that in our own Nation, there never were more free and worthy Notions of God, and his Providence; nor were the Defigns, and various Difpenfations of Religion ever generally fo well under ftood as they are at prefent. Never was Learn ing, and real Knowledge, fo fully and equally

veniendi ac exponendi rationem docent, ad multo majorem perfectionem adductæ effent; antiquiffima illa Religionis divinitus revelatæ monumenta malto melius explicari, certioraque ex iis confectaria duci, Capitaque omnia Theolo gica rectius tradi coeperunt, quam unquam antea ab Apoftolorum ætate factum fuerat. Quod multo citius contigiffet, fi Majores noftri Judicio fuo malluiffent uti quam alieno; neque enim ingenia defuiffe puto posterioribus feculis, • fed artem duntaxat, quæ nimia cæcaque admiratione prio• rum oppreffa jacebat, Quare contigit idem Theologiæ Chri• ftianæ quod Philofophiæ; quæ tum demum cum fructu, ut par erat, excoli et perfici coepit, cum homines coepere recordari, fibi Rationem non minus efle datam quam Ariftoteli ; ⚫ excuffaque admiratione Antiquitatis, Dogmata ejus ad examen revocare. Ut igitur qui nunc pulcherrima Recentiorum in Philofophia inventa oblivioni mandari vellent, ut • Ariftotelea Decreta fola iterum obtinerent, tenebras luci præferre merito cenferentur: ita qui nunc nos revocant ad Elementa, ac prima veluti tentamina Patrum Græcorum aut Latinorum, plurifque ea fieri volunt quam quæ nunc ¶ fcimus; ii virum adultæ ætatis pertinaci ftudio longaque experientia edoctum, ad pueritia ruditatem redire volunt; majorique in pretio habere quæ puer animo agitabat, quam quæ adultus maturo judicio penfitavit. Inimici funt Pro"fectus omnis in facris Literis, adeoque ipfius Veritatis. Talenta divinitus nobis data, et nuper mirum in modum aucta, minuere atque infodere omni ope conantur. Quod ab iis perfici nec Deus, nec Homines finent, donec in aliquo terrarum angulo Literæ et Veritatis amor vigebunt. Clerc. Ep. Crit. 4. p. 151, &c. comp. Id. Q. Hieron.3. p. 45, &c. Id. Differt. 2. §13. Proleg. ad Comment. p. 28. with Ibbot's B. Lect. 2. Part Serm.4. p. 119. and Lactant. de Orig. Err. L. 2. S. 7.Towhich may be added Wotton's two excellent Chapters on the Philol, and Theol. Learning of the Moderns. Ref. c. 28, and 29. and Worthington's Effay, c. 8.

difpers'd

difpers'd among all Parties, and Profeffions of Men. Nor is there any Sect, however wild and extravagant it may have been at its first setting out, but evidently partakes of these Improve

ments.

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And though, while the minds of Men are warm and eager in the queft of Truth, while they are in continual agitation, and daily teeming with new Inventions; many Monsters will fpring up (as may naturally enough be expected) together with it; and ftrange Errors and Abfurdities be advanc'd, in fuch full Freedom of Enquiry, and Debate; and though this Increase of Knowledge be attended with an Increase of Libertinism, and Extravagance of all kinds; and an evil Spirit of Infidelity, and Prophanenefs, be at the fame time gone abroad; yet is this neither fo uncommon, or unconformable to the course of Divine Providence in other refpects, as to make us defpair of seeing it attended with the ufual Confequences: We have ftill reafon to truft, that when Truth and Knowledge have once fully got the better of Error, and Superftition, this Spirit of Reformation will at length reform and rectify itself; and we shall have more and more of the true Life and Spirit of our Religion, as we draw nearer to thofe times, wherein the fure Word of Prophecy has fix'd its Reign.

I am far from imagining that Christianity is yet come to its mature ftate; that it is understood in the whole extent, or held in its utmost purity and perfection by any particular Church. But as when

It will not be thought any imputation on Chriftianity, that all its Myfteries and Doctrines have not been as yet

it was firft preached, Men were fit to hear, and profit by it in a competent Degree, (as we have hown;) as that was a very proper time to divulge it, in order to improve the World; which it did very confiderably; excelling all former Difpenfations of Religion, and Syftems of Science; refining the Notions, even of those who did not formally receive it; and yet was itself for fomewhile but partially communicated, and imperfectly underflood: So now, 'tis of much greater advantage to the World in general; and yet ftill capable of Increase; it waits for its own Fulness; nor fhall Mankind receive the proper influence,

fo fully difcover'd, and understood by the feveral Sects and Parties of Chriftians, as to come to a fettled Agreement ⚫ concerning them; if it be confider'd, that no human Science hath been brought to fuch perfection as not to admit of farther Improvements, many of which began to be culti vated long before the Commencement of Chriftianity.' Pref. to Mr. Worthington's Effay, p.7. Comp. Burnet de Fid. et Off. c.5. p.8o. c. 8. p.177.

4 See Bp. of Lond. 2d Past. Lett. or Worthington's Effay, c.7.

a This is very vifible in the Writings of thofe Philofophers who came after its promulgation, as Epit. Plut. Max. Tyr and more especially M. Ant. who is well acquainted with the Chriftian Virtue of Humility, among many others, and frequently infifts upon it. The like may be obferv'd of Porph and Hieroc. [fee paffages in Burnet de Fid. et Off. p. 29.] as alfo in Seneca. The like Obfervation is made, with great Justice, on their Forms of Devotion by Mr. Jortin, Difc. p. 228, 229. The fame thing is own'd by the Emperor Julian, in his excellent Advice for a Reformation in their Philosophy, by taking in the Chriftian Morals. Ep. ad Arfac. 49. V. Cave Introd. p.32, &c. Millar, Prop. p. 402, or Leng's B. Lect. S.12. p.111. Fol. add Jenkin, Part 3. c. 5. p.386.

b See the feveral Periods of this Communication accurately fettled by the Author of Mifc. Sac, in his Abftract of the Sacr. Hift. of Ap. and Pref. p. 14, &c...

and

and advantage of it, till their Minds be much farther open'd; their Reafon more fully exercifed, in this great Mystery of Divine Love.

We must fure be fenfible, that the Scriptures are very far from being thoroughly understood by us, who are of fo reform'd a Church; live under fuch an excellent Government; and in this enlighten'd Age; not even thofe parts of them which treat of paft States, and Dispensations; much lefs those which regard Futurity. How long is it fince men were so very ignorant of its Doctrines, as to fix that horrid one of Abfolute Reprobation, upon St. Paul himself? and 'tis to be fear'd, that almost as hard things are yet believ'd of him, and other inspired Writers. We are ftill apt to confine the Gofpel of our Lord, as his primitive Difciples fometime did, to particular Nations, Churches, Sects, Opinions bb; to contend vehemently, either about things in their own Nature abftrufe, and difficult to be understood, and therefore lefs néceffary to be determin'd; or else fuch lighter Matters, as the Ceremonies, Circumstances,

bb It hath been the common disease of Christians from the beginning, not to content themselves with that measure of Faith which God and Scriptures have exprefsly afforded us; but out of a vain defire to know more than is reveal'd, they have attempted to difcufs things of which we can have no light neither from Reafon nor Revelation: neither have they refted here; but upon pretence of Church Authority, which is none; or Tradition, which for the moft part is but figment; they have peremptorily concluded, and confidently impofed upon others, a neceffity of entertaining Conclufions of that nature; and to ftrengthen themselves, have broken out into Divifions and Factions, oppofing • Man to Man, Synod to Synod, till the Peace of the Church ⚫ vanished, without all poffibility of recal.' J. Hales, of Schifm

and

and outward Forms of its Administration; instead of explaining and recommending the true Nature, End, and Design of it; of being intent upon enlarging its real Kingdom; and taking care to maintain thofe Works, which are intrinfically good and ever profitable unto men: inftead of attending to

The Emperor Juftinian, lays Joh. Claubergius, in his Inftitutions, did us the Service, and himself the Honour, by abrogating the fcrupulous Obfervation of starcht subtil Forms and Niceties, to reduce the Study and Practice of 'the Law to its native fimplicity and plainnefs. It would be happy for the Chriftian world, could it find a Man who would do fo much in favour of Theology; who rejecting * litigious Intricacies, needlefs Curiofities, and vain Niceties, which the School Philofophy has introduced into Theology, would reinftate it in its ancient majestick Purity. If what Hen. Alting flightly attempted, under every head of ⚫ Divinity, verbal Controverfies were feparated from real; and in every Controverfy what did not concern the Questi on in debate, was diftinguifh'd from what did; a Multitude of Difputations would be for ever filenc'd. But this is rather to be wifh'd, than expected in our Days; as it is fa fer to lament the faults of our Age, than to reprove them.? Werenfelfius of Logomachys, p. 16. a Book well worth the reading in England. V. Stoll. Introd. ad Hift. Lit. p. 571.

d Tit.3.8,9.The great Offence which in all Nations, and in all Ages has hindered the Propagation of the Gospel of Truth, has been a hypocritical Zeal to fecure by Force ' a fictitious Uniformity of Opinion, which is indeed im'poffible in nature; instead of the real Chriftian Unity of Sincerity, Charity, and mutual Forbearance, which is the Bond of Perfectnefs.' Dr. Clarke,Serm. 18. V.6. 8vo Fol. V. 2. S. 18. And yet among thofe who have embraced the Gofpel of Chrift, there never was the leaft room for Difpute about any Fundamental; all Chriftians, at all times, and in all places, having ever been baptized into the profeffion of the fame Faith, and into an Obligation to obey the fame Commandments. And it being notorious that all 'the contentions that ever arofe in the Chriftian World, have been meerly about the feveral Additions, which every Sect or Party, in direct contradiction to the exprefs command