A LADY's RELIGION IN A LETTER To the Honourable My Lady Howard.  
By a Divine of the Church of England.  
With a Prefatory Epistle to the same Lady, By a Lay-Gentleman.  
LONDON, Printed by Tho. Warren for Richard Baldwin, at the Oxford-Arms in Warwick-lane, 1697.   

MADAM,  
I Never read any thing with more pleasure and satisfaction than the most ingenious Letter of Religion addressed to your Ladyship. The Author's noble design, and happy method of executing it, could add nothing to the value I always had for his great Learning, Candor, and Ingenuity. But to find his performance approved by a Person of your Ladyship's extraordinary Judgement and Virtues, has, I own, very considerably increased my veneration for him.  
If my Opinion is of any weight with your Ladyship, I think he has shown Religion to be plain, short, and intelligible, according to those very rules by which he tries its orthodoxy: And that the knowledge of it depends not upon the helps of Spurious Learning, he has with a deal of genuine Learning demonstrated. What ought to recomend him most, is, that although he be a Divine, yet he pretends not to make any thing pass upon you by virtue of the bare Authority of his Profession; but he modestly writes as an unprejudiced Person, what he believes any other had a right of doing, whom your Ladyship would please to honour with her Commands.  
'Tis now extremely rare to meet with Learning, Liberty, and Integrity, united in one Person; as we find 'em in our Friend. For Learning is frequently attended with Prejudices, Biggotry and Pride; Freedom of thought turns into Licentionsness, when 'tis not guided by knowledge; and we perceive most Men every day sacrifice both Learning and Liberty to their Interest. But what's of more fatal consequence is, That several who have the Reputation of those Endowments, are the farthest in the World from possessing them. Learning, for Example, is a term of great Ambiguity. True Learning consists in the Knowledge of things as they are in themselves, and the expressing of this Knowledge in proper words whereby it is conveyed into the minds of others. To this a right Method indeed is necessary, but Elegance only accidental.  
This is a natural and easy notion; but did it universally obtain, Learning would become more common than is compatible with some men's interest. To frustrate therefore all its native and useful effects, Learning must be made to consist in strange and difficult words, in the mere Grammatical Knowledge of Languages, without any regard to the sense, if sometimes they have any; in frivolous, precarious, and impertinent distinctions; in Etymologies, a World of old stories, and the Lord knows what Gibberish and Nonsense. This the truly Learned call Pedantry.  
But your Ladyship being apt to think others can have no indirect designs no more than yourself, may imagine that this false Notion could never be industriously promoted, but might be only the prevailing effect of casual Ignorance in certain places and times. I shan't trouble you now, Madam, with a Historical account of the matter; but I beg of you to consider two or three things which may be capable of undeceiving a less discerning Person. This kind of Learning, in the first place, being attained with mighty difficulty, very few of either Sex have the Patience, or the leisure to study for it; and so most of the World are obliged to take it at second hand from others, who never think themselves over-paid in consideration of their pains or merit. Be pleased next to remember, that the ignorant are no proper Judges of Learning, and that all those who are not Men of Art being ignorant, must therefore never pretend to question or contradict any thing the Learned say; much less may they take upon 'em to teach or instruct others. Now, Madam, if you don't think this Privilege of being exclusively of all others the only Men of Learning, the only allowed Teachers, and the only Judges of what they themselves do teach, to be a formed design; if you don't think it as dextrously managed as any other joint-stock, or monopoly in the World; if you don't think the advantages worth the pains of contriving the Scheme; I'm content to lose your Ladyship's good Opinion, which I prefer to that of all the Learned in Four Ages I could name, adding the majority of such as are now so accounted.  
There's nothing more obvious than that this artful Learning destroys all Liberty of course; and as for Integrity, they are inconsistent, as Paint and Beauty: for our Learned Guide must be always telling us that he labours for our information; so far at least, he must compliment us for our Patience and Money. But that he otherwise intends, our slow proficiency assures us; Reason also does convince us that 'tis against his interest we should improve, for so in time he grows useless; and he often blabs out the secret himself when he tells us that what he says is unintelligible, and not to be apprehended by us in this World; whatever we may do in the next. How Religion has thrived, or is like to do so under such management, I need not particularly describe to your Ladyship; who more readily sees all the consequences, than many others can conceive the thing itself.  
As Religion is the concern of all, so our Author shows the study of it to be the business of every body; and that nothing can be true Religion, which Poverty, want of Letters, particular Callings, or any condition of Life can hinder us from acquiring. Wherein this Excellent and most divine Religion (which depends not upon certain forms, times, persons or places) does consist, I shan't repeat out of the Letter which you have already perused; but give it you in the words of Minutius Felix, the most Eloquent of the Christian Apologists. Do you think, says he to the Idolaters, that we conceal what we adore, because we have no Temples nor Altars? For what Image can I frame of God, when, if you rightly consider, Man himself is his Image? What Temple shall I build for him, when the whole Universe, which he has made, is not able to contain him? And when I that am but a Man, can command a larger habitation, shall I confine the power of the Divine Majesty within one small shrine? Should we not rather dedicate a Temple to him in our Minds, and consecrate an Altar for him in our hearts? Shall I offer those things in Victims and Sacrisices to the Lord, which he has created for my use; scornfully throwing back his gifts to himself again? This were Ingratitude; when the most pleasing Sacrifices to him are a good disposition, a pure mind, and a sincere Conscience. Whosoever therefore keeps himself Innocent, he prays to the Lord; He that loves Justice, does offer him Sacrifice; whoever abstains from fraud, procures the favour of God; and he that delivers any out of distress, makes him an agreeable offering. These are our Sacrifices, this is our Divine Service: And he that is the honestest Man among us, him we also count the most Religious.  
Are not these, Madam, are not these most charming and Heavenly Expressions? Here's the description of a Religion truly becoming the Dignity and Goodness of the Divine Nature. 'Tis as general as Mankind; not varied by their different Languages, Occupations, or Customs; and as much the interest of all in general, as it must be the delight of every honest Man to observe it.  
Now if true Learning be nothing else, as I said, but the knowledge of things properly expressed, (and of this, Madam, you show your Sex to be very capable) I see no reason why all Men indifferently should not as lawfully teach, as they are bound to practise, their Religion. Why Women likewise may not enjoy the privilege of instructing others 〈◊〉 the Religious duties, which they are obliged to practise themselves, I want ●●●ll to be informed. They have the same Senses of Seeing and Hearing with us, they have the same Faculties of Thinking and Speaking, they learn to read and write with the same Facility, they equally understand the notions of Virtue and Vice, of Disrepute and Honour, of Wisdom and Folly; they are as much concerned, as we are for their own happiness, as well as that of their Friends; and will be so for that of all Mankind, when they consider themselves obliged to contribute towards the preservation of the whole, in the good whereof their own is involved. Some Women have left behind them Illustrious Monuments of their Invention, Knowledge, and Courage; and what particular persons have done, 'tis possible for the generality of the Species to do, or more. Nor can I perceive any difference between us, but that of Sex and Education; and to whom the defects of the latter are to be imputed, any Man would blush to relate that is concerned for the honour or justice of our kind. The particular care your Ladyship has taken to inform a great many of your poor ignorant Neighbour's Minds, as well as to feed and cover their Bodies, is a Demonstration that the duty of Instruction may be as successfully performed by your Sex, as that of Charity or good works.  
I don't understand you right, Madam, or I need not beg your Pardon for publishing this little piece without your privity or permission. Reason, I know, is the Oracle that must decide this business: And there seems to be more reason for the liberty I have taken, than for our Author's compliance with your Ladyship's request, tho' he was likewise in the right. He wrote nothing but what he was convinced you perfectly understood before, taught by the original dictates of your own fruitful mind; so you received his admirable performance, rather as a mark of his respect, than a present you needed: therefore I presume now to distribute it among those of yours and my own Sex, who want such an assistance from him: You envy no person, I'm sure, those divine perfections of Body and Mind, whereof your Enemies (if you can have any) must own you are Mistress; much less would you deprive others of the benefit they may receive from this Treatise, although the usefulness of it to yourself was prevented by an excellent genius. That you may be ever happy, Madam, is the constant desire of  
Your Ladyship's most Observant Friend and Admirer. ADEISID HAEMON.   

A LADY's RELIGION.  
MADAM,  
SInce God has been pleased to incline your heart to an early and serious enquiry after Religion, so that you are sincerely desirous to know the will of God, in order to do it, I hearty wish you had laid your Commands upon one more able to assist you, than I am: who, being bred up in an Age of Speculation and Controversy, have addicted myself to the study of Divinity more perhaps than to the practice of Religion; and have been (I pray God forgive me) more desirous to furnish my Head with Notions, than my Heart with good Inclinations. I thought myself, by my Profession, chief engaged in a study how to defend the Church by Law established against all Dissenters, rather than to promote the common cause of serious Piety; and whilst by the strange unaccountable genius of this Age, I have been led aside to mix the study of Politics with that of Religion, I have been busily assisting the Office of a Minister of State, rather than doing the good work of a Minister of Jesus Christ.  
Now although it has pleased God to make me in some measure sensible of those By-paths, in which I have sometimes walked, to the hindrance of that duty unto which I ought entirely to have devoted myself; yet I am apt to fear lest those Prejudices and undue Prepossessions of Mind may still remain within me, by which I shall be prevented from giving your Ladyship such an Idea of Religion, as is short, plain, and pure, free from superstitious Appendages, and separate from every by-interest.  
But without doubt such as this is the true Spirit of the Christian Religion, every line whereof directly tends to make us easy within ourselves, kind and comfortable to one another here, and happy with God hereafter.  
That our holy Religion is a wise Institution, will be evident to any one who considers that God is its Author, whose Wisdom appears in all his Works: Thus the frame of visible nature being agreeably set together, and having each part of it suited to useful and proper ends, demonstrates itself to be the work of divine Wisdom: in like manner the whole Plan of pure Religion, having also its parts suitable to each other, and every one of them agreeably set to the same good and great Design of the whole, does thereby prove itself to be the contrivance of an Alwise God.  
And hereby the Wisdom of the Christian Religion will particularly appear, because every part of it tends to promote the universal good of Mankind; for which reason the divine Founder thereof was named Jesus, (that is) Saviour, because his only design was to save us from the prevailing power of Sin, and from those Miseries in which that evil power would involve us.  
Thus Temperance promotes our Health, Justice in our deal prevents us from sustaining the revenges of the injured, and gains us trust among Men, with all the benefits which arise from thence. Charity by promoting the common good of others draws back their love and affection to ourselves, while Patience preserves quiet within our own Breasts, and Self-denial by restraining our extravagant Appetites, establishes the just power of Reason over us; thereby fitting us for all conditions of life; and thus the law of Christ answers to the Character of Wisdom, by its agreeableness to the best design of God in the chiefest good of Man: and upon this account Solomon charactered the Idea of Religion under the name of Wisdom.  
Beside these moral duties there are several threats of God's Judgements and promises of his favour contained in Christ's Institution; the former were wisely designed to restrain us from Immoralities, which are our greatest Follies; and the latter to engage us in the practice of Virtue, which is our greatest Wisdom: the threaten prepare the way for the Promises, and qualify us to receive 'em; in as much as they shake off our affections from ill objects, in order for the Promises to fix them upon good ones. We must needs cease to do evil, before we can learn to do well.  
Now although a due consideration of the divine nature will carry us on to the belief of a future state, in which he who is in perfection the best of all Being's, will distinguish the good from the bad by ample rewards and just punishments: yet because every one's capacity may not be sufficient to make this wise reflection, therefore Jesus Christ was pleased (as the Gospel phrases it) to bring Life and immortality to light: i. e. to give the World full assurance of a future state, in which the just God will distinguish Men hereafter in such a manner as they shall distinguish themselves here; and 'tis the wisdom of every one to preserve this belief in his heart, and bear it always about him, because 'tis the most awful Monitor against our committing folly, and yields the strongest encouragement to Virtue.  
From what has been said, your Ladyship sees first what is meant by saving a Soul, viz. to deliver it from vicious habits and fearful punishments, the fatal consequents of such habits; and by establishing Virtue therein to recommend it to the favour of God. And secondly, that the Gospel of Christ was designed to this very end; and its tendency hereunto is its Wisdom. And thirdly, from hence you also perceive in what respect Faith in Jesus Christ is said to save us, viz. because this Faith is our receiving the Christian Moral for the Rule of our lives, and the threats and Promises contained in the Gospel, for the outward motives of our practice according to that Rule.  
And from these three considerations, summed up together, you may examine all the various pretences which differing Churches and Communions make to the purity of Christian Faith, so as to form a right judgement of 'em; for that Communion which manifests itself to have no other design than to assist its Members in saving their Souls from the power of Sin by the Moral and Motives , is certainly the purest Church; and that Faith which has no other tendency, is the purest Faith. So that if you form yourself upon this Principle, you may pass by all nice Speculations, or profound Mysteries, which have no direct tendency to improve your Morals, without any hazard of Salvation.  
Secondly, As the Christian Institution is wisely practical, so it is plain: or in other words, we may say, that as the wisdom of the Christian Religion appears first by its being practical, so it appears secondly by being plain. The obscure answers which were given out from the old Heathen Oracles, are now known to have proceeded from the indirectness of a designing Priesthood: who, to maintain their pretence of foretelling what shall come to pass, sent back all those who came to inquire after future events, with doubtful and uncertain Answers. And it has been the observation of wise Men, that when any one affects to be dark and mysterious in his Conversation, either he has some indirect design in so doing, or else whilst he makes an ostentation of wisdom he does in reasity but discover his folly.  
Now the Wisdom of God cannot be conceived to aim at any other design in communicating itself to us, than the Information of our Minds in the nature of good and evil, and this in order to direct our choice; and all Instruction must of necessity be plain: since 'tis by things easy and familiar, such as at first sight we may apprehend, whereby we can be led on to the knowledge of matters more remote and difficult: but obscure and unintelligible doctrines can have no effect upon us beside unprofitable amusement; and whatsoever is by the wisdom of God laid out of our reach, can be no part of our concern.  
Farther, to what end did he give us intellectual Faculties? surely not to amuse but to improve us, by enabling us throughly to understand each part of our holy Religion, which directly tends to that end, viz. our moral Improvement: as you will soon perceive, if you reduce the Christian Institution to its general heads, which are these.  
First, A Narration of matters of Fact.  
Secondly, A Declaration of moral Laws.  
Thirdly, A Revelation of such motives which are proper to enforce this Law upon our minds. And  
Fourthly, Serious Exhortations to refresh our Memories with our duty: and earnestly to recommend it to our practice.  
First, Your Ladyship sees, that the matters of fact contained in the four Gospels, and the Acts of the Apostles (viz. the Travels and Transactions of Christ and his Disciples) are so plainly related, that you understand the Relation as easily as you read it. And Secondly all Laws must be plain, because they are Directions. Now, obscure directions are but Delusions. And Laws which are dubious and difficult to be understood, are Traps and Snares. And Thirdly, 'Tis as necessary that Motives should be very intelligible, because their design is to work strongly upon our Wills, by convincing our Understandings. Add to this Fourthly, That mystical and unintelligible Exhortations are ridiculous, upon which account St. Paul forbade religious Exercises to be performed in an unknown Tongue.  
Now as the four Gospels and Acts of the Apostles contain matters of fact, laws, and motives; so the Epistles contain Exhortations to Seriousness and Piety, arising from the laws, facts, and motives beforementioned: and 〈◊〉 take these Books to be sufficiently comprehensive of the Institutions and Ordinances of Jesus Christ: which ought indeed to be easily intelligible, because they concern the poor weak, and unlettered People as much as the Learned.  
Nor can I see that the doctrine of Christ was by him, or his Apostles, delivered first of all into the hands of the learned to be by them conveyed into the minds of the ignorant; but on the contrary, 'tis manifest that our Saviour directed both his discourses and actions immediately to the common people as well as to the Scribe; and in like manner did his Disciples address their Preach and Writings.  
From all this Discourse concerning the clearness of Christ's Institution, you may spare yourself the needless trouble of reading abstruse and mysterious points of Divinity. Nor need you suffer yourself to be amused with the pretended deep Speculations of profound Men, when you have the plain directions of a wise, and a good God before you, in following whereof you shall meet with great reward.  
Thirdly, The Christian Institution is short. True and genuine Religion has always been summed up, and gathered together into a narrow compass, by those who best understood it. Thus Micah (6.8.) speaking of God, saith, He hath shown thee, O Man, what is good, and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee? but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. And our Saviour sums up the whole Law in our Love to God, and our Neighbour. And in another place includes the whole scope of the Law and the Prophets, in this one Rule, Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye unto them; hereby directing us to make a right use of that Reason which God established as his Oracle in our Breasts: to which we may at all times resort; and from whence we may be resolved in such cases as concern our duty to one another.  
For as by consulting your own reason, you know wherein you are justly dealt with, and wherein you receive wrong; when you are kindly used, and when otherwise: so from the same principle of reason you cannot but know when you deal justly or wrongfully, and when you do kind or ill offices to another; this one short comprehensive Rule, takeing for its Foundation the Equality of Mankind in respect of their common nature, renders Religion itself a matter sensible unto us.  
For I can feel the wound of a sharp slanderous Tongue as sensibly as that of a Sword; I can feel the wrongs done to myself and Family; and am as much sensible of the benefits I enjoy from the just and kind deal of those with whom I am concerned; and hereby I am in the shortest and plainest way admonished of my behaviour to others: and if this one short Rule were reduced to practice, the state of Paradise would be restored, and we should enjoy a Heaven upon Earth.  
For hereby first all Persecutions for Conscience sake, which have occasioned such violent disorders, and vast effusion of blood, would be at an end, because every one who has any Conscience, would most willingly preserve it free from the Impositions of Men in the worship of God. To compel Men by Fire and Faggot to partake even of a delicious Entertainment, is a savage sort of Hospitality.  
Secondly, All Factions in any State would be at an end, if every Member thereof were contented that every one of his Fellow-Members who was not an Enemy to the Government, might, having equal pretence of Merit, enjoy equal Privileges with himself.  
Thirdly, The occasions of War and Law-Suits would be taken away. Since nothing but manifest wrong can be the just cause of either.  
And Fourthly, There would be no private quarrels, and uneasiness among Neighbours; Since by this Rule of doing as we would be done unto, all rash Censures, sharp reflections, and ungrounded suspicions and jealousies, which are the Seeds of private Animosities, are taken away. And hereby we may expect a plentiful store of God's Blessings among us, who will measure out his kindness to us in the same manner, as we measure out ours to one another.  
The reason why Religion should be both a short and plain Institution, will appear if you consider the common circumstances and conditions of Men in this World. For though your Ladyship and many more, have leisure enough to read and digest whole Volumes of useful Knowledge (if there are any such) yet the greatest part of Mankind being necessarily employed in making daily provisions for themselves and Families, and discharging the common offices of Life, cannot attend to any religious Institution which is either difficult or tedious.  
'Tis certain, That the whole Life of Man is not sufficient for him to read all the Controversies which have been written upon pretence of Religion; but 'tis as certain, That God never lays on us a greater task than what he affords us both Abilities and Opportunities to perform: wherefore we may conclude, That since the duties of Religion are laid in common upon all, the poor Day-Labourer must have ability and opportunity sufficient to instruct himself therein, without hindering the constant work of his Calling. And in all this the Wisdom and Goodness of God are made known, by adapting our duties to our circumstances of Life.  
From hence you may save yourself the trouble of reading the long and tedious Disputes which with such intemperate Zeal are always in agitation among the several Parties of Christians. Indeed the true Christian Institution being short, it cannot admit of being spun out into long Controversies: And tho' I have read many Books of Controversial Divinity, I do not remember that I have met with any one Controversy about the matter of mere Religion; as whether I should maintain in my heart a high reverence and veneration for Almighty God? Whether I ought to walk before him in Sincerity and Uprightness? Whether or no I should be thankful to him for all the benefits which I have received from him? Whether I shall submit to his will with Patience, and endeavour to govern my Passions, to bring them to a due moderation and temper, by making them subject to the Law of Reason? Whether I should be true to my Promise, just in my Deal, charitable to the Poor, and sincere in my Devotions? Whether I should be temperate and sober, modest and chaste, and demean myself in an humble, civil, and agreeable manner towards those with whom I converse? Whether I should be hearty sorry when I come short of my duty, and should be watchful in the denial of my irregular Appetites, Passions, and evil Inclinations for the future? In short it has not (that I know of) been disputed whether Justice, Benignity, Meekness, Charity, Moderation, Patience and Sobriety, should be received into our affections? or whether we should love God and our Neighbour? Orthodoxy of Faith is made the pretence of Controversy, but the one thing necessary is Orthodoxy of practice.  
I know your Ladyship will not be pleased with a Discourse upon the subject of Religion, unless Devotion have its due place in it; nor ought it indeed to be left out, because thankfulness is a necessary part of Religion, and Prayer is the Preservative of the whole. A frequent repetition of our thanks for all the benefits we enjoy, preserve in our Minds the consideration of God as the greatest and best of Being's; and thereby nourishes Veneration and Gratitude. In like manner Prayer for Pardon of Sin, and preservation of our Persons, is a constant Recognition of the Mercy and bounty of God. But Prayer against the power of Sin, is the actual withdrawing of our Inclinations from Evil; and Prayer for any Grace is an actual application of our Minds, to attain the particular Virtue for which we pray.  
Now although I would not advise you against set Hours and Forms of Devotion, either private or public; yet I would rather recommend a sort of habitual and occasional Devotion, as very proper to preserve the strongest Impressions of Religion upon your Mind.  
It may be observed that many who are very punctual in keeping to their exact times and forms of Devotion, have fallen short of any visible improvement in Virtue. The same Pride, Frowardness, Falsehood, Covetousness, and bitterness of Spirit, have appeared in many who have been constant frequenters of the public as well as Closet Forms of Prayer; as if God had not been in all their thoughts. The reason whereof seems to be because their formal Petitions supersede their habitual Endeavours. Men are apt to think that since they spend in every day such a portion of time in Prayer, they have done all their part: And so they leave God Almighty to take care of the event. And this is indeed all we can do when we make our Petitions to our Benefactors upon Earth, viz. offer up our requests to them, either by word or writing, and then only expect their answer.  
But 'tis otherwise with relation to God. Our Petitions to him must not take off from our constant endeavours to perform that work for which we pray his Enablement. And this occasional Devotion, which I would recommend, is in its own nature a constant endeavour after Virtue, as well as a serious Petition for it. For it ariseth from a frequent observation of ourselves in our particular occurring circumstances; from which observation suitable desires will almost necessarily flow. As if at any time I find that I have done an ill thing, immediately upon the discovery, I beg God's Pardon, and resolve to make recompense for the ill I have done. Or if I have designed any evil in my heart, and presently beg Pardon of him who knoweth the secrets thereof; in so doing I have given check to its progress. In like manner, if I have spoken slanderously, rashly, or injuriously concerning any one; and upon Recollection thereof I ask forgiveness of God, and desire that I may not do the like for the future: but on the contrary, that I may govern my Tongue better; in all this I am labouring to withdraw my Soul from evil, and to form myself upon a principle of Virtue.  
Every Night and Morning are proper times of leisure to call to Mind the preservation, support, and advantages we have received the day or night preceding. And this Recollection being accompanied with thankfulness to our great Preserver, is the actual continuance and carrying on of our gratitude to God. If I perceive Pride or Passion to arise in my heart, so that I am apt to put a great value upon every thing I do, and despise others: or if I find myself eagerly concerned for any little Worldly advantage, or any small punctilio of honour; and hereupon I beg of God for an humble Spirit, and a Heavenly Mind; I am herein endeavouring to expel the Poison of Sin by its proper Antidote.  
We cannot but feel the Disorders of our Minds, as much as the Diseases of our Bodies. And the causes of a disordered Mind are much more easily discerned, than the causes of a Bodily Distemper. For either my Mind is troubled for want or losses, or it may be for the prosperity of others, or want of a revenge, or because I cannot have my will in what I designed. Upon these or such like occasions, the proper Cure is Devotional in begging God's Pardon for my discontent: and being desirous that my will should be submitted to his who has taught me that I should not return evil for evil, but that I should love my Neighbour as myself. This sort of Soliloquy, and occasional mental address to God, is a sure way to compose the disorders of our thoughts. For the growing power of any Sin is most certainly suppressed by introducing the opposite Virtue into our desires.  
The same method may be used as to Sins of Omission. A serious Person will observe neglects of common duties, which respect either God or Man. He cannot but take notice how much he has neglected his business, or his health; how little he has considered God as his Owner, Governor and Benefactor: and how small a portion of what God has blessed him with he has laid out upon the good of his Fellow-Creatures. And if hereupon a Man is seriously desirous to become more dutiful to God, more useful to himself, and beneficial to others, he is therein actually bending his mind to supply his former Omissions.  
This casual Devotion arising from the observation of ourselves, under the common circumstances of Life (although it can have no set times and forms prescribed to it) will be very effectual to produce, preserve, and increase a true sense of Religion within us. And if you are pleased to apply your thoughts hereunto, as occasion shall direct you, this Devotion will soon become habitual, customary and easy. And its returns, which will be frequent and short, will be a continual restraint from evil-doing, and an actual exercise of Virtue.  
This exercise which I have been prescribing is commonly reserved to be performed all at once, in an actual preparation before receiving the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper; which is usually performed by help of an artificial Catalogue of Sins methodically collected out of the Ten Commandments, according to which Catalogue set Forms of Confessions are drawn up, which the Preparant is to take upon content, and without any sort of judgement or discretion of his own, he confesses himself guilty of all the Sins therein mentioned together, with all their Aggravations, though, it may be, many of them were of such a heinous nature, as never entered into his heart to commit. And if these Catalogues and confessional Forms are read over once a quarter of a Year, or, it may be, once a Month against the usual Sacrament-Day, the work of Preparation is thought to be well passed over.  
Yet I cannot but think it better to keep a constant customary watch over ourselves, and upon the first discovery of any evil design or action, immediately to retract it within our own hearts, as in the presence of God, and by mental Prayer, proper to the occasion, arm ourselves against committing the like for the future. Hereby you discharge a duty in its proper season, which is better than to delay it to a prefixed distance of time: for what is most fresh in memory will make the most lively Impression upon us; but may in a little time be forgotten. Besides, we are apt to turn Forms into Formalities: And a natural discharge of religious duties must be more improving than an artificial one.  
And by this your Ladyship sees the reason why I have written a Discourse of Religion in general, in Answer to your Letter, wherein you wrote only concerning the Lord's Supper, viz. because I esteem a serious well-inclined temper of Mind to be the best preparation, either for that, or any other of the Ordinances of Jesus Christ, that we may partake of 'em with advantage and delight.  
David advises us to delight ourselves in the Lord, i. e. in all his ways and Ordinances. And I cannot see why our preparation for the Lord's Table, and participation at it, should be accompanied with greater Anxieties of Mind than our Communicating in any other holy Office; such as public Prayer or Preaching. We expect the same Blessing of God in the improvement of our Virtues from all of these Ordinances alike. And why with terror upon our Minds we should use any of those means which God has ordained for our good, I do not understand. A Man indeed ought to perform every religious office seriously and soberly; but Fear by amusing and distracting the Mind, is apt to render the Ordinance unprofitable.  
Men ought likewise to be discouraged from coming to Prayer, Preaching or Communicating at the Lord's Table, with a careless, or profane temper of Mind: because such unpreparedness does harden men's hearts, and renders the Ordinance unprofitable. Such as this was the case of the Corinthians, who in celebrating the Lord's Supper, were so inconsiderate of what they came to do, that some of them were drunk at the Lord's Table, as you read 1 Cor. 11.21. and to this their profane behaviour, those Texts of Scripture do particularly relate, which affright some Men from, and others in receiving the Sacrament: on this account 'twas said, by St. Paul, that they were guilty of the body and blood of Christ: and to eat and drink damnation to themselves, not discerning the Lord's body, Ver. 27, 29. i e. by such a profane and unworthy communicating, they call down God's Judgements upon themselves: for so the word Damnation ought to be understood, because it refers to the Judgements specified in the following Verse, where 'tis said, that, For this cause (viz. of drunken Communicating) many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep, i. e. die. V 30. Now to avoid these Judgements he exhorts them to examine themselves, i. e. to consider with themselves what was the meaning of that duty which they were to perform at the Lord's Table, which duty was this, viz. to call to mind the death of Jesus Christ. And this Commemoration is by St. Paul styled, Discerning the Lord's body.  
The visible signs of our Saviour's Death, which we discern on the Lord's Table, do prepare our minds to contemplate a divine Person, who for his great Charity to the stupid World, suffered the highest injustice, with such an invincible patience, and Heroic Fortitude, as was superior to the sharpest malice of his Enemies. Thereby setting before us the brightest Example of an unshaken resolution to do good in spite of all Discouragements.  
You will perceive, Madam, by this Discourse, that the Christian Religion is a wise, a plain, and a short Institution; the Belief whereof was designed to save our Souls from the power and danger of Sin, by engrafting virtuous habits in our Minds. You will likewise perceive, that I hold it necessary to keep a constant watch over ourselves, to repent as often as we perceive ourselves to transgress, and by occasional mental Devotion, incline our hearts to observe the law of Christ; and all this in order to build up a habit of Virtue within us. You will also perceive, that the Contemplation of the death of Christ, with all its circumstances, tends to the same admirable end.  
And if these or any other means shall work upon you to be generously just, to bear a good will to all Men, to do what good you can, and to be unconcerned for the events of things which are not within your power; you will be easy within your self, and satisfied in your own Conscience, which is the Dawn of Heaven upon Earth; and you may cheerfully Communicate at any time.  
FINIS.