Folly blind Fortune did create, A goddess, and to heaven translate.* As I had not room for all the tenth Satire, what is seen here, is rather an abridgement than an entire version. The whole sense of the author, however, is preserved, though several of his examples and illustrations are left out. Dr. Burnet, bishop of Salisbury, thought this Satire so excellent a thing, that in his famous Pastoral Letter he recommends it, and the Satires of Persius, to the perusal and practice of the divines in his diocese, as the best common places for their sermons; and what may be taught with more profit to the audience, than all the new speculations of divinity, and controversies concerning faith; which are more for the profit of the shepherd, than for the edification of the flock. In the Satires, nothing is proposed but the quiet and tranquillity of the mind. Virtue is lodged at home, as Dryden expresses it, in his fine dedication to the Earl of Dorset; and diffused to the improvement and good of human kind. Passion, interest, ambition, mystery, fury, and every cruel consequence, are banished from the doctrine of these stoics, and only the moral virtues inculcated, for the perfection of mankind. But so unreasonable and infatuated are our shepherds, too many of them I mean, that a rational Christian cannot go to church without being skocked at the absurd and impious work of their pulpits. In town and country, almost every Sunday, those bright theologers are for ever on the glories of trinity in unity, and teaching their poor people that God Almighty came down from heaven to take flesh upon him, and make infinite satisfaction to himself. This is the cream of Christianity, in the account of those teachers. The moral virtues are nothing, compared to a man or a woman's swallowing the divine mystery of an incarnate God Almighty. Over and over have I heard a thousand of them on this holy topic, sweating and drivelling at each corner of their mouths with eagerness to convert the world to their mysteries. The adorable mystery! says one little priest, in my neighbourhood in Westminster. The more incomprehensible and absurd it appears to human reason, the greater honour you do to heaven in believing it, says another wise man in the country. But tell me, ye excellent divines, tell me in print if you please, if it would not be doing more honour to the law of heaven, to inform the people, that the true Christian profession is, to pray to God our Father for grace, mercy, and peace, through the Lord Jesus Christ; without ever mentioning the Athanasian scheme, or trinity in unity which you know no more of than so many pigs do, because it is a mere invention, and not to be found in the Bible. And in the next place, to tell your flocks in serious and practical address, that their main business is, as the disciples of the holy Jesus, a good life; to strive against sin continually, and be virtuous and useful to the utmost of our power; to imitate the purity and goodness of their great master, the Author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him, and by 412 THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNCLE, ESQ. repentance and holiness of heart, in a patient continuance in well-doing, make it the labour of their every day, to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world: you must become partakers of a divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, and by acquiring the true principles of Christian perfection, render yourselves fit for the heavenly bliss: This, my dearly beloved brethren, is the great design of Christ and his gospel. You must receive Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Mediator, you must be exercised unto godliness, and have the ways of God in your hearts. By a course of obedience and patience, you must follow the captain of our salvation to his glory. To this purpose, I say, our clergy ought to preach; and if in so saying, they think me wrong, I call upon them to tell me so in print, by argument; that I may either publicly acknowledge a mistaken judgment; or prove, that too many ministers mislead Christian people in the article of faith and practice. By the strict rules of Christian simplicity and integrity, I shall ever act. THE END. T. WHITF, PRINTER, |