for our Saviour's curfing the fg-tree that bare
leaves, and had wo fruit on it, it was a moft fignificant document unto
men, that their profeffion, which is anfwerable to bearintj leaves muft
be joyned with a futable pra^ice, and hdiVQ fruit accompan^yin^ or 'twill
be nothing worth: and fruiilefs perfons were taught by that^mblem
what they muft look for, if they continued fo. But the moft pregnant
meaning of it is (as the learned dodor Hammond hath fhewn) that the
Jews which were juft like that leafie-tree without fruit at that time on
it, a mere profeffmg people, were to expea fpeedy deftrudlion from

338 'I'be Defign of Chriflimlty. Sect. T.

him, on fuppofition i\\zt they perfifted in their unfruitfulnefs. It is
not once to be imagined that this which our Saviour did to the fig-tree
was any other than emhlemat'ical^ for no one that deferveth the name of
a man, would be guilty of fuch a piece of foolifh revenge, as to wreak
his anger on z fenfekfs tree^ or on any thing that's uncapable of being
faulty. And befides, it is mentioned in the ftory as related by St,
Mark^ chap. xi. 13. that the time of figs wai not yet^ or, it was not then
a feafon for fia,s ; that is, it was not a good fig-year; which is given
as the caufe of the tree's being at that time without fruit : and 'tis very
probable, that, that claufc was purpofely added, that it might be the
more eaiily obferved that our Saviour's curfe was not defigned to be
deierminated in the tree, but that it was pronounced againfl it only as
it was an apt rclemblance of a profeflbr that is barren of good works.
So that this miracle was defigned no lefs than the forementioned, to be
tnJiru51roe to the fpedators of it, and 10 all that fhould afterwards hear
or read the ftory concerning it.

And as for that other, vi%. his fending the devils, which he had
ejected out of a poor man, into a herd of fwine, and by that means
caufing them to run violently down a deep hill into the fea, and to pe-
rifh there: we read, FirR, That our Saviour did not covmand them,
but only (n) fiifi'ered ihtm (as 'tis expreffcd both by St. Mari and St.
Luh) at their own requeft to take poffeffiop. of thofe beafts. Nor doth
the faying unto them, (0) Go, (which is in St. Mattheivs relation of
the ftory,) fpeak any more than a bare permifllon ; feeing their befeech-
ing him to fufTer them to go is there exprclfed as the occafion of his
fo fpeaking. So that the mifchief that was done, ihe devils only were
the a^ithors or the proper caufcs of. Nor, fecondly, could our Saviour
permit this, either to makey/i^r/, or \o pleafe him with the dejiruiiion of
the poor creatures \ for both thefe were inlinitely below him, and per-
fectly contrary to \.\\t ferioufnefs of his /pirit, and goodncfs of his nature;
but there were very weighty and great reafons why he (hould thus do.

As, Firft, To expofe the hateful nature of the devils, and to give
men to underftand and take notice, how extremely th.eyidelight in do-
ing mifchief; which it doth greatly concern the welfare of our fouls,
both not to be ignorant of, and well to confider. By this experiment
it appeared, that thofe unclean fpirits are fo malicioufly difpofed, and
fo bent upon mifchievoufnefs, as that rather than want obje<5ts to vent
their fpite on, they will be glad to do it upon brute beafts. But efpe-
cially the devils mod: inveterate and deadly hatred to mankind was here-
by (hewed ; in that when they were no longer permitted to do them a
greater, they v.ere glad of an opportunity to make them the objecfis of
a lefs mifchief: and to procure to them what hurt they v^ere able in
\.\\€\x goods, when they ceafed to be in a capacity of tormenting them in
their minds and bodies.

Secondly, By this means there was a difcovery made what a rnulti-
tude there were of them that pofieHed that one^ or at rncft (according to St.
Matlhtiu) tvjo perfons ; infomuch as that thofe which were caft out of
them, were enough to actuate the bodies of a herd of fwine, confifling
of no fewer than about tVvO thoufand, as '^x.Mark faith j and none

could
(r.) Mark v. 15. Luke viii, 32. (0) ?Jart. viii, jf. 3^.

Chap. VII. The Defign of Chrlfianlly . 33^

could tell (but he that caft them out of the men, and fufFered them to
enter the fwine) how very many each of thefe might be poffefled with.
This was of great importance to be known, in order to the under-
ftanding of the greatnefs of the miracle that was wrought in behalf of
the miferable wretches, and to their being made fenfible how mighty
a deliverance Chrift had given them. For though the devils declared
that their name was legion^ to fignifie that they were a huge multitude;
yet what they faid was too incredible to be received upon the bare word
of thofe who had been lyars from the beginning; but this permiflion
of our Saviour gave a plain demonftration that in thh faying of theirs
they were not lyars.

Thirdly, Thefe perfons were by this means mod effecfliially taught
how infinitely they were obliged to the divine providence, in not fuf-
fering this vaft number of fiends, all the time they had poiTelTion of
them, to deftroy them ; when as they no fooner entred into the herd
of fwine, but immediately they difpatch'd them all.

Fourthly, This permiffion was alfo a juft punirtiment to the Gadarens
to whom thofe hearts belonged; who (as afterward it appeared) were
a generation of muck-worms, who preferred their fivme before tiieir
fouls \ and fo likewife it was a moft proper and efFedual means for the
converfion of them. Several other reafons of this a6lion might be in-
ftanced in, but thefe, nay any one of them, may well fuffice. So that
it is apparent that this miracle was fo far from being a mifchievous one,
or of no ufe, that there was fcarcely any one wrought by our Saviour,
more pregnant with profitable inftrudions.

^^^n%nw>^^wm^%M%%'^^'^^w^^m^%w^^

CHAP. VII.

That to make Men holy was the Defign of Chrifs Deaths proved by fever al
Texts of Scripture : and how it is effe£lual thereunto, difcovered in fix
Particubrs.

;pSJSI=^OURTHLY, the making of us holy, as It was the bufinefs of
S F ^ our Saviour's whole ///>, fo was it alfo the great end and de-
i^^^^ fign of his death. And this we are afTured of by abundance of
exprefs fcriptures ; fome few of which we will here produce, Rom. vi. 6.
Knowing this^ that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of fin
might be dejiroyed, that henceforth we fjould net ferve fm.

2 Corinthians v. 15. He died for a'l, that they which live ft)ould not

henceforth live utito thenf elves, but unto him that died for them, and rofe
again.

Galatians i. 4. Who gave himfelf for our fins, that he might deliver us
from this prefent evil ivorld, (viz. From its corrupt pradices) according to
the tvill of God and our Father.

Ephefisns v. 25, 26, 27. Hufbands love your wives, as Cbrifi loved the

churchy and ^ave himfelf for it, that he micht fanififie and cUanfe it with

Y 2 the

340 7he Defjgn of 'Cbrijliamty. Sect. L

the wojh'mg of water hy the wordy that he might prefent it unto himfelf a
ghrioui churchy not having [pot or wrinkle ^ or any fuch things but that it
Jhould be holy and without blemij}).

Coloflians i. 21, 22. And you that luere fornetimes alienated^ and enemies
in your minds by wicked works., hath he now reconciled in the body of his fiefh
through deathy to prefent you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his
f.ght,

Titus ii. 14. Who gave himfelf for uSy that he might redeem us from all
iniquity y and pur if e to himfelf a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

I Pet. i. 18. For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with cor^
ruptible things, as fiver and gold, from your vain converfation received hy
tradition from your fathers ; but with the precious blood ofChriJJ, as a lamb
without blemij}}^ and without fpot.

I Pet. iii. 18. For Chrijl alfo hath once filtered for fins, the ju/l for the
unjuji, that he might bring us to God, ^V. That is, faith Calvin upon
the place, That wc might be fo conlecrated to God as^to live and die
to him.

I Pet. II. 24. W}o his own felfbare our fins in his own body on the tree,
that we being dead to fms, f)Ould live to righteoufiefs, by whofe firipes ye
ivere healed.

Now the death of Chrift is greatly efFedual to this end of making us
holy, thefe feveral ways.

Firft, As it gave teftimony to the truth of his dodlrine; which (as
hath been fhevvn) hath no other defign. ChriH: took his death upon
it that that was true ; was willing to expofe himfelf in the defence
thereof to a moft ignominious and painful death.

Secondly, As the fhedding of his blood was a federal right confirm-
ing the new covenant, wherein is promifed in and through him the
pardon of our fins, and eternal happinefs, on condition of our fincere
repentance, faith, and new obedience ; fo the blood of Chrift is called
the blood of the covenant, Heb. x. 29.

And the blood of the evcrlajling covenant, Heb. xiii. 20.
Thirdly, As it is exemplary of the highell virtue, i Pet. ii. 21. Chrijl
afo fufferedfcr us, leaving us an example, that we fhould follow his Jieps;
who did no Jin, neither was guile found in his mouth : who when he was re-
viled, reviled not again ; when he fuffered, he threatned not, but committed
himfelf to him that judgeth righteoufly. The greateft humility and felf-
denial, the greateft meeknefs, patience va^ fubm'iffion to the divine will, the
molt wonderful <r/;<i/7'(v, Tindi for given efs of eneviies, ^c, are exemplified
in our Saviour's death ; and fo it niuft needs be very highly effcdual
towards the promoting of thefe moft excellent graces, and the like, in
us, and the expelling and utter extirpating the contrary vices.

One would think it impoffible that he (liould be of an haughty fpirit
nnd ^ proud mind, that I'erioully confiders how the only-begotten Son
of God humbled liimillf to the death, even the ftiameful and ignomi-
nious death of the crofs: that lie fhould covet great things in the
world, that frequently afFefis his mind with the thoughts of his Sa-
viour's emptying himfelf and becoming poor, that we through his po-
verty might be made rich, and preferring the death of the vileji of
wretches before the life of the greateft and moft honourab,e perfon-

ages.
i

Chap.VIT. The Dejlgn of Chrijianiiy. 341

ages. How can be be vain and frothy, that confiders his Saviour's
liorrid agony, what a man of (brrows he v;as, and how acquainted with
griefs? How can he ftorm at the receiving of injuries, and fwell with
indignation againft thofe that offer him incivilities, and rudely behave
themfelves towards him, that fixeth his thoughts upon Iiis Saviour's
meek putting up the vileft and mofl: contemptuous ufages, and confider-
eth how gentle, fedate and lamb-like he was when barbarous villains
mocked, buffeted and fpit upon him, crowned him with thorns, put
a robe in a jeer upon his back, and a reed for a fcepter into his hand,
and at laft a6ted the parts of th^ moil: inhumane butchers towards him.
One would think it no uneafie matter to perfwade our felves to forgive
very heartily the fpitefulieft and moft malicious enemies, whilft we take
notice that Chrift (hed even his precious blood for thofe that carried in
their breafts the greateft malignity againft him, and bare liim the moft
deadly hatred ; that ,he fuffered death for thofe which in the cruelleft
manner they were able, took away his life. What temptation can be for-
cible enough to prevail upon usfwnets, to murmur and repine at the
hand of God in the affli6tions he lays upon us, while we obferve how
much greater fufFerings than ours, were with profoundeft fubrmjfon to,
and alfo the heartieft approbation of the divine will, endured by the not
only perfe6lly innocent^ but alfo the infinitely luell defcrviug Jefus ?

Fourthly, As the death of Chrift was likewife ^ facrifice for ftn^ it
was in an eminent manner effe6tual to this great purpofe. In the death
of Chrift confidered as 2iV\ expiatory znd propitiatory facrificey is the of-
fence that God Almighty hath taken againft fin, and the hatred he
bears to.it, as well as his love to us finners, abundantly declared; in
that he would not forgive it to us without the intervention of no meaner
an offering than the blood of his only-begotten Son. Obferve what
the Apoftle St. Paul faith to this purpofe, Rom. iii. 25, 26. IFhom God
hath fet forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloody to declare his
righteoufnefs for the remijfion of fens that are paft^ through the forbearance of
God', to declare I fay at this time his righteoufnefs, that he might be jiiji^
and the jufifier of him ivhich believeth in Jefus. Tl-e plain fence of
which words (as I conceive) is this; That God might at one and the
fame time demonftrate how holy he is, and how much he hateth fm on
the one hand, and how infinitely gracious he is in his willino-nefs to
forgive finners on the other, was Chrift let forth by him to be a propi-
tiation through faith in his blood. There are many (and they no ad-
verfaries to the doctrine of our Saviour's fatisfaclion) that do not
queftion but that God could have pardoned fm without any other fatif-
fa<5lion than the repentance of the linner, (and in the number of them
were Calvin., P. Martyr, Mufculus, and Zanchy, as might be fully fhewn
out of their feveral works,) but he chofe to have his Son die for it be-
fore he would admit any terms of reconciliation, that fo he might per-
form the higheft act of grace, in fuch a way, as at the fatne lime to
fliew alfo the greateft <j//J)/r^yarr^ againft y?;;. And therefore would he
thus do, that fo he might the more effe6lually prevent wicked men's
encouraging themfelves by the confideration of his great mercy, to per-
fift in their wickednefs. Therefore was Chrift fet forth to bq a prbpi-

Y 3 liator^r

342 The Dcfign of ChrljVianity. Sect. I,

tiatory facrifice for fin, I will not fay that his Father (who is perfedlly
fui juris) might be put by this means into a capacity of forgiving it,
but that it might be a cogent motive, and a moil prevaihng argument
to finners to forfake their fins.

There is an excellent place to this purpofe, Rom. xviii. 3. For what
the law could not do, in that it was weak through the jit J}): God fending his
cwn Son in the Hkenefs offnJiilfleJJjy and for fm (or by the means of fm)
condemned fin in the fef) ; that is, what the precepts of the Mofaical law
could not do, in tliat they were weak by reafon of the impetuofity of
men's flefhly inclinations, that the Son of God (coming in the humane
nature, and in a!l refpedls becoming like to us, fm only excepted) did ;
and by being a facrifice tor fin (fo the word [y?/;] fignifieth in diverfe
places, as Leviticus iv. 29. chap. v. 6. 2 Cor. v. 21. and, as I fuppofe,
alfo Gen. iv. 7.) condemned fin in his fle(h ; he by this means ihew-
ing how hateful it is to God, took a mcrt powerful courfe to kill and
deltroy it. And moreover, the moft dearly beloved Son of God un-
dergoing fich extreme fufferings tor our fins, it is evidently thereby
demonlirated what difmal vengeance thofe have reafon to expe<5t that
fliall continue impenitent, and refufe to be reclaimed from them : for
faith he, Lnke xxiii. 31. If they do thefe tlnngs in a green tree^ what Jh all
be done in the dry? If God fpared not his own moft innocent, holy and
only Son, tf.an whom nothing was, or' could be, more dear to him,
but abandoned him to fo (bameful and painful a death for our fins,
how great and fevere fufferings may v;c conclude he will inflict upon
thofe wretches, that dare i^ill to live in zy;7/«/ difobedience.

And from the death of Chrif\ confidered as a facrifice we farther
learn, what an efteem God hath for his holy laws, that he would not
abate their rigour, nor remit the punifliment due to the trangreffors of
them, without a confidcration of no meaner value than the moft pre-
cious blood of his own Son.

And laftly, In that Chrift hath laid down his life at the appointment
of God the Father for the purpofe of making an atonement for fin,
this gives all men unfpeakably greater afiTurance of the pardon of true
penitents than the bare confideration of the divine goodnefs could ever
have done : and fo by this means have we the greateft encouragement
cur hearts can wilh for, to become new men, and return to obedience ;
and liave all ground of jealoufie removed, that we l^iave been guilty of
fuch heinous and fo often repeated impieties, as that it may not become
the holinefs and juftice of God to remit them to us, though tliey Ihould
be never fo fincerely forfaken by us.

In the death of our Saviour thus confidered, are contained (as we
have leen) the ftrongeft and moft irrefiftible arguments to a holy lifej
and I farther add, fuch as are no lefs apt to work upon the principle of
ingenuity that is implanted in our natures, than that of jelflove. For
•who that hath the leaft fpark of ir, will not be powerfully inclined to
hate all fin, when lie confidereth, that it was the caufe of fuch direful
fufferings to fo incomparable a perfon, and infinitely obliging a friend
as Chrift is? Vv^ho but a creature utterly deftitute of that principle,
and therefore worfe than a brute beaft, can find in his heart to take
e pleaiure

Chap.VII. The DefignofChriJlianity. 343

pleafure in the fpear that let out the heart-blood of his moft bleffed Sa-
viour; and to carry himfelf towards that as a Joving friend, which was
(and ftiil is) the Lord of glory's worft enemy ?

Again, Hath Jefus Chrift indured and done fo much for our fakes,
and we are able to give our felves leave to render all his fufferings and
performances unfuccefsful by continuing in difcbedieme ? Can we be
willing that he (liouid do and fufFer fo many things in vain, and n:iuch
more do our parts to make him do fo ? Is this polFible?

Nay hath he been crucified for us by the W!c-l<;cd Jnvs, and don't
we think that enough ? But muft we ourfelves be crucifying him afrefli
by our fms, and putting him again to an open (hame by preferring our
bafe lufts before him, as the Jeivs did Barabbas.

Hath he exprefled fuch aftoniQiing love to+is in dying for us, and wo'nt
we accept of it? Which we certainly reful^to do while we live in fin.
Hath he purchafed eternal falvation for us, and fuch great and glorious
things as eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, and which have not entred
into the heart of man, to be conceived by him ; and can we perfwade
our felves to be fo ungrateful to him^ as well as fo ivanting to our J'ehes,
as to refufe to receive thefe at his hands on thofe mofl reafonable terms
on which he offers them ?

Hath he bought us with fuch a price ; and can we refufe to be his
fervants, and rather chufe to be the flaves of fatan, the devil's drudges ?

Where can we find fo many ftrongly inciting motives to hate and
abandon all fin, as are contained, and very obvious in the death and
fufferings of our Saviour for it ?

Fifthly, The death of our Saviour is in a fpecial manner effedfual to
the making of us in all refpects virtuous and holy, as he hath thereby
procured for us that grace and alTiftance that is neceflary to enable us
fo to be. In regard of his humbling himfelf as he did, and becoming
obedient to the death of the crofs, hath God highly exalted him, and given him
a name that is above every name ; that at the name of Jefus every knee J}>ould
bow^ of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth :
and that every tongue Jhould confefs that Jefus Chrifi is Lord, to the glory of
God the Father, Phil. ii. 9, 10, 11. Now by virtue of the authority he
is by this means inverted and dignified with, and particularly as he is
king of his church, hath he fent the Holy Ghofl to landifie us, to
excite us to all holy adions, and to affift us in the performance of
them.

Sixthly, The death of Chrift doth alfo apparently promote this great
defign, as by his patient fubmitting to it he vindicated God's right of
foveraignty over all his creatures, and the power he hath to require
what he pleafeth, and to difpofe of them as feems good to him. Whereas
the frji Adam by contumacy, pride and rebellion, did put an high af-
front upon the authority of his maker, and his wretched pofterity fol-
lowed his example, and have by that means done what lay in them to
render his right to their obedience queftionable ; this blefled jecond
Adam by atiting dire6tly contrary, vi%. by obedience, humility, and fub~
jewing himfelf to the divine pleafure in the feverefi expreffions and fig-
nifications of it, hath done publickly and before the world, an infinite
honour to his Father : and his abiblute right of dominion over his

Y 4 whole

344 The Defign of Chrijliamty. Sect. I,

whole creation, and the power he hath to prefcribe to It what laws he
judges tilting (vjhich was before fo eclipfcd by wicked turners) hath he
by this means in the nioft fignal manner manifefted and made appa-
rent. And of what force this is to promote our holinefs and univerfal
obedience, the dullefl capacity may apprehend.

From what hatli been faid, it appears to be a moll: plain, and un-
qucilionable cafe, that cur Saviour in his death, confidered according
to each of the notions we have of it in fcriptnie, had an eye to the great
vo"k of making men holy; and that this was the main deligii which he
therein drove ar.

And I now add, that whereas it is frequently cf^rmed in the holy
fcriptures, that the end of ChrilVs death was alfo \\\c for give ncfs of our
fms, and the reconciling of us to his P'ather, we are not fo to underftand
thofe places, as if thele blffllngs were abfolutely thereby procured for
us, or any otherwife than upon condition of our eff'ctlual believing, and
yielding obedience to his Gofpel. Nor is there any one thing fcarcely
we are fo frequently minded of, as we are of this. Chril\ died to put
■us into q capacity of pardon ; the a6tual removing of our guilt is not
the necefTary and immediate refult of his death, but fufpended till fuch
time as the forementioned conditions, by the help of his grace, are
performed by us.

But moreover, it is in order to our being encouraged to fincere en-
deavours to forfake all lin, and to be univerfaliy obedient for the time
to come, that our Saviour fhed his blood for the pardon of it : this
was iiuended in his death, as it is fubfervient to that purpofe; the
alTurance of leaving all our tins forgiven upon our llncere reformation,
being a neceffary motive thereunto. Therefore hath he delivered us
from a necelluy of .^jv'w^, that we might live to God ; and therefore
doih God ot^cr to be in his fon Jefus reconciled to 7/5, tiiat we may
thereby be prevailed with to be reconciled to hitn. Therefore was the
ileal h of Chritl defigned to procure our jufiification from all tins paft,
that we might be by this means provoked to become new creatures for
the time to come. Obferve to this purpofe what the divine author to
the Hebrews faith, chap. ix. 13, 14. If the blood cf bulls and goats, and
the ajhei of an heifer fprinUing the unclean, fantiifieth to the purifying of the
ficfl) : how much more Jhall the blood cf Chriji, who through the eternal fpir it
cf'ered himfef without fpot to God. Purge your confciences from dead works
(tor what end? it follows) to ferve (or in order to your ferving) thf
living God?

And thus much may fufHce to be fpoken concerning the defign of
ouj Saviour's death.

CHAP,

Chap. VIII. Tke Deftgn of Chrifiianity, 345

CHAP. VIII.

That it is only the promoting of the Pefign of making Men holy^ that is aimed
at by the Apop.les^ injifiing on the DoP.rincs of Chriji's RefurreSliony Af^
cenfion and coming again to Judgment,

^^■^^■!^, MIGHT in the next place proceed to fliew, that the refur-
■S I %. region of our Saviour did carry on the fame deiign his precepts^
c^;^-^;^ promifes and threainings^ life and death aimed at, but who knows
not that thefe would all have figniiied nothing to the promoting of this
or any other end, if he had always continued in the grave, and not:
rifen again as he foretold he would. If Chriji be not rifen, faith the
Apoftle, I Cor. xv. 13. then is our preachi?ig vain^ and yniir faith is alfo
vain. So that whatfoever our Saviour intended in thofe particulars,
the perfe6ting and final accomplifhment thereof muft needs be emi-
nently defigned in his refurre£iion. The Apoftle Peter tells his country-
men the Jews, AciS iii. 21. that, To them frji God having raifed up his
fon "Jefus, fait him to hlefs them in turning every one of them from his ini-
quities. But farthermore we find the doctrine of Chriji's refurreSiion
very much infifted on, by St. Paul efpecially, as a principle of the fpi-
ritual and divine life in us ; and propofed as that which we ought to
have not only ■xfpeculative and notional., but alfo a pra^ical and expert-
/.'j^w/^/ acquaintance with. And he often telleth us, that it is our duty
to find that in our fouls which bears an analogy thereunto. He faith,
Phil. iii. 10. That it was his ambition to know, or feel within him-
felf, the power of his rcfurre^ioii^ as well as \.hQ fellow/hip of his fuffer-
ings ; to have experience of his being no longer a dead but a living Jefus
by his enlivening him, and quickening his foul with a new life. And
again he faith, Rom. vi 4. that. Therefore we are buried xvith him by
haptijm unto death., that like as ChrijI was raifed up from the dead by the
glory ef the Father., even fo ive alfo Jhould walk in neiunef of life ; that is,
Chriftians being plunged into the water in baptifni, fignifieth their
obliging themfelves in a fpiritual fence to die and be buried with Jefus
Chrift (which death and burial conlift in an utter renouncing and for-
faking of all their fins) tiiat fo anfwerably to his refurre^ion^ they may
live a holy and a godly life. And it followeth, verfe 5. For iftvehave
been planted together in the Ukenefs of his death., ive Jhall be alfo ir, the like-
nefs of his refurreBion ; that is, If we are ingrafted into Chrifl by mor-
tification of fin, and fo imitate his death, we will no lefs have a re-
femblance of his refurredtion, by living to God, or performing all ai^s
of piety and chrifiianity. And then from verfe 8. to 11. he thus pro-
ceeds ; Now if we be dead with ChriJI^ ive believe that we Jball (or ^ve ivili)
alfo live with him : knoiving that Chriji^ being raifed from the deaJ^ dieth
no more., death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he diedy he
died unto fm once-, (or for fin once for all) but in that he liveth, he liveth
unto God; that is, in heaven with God. Likeivij'e reckon ye your f elves
to be dead indeed unto fin^ but alive unto God thrcugh '^efus ChriJl our Lord',
that is, afier the example of his death and ^-ArJr.'.vTrVrr, account ye

your

346 The Dcjign of Chrlfihmty. Sect. I.

your felves obliged to die to fin, and to live to the praifc and glory
of God.

And the fame ufe that the Apoftle here makes of the refurreilion of
our Saviour, he doth alfo elfewhere of his afienfion and feffion at the
right hand of God, CokJJ'. iii. i, 2. If ye then be r'lfen with Chrijly feek
thofe things which are ahovc^ where Chriji fitteth at the right hand of God ;
fet your affetVions on things above, not on things on the earth : for you are
dead, that is in profeffion, having engaged yourfelves to renounce your
part wicked life, and your life is hid with Chrif in God^ &(. that is, and
the life you have by enibracing the Chriftian religion obliged your felves
to lead, is in heaven, where Chrift is. So that this flieweth the in-
formations the Gofpel gives us of thefe things to be intended for prac'
tical purpofes, and incitements to holinefs. And ChrilVs refurre^iion^
with his following advancement, we are frequently minded of, to teach
us this moft excellent leflbn, that obedience, patience and humility are
the way to glory ; and therefore to encourage us to be followers of him,
to tread in his holy fteps, and make him our pattern. This we have
in the fore-cited place, Phil. \\. 5, 6, 7, &c. and Heb. xii. i, 2. we are
exhorted to lay aftde every weight, and the fm which doth fo eajily befet uSy
and to run with patience the race that is fet before us : looking unto Jefus the
author and finijher of our faith ; who for the joy that tvas fet before him,
endured the crofs^ defpifing the /l?ame, and is fet down at the right hand of
the throne of God. And verfe 3. To confider him that endured fuch contra-
diclion of finners againji himjelf (that is, efpecially how he is now re-
warded for it) lef we be weary and faint in our minds.

And that the meaning of our being fo often minded of our Saviour's
doming again to judgement, is to ftir us up to all holinefs of converfation,
who can be fo ignorant as not to know ? for we are fufficiently told
that we mufl: be judged according to our works, efpecially fuch works,
as the hypocrites of this age do moft defpife, and leave to be chiefly
performed by their contemned moralifts ; as appears from Matt. xxv.
34. to the end of the chapter. And, laftly, that is very certain, which
is intimated in the 123 page of the Free Difcourfe, namely, " That all
" the dodtrines of the Gofpel, as merely fpeculative as fome at the firft
*' fight may feem to be, have a tendency to the promoting of real righ-
" teoufnefs and holinefs, and are revealed for that purpofe." But as I
did not there, fo neither will I here proceed to fhew it, in all the feveral
inftances, or in any more than I have now done : and that for the rea-
fon that is there given. But befides, I conceive that what hath been
difcourfed in this fedtion, is abundantly fufficient to demonftrate what
we have undertaken, viz. That to make men truly virtuous and boly^ is tbi.
defigny the main and ultimate deftgn of Cbrijlianity,

SECT

Chap. IX. Tie Defign of Chrijlianity. 347

S E C T. 11.

Upon what Accounts the Bufwcfs of making Men holy came to he preferred ,
our Saviour before any cthsr thing, and to be principally defigned.

C H A P. IX.

Two Accounts of this : The FirJI, That this is to do the greatejl good to Men.
And that the bhffing of making Men holy^ is of all other the greatefl^
proved by fever al Arguments^ viz. Firfl^ That it containeth in it a Deli-
verance from the worfl of Evils ; and Sin fhewedfo to be.

frW^i^ PROCEED in the next place to fliew how it comes to pafs,
^ I ^ that of all other good things, the making mankind truly vir-
i^JS^Jl tuous and holy, is the grand and fpecial defign of Chriflianity,
There are thefe two accounts to be given of it.

Firfl:, This is to do the greatefl good to men.

Secondly, This is to do the befl fervice to God.

Firft, The making of us really righteous and holy, is the greateft
good that can pofiibly be done to us. There is no blefTing comparable
to that of purifying our natures from corrupt affections, and induing
them with virtuous and divine qualities. The wifer fort of the Hea-
thens themfelves were abundantly fatisfied of the truth of this: and
therefore the only defign they profeffed to drive at in their philofophy,
■was the purgation, and perfe^ing of the humane life*. Hieroclesmzk.es
this to be the very definition of it : and by the purgation of men's lives,
he tells us is to be underf^ood, the cleanfing of them from the dre2;s
and filth of unreafonable appetites ; and by their perfe5iion, the reco-
very of that excellency which reduceth 'CTeo; tv ©siav ofAoiw^T-if, to the
divine likenefs. Now the blefllng of making men holy, is of all the
greateft.

Firft, Becaufe it contains in it a deliverance from the ivorfi of evils,
Thofe are utterly ignorant of the nature of y?/?, that imagine any evil
greater than it, or fo great. It was the docfirinc of the Stoicks, that
there is nothing evil but what is turpe et vitiofum, vile and vicious.
And Tully himfelf, who profeffed not to be bound up to the Placita of
any one fctfl of philofophers, but to be free- minded, and to give his
reafon its full fcope and liberty, takes upon him fometimes moft ftiffly,
and feemingly in very good earneft, to maintain it and difpute for it.
But as difficult as I find it to brook that do(5trine as they feem to un-
derftand it, that more modeft faying of his in the firft book of his Tuf-
(ulan ^eftions hath, without doubt, not a Jiitle of truth in it, viz. That

there

34-8 The Def.gn cf ChrijUdniiy. Sect. II.

ihere h no evil comparable to that of fin*. Hierocks^ a fober philofopher,
and very free from the high-flown humour, and ranting genius, of the
Starch, though he would aHow that other things befides fin, may be
XxXsTTo. K^ SvaSid^ilx, very grievous and difficult to be born, yet he would
admit nothing befides this to be ovtwj xaxov, truly evil; and he gives
fhis reafon for it, viz. Becaufe that certain circumftances may make
other things good^ that have the repute of evils ; but none can make
ihfs fo. He faith that the word xa^w? [well] can never be joyned with
any vice, but (o may it with every thing befides : as it is proper to fay
concerning fuch or fuch a perfon, voauKccXi^c, «T/v/Iai xaTvi;?, he is ivell
tiifeafed, he is will \)oot, tiiat is, he is both thefe to good purpofe, be-
having himfelf in his ficknefs and poverty as he ought to do ; but, pro-
ceeds he, it can never be faid, dStxsT Kcc>^ui, uKoXardvn xa^w?, &;c. he
«lorh injury zae/l, or he is r/^/v/y and as becomes him, intemperate.

Now that wickedncfs is the greatell of evils, is apparent, in that it
injures men's better part, their fouls, whereas it lieth in the power of
no other, as the now mentioned philofopher alfo obferveth, fo to do.
t Do I fay, it injures them ? that's too gentle a word, it marrs znA fpoih
ihem ; as againthat perfon doth in another place fpeak. J Other evils
may ruine our bodies, our fortunes, he. and may, I confefs, by that
means difquiet and difurb our fouls ; but they can be depraved by nought
buty//7; this alone can deprive them of the image of God wjierein con-
f)th their excellency. And when I fay that fin undoes (?i/;-/^;:^/j, and
lia only, I fay that this, and this alone, undoes our fclves. [j For, as
faith the fame brave man. Thy foul is thy f elf ; thy body thine ; and all
cuiward things, thy body's. And the excellent Siwplicius fpeaking of
deathy hath this faying, that it is only ra ai^u-:^ xukIv, h-k r,ix.uv, an evil
to our bodies, not to us, And this both the Stoicks and Platonijis do much
infift upon, and make great ufe of it. They (Vick not to tell us, that
it is improper to (ay that a man confifts of two parts, whereof the body
is one ; and that this is not ^hc^ crvvTiTxy[j.iyov, dhx' i^yuvov, a conftitu-
cnt part of man, but only his injlrument : that it is but our prifon
wherein we are confined, our leather-bag, our fafchel, our cafe, qmv Jheath,
our houfe, our clothing, and the like. And we find fuch a notion of the
lody in the holy Scriptures, as well as in the Heathen writing. Si. Paul
alfo calls it our clothing, our earthly houfe, our tabernacle, i Cor. v. 1,4.
St. Peter calleth his body, this tabernacle; I think it meet, faith he, y3
hng as I am in this tabernacle, ^c. 2 Pet. i. 13. Knozuing that fhortly I
niufl put off this tabernacle, verfe 14. So that other evils have that deno-
mination becaufe they are fo to fuch things only [immediately I mean)
as belong to our felves, hwtfm is an immediate evil, and the greateft ima-
ginable to OUT very /elves ', in that in whomfoever it is entertained, it
clianges the man's nature, fpoils his conlVitution, and makes him quite
another thing: from a lovely, noble and excellent, it transforms him
into an ignoble, bafe and contemptible creature. We are not ignorant
what names the Scripture beftoweth upon wicked men, even thofe of

tha

* Ne malum quiJem uUum cum iurp'itudhns tnalo comparctndum.

+ 'Tsivrx, Sec. ao£ rn ■^'•'x'^' B'^^^^d rvfxccvit. Jn Car. Pythag. p. 105.

t <t>So^a (Je a$avaT« ixr^dyi^a-l^ xcocia.. p. 1 62.

il Su y»^ il '/j' i|'i;%''"» TO oi c-wftts trov, rx ^\ £>st®^ ts awftaToj. p« 153*

Chap. IX. ^-e D^f^gn of ChrijllanUy, 34^

the undeamjl and moft impure beo/h. There is no fuch filthlnefs (laid
Cicero'^) as the Fceditas turpificati ammi^ that of an unclean foul: and
the philofophers ufed to exprefs vice by turpitudo and xV a.\a-x^ly filtki-^
nefs, as being that which is infinitely dilbecoming, below and unwor-
thy of humane nature, f And the wife man in his book of the Prji-
'Verbs faith, that a ivicked man is loatkfome and coinelh to J})ame. There is
no fuch hideous monfler in nature as a reafonable creature living in
contradiaion to the di6lr.tes of his underftanding, trampling under-foot
the eternal laws of righteoufncfs, and oppofing himfelf to the known
will of the great Sovereign of the world, of him in whom he iiveth,
iTJOveth and hath his being, to whom alone he is obliged for all he is
or hath, and for the capacity he is in of having any thing for the fu-
ture which for the prefent he is deftitute of. A body in which the
head and feet have exchanged places, is not more deformed and mon-
flrous than is a vicious foul : for hzx fuperiour and governing part is fub-
je<5ted to, and lorded over by her infcriour^ and that which was defigned
by nature to be kept in fubje<nion and governed. Her ^noyjiv (as the
Pythagoraans phrafe it) or holder of the reins, and nd'nig faculty, is
become the hi^x^if-ivov, the reined in and ruled faculty.

I add moreover, that well may fm be faid to fpoil and mar men's
fouls, for we read in the writings of the A.poftles that it kills them.
She that liveth in pkafures is dead, while fie liveth, i Tim. v, 6. You
hath\he quidned who were dead in trefpajjes andfms, Eph. ii. i. S. Judiy
fpeaking of certain ungodly wretches, faith, that they are twice dead^
ver. 12. And the very fame notion had diverfe of the Heathens alfo.
Pythagoras ufed to put a ;d£voTa^jov, or empty coffin in the place of that
fcholar that left his fchool, to betake himfelf to a vicious and debauch'd
life, as thereby fignifying, that he was dead^ dead as to his nobkr part.
And his followers tell us that the fouls of men dled^ when they apofta-
tized from God, and cart: off the divine life. And fuch a one, as in
whom fin reigneth, may be called a dead man, becaufe according to
them, the definition of a man belongs not to him, nor doth he any
longer deferve the name of a reafonable creature. The philofopher we
have fo often quoted, and fliall have occafion to do it oftner, will have
wickednefs to be ^u-zcct©- T^oyiKva va-ia?, the death of the reafonable nature :
:t And SimpUcius doubts not to affert, that a man that is drowned in fen-
fuality^ hath no more of reafon in him, than a brute creature.

To return to God and to a right mind, to be without God and without
undtrjlandingy wxre of one and the fame fignification with thofe excel-
lent men. And our Saviour tells us that the prodigal came to himfelf
when he refolved upon returning to his father's houfe; as if while he
perfifted in difobedience, he was as very a brute, as thofe vvhofe Itufks
he fed on, and had utterly loft his under/landing. Though that laft fay-
ing of SimpUcius may feem fomcwhat hyperbolical, yet this following
one of Hierocles hath not tlie lesft of a figure in it, vi-::,. T'hat wicked
men do render the reafcn that lemaineth in them i^iliy.-n'ilii faiXars^ci-,

mere

* In lib. III. de Oficiis.

Hieroc. p. 78.

X Mi)oh (A-%}\.\6t ^«7lxsr r, fcT^nyot ^iwsr v7r»j;^sr. Coniment. Ep:6t, p. 4,

350 The Defign of Chrijlian'ity. Sect. 11.

more tafe and wretchedly contemptible than the vilejl Jlave. They ufe it
altogether in matters of very bad, or (at beft) of moft mean concern ;
and therefore as upon that account, it were better, fo upon this it
would be even as well, if they had none at all : for the fagacity that is
in beafts is not lefs ferviceable to them^ than is the reafon of a wicked
man to him: nay, had he only thzt fagacity that is obfervable in many
unreafonable creatures, it might ftand him in as much ftead as his reafon
doth, and perhaps more. So that from what hath been difcourfed, it
appeareth evidently that wichdnefs is the worfl, incomparably the worfi of
evils-, that it is fo in its own nature^ as well as in its confequences : and
therefore to deliver us from ir, by purifying our lives and natures is to
confer upon us the great ejl blefllng, and confequently is an undertaking,
of all others, the moft worthy of the Son of God.

CHAP. X.

The Jeco?id /Argument, viz. That the Biffing of making Men holy is accom-
panied with all other that are ?no/l di fir able , and which do bef deferve to
be fo called : particularly ivith the Pardon of Sin, and God's fpecial Love,
jind that thoje things which jenjual Per fans are mofi defirous ofi are emi-
nently to be found in that blejjing.

g?ifeii??2ECONDLY, This is the greateft blefTnig, becaufe it is ac-
^ S ^ companied with all other that are moft defirable, and which do
iis#*^ Z'^/ deferve to be fo called. Where fm is fincerely forfaken,
it will certainly be pardoned: the nature oi GoA is fuch as fpeaks him
moft ready to be reconciled to a true convert. They are our iniquities
alone that make, or can make, a feparation betwixt us and our God,
and our fns only that hide his face from us : but the caufe being re-
moved, the effe^ ceafcth. When the divine grace that is offered to
finners, becometh effedtual to the turning any one from his evil ways,
God's favour doth naturally return to him : even as naturally as doth
the fun's light into thofe places, where that which before intercepted
between it and them, is taken away. He is of fo infinitely benign and
gracious a nature, that no man can continue an obje6t of his difpleafure
one moment longer than while he is uncapable of his favour; and no-
thing, I fay, but fin and wickednefs, as he haih often enough afTured
us, can make men fo. Nay, a holy foul is ever the object of his deareft
and moft fpecial love. He is not only friends with, but takes pleafure
in thofe that fear him, Pfalm cxlvii. ii. He is faid to make his refi-
dence within fuch perfons, fo great is the delight that he taketh in
them. Ifaiah Ixvi. i, 2. Thus jaith the Lord, the heaven is my throne,
and the earth my footflool, where is the houfe that ye build unto me? and
xvhere is the place of my refi? for all thofe things have mine hand made, and
all thofe things have been, faith the Lord : hut to this man will I look, even
to him that is pour and of a contrite fpirit, and trembleth at my word.

John

Chap. X. The Defign of Chrijliamty, 35 1

John xiv. 23. "Jefm [aid unto him. If any man love me, he will hep my
words, and my Father will love him, and lue will come unto him, and make
mr abode with him. And it is faid particularly of him that dwelleth iti
love, which is the fulfilling of the law, that he dvjelleth in God, and God
in him. And I might (hew that the Heathens themfelves had this very
notion. It was a faying ufed by the Pythagoreans ; that God hath mi
in the whole earth a more familiar place of refidence than a pure foul*-.
And JpoUo is brought in thus fpeaking.

To dwell in heaven doth not more pleafe me, then
Within the fouls of pious mortal men.

And Hierocles, which reclteth that verfe, doth himfelf aflert, that
God hateth no man ; but as for the good man, he emhraceth him with an ex-
traordinary and furpajfing affection f. The righteous Lord loving righte-
mfnefs, his countenance cannot but behold the upright. Wherefoever
he finds any impreffions of true goodnefs, as he cannot but highly ap-
prove of them, fo is it not pofTible but they (hould attract his fingular
love to thofe which are the fubjeds of them : according to that mea-
fure and proportion that any one participates of his goodnefs, he muft
needs have a (hare in his grace and kindnefs. A holy perfon is a maa
after God's own heart, as his fervant David is faid to be: he is a man
that carrieth his image, and bears a refemblance to him, and upon
that account he cannot fail to be very dearly beloved by him. Now t
need not go about to prove, that there is no blefllng whatfoever but is
implied in an intereft in the divine love, and efpecialfy in fuch a love as
that which we have (hewed good men are made the obje(5ls of.

It might be here (hewn alTo that thofe things which fenfual and car-
nal perfons are rnoft defirous of, viz, riches, honours, and plenfures, are
eminently to be found in the bleding we are now difcourfino- of; and
indeed thofe v;hich beft defer ve to be fo called and are in the properelt
fence fo, no where elfe. Nothing inricheth a man like the graces of
God's holy fpirit : what S.P^^^r faid o^ meeknefs, is true of all the virtues;
they are in the fight of God (and he judgeth of things as they are) of great
price, X They are czlhd gold tried ifi the fire. Rev, iii. 18. The true and our
own riches, Luke xvi. 12. Which is as much as to fay, that thefe only
are ours, and all but thefe are falfe and counterfeit. Thefe inrich our
fouls, which alone, as was faid, deferve to be called our felve^, and will
abide by us when all other have bid aiWeu to us. Thefe do as much
excel in true value and worth all thofe things which the v/orld calls
riches, as do our immortal fpirits tranfcend our frail and corruptible
cark.a(res. It was one of the maxims of the Stoicks, ot» (*5>'2)- 5 o-o^jc
-srAyo-Kg)', that the luife, whereby they meant the truly virtuous, man is
the only rich man. And Tully hath this faying upon it. A mans chejl
cannot properly be called rich, but his mind only : and though thy coffer be full,

'Vvx'^i xacSu^g TOTTov oixtioTe^oii Itt) t?; yJJf $£o; ax «%e»'

X Nihil ^ Tteq; meum eji neq\ cujufquam, quod auferri, quod eripi, quod amitU
potejl, Cicero in paradoxis.

352 The Defign cf Chrijllanitf. Sficr. 11.

Jo long as J fee thee empty ^ 1 Jhall not think thee a rich man *. And faith
Hierodes, « H^ t^j ■^'^x^'^t •mtUvra, fAiz^d. /Ill things that are without a
man's fouU are but little and infignificant trifles. And the righteous^
faith Solomon, is more excellent than his neighbour -^ or he is of greater
worth than any other peifon that is not righteous, Prov. xii. 26.

Nothing, again, makes men fo honourable as doth virtue and true
goodnefs, or at all truly fo. Seeing he and he alone that is indued
with it, hves up to his highefl: principle, hke a creature poffeffed of a
mind and reafon ; nay, this man is moreover, as was faid, like to God
himfelf, and imitates his glorious perfe6tions, viz. his moral ones.
And therefore well might wifdom fay as (lie doth, Prov. viii. 18. Riches
and honour are with me. To overcome our unruly lufts, and keep in
fubjeftion all impetuous defires and inordinate appetites, makes us more,
defervedly glorious than was Alexander or Jiilius Cafar : for he that
thus doth, hath fubdued thofe that maftered thofe mighty conquerors.
And fuch a one hath praife of God, of the holy angels, and of all men
that are not fools, and whofe judgements he hath caufe to value. He
that is pw to anger, is better than the mighty -y and he that ruleth hisfpirit^
than he that lakcth a city, Prov. xvi. 32.

And no pleafures are comparable to thofe that immediately refult
from virtue and holinefs : for that man's confcience is a very heaven to
him that bufieth himfelf in the exercife thereof. While we do thus,
we a6l moll agreeably to the right frame and conftitution of our fouls
and confequently moft naturally; and all the adions oi nature are con-
fefledly very fweet and pleafant. This alfo very many of the Heathens
had a great fenfe of; even thofe of them which much doubted of ano-
ther life wherein virtue is rewarded, commended very highly the prac-
tice of it, for this reafon, that it is fibi pramium a reward to it felf.
Simplicius in his comment upon Epicietus, hath this obfervable faying,
that the obfervation of the rules of virtue in that book prefcribed will
make men fo happy and blefled even in this life, that they Ihall not
need (A.ira, ^«vaT&» rr? a^fT»;; a/iAoiCa; £7ra^y£^^^•&«^> &c. to be promifed any
reward after death, though that alfo will be fure to follow.

Thefe things, I fay, might be infifted on in this place, but they are
fuch large and fpacious fields of difcourfe, that fliould we make any
confiderable entrance into them, we Ihall find it no eafie matter to get
out of them. I therefore proceed.

• Animvs homlnis dives ^ mn area appellarl pctcj}. ^larm'ls ilia Jtt plena, dum
tt irianem I'idelo, ^ii>itfm non puiaho. In parad«>.v.

CHAP.

Chap. XL The Defign ofChriJImity, 353

CHAP. XI.

The third Argument^ viz. That whatfoever other Bkjfings a Man may he
fuppofed to have that is utterly dejlitute of Holinefs, they cannot Jiand him
info much (lead., as only to make him not miferable. And all evil and cor-
rupt ajfe^ions jheived to be greatly tormenting in their oiun Nature ^ and
innumerable fad Mifchiefs to be the necejfary Conjequents of yielding obe-
dience to them.

f:XX^HIRDLY, whatfoever other bleffings a man may be fuppored
^5 T $ to have, that is utterly deftitute of this of holinefs, they can-
&0<^ not ftand him in fo much ftead as but to make him not mife-
rable. We may by tlie firft particular, and what was faid upon it, be
fufficiently convinced of the truth of this: but I farther add, That fin-
ful lufls are extremely troub'e bme, difquieting, and painful. The wick-
ed faith the prophet Ifaiah) is like the troubled fea ivhich cannot refl-%
whofe waters caji up mire ana dirt. The labyrinths that fin involves
men in, are innumerable; its ways are fo full of intricate turnings
and windings, that they fadly perplex thofe poor creatures that walk
in them ; and it is impolTible but they Ihould do fo. The greateft
outward inconveniencies and difaftrous misfortunes are very frequently
as might be largely (hewn occafioned by them ; but vexations of mind,
and troublcfome thoughts are the conftant and never-failing effeds of
them. Tully in the forementioned book, faith thus to the vicious man,
t Thy lufls torment thee^ all forts of cares opprefs thee^ and both day and
night torture thee. And Hierocles faith, that it is neceffary that the wor/i
life Jhould be moji miferable^ and the beft mofi plcafant and delightful,
Covetoufnefs and ambition put men's minds upon the rack to con-
trive ways of inriching and advancing themfelves : and when they have
attained to fo large a propofition of eartlily profits., or fo high a degree
oi honour as they at firft defigned, they zxt fo far from being at eafe and
reft (as they vainly promifed to themfelves they fhould) that \.\-\t\x crav-
ings encreafe as do \\\^\k fortunes \ and in the midft of their abundance
they continue in the fame ftraits that at firft afRicled them. Nay, io
impetuous is the fury of thofe lufts, that they drive them into ftiil
greater, and caufe in their fouls that are pofTefled by them a more pun-
gent and a quicker fence of want than they felt when their condition
was mod mean, and their eftate at the loweft. Nor is this mifchief
any other than a natural and unavoidable confequent of forfaking God
(who is, as the fcriptures call him, the refl, and as Plato., the cetiter of
fouls) and of feeking fatisfadlion in fuch things, as are infinitely too
little for their vaft capacities : which the forementioned are, and all world-
ly enjoyments.

What a multitude of tormenting cares is independency on G06 and

dfrufi

CfJ Tu^ lihidims te torquent, te arumna premunt omnes, iu dies noSiefq;

Vol. VI. Z

354 ^^ Defign ofChrlftianity: Sect. II.

dijirujl of his providence perpetually attended with ? how impoflible is
it to give a comprehenfive and juft catalogue of the many mifchiefs and
miferies that are the necelTary produdls and genuine off- fpring of/«-
temperance and lafcivioufnefs ? Solomon enumerates feme of the evils that
are the fruits oi the former of thefe, Prov. xxiii. 29. But to give a per-
fe<5l account of them would be an endlefs work. And as tor the lattery
befides the loathfome and painful difeafe that is ordinarily the confe-
quent of fatisfying the cravings of that filthy vice, the unclean perfon is
continually in a rejllefs condition, and as it were, in a con/Icjnt fit of a
burning fever ; and the evil accidents that are occafioned by it are (o
many, that they are not nei^^ier to be reckoned up. The Epicuraans^
though they placed man's chief happinefs in torporeal pleafures, did
ftridly notwithftanding forbid adultery^ becaufe (as theyfaid) in ftead of
performing its promife of pleafure, it robs men of it.

He that is proud and highly conceited of himfelf, is difordered and dif-
compofed by the lead fleighting word, or negled of refped, and I had
almoft faid, by the fmalleft commendation of his neighbour too : and
it lieth in the power of any forry creature, when he lift, to afflid his
mind.

The inward fad effeds of envy and malice are fu/Hciently obfervable in
the difmal countenances of ihofe that are under the power of them ; and
thefe hateful and devililh lufts do eat into, and prey upon, the very
hearts of thofe in whofe breafts they lodge ; and are WkQ fire in their
bofoms uncelTantly torturing them : not to fay any thing of the many
outward and moft direful mifchiefs that are caufed by a full fatisfadlion
of them. * In (hort, there is not any one inordinate affedion, but is
fo difturbing and difquieting a thing in its own nature, that it cannot
but make thofe who are in fubjedion to it, though they fhould have-
never fo many good things to fet againft it, exceeding miferable in thi^y
as well as in the other world. So that, had our Saviour come into the
world, only upon fuch a defign as the carnal Jews expeded their
Meffah would, t-zs. that of making us partakers of a mere temporal
happinefs, he muft in order to the fucceding of it chiefly have concerned
himfelf to make us holy.

If it were pofllble (as it hath been (hewn It is not) that a wicked
man Ihould have God^s pardon^ this would not make him ceafe to be
miferable ; all it could fignifie would be no more than an exemption
from being immediately by him puniOied : but tho' the divine Majefty
fhould not in the leaft afflid him, his very lulls would be of them-
felves no light punifhment, but fuch as under which he could never
enjoy himfelf in this life, but will be found to be intolerable in the life
to come : feeing there will then be nothing to be met with that can at
all fuit with his fenfual inclinations, or that will have any aptnefs in
it to pleafe and gratifie them : whereas now all places abound with
fuch things as are fit for that purpofe ; as are able, I fay, to gratifie,

though

* Q^'t AppetUus hnguii e'vagatitur, <3c. i^ f.'OJi fat is ratiotie retinentury Iffc
•ah iif non modi anitni perturbantur, fed Hiam Corpora : licet ora ipfa cernere iralo-
rum, aut eoriim qui ant Ubidine aliqud aiit mecu commoti fiwty aitt 'voluptate nimid
gejliiint ; quorum omnium vultuSf njocer, j/iotus,fiatufqri^ niutantur, Cicero lib. I»
de OSiciis.

Chap. XI. TheDefignofChriJiiamty. 355

though not to fatisfie fuch appetites. So that this man's condition in
the future ftate muft needs be very exadly like to his, that is, even
parcht and dried up with excefTive thirll, but can by no means obtain
wherewithal to quench it ; no nor yet fo much as a little to flake it,
and mitigate the pain of t; as he in this ftate very frequently makes
a fliifi to do.

Were it poflible that Chrift's Right eeufnefs could be imputed to an un-
righteous man, I dare boldly affirm that it would fignifie as little to his
happinefs, while he continuethi o, as would a gorgeous and fplendid
garment to one that is almoft ftarved with hunger, or that lieth rackt
by the torturing difeafes of the ftone or cholick.

And could we fuppofe fuch a man to be never fo much an obje6l of
the divine benevolence, nay, and complacency too (as there is nothing
lefs fuppofeable) this could not make him, he continuing wicked, {o
much 2i<&not ?niferable : he being rendred by his wickednefs utterly un-
capable of fuch efFe(5ts of tlie love of God, as could have upon him fo
good an influence.

Nay, farther, were our phanfies (o very powerful, as that they could
place him even \n heaven \t felf; fo long as he continueth unturned
from his iniquities, we could not imagine him happy there ; nay, he
would carry a hell to heaven with him, and keep it there. It is not
the being mzjine place., that can make any one ceafe to be miferable j
but the being in a good /late ; and the place heaven without the hea-
vcnlyjlate, will fignifie nothing. An unhealthful and difeafed body will
have never the more eafe for refiding in a Prince's court, nor will a
fick and unfound foul have an end put to its unhappinefs, though it
fhould live for ever in the prefence of God himfelf. That faying to
this purpofe doth well deferve our repeating, which I find in the ex-
cellent book called, The caufes of the decay of chri/lian piety; alas., what
delight ivould it be to the fwine to be vjrapped in fine linen., and laid in
odours : his fenfes are not gratified by any fuch delicacies^ nor ivould he feel
any thing befides the torment, of being with-held from the mire. And as
little complacency would a brutifh foul find in thofe purer and refined pleafureSy
which can only upbraid, not fatisfie him.

It is not to be doubted that fuch habits of mind as men carry hence
with them, they fhall keep in the other ftate; and therefore if we leave
this earth with any unmortified and reigning lufts, they will not only-
make us uncapable of the happinefs o^ heaven, but alfo of any happi-
nefs. For there will be (as was but now intimated) no fatisfaclion ©r
fo much zs gratification o^ carnal and brutifh, and much lefs of devilifh
appetites, in the celeftial manfions : and therefore they cannot bs
otherwife than very grievoufty painful to the pcrfon that is fraught
with them ; though, I fay, we could fuppofe him to be fafely poftelTed
of thofe glorious habitations.

To fum up all I ftiall fay on this argument, I fear not to affert, that
omnipotency it felf cannot make a wicked perfon happy, no not fo
much as negatively fo (except he fliould be annihilated) any otherwife,
than by firft giving him his grace for the fubduing and mortification of
his lufts: and that to deliver one from all mifery while fui is vigorous
m his foulj and bears the fway there, is not an object of any power,

Z 2 and

3 5 6 ^-^^ Defign of Chrijlianity. S E c t . IL

and implieth in it a palpable and apparent contradi6lion. For misery
is no lefs of the effence of fin and wickedncfs, than is light of the
fun ; fo that it is impoluble they fhould ever be feparated from one
another, but that they mud like the twins of HippocrateSy live arid die
together.

CHAP. XII.

The fourth Argument y viz. That HoUuefs being perfeHcd is Bhjfednefi it
felf \ and the Glory of Heaven confifli chiefly in it. This no mw Notion ;
fame Obfervations^ by the Wcy^ from it,

c5'ift!>K'|^UT in the laft place, well may we call holinefs the greatefi of
^ B '^. bkffings^ for when it is petfe£ied, it is blefled.nefs it felt, and tjie
<=^)K!;<?'^ ^/(?r>' of heaven is not only entailed upon it, but doth chiefly
coniilt in it. Beloved (faith S. John) Noiv are zue the fons of God \ but
it doth not appear ivhat tve Jhallbe^ but this we knoiv that when he appear^
eth^ we Jhall be like him^ l^c. As if he fhouKl fay, I cannot tell you
particularly and diftincfly what the blejfcdiiefs of the other life will be,
but this I am fure of, that likenefs to God is ihe general notion of it ; and
that it confifts, for the fubftance thereof, in a perfect reftmblance of
the divine nature. Tiie happinefs of heaven dotl^ not lie in a mere
fixing of our eyes upon the divine perfedions, and in admiring of them,
but mainly in fo beholding and contemplating them, as thereby to bfe
changed into the exprefs and lively image of them : and in having fo
affedting a fence of God's infinite juftice and goodnefs, purity and holi-
nefs, 2s will make the deepeft impreffions of thofe mofl amiable quali-
ties on our own fouls.

The glory that heaven conferreth upon its inhabitants, confifts not
fo much in an external view of God and Chrift, as in a real and
plentiful participation of their glorious excellencies ; whereby are chiefly
to be underftood thofe, that are implied in that general word holinefs:
for as for their other attributes, fuch as knowledge, p.wer, i'fc the de-
vils themfelves who are molt of all creatures unlike them, have a large
tneafure of them.

This ^V^i://;i?/i principally injplleth a rapturous love of God, a feel-
ings as well as underftanding, the goodnefs that is in him ; an infepa-
rable conjundion of the faculties of our fouls with him, and a pertecft
adlmulation of our natures to him. The felicity of heaven is an ope-
rative thing, full of life and energy, which advanceth all the power of
inens fouls into a fmpathy with the divine nature, and an abfolute com-
pliance with the will of God ; and fo makes him to become all in all
to tliem. So that the happinefs of heaven, and perfecfi holinefs are by
no means to be accounted tilings of a different nature, but two feveral
conceptions of one and tl'.e fame tiling, or rather two exprefllons of
one and the fame conception. Ml that happinefs (as faid the learned and

pious

Chap. XIII. The Defgn of Chri/liamty. 357

pious Mr. John Smith) which good men Jhall be made partakers <?/, as it
cannot be born up upon any other foundation than true goodnefs, and a godlike
nature within us, fo neither is it dip.in^t from it.

Neither are we to look upon this as any upftart or late notion, for
our ancient divines have Jong fince taught it, in this faying that was
frequently ufed by them, viz. Grace is glory begun, and glory is grace
perfs6ied.

And I cannot but by the way obferve, that thofe which have con-
fidered this, will need no other argument to fatisfie them. That that
talk of Ibme [that it is mere fervile obedience and below the ingenuity
and generofity of a Chriftiah fpirit, to ferve God for heaven, as well as
for the good things of thrs life only] is very grofsly ignorant, very
childifh prattle : for to ferve God in hopes of heaven according to its
true notion, is to ferve him for himfelf, and to exprefs the fincereft,
and alfo the moft ardent affecflion to him., as well as concernment for
our own fouls. And therefore it could not but highly become the Son
of God himfelf, to endure the crofs, and defpife the /hame., for the joy that
was fet bejore him., taking that yiy in no other fence vh?.n hath beeti
generally underrtood, viz. for the hapinefs of heaven confifling in a
full enjoyment and undifturbed poffelTion of the bleficd Deity : nor is
there any reafon why vve fliould enquire after any ^i^/^t-r (igniiication of
that word, which may exclude this.

And on the other hand, to be diligent in the fervice of God for fear
of hell, underftanding it as a flate perfectly op'pofite to that which we
have been defcribing, is in a like manner from a principle of love to
God and true goodnefs, as well as felf-love, and is no more unworthy
of a Son of God, than of a mere fervant. And thus, the truth of this
propofition, That to make men holy., is to confer upon them the greatejl of
blejfwgs, by the little that hath been faid is made plainly apparent.

J><S><><Q<»0<>0<>0'>0>0<0^>0<«S>'>0<^>0^0>Q*<S>4©<>0<><^^

CHAP. XIII.

77;*? fecond Account of our Saviour s prefering the Bufuiefs of making Aim
holy., before any other., viz. That this is to do the bef Service to God.
An Obje^ion anfwered againjl this Difcourfe of the Defign of Chrijiianity.

c:5^SI5=T remains fecondly to be (hewn, That to promote the bufinefs of
^ I ^ hoUnefs in the world., is to do God Almighty the befl fervice : And
"^^w^^ this will be difpatcht in a very few words. For is it not, without
difpute, better fervice to a prince to reduce rebels to their allegiance,
than to procure a pardon under his feal for them ? This is fo evidently
true, that to do this latter, except it be in order to \he former bufmefs,
is not at all to ferve him, nay, it is to do him the greateft o{ differvices.
I need not apply this to our prefent purpofe. And therefore, to be
fure, the work of making men holy, and bringing over finners to the
obedience of his Father, mull needs have been much rnore in the eye of

Z 3 our

35^ Vhe Defign cf Chrifnanity. Sect. II.

our blefled Saviour, than that of delivering them from their deferved
puniniment,y;;;2j&/y and in it /,r,y"conndered : for his love to him will be
(I hope) univerlaily acknowledged to be incomparably greater than it
is to us, as very great as 'tis.

None can queftion, but that by our apoftafie from God, we have moft
highly dilhonoured him, we have robbed him of a right that he can
never be willing to let go, viz. The obedience that is indifpenfably
due to him as he is our creator, continual preferver, our infinitely
bountiful benefa6tor, and abfolute fovereign. And therefore it is as
little to be doubted, that Chrift would in ihc firjl place concern himfelf
for the recovery of that right. And, but that both works are carried
on together, and infeparably involved in each other, he tnuft neceffarily
be far more folicitous about the effe6ting of this deljgn, than of that of
delivering wicked rebels from the mifchiefs and miferies they have
fnade themfelvcs liable to, by their difobedience.

So that laying all thefe confiderations together, what can be more
indiiputable, than that our Saviour's chief and ultimate defign in com-
ing from heaven to us, and performing and fuffering all he did for us,
was to turn us from our iniquities, to reduce us to intire and univerfal
obedience, and to make us partakers of inward, real righteoufnefs and
true holinefs ? and we cannot from this laft difcourfe but clearly under-
hand, that it is moft infinitely reafonabky and abfolutely necejfary^ that
it (hould be fo.

But now if after all this it be objedted, that I have defended a no-
tion concerning the defign of Chrijiiauity, different from that which hath
hitherto been conftantly received by all Chriftians, 'viz. That it is to
<3ifplay and magnifie the exceeding riches of God's grace to fallen man-
kind in his fon Jefus : I anfwer that he will be guilty of great injuftice,
that fliall cenfure me as labouring in this difcourfe to propagate any
nnu notion : for I have endeavoured nothing elfe but a true explica-
tion of the old one, it having been grofsly mifunderftood, and is ftill,
by very many, to their no fmall prejudice. Thofe therefore that lay,
that the Chriftian religion defigneth to fet forth and glorifie the infinite
grace of God in Jefus Chrift to wretched finners, and withal under-
ftand what they fay ; as they fpeak moft truly, fo do they aflert the
very fame thing that I have done. For (as hath been (hewn) not
only the grace of God is abundantly difplay^d and made manifeft in
the Gofpel to finners for this end, that they may thereby be efFcdually
moved and perfwaded to forfake their fins ; but alfo the principal grace
that is there exhibited, doth confift in delivering us from the power of
them. Whofoever will acknowledge yj« to be (as we have proved it
is) in its own nature the great fi of all evils, and holinefs the cbiefej of
allbleffings, will not find it eafie to deny this. And befides (as we
have likewife ftiewn) men are not capable of God's pardoning grace.,
till they have truly repented them of all their fins, that is, have in
will and aff^edion fincerely left them : and alfo that if they were capa-
ble of it, fo long as they continue vile flaves to their lufts, that grace
by being beftowed upon them cannot make them happy^ nor yet caufe
them to ceafe from being very miferable, in regard of their difquieting
and tormenting nature, in which is laid the foundation of hell. The

'free

Chap. XIII. Hoe Defign of Chrijlkmty. 359

free grace of God is Infinitely more magnified. In renewing our na-
tures, than it could be in the bare jujlification of our perfons : and to
jujUfie a wicked man while he continueth fo, (if it were poflible for God
to do it) would far more difparage \\\s juH'ice and hoUnefs, than advance
his grace and kindnefs : efpecially fince \\\s forgiving fm would fignifie
fo little, if it be not accompanied with the fubduing thereof. ■

In (hort, then doth God mod fignally glorifie himfelf in the world,
when he moft of all communicates himfelf, that is. Wis glorious perfec-
tions, to the fouls of men : and then do they moft glorifie God, when
they moft partake of them, and are rendered moft like unto him.

But becaufe nothing is, I perceive, more generally miftaken, than
the notion of God's glorifying himfelf, I will add fomething more for
the better underftanding of this, and I am confcious to my felf that I
cannot do it fo well, as in the words of the excellent man we a while
fince quoted, Mr. John Smith, * fometime fellow of Queens College in
Cambridge : When Godfeeks his own Glory, he doth not fo much endeavour
any thing without himfelf: He did not bring this flately fabrick of the uni-
verfe into beings that he might for fuch a monument of his mighty poiver^ and
beneficence, gain y^wf Panegyricks or applaufe from a little of that fading
breath which he had made. Neither was that gracious contrivance of refior-
ing lap fed men to himfelf, a ^Xolto get himfelf fo me external hallelujahs^ as
if he had fo ardently thir/ied after the lauds of glorified fpirits^ or defined a
quire of fouls to fiing fiorth his praifies : neither was it to let the world fee how
magnificent he was. No, it is his own internal glory that he mofl loves, and
the communication thereof which he feeks : As Plato fometimes fpcaks of the
divine love, it arifeth not out <?/ indigency, as created love doth, but out
of fulnefs and redundancy ; // is an overflowing fountain, and that love
which defends upon created beings is a free efflux from the Almighty Jource of
love : And it is well-pleafing to him that thofe creatures which he hath made^
fhould partake of it : (p) Though God cannot feek his oiun glory fo, as if he might
acquire any addition to himfelf, yet he may fieek it fio, as to communicate it out
of himfelf . It was a good maxim (?/ Plato, Tw ©ew s'JeI? <!^'^Lv(^. There is
no envy in God, which is better Jiated by St. James, God giveth to all
men liberally, and upbraideth not. And by that glory of his ivhich he
loves to impart to his creatures, I underfand thofe famps and impreffions of
"wifdom juftice, patience, mercy, love, peace, ]oy, and other divine gifts
which he befoweth freely upon the minds of men. And thus God triumphs in
his own glory, and takes pleafure in the communication of it.

I proceed now to confider what ufieful inferences may be gathered from
our paft difcourfe.

* See his Seleft Difcourfes, page 409. (p) Chap. i. 5.

Z 4 SECT. III.

360 The Defigii of Chrijiianity. Sect. III.

SECT. III.

An Improvement of the whole Difcourfe in diverfe Inferences,

CHAP. XIV.

The Firfl Inference.

That it appears from the pafl Difcourfe^ that cur Saviour hath talen the mofl
effe^ual courfe for the piirpofe of fuhduing Sin in us., and making us par-
takers cf his Holinefs. Where it is particularly Jhewed^ that the Gofpel
gives advantages iifnitely above any thofe the Heathens hcd, who were pri-
vileged with extraordinary helps for the improvement of theinf elves. And
I. 'That the good Principles that ivere by natural Light diiiated to them,
and ivhich reafon rightly improved per/waded them to entertain as undoubt-
edly true, or might have done, are farther confirmed by divine Revelation
in the Gofpel. 2. That thofe Principles which the Heathens by the high-
/ejl Improvement of their Reafon could at befl conclude but very probable^
the Gofpel gives us an undoubted ajjlirance of This Jhewed in four In/lances.
3. Fmr Doctrines /hewed to be delivered in the Gofpel, which no man with-
out the uffftance of Divine Revelation could ever once have thought of, that
contain wonderful inducements, and helps to Holinefs, The fir Jl of which
hath five more implied in it.

^XXf^IRST, it appears from what hath been faid to denionftrate,
<5 F i5 That our Saviour's grand dellgn upon us, in coining into the
^XX^ v^orld, was to fubdue fin in us, and rellore the image of God,
that confideth in righteoufnefs and true holinefs to us : that he hatli
taken the moft effectual courfe imaginable for that purpofe ; and that
his Gofpel is the moft powerful engine for the battering down of all
the ftrong holds that fin hath raifed to it felf in the fouls of men, and
the advancement of us to the higheft pitch of fandlity that is to be ar-
rived at by humane nature. This (as hath been fhewn) was the bufi-
nefs that the philofophy of the heathens defigned to efFedl ; but alas
what a weak and inefficacious thing was it, in comparifon of Chrift's
Gofpel: wherein we have fuch excellent and foul-ennobling />;Yr^/)i'5
moft perfpicuoufly delivered ; and moreover fuch mighty helps afforded
to enable us, and fuch infinitely prcfiing motives and arguments, to excite
us to the prad ice of them.

And it will not be amifs if we particularly fhew, what exceeding great
gdvantages Chriftians have for the attaining of true virtue, and the
fublimel'i degrees thereof, in this ftate attainable, above any that were
ever vouchfafed to the v.-orid by the divine providence, before our Savi-
our's defcent into it. And (not to make a formal comparifon between
the Chrljlian and beft Pagan- Philofophy, this not deferving upon innu-
merable accounts to be fo much as named with that, and much lefs
tp diIl)onpur tlie religion of our Saviour fo far as at all to coippare it

with

Chap. XIV. The Deftgn of Cbrijlianity. 361

With any of thofe which were profefled by heathen! (li nations, or that
of the impoftor Mahomet, wliich as well as thofe, in not a few parti-
culars tends greatly even to corrupt and deprave mens natures) we will
difcourfe according to our accuftomed brevity. Firft, what advantages
the Gofpel gives us above thofe which fuch heathens, as were privi-
leged with extraordinary helps for the improvement of their underlland-
ings, had 5 and fecondly, above thofe which God's moft peculiar peo-
ple, the children of Ifrael, were favoured with.

Firft, As for thofe the Gofpel containeth above fuch as the beft and
moft refined heathens enjoyed, it will be worth our while to confider,

Firft, That the good principle!: that were by natural light dilated to thetriy
<ind ivhich reafon rightly improved did perfwade them to entatain as un^
doubtedly true, or might have done, are Jarther confirmed by divine revela-
tion in the Gofpel to us.

As, That there is but one God : That he is an abfolutely perfect
Being, infinitely poiverful, wife, jujl, merciful, ts'c. That we owe oui'
lives, and all the comjorts of them to him ; That he is our Sovereign
Lord, to ivhom abfolute fubje5lion is indifpe^ifably due : That he is to
be loved above all things ; and the main atid mof important particular
duties which it becomes us to perform to him, our neighbour and felves.
We Chriftians have tbefe things as plainly declared from heaven to us,
and as often repeated and inculcated, as if there were no other way to
come to the knowledge of them, but that of Revelation. So that (as
hath been (hewn in \ht free difiourfe, p. 88.) what the heathens took
pains for, and by the exercife of their reafon learnt, we have fet be-
fore our eyes, and need but read it in order to our knowledge of it.
It is. true, for our fatisfrxtion whetiier the holy fcriptures are divinely
infpired, and have God for their author, it is neceffary that we employ
our realon, except we can be contented to be of fo very harty and eaQe
a belief as to give credit to things, and thofe of greateft concernment
too, we know not why ; or to pin our faith on our fore-fathers fleeves ;
and fo to have no better bottom for our belief of the Bible, than the
Turks have for theirs of the Alcoran. But although it is necefiary that
we fliould exercife here our difparfive faculty, if we will believe as be-
come creatures indued with reafon, yet this is no tedious tafk, nor fuch
as we need much belabour our brains about. An unprejudiced perfon
will foon be abundantly fatisfied concerning the fcripture's divine au-
thority, when he doth but confider how it is confirmed, and how
worthy the dodrine contained in it is of him whofe name it bears.
Now, I fay, this little pains being taken for the eftablifhir.ent of our
faith in the holy fcriptures, we cannot but be at the firft fight aflured
of the truth of the contents of them. For no man in his wits can
queftion his veracity who (as even natural light aftures us) is truth
it felf.

Secondly, Thofe good principles that the heathens by the great efl improve-
ment of their reafon could at bejl conclude but very probable, are made un-
doubtedly certain by Revelation : As,

Firft, That of the immortality of our fouls. The vulgar fort of hea-
thens, who were apt to believe any thing that was by tradition handed
gpwn to them, ('tis confefted) did not feem to doubt of the truth of

thi5

362 Th Defign of Chrljlionity. Sect. III.

this dodlrine, but to take it for granted j wnich (no queftion) is alfo
to be imputed to the fpccial providence of God, and not merely to
their credulity. But the more learned and fagacious, that would not
eafily be impofed on, nor believe any farther than they faw caufe,
though by arguments drawn from the notions they had truly conceived
of the nature of humane fouls, they have diverfe of them undertaken
to prove them immortal', yet could their arguments raife the bej} of
them no higher than a great opinion of their immortality. Cato read
'Plato of the immortality of the foul, as he lay bleeding to death, with
great delight ; but that argues not that he had any more than great
hopei of the truth of it. Somites did fo believe it, that he parted with
this life in expedtation of another ; but yet he plainly and ingenuoufly
confefled to his friends, that it was not certain. Cicero, that fometimes
cxprefleth great confidence concerning the truth of it, doth for the
mort part fpeak fo of if, that any one may fee tiiat he thought the doc-
trine no better than probable. He difcourfeth of it in his book Je Senec-
iute, as that which he rather could not endure to think might be falfe,
than as that which he had no doubt of the truth of. And after he had
there inftanced in feveral arguments which he thought had weight in
them for the proof thereof, and exprefTed a longing to fee his anceftors,
and the brave men he had once known, and which he had heard of,
read and written of, he thus concludes that whole difcourfe, '^ If I err
in believing the fouls immortality, I err willingly ; neither fo long as 1 live
will 1 fuffer this error which fo much delights me, to be wrejled from me.
But if when I am dead, I fljall be void of all fenfe, as certain little philofo'
phers think, I do not fear to have this error of mine laught at by dead philo-
fophers.

But now the Gofpel hath given us the higheft afTurance poflibie of
the truth of this dodlrine ; life and immortality are faid to be brought to
light by it : He who declared himfelf to be the Son of God with power,
gave men zfenfble demonftration of it in his own perfon, by his refur-
iedtion from the dead, and afcenfion into heaven : And both by hiiVi-
felf, and his Apoftles (who were alfo indued with a power of working
the greateft of miracles for the confirmation of the truth of what they
laid) did very frequently, and mofl plainly preach it.

Secondly, The do^rine 0/ reivards and piini/hments in the life to come
(which is for fubftance the fame with the former) according to our beha-
viour in this life, the learned heathens did generally declare their belief
of; which they grounded upon thejuftice, purity and goodnefs of the
divine nature. Theyconfidered that good men were often exercifed with
great calamities, and that bad men very frequently were greatly pro-
fperous, and abounded with all earthly felicities : and therefore thought
it very reafonable to believe that God would in another life ihew his
hatred of fin, and love of goodnefs, by making a plain difcrimination
between the conditions of virtuous and wicked perfons, by punifhing
thefe, and rewarding thofe without exception. But this, though it was,
in their opinion, a \txy probable argument, yet they looked not on it as
that which amounted to a demonjlration. For they could not but be

aware,

• ^od fi in hoc erro, qiihd animos hominum immortales ejfe credam, libent£r
erro : nee mihi errorem, quo deleilor, dum vivo, exiorqueri volo. Sin mortuus, ifc

Chap. XIV. rh Defign of Chrijliamty, 363

aware. That that do6lrine which was 'io generally received by tliem,
viz. That virtue is in all conditions a reward, and vice a punilbment
to itfelf, did very much blunt the edge of it : and that other very
harfli one, That all things befides virtue and vice are aJ'ja^o^a, neither
good nor evil, did render it (as the perfed Stoicks did feem too well to
underftand) too infignificant. But I muft confefs thzt Hierocles, who
(as hath been laid) did not admit that notion, but in a very qualified
fence, faith of thofe that think their fouls mortal (and confequently
that virtue will hereafter have no reward) that when thay difpute in the
behalf of virtue, xo[A.'^ivavla.t ^t.a.'KKov, n oi\r>(iirAJ<Tiv, they rather talk ivittily,
than truly and in good earneji. The excellent Socrates himfelf, when he
■was going to drink off the fatal drug, thus faid to thofe that were then
prefent with him, " I am now going to end my days, whereas your
** lives will be prolonged ; but whether you or I upon this account are
*' the more happy, is known to none but God only ." intimating that he
did not look upon it as ahfolutely certain that he fnould have any reward
in another world, for doing fo heroically virtuous an a<5l, as chufing
martyrdom for the do6lrine of the unity of the Godhead. But now,
what is more frequently or clearly declared in the Gofpel, than that
there will be rewards and punilhments in the world to come futable to
men actions in this world ? than, that Chrifl; will come a fecond time
to judge the world in righteoufnefs, and that all mujl appear before his
judgment-feat^ to receive according to what they have done, whether it be
good or whether it be evil, 2 Ccr. v. 10.

Thirdly, That mens fins JJjall be forgiven upon true repentance, from the
confideration of the goodnefs and mercy of God, the heathens were
likewife perfwaded, or rather hoped : but we Chriftians have the
ftrongeft aflurance imaginable given us of it, by the moll folemn and
often reiterated promifes of God ; and not only that fome or moft,
but alfo that all without exception, and the mod: hainous impieties,
upon condition of their being fincerely forfaken, fliall in and through
Chrift be freely forgiven.

Fourthly, The do^rine of God's readinefs to ajfifl Men by his fpecial grace
in their endeavours after virtue, could be no more, at the befi, than pro-
bable in the judgment of the heathens, but we have in the Gofpel the
inoft exprefs promifes thereof, for our miglity encouragement. Tally
in his book de Natiira Deorwn faith, that their city Rome, and Greece^
had brought forth many lingular men, of which it is to be believed,
none arrived to fuch a height nifi Deo juvante, but by the help of God.
And after he tells us, that Ne?no vir magnus fine aliquo offlatu Divim
unquamfiiit. No excellent tnan was ever made fo but by fome divine
afflation. And Pythagoras in his golden verfes exhorts men to pray
unto God for afliftance in doing what becomes them.

And Hierocles (with whom I confefs my felf fo enamoured, that I can
fcarcely ever forbear to prefent my reader with his excellent fayings,
■when there is occafion ;) He, I fay, upon this clzuk oi Pythagoras^
hath a difcourfcj concerning the neceility of our eudeavours after virtue

on

364 the Defign 6f Chnpanliy. Sect. III.

on the one hand, and of the divine blefllng to make them fuccefsful
on tlie other, which I have often' admired. And even Seneca himftlf,
very unUke a Stoick, faith. Bonus vir fine deo nemo eji, is'c. No man can
be made good without God j for can any one raife up himfelf without
his help ?

But none of thefe could have ojfirrance, that God would not deny his
fpecial afnftancc to any that ferioufly feek after it ; efpeciaiiy fince men
have brought themfelves into a flate of imbecillity and great impotence,
through their own default. But this, I fay, the Gofpel gives all men
very ferious offers of, and afTuies them, if they be not wanting to
themfelves, they fhall obtain. Hence our Saviour fjith, JJJ:, and it
jl)all he given unto you : feel:, and you JJiall find : knocks and iijhall be open-
ed unto you. For every one that afketh^ receiveih ; and he that feeketb^find-
eth ; and to him that knocketh, it Jlyall be opened. If afon Jhatl afk bread of
any that is a father, ivill he give him ajloue ? or if he af: a fjh, zvill be for
off) give him a ferpent ? or if he ofk an egg, ivill he offer him a fcorpion ?
if ye then being evil, know how to give gifts unto your children ; how much
more Jljall your heavenly Father give the holy fpirit unto them that dfk him F
Luke xi. 9, ^c. And the fame thing is told us by St. James, in thefe
.words, Chap. i. 5. If any of you lack tvifdom, Ut him afk it of God, that
giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it Jhall be given hinu
Antoninus the philofopher puts men upon praying for a good mind above
all things, but all the encouragement he could give was, k^ ^iisu t\ y\xi-
T«», and fee what will come of it:^

Thirdly, We have other dodrines made known to us by the Gof-
pel, which no man could ever without divine revelation in the Icaft
hzvt dream'd oL As,

Firft, That God hath made mferable fumers, the olje5ls of fuch tranf-
cendent kindnefs, as to give them hii only-begoiten Son. And tb.ere are thefe
five do(ftrines implied in this, which are each of them very (Irong mo-
tives and incentives to holinefs, viz.

1. That God Almighty hath made fuch account of us, and fo con-
cerned himfelf for our recovery out of that wretched condition we had
by finning againfl him plunged our felves into, as to fend Iiis own Son
from heaven, to fhew us on what terms we may be recovered, and alfo
in his name even to {q) proy aod befeech us to comply with them. That
he fliould fend no meaner a perfon than one who was the {r)Brightnefs of
his glory, and the cxprcfs image of his perfon by ivhom alfo he made the worlds,
upon this errand, is fuch a motive to holinefs as one would think no
finner could be able to fiand out againft. That God (hould fend an
ambaflador from heaven to afllire us that he is reconcileable, and bears
us good will, notvvitnftanding our high provocations of him, and to
lay before us all the parts of that holinefs which is necefiary to reftore
our natures to his own likenefs, and fo to make us capable of enjoying
blefled net's ; and mofl pathetically moreover to entreat us to do what
|ieth in us to put them in pra(5tice, that fo it may be to eternity well
with us ; and that this ambalTador (hculd be fuch a one alio as we now*
faid, never was there fo marvellous an exprelfion of the divine love;

and

* Lib, 9, Seel. 40. {q) 2 Cor. V. 20. (r) Heb. i. 2, 3,

Chap. XIV. The Defign of Chrijilanity. 365

and therefore one would conclude it perfeclly irrefiftlble by all perfons
that have not extirpated out of their natures all ingenuity.

2. That this Son of God converfed upon equal terms with men,
and was incarnate for their lakes (5). Great is the myjiery ofGodlinefs^ God
Tiiamfejied in theflejl). That he (hould be:ome the fon of man, fubmit
to be born of a woman, is a demonftration that God is fo far from
having call: off humane nature, that (as much as it is depraved ) he
bearetli a very wonderful good will ftill to it, and hath a real defire
to re-advance and dignihe it : even this limply confidered, and
without joyning with it the confideration of the defjgn of it, might
make us conclude this : feeing Ciuift's taking our nature is the
bringing of it lo near to the divine, as to lodge it within one and
the lelf-fame perfon. And therefore, befides the motive to holinefs
drawn from God's infinite love therein exprelTed, this dodrine contain-
eth another very powerful one, viz. That it mufl: needs be the vileft
thing to dilhonour our nature by fin and wickednefs, and far more fo,
than it was before the incarnation of Jcfus Chrift; in that it may now
be properly faid, that it is in his perfon 'advanced above even the nature
of angels; for him who is inverted witii it do they themfelves vvorlhipi
And how can any Chrifi'ian while lie confidereth this, be able to for-
bear thus to reafon with himfelf? Shall I by harbouring filthy luftsde-
bafe that nature in my oiun perfon, which God hath to fuch an infinite
height exalted in his Son's F God forbid. What an additional motive
is this, to do as Pythagoras advifed his fcholars, in thefe words, Jlfove
all things revere andjiand in aive of thy felf^. Do nothing that is difbe-
coming and unworthy of fo excellent a nature, as thine is.

3. That this Son of God taught men their duty by his own example,
and did himfelf perform among them what he required of them. Now
that he fliould tread before us every flep of that way, which he hath
told us leadeth to eternal happinefs, and commend ihofe duties which
are moft ungrateful to our corrupt inclinations, by his own practice;
our having lb brave an example is no fmall encouragement to a chear-
ful performance of all that is commanded. For how honourable a
thing muft it needs be to imitate the only begotten Son of God, and
who is God himfelf. How glorious to follow fuch a pattern ! Thofe
who have any thing of true generolity, cannot but find themfelves by
the confideration hereof, not a little provoked to abandon all fin, and
to fet themfelves very heartily to the performance of whatfoever duties
are required of them. And as for thofe, which we are fo apt to look:
upon as unv;orrhy of us, and too low for us (fuch as meek putting up
of affronts, and condefcending to the meancft offices for the ferving of
our brethren) how can his fpirit be too lofty for them, that confiders
ChrijVs was not. Now thefe are all fuch motives and helps to holi-
nefs, the like to which none but thofe who have the Gofpel, e^er had.

4. That this Son of God was an expiatory facrifice for us. V/e have
already Diewn what cogent arguments to all holy obedience are herein
contained.

5. I'hat this Son of God being raifed from the dead, and afcended
into heaven is our high prieil there, and ever lives (as the author to the
Hebrews faith) to make intercejjion with his Father /i?r us (/). I'he Hea*.

thensj
(i) \ Tim. iii. 16. • Usivrm IX ^ciy.iT etlx'^no ffocvrot. (/) Chap. vii.

266' 7'he Defign of Chrijlianliy. Sect. III.

thens, Tt is confeffed, had a notion of dcemom negotiating the affairs of
men with the fupremeGod; but they could never have imagined in
the leaft that they ftiould be fo highly privileged, as to have one who
is the begotten Son of this God, and infinitely above all perfons dear
to him, for their perpetual mediator and interceffor. I need not fay
■what an encouragement this is to an holy life.

And as the dodrine of God's giving his Son, which containelh the
five forementioned particulars, is fuch as the higheft improvement of
reafon could never have caufed any thing like it to have entered our
thoughts, or that is comparable thereunto for the effectual provoking
of men to the purfuance of all holinefs of heart and life : fo.

Secondly, The do£lrme of hh feuding the Holy Ghoji^ to move and excite
us io our duty, and to ajjifl^ chear^ and comfort us in "the performance of it,
may go along with it. How could it have once been thought, without
divine revelation, that a perfon indued with the divine nature, with
infinite power and goodnefs, (hould take it upon him as his office and
peculiar province to affifl: men's weaknefs in the profecution of virtue?
But this doth the Gofpel afTure us off j as alfo that thofe which do not
refift and repel his good motions (hall be fure to have always the fuper-
intendency of this blefTed fpirit, and that he will never forfake them,
but abide with them for ever, and carry tliem from one degree of grace
to another, till at length it is confummate and made perfed in glory.
And to this I add,

Thirdly, The do5lrim of our union with Chrifl through this fpirit :
which union, (to fpeak in the words of the learned Dr. Patrick in his
Menfa Myfiica) is not only fuch a moral one as is between hujband and wife,
which is made by love ; or betiveen king and fubjeils, which is m,ade by laws j
but Juch a natural union as is between head and members, the vine and
branches^ which is made by one Jpirit or life dwelling in the zvhole. The
Apoftle faith, i Cor. xii. 12, 13. As the body is one and hath many mem-
bers ; and alfo the members of that one body^ being many^ are one body, fo
alfo is Chrifl \ 'for by cne fpirit are we all baptized into one body. Now fee
what ufe the Apoflle makes of both thefe, i Cor. vi. 15, ig, 20. Know
you not that your bodies are the members of Chrifl ? Shall I then take the
members of Chrifl, and make them the members of an harlot P God forbid.
And then he thus proceeds in the 19 and 20 verfes. What, know you not
that your body is_ the tcm.ple of the Holy Ghoft, which is in you, which ye
have of God, and ye are not your own, but ye are bought with a price :
therefore glorifie God in your body and in yonr fpirit, which are God's. What
helps and incitements we have to the perfe6\ing of holinefs in the fear
of God, from thefe two do^rines, is inexpreffible.

Laftly The do^rine of the unconceivab'y great reward, that Jhall be con-
ferred upon all good and holy perfons, ivkich the Gofpel hath revealed, is fuch
as could not poffibly by the mere help of natural light enter into the
thoughts of thofe that were (Grangers to it. We are therein afTured not
only of another life, and that good men (hall therein be rewarded but
likewife that the reward that (hail be conferred upon them, fiiall be no
lefs than an hyperbolically hyperbolical weight of glory : as are the words of
S.Paul, 2 Cor. \v. 17. Thofe that overcome, are prornifed that they
Jhall ft with Chrifl on his throne, even as he overcame and is fet down ivith
e kis

Chap. XIV. T}}i Defign of Chrijitanity, 367-

hii Father on his throne. Rev, iii. 21. In (hort, the happlnefs that our
Saviour will reward all his faithful Difciples with, is fo exprefled, as
that we are aflured it is inexpreffible, and likewife far exceeding the
fliort reach of our prefent conceptions : of which their fouls are not
only to partake, but their bodies alfo, they being to be made (as vile zs^
they are in this ftate) (a) like the glorious body of Jefus Chrift, and though
fown in corruption and dijhonour to be raifed in glory, i Cor. xv.

Now though, as we faid, the learned Heathens did many of them,
by the exerciie of their reafon, make it probable to themfelves that
their fouls were immortal, and that in another world virtuous perfon»
fhall be richly rewarded ; yet no reafoning of theirs could ever enable
them fo much as to conjecture, that this reward (hall be fuch an im-
menfely great one, as that the Gofpel affures us of; there being a won-
derful difproportion betwixt the beft fervices that the moft virtuous
perfons are in a poflibility of performing, and fuch a reward as this:
and it being alfo impolTible that fo great a felicity as that of the foul
only, (hould be a necefTary and natural refult from the higheft degrees
of holinefs that are attainable in this low and impefedl ftate. But yet
it is too well known to be concealed, that the Pythagoreans and Pla-
tonijls do fpeak very great things of the happinefs of heaven ; and thofe
of them that difcourfe intelligibly concerning it, do give in the general
the Gofpel-notion of it. I have found Simplicius fomewhere, m his
comment on Epi^etus, calling it an eternal rejl with God. And the Py-
thagoraan verfes conclude with thefe two.

When from this body thou'rt fet free^

Thoujhalt mount up to tV jTiy :
And an itnmortal God Jhalt be.

Nor any more Jhalt die.

Whereby [Thou Jhalt be an immortal God] the commentator Hierocles
underftands, thou (halt be like to the immortal gods, and by them he
meaneth, as appears by his comment upon the fint verfe, thofe excel-
lent fpirits that are immediately fubordinate to their Maker the fupreme
God, and the God of gods, as he calls him ; by which he feemeth to
underftand the fame with thofe called in the Scripture arch-angels ; for
I find that he gives the name angels to an order next below them. So
that, according to him, it was the Pythagorcsan do6lrine. That good
men fliall, when they go to heaven, be made in ftate and condition
like to thofe that are likeft to God Almighty. But how they fhould
learn this, by mere natural light, is unimaginable. That which is
moft: probably conjectured, is, that they received thefe with feveral
other notions from the ancient traditions of the Hebrews. But as for
their o-w|it,a a'yyoEi^Ef, and "0;)^>j//.« 'sxi'E'jfAalixoi/, the fpkndid bodv, zv\d fpiri-
tual vehicle they talk of, they mean not that glorious celejiial * body,

whichL

{u) Phil. iii. 21.

* This noiion of a fine body did Tertulllan retain his belief of, after he
was converted to Chriftianity, and took it for the inner man, fpoken of in
Scripture.

368 The Defign of ChrijViamty. Sect. III.

which the Apoftle tells us this terrejirial one (hall be changed into,
but, a thin fubtile body, which they fay the foul even while it is in
this grofs one is immediately inclofed in: and which being in this life
well purilied from the pollution it hath contrac^ted from its cafe of fle[h,
the foul taking its flight from thence with it, enjoyeth its happinefs in
it. But, I fay, the change of this vile into z gbriom body they were
perfectly ftrangers to.

Now what an unfpeakable encouragement to holinefs is the happinefs
which the Gofpel propofeth to us, and gives us aJJ'urance of alfo, that
the now mentioned, or any of the philofophers could never by the bell
improvement of their intellefluals have conceived to be fo much as
likely to be attainable by mankind ! and who would ftill ferve their
filthy lufts, and in fo doing be the vilefl of flaves here, that look to
reign with the King of the world for ever hereafter ? He that hath this
hope in him, faith S. John purifieth himfdfeven as he is pure^ i John iii. 3.

And what hath been fpoken of the greatnefs of the reward which is
promifed in the Gofpel to obedient perfons, may be faid alfo of the
pwnjhmcnt it threatneth to the difobedient. It would make, one would
think, an heart of oak, and the mofl: hardened finner to tremble and
fhake at the reading of thofe exprefllons it is fet forth by. Some of
the philofophers do fpeak very dreadful things concerning the condition
of wicked men in the other world ; but they fail extreamly fhort of
what the Gofpel hath declared. But I confefs a difcourfe on this head
will not very properly come in here. For mere reafon might make it
exceedingly probable, that fo highly aggravated fins as thofe which are
committed againii the Gofpel are, fhall be punifli'd as feverely, if im-
penitently perfifted in, as is declared by our Saviour and his Apoflles
they (hall be. But however it is no fmal! awakening to us Chriftians,
that we have fuch an undoubted afTurance from God himfelf, what we
muft expe<5l if we will not be prevailed upon by all the means afforded
us for our reformation, but fhall notwithftanding them perfevere in
the negled of known duties, and in the allowance of known wickednefs.

CHAP. XV.

that the Gofpel ccntaineth far greater Helps for the e feeling of the Dtfrgn
of making Men inwardly righteous, and truly holy^ than God's mojl pecu-
liar People, the Ifraehtes, zvere favoured zvith. Where it is jhewed,
I. That the Go/pel is incomparably more effe^ual for this Purpofe than the
Mofaical Law luas. 2. /Ind that upon no other Accounts the Jews ivere
in Circumftances for the obtaining of a thorow Reformation of Life and
Purification of Nature^ like to thofe our Saviour hath blefjed his Dif-

. ciples with.

^S^/^^N the fecond place, It is the clearefl cafe, That the Gofpel of
S I 0- our Saviour containeth far greater helps and advantages for the ef-
^"^MJ^ feeing of the great work of making men really righteous and truly

o holyy

Chap. XV. The Defign of Chrijllanity, 369

holy^ than God's mofl peculiar people, the Ifraelites, whom he Inew and
favoured above all the nations of the earthy were partakers of.

Firrt, Nothing is plainer than that the Gofpel is incomparably more
effedlual for this purpofe, than the Mofaical It^w was. For indeed that
was dire£ily defigned only to reftrain thole that were under the obIi<ra-
tion of it from the more notorious fins. It was added, faith the Apoftie,
tecaufe of tranfgrrjpon, till the feed Jhould come ^ ^c. Gal. iii. ig-. Jujiin
Alariyr faith particularly of the facrfceSy that the end of them was to
keep the Jews from worfliipping idols, which Trypho alfo, though a
Jew that greatly gloried in the law, acknowledged. They were an
extreamly carnal and vain people, exceedingly prone to be bewitched
with the fuperftitions of the Gentiles; God gave them therefore a
pompous way of worfhip that might gratifie their childifh humour
and fo keep them from being drawn away with the vanities of the Hea-
thens among whom they dwelt : and he gave them, withal, fuch pre-
cepts inforccd with threatnings of moil: fevere and prefent puniniment?;
as might by main force hold them in from thofe vile diforders, immo-
ralities and exorbitances that had then overfpread the face of the woe-
fully depraved and corrupted world. It is certain that the law o^ Mofes
ftridly fo called, did properly tend to make them no more than exter-
nally righteous; and whofoever was fo, and did thofe works it enjoyn-
ed (which they might do by their own natural ftrength) was efteemed
according to that law, and dealt with, as juft and blamelefs ; and had
a right to the immunities and privileges therein promifed. But much
lefs was it accompanied with grace to indue the obfervers of it with an
inward principle of holinefs.

And the Apoftle S. Pi7«/ exprefleth this as the great difference be-
tween that laxu and the gofpel, in calling this the fpirit, and that the
letter, as he fcveral times doth. Not that God, who was ever of an
infinitely benign nature, and love it felf (as S.John defcribes him) was
wanting with his grace to well-minded men under the Old Tefiia-
ment; or that the Jews were all defi:ifute of an inward principle of
holinefs; nothing lefs: but the law which Mofes was peculiarly the
promulger of, did not contain any promifes of grace, nor did the oblil
gation thereof extend any farther than to the outward man. But there
ran, as I may fo exprefs my felf, a vein of Gofpel all along with this
law, which was contained in the covenant made with Abraham and his
feed, by virtue of which the good men among the Jews expeded jufti-
fication and eternal falvation, and performed the fubftance of thofe du-
ties which the New Teftament requireth, and which were both by
Mofes and the Prophets, at certain times, and upon fevcral occafions
urged upon them.

But as for this law 0^ Mofes confidered according to Its natural mean-
ing, it is called a law of a carnal commandment, Heb. vii. 16. And the
fervices it impofed, weak and beggarly elements. Gal. iv. 9. And a law
which made no man perfect, Heb. vii. 19. Its promifes therefore were
on\y temporal; upon which account the author to the Hebrews faith
that the Gofpel is eftablidied on better promifes. Nor was juAification
before God obtainable by it, as S. Paul frequently (hevveth ; and there-
fore did account the righteoufnefs of it very mean and vile in compari-
VoL. VI. A a fon

37© The Deftgn of ChrijVtanity. Sect. III.

fon of that which the Gofpel indued men with. No man could be ac-
quitted by the feverell: obfervance of this law tVom any other than civit
puni(hments, nor were its facrijices able to make the offerers perfe£l oi
pertaining to the confcicncc^ Heb. ix. 9. And though it be true (as Mr.
Chillingworth obfcrveth in his fermon on Gal. v. 5.) That the legal facri^
fices were very apt and commodious to /hadow forth the oblation and fatisfac-
tion of Chri/i ; yet this iije of them was fo my/iical and refer ved^ fo impojfibk
10 be coUe^ed out of the letter of the law \ that without a fpccial revelation
from God, the eyes of the Ifraelites were too weak to ferve them, to pierce
through thofe dark clouds and fhadows, and to carry their ohfervation to the
fuhPlance. So that, proceeds he, / conceive thofe facrifices of the lazv in
fhis refpe^ are a great deal more beneficial to us Chriftians : for there is a
great difference betioecn facramcnts and types : types a*-e only ufful after the
antitype is dij covered, for the confirmation of their faith that Jollow. As for
example, Abraham's offirlng of l^zzo. by faith did lively reprefent the real
oblation of Chrijl ; but in that refpe^t was of little or no ufe till Chrijl was
indeed crucified ; it being impc£ible to make that hijlory a ground- work of
their faith in Chr'if. The like may be faid of the legal facrifices.

And for a clear underllanding of the dired ufe of this law, I refer
tlie reader to that fermon : where it is fully, and, in my opinion, as
judicioutly difcourfed as I have ever eifewhere met with it.

Secondly, Nor wcie thefe fpecial favourites of heaven upon any other
accounts in ciicumflances for the obtaining of a thorow reformation of
life, renovation and purification of nature, comparable to thofe whicJi
our Saviour hath blelTed his difciples with. For though they had, as
we faid, for the fubftance the hmtfpiritual precepts which are enjoyned
in the Gofpei over and "above the Mofaical law ; yet thefe were inforced
by no exprefs promifes of eternal happinefs, or threatnings of eternal
iiiiicry : nor was fo much as a Ufe to come otherwife than by tradition,
or by certain ambiguous expreflions (for the mofl: parr) of their infplred
men, or by fuch fayings as only implied it, and from which it might be
rationally concluded, difcovered to them : as far inftance, in that place
particularly, where God by his rcprefcntative, an angel, declared him--
felf to his fervant Mofes to be the God of Abraham, the God of Ifaac, and
the God of Jacob [x) ', from whence our Saviour inferred that docflrine
for this reafon, That God is net the God of the dead, but of the living (y).
And that the notices they had hereof were not very plain and clear, is
apparent, in that there was a fed among them, vi%: the Sadduces, that
profefTed to diltelieve it ; and yet, notwithflanding, were continued in
the body, and enjoyed the privileges of the Jewifli Church. But that
one forecitcd afTcrtion of the ApofTle, 2 Tim. i. 10. putteth this out of
all quetlion, viz. That Chrifl hath brought life and immortality to light
through the Gofpel. From whence we may ailuredly gather thus much
at leaf^, viz. That in the Gofpel is manifeftly revealed life and immor-
tality which was never before made known fo certainly.

I add moreover, that the Ifraelites were required to keep at fuch a
dillance from all other nations, that tliey could not but be by that
means greatly inclined to morolhy, felf-conceitednefs, and contempt
of their fellow-creatures: and were ever and anon employed in fuch

fervicej
(^) Excd. iii. 6. (y) Matth. xxii. 32.

Chap. XV. rhe Defign of Chri/iiamty. ^^ j

fervices as naturally tended, through the weaknefs of their natures, to
make their fpirits too angry and fierce, not to fay cruel. As for'in-
ftance, that of deftroying God's and their enemies, and fometimes their
innocent children too, and the cattle that belonged to them. And
feveral connivences and indulgencies they had (as in the cafes of "divorce
and polygamy and revenge) which did not a little conduce to the ^ra-
tifying of fenfuality, and the animal life; all which are taken away by
our faviour Chrirt. Thefe things, with diverfe others, made it in aa
ordinary ivay ImpofTible for thofe people to arrive at that height of virtue
and true goodnefs, that the Gofpel defigneth to raife u°s to. And
though we find fome of them very highly commended for their great
fandity; we are to underftand thofe eticomiums for the moji part, at
leaft, with a reference to the difpenfation under which thev were; and
as implying a confideration of the circumftances they were in, and the
means they enjoyed.

And thus have we fiiewed what a mod admirably effecSlual courfe
our blefied Saviour hath taken to purifie us from all filthinef both of the
flejh a?idfpirit, and to make us in all refpeds righteous and holy : and
how much the Chriftian difpenfation excelleth others as to its aptnefs
for this purpofe. And from what hath been faid we may fafely con-
clude, That neither the world, nor any part of it was ever favoured by
God with means for the accomplifhment of this work, comparable to
thofe which are contained in the Chriftian religion.

So that, well might S. Paul call the Gofpel of Chrift the power of
God to falvation (z), that is, both from mifery and the caufe of it.
Well may the weapons of the Chriftian warfare be faid not to be carnal
and weak^ but mighty through God, to the pulling down off rang holds, and
cafling down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it fetf againjl the
knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience
of Chrifl {a). Great reafon had Clemens Alexandrinus to call our Saviour
«\ega;9roT»!T®- csrat^ayoy®-, the inflru£1er and fchool-mafler of humane na-
ture * ; and to fay, as he doth in the following words. That he hath
endeavoured to fave us by ufing with all his might, all the infruments of
wifdom, or all wife coiirfs, and draws us back by many bridles from gratify^
ing unreafonable appetites. And Juftin Martyr, fpeaking of the Gofpel,
had caufe pathetically to break out as he did, in thefe words, J waew'
^uvuv (pivyx^ivl-^^iov, &c. f O thou cxpeller and chafer away of evil affec-
tions! O thou extingufmr of burning lufis! This is that which makes us itot
poets or philofophers or excellent orators, but of poor mortal men makes us like
fc many immortal gods, and tranfiateth us from this low earth to thofe regions
that are above Olympus. And well, again, might the fame good Fatlier
having throughly acquainted himfelf with x\\q Stoick and Platonick phi-
jofophy, (by which latter he thought himfelf to Have gained much wif-
dom) and at laft by the advice of an old man a ftranger, havinc^ ftudied

the Gofpel, thus exprefs himfelf, ravTntv /*sW <pi\o(70<piav 'iv^io-Koi> da-(pa.Kvt

Kj <7viA(po^o*, Sic. t I found this alone to be the Jafe and profitable philcfophyy
and thus and by this means became I a philojopher,

A a 2 Simpliciui

(*) Rom. 1. 16. (a) 3 Cor. x. 5. • Pasdag. p. 120.

t Oiatio ad Grscos, p. 4g. j Dialog, cum Tryph. p. jjj.

272 TheDejIgnofChryiknlty. Sect. III.

* SimpUcius faith thus o( Epi^etus his Enchindioft, That it hath woJviJ
TO ogar>igtoi' xj xtvTjlixoi', y^ wz/^/:' of power fulnefs^ and pungency^ that thofe
which are not peife6\ly dead, muft needs come to underftand thereby
their own affe6tions, and be effedlually excited to the re<ftifying of
them. Could he give fuch a charader as this of that Httle book of his
Brother-heathen; what can be invented by us high enough for the
Gofpel ? That, as very fine a thing as it is, being extremely weak and
infufficient for the purpofe upon the account of which he praifeth it, if
compared with this blellcd book.

CHAP. XVT.

Jn Ohje^ion againfl the tvonderful Efficacy of the Chr'ijlian ReUgion for the
Purpcfe of making Men holy, taken from the very little fuccefs it hath herein,
together zvith the prodigious JVickednefs of Chrijlendom. An Aufwer given
to it in three Particulars^ viz. i . That how ill fo ever its Succefs isy it ii evi-
dent from the foregoing Difcourfe, that it is not to be imputed to any IVeaknefs
cr Inefficacy in that Religion. Ihe true Caiifcs thereof affigned. 2. That, it
it is to be expelled that thofe fhould be the luorfe for the Gofpel., that will
not be bettered by it. 3. That there zvas a Time zvhen the Gofpers fuccefs
was greatly anfwerabk to what hath been faid of its Efficacy. And that
the Primitive Chripians were People ofmofl iinblameable and holy Lives.
The Gnojlicks improperly called Chrijlians in any fence. The Primitive
Chrifians proved to be Men of excellent Lives., by the Teflimonies of Fa-
thers contained in their Apologies for them to their Enemies ; and by the
JcknowMgments of their Enemies themfelves. An Account given in par-
titular of their meek and fubmiffive Temper^ out of Tertullian.

c5X>%F it be now objected againft what we have faid of the admirable
^f-. I :5 efficacy of the Cliriftian religion for the purpofe of making
•^VY^'i men holy. That there is but very little fign of it in the Jives
cf thofe that profefs to believe it : for who are more woefully loft as to
all true goodnefs, who are more deeply funk into fenfuality and brutifh-
nefs, than are the generality of Chriftians ? Nay, among what fort of
men are all manner of abominable vvickednefles and villanies to be
found to rife, as among them ? Upon which account the name of
Chriftian ftinks in the noftrils of the very Jews, Turks and Pagans.
Beaftly intemperance and uncleannelfes of all forts, the mod: fordid
covetoufnefs, wretched injuftice, oppreflions and cruelties; the moft
devilith malice, envy and pride; the deadlieft animofities, the moft
outragious feuds, diflentions and rebellions ; the plaineft and grofleft
idolatry, higheft blafphemies and moft horrid impieties of all kinds are
in no part of the world more obferable than they are in Chriftendom ;
nor moft of them any .where fo obfervable. And even in thofe places

where
• Page 2,

Chap. XVI. The Defign of Chriflianity. 373

where the Gofpel Is mofl: truly and powerfully preached, and particu-
larly in this our nation, there is but little more to be taken notice of
in the far greater number, than the name of Chri/iians -y nor any more
of religion, than infignificant complementings of God, and a mere bo-
dily worfhip of him. But what abominable vice is there, that dotii not
here abound ? Nay, where doth the highefi and moft daring of impie-
ties, viz. Athefm it felf, fo boldly (hew its head as it doth here? And
as for thofe among us that make the greateft pretences to Chriftianity,
befides a higher profefTion, a more frequent attendance on ordinance's,
and a mighty zeal for certain fruitlefs opinions they have taken up,
and httle trifles which fignifie nothing to the bettering of their fouls,
and carrying on that v;hich we have (hewed is the Defign of Chriftia-
nity; there is little to be obferved in very many, if not moft, of them,
whereby they may be diftingui(hed from other people. But as for the
fins of covetoufnefs, pride and contempt of others, difobedience to au-
thority, fedition, unpeaceablenefs, wrath and (lercenefs againfl: thofe
that differ in opinion from them, cenforioufnefs and uncharitablenefs*
it is too obvious how much the greater part of the feds we are divided
into are guilty oi mojly if not allo'i them. And that which is really the
power of gcd'iinef doth appear in tl)e converfations of but very few.

God knows, the wickednefs of thofe that enjoy and profefs to believe
the Gofpel, is an extremely fertile and copious theme to dibte upon *
and is fitter to be the fubjedt of a great volume (if any one can perfwade
himfelf fo far to rake into fuch a noyfome dunghil, as lure none can
except enemies to Chriftianity) than to be difcourfed by the bye, as it
is here. Nor can there be any eafier tafk undertaken than to Hiew
that not a few mere Heathens have behaved themfelves incomparably
better towards God, their neighbour, and themfelves, than i\o the
generality of thofe that are called ChrijUans. Nay, I fear it would not
be over-dif?icult to make it appear, that the generality of thofe that
never heard the Gofpel, do behave themfelves in feveral refpec^s better
than they do.

But I have no lift to entertain my felf or reader with fuch an unplea-
fant and melancholy argument, but will betake my felf to anfwer the
fad objection which is from thence taken againft the truth of our Jaft:
difcourfe.

I. And, in the firft place, let the Gofpel have never fo little fuccefs
in promoting what is defigned by it j whoever confiders ir, and what
hath been faid concerning it, cannot but acknowledge that it is in
;■/ fef as (it as any thing that can be imagined for the purpofe of
throughly reforming the i;z;^i, and purifying the tiaturei of mankind:
and alfo incomparably more fit than any other courfe that hath ever
been taken, or can be thought of. So that we may certainly conclude
7'hat the depravednefs of Chriftendom is not to be afcribed to the in-
efticacy of the Gofpel, but to other caufes: namely, men's unbelief of
the truth of it : as much as \hty profefs faith in it: their inexcufable
negle6t of confidering the infinitely powerful motives to a holy life con-
tained in it ; and of ufmg the means conducing thereunto prefcribed by
it. And thefe are infeparable concomitants, and moft effedual pro-
mpters of each other. Every inan's inconfideration is proportionable
Aas to

374 *^'"^ Defqti ofChriJiimiiy. Sect. III.

to his incredulity, and his incredulity to his inconfideration : and how
much of cartlefnefs is vifible in mens lives, fo much of unbelief doth
poHefs their hearts; and fo on the contrary. Upon which account to
bt^'eve and to be obedient, and not to believe and to be difobed'tent^ are fyno-
T>) r.ous phrafes, and of the fame fignification in the New, and likewife
in tb.e Old Teftament. Now it is a true faying of Tcrtullian, Pervi-
tacies tiullum oppofuit remedium Deus, God hath provided no remedy,
that is, no ordinary one, againft wilfulnefs. And though the Gofpel
hath fuch a tendency as hnth been (hewn, to work the rnoft excellent;
efFedts in men, yet it doth not operate as charms do, nor v.'ill it have
fuccefs upon any without their own concurrence, and co-operation
with it. The excellent rules of life laid down in the Gofpel muft ne-
cefTarily fignifie nothing to tliofe, that only hear or read them, but
•will not mir.d them, • Its promifes or threatnings can be exciting to
none, that will not believe or confider them : nor can the arguments it
affordeth to provoke to affent, be convincing to any but thofe that im-
partially weigh them ; its helps and aOlftances will do no good, where
they are totally negle6>ed. And tliougli tliere be preventing as well as
afllfting grace going along with the Gofpel, for the effedlual pre\ ailing
on mens wills to ufe their utmoft endeavour to fubdue their lufls, and
to acquire virtous habits; yet this grace is not fuch as that there is no
poflibility of refufing or quenching it. Nor is it fit it ihould, feeing
mankind is indued with a principle of freedom, and that this principle
is eflential to the humane nature.

I will add, that this is one immediate caufe of the unfuccefsfulnefs
of the Gofpel, to which it is very much to be attributed ; namely,
mens ftrange and unaccountable miftaking the defign of it. Multitudes
of thofe that profefs Chriftianity are fo grofly inconfiderate, not to fay
worfe, as to conceive no better of it than as -a fcicnce and matter offpe-
ivlation: and take themfelves, (though againfi the clearefl evidences of
the contrary imaginable) for true and genuine Chriftians, either be-
caufe they have a general belief of the truth of the Chriflian religion,
and profefs themfelves the Difciples of Clirirt Jefus in contradiftindion
irom feivs, Mahometans, and Pagans; and in and through him alone
expect falvation : or becaufe they have fo far acquainted themfelves with
the doctrine of the Gofpel, as to be able to talk and difpute, and to
make themfelves pafs ^or knowing people : or becaufe they have joyned
themfelves to that party of Chnrtians wliich they prefume are of the
pureft and moft reformed model, and are zealous (ticklers for their pe-
culiar forms and difcriminating (entiments; and as (tiff oppofers of all
other that are contray to them. Now the Gofpel mult nece(rarily be
as ineffe6tual to the rectifying of fuch mens minds, and reformation of
their manners, while they have {o wretchedly low an opinion of its
defign, as if it really had no better: and fo long as they take it for
granted its main intention is ^kJa|«», a /3ex1iw<7«i, to make (him orthodox,
not virtuous, it cannot be thought that they Ihould be ever the more
holy, nay, 'tis a thoufand to one but they will be in one kind or other
the more unholy for their Chriltianity.

At^d laltly. There are feveral un:ovvard opinions very unhappily in-
ftiiled into piofclTors of Chriftianity which render the truths of ihe

Gofpel

Chap. XVI. The Dc/Jgn ef Chrifiiamty. 375

Gofpel they retain a belief of, infignificant and unfuccefsful as to the
bettering either of their hearts or lives, as infinitely apt and of as mighty
efficacy as they are in themfelves for thofe great pnrpofes.

2. Secondly, Whereas it was faid alfo, that the generality of hea-
thens live in dlvcrle refpedls better lives, than do nriultitudes, and even
the generality, of thofe that profefs Chriftianity ; it is fo far from be-
ing difficult to give a fatisfactory account how this may be without dif-
paraging our excellent religion ; that it is to be expede'd that thofe peo-
ple (hould be even much the ivmfe for it, that refufe to be bettered by
it. It is an old maxim, that Corruptio optimi eft pefftma : the teji things
being fpoiled, do prove to be the very worrt : and accordingly, nothing
Jefs is to be looked for, than that degenerate Chriftians (hould be the
viJeft: of all perfons. And it is alfo certain, that the beft things,
when abufed, do ordinarily ferve to the worft purpofes ; of which there
may be given innumerable inftances. And fo it is, in this prefent cafe.
St. Pcjui told the Corijithiaris^ that he and the other apoflles were a
c favour of death unto deaths as well ?is of life unto life{b). And our Saviour
gave the Pharifees to underfband, Thzt for judgment he was come into the
world \ that thofe that fee not, ^ might fee ; and that thofe that fee, might be
made blind {c) ; that is. That it would be a certain confequent of his com-
ing, not only that poor ignorant creatures (hould be turned from darknefs
to light, but alfo that thofe which have the light, and (hut their eyes
againft it, (hould be judicially blinded. And the forementioned Apoftle,
in the lirft Chapter of his Epiflle to the Romans, faith of thofe that held
the truth in unrighteoufnefs, that would not fufFer it to have any good ef-
fe6l upon them through their clofe adhering to their filthy lufts, that
God gave them rip to the moil unnatural villainies, permitted them to
commit them by with-holding all reftraints from them ; and likewife
gave them over lU vaf doox.tiJi,ov, to a reprobate mind. So that, from the juft
judgment of God it is, I fay, to be expedted, that depraved Chridians
(hould be the mod wicked of all people : and therefore it is fo far
from being matter of wonder, that thoie that will not be converted by
the Gofpel, (hould be fo many of them very horribly prophane ; that
that it is rather fo, that all thofe which, having for any confiderabie
time lived under the preaching of it, continue dilobedient to it, Hiould
not be fuch. In the pureft ages of the church, were degenerated Chrif-
tians made in this kind moft fearful examples of the divine vengeance:
And fo utterly forfaken of God, that they became, (if we may believe
Irenaus, TtrtuUian, and others of the ancient Fathers) not one whit
better than incarnate devils. Nor were there to be found in the whole
world in thofe days, and but rarely fince, fucli abominable and moil
execrable wretches as they were. I have fometimes admired that hu-
mane nature (hould be capable of fuch a motiftrous depravation, as
feveral ftories recorded of them do fpeak them to have contracted :
But,

3. Thirdly, If we muft needs judge of the efficacy of the Gofpel f:;r
the making men holy, by its fuccefs herein ; let us cafi our eyes back
upon thefr/i ages of Chri/lianity, and then we (hall find it an eafie mat-

A a 4 ter

(i'J 2 Cor. ii, 16, {c) John ix. 39.

376 The Defign of Chrijliamty. Sect. IIL

ter-to fatlsfieour felves concerning it, though we (hould unJerftand no
more of Chriftianity, than the effects it produced in thofe days.

For though there were then a fort of people that fometimes called
themfeUes Chrijiians^ that were (as was now faid) the mofl defperately
wicked creatures that ever the earth bare; yet thefe were efteemed by
all others that were known by that name as no whit more of their num-
ber, than the Pagans and Jews that defied Chrift. And their religion
was a motly thing that confifted of Chriftianity , Judaifm and Pagatiifm
all blended together ; and therefore in regard of their mere profeffion
they could be no more truly called ChriJJians than Jews or Pagans. Or
rather (to fpeak properly) they were of no religion at all, but would
ibmetimes comply with ihejews^ and at other times with the HmthenSy
and joyned readily with both in perfecuting the Chriftians \ And, in
fhort, the Samaritans might with lefs impropriety be called JewSy than
thefe GnoftickSy Chrijiians.

'Tis alfo confeffed that the orthodox Chriflians were calumniated by
the heathens as flat Atheijls, but their only pretence for fo doing was
their refufing to worftiip their Gods. And they likewife accufed them
of the beaftlieft and moft horrid practices; but it is fufficientiy evident
that they were beholden to the Gnofticks for thofe accufations ; who,
being accounted Chriftians, did by their being notorioufiy guilty of
them give occafion to the enemies of Cliriflianity to reproach all the
profeflbrs of it, as moft filthy and impure creatures. I know it is
commonly faid that thofe calumnies proceeded purely from the mali-
cious invention of their enemies, but it is apparent that thofe vile here-
ticks gave occalion to them, but that the Chriftians were fo far from
being guilty of fuch monflrous crimes, that they did lead moft inoffen-
five and good lives, doth abundantly appear by the apologies that di-
verfe of the Fathers made to the heathen emperors, and people in their
behalf. JujVin Martyr in his apology to Antoninus Pius hath this fay-
ing, rlfASTfgov ay f'^ysK, &c. It IS our inter ej} that all per/on s Jhould make a
narrow inquifition into our lives and do^rinc, and to expofe them to the view
of every one. And he afterwards tells that emperor. That his people
had nothing to lay to their charge truly, but their bare name, Chriftians. And
again, that they which in times pafl took pleafure in unclean prailices, do
live now (that they are become converts to Chrijlianity) pure and chajle lives :
they ivhich ufed magical arts, do now confecrate and devote themfclves to the
eternal and good God : They tvhich preferred their money and pofteffiyns be-
fore all things elje, do nozv cafl them into the common Jiock ; and communicate
them to any that Jland in need. They which once hated each other, and viu-
tually engaged in bloody battles, and (according to the cujlom) ivould not keep
a common fire, t^^o^ Ta« s'x hpLo(^vKii<;, with thofe that were not of the fame
tribe, now live lovingly and familiarly together ; that now they pray for their
very enemies : and thofe which perfccute them with unjuft hatred they endea-
vour to win to them by perfivaftons, that they alfo, living according to the
hcnefi precepts of Chrijl, may have the fame hope, and gain the fame reward
%vith them felves from the great governour and lord of the loorld.

Athenagoras in his apology, faith thus to the Emperors Aureliu.s An-
tQninus, and Aureiius Commodus ; As very gracious and benign as you are to
alt other;, ycu have no care of us who are called Chriftians ; Jor youfuffer

Chap. XVI. The Defign of Chrijliamty. ^71

us who commit no evlly nay^ who (as Jhall hereafter appear) do behave. our
f elves of all men mofl pioufly andjuflly both towards God and your government ^
to be vexedy to be put to flight from place to place, and to be violently dealt
with. And then he adds fome lines after ; If any of you can conviSJ us of
any great or [mall crime., we are ready to bear the mofl fever e puni/hment,
that can be inflioled upon us. And fpeaking of the calumnies that fome
had faliened upon them, he faith. If you can find that thefe things are
true, fpare no age, no [ex ; but utterly root us up and defray us, with our
wives and children, if you can prove that any of us live like to beafls, &c.

And there is very much to the fame purpofe in Tertullian's apology :
Where he tells the Roman governours, that they dealt otherwife with the
Chriftians, than with any other whom they accounted malefactors j for where-
as they tortured others to make them confefs the faults they were accufed of,
they tortured thefe to make them dejiy themfelves to be Chriflians : and that
having no crime befides to lay to their charge which carried the leafl /hew of
truth, their profejftng themfelves to be no Chriflians would at any time pro-
cure for them their abfolution. And to this objedlion, that there are fome
Chriftians that do excedere a regula difcipUna, depart from the rules of
their religion, and live diforderly ; he returneth this anfwer, Defmunt
tamen Chrifiiani haberi penes nos : but thofe that do fo, are no longer by us
accounted Chriflians. And, by the way, let me recite Rigaltius his fhort
note upon this paffage. At perfeverant hodie in nomine ^ nunuro Chrif-
tianorum, qui vitam omnem vivunt antichrifii : but thofe now adays do retain
the name and fociety of Chriflians, ivhich live altogether Anti-chriflian lives.
And (proceeds he) Tolle publicanos, ^c. Take away publicans and a
■wretched rabble which he mufters together, ^ frigebunt hodiernorum
Ecclefics Chriftianorum ; and our prefent Chriflian Churches will he lament*
ably weak, fmall and infignificant things.

From thefe few citations out of the apologies of the forementioned Fa-
thers, to which may be added abundance more of the fame nature both
out of them, and others, we may judge what rare fuccefs theGofpel had
in ihtfirfl ages, and what a vaft difference there is between the Chrif-
tians of thofe, and of thefe days ; that is, between the Chriftians that
were under perfecution, and thofe that fince have lived in eafe and prof-
perity. When the Chriftian Religion came to be the religion of na-
tions, and to be owned and encouraged by emperors and rulers, then
was the whole vaft Roman empire quickly perfwaded to march under its
banner ; and the very worft of men iox fafhions-fake, and in expedlatiori
of temporal advantages, came-ftocking into the Church of Chrift. Nay,
the worfe men were, and the lefs of confcience they had, the more for-
ward might they then be fo to do, the more hafte they might make to
renounce their former religion, and take upon them the profeftion of
Chriftianity. And no fooner was the Church fet in the warm fun-
fliine of worldly riches and honours, but it is apparent (he was infen-
fibly over run with thofe noifom vermine, v/hich have bred and mul-
tiplied ever fince, even for many centuries of years.

If any fhall doubt whether the forementioned Fathers might not give
too good a character of the Chriftians whofe caufe they pleaded ; I de-
fire them to confider whether this be imaginable, feeing their enemies,
;p v/hom they wrote their defences of them could eafily, they living,

among

378 The Defign (f Chnjiamiyi Sect. III.

among them, have difcovered the falfity of their commendations. And
we find them frequently appealing to the heathens own confciences,
whether they themfelves did not believe that true which they faid of
them : and moreover we have them ever and anon triumphing over
them, and provoking them to fhew fuch effecfts of their philofophy and
tvay of religion^ as they themfelves could witnefs were produced by the
Gofpel of Chrift.

Nay, and we have their adverfaries themfelves giving them a very
high charadier. TertuUian in his forementioned apology faith, that
Pliny the fccond (who was a p.erfecutor ofChriftians) wrote thus to
the emperor Trajan from the province where he ruled under him, viz.
* That, befidei their refolute refujing to offer facrifice^ he could learn nothing
concerning their religion, but that they held meetings before day to fing
praifes to Chrifl and God, and to engage their fe5i in folemn leagues ; for-
indding murther, adultery, deceit, dtjloyalty, and all other wickednejjes.

And in a now extant Epiftle of his to that emperor, we find him
giving him this information, vi'Z. f That, fome that had renounced
Chriftianity, and now worshipped his image, and the ftatutes of their
Gods, and curfed Chrift, did affirm, % That this luas the great efi fault or
■error they were guilty of, that they were wont upon a fet day to affemble toge-
ther before it was light, and to fing a hymn to Chrift as to a God ; and to
bind thewjehes by a Sacratmnt, net to any ivickcdnefs, but that they would not
commit thefts, robberies, adulteries ; that they would not be worfe than their
words, that they would not deny any thing intrujled in their hands when de~
rmnded of them : which done, it was their cujlom to depart, and to meet again,
adcapiendumcibum promifcuum, tamen&innoxium, to eat acommon but
innocent and harmlefs meal, which was doubtlefs the jigape or feajl of
charity, which was in the primitive times in ufe among the Chriftians,
after the celebration of the Lord's Supper. This was an excellent ac-
count of them, and much too good to be expe6ted from apoftates,
fuch having been ordinarily obferved to be of all others, the moft dead-
ly enemies of Chriftianity and the profeflbrs of it.

But to return to our author, he a few lines after adds, that he put
two maid-fervants upon the rack, to extort from them as full a difco-
very, as he could of the Chriftians crimes; ^but he could not find any
they ivcr 8 guilty of, except objlinate and exceffwe fuperjlition : So he call-
ed their conftant petfeverance, and diligence, in obferving the pre-
cepts of their moft excellent religion.

11 And the emperor Antoninus Pius, as much an enemy of Chri-

tians

* Prater ohjiinaiionem non facrijicandi, nihil aliudfe Jefacramentis eornm com -
ferijfe, qu2t>n castas antelucanos ad canendum Chrijlo iff Deo, l^ ad lonfcederandam
J)ifciplinam : homicidtum, adulterium, fiaudem, perjidiam, ^ ctetera Jcelera
prohibentes.

t Lib. lo. Epijl. 97. Edit. uli.

X Afirmabant autem, banc fuiffe fwnmam njel culpa fu/£, 'vel error is, qiiod ef-
fent foliti Jiato die ante lucem con'vemre ; carmenque Chrijlo, quafe Deo, dicere fe-
cum innjicem, feque, Sacramento non in fcelus aliquod ohjlringere, fed ne furia^t
ne latrodnia, ne adulteria committerent, ne fidem fuller ent, ne depofitum appellati
abnegarent, \£c.

§ Sed nihil aliud invent, quam Svperftitionem pravam IS? imniodicam»

I] Jujlin Martyr. Apohg, ad Antoninum Pium.

C H AP . X V I . Tl}£ D£fign of Chrijiianity. 379

iVansashe was, writes thus in an Epiftleto the people 0^ Jfta, (which
IS to be feen in Ji{fiin Martyr, and affixed to the apology he direded
to him) viz. That they could make no proof of the crimes they laid to the
C^mf.iam charge, and they overcame them by chuftng to lay down their lives
rather than to do the things they required of them : Jnd that he thought it
fit to adverlife them, that the Chrifiians, when earthquakes happened, were
not under fuch dreadful fears as they were ; and that they were tvD7a^sy,aia-
roTE^ot -sr^c,', T &iov, indued with a firmer confidence and truji in God. And there
next followeth another Epiftle of the emperor Antoninus Philofophus to
the Senate and people oi Rome ; wherein he gave them an account of
<3iX\ imminent danger that he and his army were in, in the heart of
Germany, by the fudden approach of nine hundred and feventy thou-
fand Barbarians and enemies : And how that finding his (Irength to
oppofe them very fmall, he commanded all thofe to appear before him
who were called Cj^rf/?w«j, (as fufpedting, 'tis like, either their fidelity
or courage) and perceiving there were a great number of them, very
fharply inveighed againft them : Which (faith he) / ought not to have
Aone in regard of the virtue which I after found to be in them ; where-
by they began the fight not with darts and weapons and found of trum-
pets, is^c. Wherefore (proceeds he) it is meet that we fijould know, that

thofe whom we fufpeSl for Atheifls, ©fov ix^itrxv avTof^otlov iv rr ^vvuKcrn

T£T£»xK7fAEvop, havc God wilHogly inclofed, or of his own accord in-
habiting, in their confcience : For laying themfelves flat upon the earthy
they prayed not only for me, but alfo for my vjhole army, which zuas then
prefcnt, that they might be a means of folace and comfort us, in our prefent
hunger and thirfl, (for we could not come by any water for five days to-
gether ■:) But as foon as they were projirate upon the ground, and prayed to
a Godixhom I knew not, immediately there fell rain from heaven, upon us,
very cool and refrejkivg, but upon our adver juries x<^'^«-K^ 'zsv^uh^, a fiery
hail-ftorm : Jnd their prayer was infiantly accompanied ivith the pre fence of
God, as of one invincible and infuperable. Therefore let us permit thefe peo-
ple to be Chriftians, leji they praying to have the like weapons imployed againfi
vs, they fl)ould obtain their defire. And a few lines after, the emperor
declared it his will and pleafure, that xvhofoever accujeth a Chrijlian as
fuch., for the time to come, hefliall be burnt alive.

What belter farisfai^ion can we defire, concerning the truth of the
forementioned Father's account of the Chriftians that lived in their
days, than that which the pens of thefe their enemies have given
to us ?

There is one thing more I will add concerning the primitive Chrif-
tians, viz. That the moft calm, meek, peaceable, gentle and fub-
mifiive temper recommended in the Gofpel, did mightily difcover it
feJf in them : And thereby we may judge what kind of people they
were as to the other parts of Chriftianity ; it being impoflible that
fuch an excellent fpirit (hould be alone, and unaccompanied with
the other virtues. Though they were for the moft part very forely
perfecuted, yet, as Tertullian faith (in his book ddNationcs, Nunquam
conjuraiio erupit, there was never any uproar or hurly-burly among
them. And having, in his apology, aflc'd the two emperors, and the
rtft, this queflion. If we are commanded to love our enemies^ whom have

jSo The Defign of ChriJIianiiy. S e c t . I II.

Tjue then to hate ?■ He thus proceeds : How often do you your felves rage
againji the Chrifiians who are obedient unto you^ and tnoreover fuffer thern to
he fioned and burnt by the rout of common people j hut yet what revenge did
ye ever obferve them repaying for the injuries done unto them, as flout-hearted
as they are even to death itfelfi'

If it be objedled, as it is by fome, that this might be attributed not
to their good temper, but to mere neceffity, feeing they knew themfelves
too weak to fucceed in any rebellious or violent attempt: let the fame
TertulUan give an anfwer ; ard he doth it in the very next words. In
one nighty faith he, with a few firebrands ^ they could revenge themfelves fuf-
ficiently upon you^ if they thought it lawful to render evil for evil. Nay,
and not only fo, but he tells thern plainly, that they were in circum-
itances to manage the parts of hofies exerti^ open enemies againft them,
as well as of vindices occidti, fly and fee ret revengers ; and that they
could raife an army, if it pleafed them, numerous and powerful enough
to cope with them ; and withal he thus proceeds : Hejlerni fmnus^ i^
vefira omnia implevimus, &c. Though we are but as it were ofyefierday, yet
you have no place but is full of us ; your cities^ your iflands^ cafiles, towns,
council-houfes ; your fortreffes^ tribes^ bands offouldiers, palace, fenate^ court.
Sola vobis relinquimus templa, Tour temples ofily are empty of us. And he
goes on, Cui bello non idonei, &c. What battles are not we able to wage
vjith you, who are fo luillingly fain by you f but according to the laws of our
religion we e/lee?n it better to be killed than to kill. Nay, he next tells
them, Potuimus inermes nee rebelles, isfc. We need not take arms and rebel
to revenge our felves upon you, for we are fo great a part of the empire, thai
by but departing from you, we jhould utterly defray it, and affright you with
your own folitude, and leave you more enemies than loyal fubje^s. And fo far
were they from making ufe of the advantages they had to deliver them-
felves by the way of violence. That (as not long after he faith to them)
they prayed for the emperors, and thofe in authority under them, for peace and
a qtuetfiate of affairs among theyn: and, as fomewhere he adds, very ready
alfo to give them affijlance againfl their enemies.

* Origen alfo tells Celfus, that he or any of his party were able to (hew
iotv rcia-tu<; i^yov, nothing of /edition, that the Chriftians were ever guilty
of: and yet what Tertullian faid of the Roman empire in general, this
father elfewhere in the fame book fpeaketh of Greece and Barbary, viz.
That the Gofpel had fubdued all that country and the greater part of
this, and had brought over to godlinefs fouls innumerable.

Thus you fee hov/ far the primitive Chriftians v/ere from the tumul-
tuous, fiery, and boifterous fpirit, that Chriftendom above all other parts
of the world, hath been fince inteiled v/ith. And thus we have (hewn
that there was once a time (God grant that the like may be again) when
|he fuccefs of the Chriftian religion in conquering mens lufts, and retli-
fying their natures, was greatly anfwerable to the efficacy that it hath
for this purpofe. And fo we pafs to the fccond Inference.

• Page 115.

CHAP.

Chap. XVII. the Defign of Chrijliantty, 381

CHAP. XVII.

The fecond Inference.

That we underjiandfrom what hath been faid of the Defign of Chrlftlanity,
how fearfully it is abufed by thofe that call themfehes the Roman Catho-
licks. "That the Church of Kome hath by fever al of her Do£irines ener-
vated all the Precepts and Motives to Holi?iefs contained in the Gofpel. That
Jhe hath rendred the Means therein prefcribed^ for the Attainment thereof^
extremely ineffectual. That Jhe hath alfo as greatly corrupted them. Divers
Injlances of the Papifts Idolatry. Their Image Worfhip one Inflance,
Their praying to Saints departed another. Other Impieties accoinpanying
it^ mentioned. Some Account of their Blafphemies.^ particularly in their
Prayers to the BlefTed Virgin. Their worfhipping the Hoft the third,
and groffeji Injiance of their Idolatry. Some other of their Wicked und mojl
Antichriftian DoSirines.

f :#:,^:^ E C O N D L Y, by what hath been faid concerning the Deftgn
S S ^- of the Chrifiian religion^ we eafily underftand how fearfully it is
K^^:^^.J^ abufed by thofe that call themfelves the Roman Catholicks. Nor
need we any other argument to prove popery to be nothing lefs than Chri-
Jlianity befides this, vi'z.. That the grand defign of this^ is to make us
holy ; and alfo aimeth at the raifmg of us to the moft elevated pitch of
holinefs, and is admirably contrived for that purpofe : but the religion of
the Papifls^ as fuch, doth moft apparently tend to carry on a defign mofl:
oppofite thereunto : to ferve a carnal and corrupt intereft ; to give men
fecurity in a way of finning ; and pretendeth to teach them a way to do,
at one and the fame time effectually, the moft contrary and inconfiftent
things. That is, to deprave their natures, and fave their fouls ; and event
in gratifying their wicked inclinations to lay a firm foundation for eternal
happinefs. So that, if this (as they pretend it alone is) be the Chriftian
religion, we muft needs ingenuoufly acknowledge, that what we faid in
the introduilion was by Celfus and Julian charged upon it, is no calum-
ny, but an accufation moft juft and well deferved. For as the Church of
Rome hath rendred diverfe excellent precepts of holinefs very ineffedlual,
by making them counfcls only, not cojmnands ; and alfo not a few of its
prohibitions unnecellary, by her diftindion of fins into mortal and venial-^
underftanding by venial {ins fuch as for the fake of which no man can
deferve to lofe the divine favour ; and therefore making them really no
fins : fo hath (he enervated all the evangelical commandments, both pcfitive
and negative, and made them infignificant by a great many dodlrines that
are taught by her moft darling-fons, and decreed or allowed by her felf.
'Fhat one Popifti dodtrine of the non-neceffity of repentance before the immi-
nent point of death), and that (though the Church requireth it upon holy-
days, yet) no man is bound by the'divine law to it until that time, is of
it felf, without the help of any other, fufficient to take away the force
of all the holy /»/V(.v/)/i of our Saviour, and to make them utterly unfuc-
cefsfuj to the embraces of it ; and this other goeth beyond that in apt-

nefs

382 The Defign of ChrijViamty, Sect. III.

nefs for this purpofe, viz. That mere attrition^ or forrow for fin for fear
of damnation, if it be accompanied with confeflion to the prieft, is fuf-
ficient for falvation. For, as the former maketh a death-bed repentance
only neceflary, fo this latter makes that repentance alone fo, which is far
from deferving to be fo called, and which wants the principal ingredients
of that grace, 'v'lz. Hatred of fin, and love to God and goodnefs ; and con-
fequently works no change in the nature of the finner, nor makes him par-
taker in the leaft meafure of true holinefs.

The threats of hell have they made a mere fcare-crow by their doftrine
of purgatory ; and the fear of this too have they taken a notable courfe
to fecure men from by that of penances, and the indulgences granted by
their Popes very ordinarily for doing certain odd trifles and idle things ;
but which by money can never fail to be procured. Nor are the molt
horrid impieties fhut out from having their fliare in his holinefs his indul-
gences; as more than fufRciently appears by the tax of the Jpojio Heal chan-
cery j whereto thofe that will pay the price, abfolutions are to be had for
the moft abominable and not to be named villainies, nay, and licences alfo,
for not a few wickednefles.

I may add to the forementioned, their do£lrine of the meritorious y«-
pererogations of the faints, which, being applied to others, they teach
to be available for their pardon ; which befides its moft impious making
many co-faviours with Jefus Chrift, doth infinitely encourage to care-
lefsnefs and loofe living.

The religion of the means prefcribed in the Gofpel, have they done
what lay in them to make both extremely inefFedlual, and highly irreli-
gious. I fay,

Firft, Mojl ineffe£iual : for they will have the bare faying of prayers with-
out the leaft minding of what is faid, to be acceptable to, and prevalent
with, Almighty God : and congruoufly to this fine do6lrine, their church
enjoyns them to be faid in a tongue that is unknown to the generality of
her children. Though the Fapifls cannot, for fhame, but acknowledge
it a good thing to give attention to what is faid in the vi'orfhip of God,
yet, I fay, it is well known that they deny it to be neceffary fo to do ;
and make the mere opus operatmn, the work done, fufficient j and that in
all adls of devotion whatfoever. And befides their divine fervice is made
by them an idle and vain piece of pageantry, by the abundance of fop-
pifh ceremonies it is burthened with. Nay,

Secondly, it is made as wicked as incffc£lual : it being accompanied
with fo great immoralities as grof idolatries, together with other very
impious pra£tices : whereof

Firft, Their worfmpping of images is a notorious inftance : they mak-
ing pidures of Chrift and his crofs, and even of the holy Trinity, and
giving (as they themfelves profefs to do) latrtaox divine honour to them.
And as for what they have, by ftretching their wits upon the tenters,
invented to defend themfelves from the guilt of idolatry in thofe adions,
it will do the Heathens as much fervice as themfelves, and no lefs fuc-
cefsfully clear and acquit them from that foul imputation. Celfus in de-
fence of their idol, faith, That they are not gods, but ®£wv am9^f*a1a,
gifts confecrated to them. And the Heathens in Laclayitius are brought in
faying, Non tpfa timemus fimidachra, ^'c. JVe fcar^ or worjhip not the
Q ima^ei

Chap. XVII. the Defjgn ofChriJiianity. 383

images themfelves^ but thofe whofe reprefentatives they are^ and to whofe names
they are consecrated. And feveral other citations might be produced to
(hew, that the divine honour that was by the Heathens beftowed on their
images, was relative only^ (as the Papijis fay theirs is, and think they get
a main matter by fo faying) and not abfohite. But as for their worfhip
of the image of the crofs^ it is grofler idolatry than I believe can be fhewn
the wifer fort of Pagans were ever guilty of. For the crofs it felf is the
ultimate term of their divine adoration, and the i?nage is worftiipp'd r^-
latively^ as it reprefents the crofs. In fhort, their image-worjhip is as ex-
pefly forbidden by the fecond commandment as words can do it, and one
may conclude that they themfelves are not a little confcious of it, in that
that commandment is le_|'t out of their offices of frequent ufe.

Secondly, another plain inftance of their idolatry is their praying to
faints departed. And whereas they pretend that they do not pay them any
divine honour, and that they only pray to the faints to pray for them ;
this pretence is but a pitifully thin cob-web to hide the idolatry of that
pra(Stice. For befides that their invocations of them, and of the. fame
faints too in innumerable places at vaft diflances each from other, do im-
ply an opinion of fuch an exceellency in them, [viz. fuch a knowledo-e
as can hardly be at all fliort of Omnifcience) as we can no where find
God Almighty hath vouchfafed to any creature; they likewife make their
prayers to them with profeflions of confidence in them, and with A\ the
rites of invocation, in facred offices, and in places fet a part for divine
worfhip i and moreover they fet particular faints over whole cities and
countries (one fingle one over this, and another over that) and put up
petitions to them for their help and fuccour. And the Roman Catechifm
made by the decree of the council of Trent., and publifhed by the Pope's
command, doth give them encouragement thus to do (as the late Bifhop
of Down fheweth in the former part of his Diffwafive from Popery) in
thefe words ; the faints are therefore to be invocated, becaufe they continually
make prayers for the health of 7nankindy and God gives us many benefits by
their tnerit and favour : and it is lawful to have recourfe to the favour or
grace of the faints., and to ufe tbeir help ; for they undertake the patronage of
us. And he adds that the council of Trent doth not only fay. It is good
to Ry to their prayers, but alfo to their aid, and to their help. And he
furthermore minds them of this d}f]:ich in the church of S. Laurence in
Rome (d).

Contincthoc templ^m fanSlorum corpora pura
A quihus auxiliurn fuppleri, pofcere cura*

Within this (hurch faints holy bodies lie.

Pray them, that they with help would thee fupply.

So that over and above the great impiety of their praying to faints, difco-
vered m making them in fome kind equal with Chrilt, and in derogat-
ing from the fufficiency of his merits, fatisfacfiion and interceffion ; God
bemg prayed to with reliance on theirs as well as on his, and through
them as well as him, (as may be farther and largely fhewn in their pray-
ers,.
kd) H- 9'

384 the Defign of Chrijiiamt^. Sect, III.

ers, and chiefly in thofe to the blefied Virgin,) I fay, befides this grofs
/wE^/Vfy of that pradice, it can never be juftified from the charge of ido-
latry. And by whatfoever arguments they endeavour therein to prove
themfelves no idolaters, it will be no difficult matter by the fame to vin-
dicate the Heathens from that crime in worfhipping their dceynom^ heroes
and deified emperors. And for Hierocles his part, I cannot find that he
alloweth of praying to any one but him whom he calls the Suprejne God:
for, fpeaking of the honour that is due to that order of fpirits which is
immediately fubordinate to him, and above the dcsinom and heroes^ all he
faith concerning it (e)^ is, that it confifteth in underftanding the excel-
lency of their natures, and in endeavouring after a likenefs to them ;
whereas he hath afterward a very excellent difcourfi of the neceflary ob-
ligation men are under of praying to God. '

But I have not yetinftanccd in the worfir part of the Popijh prayers
to departed faints, the blafphemies contained in thofe to the Virgin Mary
arefuch, as I would not defile my pen with the recital of any of them,
did I not know it to be too needful. She is ftiled in their publick pray-
ers, the faviour of defpairing fouls ; the befiower of fpiritual grace ^ and dif-
penfer of the mojl divine gifts j one higher than the heavens, and deeper than
the earth ; and many fuch compellations as are proper only to fome one
perfon of the glorious Trinity, are given in them to her. In her an-
them fhe is fupplicated for pardon of fin, for grace and for glory. And
the forementioned learned Bilhop obierveth, that in the mafs-book pen-
ned J. D. 1538, and ufed in the Pohiian churches, they call the blefied
Virgin viam ad vitam, &c. the way to life, the governcfs of all the world, the
reconciler of finners with God, the fountain of remijjion of fins, light of light:
and at lafl: (he is there faluted with an ave univerfcs Trinitatis mater, hail
thou mothe.- of the holy Trinity. And he adds that the council o^ Cotijlance
in the hymn they call a Sequence, did invocate the Virgin in the fame
manner as councils did ufe to invocate the Holy Ghofl : that they call her
t\\Q mother of grace, the remedy of the 7niferable, the fountain of mercy, and
the light of the church. And laftly, his lordfhip alledgeth a pfalter of our
Lady, that hath been feveral times printed at Venice, at Paris and Leip-
fick, the title of which is, The Pfalter of the Bleffed Virgin compiled hy^ the
feraphical DoSior S. Bonaventure, ^c. Which confifi:eth of the Pfalms
of David, one hundred and fifty in number : in which the name of Lord
is left out, and that of Lady put in, and altered where it was neceflary
they fhould to make fence. Therein, whatfoever David faid, whether
prayers or praifes of God and Chriji, they fay of the Blejfed Virgin ; and
whether (faith he) all that can be faid without intolerable blafphemy, wefup-
pofe needs not much difputation. Who would not readily conclude it alto-
gether impoflible for any men to invent, or approve, nay, or not to have
indignation againfi:, fuch daring and moft execrable impieties, that are
not utterly bereft of their fenfes, or are but one removed from perfedt
Atheijls ? There are diverfe other moil: prodigious flyings concerning
the Virgin Mary tranfcribed out of the approved books of great fons of
the Roman Church, in the now cited Difjwafve from Popery, to which I
refer the reader. And to them I will add fome, which may doubtlefs vie
with the worft that we can well imagine were ever uttered, of one Jo-
hannes
(0 Pag. 22,

'Ghap. :^VII. The befign of Chj/iianhy. 385

bames Argentus^ a prime Catholick youth, which he hath expdfed to the
view of the world in a right worthy piece, treating of the feven excel-
lencies 6( the moft BlelTed Virgin. Saith he, Chrijlus fervit atque ajfidul
minijlrat Matri fua^ Chr'i/l ferveth and continually admimjlreih to his Mo-
ther: and n^xt thus vents nimfelf in a great fit of devotion to her. O
fiUceret^ quafn Uh enter me illifocium adjungcrem^ Sec. If it might be law^
ful^ Oh^ how gladly would I joyn my felfwith him as his companion ! HovJ
willingly would I learn of him the way of perfectly ferving thy felf, and God!
(the reader will not anon judge his placing the Virgin before God himfelf
as proceeding from inadvertency,) How willingly would I eafe 7ny mojl
fweet fefus of this his labour ! O Lord fefu my mofi lovely Saviour^ permit
me to perform fo?ne fervice to thy Mother ; but if thou wilt not grant me this^
yet at Icajl give me leave^ that whiljl thoufervefl thy Mother^ I may ferve thee*
And he tells us afterward, that, God is in other creatures after a threefold.
manner y by his e^encei^ by his prefence.^ and by his power ; but in the mojl Blef-
fed Virgin after a fourth manner^, viz. by ideyitity^ or being one and the f If
fame with her. Who could think that the worft fhould be yet behind ?
Let the reader judge whether it be or no. He farther faith, That herfe-
venth degree of excellency conftjls in this, quod ft Do7nina Dei, that jhe is the:
Mifirefs of God. And then a line or two after, as if he had thought he
had not yet fufficiently performed the part of a moft impudent blafphe-
mer, he adds thdXfupra ipfwn thronuin Dei folium fuum collocavit^ Jhe hath
ereSled her feat abo^e the very throne of God. This was a fellow that had
improved to purpofe the prayers he had learn 'd of his holy mother.
Surely fhe could not find in her heart to deny fo palHonately devout a
Worftiipper of the Holy Virgin, a very confiderable ftiare in the merits
of her fupererogations : or rather may we not think that fhe would judge
him fo great a faint, as to ftand in no need of them ; and to have of his
mmi to fpare, wherewith to add to the riches of her treafury, for the re-
lief of thofe who being confcious to themfelves of being too dry and
cold devotionifts, can be perfwaded to go to the charge of them ?

Have we not now great caufe to wonder^ that the Papijis ihould take
it fo very heinoudy at our hands, that we faften upon them the imputa-
tion of idolatry ! This very Wretch would have been fenfible of an un-
fufFerable abufe, Ihould one have call'd him idolater, as blafphemous a
one as he was, and notwithftanding his having even 7nore than deified a
mere creature, and advanced her throne above her Creator's. Lord ! to
what heights of impiety will fuperftition lead men ! and how thick is
that darknefs (he blindeth the eyes of her captives with, that it will not
fuffer them to difcern that guilt which is no whit lefs evident than the
fun at noon. But,

Thirdly, the grofTeft inftance of the Church of Rome\ idolatry we have
yet omitted j and that is their worjhipping the confecrated bread, not as
God's reprefentative, but (which isfar worfe) as God himfelf, in thefa-
crament of the altar (as they call it) and on other occafions. This is no
where to be parallel'd for the fottifhnefs of it, no not among the moft bar-
barous and brutifti nations ; it being founded upon the moft abfurd, con-
tradiiifious, portentous and monftrous conceit, that ever entered the
head of any mortal ; as they have had it, 10 the confufion of their faces,
proved to them by a multiLude of learned perfons of the reformed reli-
VoL.VL B b gion:

386 The Deftgn of Chrlfiiamty, Sect. III.

gion : who have alfo fo fully, and with fuch mighty and irrefiftible ftrength
made good the forementioned charge of idolatry^ and of other impious
pradices and principles againft them, that it is unimaginable how it
fhould be poflible, that any who are not ftark-blind, or refolved that they
will not fee, fhould not acknowledge them. And as for the elaborate
tricks whereby they endeavour to juftifie themfelves from thofe accufa-
tions, they may doubtlefs, whenfoever they fhall have a mind to it, de-
vife others no lefs plaufible with as little pains, to make forcing of vir-
gins no rape, lying with other folks wives no adultery, cutting of purfes
no theft, robbing of churches no facrilege ; and, in one word, they may
with as little exercife of their brains invent ways to do whatfoever is moft
flatly forbidden in the Ten Commandments, without being guilty of
tranfgrefling any one of them.

I might proceed to inftance in very many other doftrines of the Ro7ntJh
Church, which by what we have faid of the Chriftian religion we may be
perfe6tly aflured are anti-chrljhan ; but I will only add two or three more.
As, their afferting the infufficiency of the holy Scriptures for men's falva-
tion, and denying them to be the fole rule of faith, and joining with them
their own paltry traditions as equally neceflary to be believed; and this
againft the exprefs words of S. Paul to Timothy^ 2 Epijl. 3 Chap, where
he tells him, that the holy Scriptures are able to make him wife unto falvation.^
through faith which is in Chriji fefus. And that all Scripture is given by
infpiration of God^ and is profitable for doSirine^ for reproof for correction, for
infiruiiion in righteoufnefs-^ that the man of God may be perfeSi, throwly fuV"
nijhed unto all good works . And their teaching that the Gofpel is obfcurt;
and difficult to be underftood even in things neceffary to be believed znd
pra^ifed. Which, as it makes it greatly inefficacious for the purpofe which
we have proved it is defigned for, fo doth it open a gap for vile interpre-
tations of any part of it, and expofeth it to the power of herlticks, and
efpecially of the Romijh ones, to make it a mere nofe of wax : which
none can doubt, that confider alfo therewith their doclrlne of ijuplicit
faith \ and that other upon which it is grounded, vi-z. That of the infalli^
iility of their Church : which as the, Jcfuits define, is feated In the Pope's
chair. But whether it be aflerted that the Popes have an unerring fa-
culty, or they and their general councils together, this dotSlrine being re-
ceived (without the leaft ground) as unqueftionably true, doth greatly
ha/ard, nay, and even neceffitate the betraying of men to the very worft
both of opinions and pra6lices, whenfoever this pretended infallible guide
fhall be pleas'd to propofe them. And whofoever believes it, muft (to
ni^ the v/ords of Mr. ChilUngworth) be prepared in mind to efl:eem virtue
vice, and vice virtue, Chrlftlanity anti-chrifliajilfm, and anti-chrlftianifm,
Chrlftianity, if the Pope fhall fo determine. And this docStrine, without
doubt, is that v/hich caufeth thofe of the Papijls to ftick fo fafl in filthy
mire, and to perfilt fo obftlnately in their foul errors, who are not de-
vained therein by the love of gain (with which their Popes, and other '
ccclefiaflicks by the means of diverfe of them are mightily enriched) or
by the dear effection they bear to other lufts, which they are exadly fitted
for the fatisfadion of. Their dodfrines being very many of them fo ri-
diculoufly abfurd, plainly falfe, and of fuch dangerous confequence ; I fay,
nothing eife, certainly, could hold the fincerer fort of Papifis in the belief

of

Ch a p. XVir. The Defign ofChnJianifyy 387

of them, but this confideration, that any one of them being let go, their
great Dagon of the Churches infallibility muit neceflarily to the ground
with it.

I might alfo inftanCe in their doflrlne of the difpenfablenefs of the mofl
folemn oaths^ which is no lefs deftruftive to humane fociety^ than it is to
piety. And in that of the Pope's power to abfolve fubjefts from their
allegiance to their lawful fovereigns : and to them add a great number of
maxims of the moft famous order among them, the Jeftdts^ and refolu-
tions of cafes of confcience, which are as wicked and deftrudlive of a
holy life, as the devil himfelf can well devife. But to be employed with Her-
cules in emptying the augean ftable, would be as acceptable a work as
ftirring fo far in this nafty fmk. Whofoever fhall perufe the myjlery of
jefuitifm^ may find more than enough to turn his ftomach, though it
mould be none of the moft fqueamifh and queazy, and to make him ftand
aftonifhed, and blefs himfelf, that ever fuch loathfome and abominable
fluff fliould come from perfons that derive their name from the holy fefus.
But to haften to the conclufion of this chapter, the moft pure and holy
religion of our Saviour hath the Church of Rome defiled with as impure
and unholy opinions and pradices ; and hath taken the moft effedual
courfe not only to render it a feeble and infignificant thing for accom-
plifhing the defign for which it was intended by the blcfled founder of it,
but alfo to make it unhappily fuccefsful in ferving the diretSlly contrary.
The great myflery of godlinefs hath fhe transformed into a grand myjlery of
iniquity : and by that means mightily confirmed its profefTed enemies, the
Jews and Mahometans^ in their enmity againft it. And for my own part,
1 (hould not ftick to fay, as did Averroes (when he obferved that the popifti
Chriftians adored that they ate) Sit anima mea cum philofophis^ Let my
foul take its fate with the philofophers, did I think Chriftianity to be fuch ^
religion as (he makes it. As much as I admire it now, I fhould then
prefer that of Socrates^ Plato and Cicero far before it. Though I abhor fo
far to imitate the Papijis in their devilifti uncharitablenefs, as to pro-
nounce them all in a ftate of damnation, yet I dare afl'ert with the greateft
confidence, that all that continue in communion with that degenerate
and apoftate Church, run infinite hazards : and moreover that it is im-
poffible, any yzwf^r^ perfons fhould give an explicit and underjlaitding affent
to many of her do6lrines j but whofoever can find in his heart to pra5life
upon them, can be nothing better than a fhamefully debauched, and a
moft immoral wretch. Nor is it conceivable what ftiould induce any
to exchange the reformed iox the /)(j/)7/?) religion (as too many have of late
done) that have but a competent underftandingof both, befides the defire
of ferving fome corrupt intereft. And we plainly f:e, that the generality
of thofe that turn apoftates from the Church of Etigland to that of Roms,
are fuch people as v/ere a fcandal to her, while they continued in her:
and that Athelfn and Popery are the common fandluaries to which the
moft vicious and profane of this age do betake themfelves.

B b 2 C H A P.

388 Tho Defjgn of arijl'mlty. Sect. III.

CHAP. XVIII.

The third Inference.

That thefe two Sorts of Perfons are extremely fottiJI:. I . Such as expeSf fa
have their Share in the Salvation of the Gofpel without true Holinefs,
1. Suchy ?nuch ffiore, as encourage thenifelves by the Grace of the Gofpel in
TJnholinefs.

^XX^ H I R D L Y, there is nothing we are more ailured of by what
^> T O hath been difcourfed of the Defign of Chriflianity ^ than that thefe
CXX^ ^^^° ^^"^^"^ °^ perfons are guilty of extreme fottiflmefs : namely,
Thofe that expc6l to have a /hare in the falvation of the Gofpel without true
holinefs : and much more, Thofe that encourage the7nflves by the grace of the
Gofpel in their unhoUnefs.

Firft, Thofe that expeSf to have their flmre in the falvation of the Gofpel
without true holinefs. I fear that fuch people are not confined within the
limits of the Romijh church ; but that a great number of Proteftants alfo
may be defervedly accufed upon this account. But by fo much more
fottifli are thefe than the Papijis, by how much better things their religion
teacheth them than the Papifts doth. Though I muft likewife with fad-
nefs acknowledge, that too many opinions have been unhappily foifted
into it, that give too great encouragement to a carelefs life. But that
thofe which promife to themfelves an intereft in the falvation purchafed
by Jefiis Chrift, either from their baptiim, and partaking of certain
Chriftian privileges, or from their being of fuch or fuch a fe6l and mode
of profeflbrs, or from their fuppofed orthodoxy and good belief, and zeal
againft erroneous dodlrines, or from their imagining CbrijFs righteouf-
nefs theirs^ and applying the promifes to themfelves, or from their ab-
ftaining from the grofler and more fcandalous fins, or from their doing
fome externally good actions, and have in the mean time no care to be
intirely obedient, to mortifie every luft, and to be indued with an in-
ward principle of holinefs ; that thofe, 1 fay, v/hich thus do, are guilty
of moft egregious and llupid folly, is manifeft from what hath been dif-
courfed of the Defign of Chrifiianity.

For we have Ihewn, not only that reformation of life from the prac-
tice^ and purification of heart from the likingoi{n\ are as plainly as can
be aflerted in the Gofpel to be abfolutely neceffary to give men a right
to the promifes thereof; but alfo that its great falvation doth even confiji
in it : that, falvation from fin is the grand defign of the Chriflian reli-
gion, and thzt from turath is the refult of it. I will inflance in two more
Scriptures for the farther proof of this. The Apoftle S. Paul faith,
Ephef it. 5, &c. Even tvhen %ve ivere dead in trefpaffes and fins^ hath he
quickned us together with Chri/iy (by grace ye are faved) and hath raijed ui
up together^ and made us fit together in heavenly places in Chri/l Jefiis : that
in the ages to come he might peiu the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kind-
?iefs towards us through Chri/l fefius. For by grace ye arefavjd, through faith,
(or by the means of belie^^ing the Gofpel) ayjd that not o/'your fclv'es^ it is

ttk

Chap. XVIII. The peftgnoffChri/lianliy, ^^

the gift of God. Where, by the fahation which the Ephefian Chriftians
are faid to have obtained, and in the bellowing of which the exceedino-
riches of God's grace appeared, is plainly to be underflood their delive.^
ranee from their former heathenifli impieties and fmful practices ; and
fo is it interpreted by our beft expofitors. Again it is faid, Titus iii. 5.
N^ot by works of righteoufncfs which we have donc^ but according to his mercy
hefaved us (how faved us ? it followsj by the wa/hing of regeneration-^ and
renetuing of the Holy Ghoji. Our Saviour giveth eafe to our fm-fick fouls
by recovering them to health : and his falvation y??y? confifteth in curing
our wounds, and fee ondarily in freeing us from the fmart occafioned by
them. S. Peter tells the Chriftians, that by hisfiripes they vjcre healed.,
I Pet. ii. 24. It being a quotation out oi Ifaiah liii. 5, Cletnens Alexan-
drinus^ Strojnat. lib. ii. pag. 391. hath this faying to the fame purpofe,

sj ervryvuix,if) S\ « xaroc a<picnv i£X7\ci xard. 'Iccaiv avnrcilxi, pardon doth 7iot fo much

confij} in remijfion^ as in healing; that is, the pardon of the Gofpel doth
chiefly difcover it felf in curing men of their fnis; in delivering fmners
from the power of them, rather than from the mere punijhment due to
them. By which words that learned flither declared that he looked upon
t^tfubduing of fin as a more eminent adt of grace, than the bare_/«??-
givenefs of it. Now, would that man be accounted better than an ideot,
who being forely hurt, fhould expert from his furgeon perfecfl eafe, while
he will not permit him to lay a plaifter on his wound .? Or that bein'>-
deadly fick, would look that his phyfician fhould deliver him from his
pain., when he will not take any of his medicines for the removal of the
caufe of it .<* But of far greater folly are all thofe guilty, who will not
be perfwaded to part with their fms, and yet hope for the falvation of
their fouls. He that looketh for this, expeds that which implieth a moft
palpable contradidtion, and is in its own nature impollible. It hath been
fully enough fhewn that mere deliverance from mijery, cannot pofTibly be
without deliverance from fin ; and, much lefs eternal blefl'ednefs in the
enjoyment of God.

Secondly, but how mad then are thofe, which turn the grace of God de^
dared in the Gofpel into wantonnefs^ and take encouragement from the abun-
dant kindnefs and good will therein expreffed to fmners, with the more
fecurity and boldnefs to commit fin ? We read of fuch in the epiftle of
St. fude ; and God knows there are too many fuch in thefe our days.
But feeing it is fo grofiy foolifh for men to hope to be faved, notwith-
ftanding their living in the allowance of known fins, what defperate
7nadnefs is it to be imboldened in ungodly practices, by the offers Chrift
makes of pardon and falvation to them, l^hefe declare that they look
upon the Defign of Chrifianity not only as different, from what it hath been
demonftrated to be, but alio as dire6lly oppofte^ and perfedtly contrary
thereunto. Thefe muft not only think their Saviour to be no friend to
holinefs, but to be even its greatelt enemy.^ and a minifter of fin and
wickednefs. They make him the chief fervant of the devil, inftead of
coming to defiroy his xvorks (a). They make the Chrijiian religion more
vile by far than that of Mahomet ; and fuch a religion, as thofe who are
not the very work of men, muft needs abominate. Shall we fin (faith
the Apoftle) that grace may abound ? God forbid! (b), Thofe that think
B b 3 they

{a) I John iii. 8. {b) Rom. vi.

390 *^^^ Defigti of, ChriJUamty, Sect. III.

they can magnifie the free-grace of God in Chrift by thus doing, or that
they may take encouragement from it to continue in fin, do make this
grace unworthy of mens acceptance, and therefore no grace at all. Nay,
they make Almighty God the greateft enemy to mankind in fending his
Son J^fus and his Gofpel among us. For fn being fo evidently the
greatejl of evils ^ it can be no other than the moft fignificant expreflion of
hatred to us, to encourage us to the commiflion thereof. It is fo far
from being part of our Chri/iian liberty, to be delivered from our obliga-
tion to all or any of the laws of righteoufnefs, that fuch a deliverance
would be the moft unfupportable yoke of bondage. If any man can be
fo fiUy as to obje6l that of the Apoftle, Rom. vi. 14. Te are not under
the laiv^ hut under grace : let him give himfelf an anfwer by reading the
whole verfe, and then make ill ufe of that pafl'age if he can tell how.
The words foregoing it are thefe : ftn jhallnot have dominion overyouy and
thefe words are a proof hereof, yorjij^r^ not under the law^^ hut under grace:
that is, as if he fhould fay. It is the moft inexcufable thing for you to
continue under the dominion and power of fin, becaufe ye are not under
the weak and inefficacious paedagogy of the law of Mofes^ but a difpen-
fation of grace, wherein there is not on\y forgivenefs affured to truly re-
penting finners, hut flrength afforded to enable to the fubduing and mor-
tification of all fin. Our Saviour hath told us exprefly, that he camq
jiot todefiroy the law, (that is, the moral law) but to fulfil it (c) : and that
heaven and earth Jhall fooner pafs away, than that one jot or tittle thereof fhould
fail. And it is abfolutely impoflible, that our obligation thereunto fhoul4
ceafe, while we continue 7nen. All the duties therein contained being
moft necefl'ary and natural refults from the relation we ftand in to God
and to one another, and from the original make and confiitution of humane
fouls.

But it is too great an honour to the dodlrine of libertlnifn to fpend two
words in confuting it ; it being fo prodigious, fo monftrous a docSlrine,
that it would be almoft uncharitable to judge that a profeflTor of Chrifti-
anity not to have fuftered the lofs of his wits who can have the leaft fa-
vour for it ; fuppofing him to have but the leaft fmattering in the Chrif-
tian religion. It is an amazing thing, that fuch a thought fliould be en-
tertained by fuch a one, while he is not utterly forfaken of his intellect,
tuals : our Saviour's Gofpel being v/holly levelled at the mark of render-
ing us obedient to the laws of God. Let me fpeak to fuch as fo fhame-
fully abufe our incomparable religion, as to take liberty from thence to
be in any kind immoral, in the words of St. Paul, Rom. ii. 4, 5. Defpifeft
thou the riches of God's gooflnefs and forbearance and long fuffering, not knowing
that his goodnefs leadeth thee (or defigneth the leading of thee) to repentance ?
B 14 1 after thy hardnefs and impenitent heart, treafurefl up to thy f elf wrath
againft the day of wrathy and revelation of the righteous judgment af
Goclj i^c,

(f) Matt. V.

CHAP.

Chap. XIX. • The Deftgn of Chrijiianity, 391

CHAP. XIX.

The fourth Inference.

That a right Underjiandlng of the Defign of Chriftianity will give us the
true Notion, i. Ofjujiifpyig Faith ^ 2. Of the Imputatio7t of ChrijVs
Right eoufnefs.

lP?>::<f>5 0URTHL Y, from what hath been faid of the Defigti of
w F :^ Chrijilanity may be clearly inferred the true Notion of fujiifying
%s^y^-.^ /v?/Vi», and of the Imputation ofChriJi^^ Righteoufnef.
• Firft, Of jujlifying faith. We thence learn, That it is fuch a belief of
the truth of the Gofpelj as implies a fincere refolution of obedience unto all its
■precepts -y or (which is the fame thing) implys true holifiefs in the nature
o{ it : and moreover that it juftifieth as it doth fo. For furely the faith
which intitles a fmner to fo high a privilege as that oi jujiification^ muft
needs be fuch as complieth with allthe purpofes of Chrift's coming into
the world, and efpecially with his grand purpofe ; and it is no lefs necef-
fary that it fhould juftifie as it doth this ; that is, as it receives Chrift
for a Lord^ as well as for a Saviour. But I need not now diftinguiih be-
tween thefe two, there being but a notional difference between them in
this matter. For Chrifb (as was ftiewn) as he is a Saviour^ defigneth'
our holinefs : his fahation being chief y that from the worlt of evils, fm ;
Sind principally confifting in deliverance from the power of it.

I have fcarcely more admired at any thing, than that any worthy men
efpecially fhould be fo difficultly perfwaded to embrace this account of
Jtfiifying faith ; and fhould perplex and make intricate fo very plain a
do6trine. If this be not to feek knots in a bulrufh, I know not what is.
I wifh there were nothing throughout the Bible lefs eafily intelligible than
this is, and I fhould then pronounce it one of the plaineft of all books
that ever pen wrote. For feeing the great end of the Gofpel is "to make
men good, what pretence can there be for thinking, th^t faith is the con-
dition (or I'll ufe the word [inflrument] as improper and obfcure as it is)
ofjujiification^ as it complieth with only tiiie precept of relying on Chriji's
/nerits for the obtaining thereof, efpecially when nothing is more mani-
feft than that obedience to the other precepts muft go before obedience to
this ; and that a man may not rely on the merits of Chrifl for the for-
givenefs of his fins, (and he is moil prefumptuous in fo doing, and puts
an affront upon his Saviour too) till he be fmcerely willing to be reform-
ed. And belides fuch a reliance is ordinarily to be found among unrege-
nerate, and even the very worft of men. And therefore how can it be
otherwife, than that that a6t of faith muft needs have a hand \v\ juftifying^
and the Z^^cw/ hand too, which diftinguifheth it from that which is to be
found in fuch perfons. And I add, what good ground can men have for
this fancy, when our Saviour hath merited the pardon of our fms for
this end, that it might be an effedual motive to forfake them ? And
can any thing in the world be more indifputably clear, than, if the only
dire£i fcope that Chriftianity drives at be the lubduing of An in us, and
B b 4 our

392 The X^ep.gn of Chrijiiamty, Sect. Ill,

our freedom from its guilt or obligation to punifliment be the confequent
of this (as I think hath been demonftrated with abundant evidence ; that
faith inverts us with a title to this deliverance no otherwife than as dying
to fin^ and fo confequently living to God^ are the products and fruit of it ?
And feeing that, one end, and the ultimate end too, of Chrift's coming
was to turn us from our iniquities, if the nature oi faith confidered as
jifj^ifying muft needs be made wholly to confift in recumbence and reliance
on him^ he fliall be my Apollo that can give me a fuffici.ent reafon why it
ought only to confift in reliance on the merits of Chriji for the pardon of
fin, and not alfo on his power for the mortification of it. In ftiort, is it
poflible that faith in Chrift's blood for the forgivenefs of fm {hould be
the only aiSl which juftifieth a finner, when fo many plain texts afliire
us, that he died alfo to make us holy^ and that his death was defigned to
cleliver us from dying in order to a farther end, namely to this, that we
fhould live unto him who died for us.

I will never more truft any faculty at reafoning, I can pretend to, no
not in the plaineft and moll undoubted cafes, if I am miftaken here.
And will ta:ke the boldnefs to tell thofe who are difpleafed with this ac-
count of jujiifyingfaith, that (in my opinion) it is impoflible they fhould
once think of any other, if they ever ferioufly weighed and well confi-
dered the Defign of Chrijlianity . I the more infift upon this, becaufe
thofe perfons explication of this point hath been greatly liable to be ufed
to ill purpofes by jnfincere perfons ; and hath given infinite advantage
to the dangerous qxxox oi Antinomianifm. And, for my part, I muft con-
fefs that I would not willingly be he that fhould undertake to encounter
one of the champions of thaty^w/ caufe, with the admiflion of this prin-r
ciple. That faith jujlifieth, only as it apprehendeth the merits and righteouf-
nefsofjefus Chriji: 1 muft certainly have great luck, or my adverfary but
little cunning, if I were not forced to repent me of fuch an engage-
ment.

Secondly, and as for the other doctrine of the imputation of ChrijVi
righteoifnefs ; we learn from the Defign of Chrijlianity that this is the true
explication of it : namely, That it confifts in dealing withyzwc^r^/j-righ-'
teous perfons, as if they were perfeBly fo, for the fake of Chrift's righ-
teoufnefs. The ^r<7«^ intent of the Gofpel being to make us partakers
of an inward2iX\A r^^/righteoujnefs, and it being but zfecQndary one that
we ftiould be accepted and rewarded as if we were completely righteous ;
it is not poflible that any other notion of this do6lrine fliould have any
truth in it. For, as from thence it appeareth, that there can be no fuch
imputation of Chrift's righteoufnefs offered in the Gofpel, as ferveth to
make men remifs in their profecution of an inward righteoufnefs ; fo it
is manifeft likewife, That that doilrine is defigned for a motive to quic-
ken and excite men in their endeavours after fuch a righteoufnefs as this
is. Sp far is it from tending to caufe in us an undervaluing and flight
efteem of it, that, as fure as that the ultimate defign of Chriftianity is to
endow us with it, it muft be intended for no other purpofe but to farther
and promote that bufinefs : and it is eftediual thereunto in that manner,
jthat we Shewed the exceeding great and precious promifes of the Gofpel
are.

But

Chap. XX. The Deftgn of Chrljlianlty. 3^j

But becaufe both thefe points are difcufTed in t\\Q free difcourfe, I have
faid fo little of the former^ and will proceed no farther on th7s ; but re-
fer the reader thither, and to other much more elaborate difcourfes for
his fuller fatisfadtion. And indeed it was enough for me in this place
to {hew. That the notion laid down in that book of each of thefe doc-
trines, doth evidently follow from the propofxtion which is the fubjedl of
this Treatife,

CHAP. XX.

The fifth Inference.

That we learn from the Defign of Chriftiamty the great Ildeafiire and
Standard, whereby we are to judge of DoSirines, How we are tomd^e of
the Truth of Doarines. -^

4^-|-l-^I F T H L Y, we learn from what hath been faid of the deftgn
i" F "t" ?/" Chrifiiamty, what is the great tneafure andjlandard whereby
X" ' : X ^^ ^^^ *" -^""^^^ °f ^"^^'^1^^^ ; both whether they are true or falfe^
^"■i"""i""v* and in what degree neceffary to be received or rejeEied.

Firft, we underftand how to judge of the truth of doftrines. We
may be certain that, feeing the defign of Chrijlianity Is to make men holy^
whatfoever opinions do either directly, or in their evident confeqiiences, ob-
ftrudl the promoting thereof, are abfolutely falfe ; and with as great pre-
remptorinefs and confidence as they may be by fome that call themfelves
Chriftians obtruded upon us, they are not of Chrift, nor any part of his
religion. And thofe which do appear to us to difcourage from ferious
endeavours after piety and true goodnefs, we ought for that reafon, while
we have fuch an opinion of them, moft vehemently to fifpeSi them. For
it being the bufinefs of our Saviour's coming into the world, or of his
blefTed Gofpel, efFedlually to perfwade us to ufe our utmoft diligence in
fubduing our lufts, and qualifying our fouls by purity and holinefs for the
enjoyment of God, and to make our endeavours fuccefsfd for that pur-
pofe ; we may be aflured that he hath not either by himfelf immediately,
or by his apoftles, delivered any thing that oppofeth this defign. If (faith
St. Paul) I build again the things that I defiroyed, I make jnyfelf a tranf-
grejfor (d) : and no man that hath in him the leaft of a Chriftian, will once
fufpeft, that the perfectly tvife as well as holy Jefus fhould fo manao-e the
bufinefs he hath undertaken, as what he builds with one hand, to pull
down with the other; and fruftrate that defign by feme do£trines which
he promoteth by others.

Thofe doarines, on the other hand, which in their own nature do evi-
dently tend to the ferving of this defign of Chriftianity, we may con-
clude are moft true and genuine : and for thofe which, upon our ferious
^onfidering of them, we are perfwaded do fo, we ought upon that ac-
count
y) Gal. ii.

394 The Defign 6f Chriflianlty. Sect. III.

count to have a kindnefs, and to believe them of an higher than humane
original. And therefore thofe which give the moft honourable accounts
of God, his nature, and dealing with the fons of men ; that moft mag-
nifie his grace, and beft vindicate his holinefs, juftice, and goodnefs, da
commend themfelves to our belief with infinite advantage : becaufe the
moft worthy conceptions of the deity are exceedingly helpful^ and alfo ne-
cejjary to the loving of God, and ferving him as becometh us, and have
a mighty influence into the ordering and regulation of our whole man ;
as might be largely (hewn.

Thofe doftrines, again, that moft difcountenance all fins both againft
the firft and fecond table, and beft enable to anfwer all pleas and preten-
ces for fecurity and carelefnefs ; that are moft agreeable to the innate
didlates of our minds, and leaft gratifie and pleafe our carnal part ; we
may from the confideration of the defign of Chrijiianity be greatly per^
fwaded of the truth of them.

And, on the contrary, thofe which are apt to inftil into men's minds
any unlovely notions of the divine nature, that difparage his holinefs, or
lellen his kindnefs and good will to his creation, and the obligations of
the generality of the world to him and his Son JeftiSy and fo make his
grace a narrow and fcaijty thing, or that naturally caft any diftionour-
able reflexions on any perfon of the moft Holy Trinity, muft needs be
falfe. As alfo thofe that make religion to be a mere pajive thing, wholly
God's worky and not at all ours-y or that cramp men, and perfwade them
that they are utterly void of the leaft ability to co-operate with the grace
of God, or to do any thing towards their own falvation j or any way
whatfoever difcourage them from the diligent profecution of holinefs; or
deprive us of any help aflTorded us towards our gaining, and growth in
grace, either by putting a flur upon the written word, in advancing above
it the light within men^ and in enihufiajlical pretences to immediate revela-
tions, &c. or elfe by teaching men to flight any one ordinance of the
Gofpel, &c. or fuch dodrines as tend to introduce confufion into the
Church of Chrift, and to deprive it of all government and order, or in
fhort, that give countenance to any immorality whatfoever ; I fay, as
fure as the Chriftian religion is true, and that what we have proved to be
the defign thereof, is fo, fuch doiSlrines as thefe muft needs hefalfe.

What our Saviour faith of falfe prophets, is as true of moft do<Slrines,
hy their fruits you Jhall know them: we may underftand whether they have
any relation to Chriftianity or no, by the defign they drive at, and their
evident confequences.

And I may add, that we may make a fhrewd guek what thofe particu-^
lar ways and modes of religion are (which the various fe6ls we are can^
tonized into have efpoufed to themfelves, and are fo fond of) by the
proper and moft diftinguiftiing effeds of them. If we perceive that they
make the great fticklers for them, to differ from others chiefly in uncon-
cernednefs about the moft important and fubftantial duties of morality^
and in laying the greateft weight upon certain little trifles, and placing
their religion in mere externals ; or that the things whereby they are moft
peculiarly difcriminated from other folk are fpiritual pride, and fond con-
ceitednefs of themfelves, and a fierce or fcornful behaviour towards thofe
that approve not of their way ; uncharitablenefs, morofity, and peevifti-

nefs ,

Chap. XXI. The Deftgn of Chrijilamty. 395

nefs; a feditious, ungovernable and untameable fpirit, &c. I fay, if we
obferve fuch as thefe to be the moft diitinguilhing effects of their feveral
modes and forms, we have fufficient reafon from thence alone greatly
to prefume, that they have not the ftamp of jus Chrijiianum upon them,
that they are not of Chrift, but of their own invention. The wifdom
that is from above is quite another thing, and begets perfedtly other kind
of fruits J as (hall be fliewn hereafter.

But to return, the defign of the Gofpd is (as was faid) the great fland-
ard by which we are to judge of the truth of opinions : thofe t\i2it feem
to us to oppofe this defign, we are^ bound to fufpeSi^ becaufe they do fo;
but thofe which apparently do thisy we muft with heartieft indignation re-
je£l. And though we (hould meet with fome places of Scripture that at
firft fight may feem to favour them, we may not be ftumbled upon that
account, but be confident that whatfoever is their true meaning, as fure
as they have God for thejr author, they cannot poffibly patronize any
fuch do£lrines.

And, laftly, in examining which of two opinions is true, that oppofe
each other, and do feem to be much alike befriended by the holy Scrip-
tures, it is doubtlefs a very fafe courfe to confider as impartially as we
can, which doth tend moft to ferve the great end pf Chriftianity, and to
prefer that which we are perfwaded doth fo.

CHAP. XXI.

How we are to judge of the NecefCty of DoSlrines, either to be embraced or
rejected. A brief Difcourfe of the Nature of Points Fundamental. How
we may know whether we embrace all fuch^ and whether we hold not any
defiruhive and darnnable Errors,

JC?5lKJK'^fe' E C O N D L Y, the defign of Chrifitamty is the great meafure
0 S J^j whereby we are to judge, as of the truth ^ fo alfo of the necejjitf
'^^^■^■^^ of doctrines^ either to be embraced or rejected.

Firft, we may thereby underftancf, in what degree we ought to efteem
thofe neceffary to be by all received.^ which we our felves are convinc'd of
the truth of; or, which of fuch z-vq fundamental points of the Chriftian
faith, and which not.

Firft, it is plain. That in the general thofe and thofe only zre primarily
and in their own nature fundamentals, which are abfolutely neceflTary to
accomplifti in us that defign. Such, as without the knowledge and be-
lief of which, it is impoflible to acquire that inward righteoufnefs and
true holinefs which the Chriftian religion aimeth at the introdu6lion of.
It is in it felf abfolutely neceflary, not to be ignorant of, or difbelieve,
gny of thofe points, upon which the effeding of the great bufinefs of the
Gofpel in us doth neceffarily depend. The particulars of thefe I ftiall
not ftand to enumerate, becaufe (as will appear from what will be faid
anon) it is not needful to have a juft table of them : and, befides, any

one

30 The Defign of Chrijliamtj, Sect. IIL

one that underftands wherein the nature of true holinefs lieth, may be able
fufficiently to inform himfelf what they are.

Secondly, it is as evident, That thofe points of faith zre fecondarify
fimdamental^ the difbelief of which cannot confift with true holinefs, in
thofe to whom the Gofpel is fufficiently made known ; although they are
not in their own nature fuch, as that holinefs is not in fome degree or
other attainable without the belief of them. And in the number of
thefe are all fuch points as are expreft with indifputable clearnefs. Now
the belief of thefe, though it is not in it felf any more than in higher or
lower degrees profitable, yet it is abfolutely neceflary from an externa}
caufe, w'z. in regard of their being delivered with fuch perfpicuity, as
that nothing can caufe a man to refufe to admit them, but that which
argueth him to be ftark nought, and to have fome unworthy and bafe
end in fo doing. But we muft take notice here, that nothing worded at
all doubtfully, can be of equal neceffity to be received by all Chiftians 5
becaufe that in regard of the diverfity of men's capacities, educations,
and other means and advantages, fome things may be plainly perceived by
one to be delivered in the Scriptures, which cannot be fo by another.

And in the fecond place, what hath been faid oi fundamental truths^ is
applicable by the rule of contraries to the oppofite errors^ as I need not
fhew.

Now then, would we know whether we embrace all the fundamentals
of Chriftianity, and are guilty of no damnable and deftrudtive errors ;
among the great diverfity and contrariety of opinions that this kingdom
abounds with (I think I may fay) above all other parts of Chriftendom;
our only way is to examine our felvcs impartially after this manner.

Jm I fmcerely willing to obey my Creatjor and Redeemer in all things com-
manded by themf Do J entertain and harbour no luji in my breaji? Do I
heartily endeavour ta have a right underjlanding of the holy Scriptures^ and
chiefly of the Gofpel^ and to knoiu what do^rines are delivered there in order to
the bettering of my foul by them^ and the direction of my life and a£f ions accord-
ing to them?

If we can anfwer thefe queftions in the affirmative ; whatfoever mifiakes
we may labour under, they can be none of them fuch as will undo us ;
becaufe we may conclude from thence, that the Defign of Chri/iianity is
in fome good meafure accomplifh'd in us. And whatfoever tenets may
be accompanied and confift with the true love of God, and a felici-
tous care to keep a confcience void of offence towards him and men,
we may be certain from the paft difcourfe of the deftgn of the Gofpel^
that they belong not to the catalogue oi fundamental errors. This obe-
dient temper is the moft infallible mark (of any I know) of an orthodox
man ; he that is endowed with it, though he may err^ cannot be an He-^
retick.

But there will be an occafion of fpeaking more anon to this argu-*
mem.

CHAP,

Cu AP« XXII. The Defsgn of Chrijiianiiyi 397

CHAP. XXII.

The fixth Inference. ■

*rhat the Defign of Chrlftianlty teacheth us what DoSirtnes and PraSiUet
ijue ought J as Chrijl'ians^ to be mojl zealous for or againfi,

c5!S*;54^^ I X T H L Y, we confequently learn what doSlrhies andpraSiices
^ S w w^ oughty as Chrifiians^ to be mojl zealous for or againfi, Thofe,
'^)6->K[j^ furely, that are moft available to the begetting and encreafe of
true holinefs, it is our duty to concern our felves moft for the defence of :
and thofe which have the greateft tendency towards the endangering of it,
to kt our felves with the greateft induftry and vigour againft. The reafon
is plain, becaufe the former do moft promote the defign of the Gofpel,
and the latter do it moft diflervice. St. fude exhorts in the third verfe
of his epiftle, to contend earneflly for the faith which was once delivered ta
the faints ; that holy doftrine which was firft delivered by our Saviour,
and unanimoufly by his apoftles after him ; which is perfecStly contrary
to the wicked and abominable do£trines taught by the prophane crew he
fpeaks of in the next verfe (and were more than probably the Gnoflicks)
which were crept in unawares, who were before ordainsd to this condemna-
tion^ (or whofe impojlures firft, and then the vengeance which fhould be
taken of them, vfQtQ formerly written of ov foretold both by Chrift and his
apoftles) ungodly men^ turning the grace of God into lafcivioufnefs^ and de~
nying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jefus Chrifl. And we ought to
contend againft whatfoever is defigned to overthrow and make ineffec-
tual that moft blefted dodtrine, more or lefs, according as it more or lefs
tends fo to do. Our zeal fhould be altogether employed for the promot-
ing of perfonal and real holinefs, and moftly for the effential parts of it,
and the neceffary means and helps to it. But doubtlefs it cannot be worth
our while to lay out any confiderable matter of our heat, either for or
againft doubtfid opinioyis, alterable modes, rites and circumflances of religion:
they are not things on which much weight maybe warrantably laid ; for
they are too weak to bear it, in regard of their being fo little ferviceable
or differviceable to the Defign if Chriflianity . I fay, eager defending or
oppofing of fuch kind of things, is (to ufethe fimilitude of an excellent
perfon) like the apes blowing at a gloe-worm, which affords neither light
nor warmth. Nay, it is no lefs injurious to the Defign of Chri/lianityy
tha;i unfcrviceable and ufelefs, as we have been effe6tually taught by ve-
ry woful experience. And nothing doth more harden Atheiftically-dif-
pofed perfons, than their obferving the contention of Chriftians about
matters of that nature ; for thereby do they take a meafure of our whole
religion. And befides an eager concernednefs about them is too ordina-
rily accompanied with a luke-warm, or rather frozen indifference, con-
cerning the moft important points of Chriftianity. It is too vifibly ap-
parent to be denied, That thofe which have fuch zfcalding hot z^,?/ either
for or againft things of no certainty and no 7iecejfity, are many of them (as
dieir predeceffbrs the Pharifces were) in the very other extreme as to not
a few of the weightiefl matters of religion.

CHAP.

<[^g: the Deftgn cf Chrijiianity, Sect. Ill,

CHAP. xxur.

The feventh Inference.

iTyat the Defign of Chriftianity well confidered^ will give us great Light into
thejuji Bounds and Extent of Chrijitan Liberty. Of complying with the
Cujioms of our Country^ and the Will of our Governours. The great Dif-
ference between the Mofaical Law and the Gofpel, as to its preceptive
Part.

^'CX^E V E N T H L Y, we may be greatly fatisfied, by confiderin*
^ S <^ tY\e Defign of Chriftianity^ concern'mg the jujl bounds and extent of
C>'k3 °"^ Chriflian liberty. For that being to make men holy^ it may
fafeiy be prefumed, that fuch things as have neither dire^Wy, nor confe-
quentially, any tendency to the depraving of our fouls, are left free to
us by our Saviour, either to do them or not to do them, as we fhall fee
caufe. Whatfoever doth neither promote nor hinder this defign, we have
reafon to believe is neither enjoyn'd upon us Chriftians, nor forbidden
to us.

Whatever things are any way neceffary to the furtherance of it, mufl:
needs be matter of ftrid duty; and what are fo profitable thereunto, that
the omiflion of them doth make the efFeding of this defign more difficult,
cannot but be ordinarily fo alfo. Whatfoever is in its own nature, or by
reafon of fome circumfiance, infeparably adhering to it, a neceffary occafion
of gratifying fome one or other corrupt affection, and that, by the doing
of which we (hall certainly defile our own fouls, or the fouls of others,
either by drawing them thereby to, or hardening and encouraging them
i«any fm (which is that our Saviour means by offending or fcandalizing
little ones, and is fo feverely forbidden by him, and alfo by the Apoftle in
the eighth chapter of the firft epiftle to the Cori?ithians) can be no other
than abfolutely unlawful : and whatfoever is forefeen to be a probable oc-
cafion of any one of thefe mifchiefs, muft alfo be carefully avoided by
us. But thofe things which are none of all thefe, cannot be otherwiie
than perfedly indiffere?it under the Gofpel.

And therefore whatfoever of fuch are commended by the cuftom of
the places we live in, or commanded by fuperiors, or made by any cir-
cumftance convenient to be done; our Chriftian liberty confifts in this,
that we have leave to do them. And, indeed, it is fo far from being a
fin to comply with our country-men and neighbours in their plainly in-
nocent ufages and harmlefs cuftoms, or with the will of our governors
when they command us fuch things ; that it would be fo, to refufe fo to
do. For our refufing to comply with either of thefe can hardly proceed
from any thing better than a proud affedlation of fmgularity, or at beft
from fuperftitious fcrupulofity ; which, in calling it fuperflitious, I inti-
mate to be evil, as much of confcience as there may be in it. For fu^
per/iition implieth a frightful or over-timorous agprehenfion of the Deity,
and confequently an unworthy conception thereof, as the Greek word
An(r»Ja»fto/i» fignilieth. That which makes men fuperfitious^ is fiich an
e opiiaon

Chap. XXIII. The Defign of ChriJiianUy, 3^

opinion of God as reprefents him a very angry and captious Being, but
yet fuch a one too as may be atoned and pacified by a great care and ex-
adtnefs in certain little matters, in performances and abftinences of an
infignificant and very trivial nature.

Now the ancient author of the epiftle to Dlognetus acquaints him, that
the primitive Chri/iians were no fuch fqueamifli or conceited people, as to
live in a different way from thofe among whom they inhabited ; and faith
that they diftinguifh'd themfelves from their neighbours and other folk,
oTs (puvji, BT£ £9io-«, neither by civil cujloms^ nor a certain language^ (or phrafes
or tone) proper to themfelves^ are /3iov 7r«ga<r))/xoi» aVxacnv, &c. nor that they
affected to make thernfelves notified by any peculiarities (that is, in harmlefs
matters) as a foolim fe6l among our felves, and fome other fanciful peo-
ple, now a-days do.

I defign not here fo tedious a work, as that of examining particulars
by the rule we have given, but only to fhew in the general that we may
be fatisfied concerning the extent of oitr Chri/iian liberty by well weighing
the Defign of Chriflianity^ and may underftand what kind of things muft
needs be free to us under the Gofpel-difpenfation, and what not ; leav-
ing it to the reader to make application, and confider the nature of par-
ticulars by comparing them with this rule. But I prefume I need not
mind him, that I fuppofe all this while that whatfoever is plainly com-
manded and forbidden in the Gofpel, muft be done and forborn by him,
though he ftiould not be fagacious enough to difcern how every thing
there commanded is ferviceable, or forbidden is injurious, to the defign
of holinefs : for fiirely none can doubt, but that they ought to underftand
me, in what I have aflerted, to have this meaning only, viz. That, as
to thofe things which the Gofpel fpeaketh nothing in particular and
clearly, concerning the beft courfe we can take in order to our knowing
to what heads to refer them (whether to that of things commanded^ or to
t\^2Lt oi forbidden, or to that of indifferent things) is to examine them by
this general rule, viz. The Defign of Chrifiianity .

But to conclude this, the great difference between the Mofaical law,
and the Gofpel, as to its preceptive part, is this. That by t\\e former a
vaft multitude of perfedly indifferent things were impofed, and many
fuch alfo prohibited : but by the latter, only thofe things are injoyned
that are in their own nature of indifpenfable neceffity, or fuch as are
means and helps towards them : and there is nothing thereby forbidden,
;but it is fo, becaufe it is evil ; and is not therefore evil only becaufe for-
bidden. There is nothing either commanded or forbidden in our Savi-
our's religion, but, as it is in order to our good, fo is it in order t(yfiich
a good too as coufifts in the reformation and renovation of our lives and
natures.

So that, I fay, our paft difcourfe concerning the Defign of Chrifiianity
may give us great light as to the knowledge of what kind of things, we
that are under the Gofpel-difpenfation, mufi do, and are matter (^ necef-
fary duty ; mufi not do, and are matter of iln ; and may do or leave undone
without fin.

CHAP.

400 f^^ Deftin ofChfifllanil^: &£ct. IIL

CHAP. XXIV.

The eighth Inference.

That it is the moft unaccountable thing to do that which is effentially Evil, in
defence of the Chrijiian Religion, or of any Opinions prefumed to he
Doctrines relating thereunto. The Pope and Church of K.omt mqji high-
ly Guilty in this Particular. And not a Few of thofe that profefs Enmity
cgainji Popery too liable alfo to the fame Charge^

^XXf^ I G H T H L Y, It may be plainly inferred from what hath been
^ E <5 f^i^ of the Defign of Chrijlianity, That it is the niofl Jirangely un-
R^s.:;v^ accountable thing for men in defence or favour of thai way of religion.^
which they take to be mojl truly the Chrijiian^ or of any opinions that are pre-
fumed by them to be do6lrines thereunto belonging, to do that which is effentially
and in its own nature evil. For thefe a6l quite contrary to the Defign of
tbe Chrijiian religion, and fo confequently, do what lyeth in them to fpoil
it, and render it a vain and infignificant thing by the courfe they take
for the advancement thereof. The Pope and Church of Rome are horri-
bly guilty of this madnefs ; they doing the moft plainly vicious and im-
moral a<^ions imaginable, to promote the intereft (as they pretend) of
that which they call the Catholick faith. For, their impofmg of their
own fences upon the word of God, and then perfecuting, burning and
damning men for not fubfcribing to theirs as to God's words, can be no
better than an aft of devilifh pride and barbarous cruelty. It is fo of
the fgrmer, in that it is a compelling men to acknowledge their wifdom
to be fuch as may not be fufpeded in the leaft meafure, no not in the
determination of points that are the moft doubtful and difputable : nay,
neither in fuch opinions and praftices of theirs, as moft plainly contra*
did abundance of texts of holy Scripture.

And moreover in endeavouring to force all men to aft and think as
they do in matters of religion, they with Luciferian arrogance ufurp the
empire of Almighty God, and fway that fcepter over mens confciences
which is his peculiarly.

And I need not fay, that they are therein no whit lefs criul than proud.
For what greater cruelty can there be, than to inflift upon people the
faddeft of calamities and the horrideft tortures (whereof the inftances
are innumerable) for fuch things as they have no caufe to think they are
able to help ; and which they have alfo the greateft reafon to conclude
they are not at all blame-worthy for ? I fay, what can be greater cru-
elty than this ? except their defigning thereby to terrific men to the own-
ing of doftrines and doing aftions perfeftly againft the cleareft fence of
their minds, and exprefleft diftates of their confciences ; which is an ex-
ercife of no lefs cruelty towards their fouls, than the other is towards
their bodies.

And what villanies have the Pope and his party ftuck at for the pro-
pagation of their religion ? Such as exciting fubjefts to take arms
againft their lawful fovereigns ; poyfoning and ftabbing of princes : the

moft

Chap. XXIV. The Deftgn of Chrljllanlty. 4OI

moft barbarous maiTacres that any hiftory can giv^e account of. In (hort,
what frauds and perfidioufnefs, what treachery, what impoftures, what
perjuries, what cruelties and horrid out-rages, have they thought too
wicked to be undertaken and perfiftcd in, for the fake of HOLY
CHURCH?

But I would I could fay, that of all that are called Chriftians, the
Papljls only are liable to this charge ; but, alas, it is too manifeft to be
denied, or difTembled, that not a few of thofe that profefs enmity to po-
pery are fadly guilty, though not equally with the Papijls, in this parti-
cular. But there is nothing more felf-evident than that to be of a per-
fecuting fpirit, to be wrathful and furious, to backbite and flander, to be
falfe and perfidious, to be ungovernable, to be uncharitable, or in any
kind whatfoever unjuft, upon any account whatfoever, is moft inexcuf-
able and intolerable. For if upon any account fuch things could be
lawful, religion would be the moft ufelefs thing in the world ; and if
they were lawful upon the account of religion only, it would not be a
more ufelefs and unprofitable than a mifchievous thing. And therefore
it would be too little a thing to fay, that the Chrijlian religion it felf
would be unworthy of our efteem, as great things as have been faid of
it, if it gave us leave to allow our felves in any immorality.

But there are none, it more abfolutely or with greater feverity forbid-
deth than fuch as the fore-mentioned. Who is a wife man and endowed
with knowledge among you? (faith S. James). Let him foew out of a good
converjation his works with mceknefs ofwifdom j but if ye have hitter envyiftgs
and Ji rife in your hearts^ glory nst, and lie not again/} the truth, (that is,
do not boaft of your Chriftian wifdom, nor play the hypocrites in pre-
tending to be fpiritual) this wifdom defcendeth not from above (is not zeal
kindled from heaven) but is earthly^ feyifual, devilijh : for zuhere envy and
Jirife is, there is confufion and every evil work. But the wifdom that is from
above, is firj} pure, then peaceable, gentle, and eafie to be entreated, full of
mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrife : and the
fruit of righteoifncfs is fown in peace, of the?n that make peace, fames Hi. 13.
to the end.

And S. P^«/ tells the Galatians, chap. iv. 22, 23. That the fruit of
the fpirit is love, joy, peace, long-fuffering, gentlcnefs, goodnefs, faith, ?neek-
nefs, temperance. And he reckoneth among the works of the flefh, verfc
19,20, 21. not only adultery, fornication, uncleannefs, lafcivioufnefs, ido-
latry, witchcraft, he'reftes, murthers, drunkennefs, revelling : but alfo, ha-^
tred, variance, emulations, wrath, Jirife, feditions, envyings : and faith,
that they ivhich do fuch things (fuch as thefe as well as t\\Q former) Jhall not
inherit the kingdo?n of God. And adds, verfe 24. Tiiat they which are
Chrifs, have crucified theflejh with the affeSlions and lujls, that is, the fore-
going, and all other.

And it appeareth from what hath been faid of the Defign ofChriJliaiii-
ty, that the gratification of any of thefe afFeitions is fo far from becom-
ing lawful, or more warrantable, by being yielded to for the fake there-
of, that it is rendred the more wretchedly foolifli and unaccountable by
this means. For thus to do, is to be irreligious to promote religion!, to
be un-chriftian to do fexvice to Chriflianity ; and therefore to go the di-'
reiSleft way to dejlroy it, buy the means we ufe for its prefcrvatwn. And

Vol. VI. C c ^ we

4.02 The Defiitt of Chrijfianity, Sect. III.

we do our particular opinions and forms of religion more mifchief, in
alienating the minds of others from them, by fuch wild expreflions of
zeal, than their adverfaries will be able to do, by all their attempts againft
them. And laftly, thus to do is to oppofe the interefl: of our religion to
that of our fouls, and to cad thefe away in the defence of that : as appears
from our difcourfe in the fecond Se£lion. But what madnefs is like to
this ?

CHAP. XXV.

The Ninth Inference.

That it is a niofl iiniuar rant able Thing for the Minijiers qf .Chrifi to prefer
any other Defign before that of maki^ig Men really righteous and holy. Thait
this ought to be the whole Defign cf their preaching. That it is of as great
Concernment that they promote the fame Bufinejs by their Converfations, as
that they do it by their DoSlrine. Infinite Mifchief occafioned by the loofe
Lives of Minijhrs. Several Inflames of Practices extremely blame-ivor-
thy in Preachers of the Gofpel. That they ought to have a Regard to the
Weakncffes of Perfons fo far as laivfully they may. That the Promoting
of Holinefs ought to be the only Defign of ecclefiajiical DifcipUne.

cS^P^'^iq I N T H L Y, feeing our Saviour's grand defign was to make men
w •'^ ^ really righteous and holy, it muji needs be a ?noJl unwarrantable thing
'^^S'S^lrP f°^' ^hofe that are his minijiers to prefer any other before this j for thofe
that are intrufled with the care of fouls to concern themfelvcs about any thing
fo much ^j this.

It is plainly their duty to fubordinate everything they do, by virtue of
their facred funflion, hereunto ; and to imitate their great Mafter, all
they can, in the difcharge of it; to promote holinefs^ as much as lyeth.
in them, both by their doilrine and converfations : with all perfpicuity
and plainnefs to inftru£t their people in the indifputable dodlrines of Chrif-
tianitv above any other ; and to have a fpecial care to (hew them the
aptnefs that is in them, to the furtherance of holinefs of heart and life :
and moft to inculcate thofe upon them which have the greatell and moft
manifeft and immediate tendency thereunto : to inform them of their
whole duty relating to God, their neighbour and themfelves impartially;
to prefs them to the performance of them with the greateft affection and
fervency ; and to back on their exhortations with the moft prevalent and
inforcing motives; the moft rational and convincing arguments ; cou-
rageoufly, but with a difcovery of tendereft compallion to fmners, to
reprove all fins without exception ; and faithfully to fliew the danger of
living in any one whatfoever. And to do thus, not only in puhlick, but,
as there is occafion, in private alfo, and readily to embrace all opportu-
nities for that purpofe.

Thus (as hath been fticwn) did our blefled Saviour fpend his time,

suid

Chap. XXV. The Defjgn ofChriJiianiiy^ 403'

and that it is the duty of his minifters to come as near as they can, in
their pracStice, to him, is out of queftion : and thus alfo did his imme-
diate fucceffors, the apoftles, employ themfelves ; as might be largely
made to appear. They preach'd the word, were injlant both in feafon a7id
out of feafon, they reproved, rebuked and exhorted with all long-fuff'ering and
doSlrine; according as S. Paid charged Timothy to do, in the moft folemn
and fevere manner : even before God, and the Lordjefiis Chri/l,ivho Jhall judge
the quick and the dead, at his appearing and his kingdom. And that charge,
by parity of reafon, muft concern the whole Clergy as well as that
Bifhop.

" And as Chrift and his apoftles taught men by their lives, as well as
do£irine, and encouraged them to the performance of whatfoever duties
they injoyned them, by their own example ; fo it cannot but be of infi-
nite concernment that all that have the condudl of fouls committed to
them fliould do the like. S. Paul exhorted Timothy firft to take heed to
hitnfelf, and then to the do£lrine {e)\ and the former advice was of no whit
lefs neceiTity and importance than was the latter. For (as woeful expe-
rience aflureth us) a minifter of a carelefs and loofe life, let his parts
and ability in preaching be never fo great, nay, though he {hould behave
himfelf never fo faithfully in the pulpit, and be zealous againft the very
vices he himfelf is guilty of (which would be very ftrange if he fhould)
muft needs do more hurt incomparably, than he can do good. And tho'
(as fomeof them will tell them) it is the peoples duty to do as they /2?j,
and^notas they ^(? ; yet is there nothing more impoflible than to teach
them efFecSlually that leffbn. Mankind (as we had before occafion to
fhew) is mightily addiited to imitation, and examples (efpecially thofe of
governours and teachers) have a greater force upon people ordinarily than
have injiriitiiom ; but chiefly /^(?<^ exa7nples (in regard of their natural
pronenefs to vice) thzn good in/lruSiions. Had not the apoftles exprelfed
as great a care of what they did, as of what they faid, how they lived as
how ttity preached, Chriftianity would (without doubt) have been fo far
from, prevailing and getting ground as it hath done ; that it could not
have long furvived its blefled Author, if it had not bid adieu to the world
with him. Moft men, do what we can, will judge of our fermons by
our converfations, and if they fee thefe bad, they will not think thofe
.good ; nor the doiSlrines contained in them pra6licable, feeing they
have no better effecl upon thofe that preach them. And belldes no
man will be thought to be ferious and in good earneft in preffing thofe
duties upon others, which he makes no confcience of performing him-
felf.

Nay, every man's judgment in divine things may warrantably be fuf-
pe6led, that is, of a wicked and vicious life. And thofe that are con-
fcious to themfelves that they are not able to pafs a judgment upon doc-
trines, may not be blamed if they queftion their minifter's orthodoxy,
while they obferve in him any kind of immorality, and fee that he lives
to the fatisfa6lion of any one luft. For; the promife of knowing the truth
is made only to fuch as continue in ChrijYs zuords, that is, that are obedi-
ent to his precepts.

And I add, that fuch a one's talk of heaven and hell are like to pre-
C c 2 ■ vail

• {e) I Tim. iv. 16. '

404 "Tf^e Dcfign of Chrl/liamty. Sect. III..

vail very little upon his auditors^ or to be at all heeded by the greateft
part of them, while they confider that the preacher hath a foul to fave
as well as they. And therefore the love that they bear to their lufts,
with the devil's help, will eafily perfwade them, that cither thefe things
are but mere fiilions, or elfe that the one may be obtained, and the other
efcaped, upon far cafier terms than he talks of. Bu^t as for thofe few in
whom the fence of tru€ virtue and piety have made fo deep an impreflion,
as that they have never the (lighter opinion of the neceflity thereof, in
regard of their minifter's wicked example ; the prejudice that thev can-
not but conceive againft him, renders his difcourfes infipid and unafte^St-
ing to them, and fo they ordinarily take all opportunities to turn their
backs upon him, and at length quite forfake him. And theii, if they
are not as widerjlanding as it'6'//-7«^i;«?n_^ people, are too eafily drawn away
from all other churches, when they have left their own, and become a
prey to fome demure and fairly pretending fectary. And I am very cer-
tain from my own ohfervation, that no one thing hath fo conduced to
the prejudice of our church, and done the feparating parties fo mucb
fervice as the fcandalous lives of fome that exercifc the minifterial func-
tion in her. The late excellent Bifhop of Dozin and Connor hath this
memorable pafTage in a fermon he preached to the univerfity at Dublin:
If ye hecDine burning and fhining lights^ if ye do not detain the truth in unrigh-
Uoufnefs^ if ye walk in light and live in the fpirit, your do f trine will be true^.
and that truth ivill pnvfiil : but if you live wickedly and fcandaloufly^ every
little fchifmatick will put you to Jhaine, and draw difaples after him^ andalufe
yoiirfioc'ks, and feed them with colocyiiths and hemlock., and pl-ace herefit in th»^
chair appointed for your religion. But to haften to the difpatch of this
vuipleaiant topick : wicked minifters are of all other ill-livers the moft
fcandalous, for they lay the greateft ftu-mbllng block, of any whatfoever,,
before men-8 fouls ; and what our Saviour faid of the Scribes and Phari-
fces, may in an efpecial manner be applied to them, viz. that they will
neithtT enter i/ito heaven themjclves, nor yet fuf^er them that are entring to ga
in : fo far are they from faving thcmielves and thofe that hear them.
But I would to God, fuch would well lay to henrt thofe fad words of our
Saviour, Luke xvii. r, 2. It is impojpble but that offences.- vjill come\ hut
woe unto him through whom they, come : it were better for him that a miljione
were hanged about his neck., and he cafi into thefea., &c. And thofe words
are not more effectual to fcare them, than are thefe following of a Hea-
then, viz.Tully., concerning vicious philofophcrs toy?>rtOT<f them, into a
better life : laith he in his Tufculan que/lions, the fecond book, ^lotuf-
quijque philofophorum invcnitur., quifititamoratus^ i^c. What one of many
phibfophers is there j zvhs fo behaves himfelf and ij of fuch a mind and li/e,
as reajon requireth ; which accounteth his doctrine not a boa/} of feicnce but a
laiu of life ; which obeyeth himfelf., and is governed by his own precepts P We
mayfiefo77ufo light and vain., that it would have been better for them to be
vjhoily ignorant^, and never to hav'e learned any thing: others fo covetous of mo-
ney.,: thirfly of praifc and honour y and many fuchflaves to their lujls., ut cum
eoruin vita mirabiliter pugnet oratio. That their lives do marvelloufly con-
iyadi£l their do£lrine. Quod quidem mihi videtur efle turpiflimum, &c.
IVhich to mefeems the moji filthy and abominable thing. For as he which pro-
f'J^fg himfelf a grammarian fpcaks barbar^ujh.^ and ivko being defirous to be
o accounted

•Ckap. XXV. TheDefign.ofChrljlianity, 405

accounted a tnuficlanfmgs fcuruily^isfo much the more Jhame-zuorthy foj- his be-
ing defeSiive in that the knowledge andjh'ill of which he arrogates to himfelf\ fo
a philofopher in ratione vit^e peccans, mij'carrying in his manners^ is in this
refpe^ the bafer and more wretched creature^ that in the office of which he will
needs be a majier^ he doth amifs ; artemq; vitas profefllis detinquit in
vita, and prof ejTwg the art of ivell-Uving^ or of teaching others to live ivell.,
is faulty and mfcarricth in his own life. Could this excellent Heathen thus
inveigh againft wicked philofophers, what fatyr can be fart and fevere
enough for ungodly minifters of the glorious and moft holy Gofpel of
the blefTed Jefus ? I will add one more faying of our Saviour's which
he fpalce to his difciples, whom he was training up for the miniftery,
Matt. V. 13. Te are the fait of the earth ; but if the fait hath lojl its favour ,
wherewith jhall it be faked? It is thenceforth good for nothings but to be cafl
out^ and to be trodden under foot of men.

Well, I fay that the dcfiga of our Saviour and his Gofpel being to
make men holyj thofe beliave themfelves infinitely difbecoming his mi-
nifters and the preachers of the Gofpel, that live unholily ; and fo do
all fuch alfo (as was at firft intimated) as do not above all things endca^
vour the promoting and furtherance of that defign. And of that num-
ber are thofe that are ever affecting to make people flare at their high-
flown and bombaft language, or to pleafe their phancies with fooliflh
jingles and pedantick and boyifh wit, or to be admired for their ability
"\\\ dividing a hair, their ?nctaphyfical acutenefs and fcholallick fubtilty ;
or for their doughty dexterity in controverfial fquabble. And among
fuch may thofe alfo, and thofe chief y^ be reckoned, that feek to approve
themfelves to their auditors to be men of myrteries, and endeavour to
make the plain and eafie do£lrines of the Gofpel as intricate and obfcure
as ever they are able: thefe are fo far from endeavouring above all things
to advance the Defign of the Gofpel^ that it hath not any greater enemies
in the whole world than they are. And to them I may add fuch as preach
up free-grace and Chriftian privileges otherwife than as motives to ex-
cite to obedience, and never fcarcely infiit upon any duties except thole
of believing, laying hold on Chrift's righteoufnefs, applying the promifes
(which are really the fame with them) and renouncing our own righteouf-
nefs, which thofe that have none at all to renounce have a mighty kind-
nefs for. All which rightly underftood, may, I grant, and ought to b^
preached ; but to make the Chriftians duty to confift either v/hoUy or
moftly in thofe particulars, and efpecially as they are explained by not
a few, is the way, cffeiStually to harden hypocrites, and encreafe their
number, but to make no fmcere converts.

Thofe again do nothing lefs than chiefly promote the bufinefs ofholinefs^
that are never in their element, but when they are talking of the irre-
fpedlivenefs qf God's decrees, the abfolutenefs of his promifes, the utter
difability and perfedl impotence of natural men to do any thing towards
their own converfion, &e. and infift with great emphafis and vehemence
upon fuch like falfe and dangerous opinions. And thofe may well ac-
company and be joyned with the foregoing, that are of fuch narrow^ and
therefore unchriflian fpirits, as to make it their great bufinefs to advance
the petty intereft of any party whatfoever, and concern themlclves more
about doing this, than about promoting and carrying on that wherein
C' c 3 confilh

4o6 The Dtfign of Chrijiianlty. Sect. III.

confifts the chief good of all mankind j and are more zealous to make
profelytes to their particular fe(5ts than converts to a holy life ; and prefs
more exa6l and rigid conformity to their modes, than to the laws of*
God, and the eflential duties of the Chriftian religion.

Such as all the forcmentioned hav^e, doubtlefs, little caufe to expeit a
ivcll done good and faithful jervant^ from the mouth of their Saviour at the
laft day J their practice being fo very contrary to that of his (whofe
minifters they profefs themfelves to be) when he was in the world ; and
they making Chrillianity fo perfeiStly different a thing from what hq
made it.

And furthermore, it is unqueftionably the duty of all the flewards.of
the myfteries of God to take fpecial heed that they do not by over-fevere
infifting on any little matters, and unneceflary things, give their people
a temptation to conclude that they lay the greateft weight upon them ;
but fo to behave themfelves towards them, as to give them aflurance that
there is no intereft fo dear to them as is that of the falvation of their fouls.
And laftly, to be fo felf denying as to have a regard to the weaknefles of
perfons, fo far as lawfully, and without difobeying authority they may,
to prevent their departure from communion with the church they belong
to ; and to ufe all fair and prudent ways to perfwade thofe back again
thereunto, vi^hich there is any the leaft reafon to hope are not irrecover-
ably gone away. It being very much the irltereft of their fouls not to
continue in feparation : and not of theirs only but of others too, in that
ftrifes and contentions, envyings and animofities are like to be kept alive,
and greatly to increafe, while men keep at a diftance from one another ;
and where thefe are (as it was faid S. Jameshzth told us) there mufl needs
be confufion and every evil work.

And this is no other than what the great S. PW thought it no difpa-
ragement to him to be exemplary to us in. For, faith he, i Cor. ix. 19,
&c. Though I be free from all men, yet have I jnade my felf a fervant to all^
that I might gain the more : and unto the feivs I became as a Jew, that I
might gain the Jews ; to them that are under the law as under the law, that
I might gain them that are under the law ; to them that are without la%v (or
obferve not the law of Alofes,) as without law, that I ?night gain them that
are without law : to the ivcak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak ;
I am made all things to all men, that I might by all ?ncans favc fame. The
fum of which words amounts to this. That he denied himfelf in the
ufe of his liberty to gain thofe who were not acquainted with the extent
of it, and dealt with all forts of men in that way which he thought mofl
probable to convert them to Chriftianity, and keep diem in the profeffion
of it. Not that he fneaked and diflembled, and made weak people think
he was of their mind, and fo confirmed them in their miftakes and fol-
lies ; or had any regard to the humours of unreafonable merely captious
people that will be finding faults upon no ground at all : this muft needs
he unworthy of an ApoiHe ; for it is fo of all inferiour minifters, and of
every private Chrifi-ian too.

And our paft difcourfe affures us alfo, that the promoting of holinefs

in men's hearts and lives ought to be the only defigu of ecclellaftical dif-

cipline and church cenfures : and 'tis eafie'to fhew, that if the laws of

all Chnilian churches were framed and the execution of them direfted

e c-nly

Chap. XXVI. The Deftgn of Chriftiantty. 407

cnly or above any other^ to the fervice of this defign ; or that no inte-
reft did fway fo much with their chief governours, as that which w:s
(and ftill is) moft dear to the great Founder and King of the church
whom they reprefent ; and if they were willing to lofe in their little and
petty concerns, that they might gain in this grand one, we (hould quick-
ly fee Chriilendom in moft lovely and bleiled circumftances. All people
that have any thing of fmcerity, would quickly unite and agree together,
and as for fattious hypocrites, they would be with eafe fuppreft, and put
out of all capacity of doing mifchief. This, I fay, might be eafily
fliewn, and plainly demonftrated ; but it needs not, there being nothing
in the world more undeniably evident.

" «XXKX>C<XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXi^

CHAP. XXVI,

The tenth Inference.

That an obedient Temper of Mind is an excellent and necejfary ^talification
to prepare Men for a firm Belief and right TJnderfianding of the Gofpel,
That it is fo by Virtue of Chriji' s Promije. That it is fo in its own Na-
ture, This /hewed in three Particular s, viz. in that^ i. It will help us to

judge without Prejudice concerning the DoSirines contained in the Gofpel.
2. It will give Satisfci^ion concerning the main DoElrines of Chrijliatiity

far excelling any that can arife from mere Speculation. 3. // willfecure

from the Caufes of Error in thojc Points that are of tveightiefl Importance.
Six Caufes ofjuch Errors laid down ; atid an obedient Difpoftion of Mind

Jhewed to fecure from each of them,

c^XX^ENTHLY, We learn what is the beji temper and difpoftion of mind

0 T 0 to bring to the Jludy of ChrijV s Gofpel^ in order to our firm belief
%<X^ ««<i right underfianding of it. Seeing its defgn is to make men
entirely obedient^ and truly holy^ it is evident that a defire fo to be is the
moft excellent and necelfary qualification for that purpofe. Our Saviour
faith, John vii. 17. SeAd ■nrotsn/ if atiy man luill do his luill (or is willing to
do it) he jhall know of the doBrine whether it be of God, or whether I Jpeak
of myfef; that is, in the firit place, he fhall be throughly fatisfied con-
cerning the truth of the Gofpel, (hall be abundantly convinced that the
Chnftian religion is no impofture, that the author of it came from hea-
ven, as he declared he did, and was fent by God to reveal his will. Such'
a one, when it comes to be fufficiently propofed to him, fliall heartily
embrace the Gofpel as containing the true, the only true religion. And
therefore obferve what he faith, John viii. 47. He that is of God, hcareth
God^s words; ye therefore hear them not, becaife ye are not of God: That
is, as if he ftiould fay. He that is of an obedient temper, and ambitious-
of doing the will of God, fhall receive the doctrine which in his name

1 preach to him ; and the reafon why you Jews, for your parts, refufe
fo to do, is, becaufe you are infmcere and hypocritical.

C c 4 It

408 The Deftgn of ChriJiianUy. Sect. IIL

It is faidj^^^xiii. 48. That as many of the Gentiles as were Tsrayftwat,
(which is doubtlefs in this place to be rendred) difpofed^ or in a ready pre-
parednefs for eternal Ufe^ believed ; that is, thofe which were profelytes of
the gate^ who were admitted by the Jeivs to the hope of eternal life, and
to have their portion in the age to come, without lubmitting to their
whole law, or any more than owning the God of Ifrael^ and obferving
tht feven precepts of Noah (as mafter Mede hath learnedly fhewn,) thefe
being denrous to live godlily, and not prejudiced againfl the Chriftian
religion as the Jews generally were, did then at Antioch receive the Gof-
pel upon its firft being made known to them. And of this fort was
Cornelius^ whofe converfion to Chrifliianity we read of before in the tenth
chapter.

Secondly, and confequently, this fence is alfo implied in the firft cited
y/ords of our Saviour, viz. That, as he which is willing to dq God's
will, fhall know that Chrift's do6lrine came from him, fo he {hall rightly
underftand that doctrine too. For it would be to no purpofe for him to
believe the Gofpel to be true, if his faith be not accompanied with an
ability to pafs a right judgment on the fence of it. And therefore he
muft needs be able to diftinguifh between the do£lrine of Chrift, and
that which is falfly impofed at any time upon the world, as his, and fa-
thered upon him by ungodly hereticks ; as well as fatisfied that what he
delivered in the general is the will of God. S. fohn to this fame pur-
pofe exprefleth himfelf, i Epijlle iv. 6. He that knoiueth God (that is,
pra£lically, or is obedient) heareth us ; he that is not of God (or is not wil-
ling to obey him) heareth not us ; hereby knovo we the fpirit of truth and the
fpirit of error : that is, by this obedient temper we are capable of diftin-
^guifhing betwixt thefe two fpirits. And, I fay, from the defign of the
Gofpel^ that being to make men holy^ it may be prefumed, that whofo-
cver confidereth it with a defire of being fo, muft needs both believe it
to have come from God, and alfo be inlightncd in the true knowledge
of, at leaft, all the neceffary points of it ; and he enabled to give a par-
ticular, explicite and underftanding aflent to them : fo that it Ihall not
lie in the power of any fubtile feducer to rob him of his faith, or to in-
fei5l him with any principles that are direilly deftruftive to it, or are fo
plainly in their confequences fo, as that he fhall fee it, and make that ili
ufe of them as to be perfwaded by them to let go his hold of any funda-
mental article of the Chriftian religion.

For our Saviour having fo concerned himfelf for the deftroying of fin
in us, and to make us partakers of his holinefs, as to aim at this above
all things, in all he did and fuffered in the world, and to make it the
whole bufinefs of his Gofpel ; we may be certain that thofe honeji fouls
that come to the ftudy of it, with a defire of reaping this advantage by
it, cannot be left deftitute of Chrift's grace and blefling to make it fuc-
cefsful to them for that purpofe ; which it is impofTible it Ihould be with-
out a thorow-belief of it, and a right underftanding of, at leaft, all its
abfolutely necelTary and effential parts. This we might be aflured of
from that confideration, though there were no promife extant of that
his grace to fuch well difpofed people, as there are divers others befides
that which we have produced.

But beild^s this, a fuicere defire of being obedient and holy, muft

needs

Chap. XXVI. The Deftgn of Chrtjiknity, 409

needs of it felf very greatly difpofe us for the belief and fufEcient un-
derftanding of the Gofpel, and be very necefTary in order thereunto
alfo. For,

Firft, it will help us to judge without prejudice concerning it, and
the particular do6lrines therein contained. He whofe hearty defire it is
to pleafe God in doing his will, will be unbyafled in his judgment in en-
quiries after it. He knows that he cannot make that to be truth by
thinking one way or other, which was not before io ; and that truth will
be truth whatfoever he thinks of it : and therefore doth not wifh that
this or that may be fo, and then endeavour to perfwade himfelf that it is
fo ; but will only examine what is fo, that he may not entertain an erro-
neous perfwafion. He will bring his mind to the Gofpel, and not wreft
the Gofpel to his mind. But vice and fin, being allowed and predomi-
nant in the foul, muft needs warp the judgment, and clap a heavy byafs
on it, that will draw it to favour, as much as may be, their intereft in
all matters it is concerned in. And therefore a man of wicked and de-
praved afteclions, cannot but be exceeding unapt to ftudy a book whofe
defign is fuch as theGofpel's is. But the obediently-difpofed will bring
free ingenuous and candid fpirits to this work, and therefore are very
Htly prepared to do it with good fuccefs.

Secondly, this honeft and fmcere temper of mind will help a man to
evidence for his fatisfailion concerning the main do6lrines of the Gofpel,
far excelling any that can arife from mere fpeculation ; namely, that of
fence and experience. The man that is indued with it, fhall know of the
dodir'iney that it is ofGod^ he (hall not only believe it according to the ftriiSl
notion of that phrafe. There Is an inward fweetnefs in holy truths that
a good foul will relifh, and favour, but the vitiate(f palats of thofe that
are in love with any luft cannot tafte it. How five et (faid David) are
thy luords unto my tajle^ yea^fweeter than honey unto ?ny mouth. Now naked
demonjlrations give but very poor and flight fatisfa6tion in comparifon of
that knowledge that arifeth from fence and experience ; and this latter
alone will remove from us all doubt and uncertainty. Therefore that
was fo far from being a weak and foolijh^ that It was a moft worthy and
laudable fpeech of the honeft martyr. Though I cannot difpute^ I can dye
for Chriji. No one that hath tafted honey, can at all doubt of its fweet-
nefs, though he may want cunning enough to anfwer the arguments
whereby a fophifter may attempt to prove it bitter. We fay, Seeing is be-
lieving. And the great evidence that our Saviour proved himfelf to be
the Mefft.'is by, was that oi fence. But this was "Thomas his incredulity,
as very ftrong as it was, immediately overcome. And the bodily fences
are not more infallible than is t\\c purified knee of the foul.

Thirdly, The aforefaid temper of mind will fecure, from thecaufes of
error, in thofe points that are of weightieft Importance. It is certain
that miftakes about thefe cannot poffibly arife from the obfcurity of that
book, it being as plain as heart can wifh in all matters of abfolute neceffi-
ty ; as hath been fhewn in the free difcourfe. Therefore errors that are of
a damnable nature muft neceilarily proceed from vicious caufes, fuch as,

1 . Grofs ignorance ; but 'tis not poflxble to find this in any foul that is
fmcerely defirous to obey God.

2. A too high opinion of our parts and reafon ; by which is often occa-

fione4

410 The Defign of Chrijiianity. Sect. III.

£oned a rejection of whatfoever they are not able to comprehend. But
the honeft foul can have no fuch conceits of his reafon ; he knows nothing
more undoubtedly than that he is a weak and fhallow creature. He
knows that the moll contemptible infe6t, and common weed, are able
to pofe and put him to a nonplus-y and that it would therefore be the
higheft of arrogances in him to believe nothing revealed to him, but what
is an adequate objeil of his underftanding. This man will fubmit his
reafon to divine revelation, and not divine revelation to his reafon. 'Tis
true he cannot, though he would never fo fain believe that which doth mani-
fcftly contradi£i the reafon of his mind, and the innate fenfe of his foul ;
but therefore it is certain that no fuch things are to be found in the Gof-
pel, nor can be a matter of divine revelation,

3. Proud afFedation of being thought wifer than other folk. This was
a great thing which made the firft heriticks that the Church of Chrift
ever knew, as appeareth by the arrogant title they aflumed to themfelves,
and diftinguifhed the feit by, ^oi%. Gnojlkks. But that temper of mind
that makes men unfeignedly defirous of piety axid virtue, is inconfiftent
with all fuch ambitious and afpiring thoughts.

4. Licorifh curiofity and wantonnefs of fpirit. When people are
glutted with thofe wholefom truths which they have for many years been
entertained with, and will be hunting after novelties ; when they grow
weary of their honeft teachers, and will be following every upftart that
fets himfelf in oppofition to them ; it can hardly otherwife be but that
they muft fall into dangerous errors. The Apoftle faith, 2 Tim. iv. 3^
that, The time will co?ne when they will not endure found doSirine^ but after
their own lifis will they heap to themfelves Teachers : (But how comes it to
pafs that they will do thus? It foJloweth) having itching ears. But the
obediently-inclined foul will be careful to keep in that good way, which
by experience he hath found to be fo, and to avoid all by-paths. Nor
■will he be running after feducers, but fhun them all he can, as being
confcious of his own weaknefs, and his aptnefs without the grace of God
to be mifled.

5. The love of, and being wedded to any one luft whatfoever, will
certainly endanger men's falling into the worft of herefies. When men
have fome beloved fins or fin, which they are refolved they will not part
with, and are as a right eye (i) or right hand to them, they are eafily per-
fuaded to entertain fuch principles as will allow them to live in them,
and to abandon thofe that will not; and therefore to wrcji the Scriptures (as
thofe the Apoftle fpeaks of, 2 Pet. iii. 16.) to their own dejlruSlion^ and
put them upon the rack to make them fpeak fuch things as may confift
with the intereft of their corrupt appetites, ^iod volumus., facile credimus^
that which we would have to be true, we eafily believe is fo ; and what
we defire fhould be falfe, we are with little difficulty perfwaded to dift)e-
lieve. This, therefore, hath had fo fearful an influence on not a few, as
to caufe them at length to throw away their BIBLES, to deny the immor-
tality of their fouls, and dift)e!ieve as much as they can even the being of
of a deity, becaufe they are fenfible that while they continue in their fins,
it is infinitely their intereft that the holy Scriptures (hould be falfe, that

there

(0 Mat. V. 29, 30.

Chap. XXVI. 7be Defigti of ChriftianUy. 41 r

there fliould be no other life, and no God. But I need not fay, that the
honeft, obedient perfon is one that is not devoted to any luft.

6. The juft judgement of God upon thefe and the like accounts, is the
laft caufe I fhall mention of men's difbelicving the Gofpel, and renouncing
any of the effentials of Chriftianity. Even as they did not like to retain
God in their knowledge^ (that is, to acknowledge him in their practice)
Godgave them up to a reprobate (or an adulterate, corrupted) ?/i/W, Rom.
i. 28. Becaufe they received not the love of the tr-uth^ that they might be faved; God
Jhall fend them Ive^ytixv is'hci.vri^yfirength ofdehfion, that they fould believe a lye-,
that they all might he damjied who believed not the truth, but had pleafure in
unrighteoifnefs, 2Their. ii. 10. The forementioned particulars do of them-
felves lead to the moft dangerous errors, how much more then muft the/
needs fo do, when they are backed with the divine vengeance? But if
honejly and an obedient temper of foul will fecure from the other caufes of
error and fedudlion, it will, in fo doing, fecure from this lafl.

So that it is manifeft that a fmcere defire of righteoufnefs and true
holinefs, will not fail to help men to a thorow-belief, and fufficient under-
ftanding of that book which is only defigned to indue them with it: and
that nothing can occafion the contrary, but a wilful adhering to fome
one or other immorality ; and that this hath a very great aptnefs fo to do.
So that it is not the leaft matter of wonder, to fee men of excellent wits,
and brave accomplifhments, either fall into grofs errors, or even into a
flat difbelief of the Chriftian religion. As llrange as this may feem to
fome, it appears from our paft difcourfe, that there is not any real caufe of
adminiftration in it. For other endowments, of as excellent ufe as they
may be when accompanied with that of an obedient temper, muft needs
do more hurt than good to the fouls that are adorned with them, when
feparated from it, and occafion thofe vices that may well make way for
herefies. And it is certain that an acute wit, when it hath not a puri-
fied fence going along v/ith it, is fo far from being a fufficient prerequifite
to the right underftanding of evangelical truths, that it is as notable an
engine as the grand deceiver can defire to make ufe of, in order to the
bringing about his mifchievous defigns upon the perfon that is mafter of
it. So that indeed, it is, on the contrary, rather matter of wonder, that
any man that hath a naughty will, fliould have a good judgement in evan-
gelical truths, though both his natural and acquired parts fhould be never
fo great. And again, we may without the leaft breach of charity pre-
fume, that whofoever, to whom Chriftianity is fufficiently made known
doth either diftjelieve it, or any of th,2 fundamentals of it, his heart is
much more in fault than his head, and that he hath darkened his difcern-
ing faculty, and greatly dimmed the eye of his foul, by entertaining forne
filthy luft that fends up a thick fog and midft of vapours to it. '^ If any
man teach otherwife (faith S. Paul, i Tim. vi. 3.) and confent not to whoL
feme words, even the^ words of our Lordjefus Chriji, and to the do£irine that is
according togodlinef; he is proud, kc. not he is weaj^ and ca/mot, but he is
wicked ^nd will not underftand the truth. And, by the way, this difcourfe'
may conduce to the no fmall encouragement of the v/eaker Ibrt: let fuch
be but heartily folicitous about doing God's will, and having the deficru
of the Gofpel effeaed in them, and they need not fear that their wea5:-
nefs will betray them into the wrong way to blcftednefs.

CHAP.

412 ' The Defign efChriJlianity, Sect. III.

CHAP. XXVII.

The laft Inference.

That we are taught hy the Defign of Chriftianity, wherein the Ejfence,
Power and Life of it confifieth. Injlances, of what Kind of Things it doily
not conjifi in. For what Ends thejeveral Exercifes of Piety and Devotion
are injoined. How God is glorified by men, and by what means. fVhom it
is our duty to ejieem., and carry ourfchues towards, as true Chrifiians. That
by following the Example, of Chrijl, and making his Life our Pattern, ive
Jhall affure our fehes that the Defign of ChrilHanity is effected in us, and
that we are indued with the Power thereof.

5>;)i^')S:;*'ASTLY, We learn from the doarine of the De/ign ofChrifli.
^: L ^ anity, wherein the Ejpnce, Power and Life of it eonfi/hth, viz. In a
^'#'<(§ good ftate and habit of mind, in a holy frame and temper of
foul ; whereby it efteemeth God as the chiefeft good, preferreth him and
his Son Jefus before all the world, and prizeth above all things an intereft
in the divine perfedtions; fuch zsju/iice and righteoufnefs, univerfal charity,
goodnefs mercy and patience, and all kinds of purity. From whence doth
naturally proceed a hearty compliance with all the holy precepts of the
Gofpei; and fincere endeavours to perform all thofe anions which artj
agreeable to them, are neceffary exprelTions of thofe and the like virtues,
and means for the obtaining and encreafe of them and to avoid the con-
trary.

77?^ kingdom of God [ox Chriftianity) is not meat and drink, but righieouf^
nefs, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghoji; as S. Paul tells us, Rom. xiv. 17.
That is, it doth not confift in any merely external matters, or bodily ex-
ercifes, which (elfewhere he faith) do profit but little (k). And, not in
fuch as he there meaneth, viz. things of an indifferent nature, and neither
good nor evil ; fo neither in fuch as are very good and laudable for
the matter of them. It is only their flowing from an inward principle
of holinefs, that denominateth any whatfoever Chri/lian a£lions. But
fuch as are only occafioned by certain external inducements and mo-
tives, and proceed not from any good temper and difpofition of mind, be
they never fo commendable in themfelves, fpealc not him that performeth
them a true and fincere Chriftian. He is not a Jew, faith the fame Apo-
ftle, that is one outwardly-, neither is that circumcifion that is outward in the
fiejh- but he is a Jew, that is one inwardly; and circumcifion is that of the
heart, in thefpirit, and not in the letter, whofe praife is 7ist of men but of God,
Rom. ii. 28, 29. That is, h^ only is a true child o( J/>raham, who in
the purity of the heart obeyeth thofe fubftantial laws which are impofcd
by God upon him. And if no one that doth not thus, might properly
be called a Jew or child of Abraham, much lefs can the name of a Chri-
Jhan and a Difciple of the holy Jefus be due to him. He (it is evident) is
only fo, in whom the Deftgn of Chri/li anity is in fome meafure accom-
plilh'd. And it appears from what hath been faid, that its defign is pri-

Hiariiy
fij \ Tim. iy. 8.

C H A p. XX VII. The Defign of Chnjiknity, 413

marily and immediately upon the nature ; which, being re£lified and re-
newed, will certainly difcover it feif fo to be throughout the whole life.
For a good tree will not bring forth corrupt fruity nor a corrupt tree good
fruit f/), as our Saviour hath laid. Were it poffible (as it is not) that we
fhould forbear all outward adls of fin, and yet onr fouls cleave to it, we could
not but be deftitute of the life and power of Chriftianity. And fhould
we abound never fo much in the exercife of good duties, if our defign in
fo doing be to gratifie any luft, and ferve fome carnal intereft, they will
be fo far from Chrifiian a<Stions, that they may be moft truly and properly
called yJwi-. There is no one duty more afFeftionately recommended in
the Gofpel than is alms giving ; but to give alms to be feen and praifed
by men, is no better than bafe hypocrifie (as Chrift hath told us) fo far
is it from an expreflion of Chrt/lian charity. And whatfoever mate-
rially virtuous a(5lions proceed not from the principle of love to virtue,
though I cannot fay that all fuch are hateful to God, yet they want that
degree of perfedion that is requifite to make them truly Chrijiian. And
it is a plain cafe, that he is not the Chrifiian, that is much imployed in the
duties, hearing God's word, reading the bible and other good books, &c.
but he that difcovereth a good mind in them, in whom the end of them
is efFecled, and who is the better for them. This is th» bufmefs for the
fake of which prayer is enjoined. We are therein to acknowledge God's
infinite perfe«Siions, and our obligations to him, that we may exprefs our
hearty fenfe of them, and in order to our being the more affected with
thofe^ and our having the more grateful refentments of thefe. We are in
that duty to addrefs our felves to the divine Majefty, in the name of
Chrift, for what we want ; that we may by this means both exprefs and
encreafe our dependance on him, and truft in him for the obtainino- thereof.
And to confefs and bewail our fins, to exercife godly forrow and contrifion
of foul ; and that by fo doing we may be fo much the more deeply hum-
bled for them and have the greater averfenefs in our wills againfl them.
The communion which we are to enjoy with God in prayer, is fuch as
confifteth in being enamoured with the excellencies that are in him, and
in receiving communications of his nature and fpirit from him.

Therefore alfo are we commanded to hear and read God's word, that
we may come thereby to underftand, and be put in mind of the feveral
duties he requires of us, and be powerfully moved to the doing of them.
And the like may be laid concerning all the other exercifes of piety and
devotion, the end of them is more and more to difpofe our hearts to the
love, and our v/ills to the obedience of our blefled Creator and Redeemer.
And bufving our felves in any of them without this defign, may well be
counted In the number of the frultl^fs and unaccountable a6lions of our
lives. Thus to do is prodigally to wafte and mifpend our time; as the
Jews were upbraided by one of their adverfaries, with doing, upon the
account of their Sabbath^ ^^yi"g» "^hat they loft one day infeven. And thofe
that are moft conftant in their addrefles to the Majefty of heaven, both in
the publick and private worfhip of him, if they go into his prefence with
the entertainment and allowance of any finful affection, they have never
the more of the divine approbation upon that account. If I regard (a\t\\
Davids Iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me, God efteemeth no

better
O) Mat. vii.

'414 The Defign of Chrijikmty, Sect. III.

better of fuch as do io^ then as hypocritical fawners upon him, and
falfehearted complimenters of him; and hath declared that their fa-
crifices are an aho?nination to him. The generality of the Jews were
fuch a people : God by his prophet Ifaiah fpeaks thus concerning
them. IT^ey feek me da'ily^ and delight to know my ways, as a nation that
did righteoufnefs, andforfook not the ordinance of their God. They afk of me
the ordinances of Jufiice^ they take delight in approaching to God. They
were a people that loved to fall and pray, and affli61: their fouls, and to make
their voice to be heard on high : but giving liberty to themfelves in plain
immoralities, God declared that all this was even hateful to him : as may
be feen in the fifty eighth of Ifaiah. And he there likewife telleth them,
that the faf tvhich he took pleafure i?T, confifteth in loofng the bands of
vuickednefs^ in u7tdoing the heavy burdens; and letting the opprejfed go free; in
breaking every yoke ; in dealing their bread to the. hungry; and bringing the
poor that are cafl oatyto their hoifes ; in covering the naked; and the exercife
of ftri£t juftice, mercy and' kindnefs. And in the firft chapter, he afks
them, To what ptirpofe the multitude of their facrifices were (though they
were no other than he himfelf by the \?lw oi Mofes required) and charged
them to bring no more vain oblations to him ; told them that their ijicejtfe
was an -abomination to him., their new-moons and fabbaths, and calling of affem-
Mies he could not away with, that their folemn ajfefnbly was iniquity, that
their new-moons and appointed feafs his foid hated, and that he was weary to
bear them. And all this becaufe thefe were the only or main things they
recommended themfelves to him by, their religion chiefly confifted in
them; and they gave themfelves leave to be unrighteous, cruel and un-
merciful, as may there be feen.

God abhors to fee men come cnngmg and crouchmg before hnn, be-
ftowins: a great heap of the beft words up him, and the worft upon them^
felves,'and with dejeiled countenances bemoaning themfelves, and mak-
in<^ lamentable complaints of their wickednefs to him, imploring mercy
and favour from him, &c. when they refolvedly perfift in difobedience.
So far are fuch things as thefe from being able to make amends for any
of their fins, that God accounts them no better than additions to their
moft heinous impieties ; as by the fixty fixth of Ifaiah, it further appear-
eth: it is faid there, He that killeth an ox, is as if he few a 7nan; he that fa-
crifceth a lamb, as if he cut off a dogs neck; he that offer eth an oblation, as if
he offered fwines blood; he that burneth inceyife, as if he blejfed an idol And
how came this to pafs ? it follows : they have have chofen their own tvays, ayid
tlreir foul delighteth in their abominatio7is. So that if he had fuch an opinion
of the goodliefl: and moft acceptable facrifices, when oftercd by difobedient
and immoral perfons, under the Lavj ; it is impoflible that he fhould have
one jot a better of the m.oft affectionate devotions of thofe that take no
care to be really and inwardly righteous, under the Gofpel. And in being
fo, confifts (as was faid) the foul and life of Chriftianity.

Not that a true Chrifiian can have undervaluing and flight thoughts of
the external worfhip and fervice of God -, nor that he can contemn or
negleiSt praying to him, finging his praifes, hearing or reading his word,
&c. Nothing lefs ; for by the ferious and diligent performance of thefe -
and the like duties, he comes to acquire and encreafe that good temper
of foul that gives him the denomination of fuch a one, through the afTift-

ance

Chap. XXVII. T7;<? Deftgn of Cbrijlianity, 415

ance of the divine Grace. He is one, to fpeak in the words of Hierocksy
as a-Tra^K^it a £v'%fTai, xj £v%eTaf « a-ira^a.^n^ joyns endeavours to prayers.^ and
prayers alfo {with, the other parts of divine worfliip) to his other endeavours.

And befides, the folemn acknowledgments of God, both in publick
and private, are expreflions of natural jultice. ^lidaliud eji pietas (faith
Tully) quam juftitla adverfus deos? What is piety or devotion but jujlice to-
wards God? And each of the fignifications of it, whether natural or pofi-
tive, they are payments of a due to hi?n; fo that men cannot be fo much as
honejl^ and omit the honouring of the divine Majefly by them. But it is
certain that thefe performances do him no honour at all, any otherwife
then as they proceed from a good and fincere foul. And to this purpofe
our often cited philofopher hath this other excellent faying, wz. The
greatejl abundance and prof if ejl cojilinefs of oblations bring no honour to God,
except they are offered with a divine Mind: for the gifts andfacrifices of fools
are but foodfor the fire*. Sacrifices in ancient times were called the food
of Almighty God, as being provifion made for his houfe; but (faith the
philofopher) when they proceed from fools (or wicked men) they are at
beft but the fire's meat : they fignifie nothing to God, and are merely
thrown away.

And indeed the beft intelligible and moft fignificant honour that our
devouteft ferviccs bring to God, is by their being a means of making us
more like to him. And as I fhewed, out of the learned mafter Smith's
treatife, hoiu God mofi glorifieth himfelf fo I think it not amifs to tranfcribe
more lines of that worthy perfon, wherein he excellently fheweth how we
muji glorifie God; and they immediately follow the former. Saith he,
pag. 409. As God's feeking his own glory in refpeSl of us is mojl properly the
flowing forth of his goodnefs upon us; fo our feeking the glory of God is mojl
properly our endeavouring a participation of his goodnefs^ and an earneji un-
ceffant purfuing after divine perfection. When God becomes fo great in our
eyes, and all created things fo little, that we reckon upon nothing as worthy of
our aims or ambitions but a ferious participation of the divine nature, and the
exercife of divine virtues, love, joy, peace, long-fufFering, kindnefs, good-
nefs, and the like : when the foid beholding the infinite beauty and lovelinefs of
the divinity, and then looking down and beholding all created perfection 7nantled
over with darknefs, is ravijhed into love and admiration of yiever -fitting bright-
nefs, and endeavours after the greate/l refernblance of Godin juftice, love, and
goodnefs, when cojiverfing with him ev vnrvx'-o lircccitj!, by a fecret feeling of the
virtue, fweetnefs and power of his goodnefs, we endeavour to affimilate our
felves to him: then we tnay be faidto glorifie him indeed. God feeks no glory
hut his own, and we have none of Q\x'c own to give him, God in all things
feeks himfelf and his otun glory, as findijig nothing better than hi??ifelf, and
%uhen we love him above all things, and endeavour to be moji like hiju, we
declare plainly that %ue count nothing better than he is.

See more to the fame purpofe, pag. 141, 142, 143. And this fame
excellent notion the Pythagoreans (however they came by it) did alfo
teach. It was one of their fayings. Thou wilt befi glorifie God, by affimilating
and making thy mind like to Godf.

And

^^ovii(A.«.ro(; 'BT^oa-dyoi'To. aZ^cc yd^ xj St/>}7roA(«» d.(p^ovuv wy^o? r^otpri. pag. 25.

4x6 The Deft^n of Chrijiianit^. Sect. III.

And I will trouble the reader with one more of our pbilofopher's fay-
ings, which is no lefs worthy of his obfervation than any of the paft re-
cited ones, viz. Thou canjl not honour God in giving ought to him, but by
becoming a meet and worthy ferfon to receive from him*.

And the great oracle of truth, our blefled Saviour, hath afliired us, that,
herein is his Father glorified^ that we bear much fruit (k)-, that we are fruitful
in all holinefs. And we learn from St. Paul, Phil. i. ii. That they
are t\it fruits of righteoufnefs., which are by Jefus Chriji (or theefFefts of his
o-race and Holy Spirit) which redound to thepraife and glory of God. And
then do wepraife himmoftfignificantly and effecbaally, when we zrz filled
(as there he prays the Philippians may be) with thefe fruits: when righte-
oufnefs takes pofTeflion of our fouls, grows and encreafes in them, and
exe; ts it felf in our lives (as it muft needs do wherefoever it is) and our
whole converfation (hinc with it.

In fiiort ; circumcifion is nothings and uncircumciftou is nothings (neither
any opinions, nor performances, nor forbearances, that have no influence
upon the foul and fpirit, are any thing ;) but the keeping the cormnandments
cf God: this is all in all. In Chriji Jefus nothing at all availeth but fuch
a faith as works by love (^^ ccya-rrr); eJtf y«/A£v», or is perfe£ied by charity) and
a new creature. And if any man be in ChriJl^ he is a new creature: and
whofoever is a new creature, is in Chrifl: or a true Chriftian. All which
St. Paul hath plainly taught us, in i Cor. vii. 19. Gal. v. 6. 2 Cor. v.
17. Thofe in whom the dtftgn of the Gofpel'hzt\\ taken good eflFedl, are
indeed Chrifians^ and none but fuch; in the fuccefs of that muft needs lie
the power of Chriftianity, and in nothing elfe. And therefore whofoever
they are in whom the genuine efFe£ls of righteoufnefs and true holinefs
are confpicuous, we ought to look upon them as living members of that
body whereof Chrift is the head. Whoever are ready to profefs their
faith in God and Chrift and the Holy Spirit in all Scripture phrafes (with-
out perverting their manifeft and apparent fenfe) and lead a lifeanfwcra-
ble (for ought we can difcern) tothe clear intimationsof our Saviour's will,
and all the^ules plainly laid down in his holy Gofpel, (though it fhould
not be their fortune to concur with us in all our fentiments) it is our duty
to judge them to be indued with all the eflentials, and integral parts of
Chrifttanity, and accordingly to carry our felves towards them: or we
fhall offer them too great a temptation to fufpecl:, that we our felves are
ignorant wherein they confift, and for all our great profeifion are void of
them.

There is one thing more which I cannot forbear to add concerning
the weighty and moft important point we are now difcourfmg, and which
contains the fum of all that need to be faid about it, v/z.That it is impofli-
ble we {hould not have the Defign of Chrijiianity accomplilhed in us, and
therefore that we (hould be delHtute of the power thereof, if we make our
Saviour's mojl excellent life (a fhort account of which we have been in
this tradlate prefented with) the pattern of our liva y if vve write after
that fair copy he hath therein fet us, if we tread in his blefled fteps, and

be

•yt^iixivoi. Comment, in Aur. Carm. pag- 2z.
fkj John V. 18.

Chap. XXVIL The Defgn of Chnjllanity. 4 1 7

be fuch, according to our meafure and capacity, as wo. have unJerflootl
he was in this world. Thoie that fincerely and induftrioudy endeavour
to imitate the holy Jefus in his Ipirit and aftions, can never be ignorant
v/hat it is to be truly Chriftians ; nor can they fail to be To. Aiid if the
hiftory of his life were more perufed and minded, and that he defigned to
be therein our example (as both he and his apoftles have often enough
alTured us he did) were more ferioufly confidered, it could not poflibly
be that the defign of his Gofpel, and that wherein confifts the power of
godlinefs and foul of Chriftianity, fhould be by fo many fo miferably
miftaken, as v/e fee it is.

TT »• vi* s.« v-' •..•■ '•-•■ '•-•■ ■•.*■ '%,•• ■•«•• ■•..<• ••>■ ••./ V ''.v V ■•..•• ■•..•• ••„•• ■•..••" ■•-,.••■ '•-..••' ••..••" ''•..'' '••y ■'-_••' ■••«••■ ■••,.••■ ■••„.••. "

*The Conclufion,

(-?'*;>t^"f^HAT remaineth now, but that we feduloufly, and with the
-^iW-^^ greateft concern, betake our felves to find that, which hath
c^-;^;^^;^ been proved to be the defign of Chrifianiiy^ accomplifh'd in our
hearts and lives.

That we endeavour above all things, to walk v)orthy of the vocation
wherewfthVe are called j and that our converfation he as beco?neth the Gofbel
of Chriji : and by that means make it appear to our felves and others,'
that we are not in the number of thofe wretched fouls, on whom the
knowledge of the moft incomparable religion is thrown away, and be-
llowed to very ill, or to no purpofe.

That we place the klngdo?n of God not in word^ but in power-, and our
Chriftianity not in letting our tongues loofe, but in bridling both them
and our exorbitant affections.

That we make lefs noife, be lefs dijputatious, and more obedient; That
we talk and cavil lefs, and be and live better : as well knowing, that an
objedling, quarrelfome and wrangling humour, ferves to no better end
than eating out the heart and life of all true religion.

Let us exercife our felves unto real and fubftantial godlinefs, and in
keeping our confciences void of offence both towards God and towards
men; and in ftudying the Gofpel to inable us not to difourfe, or only to
Relieve ; but alfo and above all things to do well.

Let us efteem Chriftianity a principle of fuch vigour, fprightlinefs and
adtivity, as to be afllired of nothing more, than that it cannot poffibly be
where it doth not a^; and that the lives of thofe that are indued with it
cannot but bear witnefs to the force of it.

Let us do what lyeth in us to convince our infdeh, that the religion of
the blefled Jefus is no trick or device ; and our tvanton and loofe Chrifians^
that it is no notional bufmefs, or fpeculative fcience, by letting them fee
what it hath produced in our felves : by (hewing them how fober and
temperate, how chafte, how feverely juft, how meek and peaceable, hpw
humble, how patient and fubmilTive to the will pf God, how laving and
charitable, what contemners of this world, and confiders in God, we are
enabled to be by the power of it.

Vol. VI. Dd Let

4i8 Tl^e Dejign cfChrijrianity. Sect. lit.

Let us declare that we are not mere profolfors of faith in Chrift Jefus,
by doing acts worthy of fuch a faith : that we are not barely relyers on
Chrift's righteoufnefs, by being imitators of it, by being righteous as he was
righteous : that we do truly believe the Chriflian do£trine, by cheerfully
complying with the Chriftian precepts. (I) Hereby let us know that we
do indeed know him, that we keep his commandments.

By our care thus to do fhall our minds (as hath been fhewn) be Irt-
lightned in all neceflary truth*. It was by their care to do the will of
God, that the primitive Chriftians obtained the right knowledge of it.
And there is no fuch method for the acquiring of all ufeful knowledge as
this is.

By this means fliall we alfo be kept conftant in the true profeffion of
the faith. The obedient are the only Chriftians that are out of danger
even ©fa total apoftafic ; nor can there be any fure hold of any one that
is not obedient. He whofe great defign is to keep the commandments
of God, and his Son Jefus, is .the only Iblid, ftabie and fettled man. Our
Saviour hath likened him unto a wije r.inn zvhich built his houfe upon a rock,
which, notwithftanding that the rain defcended, aiid floods came, and the
winds blew, and all beat upon it, fell not, becaufe it %vas founded upon a
rock (m). And on the contrary he hath compared thofe that hear, but do
not his fayings, to zfoolijh man ichich built his houfe upon the fands (n) ;
which, when afTaulted by a tempcft, fell ; and great tvas the fall of it. 'Tis
no ftrange thing to fee a very highly profjfing, if he be net as confcien-
tioufly living a Chriftian, toned up and down like a wave of the fea, and
carried away with every wind of doctrine : but fo will not the obedient pcr-
fon be. He may ('tis confefTed) alter his opinion in the kfs weighty and
rnore obfcurely delivered points, but thofe which belong to the main body Aud
fib/lance of Chriftianity, and ^ixe plainly revealed, as all fuch are, hu will
inieparably adhere to.

By this means will our knowledge be fan£lified and made ufeful, but
without the care of obedience it will be utterly unprofitable, nay, of very
hurtful and mii'chievous confequence. \Vhatfoe\ er Chriftian knowledge
is not impregnated with anfv.'trable goodncfs, but is unaccompanied with
Chriftian practice, is not only an irfpid and jejune^ but alfo a fatulent
thing, that in Head of nourijlnng is apt to fweli znd pu^up the fouls of
men ; I mean, to make them proud and liighly opinionated of their own
worth, ccnforious and contemners of other people, and of a conceited
and pragmatical, a contentious and unpeaceable behaviour. And there is
nomanbutmay obferve too too many ofour great pretenders to QirifVianity
unhappily exemplifying, and demonilrating by their practices, this fad
truth.

By this means, fiiall we convince gainfayers more than by any argu-
ments : but they are never like to be perfuaded that our judge me uti are
orthodox, while they perceive our conDerfations to be berdical. Wicked
men are a great dilcredit to any party they fide with, and do it 'mig;hty^

difler^ice.

^/; Johnii. 3.^

• riofyvTtj T3 SiX^j/Aa t3 0j« xq ,9/Ar;*a y\iiiTK'-^i^.ii> Ckrp., Alexendrln.
Stromat. Lib. i. pag. 28S.

(m) Matt. vii. 24.-

(n) Verfe 26.

Chap. XX VII. Tbi Defign of Chujiknlty, 419

differvice. I wifti we of the Church o( England did not know this by very
woeful experience. And on the other hand, a good life cannot but be
of exceeding great force to draw diflenters to the embracing of our reli-
gion. We fee that mere pretences to great fan£tity do ftrangfly make
profelytes to fevcral forms, that have nothing befides to fet them off.
And as for obftmate perfons, who are peremptorily refolved that they
will by no means be prevailed v\^ith to come over to us, they v^^ilj, how-
ever, be greatly difabled from reproaching our religion, when they are
convinc'd that it hath excellent effeds on the profeflors of it: or at leaft,
neither their reproaches, nor any attempts v/hatfoever againft it, could
then ever have fuccefs, or be able to do any thing to its confiderable pre-
judice. Nor would that idle and fenfelefs talk, whereby fome hot people
endeavour to prove us an Aiti-Chrijiian Churchy be by many, if by any,
liftened to, could they difcern among us more Chrijlian lives : could they
be once fatisfied that we cfteem it our principal intercft and concernment,
to make our felves and others really ?in(iijubjiantially good. So is the zvill
0/ God (faith S. Pder^) that with well-doing ye may put to fdence the i'^no-
rance offoolijh 7)ien (oj.

By this means fhall we pafs cheerfully through this fad world; and in
the midft of our thoughts within us, will folid comforts delight our fouls.
Little do thofe think what happinefs they deprive themfelves of, even in
this life, that place their religion in any thing more than an univerfal re-
fpedl to their Saviour's precepts. There is no true Chriflian that needs
to be told, that the more careful he is to obey God, the more fweetly he
enjoys himfelf: nor, that a virtuous and holy life doth feveral ways
bring in a conftant revenue of peace and pleafure ; even fuch as no earthly
thing can afford any that deferves to be nam'd with it. Every good
man feels that Chrift's yoke is not lekpkafant thzn eafie^ nor his burthen
more light than delightful: and that all his ways are, upon many accounts,
%vays of -pleafantnefs^ and all his paths peace. So that, were there no other
reward to be hoped for, but what daily attends them, it would be moll
unqueftionably our intereft to walk in them, and to forfake all other for
them : and there is no one of Chriil's difciples that by experience under-
ffands what his blelled Mailer's injundions are, that would be content to
be eafed, though he might, of them ; or that would accept ofz^deius from
performing the duties required by him, though he fhould have it offered
him, even v/ith the broad Jealoi heaven (which is impoffible to be fuppofed)
affixed to it.

But, laflly, by this means (hall we obtain, when we depart hence, the
end of our faith y even the falvation of our fouls ^ and arrive at a moff happy
and glorious immortality. By the purfuance of real and univerfal righte-
oufnefs fhall we certainly obtain the croivn of righteonfnefs^ which our ri'-h-
teous Redeemer hath purchafed for us, and God the Righteous Jmlge'^(p)
will give unto us. An exceeding and eternal tveight of glory we Ihall allu-
rcdly reap, if we faint not, and be not weary of well-doing.

Glory, honour and peace (g.) are the undoubted portion of every foul that
Worketh good. And ble£ed are they that do his commandments, for they have
right to the tree of life .^ and Jh all enter through the gates into the city (r).

But
(a) 1 Pet.Ji. J 5. (pj z Tim. 4.

iq) Rom ii. 10. (r) Rev. Xxii 14.

i

420 The Defign of Chrijiianl'ty, Sect. III.

But if on the contrary, we foolifhly fatisfie our felves with an inejfe5lual
faith in Chrift, a notional knowledge and empty profeHion of his religion,
or a meerly external and partial righteoufnefs ; thefe will be fo far from
intitling us to the exceeding great and precious promifes of the Gofyel, that
they (at leaft the three former) will much heighten our mifery in the
world to come, and exceffively aggravate our condemnation.

Let us hear the conclujlon of the whole matter : fear God^ and keep his com-
mandtnents (from a principle of love to him and them) /or this is the whole
2^ (the Chriftian) Man,

APPENDIX.

^^

APPENDIX.

^XyQIPENIUS m his Bibliotheca fealis Theologica ; Cave in Wis
■^> L 0 Hiftoria Literaria J Z)z/ P/« in hisNouvelle Bibliotheque; Bray

=XX3 ^" ^'^ Bibliotheca Parochialis ; Calmet in his Bibliotheca Sacra;

^abricius^ De Bure^ JValchiiis^ and a great many others^ have pi^blifhed
accounts of the principal writers on Theological Subjeds j I have no in-
tention to emulate the labours of thefe learned Men; but as fome of the
Clergy have ability to purchafe, and many of them inclination to ufe a
Theological Library, I thought it might be of advantage to the younger
part of them, if I put dov/n a few of the moft approved Books in Divi-
nity, which have come to my knowledge. My chief difficulty in form-
ing this Catalogue, has been to make it a fhort one; for the number of
books explanatory of Scripture, which any perfon, who has a tafte for this
kind of learning, would wifh to be poiTefled of, not fo much for the fake
of perufing, as of confulting them, is very great. Our Englifh writers
alone on Scripture Subjects, are exceeding numerous ; the reader who
wifhes to fee what the number was, above a century ago, may confult a
book p'ubliihed at London, 1668, 2d Ed. intitled, — The Catalogue of our
Englifli Writers on the old and new Teftament, either in whole or in
part, whether Commentators, Elucidators, Annotatars, Expofitors at
large or in fmgle Sermons. — It might have been expedled that I fhould
have given a more fcientific form to this Catalogue, and if I had been
making a complete Bibliotheca Sacra^ I would have done it ; but in the
few books which are here enumerated, I thought it as ufeful to arrange
them according to their fize, as to their fubjedl:.

I am fenfible that I have omitted in this Catalogue the mention of
many books, which other men would have introduced into it; but fo I
fhould have done, though I had made it twice as long as it is ; and yet it
is fo copious, that, I believe, there are few fubjecSts in divinity, on which
the Student may not find fufficient Information, by confulting fome or
other of the Authors here enumerated. It is probable too, that fome
may find fault with me for having introduced books which they would
have omitted ; I mean thofe books, efpecially, which maintain Doilrines
oppofite to the Articles of the Church of England. But I intreat them
to confider, whether we were not Members of the Church of Chriji^ be-
fore we were Members of the Church of England-^ and again and again
to rcfledt, whether we can promote the interefts of the Church of Chrift,
by Itifling the Arguments of thofe who think, that as the Church oije-
rufalem^ Alexandria^ Jntioch TLnd Rotne have erred, fo alfo the Church of
England hath erred, not only in their living and manner of ceremonies.
Vol. VI, *A buc

A Catalogue of

but alfo in matters of faith. If in this point they think amifs, their ar-
guments will be overthrown and produce no effecSl ; but if they think
rightly, God grant that they may produce their proper effect — the pre-
valence of Gofpel 1 ruth, — And whether they think rightly or amifs, can
never be fo clearly known, as by encouraging them, on the moft liheral
principles, to pubiilh to the world the refult of their critical inquiries into
the meaning of Scripture Language.

^cosi;coeceoMeo»coeMOM5coooei»etoocoMcee5ce«ooeoooe»ceooo>^oeooc3oceocecooccoeoco»ccoDoeooccooocooceoo<iMoccoecceoc^Ji

A

CATALOGUE of BOOKS in DIVINITY.

FOLIOS.

|?'-fr;!^.*''^ETU S Teftamentum Hebraicum cum variis Ledionibus. Edi-
^\ V w dit Bcnj. Kennicot S.T.P. Oxonii, 1776-80, 2 vol. — The Au-
^•^•^•'^ thor of this Work certainly poffefled the <pi>.o7roviav of the diftin-
Vuifhed writers of the laft century : the great utility of this Collation
of Hebrew MSS. will beft be known, when the prcfent Englifli Tranf-
iation of the old Teftamcnt fhall be amended by Authority j an event
which many good men anxioufly expecf.
Biblia Hebraita cum Notis criticis et Verfione Latina ad Notas criti-
cas fadla; accedunt Libri Grsci qui Deutero-Canonici vocantur in
tres Clafles diftributi. Auclore Car. Fran. Houbigant, Lutetiae Pari-
fiorum, 1753' 4 vol." — The opinion of the Integrity of the common
printed Hebrew Text is fliev/n, in this Edition of the Bible, to be er-
roneous ; Houbigant having, in this point, anticipated, in fome mea-
fure, the labours of Kennicot. The Latin Verfion, from its confor-
mity to the Idiom of the Hebrew Language, is eftcemed inelegant ;
but it may not on that account be lefs ufeful.
The Hebrew Concordance adapted to the Englifh Bible, difpofed after
the Manner of Buxtorf, by John Taylor of Norwich, Lond. 1754, 2

vol. The firft Concordances of the Holy Scriptures were compofed

in the 13th Century, and were of the Latin Vulgate. Concordances
gave rife to Lexicons and DitSlionaries ; and the learned Author of
this Concordance recommends it, as not merely ferving to find places
of Scripture, but as the beft Hebrew Lexicon which is extant. Other
Hebrew Concordances are. That by Marius de Calafio, Rome, 1621,
4 vol. A new edition of which was publifhed by W. Romaine, Lond.
jy^y. — That by W. Robertfon, intitled, Thefaunis Lmguce Safiolie five
Concordantlale Lexicon Mehrcso-Latinum-Biblicum^ Lond. 1 680. — And
that by Buxtorf, v/hich Taylor made the Ground-work of his own,
and of which bilhop Barlow fays, though it be lefs, yet whether it be
not better than Calafio's, Do^ijudicerit.
Vctus I'eilamentum Grscum ex verfione LXX Interpretum, ex Anti-

quiilimo

Books in Divinity,

quiflimo MS. Alexandrim^ et Ope alioriim Excmplarium, ac prifcorum
Scriptorum, pra?rertim veio Hexaplaris Editionis Origenianse emenda-
turn atque Tuppletum ; fumma cura edidit Joan. Erneftus Grabe S.T.P.
Oxonii, 1707, &c. 2 vol. An improved Edition of this Work was
publifhed by Breitinger Tiguri Helvetiorum, 1 730, 4 vol. 4to. A Co.'«
lation of the MSS. of the Septuagint, as recommended by Dr. Ozver^
would certainly be very acceptable to the learned World j and I ha\ e
no doubt in thinking, that the Syndics of the Univerfity Frefs in
Cambridge, would lend a very liberal Afliftance to any one, who would
undertake to publifti a properly collated Edition of this ancient
Verfion.

Daniel fecundum Septuaginta ex Tetraplis Origenis, nunc primum edituS
e fmgulari Chifiano Codice annorum fupra 800, Romze, 1772. The
portion of the Cbifia-mis Codex^ which is here publifhed, is diftinguifhcd
in thci MS. itfelf by this note, Dayil el fecundum LXX defcriptus eji ah
Exemplari ejufmodi Notatio?iem habente " depromptus eft Tetraplis cum
quibus eft recognitus." In all the Editions of the Septuagint, the
Book of Daniel is thought to be printed from the Tranflation of Theo-
dotion, or at leaft not from the pure Verfion of the LXX, (fee Dr.
Owen's learned Inquiry into the prefent State of the Septuagint Ver-
fion), but the Tetrapla 01 Origen contained the real pure Verfion of the
LXX; and it is this Vernon of the Book of Daniel which the learned
Author has publifhed, after it had been negledled for above 1500 years.
A literal Englifh Tranflation of this real Septuagint Verfion of Da-
niel, accompanied with proper Notes, would be a Work of Credit ;
and I throw out the hint in hopes that fome one amongft ourfelves
may have inclination to purfue it.

Abrahami Trommii Concordantiae Grsecs Verfibnis vuJgo diiflae Septua-
ginta Interpretum. Amftel. 1718, 2 vol. Taylor, in fpeaking of his
Hebrew Concordance, commends this Greek one as a very exadl and
judicious Work, and points out the manner of ufing it to great ad-'
vantage in conjunction with his own.

Biblia Sacra Polyglotta compleclentia Textus OriginaJes Hebraicum
cum Pentateucho Samaritano, Chaldaicum, Graecumj verfionumque
antiquarum Samaritanae, Groecae LXXII Interpretum, Chaldaica",
Syriacae, Arabicae, i^thiopicae, Perficas, Vulg. Lat. quicquid compa-
rari poterat. Edidit Brianus Waltonus S.T. P. Lond. 1657, ^ vol.
Other Polyglots of repute are. That publifhed under the Aufpices of
Cardinal Ximenes at Alcala or Complutum in 1514, &c. 6 vol. That
by Arias Montanus at Antwerp, 1569, Sec. 8 vol. That which goes
under the name of Vetabkis, at Heidelberg, 1568, 2 vol. and that by
Mich, le Jay at Paris, 1645, 10 vol. of which De Bure^ in his Biblio-
graphic Injiru^ive^ fays, that Walton's was but a re-impreffion. The
truth is, that every fubfequent Polyglot was an improvement upon the
preceding ; and Walton's, as being the laft, comprehends, together
with various Additions, every Thing of Value that is contained in any
of the reft. The Prolegomena prefixed to this Polyglot v.'ill give much
information to the Reader, concerning facrcd Chronology from the
Creation of the World to the Deftrudtion of Jerufalem by the Romans;
concerning the Monies, Weights, and Meafures of the Hebrews,
^ 2 Greeks,

A Catalogue of

Greeks, and Romans ; concerning the Geography of the Holy Land ;
the Dcfcriptlon of the City and Temple of Jcrufalem ; the Origin of
Languages } the Verfions and Editions of the Bible, cvc.

Lexicon Heptaglotton Hebraicum, Chaldaicum, Syriacum, Samarita-
num, iEthiopicum, Arabicum, et Perficum, digeftum et evulgatum,
ab Edvardo Caflello, Lond. 1686, 2 vol.— Caflel affifted Walton in
the publication of his Polyglot ; he foon afterwards compofed this
Lexicon as a neceffary Supplement to that Work. He fays of him-
felf, Dies ille tanquam ftjius et otiofus vifus eji^ hi quo tarn Bibliis Poly-
glottis quam Lexicis hijce provehendis fexdecini aut ocfodccim boras dietim
7ion hij'udav'i: and that for near twenty years together!

Humfredi Hodii de Bibliorum Textibus (Jriginalibus, Verfionibus Grae-
cis, et Latina Vulgata, Libri IV. viz. I. Contra Hiftoriam LXX
Interpretum Arifteje nomine infcriptam Diflertatio, &c. IL De Ver-
fione (quam vocant) LXX Interpretum audoribus veris, eamque
Conficiendi Tempore, Modo, et Ratione. III. Hiftoria Scholaftica
Textuum Originalium, Verfionifque Gra?C£e LXX didae, et Latinae
Vulo-ats, &c. IV. De caeteris Grscis Verfionibus, Origcn'is Hexa-
plis, &c. pra;mittitur Arifleoe Hiftoria Graece et Latine. Oxon. 1705.

l^ovum Teftamentum Grsecum, cum Ledionibus variantibus MSS. Kx-
emplarium, Verfionum, Editionum, SS.Patrum et Scriptorum Eccle-
fiafticorum ; et in eafdcm notis. Accedunt Loca Scripturie Parallela,
aliaque exegctica. Prxmittitur Dilfertatio de Libris N.T. et Canonis
Conftitutione, et S. Tcxtus N. Foederis ad noflra ufque Tempora
Hiftoria. Studio et Lahore Joan. A4i]Iii S.T. P. Colledionem Mil-
lianam recenfuit, meliori ordine difpofuit novifquc acccftionibus locu-
pletavit Ludoiphus Kufterus. Roterodami, 1710. The Edition of
this Tcftament, publilhed at Oxford in 1707, is preferable to this for
the lar"-enefs of the Type ; another Edition, with Kufter's Additions,
was pubhflied at Leipfic, 1723^

Novum Teftamcntum Groscum Editionis receptae, cum Ledionibus va-
riantibus Codicum MSS. Editionum aliarum, Veriionum, et Patrum,
nec-non Commentario pleniore ex Scriptoribus veteribus Hebrzeis,
Grxcis et Latinis Hiftoriam et vim Verborum illuftrante. Opera et
Studio Joan. Jacob. Wetfteinii, Am.ftel. 175 1-2, 2 vol. The Au-
thor in the Prolegomena to this Work, treats of the Manufcripts, Ver-
fions, and moft of the noted Editions of the Greek Teftament which
were publiftied before his own, which he reckons to have been 19 or
20 beginning with that publiftied at Complutum in 15 14. " Sunt
autem Editioncs principes N. T. (negledis iis editionibus, quae prio-
rem aliquam xara ijsala. exprimunt) in univerfum viginti aut noven-
decim." The Prolegomena were publilhed fcparately in 1730, and
again by Semler, Halse Magdebriae, 1764; with fome Additions and
an Appendix concerning the ancient Latin Verfions.
Novi Teftamenti Jefu Chrifti Graeci, hoc eft Originalis Linguae Ta-
meion, aliis Concordantiae, Opera Eraf. Schmidii, Lipfiae, 1717. This
Book was firft publiftied at Wittemberg in 1638, and it is looked upon
as a great Improvement of the Concordance of Henry Stephens, pub-
liftied in 1595- This Concordance maybe of great fervice in affifting
the reader to find out the true meaning of ?.nv word, which has been

Aa

Books in Divinity.

ufed more than once by the Writers of the new Teftament ; for, by a
comparifon of the fenfes in which it has been ufed in different places,
he will be able to inveftigate the fenfe it bears in the place in
queftion.
Harmonia Evangclica, cui fubjeila eft Hiftoria Chrifti ex quatuor Evan-
geliis concinnata. AccelTerunt tres Difibrtationes do annis Chrifti,
de que Concordia et Aucloritate Evangeliorum, auilore Joan.Clerico.
Amftel. 1699. and in Englifh in 4to. Lond. 1701.
An Harmony of the Gofpels, in which the Original Text is difpofcd after
Le Clerc's general Manner, with fuch various Readings at it\Q Foot of
the Page, as have received Wetftein's Sanction in his folio Edition of
the Greek Teftament. Obfervations are fubjoincd tending to fettle
the Time and Place of every TranfaiStion, to eftablifti the Series of
Fadls, and to reconcile feeming Inconfiftencies. By W, Newcome,
D.D. Biftiop of Oflbry. Dublin, 1778. Many other Harmonics of
the Gofpels have been publiflied, but none preferable to this.
Critici Sacri, five do6fiffimorum Virorum in SS. Biblia Annotationes et
Tradatus. Lond. 1660, et Amftel. 1698. Cortielius Bee^ the Printer
of this great Work, and who had a Patent for the Sale of it, thus inti-
mates its Value to the Reader. " Hie enim circiter libri nonao-inta
iique irJegrl, in novem coierunt, et librae plus minus quinquwyena
(nuper vix aut ne vix minoris hoec omnia coemifles) jam ad qulndenQS
rediguntur." The prefent Price of this Work is not above two or
three pounds. Amongft the 90 Authors whofe Annotations on the
whole or on difterent parts of the Bible are here printed intire we
meet with the names of Munfter, Fagius, Vetablus, Caftalio, Clarius
Drufius, Grotius, Erafmus, Scaliger, Cafaubon, Capellus, Scultetus'
Pricaeus, hz.
Synopfis Criticorum aliorumque S. Scripturae Interpretum. Opera Mat.
Poll. Lond. 1669-74, 5 vol. — This Work is a kind of an Abrido-ment
of the preceding, inriched however with many additions. It certainly
may be of great ufe to thofe who have not the command of many
Books; and it is now fold for five and twenty or thirty ftiillings. It
was reprinted at Utretch in 1684; and fmce that time two other Edi-
tions of it have been publiftied in Germany: which ftiews, that, into
whatever degree of negleft this Synopfis may have fallen amongft our-
felvcs, it is much efteemed abroad.
Hugonis Grotii Opera omnia Theologica in tres Tomos (ufually bound
in four Volumes) di^vifa, ante quidem per partes nunc autem conjun=.
£lim et accuratius Edita. Amftel. 1679-, 4 vol. Another Edition at
Bafil, 1732. — Grotius was of the fame age with Epifcopius, whofe
■ Theological Inftitutes he fo greatly admired, that he is faid to have al-
ways .carried them about v/ith him. Calmet affirms, that Grotius*
Opinions are very ambiguous as to the Article of Chrift's Divinity,
and the Doctrine of Original Sin; that his Preface and Explanation of
the Canticles are fcandalous ; that he weakens or reduces almoft to.
nothing the Prophecies relating to Jeius Chrift. Notwithftanding this
cenfure, Grotius is defervedly efteemed one of the beft general Coni^
mentators on Scripture. Vitringa fays of him, Hugo Grotius iv to.; ^/ui^
^oyy.xciv a ^tx> a.^£i(?^j,y?^ eruditimis et !i?nati ctctcra judicii refpe^u hand
^^ 3 dubie

! A Catalogue of

dub'ie pojl Erajmum £► tok Belgarum ag»roK cenfcendus. And with re-
fpeft to his dogmata^ it ought not, furely, to be concluded, that an In-
terpreter denies a do6trine, becaufe he does not admit the ufual expofi-
tion of texts weakly adduced in its fupport. Grotius' notions con-
cerr i ig the Pope's not being Antichrilt, and concerning Paul's ex-
pedation of living till the General Judgment; are, in the Opinion of
many fenfible Proteftants, fiir more erroneous than any thing he has
faid about the Canticles.

Mofis Prophetae Libri quinque ex Tranflatlone Joannis Clerici, cum
ejufdem Paraphrafi pcrpetua, Commentario Phiioiogico, Diflertationi-
bus criticis Tabulifque Chronologicis et Geographicis. Ed. 2da. au-
dior et emendatior. Amftel. 1710.

Veteris Tcftamenti Libri Hiftorici ex Tranflatione Joan. Clerici, cum
ejufdem Commentario Phiioiogico, DiiTertationibus Criticis et Tabulis
Chronologicis. Amftel. 1708.

Veteris Teltamenti Libri Hagiographi ex Tranflatione Joan. Clerici,
cum ejufdem Commentario Phiioiogico in omnes memoratos Libros
et Paraphrafi in Jobum ac Ffalmos. Amftel. 1731.

Veteris Teftamenti Prophetas ab Efaia ad Malachiam ufquc ex Tranfla-
tione J. Clerici, cum ejufdem Commentario Phiioiogico et Paraphrafi
in Efai.im, jeremiam, ejus Lamentationes et Abdiam. Amftel. 1 73 1.
Thus we have the Tranflanon of all the Books of the old Teftament,
^nd a Paraphrafe and Notes on the greateft part of them, by one of the
moft learned and judicious Critics of this Century. The DilTerta^
tions contained in this work are, i. De Lingua Hebraica. -2. De
optimo genere Literpretum S. Scripturx. 3. De Scriptore Penta-
teuchi Mofc, ejufque in fcribendo conlilio. 4. De Sodomae finitima-
rumque Urbium fubverfione. 5. De Statua Salina. 6. De Maris
Idumsei trajeciione. 7. A Tranflation into Latin of the three firft
Chapters of Selden's Hiftory of Tythes. 8. De Scriptoribus Libro-
rum Hiftoricorum veteris Teftamenti. 9. De LXXII virorum in
Republica Populi Hebra^i Synedrio. 10. De Lepra Mofaica. 11. A
Tranflation into Latin of Smith's Difcourfe on Prophecy. 12. De
Poefi Hebrseorum.

Novum Teftamentum Domini noftri Jefu Chrifti, ex Verfionc Vulgata,
cum Paraphrafi et Adnotationibus Hcnrici Hammondi ex Anglica Lin-
gua in Latinam tranltulit, fuifque Animadverfionibus illuftravit, cafti-
gavit, auxit Joan. Clericus. Ed. 2da. Francofort. 1714, 2 vol. All
tiiefe Works of Le Clerc may be met with uniformly bound under the
Title of, Clericus in vetus et novum Teftamentum, 6 vol.

A Commentary on all the Books of the old Teftament, excepting the
Prophets, by Bifl^iop Patrick, in 3 vol. 1679-94, 4th. Ed. Lond.
1732.

A Commentary upon the larger and lefter Prophets, being a Continua-
tion of Biihop Patrick, by W. Lowth, D. D. 3d. Ed. Lond. 1730.

A critical Commentary upon the Book of the \V ifdom of Solomon, up-
on Ecclefiafticus, Tobit, Judith, Baruch, the Hiftory of Sufannah, and
Bel and the Dragon ; to which are added, two Difiertations on the
Books of the Maccabees and Efdras, being a Continuation of Bp. Pa-
trick and Mr. Lowth, by R, Arnald, B. D. Lond, J 744-52. Thefe

five

Books in Divinity,

five Volumes contain the beft Commentary on the old Teflament and
the Apocrypha, which we have in the Englifh Language.
The Theological Works of the learned Dr. Pocock, fometime Profeflbr
of the Hebrew and Arabic Tongues in the Univerfity of Oxford, and
Canon of Chrift Church, containing his Porta Mofis and Englifh
Commentary on Hofea, Joel, Micah, and Malachi. To which is pre-
fixed, an Account of his Life and Writings, never before printed,
with the Addition of a new general Index to the Commentary, by Leo.
Twells. Lond. 1740,2 vol.
The Works of the reverend and learned John Lightfoot, D. D. late
Mafter of Catharine Hall in Cambridge and Prebend of Ely. Revifed
and correfted by George Bright, D. D. Lond. 1684, 2 vol. Another
Edition of this Work with a Latin Tranflation of what Dr. Lio-htfoot
had written in Englifh and fome Additions, was publiflied at Rotter-
dam in 1686.
A Colle61:ion of Polemical Difcourfes, by Jeremy Taylor, D. D. late
Lord Bifhop of Down and Connor. 3d. Ed, Lond, 1674. The Traft
intitled. The Liberty of Prophefying; in which the Author contends,
that none ought to be excluded from Chriftian Communion who be-
lieve the Apofdes' Creed, is efteemed the moft valuable in the Collec ■.
tion. It was publifhed in 4to. 1647.
Commentarius in Librum Prophetiarum Jefaiae, quo fenfus Orationis
ejus fedulo inveftigatur; in veras viforum interpretandorum Hypothe-
fes inquiritur et ex iifdem fafta interpretatio antiquae Hiftori:^ monu-
mentis confirmatur atque illuftratur, cum Prolegom.enis, cura et fludicj
Campegii Vitringa. Ed. nova Leovardias 1724, 2 vol.
A Paraphrafe and Commentary on the new Tcftament, by Dan. Whitby,
5th. Ed, Lond, 1727, 2 vol. — Whitby fays in his Preface, that he
found fo many things faid by Le Clerc, in his Animadverfions on Ham-
mond, in favour of the Arians, that he protraded the publication of
his Work till he had prepared an Antidote for them. It is but Juftice
to him to obferve, that he lived to change his Sentiments upon this
fubjecl, as may be kzn. in a Traft, called Whitby's laft Thoughts.
Henry's Expofition of the old and new Te^ament, in 6 vol, fol, ift.
Ed. 1706, laft in 1772; and Burkit's Expofition of the new Tefla-
ment, lafl Ed. in 1779, are works of great merit; but if I was to
mention any other Commentator on the whole Bible, it fliould be
Calmet^ whofe work, intitled. La Sainte Bil?le en Latin et en Francois,
avec un Commentaire litteral et critique ; which was publifhed at
Paris in 9 vol. fol. 1724, and before that in 26 vol. 4to. This is a
very excellent Work, containing, befides the Commentary, many
learned DifTertations on various Subje6ls. A Collection of theDifTer-
tations with many Corre£lions and Additions was publiflied in 1720,
in 3 vol. 4to.
Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum quos Unitarios vocant, inflrudla omni-
bus Operibus Faufti Socini Senenfis, NobilifHmi Itali ; Joan. Crellii,
Franci ; Jon?e Shchtingii a Bucowietz Equitis Poloni, exegeticis ; et
Joan, Ludovici Wolzogenii Baronis Auflriaci, quse omnia iimul
jun6ta totius novi Teftamenti explicationem compleituntur. Irenopoli
poft annum Domini 1656, 8 vol. and with the YfQxk^ of Przicovius
A 4 . and

A Catalogue of

and Brennius, 9 vol. Piget quidem horum Commentaiios Chriftia-
norum intei' adnumerare, multo magis in Bibliothecam Chriilianam
reponerej quos utinam in lEteriiis lepultos tenebris manere conceJc-
retur, fays Dr. Bray: On the other hand, There is, lays Dr. Harwocd
jn his Eflay on the Socinian Scheme, "■ hardly a good Criticilin in all
our modern Expofitors Mr. Locke, Dr. Clarke, Dr. Benfon, Dr.Tay-
lor, Meffrs. Pearce and Hallet, Dr. Sykes, but what is to be found in
the Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum." Dr. Harwood is not fmgular
in this opinion, and if it be a true one, thefe books may be confulted
with advantage, by thofe who do not adopt the particular Tenets of
Socinus and the Unitarians, as well as by thofe who do. It does not
become us as Proteftants to profcribe the ufe of any book, merely be-
caufe it quellions the validity of doctrines which we think true; that
is the narrow and illiberal policy of thofe, who arc bufied in buttreffing
up rotten fabrics of hypocrify and fupcrftition, by Lnprimaturs and ex-
purgatory Indexes. The reader will meet with a lift of various au-
thors who oppofed the do6lrines of Socinus, in Bifhop Barlow's Di-
rections for the Choice of Books in the Study of Divinity.
Thefaurus Thcologico-Philologicus, five Sylloge Di/Tertationum elegan-
tiorum ad fele£liora et illuftriora veteris et novi Teftimenti loca a
Theologis Proteftantibus in Gcrmania feparatim diverfis temporibus
confcriptarum. Amftcl. 1701, 2 vol.
Thefaurus Novus Theologico-Philologicus, five Sylloge Differtationum
exegeticarum, ad fclediora atque iniigniora veteris et novi Teftamenti
loca a Theologis Proteftantibus niaximam partem in Germania diver-
fis temporibus feparatim editarum. Lugduni Batavorum. 1732, 2 vol.
Thefe four volumes maybe eafdy ilict with; I have a fufpicion that
two ether volumes have been publiflied fince 1732, but I have never
fcen them. In moft of thefe difTcrtations which I have read, there is
more oftentation of learning than inftructivc criticifm. They are ufe-
ful however to be confulted.
Diftionajrc Hiilorique, Critique, Chrouologique, Geographique et Lite-
ral de la Bible, par Auguftin Calrnet. a Paris, 1730, 4 vol. A tranf-
htion of this truly valuable work, with occafional remarks, was pub-
lilhcd in 3 vol. in Lond. 1732. At the end of this work there is a
Bibliotheca Sacra, or an account of the moft celebrated writers on the
Scriptures. I wifh that fome Perfon, who has leifure and ability for
the undertaking, would publifli this Bibliotheca, with the Addition,
under the proper heads, of fuch books of Merit on Theological Sub-
jects, as have appeared fince the year 1730. Onx Eyiglijh Reviews^
the Journal dcs Sfavans, the J^ta Epuditorum, and other periodical
works, would greatly ailift him, not only in finding out the books
which have been publifhed, but in forming, in moft cafes, a tolerable
judgment of their merit.
A new Hiftory of the Holy Bible, from the Beginning of the World to
the Eftabliihment of Chriftianity, with Anfwers to moft of the con-
troverted Queftions, Diflertations upon the moft remarkable Paffages,
and a Connection of profane Hiftory all along. To which are added.
Notes explaining difficult Texts, rectifying Mif-tranflations, and re-
conciling feem.ing Contradictions. The whole iliuftrated with one

hundred

Books in Divinity.

hundred and four ufeful and ornamental Maps and Sculptures, en-
graved by the beft Hands, from original Paintings, by the Rev. Tho.
Stackhoule, A. M. Lond. 1752. The firft Edition of this Book vi^as
publiflied in i'"42. It is ftill efteemed a very ufeful work and fold at
a good price. The Author publifhed a Body of Divinity and other
Works.
An Hillorical Di(5lionary of all Religions, from the Creation of the
World to the prefent Time, by J. Broughton, A. M. Lond. 1756, 2
vol . The Germans have thought fo v/ell of this Work as to tranflate
it into their own Language.
The Religious Ceremonies and Cuiloms of the feveral Nations of the
known World ; reprefented in an hundred Copper-plates, defigned by
the famous Picart, together with hiftorical Explanations and feveral
curious Diflertations, written originally in French, and now publiflied
in Englifh, with very confiderable Amendments and Additions, in 6
vol. Lond. 1 7 3 1 . If ever another Edition of this curious Work fhould
be attempted, the Religion of the Inhabitants of the newly difcovered
Parts of the Globe, will make an important Article in it. Some fu-
ture Bochart or Bryant will then add another Argument in Favour of
revealed Religion, by tracing the Origin of the Inhabitants of New
Zealand and Otaheite to the common Stock Noah.
Thefaurus Antiquitatum Sacrarum compledlens feledliffima ClarifHmo-
rum virorum Opufcula, in quibus veterum Hebrseorum Mores, Leges,
Inftituta, Ritus facri et civiles, illuftrantur : Opus ad illuftrationem
utriufque Teftamenti, et ad Philologiam facram et profanam utiliffi-
mum maximeque necefTarium, auclore Blafio Ugolino. Venetiis,
1744-69, 34 vol. Many other Books treating of Jewifli Antiquities
have been publifhed ; but thofe who have a tafte for fuch fort of read-
ing will find this colle6lion far more ufeful to them, than any other
of the kind.
Samuelis Bocharti Opera omnia ; hoc eft Phaleg, Chanaan, feu Geo-
graphia Sacra; et Hierozoicon, five de Animalibus Sacrss Scripturae,
et Diflertationes variae. Edit, nova, audloris cura Joan, Leufden et
Petri Villemandz. Lugd. Bata. 1712,3 vol. Phyfica Sacra, or the
Natural Hiftory of the Bible, adorned with 750 Plates, was publifhed
at Aufburg in Germany in 1731, 4 vol. fol. by T. T. Scheuchzer, and
it was tranflated into French in 1732, 8 vol. fol. This is a magnifi-
cent work, in which the author has made much ufe of Bochart's Hie-
rozoicon.
Difcours Hiftoriques, Critiques, Theologiques, et Moraux, fur les Eve-
nemens les plus memorables du vieux et du nouveaux Teftament, par
Mr. Saurin, &c. avec des Figures fur les DefTeins de Hoet, Houbra-
ken, Picart. A la Haye, 1735-9, 6 vol. Mr. Vander Marck formed
a defign of reprefenting on copper plates, the moft memorable events
of facred Hiftory, and he engaged Mr. Saurin to write an explanation
of the plates J this gave rife tQ the difcourfes here publifhed.
Pe legibus Hebraeorum Ritualibus et earum rationibus Libri quatuor,
auctore Joan. Spencero S.T.D. Edidit L. Chappclovv, Cant. 1727,
'2 vol. In this work the learned author contends, that God introduced

into

A Catalogue of

into the Jewilh Ceremonial a great many Egyptian Rites, and accom-
modated them to the Prejudices of the Ifraelites, who had lived many
years in Egypt. This Notion has been oppofed and defended by va-
rious authors ; the reader will find it fliortly and ably refuted, in a
Treatife by Dr. Woodward, intitled, a Difcourfe on the Worihip of
the ancient Egyptians, communicated to the Society of Antiquaries by
Dr. Lort in 1775.

Flavii Jofephi Opera omnia, Gr. et Lat. cum Notis Hudfoni, Praefationc
et Commentariis Havercampii. Amlkl. 17 16, 2 vol. This work has
been tranflated into Englilh by different Authors, particularly by
Whifton in 1737.

Hiftorise Ecclefialticre Scriptores Graeci nempe Eufebius, Socrates, So-
zomen, Teodoretus, &c. Gr. et Lat. cum Notis variorum. Cantab.
1720,3 vol.

SS. Patrum qui temporibus ApoRolicis fioruerunt Barnabae, Clcmcntis,
Hermas, Ignatii, Polycarpi opeia edita et inedita vera et fuppofititia,
una cum Clementis, Ignatii, Polycarpi Aflis atqvie Martyriis Opera
Cotelerii ; accelTerunt in hac nova editione notae integrae aliorum vi-
rorum doftorum-qui in fingulos Patres memoratos fcripferunt, et quo-
rum nomina in prasfatione habentur; item Guhclmi Beveregii Codex
Canonum Primitivae Ecclefia; vindicatus ; Jacobi UfTerii Diflertatio-
nes Ignatianip, et Joan. Pearfonii vindiciae Epiftolarum S. Ignatii, re-
cenfuit etnotulas aliquot adfper fit Joan. Clericus. Antwerpiae, 1698^
2 vol. Another Ed. at Amller. 1724. There is a celebrated work,
intitled, Bibliotheca maxima veterum Patrum ; 27 volumes cf which
were publiflied at Lyons, 1677; ^" Index to the work at Genoa in
1707; and an Apparatus to it at Paris, 1715, 2 vol. making in the
whole 30 volumes in folio. The Church of Rome maintains many
do6h-!nes for which there is no foundation, except in the writings of
the Fathers ; the Reformed Churches acknowledge the Bible to be the
fole rule of their faith j and hence, amongft them, the Fathers are not
fo highly efteemed as by the Church of Rome; efpecially fmce the
publication of DailVe's Book De ufu Patrum, and of Whitby's and Mid-
dlctons Sentiments on that Subject. And, indeed, the Members of
the Church of Rome itfelf, when not engaged in difpute with Hei-etich^
fpeak flightingly enough of the Fathers ; for one of them, as quoted
by Bp. Barlow, tells us, " that if every thing was left out of the Fa .
thers which we now believe not, bona pars Scriptorum et Patrum pe-
rirct." As Interpreters of Scripture they are far inferior to the Mo-
derns, but they maybe ufeful examples to us in Piety and Zeal. Very
good editions of the works of Clement of Alexandria, of Irenaeus, Cy-
prian, Juftin, Jerome, Chryfoftom, he. kc. may be frequently pur-
chafed at a low price. He who can afford the expcnce will purchafe
the belt editions of all books; but thcfe who cannot do that, fhould
not neglect the opportunity of furnifliing themfelves with inferior edi-
tions : very tifeful libraries, in all leicnces, may by this kind of atten-
tion be eafily procured.
Thefaurus Ecclefiafficus ex Patribus Grascis, ordine Alphabetico cxhibens
qu£cunque Phrafcs, Ritus, Dogmata, H^refcs, ct hujufmodi alia

fpe£lantj

Books in Divinity,

fpe£lant, opera J. CaFp. Suiceri. Amftel. 1612, 2 vol. Another Ed.
at Amfterdamin 1728.

The Works of the learned Jof. Bingham, A. M. containing the Origincs
Ecclefiafticae, or Antiquities of the Chriflian Church. A Scholaftical
Hiftory of Lay Baptifm. The French Churches' Apology for the
Church of England, A Difcourfe concerning the Mercy of God to
penitent Sinners. Lond. 1726, 2 vol.

A new Hiltory of Ecclefialtical Writers: containing a Catalogue and an
Abridgment of their Works, and a Judgment of their Style and Doc-
trine; alfo a compendious Hiftory of the Councils and all Affairs
tranfacted in the Church, from the Birth of Chrift to the Year 1550,
written in French by L. E. du Pin. Lond. 1696-1703, 6 vol. Du
Pin was a laborious, and, for a Catholic, a liberal Writer ; this work
is full of erudition, and may be bought for a trifle.

Scriptorum Eccleliaflicorum Hiftoria Literaria a Chrifto Nato, ufque ad
Sasculum XIV facili methodo digeHa, qua de Vita eoru.n <. t rebus
geltis, de Secla, Dogmatibus, Elogio, Stylo; de Scriptis Genuinis,
Dubiis, Suppo ititiis, Ineditis, Deperditis, Fragmentis, de variis ope-
rum Editionibus agitur, Accedunt Scriptores Gentiles Chriftianse
Religionis oppugnatores, et cujufvis S?eculi Breviarium. Inferuntur
fuis locis veterum aliquot Opufcula et Fragmenta turn Grseca tum
Latina ha6lenus inedita. PrasmifTa denique Prolegomena, quibus
plurima ad Antiquitatis Ecclefiafticae fludium fpeitantia traduntur
opus Indicibus neceflariis inftruftum. Audore Guilielmo Cave S.T.P,
accedit ab alia manu Appendix ab ineunte Saeculo XIV ad annum
1517. Lond. 1688, et pars altera 1 6g8. This work is fo well de-
fcribed in the title, that the reader will fully apprehend its ufe, and of
great ufe I conceive it to be ; for it has been wilely faid, Scire ubi all-
quid pojjes invenire magna pars eruditionis ej}. It opens with an account
of the Letter to Agbarus^ which Czyq fuppofes our Saviour to have
written ; and it ends with an account of the Writings of Martin Lu-
ther. A new edition was publiflied at Geneva, 1720, and another at
Oxford, 1740. A kind of Supplement to this and other works of the
fame kind, was publifhed at Leipfic in 1722, under the following title,
Cafimiri Oudini Commentarius de Scriptoribus Ecclefire antiquis illo-
rumque Scriptis, tam impreffis quam Manufcriptis adhuc extantibus in
eelebrioribus Europae Bibliothecis, a Bellarmino Pollevino, Philippo
Labbeo, Gulielmo Caveo, Ludovico Ellia de Pin, et aliis omiffis ad
annum 1460, vel ad artem Typographicam inventam; cum multis
Diflertationibus in quibus inilgnium Eccleiiae audlorum Opufcula at-
que alia Argumenta notabiliora accurate et prolixe examinantur tribus
Voluminibus cum Indicibus necelTariis.

M. Simonis Epifcopii SS. Theologias in Acadcmia Leydenfi quondam
ProfefToris opera Theologica. £d. 2da. Lond. 1678. Le Clerc
has obferved, that Hammond in his Annotations on the new Tefta-
ment borrowed largely from Grotius and Epifcopius, and Tillotfon has
been called a Difciple of the latter. Epifcopius acknowledges (Infti-
tut. Theol. 1. iv. cap. 34.) that Jefus Chrift is called in Scripture the
Son of God, not merely on the account either of his miraculous Concep-
tion^ or of hh Mt'diatioNj or of his Refurreiilon^ or of \{is Jfcenfm, but

on

A Catalogue of

on ^■ffi^^> account, which, in his opinion, clearly implies his Pre-extji
ence ; yet he contends, that it is not necejfary to Salvation^ either to
know or believe this fifth mode or Filiation; becaufe it is not anywhere
faid in Scripture to be necefiary to be either known or believed; be-
caufe we may have faith in and pay obedience to Chrift without know-
ing or believing it ; lecatfe for the three firft centuries the Chriftian
Church did not efteem a profeflion of belief in this mode to be necef-
fary to Salvation. Bp. Bull attacked with great learning this third
reafon of Epifcopius ; Le Clerc defended him as to a particular point
(in his Hiftoria Eccicfiailica, p. 636.), and has himfelf been animad-
verted on, with refpc6l to this point, by Thirlby in his Notes on Ju-
Jhn's Dialogue with Trypho ; to fay nothing of thofe, on either iide,
v»'ho have bt^cn recently engaged in a fimilar Controverfy.

Stephani Curccllsi Opera 1 heologica, quorum pars praecipua Inftitutio
Religionis Chriftianae. Amflel. 1675. Curcellasus was a liberal and
acute Divine ; we arc indebted to him for the edition of the works of
Epifcopius; his own were publiflied after his death by Limborch.

Philippi a Limborch Theologia Chrifliana ; accedit Relatio Hiftorica do
origine ct progrefTu Controverfiarum in Foederato Belgio. Amltel.
1715, and at the Hague in 1736. This is an excellent Syflem of
'Fheologv, yet the Author of it ingenuoufly preferred Mr. Locke's lit-
tle Trad of the Reafonablencfs of Chriflianity, to this and all other
Svftems. Sy/h-ma Theologia: me fcripftffe mjU: mn tainen eo in pretio
apud me fioit Syficmata^ ut non hiinc exigmim tractatum (Reafonablencfs
of Chriftianity) ■multli Syjlanatilms praferam; iino plus verce 'Theologies
ex illo qiiam ex operofis midiorum Syfematibus baufffe me ingenue p)-cfieo7\
Limb. Let. to Locke. After the works of thefe three foreigners, (to
which, but for fear of fvvelling the Catalogue, I would have added
thofe of Luther, Calvin, Melanctnon, Zuinglius, &c.) I will mention
a few of the moft eminent of our Lnglilh Divines; and he who will
take the trouble of comparing their fentiments, with thofe of the three
foreign ones juil: mentioned, on any intricate point of Divinity, will
certainly (whether they agree or difagree in fentiment) be qualified to
form a rational judgment on the iubjecl.

The Works of the pious and profoundly learned Jofeph Mede. Lond.
1664. and again in 1677. Modern expofitors of the prophecies, con-
tained in the Revelation and in the book of Daniel, have very properly
availed themfclvcs of the lights held our to them by this great divine:
what he has faid in this work concerning Gofpel Demoniacs being
Lunatics, properly excited the attention of the learned to that queftion,
which has been very ably argued, on both fides, fince his time.

The Works of W. Chillingvvorth, M. A. of the Univerfity of Oxford,
containing his Book, entitled. The Religion of Proteftants a Me Way
to Salvation; together with his nine .Sermons, preached before the
Kino- or upon eminent Occafions, his Letter to Mr. Levv'gar concern-
in-^ the Church of Rome's being the Guide of Faith and Judge of
Controverfies, his nine additional Difcourfes, and his Anfwer to fome
Pafia'^es in Rufh worth's Dialogues concerning Tradition. Lond
1704? The loth. Ed. with his Life by Birch in 1742.

An Expofition of the Creed by Bp. Pearfon. 12th, Ed. Lon.d. 1741.

The

Boofzs in Dlv'mlt)'.

The Works of the learned Ifaac Barrow, D. D. (being all his Engllfh
Works) in three Volumes, publiftied by his Grace Dr. John Tillotfon,
late Archbifhop of Canterbury. Lond. 1741.

The Works of the moil reverend D. John Tillotfon, Lord Archbifhop
of Canterbury, with the Life of the Author, by Tho. Birch, A. M. 3
vol. Lond. 1752.

The Works of that eminent and moft learned Prelate Dr. Ed. Stilling-
fleet, late Bp.of Worcefter, together with his Life and Charader, 6 vol.
Lond, 1 7 10. When I was a young man, I had formed a mean opinion
of the reafoning faculties of Bp. Stillingfleet,from reading Mr. Locke's
Letter and two Replies to him ; but a better acquaintance with the Bi-
fhop's works has convinced me that my opinion was ill-founded •
though no match for Mr.Locke in ftrength and acutenefs of argument,
yet his Orig!?ies Sacra, and other works, ihevv him to have been not
merely a fearcher into Ecclefiaftical Antiquities, but a found Divine
and a good Reafoner.

Georgii Bulli Opera omnia quibus duo praecipui Catholicss fidei Articuli
de Trinitate et Juftiiicatione crthodoxe, perfpicue, ac folide expla-
nantur, illuftrantur, confirmantur, nunc demum in unum volumen
colle£l?., ac multo correclius quam ante una cum generalibus indici-
bus edita. Quibus jam acceffit ejufdem Tradatus, hatlenus ineditus,
de Primitiva et Apoitollca Traditione Dogmatis de Jefu Chrifti Divi-
nitate, contra Danielem Zuicherum ejufque nuperos in An-^lia SeiSba-
tores. Subnexa infuper pluribus fmgulorum librorum Capitibus pro-
lixa quandoque Annotata Joannis Erneiti Grabe, cujus etiam prafatio
huic volumini eft prsmifia. Lond. 1703. This work of Bp. Bull is
efteemed by the learned, as one of the main pillars of what is called
Orthodoxy : it was trandated into Englifh, though I have never ieen.
the tranflation, by Fran. Holland, A. M.

The Works of John Locke, Efq; 3 vol. Lond. 1759. A later Ed. in
4 vol. 4to. in 1777.

The Works of Sam. Clarke, D. D. late Re£lor of St. James, with his
Life, by Bp. Hoadley. Lond. 1738, 4 vol.

The Works of Benjamin Hoadley, Bp. of Winchefter. Lond. 1773, 3
vol. One knows not where to flop in this enumeration of great Di-
vines ; Hall, Jackfon, Beveridge, Scott, Fleetwood, BlackhalT, Fiddes,
Leflie, kc. &c. all claim attention, and their works ought to find a
place in every complete Theological Library.

A Defence of Natural and Revealed Religion, being a Collection of the
Sermons preached at the Lecture founded by the Hon. Robert Boyle
(from the year 1691 to the year 1732), with the Additions and Amend-
ments of the feveral Authors and general Indexes, in 3 vol. Lond. 1739.
Many of thefe Sermons have been publifned in feparate volumes, and
there is an Abridgment of the whole. If all other Defences of Reli-
gion were loft, there is folid Reafoning enough (if properly weighed)
in thefe three volumes to remove the Scruples of moft Unbelievers.

A Prefervative againft Popery, in feveral feled Difcourfes upon the prin-
cipal Heads of Controverfy between Proteftants and Papiftg, written
and publifhed by the moft eminent Divines of the Church of England,
chieily in the Keign of King James the 11. Lond. 1738, 2 vol. A third

vol.

A Catalogue of

vol. was published foon after. We are indebted to Bp. Gibfon for
this CoUetlion, if not for that alfo of the Sermons at Boyle's Ledures;
both thefe works may be very ufeful to young divines, in fuggefling to
them much foUd matter for their compofitions for the pulpit.
Thefes Theologicae variis temporibus in Academia Sedanenfi editae et ad
difputandum propofitae, auftore Ludovico Le Blanc. Lond. 1683.
This work may very properly accompany the preceding, as it Is writ-
ten with great learning and candour, upon the principal fubjedts of
Controverfy, between the Roman and the Reformed Churches.
Petri Danielis Huetii Demonftratio Evangelica. Ed. 3tia. Paris. 1690.
This is a methodical work, replete with erudition. A valuable part
of it is that in which the author endeavours to prove, Mythologiam Eth-
nicortiJn o?nnc7n ex codicihus Sacris^ Jacrifque hijiorns mutatis^ dijfimidatis^
Mtetpoicitis, prodiijje ; for, though he may carry his hypothefis too far,
of Mofes reprefenting, under different names, moft of the Gods of the
Heathens, yet the dedudion of Fleathen Mythology from Sacred Hi-
ftory, is a ftrong proof of the truth of the latter.
Ecclefiaftical Polity by Rich. Hooker. Lond. 1705.
An Expofition of the 39 Articles, by Bp. Burnet.
A Commentary on the Book of Common Prayer, by W. Nichols, D. D.

2d. Ed. Lond. 1712.
The Hiftory of the Reformation of the Church of England, by Gilbert
Burnet, 3 vol. Lond. 1679-B1. and again in 1715. The author pub-
lifhed an Abridgment of this work in one vol. 8vo. in 1682. The
work itfelf was fo well efteemed that, after the publication of the firft
part both houfes of Parliament voted thanks to the author and ex-
prefled their wiflies that he, would continue it.
An Ecclefiaflical Hiftory of Great Britain, chiefly of England, from the
firft Planting of Chriftianity to the End of the Reign of King Charles
the Second, with a brief Account of the Affairs of Religion in Ireland,
colle<Sled from the beft ancient Hiftorians, Councils, and Records, by
Jeremy Collier, M. A. Lond. 1708-14.
Annals of the Reformation and Eftablifhment of Religion, and other
vaaious Occurrences in the Church of England, by John Strype,
M. A. in 4 vol. Lond. 1725-31. There is prefixed to the fecond vo-
lume, a kind of teftimonial of Mr. Strype's ability for v/riting an Ec-
clefiaftical Hiftory of the Church of England, at and after the firft Re-
formation, and a recommendation of his work, figned by above twenty
Bifliops.
The Church Hiftory of England, from the year 1500 to the year 1688,
chiefly with Refpedl to the Catholics, being a complete Account of the
Divorce, Supremacy, Difiblution of Monafteries, and firft Attempts for
a Reformation under King Henry VIIL the unfettled State of the
Reformation under Ed. VL the Interruption it met with from Q^ieen
Mary, with the laft Hand put to it by Qiieen Elixabeth. Together
with the various Fortunes of the Catholic Caufe during the Reigns
of Kino- James I. King Charles I. King Charles II. King James 11.
particularly the Lives of the moft eminent Catholicks, Cardinals, Bi-
{hops, inferior Clergy, Regulars, and Laymen, who have diftinguiftied
themfelves by their Piety, Learning, or Military Abilities : alfo a di-

ftinit

Books in Dhliilty.

flincl and critical Account of the Works of the Learned : the Trials
of thofe that fufFered either on the Score of Religion, or the real or
fiftitious Plots againft the Government ; with the Foundations of all
the Englifh Colleges and Monafteries abroad. The Whole fupported
by original Papers and Letters, many whereof were never before made
publick. To which is prefixed, a general Hillory of Ecclefiaftical
Affairs under the Britifh, Saxon, and Norman Periods. 3 vol. Bruf-
fels, 1737. The Author's name is not mentioned.

The Ecclefiaftical Hiftory of England to the eighteenth Century, by
Ferd. Warner, D. D. Lond. 1756. Other Ecclefiaftical Hiftorians
of our own Country are Bede, Fox, Fuller, Uftier, Parker, &c. &c.

Codex Juris Ecclefiaftici Anglicani, or the Statutes, Conftitutions, Ca-
nons, Rubricks and Articles of the Church of England, methodicilly
digefted under their proper Heads, with a Commentary hiftorical and
judicial. Before it is an introdu6tory Difcourfe concerning the pre-
fent State of the Power and Difcipline and Laws of the Church of Eng-
land, and after it an Appendix of Inftruments ancient and modern, by
Ed. Gibfon, Biftiop of London, 2d. Ed. revifed and corredled with
large Additions by the Author. Oxford, 1761, 2 vol. This is by
much the moft valuable work we have on this fubjed; it may be
proper, however, to read along with it a pamphlet, faid to have been
written by Judge Fofter, intitled, An Examination of the Scheme of
Church Power, laid down in the Codex Juris Ecclefiaftici Anglicani,
Lond. 1736, 3d. Ed.

"Zvvo^iKov five Pandeds Canonum SS. Apoftolorum et Conciliorum ab
Ecclefia Grasca receptorum, &c. per Gul. Beveregium. Oxon. 1672,
2 vol. Bp. Barlow fays, that this work is of great ufe for a compre-
henfive Knowledge of Ecclefiaftical Antiquity. If any one Ihould wifli
to have a colie£lion of Councils in his library, he will find an enumera-
tion of the principal writers on that fubje61: in Bp. Barlow's l)ire6tions,
&c. in Fabricus B. G. and in Bray's Bibl. Par. I have added the
three following works, for though they do not treat folely of Divinitv,
yet they will be very ferviceable to a ftudent in that fcieuce.

Oeuvres diverfes de Mr. Bayle, Profefleur en Philofophie et en Hiftoire
a Rotterdam. Contenant tout ce que cet Auteur a public fur des
Matieres de Theologie, de Philofophie, de Critique, d' Hiftoire, et de
Literature excepte fon Di6tionaire Hiftorique et Critique. A la Haye.
1727,4 vol.

A general Didlionary, Hiftorical and Critical, in which a new and ac-
curate Tranflation of that of the celebrated Bayle is included ; the
Whole containing the Hiftory of the moft illuftrious Perfons of all
Ages and Nations, particularly thofe of Great Britain and Ireland, di-
ftinguiflied by their Rank, Actions, Learning, and other Accounts :
with Reflexions on thofe Paflages of Mr. Bayle, which feem to favour
Scepticifm and the Manichee Syftem. By the Rev. John Peter Ber-
nard, the Rev. J. Birch, Mr. John Lockman, and other Hands. With
the Life of Mr. Bayle by Mr. Des Maizeaux F. R. S. Load. 1734-41,
10 vol. Thofe v^ho cannot meet with an opportunity of purchafing
this Didlionary, rnay content themfelves with Mr. Bayie's in 4 vol. or
>vilh thofe gf Moreri and Collier.

Biogra--

A Catalogue of

Biographia Britanwica, or the Lives of the nioft eminent Perfons who
have flourifhed in Great Britain and Ireland, from the earlieft Ages
to the prefent Times : coUefted from the beft Authorities, printed and
manufcript, and digefted in the Manner of Mr. Bayle's Hillorical and
Critical Dictionary. The fecond Ed. w^ith Correftions and Enlarge-
ments, and the Addition of nev/ Lives, by And. Kippi?, D. D. and
F. S. A. vi\\h the Afliftance of other Gentlemen. Lond. 1778.
Thre evolumes of this work are publifhedj vi^hen it is fini(hed it
will be one of the molt complete works of the kind that ever appeared
in any Language.

(QUARTOS.

Biblla Hebraica fuie Pun6lis. Accurante Nath. Forfter S. T. B. Oxon.
1750.

Biblia Hebraica ad optimas quafque Editiones exprefTa, cum Notis Ma-
forethicis, et numeris diftinclionum in Parafchas, et Capita, et Verfus,
necnon fingulorum Capitum fummariis Latinis. Accurante M. Chri-
ftiano Reineccio. Lipf. 1739'

Biblia Hebraica fecundum Editionem Belgicam Everar. Vander Hooght,
coUatis aliis bonae notas Codicibus, una cum Verfione Latina Sehafti-
ani Schmidii. Lipf. 1740.

Vetus Teftamentum ex Verfione Septuaginta Interpretum, fecundum
exemplar Vaticanum Romae editum, accuratiflime denuo recognitum
una cum Scholiis ejufdem Editionis variis MSS. &c. le6lionibus,
fumma cum cura edidit Lamb. Bof. Franequerse. 1709, 2 vol.

Jacobi Gufl'ctii Lexicon Linguae Hebraicoe, in quo pra?cipua opera im-
penditur primario fignificatui vocum phrafiumque accurata inveftiga-
tione definiendo, &c. Lipfiae. 1743. Ed. 2da.

An Hebrew and Englilh Lexicon, without Points; to which is added, a
methodical Hebrew Grammar, &c. by John Parkhurft, M. A.

Clavis Hebraica Veteris Tellamenti in qua Themata difficiliora V. T.
referantur, &c. au6lore J. Leulden. Ultraje6ti. 1683.

Lyra Prophetica five Analyfis Critico-Prailica Pfalmojum. Studio
Vidorini Bythneri Poloni. Lond. 1664. Bythner obferves, that all
the Hebrew Radicals in the Bible amount to 1867; and that 564
Verfes, of which he makes mention, in the Pfalms, contain 11 84 Ra-
dicals. But whether it is moft proper to begin learning Hebrew by
perufing the poetical or hiftorical books, let others judge ; Leufden's
Clavis may be as ufeful for thofe who begin with Genefis, as Byth-
ner's Lyra is for thofe who begin with the Pfalms.

Edvardi Leigh Critica Sacra, id efl:, Obfervationes Philologico-Theolo-
gicae in omnes radices et voces Hebrsas V. T. et in omnes voces
Graecas N. T. Gothae, 1735, 2 vol. Ed. 6a.

Joh. Fran. Buddei Hifloria veteris Teftamenti ab orbe condito ufque ad
Chriftum Natum, variis Obfervantionibus illuftrata. Halae Magde-
burgicse, 1726, 3 vol. Ed. 3tia.

The Hebrew Text, or the parallel Prophecies of Jacob and Mofes re-
lating to the twelve Tribes; with a Tranflation and Notes; and the
various Ledlons of near forty MSS. To which are added, i..The

Sama-

Books in Dtv'imtp

Samantan-^Aratic Verfion of thofe PafTages, and Part of another Ara-
bic Verfion made from the Samajritart Text ; neither of which have
been before printed : 2. A Map of the Land of Promife : 3. An Ap-
pendix containing four Diflertations on Points connefled with the
Subjects of thefe Prophecies. By D. Durell, B. I3. Oxford, 1763.

Ifaiah. A new Tranflation with a preHminary DifTertation and Notes
critical, philological, and explanatory. By Rob. Lowth, D. D. Lord
Bifhop of London. Lond. 1778.

Jeremiah and Lamentations. A new Tranflation with Notes critical,
philological, and explanatory. By Benj. Blaney, B. D. Oxf. 1784.

A Commentary on the Book of Job, in which is inferted the Hebrew
Text and Englifh Tranflation : with a Paraphrafe, &c. By Leonard
Chappelow, B. D. Camb. 1752, 2 vol.

A critical Dillertation on the Bo6k 6f Job : wherein the Account given
of that Book by the Author of the Divine Legation of Mofes demon-
ftrated, &c., is particularly confidered ; thfe Antiquity of the Book
vindicated; the great Text (Chap. xix. 25.) explained} and a future
State ibewn to have been the popular Belief of the ancient Jews or
Hebrews. By C. Peters, A. M. Lond. 1751, 2d. Ed.

Annotations on the Pfalms, by James Merrick, M. A. Reading, 1768.

A Commentary on the Book of Pfalms : in which the literal or hiftori-
cal Senfe, as they relate to King David and the People of Ifrael, is il-
luftrated, and their Application to Meffiah, to the Church, and to In-
dividuals as Members thereof, is pointed out. By G. Home, D. D,
Oxf. 177&, 2 vol.

Marci Marini BrixianI Annotationes literales in Pfalmos nova Vei'fione
illuftrato?, &c. Bdnoniae, 1748, 2 vol.

Phil. D. Burkii Gnomon Pfalmorum. Stutgardiae, 1760, 2 vol.

A philofophical and critical Eflay on Ecclefiafles : v/herein the Author's
Defign is ilated; his Ddilrine vindicated; his Method explained in
an analytical Paraphrafe annexed to a new Verfion of the Text from
the Hebrew, Sic. By A. V. Defvoeux. Lond. 1760.

Phil. Dav. Burkii Gnomon in dUodecim Prophetas minores, cum Praefa-
tione Bengelii Heilibronns, 175^. A Commentary upon the twelve
minor Prophets was publifhed by John Markius in 4 vol. 410, at Am-
fterdam, 1696, &c. This author (Markius) printed in feveral volumes
many ufeful Diflertations upon various parts of the old and new Tefta-
ment : he was cotemporary with Le Clerc, artd differs from him in
many of his works.

Vaticinia Chabacuci et Nachumi, itemque nonnulla Jefaise, Miches, et
Ezechielis oracula, Obfervationibus Hillorico-phiiologicis ex Hiftoria
Diodori Siculi circa res Sardanapali illufl:rata. Au6lore R. T. Got-
tlieb Kalinfky, cum Praefatione Burgii. Vratiflavias, 1 748.

Critical Remarks on the Books of Job, Proverbs, Pfalms, Ecclefiaftes,
and Canticles, by D. Durell, D. D. Oxf. 1772.

Poetical Parts of the old Teflameat, newly tranflated from the Hebrew,
with Notes critical and explanatory. ByW.Green, M.A. Lond.1781.

De facra Poefi Hebraeorum Praele£liones Academics habitae a Roberto
Lowth, M. A. Collegii Novi nuper Socio et Poeticae Publico PraS-.
ledlore. Subjicitur Metricce Harianae brevis Confutatio, et Oratio
Crewiana. OxQji. 1753. Thi§ learned work has been defervedly ad.
VoL.VL *B mir

A CatalogKe of

mired both at home and abroad. An edition was, publiflied at Got-
tingen, 1758, to which Notas et Epimetra adjecit vJ^/VZ'W/V. This
lafl edition has been printed in Ugolini Thefauro, vol. 31, where the
reader will meet with many other trasSts on Hebrew Poetry. The laft
ed. in 8vo. was printed in 1775.

Introdudio ad Libros Canonicos veteris Teftamenti omnes, proecognita
critica et hiftorica ac Auftoritatis vindicias exponens. Adornata Au-
dio D. J. Gottlob Carpzovii. Lip. 1731. Ed. 2da. 2 vol. The reader
will here find very learned difquifitions upon every book of the old
Tellament, and a catalogue of the moft approved writers on each of
them.

Joh. Gottlob Carpzovii Critica facra veteris Teftamenti, Parte i. Circa
Textum originalem ; 2. Circa Verfiones; 3. Circa Pfeudo-criticam.
Gul. Whifto'ni, folicita. Lipfias, 1728.

A critical Hiftory of the old Teftament, in three Books, with a Supple-
ment, being a Defence of the critical Hiftory in Anfwer to Mr. Span-
heim's Treatife againft it. By Father Simon. Engliftied by H. D.
Lond. 1682.

D. Joan. Marfhami Eq. Aur. et Bar. Chronicus Canon Egyptlacus
Ebraicus, Grsecus, et difquifitiones ; liber non chronologiai tantum
fed et hiftoricas antiquitatis reconditiffima complexus. Franequersey
1696. This learned v/ork was firft publiftied in folio in Lond. 1672,
and afterwards in 4to. at Leipfic, 1676, which edition is followed by
the author of the following work, which was v/rittcn in oppofition ta
an opinion embraced by Sir J. Marfham and others, — That moft of
the Jewifti Rites were borrowed from the Egyptians.

Iiermanni Witfii j^gyptiaca five de ^gyptiacorum facrorum cum He-
braicis collatione Libri trcs. Et de decem Tribubus Ifraelis Liber
fmo-ularis ; acceflit diatribe de Legione fulminatrice Chriftianorum fub-
Imperatore Mar. Aur. Antonino. Amftel. 1683.

I'he Chronology of the ancient Kingdoms amended. To which is pre-
fixed, a fhort Chronicle from the iirft Memory of Things in Europe
to the Conqueft of Pcrfia by Alexander the Great. By Sir Ifaac New-
ton. Lond. 1727.

The Chronology of the Hebrew Bible vindicated. The Fadrlis compared
with other ancient Hiftories, and the Difficulties explained from the
Flood to the Death of Mofes. By Robert Lord Bifhop of Clogher.
Lond. 1747. He who wifties to know more on this fubjeil of Chro-
nology, may confult Jackfon's Scripture Chronology, in 3 vol. 4to.
Bedford's Scrip. Chron. publiftied in 1730, and an Eflliy of Dr. Brett's
wherein he defends the Computation of the Septuagint, 1729, &c. &c.

Had. Relandi Palseftina ex Monumentis veteribus illuftrata. Trajedi ad
Rhe. 1714-) 2 vol.

De Sacrihciis Libri duo; quorum altcro explicantur omnia Judasorum ;
nonnulla Gentium profanarum Sacrificia; altero Sacrincium Chrifti.
Utroque Ecclefire Catholicas his de Rebus Sententia contra Fauftum
Socinum ejufque Sectatorcs defenditur. Auctore Gul. Ontramo S.T.P»
Lond. 1677.

The peculiar Doctrines of Revelation relating to piacular Sacrifices, Re-
demption by Chrift, Faith in him, &c. in two Effays; to which are
fubjoined, two Diflertations, i. On the OiFice of Jefus Chrift, as Me-
diator

Boob In Divinity,

diator and Surety of the new Covenant. 2. On the Peffon of Jcfu5
Chrift. By J. Richie, M. D. Warrington, 1766, 2 vol;

Antonii Van Dale Differtationes de Origine et Progreflu Idololatriae et
Superftitionum • de vera ac falfa Prophetia, uti et de Divinationibus
Idololatricis Judsorum. Amftel. 1696.

Antonii Van Dale de Oraculis veterum Ethnicorum DiflertationeS duse,
&c. Ed. 2da. Amftel. 1700. Voffius publiftied a learned work in fo- .
lio, 1668, intitled, De Origine ac Progreffu Idololatrise. Selden's
Treatife De Diis Syris, with the Additions of Beyer, was publiflled in
8vo. at Amfter. 1680 : and another work with 88 copper plates illu-
flrative of the Idolatry of the Ancients was pubiiflied at Mentz in
1699, under the title — Theatrum-Ethnico-Idololatricum.

Of idolatry: a Difcourfe, in which is endeavoured a Declaration of its
Diftinction from Superftition; its Notion, Caufe, Commencement,
andProgrefs; its Pradice charged on Gentiles, &:c., as alfo of the
Means which God has vouchfafed for the Cure of it by the Shechinah
of his Son. By Tho. Tenifon, B. D. Lond.i67S.

The Court of the Gentiles, or a Difcourfe touching the Original of hu-
man Literature, both Philology and Philofophy, from the Jewifli
Church. By Thcop. Gale. Oxf. 1672, 2 vol. 2d. Ed.

A (Critical and chronological Hiftory of the Rife, Progrefs, Declenfion*
and Revival of Knowledge, chiefly religious, in two Periods, i. The
Period of 7'radition from Adam to Mofes. 2. The Period of Letters
from Mofes to Chrift. By Hen. Winder, D. D. Lond. 1745, 2 vol.

Reflexions fur 1' Origine, PHiftoire, et la Succeffion des Anciens Peu-
ples Chaldeens, Hebreux, Pheniciens, Egyptiens, Grecs, &c. jufques
au- Terns de Cyrus. Par M. Fourment, 1' aine. nov. Ed. a Paris,
1747, 2 vol. — The beft Naturalifts of the age lind great difficulty in
admitting, that the earth had no exiftence as a terraqueous globe before
the asra aligned by Mofes for its creation, or at leaft for its formation
into water and dry land : and hence all arguments, tending to prove
the origination of the human race to have been that which is mention-
ed in Scripture, are of great ufe; for, if the antiquity and the civil hi-
Jhry of our fpecies correfpond with the accounts delivered in the Bi-
ble, we cannot reafonably (confidering the imperfedtion of our know-
ledge) fufFer our Faith to be fhaken, by the difficulties attending the
natural hijhry of the earth. Viewed in this light, as well as in many
others, the following work has the greateft merit.

A new Syftem, or an Analyfis of ancient Mythology: wherein an At-
tempt is made to diveft Tradition of Fable, and to reduce the Truth
to its original Purity. In this work is given the hiftory of the Baby-
lonians, Chaldeans, Egyptians, Canaanites, Helladians, lonians, Le-
leges, _ Dorians, Pelafgi, alfo of the Scythaj, Indofcythce, Ethiopians,
Phoenicians. The whole contains an Account of the principal Events
in the firft Ages from the Deluge to the Difperfion : alfo of the va-
rious Migrations which enfued, and the Settlements made afterwards
in diiterent Parts: Circumftances of great Confequence which were
fubfequent to the Gentile Hiftory of Mofes. By Jacob Bryant. Lond,
1774-6, 3 vol.
Jac. Bruckcri Hiftoria Critica Philofophias a Mundi incunabulis ad no-
ftram ufque jetatem deducla. Lip. 1742, 5 vol.

B 2 Ra^ulphi

A Catalogue of

Radulphi Cudworthi Syftcma Intelle£luale hujus Univerfi, feu de varLis
Naturse Rerum originibus Commentarii, quibus omnis eorum Philo-
lofophia qui Deum efle negant funditus evertitur. Accedunt reliqua
ejus Opufcula. T. L. Mofhemius omnia ex Anglico Latine vertit,
recenfuit, variifque Obfervatlonibus, Diflertationibus illuftravit et
auxit. Lug. Bat. 1773, Ed. sda. emendatior et auftior, 2 vol.

Jo. Dav. Michaelis Syntagma Commentationum. Goettingae, 1 7 59.
The fourth DifTertation is intitled, Argumenta Immortalitatis Animo-
rum humanorum ex Mofe colleda (au(5tore Chrif. Colberg).

Novum Teftamentum Graecum, ita adornatum ut Textus probatarum
Editionum medullam, margo variantium Ledlionum in fuas Clafles
diftributarum Locorumque parallelorum deledtum ; Apparatus fubjun-
d:us, Crifeos facrae Millianae praefertim, compendium, &c. exhibeat ;
inferviente Jo. Alberto Bengelio Tubingze, 1734. A fecond edition
of the Apparatus was printed at the fame place in 1763: and an 8vo.
edition of the Text, various Readings and parallel Places, with only
one error of the prefs, and that a wrong accent, was publiftied at Stut-
gard in 1734. Another 8vo. edition at Tubing, 1753.

Novum Teftamentum Grscum ad fidem Graecorum Iblum Codicum
MSS. expreffum, adftipulante Ja. Wetftenio: juxta Sectiones Jo. Al-
ber. Bengelii divifum et nova Ii:terpu;i6lione faepius illuftratum. Typis
et fumptibus Joh. Nichols. Lond. 1783, Ed. 2da.

A Concordance to the Greek Teftament: with the Englifh Verfion to
each Word ; the principal Hebrew Roots correfponding to the Greek
"Words of the Septuagint; fhort critical Notes where neceflary ; and
an Index for the Benefit of the Englifti Reader. By John Williams,
LL.D. Lond. 1767.

A complete Concordance to the Holy Scriptures of the old and new
Teltament: in two Parts. By Alex. Cruden, M. A. Lond. 1758.
And I believe there has been a later edition.

Petri Mintert Lexicon Graeco-Latinum in N. T., in quo cujuflibet vo-
cis Etymon datur, Significationes variae explicantur, eique Vox feu
vocis Hebraicse et Chaldaicae, quando et pro quibus LXX Interpretes
illis ufi fuerint, apponuntur, et loca omnia N. T. in quibus leguntur,
ordine annotantur, variantes etiam Leiliones adduntur. Francofurti
ad Moenum, 1727. This, as its title indicates, is a learned work, it
may fupply the place of a Greek Concordance to the Septuagint and
the new Teftament.
A Greek and Englifli Lexicon to the new Teftament, &c. by John

. Parkhurft, M. A. Lond. 1769.

Theological Ledtures at Weftminfter Abbey, with an Interpretation of

the new Teftament ; to which are added, Sele6l Difcourfes upon the

principal Points of Revealed Religion. By John Heylin, D. D. Lond.

1749, Part I. and 1 761, Part 11.

Introductory Leisures to the facred Books of the new Teftament, by J.

D. Michaelis. Lond. 1761. A new edition in 1780.
Sacrorum Evangeliorum Verfio Syriaca Philoxejiiana ex Cod. MSS.
Ridleianis in Bibl. Coll. Nov. Oxon. repofitis nunc primum Edita :
cum Intcrpretatione et Annotationibus Jofephi White, A. M. Ling,
Arab. Prof. Laudiani. Oxon. 1778.

Te nouveau Teftament de notre Seigneur Jefus Chrift, traduit en Fran-
cois

Booh in Divinity,

501s fur r original Grec. Avec des Notes literales pour eclaircir le
Texte. Par Mrs. De Beaufobre et Lenfant. Amfter. 17 18, 2 vol.
The Family Expofitor, or a Paraphrafe and Verfion of the new Teftr-
ment, with critical Notes and a pra6lical Improvement of each Sedion.
By P. Doddridge, D. D. Lond. 1761, 6 vol.
An Expofition of the new Teftament, both Do6lrinal and Pra6tical : in
which is inferted, i. A corred Copy of the facred Text and the o-enuine
Senfe thereof given : 2. The Truths of the ChrilHan Relio-jon arc fet
in a plain and clear Light : 3. Difficult Places explained : 4, Seeming
Contradidiions reconciled ; and, 5. Whatever is material in the vari-
ous Readings, and the feveral oriental Verllons, is obferved. The
Whole illuftrated and confirmed from the moft ancient Jewifti Wri-
tings. By J.Gill,D.D. A new edition correded. Lond. 1774, 5 vol.
Chriftiani Schoettgenii Horse Hebraica: et Talmudicas in univerfum no-
vum Teftamentum. Quibus Horse J. Lightfoot in Libris hiftoricis
fupplentur, Epiitolas et Apocalypfis eodem modo illuftrantur. Acce-
dunt Diflertationes quasdam Philologico-facras. Drefds, 173?, 2 vol.
The fame author publifhed in 1742 in 2 vol. Horse Hebraicce et Tal-
mudicae in Theologiam Judaeorum dogmaticam antiquam et ortho-
doxum de Meflia.
Novum Teftamentum ex Talmude et antiquitatibus Hebraorum ilJu-
ftratum, curis clarif. vir. Balth. Scheidii, Jo. And. Danzii et Jac.
Rhenfordi, editumque una cum fuis propriis Diflertationibus de Nafi
feu praefide Synedrii M. et de djreftoribus Scholarum Hebrseorum.
A Joh. Ger. Meufchen. Lip. 1736.
Remarques hiftoriques, critiques, et philologiques fur le nouveau Tefta-
ment, par feu M. De Beaufobre. A la Haye, 1742, 2 vol.
A Commentary and Notes on the four Evangelifts and the Ails of the
Apoftles; together with a new Tranflation of the Epiftle to the Co-
rinthians, with a Paraphrafe and Notes; to which are added other
Theological Pieces, by Zach. Pearce, D.D. late Lord Biftiop of Ro-
chefter ; to which is prefixed, fome Account of his Lordftiip's Life
and Chara6ter, written by himfelf. Lond. 1777, ^ vol.
A Harmony of the four Gofpels, in which the natural Order of each is
preferved, with a Paraphrafe and Notes, by James Macknight, D.D,
Lond. 1763, 2 vol. 3d. Ed. There are prefixed to this edition vari-
ous preliminary obiervations ; fix chronological differtations • nine
difcourfes on Jewifti antiquities ; and an eflay on the demoniacs all
of which have great merit. A Latin tranflation of this work came
out at Bremen, 1772.
A Harmony of the Evangelifts in Englifli, with critical Diftertations an
occafional Paraphrafe, and Notes for the Ufe of the unlearned. By T.
Prieftley, LL.D. F.R.S. Lond. 1780. The reader may alfo confult
a new Harmony of the Gofpels, by John Jebb, M. A, Camb i-'-'2
' 2d. Ed. ^ ' // ^

Difcourfes on the four Gofpels, chiefly with Regard to the peculiar De-
fign of each, and the Order and Places in which they were written.
To which is added, an Inquiry concerning the Hours of St. John, of
the Romans, and of fome other Nations of Antiquity. Bv ]. Town-
fon,B.D. Oxf. 1778. i ^ y J

B 3 The

A Catalogue of

Txhe Hiftory of the Life of Jefus Chrift, taken from the new Teftament,
v/ith Obtcrvations and Refleitions proper to illuflrate the Excellence
of his Character and the Divinity of his Miffion and Religio.h By the
late Rev. G. Benfon, D. D. To v/hich is added, Memoirs of the
Life, Charader, and Writings of the Author. Lond. 1764.

Obfervations on our Lord's Conduft as a Divine Inftrudior, and on the
Excellence of his moral CharatSter, by W. Nev^xome, D. D. Bifliop
of Waterford. Lond. 1782.

The Hiftory of the firft Planting of the Chriftian Religion, taken from
the A6i:s of the Apoftles and their Epiftles, together with the remark-
able Fails of the Jewifh and Roman Hiftory, which affedled the
Chriftians within this Period. By G. Benfon, £). D, Lond. 1756, 2d.
Ed. 3 voj.

A new Verfion of St. Matthew's Gofpel, with fele61: Notes, wherein the
Verfion is vindicated, and the Senfe and Purity of feveral Words and
Expreliions in the original Greek are fettled and illuftrated; to which
is added, a Review of Dr. Mill's Notes on this Gofoel. By D. Scott,
J. U. D. Lond. 1741.

A new Tranflation of the Gofpel of St, Matthew : with Notes critical,
philological, and explanatory. By Gilbert Wakefield, B. A. Lond.
1782. . _ _

Comraentarius Analytico-Exegeticus tarn Hteralis quam realis Evangelii
fecundum Joannem, Authorc Fred. Adol. Lampe. Amftel. 1724-6, 3
vol. This is the molt valuable work on St. John's Gofpel that was
ever publilheu.

A Parapiirafe and Notes on the Epiftles of St. Paul to the Coloffian?,
Philippians, and Hebrews, after the Manner of Mr. Locke. To which
are annexed, feveral critical Dificrtations on particular Parts of Scrip-
ture. The fecond Ed. By the late reverend and learned Mr. James
Peirce, of Exon. With a Parfiphrafe and Notes on the three laft Chap-
ters of the Hebrews left uiiHnilhed by Mr, Peirce; and an Eflay to
difcover trie Author of the Epilfle, and the Language in which it was
originally v.7ritLen. By J. Haliet, Jun. Lond. 1733.

A Paraphrafe and Notes en fix of the Epiftles of St. Paul, viz. L ThefT.
IL Theff. L Timothy, Philemon, Titus, IL Tim. attempted in Imi-
tation of Mr. Locke's Manner. To Vk'hich are annexed, critical Dif-
fertations, by G. Benfon, D. D. Lond. 1752, 2d. Ed.

A Paraphrafe and Notes on the Epiftle to the Romans ; to which is pre-
fixed, a Key to the Apoftolic Writings, or an Effay to explain the
Gofpel Scheme, and the principal Words and Phrales the Apoftles
have ufed in defcribing it. By J. Taylor, Minifter of the Gofpel in
Norwich. Lond. 1754, 3d. Ed.

A Paraphrafe and Notes on the Epiftles of St. Paul to the Galatians and
Ephefian?, by S. Chandler, D. D. Publiftied from the Author's MS.
Lond. 1777. _ ,

A Paraphrafe and Notes on the Epiftle to the Hebrews. To which is
prefixed, an Enquiry — into the Author of this Epiftle : when it was
wrote : the Manner of citing the old Teftament ; and the Method of
reafoning in it : with fome Remarks on the late Lord Bolingbroke's
Treatment of St. Paul. By Arthur Afhley Sykes, D.D. Lond. 1755.

A

Books in Dtvhiiiy,

A Paraphrafe and Notes on the kvcn (commonly called) Catholic Epi-
ftles, by George Benfon, D.D. Lond. 1756, 2d. Ed.

Anacrifis Apocalypfios Joannis Apoftoli, qua in veras interpretandae ejus
Hypothefes diligcnter inquiritur, et ex iifdem interpretatio fadla, certis
hiftoriarum monunientis confirmatur atque illuftratur : turn quoque
qu3s Meldenfis Prceful Bofllietus hujus libri commentario fuppofuit, et
exegetico Proteftantium Syftemati in vifis dc Beftia ac Babylone My-
ftica objecit, ledulo examinantur. Au^tore Camp. Vitringa. Ed. al-
tera. Amftel. 1 7 19. — Heidegger in 1687, pi^hlifhed two volumes in
4to. upon the prophecy in the Revelation, De Babylone magna, and
endeavoured by a variety of arguments to eftablifti this conclufion,- —
H'lerarchiamfcu Clerwn Ecclefice Romance dorninantem Babylone?}! mag7tam

#•

A perpetual Commentary on the Revelation of St. John, with a prelimi,
nary Difcourfe concerning the Principles upon which the faid Revela-
tion is to be underftood. By Charles Daubuz, M. A. late Vicar of
Brotherton in Yorkfhire. New modelled, abridged, and rendered
plain to the meaneft Capacity, by Peter Lancafter, A.M. Lond.
1730.

Obfervatlons upon the Prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypfe of St.
John, in two Parts. By Sir Ifaac Newton. Lond. 1733.

A Paraphrafe and Notes on the Revelation of St. John. Ey Mofes Low-
man. Lon. 1745, 2d. Ed. A third Ed. in 8vo. 1773.

Oeuvres de Mellire Jacques-Benigne Bofluet Eveque de Meaux, &:c.
Nouvelle Ed. a Paris, 1772. In the preface to the third vol. there is
this obfervation, — Le Commentaire fur 1' Apocalypfe qui occupe la
plus grande Partie de ce Volume, a pourObje61: principe de decouvrir
1' abus enorrae que les Miniftres Proteftans, et furtout le fameux Ju-
rieu, faifoient de ce Livre divin, pour charger 1' Eglife Catholique des
plus horribles Imputations en la reprefentant comme la Babylone dont
il eft parle dans Saint Jean. Bifliop Hurd has very properly remark-
ed, " that the Bifhop of Aleaux knev/ what he did when he ajfeSied a
contempt of Jofeph Mcde. He was then at liberty to turn himfelf
from the ableft advocate of the protellant caufe, to the iveakeji — M.
"Jurieu.^^

A critical Hiftory of the Text of the newTeftament, wherein is firmly
eftabliihcd the Truth of thofc Afe on v/hich the Foundation of the
Chriflian Religion is laid. By Father Simon. Lond. 1689-92, 2 vol.

Fabricii Delectus Argumentorum et Syllabus Scriptorum, qui Vcritatem
Religionis Chriftianae adverfus Atheos, Epicureos, Deiftas, feu Natu-
raliftas, Idololatras, Judoeos et Muhammedanos Lucubrationibus fuis
afleruerunt. Hamburgi, 1725. The Title of this work fufficiently in-
dicates its nature and utility. A Treatife of a nature fomevvhat fimi-
lar to this was publifhed by Walchius in 1752, in 8vo. intitled, Intro-
dutSlio ad Theologiam Polemicam ; in which the points controv^erted
by Atheifts, Deifts, Jev/s, &c. are difcuflfed with great accuracy.

La Religion Chretien prouvee par les Faits. Par M. 1' Abbe Houtte-
ville. Nouvelle Ed. a Paris, 1740, 3 vol. This, book is written with
good judgment J the third volume is taken up in anfwering deiftical
objections. • ' '

B4 The

A Catalogue of

The Truth of the Gofpel Hiftory, by James Macknight, D. D, Lond.
1763.

A large Colleftion of ancient Jewifti and Heathen Teftimonies to the
Truth of the Chriftian Religion, with Notes and Obfervations, by
Nat. Lardner, D. D. Lond. 1767, 4 vol.

philippi a Limborch de Veritate Religionis Chriftianae arnica collatio
cum erudito Judaeo. Gondae, 1687.

ISalomonis Glaffii Philologia Sacra, qua totius SS Veteris et novi Tefti-
menti Scriptura?, turn Stylus et Literatura, turn Senfus et genuinae
Intcrpretationis ratio et doilrina librls quinque expenditur ac traditur.
Lipfiae, 1743. This work was firft publifhed in 1623, and it is ftill
much cftecmed. Buddeus, in a preface prefixed to this edition, and
written in 171 3, expreiTes the fentiments of the learned concerning it
in the ifollowing terms, — Confentiunt in eo omnes huncce ex eorum
genere librum effe qui facrarum literarum cultoribus non tantum utiles
fed prorllis neceflarii fint, et quo nemo carere queat, qui ad fcripturas
facrae lecSlionem et interpretationem folide et accurate inflituendam
animum adjifngit. T'he laft edition was publifhed at Leipfic in 1776
by ProfefTor Dathius under this title, Philologia Sacra his temporibus
accoinmodata.

Commentatio critica ad Libros N. T. in gcncre. Cum Praefatione D.
J. Gottlob Carpzovii. Accurante J. W. Rumpaeo. Lip. 1757, Ed,
;2da. Critical queftions of great variety and importance relative to
the new Teftainent are here folidly difcuffed by a reference to the wri-
ters of the grcateft credit on each of them,

Camp. Vitringa Obfervationum Sacrarum Libri fex, in quibus de Rebus
varii Argumenti et utiliffimae inveftigationis critice ac theologice
difleritur, &G. Amfter. 1727, 2 vol. 3d. Ed. and a 7th Book. Frane-
querac, 1 727.

Joan. F. Buddei Mifcellanea Sacra. Jena?,* 1727, 3 vol. The laft vo,
Jume contains Diflertationes Theologicas fub ejus Moderamine pub-r
lico Eruditorum- examini expofitas.

SamuelisWerenfeiriiOpufculaThcol.Philof.etPhilologica. Bariliae,i7i8.

D. Salomonis Deylingi Obfervationes Sacra?. In quibus multa Scrip-
turae veteris ac novi Teftamenti ddbia vexata folvuntur, 6cc. Lipfiae,
1739, 5 vol. Ed. 3tia.

Jo. Chriftopheri Wolfii Curae philologicae et crjticae in omnes Libros N,
T., quibus integritati contextus Graeci confulitur, fenfus vcrborurn
ex praefidiis philologicis illuftratur, diverfce Interpretum fententiae fum-
marim enarrantur, et modefto examini fubjectae vel approbantur vel
refelluntur. Bafiliae, 1741, 5 vol. This work has fome refemblance,
in the manner of its compofition, to Poole's Synopfis, but is written
with more judgment, and contains the opinions of many expofitors
who have lived llnce the publication of Poole's work. Wolfius,
moreover, has not followed Poole in fimply relating the fentiments of
others, but has frequently animadverted on them with great critical
difcernment.

Jo. Chrif. Koecheri Analeaa Philologica et Exegetica in IV. S. Evan-
gelia quibus Wolfii Curse philologicsc fupplentur atque augentur. Al-
tenburgi, 1766,

Critical

Books m Divinity.

•Cridcal ConjeiSlures and Qbfervations on the new Teftament, colle6led
from various Authors, as well in Regard to Words as Pointing, with
the Reafons on which both are founded. By W.Bowyer. Lond.1783,
Ed. 3d. The reader will here meet with much found criticifm, and
many inftances of the importance cf true Punftuation, which Mr.Bow-
yer thought of more moment than all the various readings put together.

D. C. B. Michaelis Tra6tatio critica de variis Le6tionibus novi Tefti-
menti Cfiute coUigendis et dilucidandis. Halae Magde. 1749.

D. Jo. Albert! Bengelii Gnomon novi Teftamenti, in quo ex nativa
Verborum vi, fimplicitas, profunditas, concinnitas, falubritas fenfuum
coeleftium indicatur. Tubingse, 1759, Ed. 2da. The defign of this
work is properly declared by the learned Author, when he fays, —
Hoc denique agitur, ut quae in fententiis verbifque Scripturae N. T.
fita vis fit, neque tamen primo ab omnibus obfervatur, ea breviter
monftretur.

Dubia Evangelica in tres Partes diftributa; quibus dubia partim t^-rty-nliKx.
partim I'Kiyx.riKx difcuffa et vindicata a cavillis et corruptelis Atheo-
rum, Paganorum, Judaeorum, Samofatenianorum et Anabaptillarum,
Pontificiorum et SetStariorum aliorum Opera Fred. Spanhemii. Ge-
nevae, 1658, 2 vol.

Hiftoria Ecclefiaftica duorum primorum a Chrifto nato Sasculorum e
veteribus Monumentis deprompta a J. Clerico. Amftei. 1716.

Joh. Lauren. Moflieim de Rebus Chriftianorum ante Conftantinum
magnum Commentarii. Helmftadii, 1753.

Thomne Ittigii Lipfienfis de Haerefiarchis aevi Apoftolici et Apoftolico
proximi, f^^u primi et fecundi a Chrifto nato Sseculi. Lip. 1690.

Appendix Diifcrtationis de Hsrefiarchis, &c. aut. T. Ittigio. Lip. 1696.

The Hiftory of the Hereticks of the two firft Centuries after Chrift,
containing an Account of their Time, Opinions, and Teftimonie to
the Books of the new Teftament. By Nat. Lardner, D. D. Lond.
1780.

Fred. Spanhemii brevis Introduflio ad Hiftoriam facram utriufque T^efta-
menti ac prsecipue Chriftianam, ad an. 151 8, inchoata jam Refor.
Ed. fere nova omnium purgatiilima. Lugd. Bat. 1694.

Joan. Dallxi de Ufu Patrum ad ea definienda Religionis capita quae funt
hodie Controverfa. Genevae,i686. This very excellent book appeared
firft in French, 1632, and it was tranflated into Englifti in 1651.

Salutaris Lux Evangelii, toti Orbi per divinam gratiam exoriens, five
Notitia hiftorico-chronologica literaria et geographica propagatorum
per Orbem Terrarum Chriftianorum facrorum delineata a Joan. Alb,
Fabricio. Hamb. 1 731. There is fubjoined to this work a Geogra-
phical Index of all the Biftiopricks which have formerly fubfifted, or
do at prefent fubfift in Chriftendom. All the works of Fabricius are
full of erudition, and deferve the peculiar attention of young divines.

Cafparis Zeigleri de Epifcopis eorumque Juribus, Privilegiis, et vivendi
ratione Liber Commentarius, ex variis veteris Ecclefias Monumentis
atque fcriptis colle6tus, inque gratiam Juris Canonici ftudioforum pub-
licae luci expofitus, Norimbergae, 1686. In this book a great many
curious queftions are propofed in great order, and difculfcd with much
learning.

The

A Catalogue of

'ihe Hiftory of the Puritans, or Proteflant Non-Conformills. By Dan.

Neale, M. A. Lond. 1754, 2 vol. 2d. Ed.
Trails on the Liberty, Spiritual and Temporal, of Proteftants in Eng-
land. By Anthony Ellis, D.D. late Lord Bifliop of St. David's.

Lond. 1767, 2d. Ed.
Inftitutio Theologicae Elenfticae, in qua flatus Controverlije perfpicuc

exponitur, prascipua orthodoxorum Argumenta proponuntur et vindi-

cnntur, et fontes folutionum aperiuntur. Authore Fran. Turretino.

Geneva, 1689, 3 vol.
Francifci Turretini de Satisfailione Chrifti Difputationes. Gen. 1666.
De necefi'aria Seceflione noftra ab Ecclefia Romana, et impoffibili cum ea

Synchretifmo Difputationes. Aut. Fran. Turretino, accefiit ejufdem

Difputationum mifcellanearum decas. Genevae, 1688.
Job. Aiphonfi Turretini, Cogitationes et Difl'ertationes Theologicas,

quibus Principia Religionis cum Naturalis turn Revelatae adftruuntur

et defenduntur,- Animique ad Veritatis, Pictatis ct Pacis ftudium ex-

citantur. Genevae, 1737, 2 vol.
Syntagma Thefium Theologicarum in Academia Salmurienfi variis tem-

poribus difputatarum. Salmurii, 1664, Ed. 2da.
Francifci Burmanni Synopfis TLtologije et fpeciatim Oeconomiae foede-

rum Dei ab initio fcsculorum ulique ad confummationem eorum. Tra-

jecli ad Rhenum. 1687, 2 vol.
A Courfe of Lectures on the principal Subjects in Pneumatology, Ethics

and Divinity : v/ilh References to the moft confiderable Authors on

each Subject. By the late Rev. Philip Doddridge, D.D. Lond. 1763.
The Oeconomy of the Gofpel in four Books. By C. Bulkley. Lond.

1764.
The Works of the late reverend and learned Ifaac Watts, D. D. Lond.

1753, 6 vol.
The Works of the Right P^everend T. Newton, D.D. late Lord Bifhop

of Briilol. With fome x^ccount of his Life, and Anecdotes of his

Friends, v/ritten by himfelf. Lond. 1782, 3 vol.
The Works of the Right Reverend T. Vv ilfon, D. D. Lord Bifhop of

Sodbr and Man. With his Life compiled from authentic Papers, by

C, Crutwell. Lond. 1781, 2 vol.
A Syflcm of Rsvealed Religion, digefted under proper Heads, and com-

pofed in the Words of Scripture, by Jo. Warden, M. A. Lond,

1769.

O C T A V O S, &c.

Biblia Hebraica fecundum ultimam Editionem Jof. Athia^ a J. Leufden
denuo recognitam recenfita, atque ad Maforam, et corre6liones Bom-
bcrgi, Stephani, Plantini, aliorumque Editiones exquifite adorilata,
variifque Notis iiluitrata, ab Everardo Vander Hooght, V. D. M. Ed.
longe accuratiffima. Amftel. etUltraj. 1705, 2 vol.

Vet us Teftamentum ex Verfione Septuaginta interpretum fecundum
exemplar Vaticanum Romae editum. Praefationem una cum variis
Lcclionibus, e prajftantiflimis MSS. Codicibus Bibliothecas Leidenlis
defcriptis, prsmifit David MilHus. Amftel. 1725.

Vetus

^ooh in Divhuty.

Vetus Teftamentum Gi'secum ex Verfione Septuaginta interpretum
juxta exemplar Vaticanmn Romse editum. Cantab. 1663. This is a
verv fair edition of the Septuagint printed by Field, with a preface by
Bp. Pearfon, at the end of which he recommends a collation of the
MSS. of the Septuagint. Mintert made ufe of this edition in com-
pofing his Lexicon.

Clavis Pentateuchi ; five Analyfis omnium Vocum Hebraicarum fuo
ordine in Pentateucho Mofeos occurrentium : una cum Verfione La-
tina et Anglica. In ufum juventutis Academi?e Edinburginae. Cui
praemittuntur Diflertationes du£ ; i. De Antiquitate Linguae Arabicae ;
2. De genuina Pun6lorum Vocalium Antiquitate. Au6lore Jacob.
Robertfon S. T. P. Edinb. 1770.

A Differtation concerning the Antiquity of the Hebrew Language, Let-
ters, Vowel-Points and Accents. By T. Gill, D. D. Lond. 1767.

Francifci Mafclef Grammatica Hebraica, a Pundlis aliifque inventis Maf-
forethicis libera, &c. Paris, 1 731, 2 vol.

Chriftiani Stockii Clavis Linguae fandlae veteris Teftamenti. Lipfia?,
1753, Ed. 6a.

Jo. Chrif. Clodii Lexicon Hebraicum fele£lum in quo Voces rariores
et obfcurae Codicis Hebraei Biblici illuftrantur, &c. in Supplementum
Lexici GufTetiani. Lipf. 1744.

Joan. Dav. Michaelis Epif. de LXX Hebdomadibus Danielis. Ad D.
Joan. Pringle Baronetum. Lond. 1772.

Obfervations on divers Paflages of Scripture, placing many of them in a
Light altogether new; afcertaining the Meaning of feveral not deter-
minable by the Methods com.monly made ufe of by the learned j pro-
pofing to Confideration probable Conjedlures on others, different from
what have been hitherto recommended to the Attention of the curi-
ous ; and more amply illuftrating the Reft than has been done, by
Means of Circumftances incidentally mentioned in Books of Voyages
and Travels into the Eaft. Lond. 2d. Ed. 1776, 2 'Vol. The defio-n
«f this work is very ufeful, and it has been executed with great ability
by the author, the Rev. Mr. Harmer. We are indebted to the fame
author for the outlines of a new Commentary on Solomon's Song,
drawn by the help of Inftructions from the Eaft. Lond. 1768, 8vo.
The Society which was inftituted in the courfe of the laft year at Cal-
cutta^ under the aufpices of Sir William Jones, for inquiring into the
Hiftory civil and natural, the Antiquities, Arts, Sciences, and Lite-
rature of Afia, will, it is to be hoped, contribute not a little by their
refearches, to the improvement of this kind of fcriptural criticifm ;
as weil as to the enlargement of our knowledge in many other par-
ticulars.

An Effay for a new Tranflation of the Bible. Wherein is fhewn, from
Reafon and the Authority of the beft Commentators, Interpreters, and
Critics, that there is a NeceiTity for a new Tranflation. Lond. 1727,
2d. Ed.

Apparatus Biblicus; or an Introdu6lion to the holy Scriptures. In three
Books. I. Qf the original Hiftory and Antiquity of the Jews. 2. Of
the Canon, Authors, original Texts, Verfions, Editions, and Interpre-
tations of Scripture. 3. Of the falfe Gods, Animals, precious Stones,

Difeafes,

A Catalogue of

Direafes, and public Sports, mentioned in the Scriptures. Together
with an Explanation of the fcriptural Names and a new Reading of
the Scriptures. Done into Englifh from the French of Pere La?ny,
with Notes and Additions. lUuftrated with 36 Copper-plates. Lond.
1 728, 2d. Ed. 2 vol. This work will be very ufeful to thofe who have
not leifure to confult larger treatifes, on the fubje6ls which are dif-
cufTed in it.
Antiquitates Hebraicae fecundum triplicem Judaeorum Statum ecclefiafti-
cum, politicum, et oeconomicum breviter delineatce a Conrado Ike-
nio. Bremae, 1741, Ed. 3tia. the ift. Ed. in 1732. Reland's Anti-
quitates Sacrae have been publiftied in different forms, and they are to
be met with in Ugolini Thefauro with Annotations by the Editor.
This book of Ikenius' is valuable for its brevity, method, and per-
fplcuity.
Origines Hebraae: The Antiquities of the Hebrew Republick. By The.
Lewis, M. A. Lond. 1724-5, 4 vol. This is a laborious compilation
from the moft diflinguifhed writers, whether Jews or Chriftians, on
the manners and laws of the Hebrews.
Jewifli Antiquities; or a Courfe of Leftures on the three firft Books of
Godwin's Mofes and Aaron. To which is annexed, a Diflertation on
the Hebrew Language, by Dav. Jennings, D. D. Lond. 1766, 2 vol.
The Treatifes of Mr. Lowman on the Ritual and on the civil Govern-
ment of the Hebrews, may properly accompany thefe works on the
Hebrew Antiquities.
Revelation examined with Candour. Lond. 1735-63, 3 vol. by Dr. De-

lany.
Lettres de Qiielques Juifs, Portugais, et AUemands, a M, De Voltaire.
Avec dcs Reflexions critiques et un petit Commentaire extrait d' un
plus grand. A Paris, 1776, 3 vol. 4 Ed. Thefe letters contain an
ele^^ant anlwer to the various objections to revealed religion which
Vottaire had borrowed from our Englifti Deifts; they were written
by the Abbe Guenee. An Engliih tranflation of them by Dr. Lefanu
was publiftied at Dublin in 1778, 2 vol.
A Vindication of the facred Books and of Jofephus, efpecially the for-
mer, from various Mifreprefentations and Cavils of M. De Voltaire.
By Rob. Findlay, A. M. Glafgow, 1770. This is aferiousand folid
refutation of many of M. De Voltaire's moft formidable objedions to
the facfcd writings.
A critical Hiftory of the Life of David : in which the principal Events
are ranged in Order of Time j the chief Objections of Mr. Bayle and
others againft the Chara6ler of this Prince, &:c. are refuted. By S.
Chandler, D. D. Lond. 1766, 2 vol.
The divine Legation of Mofes demonftrated in nine Books. By W.War-
burton. Lord Biftiop of Gloucefter, Lond. 1765, 5 vol. 4th Ed. A
new edition of all the works of this learned Prelate is cxpedlcd.
Codex Pfeudepigraphus veteris Teftamenti collectus, caftigatus, teftimo-
niifque cenfuris et animadverfionibus illuftratus a Fabricio Hamb.
1722, 2 vol.
Novum Teftamentum Graece. Textum ad fidem Codicum Verfionum
et Patrum emendavit et Ledionis varietatem adjecit. Jo. Jac. Grief-
bach

Books in Divinity.

bach Theologize Do(£lor, ejufdemque in Academ. Jenen. ProfefTor
publ. Ordinarius. Halas, 1777, 2 vol.

The new Teftament carefully collated with the Greek and corrected ;
divided and pointed according to the various Subjedls treated of by the
infpired Writers, with the common Divifion into Chapters and Verfes
in the Margin. • And illuftrated with Notes critical and explanatory.
By R. Wynne, A. M. Lond. 1764, 2 vol.

The Hiftory of the Miniftry of Jefus Chrift, combined from the Narra-
tive of the four Evangelifts, by Rob. Willan, M. D. Lond. 1782.

A View of our blefled Saviour's Miniftry, and the Proofs of his Divine
Million arifmg from thence. Together with a Charge, Diflertations,
Sermons, and Theological Ledures. By the late Tho. Randolph,
D. D. Lady Margaret's Prof, of Divinity in the Univerfity of Oxford.
Oxf. 1784, 2 vol.

Chriftiani Stockii Clavis Linguae Sanftas novi Teftamenti. Lip. 1752,
Ed. 5a. In the prefaces to his Lexicons, Stockius has enumerated
the principal Hebrew and Greek Lexicons of the Bible which were
publifhed before his own.

J. Conr. Schwarz Commentarii critici et philologici Linguae Grascae
novi Foederis. Lipf. 1736, 2 vol. very fmall 4to.

Georgii Pritii Introdu£tio ad Le61:ionem N. T. in qua quae ad rem cri-
ticam Hiftoriam, chronologiam, et geographiam pertinent breviter et
perfpicue exponuntur. Lipfia?, 1704. the 4th. Ed. in 1737. I have
never met with any book fuperior to this as an introduilion to the new
Teftament.

Jufti Henningii Bohmeri XII Diflertationes Juris Ecclefiaftici Antiqul.
Hala?, 1729, Ed. 2da. This is a very excellent book, the titles of the
Diflertations are, i. De Stato Chriftianorum Die. 2. De antelucanis
Chriftianorum coetibus. 3. De Confcederata Chriftianorum Difci-
plina. 4. De coitionibus Chriftianorum ad capiendum cibum. 5.
De Chriftianorum coetibus in vicis et agris. 6. De Cognitionibus de
Chriftianis. 7. De diff^erentia inter Ordinem Ecclefiafticum et Plebem,
feu inter Clericos et Laicos. 8. De confeftli Ordinis Ecclefiaftici.
9. De Ecclefiae Statu antiquo generatim. 10. De Jure Laicorum fa-
cerdotali. ii. De Jure dandi Baptifmum. 12. De extraordinario
primitivae Ecclefiae ftatu.

Jo. Francifci Buddei Ecclefia Apoftolica, five de Statu Ecclefi^ Chri-
ftianze fub Apoftolis Commentatio Hiftorico-Dogmatica ; qure et In-
trodudionis loco in Epiftolas Pauli cseterorumque Apoftolorum efte
queat. Jen:E,i72g. The author has briefly treated this important fub-
jedl with great judgment, and referred to a variety of ufeful writers.'

Mifcellanea Sacra: containing an Abftradl of the Scripture Hiftory of
the Apoftles in a new Method. With four critical Efjays : i. On
the Witnefs of the holy Spirit. 2. On the Diftindtion between Apo-
ftles, Elders, and Brethren. 3. On the Time when Paul and Barna-
bas became Apoftles. 4. On the Apoftoiical Decree. To which is
added, an Eftay on the Difpenfations of God to A/Iankind, as revealed
in Scripture: together with a Diflertation on Hebrews xil '>'7_->^

Lond. 1782, 3 vol. The merit of this work is generally acknowl

ledged ^

A Catalogue of

ledged; Dr. Benfon owned himfelf much indebted to it in his hiftory
of the firft Planting of Chriftianity, and in fome other of his works.

A new Introduction to the Study and Knowledge of the new Teftament,
by E. Harwood, D. D. Lond. 1773, 2d. Ed. 2 vol.

The facred Interpreter : or a pradical Introdudtion towards a beneficial
reading of the Bible. Containing, i. An Hiftory of the four antient
Monarchies. 2. A general View of the Jewifli Church to the taking
of Jerufalem. 3. Remarks on the Pentateuch, Prophets, Gofpels, &c.
{hewing the Defign of each Book. 4. An exacSl Chronology of the
Scriptures. 5. A Difl'crtation on revealed Religion, and an Account
of thofe Divines who have defended it. 6, Difficult Texts explained,
&c. By David Collyer. Lond. 1726-46,2 vol.

Dominici Diodati, T. C. Neapolitan! de Chrifto Graece loquente Exer-
citatio- qua oftenditur Gra?cam feu Hellenifticam Linguam cum Ju-'
dxis omnibus, turn ipfi adeo Chrifto et Apoftolis nativam ac vernacu-
1am fuifle. Neapoli, 1767. The reader will meet with fom.e obfer-
vations on this fubje6l in Bowyer's Preface to his Conjedures on the
new Teftament.

Problema de anno Nativitatis Chriili, ubi occafionem oiFerente vetere
Herodis Antip^e Nummo, inNummophylacio Clementis XIV. P. O.'
M. Aflervato demonftratur, Chriftum natum effe anno VIII. ante
iEram vul^arem, contra veteres omnes et recentiores Chronologos.
Au6lorc P.^Dominico Magnan. Romse, 1772-

Tacobi Elfneri Obfervationes facrse in novi foederis Libros, quibus plura
lHorum Librorum loca ex Audtoribus potiffimum Grsecis et Antiqui-
tate exponuntur et illuftrantur. Traje6ti ad Rhenum, 1720, 2 vol.

loan. Albert! Obfervationes Philologies in facros novi foederis Libros.
Lugd. Bat. 1725.

Geor. Raphelii Annotationes in S. Scripturam, Hiftoricae in vetus, phi-
loloo-ic3e in N. T. ex Xenophonte, Polybio, Arriano, et Herodoto
colkaffi. Ludg. Bat. 1750, 2 vol. _ _ .

Elise Palairet Obfervationes Philologico-criticx, in facros novi foederis
Libros, quorum plurima loca ex Aucloribus potiffimum Grascis ex-
ponuntur, illuftrantur, vindicantur. Lugd, Bat. 1752.

lo. Tobise Krebfii Obfervationes in novum Teftamentum e Flavio Jo-^
fcpho. Lipf. 1755-

Georo-. Davidis Kype Obfervationes facrae in novi foederis Libros ex
Aucloribus potiffimum Graecis et Antiquit^tibus. Wrabflavisj

1755- . "

To. Bap. Ottii Spicilegium, five excerptum ex Flavio Jofepho ad N,

Teftam. illuftrationem. Lugd. Bat. 1 741.
A free and impartial Study of the holy Scriptures recommended : being
Notes on fome particular Texts, with Difcourfes and Obfervations oii
various Subjeas. By Jof. Hallet, Jun. Lond. 1729-36, 3 vol.
The facred Claffics defended and illuftrated : or an Effay humbly offered
towards proving the Purity, Propriety, and true Eloquence of the
Winters of the new Teftament. By A. Blackwell, M. A. Lond. 1737,

2 vol.
A Paraphrafe on the four Evangelifts, by Sam. Clarke, D. D. Lond.
1758, lOth. Ed. 2 vol. Though this paraphrafe is included in Dr.

o

Clarice's

Books in Divinity.

Clarke's works in folio, yet I have mentioned it here, as it may be
. eafily procured and is very ufeful.

A Paraphrafe and Notes on the k^% of the Apoftles, and upon all the
Epiftles of the new Teflament. Being a complete Supplement to Dr.
Clarke's Paraphrafe on the four Gofpels. By T. Pyle, M. A. Lond.-
1765, 2 vol. 5th. Ed. There is a Paraphrafe and Notes on the Reve-
lation by the fame author.

Bengelius'Introdudlion to his Expofition of the Apocalypfe: with his
Preface to that Work, and the greateft Part of the Conclufion of it,
and alfo his marginal Notes on the Text, which are a Summary of the
whole Expofition. Tranflated from the High Dutch, by J. Robert-
fon, D.D. Lond. 1757.

Codex Apocryphus novi Teftamenti colledus, caftigatus, teftimoniifque
cenfuris et animadverfionibus illuftratus a J. Alb. Fabricio. Hamb.
1703, 2 vol.

An hiftorical Geography of the old and new Teftament, by Ed. Wells,
D, D. Lond. 1721, 4 vol.

Dionyfii Petavii Rationarium Temporum, cui accedit Supplementum

• quo Hiftoria ad hoc ufque Tempus continuatur. Lugd. Bat. 1724*
2 vol.

The facred and profane Hiftory of the World connedled from the Crea-
tion of the World to the Diflblution of the AfTyrian Empire, &c. By
S. Shuckford. M. A. Lond. 1743, 4 vol. 3d. Ed.

The old and nev/ Teftament conne6led in the Hiftory of the Jews and
neighbouring Nations, from the Declenfion of the Kingdom of Ifrael
and Judah to the Time of Chrift. By H. Prideaux, D.D. Lond. 1749,
4 vol. loth. Ed.

J. Alph. Turretini compendium Hiftoriae Ecclefiafticae a Chrifto Nato
ad finem Sec. XVIL GenevjE, 1737. And with the Continuation,
by T. Simon. Halse, 1750.

Pauli Erncfti Jablonfki Inftitutiones Hiftoris Chriftianae. Francofurti
ad Viad. 3 vol. 1754-67. The third volume, which contains the
hiftory of the Church from the end of the feventeenth to the middle
of the prefent century, was compofed by Profeilbr Stofch after the
death of Jablonfki. An Englifh tranflation of this work in one vol.
8vo. v/ould be very ferviceable.

An Ecclefiaftical Hiftory from the Birth of Chrift to the prefent Time.
Written originally in French by Mr. Formey, Secretary to the Aca-
demy of Sciences at Berlin.. To which is added, an Appendix, giv-
ing an Account of the People called Methodifts, by the Tranflator.
Lond. 1766, 2 vol.

An Ecclefiaftical Hiftory ancient and modern, from the Birth of Chrift
to the Beginning of the prefent Century : in which the Rife, Projjrefs,
and Variation of Church Power, are confidcred in their Connexion
with the State of Learning and Philofophy, and the Political Hiftory
of Europe during that Period. By the late learned L. Moftieim, D.D.
Tranflated from the original Latin, and accompanied with Notes and
chronological Tables, by Arch. Machine, D.D. Lond. 1782, 6 vol.
The learned tranflator mentions the approbation which Dr. Warbur-
ton, Bifhop of Gloucefter, gave of this work in the following terms,

"Mo-

A Catalogue of

*' Moflieim's compendium is excellent, the method admirable, in {h«rf
the only one deferving the name of an Ecclefiaftical Hiftory.". The
three preceding works, however, have great merit, and may be read
with much utility.

A compendious Hillory of the Church, from the Beginning of the World
to the prefent Time (1710). Written in French byL. E. Dupin, and
tranflated into Englilh. Lond 1713,4 vol. Echard's Ecclefiaftical
Hiftory from the Birth of Chrift to the Eftablifliment of Chriftianity
under Conftantine, in the year 313, is valuable in many refpeds, the
third Ed. was publifhed in 1 7 12, and the firft in 1702.

Kemarks on Ecclefiaftical Hiftory from the Commencement of Chriftia-
nity to the year 151 7, when Luther began the Work of Reformation,

. by T. Jortin, D. D. 1767-73, 4 vol. Dr. Jortin has, in a little com-
pafs, taken notice of fo many fa6):s, and animadverted on them witti
fo much judgment, that this work will be ever held in deferved repute ;
he has inferted, alfo, into it the fubftance of his Difcourfes on the Na-
ture, Ufe, and Intent, of Prophecy; and on Miracles, which were

. preached at Boyle's Ledture.

Praile^tiones Ecclefiafticoe triginta novem olim habitx in facello Colle-
gii Emmanuelis apud Cantabrigienfes a Joan. Richardfon, S, T. B.
Lond. 1726. This is a pofthumous work of an author well known
by his Vindication of the Canon of the new Tcftament in Anfwer to
Toland. '

Hiftoire des Juifs depuis J. Chrift jufqu' a prefent, pour fervir de Con-
tinuation a r Hiftoire de Jofeph. Par M. Bafnage. Nouvelle Ed. aug-
mentee. Ala Haye, 1716, 15 vol.

The Apologies of Juftin Martyr, Tertullian, and Minutius Felix, in De-
fence of the Chriftian Religion, with the Commonitory of Vincentius
Lirinenfis concerning the primitive Rule of Faith, tranflated from
their Originals : with Notes, for the Advantage chiefly of Englifti
Readers, and a preliminary Difcourfe upon each Author. Together
with a prefatory Diftertation about the right Ufe of the Fathers. By
W. Reeves, M. A. Lond. 1716, 2 vol. The reader will perufe the
notes of this Gentleman with caution, for he declares with much vio-
lence, *' that he had rather believe no bible at all, than believe it in the
fenfe of that commentator" Le Clerc.

The genuine Epiftles of the Apoftolical Fathers, St. Barnabas, St. Igna-
tius, St. Polycarp, the Shepherd of Hermas, and the Martyrdoms of
St. Ignatius and St, Polycarp, written by thofe who were prefent at
their Sufterings. Tranflated and publiftied with a large preliminary
Difcourfe relating to the feveral Treatifes here put together. By W.
Wake, Lord Biftiop of Lincoln. Lond. 1710, 2d. Ed.

Diflertatio de S. Scripturarum Interpretatione fecundum Patrum Com-
mentarios. In qua probatur, 1. S. Scripturam eflTe regulam fidei unl-
earn, ex qua de omnibus Articulis fidei creditu neceflariis ad falutem
Judicium ferendum eft. 2. Patres five primaevos five fubfcquentcs
non efie Idoncos S. Scripture Interpretes. 3. Non pofTe Controver-
fias de S. Trinitate motas ex patribus, conciliis, aut traJitione vere
catholica definiri. Authore D. Whitby. Lond. 1714. Whitby in the
Jlpilogue to this work very boldly adds,— Ex trium primorum feculo-

Booh in Divmity.

Tum Scrlptoribus, hand pauca, In hoc opere, interpretamenta congefl:-
mus, ab omni veritatis fpecie aliena. Oftendant nobis Patrum Pa-
troni unicani Scripturas Pericopen, qua? alias, obfcura cum efTet, ab iis
lit lucem mutuata. But though the authority of Fathers and Coun-
cils be of no weight in controverf)' ; the learned will flill have recourfe
to them, as containing the materials of Ecclelialtical Hiftory.

The Credibility of the Gofpel Hiftory, or the Facts occafionally men-
tioned in the new Teftament confirmed by Paffages of ancient Au-
thors, who were cotemporary with cur Saviour or his Apoflles, or lived
near their Time. By Nat. Lardner, D. D. Lond. 1727-57, 17 vol.
The firft part of the Credibility of the Gofpel Hiltory was publirne(i*
in 1727, 2 vok and a 3d.- Ed. of it 1741. The fecond part v/as pub-
lifhed at fundry times from 1733 to 1755, in 12 vol. The Supple-
ment in 1756-7 in 3 vol. The intire Work is now become very
fcarce.

The Hiftory of the Eftablifliment of Chriflianity, compiled from Jewifli
and Heathen Authors only; exhibiting a Proof of the Truth of this
Religion. Tranflated from the French of Profbfibr Bullet, by W,
Salifbury, B.D. Lond. 1776. This work is well executed, and may
be ferviceable to thofe who have not Lardner's colIecS^ion of Jcwifh and
Heathen Teftimonies. The reader v/ill find fomething worth his at-
tention on this fubjeft in a fmall tra6l in 410. — Non Chriftianorum de
Chrifto Teftimonia ex antiquis Monumentis propofita et dijudicata.
ATobia Eckherdo. Qiiedlinburgi, 1725.

A new and full Method of fettling the canonical Authority of the new
Teftament. By the late Rev. Jer. Jones. Lorfd. 1726-7, 3 vol.

The Hiftory of the Propagation of Chriftianity and Overthrow of Pa-
ganifm. Wherein the Chriftian Religion is confirmed, the Rife and
Progrefs of heathenifti Idolatry is confidered, the Overthrow of Pa-
ganifm and the Spreading of Chriftianity in the feveral Ages of the
new Teftameat Church is explained. The prefent State of Heathens
is inquired into, and Methods for their Converfion oiFered. By Rob.
Millar. Edinb. 1723, 2 vol.

Letters on the Prevalence of Chriftianity before its civil Eftabllfhment.'
With Obfervations on a late Hiftory of the Decline; i)f the Roman
Empire. By Eaft Apthorp, M. A. Lond. 1778. The author has en-
riched this work with many learned remarks, and efpecially with a ca-
talogue of civil and ecclefiaftical hiftorians which the reader will find
to be very ufeful.

Five Letters concerning the Lifpiration of the Holy Scriptures, Tranf-
lated from the French of M. Le Clerc,i690.

A Vindication of tlie divine Authority and Infpiration of the Writings of
the old and nzw Teftament, in Aniwer to the preceding Book. By W.
Lowth, B.D. Oxf. 1692. .

An Eftay on Infpiration, confidered chiefly with Refpedl to the Evange-
lifts. By Gilbert Wakefield, B. A. Lond. 1781.

Defenfe des Propheties de la Religion Chretienne, par ie R. P. Baltus
de la Compagnie de Jefus, contre Grotius et M. Simon. A Paris, 1737,
3 vol. Grotius and Father Simon contend, that many of the prophe-
cies cited in the new Teftament from the old, have doable fenfes; one
Vol. VI. * C proper

A Catalogue of

proper and literal, which refpeded the times and perfons of the Jewlfh
nation ; the other allegorical, which refpeded the advent and perfon
of Chrifl. M. Baltus cenfures this as a Socinian mo^e of expounding
the prophecies, and, by a particular examination of the prophecies
quoted by the writers of the new Teilament, fhews, that they prirrta-

^ rily refpeclcd Chrift, and were literally accomplifhed in him.

The Ufe and Intent of Prophecy in the fe\'eral Ages of the World. Ift
iix Difcourfes, delivered at the Temple Church. To which are added

■ feveral DifTertations. By Tho. Sherlock, D.D. late Mafter of the
Temple, now Lord Bifhop of London. Lond. 1749, 5th. Ed. Thefe
difcourfes were attacked by Dr. Middleton in 1750, and have been
defended by Dr. Rutherforth, Mr. Rotherham, and others.

A Defence of Chriftianity from the Prophecies of the old Teftament ;
wherein are confidered all the Objections againft this Kind of Proof
advanced in a late Difcourfe on the Grounds and Reafons of the
Chriftian Religion. By Ed. Chandler, Lord Biihop of Coventry and
Lichfield. Lond. 1725, 2d. Ed.

A Vindication of the Chriflian Religion, in two Parts, i. A Difcourfe
of the Nature and Ufe of Miracles. 2. An Anfwer to a late Book,
intitled, A Difcourfe of the Grounds and Reafons of the Chriftian Re-
ligion. By Samuel Chandler. Lond, 1725. Collins' Difcourfe on the
Grounds and Reafons of the Chriftian Religion, publiihed in 1724,
was anfwered not only by the three authors lalt mentioned, but by a
variety of others; there is an account of the chief of them in Leland's
View of the Deiftical Writers ; and in Fabricius' Lux Evangelica,
where above 50 different publications in oppofition to Collins are enu-
merated. In the fame authors (Leland and Fabricius) the reader will
find a lift of thofe who anfwered Woolfton's Objections to the Mira-
cles of our Saviour.

An Eflay upon the Truth of the Chriftian Religion; wherein its real
Foundation upon the Old Tejlaynent is {hewn. Occafioned by the
. Difcourfe of the Grounds and Reafons of the Chriftian Religion. By
A. A. Sykes, M. A. Lond. 1725. M. De la Roche, in his Memoirs
. of Literature, fpeaking of this work, fays, — If this book does not ap-
pear fufficient to remove fcruples about the quotations of the firft
preachers of the Gofpel from the old Teftamenr, I know not what
will do it. — Mr. Sykes exprefles himfelf very firmly againft a double
completion of any prophecy ; a double completion, fays he, unlefs it
be declared by the prophet, will make all prophecy perfectly ufelefs.

An Introduction to the Study of the Prophecies concerning the Chriftian
Church; and in Particular concerning the Church of Papal Rome:
in twelve Sermons, preached in Lincoln's Inn Chapel, at the Lecture
of the Right Reverend W. Warburton, Lord Bifhop of Gloucefter,
By R. Hurd, D.D. Lond. 1772.

T\X'elve Sermons on the Prophecies concerning the Chriftian Church ;
and in Particular concerning the Church of "Papal Rome. Preached
at Bp. Warburton's Le£ture, by S. Hallifax, D. D. Lond. 1776.

Twelve Difcourfes on the Prophecies concerning the Eftablifliment and
fubfequent Hiftory of Chriftianity. Preached at Bp. Warburton's
LeCture, by Lewis Bagot, LL.D. Oxford, 1780.

Books in Dlvh'it)'*

An Eflliy towards reconciling the Numbers of Daniel and Sf^ John, de-*
termining the Birth of our Saviour, and fixing a precife Time for the
Continuance of the prefent Defolation of the Jews ; with forne Con-
jedures and Calculations pointing the Year 1764, to have been one of
the moft remarkable in Hiftory. By the Rev. G. Burton, M. A. Lond.
1766.

The Reafonablenefs and Certainty of the Chriftian Religion, containing
Difcourfes upon fuch Subjefts as are thought moft liable to Objeftions.
By Rob. Jenkins, D.D. Lond. 1734, 5th. Ed, 2 vol.

A Conference with a Theift ; containing an Anfwer to all the moft ufual
Objeflions of the Infidels againft the Chriftian Religion. By W«
Nichols, D.D. Lond. 1723, 3d. Ed. 2 vol.

Difcourfes concerning the Truth of the Chriftian Religion, by J. Jdrtin*
Lond. 1746. The fubjeils of thefe Difcoures are, i. The Prejudices
of the Jews and Gentiles. 2. The Propagation of the Gofpd, "3. The
Kingdom of Chrift. 4. The Fitnefs of the Time when Chrift came
into the World. 5. The Teftimcny of John the Baptift. 6. The
Scriptures of the new Teftament. 7. The Gofpel as it is Grace and
Truth. A third Ed. has been publifhed.

An Argument in Defence of Chriftianity, taken from the Confeffion of
its moft ancient Adverfaries. By Greg. Sharpe, LL.D. Lond. 175J.

A fecond Argument in Defence of Chriftianity, taken from the ancient
Prophecies, appljed to the moft remarkable Events in the Life and
Chara£ler of Jefus Chrift. By Greg. Sharpe, LL.D. Lond. 1762.

The Evidence of Chriftianity deduced from Fadls and the Teftimony of
Senfe, throughout all Ages of the World to the prefent Time, *in a
Scries of Difcourfes preached at Boyle's Ledure in 1766-7-8, where-
in is ftiewn, that upon the Whole this is not a decaying, but a o-row-
ing Evidence. By W. Worthington, D.D. Lond. 1769, 2 vol.

Religionis Naturalis et Revelatae principia, Methodo Scholaftica digefta
in ufum Juventutis Academics. Parifiis, 1754, 2 vol. and a third^ol.
by Way of Supplement. Authore L. T. Hooke. The author of this
book is a DoiStor of the Sorbor.ne, yet there are many things very li-
berally faid in it, as the reader may judge from the following propoft-
tion which is maintained in the Supplement, — Deus folus ob fapien-
tiffimos fines caufarum naturalium ordinem, per feipfum aut Minifte-
rium Angelorum intervertit : Dsemonum quaecunque naturalis vis fit,
nulla eft //Vf«?/<7 ; ac ubi fe noftris rebus immifcent, dlvihorum judi-
ciorum Miniftri, non luo arbitrio unquam relinquuntur, neque unquam
per eorum minifterium in confirmationem falfi Miracula eduntur.

The Ufefulneis, Truth, and Excellency of the Chriftian Religion, de-
fended againft the Objedions contained in a late Book, intitled, Chri-
ftianity as old as the Creation, &c. By James Fofter. Lond. 1734,
3d. Ed.

The Reafonablenefs of the Chriftian Religion as delivered in the Scrip-
tures. By G. Benfon, D.D. Lond. 1759, 3d. Ed. 2 vol. The au-
thor not only advances many arguments in proof of the Truth of the
Chriftian Religion, but obviates, in a familiar way, the chief obj-clions
of the Anti-revelationifts.

A.Difcourfe concerning the Refurreciion of Jefus Chrift, in three Parts.
^ 2 Wnerein,

A Catalogue of

Wherein, i. The Confequences of theDo6lrine are ftated hypothetl-
cally. 2. The Nature and Obligation of moral Evidence is explained*
3. The Proofs of the Facfl of our Saviour's Refurreftion are propofed,
examined, and fairly demonftratcd to be conclufive. Together with
an Appendix concerning the impoffible Production of Thought from
Matter and Motion, &c. By Humph. Ditton. Lond. 1740, 5th. Ed.
This book was tranflated into French in 1728, and the year after into
Dutch.
A Defence of Chriftianity, in two Parts, i. The Law of Nature con-
fidered, and fhewn to be confident with Reafon and itfelf, — and the
Attention to it produdive of the greateft Benefit to Mankind. 2. The
Authority and Ufefulnefs of Revelation and the facred Writings aflert-
ed and vindicated, againft the fcveral Objedions made to them by the
Deifts in general, and in Particular by the Author of Chriftianity as
old as the Creation. By John Leland, D.D. Lond. 1753, 2d. Ed. 2 vol.
A View of the principal deiftical Writers that have appeared in England
in the laft and prefent Century; with Obfervations upon them, and
fome Account of the Anfwers that have been publifhed againft them.
Li feveral Letters to a Friend. By J. Leland, D. D. Lond. 1766, 2
vol. 5th. Ed.
An Enquiry into the divine Miflions of John the Baptift and Jefus Chrift,
fo far as they can be proved from the Circumftances of their Birth,
and their Connexion with each other. By W. Bell, M. A. Lond.
1 76 1. There is publifhed by the fame author, A Defence of Revela-
tion in general and the Gofpel in particular,
LctHers from Baron Haller to his Daughter, on the Truths of the Chriftian

Jleligion. Tranflated from the German. Lond. 1780.
Pifiertations on Subjects relative to the Genius and Evidences of Chri-
ftianity. By Alex. Gerard, D. D. Edinb. 1766.
An Inquiry into the Caufes of the Infidelity and Scepticifm of the Times,
with cccafional Obfervations on the Writings of Herbert, Shafteft^ury,
Eolingbrokc, Hume, Gibbon, Toulmin, &c. &c. By J. Ogilvie, DtD.
Lond. 1783.
An Appeal to common Senfe in behalf of Religion. By the Rev. James

Ofwald, D.D. Lond. 1768, 2d. Ed. A fecond vol. in 1772.
The Advantages and Neceffity of the Chriftian Revelation Ihewn from
the State of Religion in the ancient Heathen World : efpecially with
RefpeCt to the Knowledge and Worfhip of the one true God : a Rule
of moral Duty: and a State of future Rewards and Punifliments. To
which is prefixed, a preliminary Difcourfe on natural and revealed Re-
ligion. By John Leland, D.D. Lond. 1768, 2 vol. All the works of
Dr. Leland are valuable.
A Difcourfe of the Neceffity and Ufefulnefs of the Chriftian Religion, by
Reafon of the Corruptions of natural Religion among the Jews and
Heathens. By Dan. Whitby, D.D. Lond. 1705.
The Light of Nature purfued by Edw. Search (Abraham Tucker) Efq;
Lond. 1768-78, 9 vol. In the laft four volumes there is added to the
general title, — Lights of Nature and Gofpel blended.
Of the Principles and Duties of natural Religion. By the Right Rev.
John Wilkiiis, D.D. Lord Billiop ol" Chefter. Loijd. 1734.

The

Beoks in Divinity.

The Analogy of Religion, natural and revealed, to the Conftltutlon and
Courfe of Nature. By Jof. Butler, D. D. late Lord Bifhop of Durham.
Lond. 1754, 5th. Ed.

The Religion of Nature delineated. ByMr.Wollafton. Lond. 1750,7th. Ed.

Confidcrations on the Theory of Religion: in three Parts, i. Want of
Univerfality in natural and revealed Religion, nojuftObjeilionagainll
either. 2. The Scheme of divine Providence with Regard to the
Time and Manner of the feveral Difpenfations of revealed Religion,
more efpecially the Chriftian. 3. The Progrefs of natural Religion
and Science, or the continual Improvement of the World in general.
To which are added, two Difcourfes ; the former on the Life and
Character of Chrift, the latter on the Benefits procured by his Death^
m Regard to our Mortality. With an Appendix, concerning the Ufe
of the word Soul in holy Scripture ; and the State of the Dead there
defcribed. By Edw. Lord Bifhop of CarliHe. Carlifle, 1 784, Ed. 7th.

An ElTay on Miracles, in two Difcourfes. By Will. (Bifliop) Fleet-
wood. Lond. 1 701. The two main Principles of this Book, — that
none but God can work a true miracle, — and that it cannot be fup-
pofed that a true miracle was ever wrought in oppofition to a doiSlrine
eilablifhed on true miracles, — v/ere oppofed by Mr. (Bilhop) Hoad-
\ey^ in a Letter to Mr. Fleetwood. Lond. 1702. And the reading
thefe two trails occafioned Mr. Locke's writing his difcourfe on Mi-
racles, which he publifhed in his works.

Traite fur les Miracles. Dans lequels on prouve que le Diable n' en
fauroit faire pour confirmer 1' crreur ; ou 1' on fait voir, par plufieurs
exemples tirez de 1' Hiftoire fainte et profane que ceux qu' on lui at-
tribue ne font qu' un effet de 1' impofture ou de 1' addrefle des homines.
Et ou 1' on examine le Syfteme oppofe tel que 1' a etabli le Dr. Clarke
dans fon Traite fur la Religion Naturelle et Chretienne. Par J. Serces
Vicaire d' Appleby dans le Comte de Lincoln. A Amfter. 1729,
The author fays in his preface, that in maintaining that God never
permitted the devil to work miracles in fupport of any dangerous
error, and in queltioning the phyfical power of the devil to effeSt a
miracle, he declared war againft the opinion of the mod venerable
theologians and philofophers ancient and modern. The book is well
written, and I do not know that it has ever appeared in Englifh.

A Diflertation on Miracles, deftgned to flaew that they are Arguments of
a divine Interpofition, and abfolute Proofs of the Miflion and Doftrine
of a Prophet. By Hugh Farmer. Lond. 1771. The doctrine ad-
vanced in the preceding book, is very ably fupported in this. The
reader will find in Werenfdfius^ works the queftion, — Num Miracula
ccrta fint Veritatis figna — determined, by various arguments, in the
afRrmative. The author, Mr. Farmer, was accufed of having bor--
rowed his Idea of Miracles from Mr. Le Moine's book on that fub-'
jedt, and he publifhed a pamphlet, intitled. An Examination of Mr. Le
Moine's Treatife on Miracles, in which he ihews the difference of his
plan from thofe of Mr. Le Moine, Dr. Sykes, and Bp. Fleetwood.

A brief Difcourfe concerning the Credibility of Miracles and Revela-
tion. Wherein the Credibility of Gofpel Miracles is fhewn, notwith-
ftanding all later Miracles m.ay be rejected as fidlitious. To which is^
;id4ed, a Poftfcript in Anfwer to the Lord Bifhop of Litchfield's Charge
C 3 to

A Catalogue of

to his Clergy. By A. A. Sykes, D. D. Lond. 1742, and a fecond Ed.
in 1749.
Two Chieftions, previous to Dr. Middleton's Free Inquiry impartially

■ confidered: viz. What are the Grounds upon which the Credibility
of Miracles, in general^ is founded \ And, Upon what Grounds the
Miracles of the Gofpel, in particular^ are credible ? To which is added,
a Differtation upon Mark xvi. 17-18. Tbefe figm fhall follow them that
believe, he. Lond. 1750. and a fecond Part in 1752, by Dr. Sykes.
This author wrote above fixty difFeicnt tra6ls, an edition of all his
works would be ufeful.

The Criterion : or Miracles examined with a View to ex-pofe the Pre-
tenfions of Pagans and Papifts, to compare the miraculous Powers re-
corded in the new Teftamcnt, with thofe faid to fubfift in later Times,
gcC. By the Rev. J. Douglafs, A. M. Lond. 1757.

A Dillertation on Miracles : containing an Examination of the Princi-
ples advanced by David Hume, Efq; By G. Campbell, D.D. Edinb.
1762.

An Inquiry into the Nature and Dcfign of Chrift's Temptation in [the

■ Wildernefs. By Hugh Farmer. Lond. 1776, 3d. Ed.

An Efl'ay on the Demoniacs of the new Teftament. By Hugh Farmer.
Lond. 1755.

An impartial Inquiry into the Cafe of the Gofpel Demoniacs. ByW.
Worthington, D.D. Lond. 1777.

Letters to the Rev, Dr. Worthington, in Anfwer to his late Publication,
intitled, " An impartial Inquiry into the Cafe of the Gofpel Demo-
niacs". By Hugh Farmer. Lond. 1778.

An Inquiry into the Heathen and the Scripture Dodrine of Daemons.
• In which the Hypothefis of the Rev. Mr. Farmer and others on this
. Subje61:, is particularly examined. By John Fell. Lond. 1779-

An Enquiry into the meaning of the Dcmoniacks in the new Teftament,
By T. P. &c. Dr. Sykes. Lond. 1737. And a further Enquiry, &:c.
by the fame author in the fame year.

7 he Cafe of the Demoniacs mentioned in the new Teflament. By N.

■ Lardner, D.D. Lond. 1758.

The general Prevalence of the Worfhip of human Spirits in the ancient

Heathen Nations afferted and proved. By Hugh Farmer. Lond. 1783.

An hiftorical DifTertation on idolatrous Corruptions in Religion, from

■ the Beginning of the World ; and on the Methods taken by divine
Providence in reforming them. By Arthur Young. Lond. 1734, 2
vol. The objedl of this author is to fhew, that Revelation was de-
signed to prevent Superftition; he has many fenfible Obfervations on
particular parts of the Law of Mofes.

Pauli Ern. Jablonfki Pantheon ^gyptiorum five de Diis eorum Com-

mentarius. Francofurti ad Viadrum, 1 7 50, 3 vol.
Archffologise Philofophicas: five Doctrina antiqua de Rerum originibus.
" Lond" 1733. AuiSlore 7^homa Burnet, S.T. P.

Origines Gentium Antiquiffimas. By R. Cumberland, D. D. late Lord
■'Bifhop of Peterborough. Lond. 1724-

pe Fide et Officiis Chnftianorum. Liber pofthumus. Lond. 1728, Ed,
2da. Autore TV Burnetio, S. T. P. All the Latin works of I^r. Bur-
net, are written'vv'ith fuch perfpicuity and elegance of llylc, that, not-

t - withftandin";

Sooks in Divinity.

uathftandiiig the fingularity of fome of his ophilons, they are highly
defcrving of attention.
Eight Sermons, preached at the Cathedfal Church of St. Paul, in Defence
of the Divinity of our Lord Jefus Chrift. By Dan. Waterland, D.D.
Lond. 1720, 2d. Ed. This and the other theological works of Dr.
Waterland, are much efleemed by the orthodox, and they maybe pro-
perly confuked by fuch Arians and Socinians as wifh to know what
can be advanced againft their principles.
Traite de la Divinite de notre Seigneur Jefus Chrift, par M. Abbadie.
A Rotterdam, 1709. This author publijfhed a treatife on the Truth
of the Chriftian Religion at Rotter. 1689, 2 vol.
The Works of Mr. Tho. Emlyn, containing a Colle^lion of Tracts and
Sermons on various Subjects. With a large Account of the Author's
Life, by Solom. Emlyn, Efq; Lond. 1746.
An Eflay on Spirit; wherein the Dodrine of the Trinity is confidercd
in the Light of Nature and Reafon, as well as in the Light in which it
was held by the ancient Hebrews, compared alfo with the Doctrine of
the old and new Teftament. With an Inquiry into the Sentiments of
the primitive Fathers of the Church, &c. Lond. 1751, from the Dub-
lin Copy with Additions and Corrections by the Author (Bp. Clay-
ton). This work was animadverted on by Dr. Scot in his fcriptural
Do6trine of the Trinity, 1754, and anfwered by Mr. Jones, 1770.
The Apology of Benjamin Ben Mordecai to his Friends for embracino-
Chriftianity, in (even. Letters to Elifha Levi, Merchant of Amfterdam,
together with an eighth Letter, on the Generation of Jefus Chrift,
with Notes and Illuftrations. The 2d. Ed. with Alterations and Ad-
ditions. By Henry Taylor, Re£tor of Crawley and Vicar of Portf-
mouth, in Hants. Lond. 1784, 2 vol. Thefe Letters were printed at
various times, from 177 1 to 1777, in 4to.; they are compofed vC'ith
great learning and ingenuity, and contain the moft formidable attack
on, what is called, the Athanafian Syftem that is any where to be met
with.
A Letter writ in the Year 1730, concerning the Queftion, Whether the
Logos fupplied the Place of a human Soul in the Perfon of Jefus Chrift ?
to which are added, two Poftfcripts ; the firft containing an Explica-
tion of thefe Words, the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, as.
ufed in the Scriptures. The fecond containing Remarks upon the
third Part of the late Biftiop of Clogher's Vindication of the Hiftories
of the old and new Teftament. Lond. 1759. By Dr. Lardner. There
is reafon to refer to the fame author, — Two Schemes of a Trinity
confidered, and the divine Unity afterted. Four Difcourfes upon Phi-i,
lip. ii. 5-1 1. Lond. 1784. — Newton and Locke were efteemed Soci-
nians^ Lardner was an avowed one : Clarke and IVhiJhn were declared
Ariam\ Bull and Waterland were profefled y/if/?*^;/^^///^ ; who will take
upon him to fay that thefe men were not equal to each other in pro-
bity and fcriptural knowledge ? And if that be admitted, furely we
ought to learn no other lefton, from the diverfity of their opinions, ex-
cept that of perfect moderation and good-will towards all thofe who
happen to differ from ourfelves. We ought to entertain no other wifti,
but that every man may be allowed, without lofs of fame or fortune,
C4 et

A Catalogue of

et fenfire qua velit, et qucsfeniiat dicere. This abfolute freedom of in-
quiry, it is apprehended, is the beft way of inveftigating the fenfe of
fcripture, the moft probable mean of producing an uniformity of opi-
. «ion, and of rendering the Gofpel Difpenfation as inteUigible to us in
. the eighteenth century as, we prefume,it was to theChriftians in the firft.
The true Dodrine of the new Teftament concerning Jefus Chrifl con-
fidered; wherein the Mifreprefentations that have been made of it up-
on the Ar'ian Hypothefis and upon all Trmkarian and Atbanafian Prin-
ciples are expofed; and the Honour of our Saviour's divine Charadter
and Miffion is maintained. With an Appendix, containing Stridtures
upon the firfl Chapter of St. John's Gofpel ; and a prefatory Dif-
courfe upon the Right of private Judgment in Matters of Religion,
This work was revifed, before it was printed, by Dr. Lardner j the
author (the Rev. Mr. Cardale) publiflied a Supplement to it, intitled,
A Comment on fome Pafiages in Chrift's Prayer at the Clofe of his
public Miniftry.
The Apology of Theophilus Lindfey, M. A. en refigning the Vicarage

of Catterick, in Yorkfhire. Lond. 1774.
A fcriptural Confutation of the Arguments againft the One Godhead of
the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, produced by the Rev. Mr. Lindfey
in his late Apology. By a Layman. York, 1774.
h Sequel to the Apology on refirr.ing the V^icarage of Catterick, York-

fnirc. By Theo. Lindfey, M. /-. i>ond. 1776.
An Inquiry into the Belief of the Chriftians of the three firft Centuries,
refpeding the One Godhead of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoit.
Being a Sequel to a fcriptural Confutation of the Rev. Mr. Lindfey's
late Apology. By W. Burgh, Efq; York, 1778. Mr. Lindfey's prin-
ciples were oppofed, not only by Mr. Burgh; but by Mr. Bingham in
his Vindication of the Doctrine and Liturgy of the Church of Eng-
land; by Dr. Randolph in his Vindication of the Worfliip of the Son
and Holy GholL, and in his Letter to the Remarker (Mr.Temple) on
the Layman's fcriptural Confutation, and by others.
Two Diifertations ; i. On the Preface to St. John's Gofpel: 2. On
praying to Jefus Chriil. By Thcop. Lindfey, A.M. With a ftiort
Poftfcript, by Dr. Jebb. Lond. 1779.
An hiftoricai View of the State of the Unitarian Doctrine and Worfhip,
from the Reformation to our own Times. With fome Account of
the Obftrudions which it has met with at different Periods. By Theo.
Lindfey, M. A. Ivond. 1783. The author has treated this interefting
fuhjeiSl with great candour and ability.
'An Enquiry into the Opinions of the Chriftian Writers of the three firft
Centuries concerning the Perfon of Jefus Chrift. By Gilbert Wake-
field, B. A. Lond. 1784, vol. ift.
Five Diflertations : fi. On the Athanafian Dodlrine. 2. On the Soci-
nisn Scheme. 3. On the Perfon of Chrift. 4. On the Rife, Pro-
greis, Perfedion, and End of Chrift's Kingdom. 5. On the Caufes
which probably confpired to produce our Saviour's Agony. . By Ed,
Harwood, D.D. Lond. 1772. And a 2d. Ed. of the Effay on the So-
cinian Scheme, in 1784. Dr. Harwood rejects the Athanafian and
Socinian Schemes as not, in his opinion, founded in Scripture.

Tradatus

J^coks in Divimty,

Traclatus de Imputatione divina Peccati Adami in reatum. Authore.
Dan. Whitby, S. T. P. Lond. 171 1.

The Scripture Do£i:rine of original Sin propofed to free and candid Ex-
amination. To which is added, a Supplement containing fome Re-
marks on two Books, viz. The Vindication of the Scripture Dodrine
of original Sin, and. The Ruin and Recovery of Mankind. By John
Taylor, of Norwich, D. D. 3d. Ed. 1750.

A Difcourfe concerning, i. The true Purport of the Words Ele5ilon and
Reprobation^ and the Things fignified by them in the holy Scripture.
2. The Extent of Chrift's Redemption. 3. The Grace of God, where
it is enquired whether it be vouchfafed fufficiently to thofe who im-
prove it not, and irrefiftibly to thofe who do improve it ; and whether
Men be wholly paflive in the Work of Regeneration. 4. The Liberty
of the Will in a State of Trial and Probation. 5. The Perfeverance
or Defedibility of the Saints ; with fome Reflexions on the State of
Heathens, the Providence, and Prsefcience of God. By Dan. Whitby,
D. D. Lond, 1 7 10. Whitby fays of himfelf in the preface to this work
that he was brought up a Cahini/i^^ and that what firft moved him to
examine into the truth of the Calviniflic Divinity, was — the Imputa^
t'lon of A(la77i^s Sin to all his Pojierity^ — and the ftrange confequences
of it. He fays, that he examined the writings of antiquity, and fi-
nifhed a treatife on Original Sin in Latin, which had been compofed
about twenty years, but which he had not thought it advifeable to pub-
lifh. This treatife was publifiied in the following year.

The divine Feudal Law, or Covenants with Mankind reprefented, too-e-
ther with Means for uniting of Proteftants. By Sam. Baron PufFendorf.
Tranflated from the Latin by Theop. Dorrington. Lond. 170-2. In
' this book Puftendorf treats of many of the fubjeils which are difcufled
by Whitby in the laft article. A trait, intitled. The Re-union of
Chriftians, or the Means to re-unite Chriftians under one Confeffion
of Faith, was publifiied in London, 1673. It was originally written in
French, and in an appendix to another tranflation of it in 1700, we
learn that M. D' Huillcan, one of the Minifters of Saumur, had a
principal hand in its compofition.

The Doilrine of Grace: or the Office and Operations of the Holy Spi-
rit vindicated from the Infults of Infidelity and the Abufes of P'anati-
cifm. By W. Lord Bifhop of Gloucefter. Lond. 1763, 2d. Ed.

The Doctrine of irrefiftible Grace, proved to have no Foundation in the
Writings of the new Teftament. By T. Edwards, A.M. Camb.
1759-
An Attempt to afcertain and illuftrate the Authority, Nature and Defign
of the Inltitution of Chrift, commonly called the Communion and the
Lord's Supper. By W. Bell, D. D. Lond. 1780.
A plain Account of the Ordinance of Baptifm, in which all the Texts of
the N. T. relating to it, are produced, and the whole Do£trine con-
cerning it drawn from them alone, in a Courfe of Letters to the Right
Rev. Dr. Benjamin Hoadley, late Lord Bifhop of Winchcfter, Author
of a plain Account of the Lord's Supper. Lond. 1766, 2d. Ed.
The Hiftory of Infant-Baptifm. By W. Wall. Lond. 1720. The firfi:
Ed. in 4to. in 1705,

Reflexions

A Catalogue of

JlefleXlons on Mr. Wall's Hiftory of Inifant-Baptlfm. By J. Gale.
Lond. 17 1 1. Wall's main argument in favour of Infant-Baptifm, is
founded on the pradtice which the Jews, he fays, had of baptizing pro-
felytes to their religion : Dr. Gill has queftioned, in a learned tradl,
the Exiftence of fuch a practice amongft the Jews ; and others have
endeavoured to fhew, that, admitting the pradtice to have exifted^ it
was not extended to Children who were born after their parents had
become profelytes ; and confequently that the neceflity of baptizing
children born of Chriftian parents cannot be inferred from the Jewifh
pradlice of baptizing profelytes, Socinus wrote a tradl on this quef-
tion, An honiini Chriftiano aquse baptifmo carere liceat? and he de-
mined it in the affirmative.
The Scripture Doctrine of Atonement examined ; firft in Relation to
Jewifh Saci ifices : and then to the Sacrifice of our blefled Lord and Sa-
viour Jefus Chrifl:. By John Taylor, D.D.1751. A fmall pamphlet was
publifhcd in 1772, by W. Graham, A.M. intitled, The Dodtrine of
Atonement briefly confidercd, in a Series of Letters to a young Gentle-
man at the Univerfity. To which is added, Dr. Duchal's Letter to
Dr, Taylor on the fame Subjedl; which was firft publifhed in the 2d.
vol. of the Theological Repofitory. Before the publication of Dr.
Taylor's Dodlrine of Atonement, a very fenfible eflky on Redemption
had been publifhed by Mr. Balguy, 1741.
Jefus Chrift the Mediator between God and Man, an Advocate for us
with the Father, and a Propitiation for the Sins of the World. 2d. Ed.
To which is now added by another Gentleman, an Eflay to prove the
Credibility of the Gofpel from the Dodlrine of the Efficacy of Chrifl's
Death for the Redemption of the World. Lond. 1761. This is a very
fenfible treatife (by Mr. Tomkins), in which the author endeavours
to cftablifh the literal fenfe of thofe pafTages in Scripture which concern
cur redemption by Chrift; he looks upon the death of Chrift as a real
Cicrifice, and rcprefents the notion the Scripture gives us of thefe things
as confiftent with the didates of Reafon and natural Religion.
An Eflay on the Scheme and Condudl, Procedure and Extent of Man's
. Redemption ; wherein is fliewn, from the holy Scriptures, that this
great work is to be accomplifhed by a gradual Reftauration of Man
and Nature to their primitive State. To which is annexed, a Difler
tation on the Defign and Argumentation of the Book of Job. By W.
Worthington, A. M. Lond. 1748, 2d. Ed.
An Eflay on the Nature, Defign, and Origin of Sacrifices. By Dr. Sykes,

Lond. 1748.
The Scripture Dodlrine of the Redemption of Man by Jefus Chrift. \\\
two Parts. In thz former of which, the principal, if not all, the Texts
relating to the Subjedl are produced, and the Meaning of each Text,
where neceffary, is examined and explained. In the latter, the Dodlrinq
of our Redemption is fet forth in 48 Propofitions. By Dr. Sykes.
1756. This is one of the laft and one of the beft works of Dr. Sykes,
who died in Nov. 1756.
De Statu mortuorum et refurgentium Tradlatus. Adjicitur Appendix
de futura Judasorum Rellaviratione. Lond. 1733, Ed. 2da. AutoreT.

Burnetio, S. T. P".

An

Books in Dlvln'ity.

An hiftorical View of the Controverry concerning an Intermediate State
and the feparate Exiftence of the Soul, between Death and the gene-
• ral RefurretStion; deduced from the Beginning of the Proteftant Re-
formation to the prefent T^imes. With fome Thoughts, in a prefa-
tory Difcourfe, on the Ufe and Importance of Theological Controverfy.
Lond. 1772, 2d. Ed.

The Rertoration of all Things, or a Vindication of the Goodnefs and
Grace of God to be manifefted at laft in the Recovery of his whole
Creation out of their Fall. By Jeremy White. Lond. 1712. The
author gives fome account, in his preface, of thofe who in ancient and
modern times had fupported the opinion of the final reformation of all
mankind. Dr. Hartley maintained the fame do6lrine in the fecond
volume of his Obfervations on Man, &c. and Bifhop Newton has
fhewn himfelf an able advocate for it in one of his Diflertations pub-
lifhed in his works.

The Myftery hid from Ages and Generations, made manlfeft by the Gof-

. pel Revelation: or the Salvation of all Men, the grand Thing aimed
at in the Scheme of God, as opened in the new Tcflament Writings,
and entrufted with Jefus Chrift to bring into Effe6t. Lond. 1784. By
Charles Chauncy, D. D. of Bofton, in New England.

An Enquiry into the Nature of the human Soul ; wherein the Immate-
riality of the Soul is evinced from the Principles of Reafon and Philo-
fophy. Lond. 1745, 2 vol. 3d. Ed. Mr. Baxter publifhed an Appen-
dix to the firft part of this inquiry in 1750.

Sermons on the Evidence of a future State of Rewards and Punifhments,
arifing from a View of our Nature and Condition; in which are con-
fidered fome Objections of Hume. By W. Craven, B.D. Camb.
1783. The fubje6l is treated with great perfpicuity, and Mr. Hume's
obje£tions folidly refuted.

Difquifitions relating to Matter and Spirit. To which is added, the
Hiftory of the philofophical Doctrine concerning the Origin of the
Soul and the Nature of Matter; with its Influence on Chriftianity,
efpeciallv with Refpe<St to the Pre-exiftence of Chrift. By ]oi. Prieft-
ley, LL.D.F.R.S. Lond. 1777.

A free DifcuiTion of the Dodtrines of Materiallfm and philofophical Ne-
ceffity, in a Correfpondence between Dr. Price and Dr. Prieftley : to
which are added by Dr. Prieftley, an Introduction explaining the Na-
ture of the Controverfy, and Letters to feveral Writers who have
animadverted on his Difquifitions. Lond. 1778. The reader who
has a tafte for thefe metaphyfical difquifitions, may confult fome more
recent publications on the fubjedt, efpecially an Efiay on the Nature
and Exiftence of the material World. Lond. 1781.

The Theological Repofitory, confifting of original Eflays, Hints, Que-
■ rles,- &c. calculated to promote religious Knowledge. Lond. 1773, 3
vol.

Thefaurus Theologicus, or a compleat Syftem of Divinity, fummed up
in brief Notes upon felect Places of the old and new Teftament, By
W. Beveridge, D.D. Lord Biftiop of St. Afaph. Lond. 171 1, 4 vol.

A Syftem of Divinity and Morality, in a Series of Difcourfes on all the
cifcntial Points of natural and revealed Religion, compiled from the
•■• Works

, A Catalogue of

: Works of above thirty eminent Divines. Revifed and corre£led by
Ferd. Warner, LL.D. Lond. 1767, 4 vol,"

Joan. Chrif. Beckii Synoplls Inftitutionum Univerfae Theologiae Natu-
ralis et Revelatae, &c. in ufum Auditorii Domcftici. Bafiliae, 1765'
This is a very good work; the author exprefles himfelf in the follow-
ing terms concerning the mode of education which prevails in this
place, and I believe in Oxford. — Muitis placet Jnglorum difcendi ra-
tio, quorum fmguii juvenes, cum ad Academias fefe conferunt, unum
ex publicis doc^oj-ibus fibi ducem ftudiorum eligunt, cujus fequentes
confilium legant, mcditentur, fcribant. Identidcm examinantur, ut
de progreflxbus judicari queat et confiiia ulteriora fuppeditari. Habet
haec methodus fua commoda. Sed incommodum illud eft maximum,
quod hnguli do6tores nonnifi paucis hoc modo dirigendis fufficiant,
pifi ab omnibus aliis laboribus immunes Tint, quod apud nos minime
obtinetur. — Our mode of academic inftitution is (till more perfedl
than this author conceived it to be; and our Tutors have that freedom
from other engagements which he wilhcd for.

Joan. Fred. Burgii Inftitutiones Theologicse. VratiHaviae,! 766, Ed. 3tia.

Sermons on the Attributes of God. By Dan. Whitby, D.D. Lond.
1710, 2 vol.

Difcourfes concerning the Being and natural Perfections of God. By T.
Abernethy, M. A. Dublin, 1746, 2 vol.

The Being and Attributes of God demonftrated. By H. Knight, A. M.
Lond. 1747. It is enough to fay of this work, that it is recommended
bty Benfon, Lardner, and Taylor of Norwich.

A pradical Catechifm. By H. Hammond, D.D. The 12th. Ed.
whereunto is added, the Keafonablenefs of the Chriflian Religion, by
the fame Author. Lond. 1683.

Ledures on the Catechifm of the Church of England. By W. Gilpin,
M. A. Lond. 1781, 2d. Ed. This book greatly merits the attentioii
of young perfons. Archbifhop Wake's Principles of the Chriftian
Religion, in a Commentary on the Church Catechifm ; Archbifhop
Seeker's Lectures on the Catechifm ; Oftervald's Grounds and Prin-
ciples of the Chriftian Religion; Bp. Gaftrel's Chriftian Inftitutes;
Bp. Gibfon's Paftoral Letters, and a great variety of other religious
Tracts are highly deferving of notice ; but I omit an enumeration of
them ; heartily recommending it to the reader, whether he be a Lay-
man or Clergyman, to furnifti himfelf with the colledlon of fuch trails
wdiich is made by the Society for promoting Chriftian Knowledge.

An Ell'ay on the Compofition of a Sermon, tranflated from the Original
of the Rev. J. Claude, Minifter of the French Reformed Church at
Charenton. With Notes by Rob. Robinfon, in 2 vol. Camb.1779.

Sermons on feveral Occafions, preached before the Univerfity of Cam-
bridge; to which is prefixed, a Diifertation on that Species of Com-
pofition. By J. Mainwaring, B.D. Camb. 1780. The ftudious rea-
der will receive much advantage from the juftnefs of the criticifm dif-

■ played in the Djflcrtatlon and Notes.

A Difcourfe of the Paftoral Care, by Gilbert Burnet, Lord Bifhop of
Sftrum ; v/ith a new Preface and fome other Additions. Firft printed
in 1692. Glafgow, 1762.

Le6luyes

Books in Divinity,

Le£lurcs on the Exerclfe of the facred Miniftry. By the late T. F, Of-
tervald. Tranflated from the French, with a Preface and occafional
Notes, by Tho. Stevens, M.A. Lond. 1781.

The Theological Works of the moft Rev. Dr. John Potter, late Lord
Archbifliop of Canterbury: containing his Sermons, Charges, Dif-
courfcs of Church Government and Praelectiones Theologies. Oxf.
1753, 3 vol.

The mifcellaneous Works of the late reverend and learned Conyers Mid J
dleton, D. D. Lond. 1755, 5 vol. 2d. Ed.

Opufcula Mifcellanea Theologica Joan. Burton S. T. P. and his Ser*
nions, &c. in all 6 vol. Oxford, 1744-71. -^

The Works of Tho. Sharp, D.D. late Archdeacon of Northumberland,
containing occafional Sermons; Tracts on various Subjedls ; Confi-
derations on the Rubric and Canons ; Differtations on Elohim and
Berith ; a Defence of the Diflertations, in three Parts ; Difcourfes
touching the Antiquity of the Hebrew Tongue and Chara6ler; an
Examination of Mr. Hutchinfon's Expofition of Cherubim. Lond.
1763, 6 vol.

Four Diflertations. i. On Providence. 2. On Prayer. 3. On the
Reafons for expefling that virtuous Men fhall meet after Death
in a State of Happinefs. 4. On the Importance of Chriftianity, the
Nature of hiftorical Evidence and Miracles. By R. Price, F. R. S.
Lond. 1767.

Difcourfes on various' Subjects, by W. S. Powell, D.D. Lond. 1776.
The editor. Dr. Balguy, obferves that thefe difcourfes were chiefly in-
tended for the benefit of the younger ftudents in divinity. They are
written with great acutenefs and knowledge of the feveral fubjeils.

A rational Illuftration of the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of
England. By C.Wheatley. Lond.1722, 4th. Ed. This is one of the
moft ufeful works on the fubje6l, as it comprehends the fubllance of
Co7-nher''s Companion to the Temple, of Nichols' Commentary on the
Common Prayer, and of other fimilar treatifes.

A Vindication of the Government, DoiSlrine, and Worfhip of the Church
of England, eftabliihed in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, againfl: the
injurious Reflections of Mr. Neale in his late Hillory of the Puritans-.
Together with a Deteilion of many falfe Qiiotations and Miftakes in
that Peformance. Lond. 1740. By Bp. Maddox.

An impartial Examination of the 2d, 3d, and 4th vol. (8vo.) of Daniel
Neal's Hiftory of the Puritans. By Zach. Grey, LL.D. Lond.
1736-9, 2 vol.

Free and candid Difquifitions relating to the Church of England, and
the Means of advancing Religion therein. Lond. 1750, 2d. Ed. — In
1677, the third Ed. of a book was publiflied, intitled, — A Difcourfe
vindicating the Lav/fulnefs of thofe Things which are chiefly excepted
againft in the Church of England, efpecially in its Liturgy and Wor-
fhip, by W. Falkener. .

The Book of Common Prayer reformed according to the Plan of the
late Dr. Sam. Clarke ; together with the.Pfalter or Pfalms of Davi<Jj
Lond. 1774.

The Cenfeflional : or a full and free Inquiry into the Right, Utility,

Edification

A Catalogue of

Edification and Succefs of eftablifhing fyftematical Confeffions of FaitJi
and DoiSlrine in Proteftant Churches. Lond. 1770, 3d. Ed. The
author of this work, who is well known to be a very learned Clergy-
man of the Church of England, takes fo much notice of all the writer^

• -who oppofed his fentiments, that there is no need to give a particular
enumeration of the feveral pamphlets which were written againft it.
The controverfy is ftill unfcttled ; it is ftill a queftion, whether any
Chriftian Church has a right to require from its public teachers an/
other Profeflion of Faith, than that of a belief in the Bible, as con-
taining a revelation from God? — It is ftill a queftion, whether,- grant-J
ino- the Abftradl Right, the Vfe of it be expedient in any degree, and to
•what deo-ree, in the prefent condition of the Church of England? Ond
of the lateft and beft trafts on this fubjeft, is that by the author of Ben.
Mordecai's Apology, intitled, Farther Thoughts on the Nature of the
grand Apoftacy of the Chriftian Church foretold by the Apoftles: with
Obfervations on the Laws againft Hereticks, the Subfcription to Arti-
cles of human Comporition,&c. Lond. 1783.

The Errors of the Church of Rome detected, in ten Dialogues, between
Bcnevolus and Sincerus. To which another is added, containing a
brief Vindication of the Revolution, and fubfequent Settlement of the
Crown upon the illuftrious Houfe of Hanover. By the Rev. James
Smith. Lond. 1778, 2d. Ed. The author left the communion of the
Church of Rome, in which he had been educated, in 1764. He ob-
ferves, that he lived for fome years in the College for Parifh Priefts at
Lifbon, and that he there took the College Oath^ which is always admi-
niftered to ftudents, a part of which is, that, whenever the prefident of
the coUeo-e {hould think proper, he ivould retu7-7i to England as a Mif-
fionary^ and bring over as majiy Protejlants as he could, to the Communion
of the Church of Rome. He by chance met with Bennet's Confutation
of Popery, and that book, together with the eccleftaftical Hiftory of
M. Jean Le Seur, principally contributed to make him renonunce the
Errors of the Church of Rome. This is an ufeful book for thofe who
wifti to have a concife view of the corruptions of Chriftianity as prac-?
tifed in the Church of Rome.

An Hiftory of the Corruptions of Chriftianity. By Jof. Prieftky, LL.D.
2 vol. Some parts of this work have been animadverted on, in a very
able manner, by Dr. Horfley, and others ; nor has Dr. Pricftley been
backward in his replies ; the curious reader will furnifti himfelf wkk

■ all the trafts which have been already pubiifhed on each fide of the
queftion ; and will expeft with impatience the larger Hiyiory of the Stats
tif Opinions concerning Chri/i in the primitive times j in the compofing
of which Dr. Prieftley is now engaged.

Bibliotheca Sacra, feu Syllabus omnium ferme Editionum facrx Scrip-
ture ac Verfionum fecundum feriem Linguarum quibus Vulgatae funt,
Notis hiftoricis et criticis illuftratus, adjundis prxftantiffimis Codd.
MSS. Lahore Jacobi Le Long, recenfuit caftigavit auxit C. F.
Boernerus. Liplise, 1709.

The Preacher's Afliftant (after the Manner of Mr. Letfome), contam-
ino- a Series of the Texts of Sermons anJ Difcourfes, publiftied either
fingly or in Volumes : by Divines of th: Church of England and by

the

Books hi Divinity.

the DifTenting Clergy, fince the Reftoration to the prefent Time, fpe-
cifylng alfo the feveral Authors alphabetically arranged under each
Text; with the Size, Date, Occafion, or fubje6l Matter of each Ser-
mon or Difcourfe. By J. Cooke, M. A. Oxford, 1783, 2 vol. — There
are fome errors in this compilation j but it is rather to be wondered
at that there are not more, than that there fhould be fome; I refer the
reader to it as to an ufeful catalogue, from which he may feled fuch wri-
ters of fermons as he may think fit to have in his library ; for where
almoft all are equally good, it would be a prefumption in me to attempt
to particularize the beft. If, in addition to the fermons contained in
the three volumes of Boyle's Ledlure, and in the works of Barrow,
Clarke, Tillotfon, Hoadley, &c. I was to mention the names of Sher-
ock. Seeker, Jortin, Fofter, Abernethy, Seed, South, Ogden, Rogers,
Whichcote, he. and omit noticing Brady, Fiddes, Mofs, Atterbury,
Bellamy, Fleetwood, Pyle, Orr, Pearce, Warburton, &c. I might be
accufed of appearing to give a preference where I had no intention of
doing it, and where better judges than myfelf might think that none
was due. If any enumeration, moreover, of books of this kind was
made, the names of many living authors ought to be inferted in the
lift, for they are in no refpedl inferior to their predecefTors in this fpe-
cies of compofition. There are fome fine difcourfes alfo in the French
language, by Bafnage, Croufaz, Saurin, Bofluet, Bourdaloue, &c. fome
of which have been tranflated into Englifh : but no church in Chri-
ftendom was ever bleffed with a greater variety of excellent pulpit
Compofitions than our own is ; and as they conftitute one of the moft
ufeful parts of a theological Library, it ought to be the ftudy of every
Clergyman to procure as large a colledion of them, as his circum-
ftances will admit.

It is unneceflary to give any dire6lions, as to the manner of ufmg the
books which are here pointed out, fmce every man will naturally confult
fuch of them as treat of the particular fubje6ls on which he is de'firous of
obtaining information, and no one will have inclination to perufe them
all. Theological learning is the profeffion of the Clergy, and it may
juftly be faid to every ignorant minifter of the Gofpel, — "Thou which
teacheft another, teacheft thou not thyfelf?" Yet, on the other hand
mere abftradl learning, how profound and various foever it may be, is
not an acquifition much to be valued by them ; it is its application to
the ufeful purpofes of their profeflion, to the bringing men from the do-
minion of fin to gofpel perfeftion, which will render it of any eftimation
m the fight of God. I mean not here to fpeak in difparagement of theo-
logical learning ; but I do mean to fay, that pradlice is better than (iiecu-
lation, and that He who, in promoting the falvation of his flock by a fe-
dulous performance of his paftoral duties, finds not leifure to be learned
inftead of our cenfure, deferves our warmeft approbation; it may ho-
;iourably be faid of fuch a mzn^— contejnnebat potim liter as, quam nefcirhjt,
I take my leave of the reader with freely expreffing a general wifh,That
we may all of us, in our refpective itations, become more difpo'fcd to

provoke

J Catalogue^ ^c.

provoke one another unto Love and to Goodworh^ and lefs difpofed to
backbite and devour one another for our Opinions; that Chriftianity
may have its root in our hearts, rather than in pur heads ; that it may
{hew forth its fruit in the purity and integrity of our lives, rather than in
the vehemence and fubtilty of our difputes ; in a word, that the time may
at leno-th come, when every individual in the Church, and out of the
Church, Trinitarian, and Unitarian, may love his own Herejy lefs than
Gofpel Charity.

■Errata in the Appendix,

For Teftimenti, read Teftamenti.

Ontramo • Outramo.

Orthodoxum Orthodoxam.

Gondae Goudae.

TheologiccE Ele. Thcologlne He.

Cantab. 1663 Cantab. 1665.

Vocis Fleb. Voces Heb.

r. X N I Si