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YALE
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

L E C T U l^ E S.
By fhe late Mr. PETHs ANNEX

LECTtJRES

ON THE

FOLLOWING SUBJECTS,

V I z.

I. .Introdu£tory Le£ture.
II. On Confideration and
Social Converfation.
III. On pure and falfe Re
ligion.
IV. Containing a Propofal
to unite all true Pro-
teftants in one Princi
ple, and form a Society
of United Proteftants
in order to vanquifh
Popery.

V. An Endeavour to keep
the Unity of the Spirit
in the Bond of Peace.
VI. Againft Popery.
VII. Ibid.
VIII. Of Infallibility.
IX. On Mortification.
X. Ibid.
XI. Of theLigbt within.
XII. Of Spiritual Under
ftanding.
XIII. Of the Word of God.

Bythe late Mr. PETER ANNET.
Correfted and revifed by h i m- juft before his Death.

LONDON:
PRINTED FOR THE BOOKSELLERS.

,1822.

Av.14

Fi'inted by William Clark,
No. 136, Aldersgate-street, Londen.

THE «
Introdu6lory Ledure.
Jnd into whatfoever Houfe ye enter, firJi fay.
Peace be to this Houfe, Luke, chap. x. ver. 5.
Gentlemen,
WE are here met together to converfe
freely with each other* and by this
free converfation and reafoning to find out
truth. This is a lovely motive, and Ihould
therefore, however we may differ in our opinions,
be a means to promote refpeft and aflFeftion for
each other ; I am fure this muft be the confe
quence, if what Ihave mentioned be the motive,
for Truth is not found but by pure and un
biaffed Reafon, and Reafon is that fpirit or
peace-making nature which fubdues all unjuft,
aud moderates all violent paffions, teaching
us to have a regard for others, as well as for
ourfelves : it is therefore of the utmoft fervice
for the government of mankind, and to pro
mote fecial tranquility ; for which caufe all our
thoughts,

¦:. ( 2 ) ¦
thoughts, words and adions ihould be direaed
by it. It fliould direa our thoughts to judge
what is fit for our belief and piaaice; for be
lief or faith is of no other confequence than as
it tends to promote fome good'; therefore, that
faith is of none, that is no way reducible to
praaice. But if fuch kind of fpeculations de
light our minds, as are injurious to none, they
are of some fervice to give us dehght. Thefe,
though mere fpeculations, every man has as
much right to enjoy, as his own worldly .^pro
perty ; for thefe are in a' peculiar mdnnlr his
owii, as beirtg the goods of the inind, for the
mind thinks them good, and divulging them, a
kind of cpiiiniercial traffic. To. injure a liian
for maintaining his opinions, who has np inten
tion to injure othefs, is committing violence on
him M'ith an endeavour to rob him of his
freedom. ' If we have better mental goods,
and can perfuade him to change, well and
good ; there is no harm done :' and if it tend to
make him more happy in hirafelf, enlarge his
mind, and improve his reafon; make him ia wifer
and better man, and more ufeful to fociety,
it is then lawful, nay, laudable in fuch cafe to
make the attempt in a mild, perfuafive and
reafonable

:< .5 )
reafonable way ; for the mind abhors all a^s of
violeuce, and therefoTC cannot love even truths
that arc iroughly introduced. The manner of
their introdu£tioa fhould be reafonable as well
as the truths themfelves. If a friend forces his
way imto my apartment with violence, againft
my feonfeHt, it renders his company unaccept^
able, at that time, aud to he worfe thought of
at all times after. . < ^ ..t.^ j or
. .>. , i..; . .. UU ' :57 "^Hr" • r ' ; ' ' ''*
Meni are judged of men by their aftions, and by
their fentimente of aflions, fo far as they can be
knownu : Aftions make the difpofit»i@ns appear ;
everyman only knows his own heart; men can only
judigeof men as. they do, of all things elfe, by ap
pearances; but in thefe they may bedeceived, and
therefore fhould be careful, and not rigidly cenfd-'
rioos. ome of another. ; Let men' differ about fpe
culations,. but not difturb the peace of focietyi
There are knaves and honeft men of all parties. As
honefty or knavery appears, men are tp be re^
gardediOr guarded agaiflft; their mere fpeeula-
tionsi are of no concern but to themfelves. Th^
gobd)-natured hoiieft man is always an accepta
ble companion, whatiever fpeculative fentiments
he embraces. This honeft man has always a
love

( 4 )
love for truth, though he may not always per*
ceive it; hefeeksftirit, though he may notalways
find it. If we confider that the intrinfic nature
of things is known to no man, but the appear
ance of things to our fenfes is the l-ule of our
ttoderftandimg, it is enough to prevent us from
bdiUg too pofitive in our judgments, at leaft
not to prefer the leffer good of fpeculati^e truths,
to the greater good of praftical truth or virtue.
And confidering the real uncertainty of all
things j as to our abfolute knowledge of them,
we fhould fo preferve a love to truth, as never
to let go our love to virtue ; fo to preferve a
love to trnth, as to be always ready to receive
it upon conviaion, but never without, which
will tefliify honefty of heart, and at the fame
time preferve ns from being- deceived by falfe-
faood and impofture: it will keep prejudiee and
bigotry from us, the ocdafipn of ihany evils,
nor fttffer us to injurie the; fi^iends of truth and
hmtifyt it will teach m%d labour to prove thd
tr^ith oi what tre^ >vould' have received as ftich,
and n6t defire any t& reeeive' it without ^oof
fuffidient fdr his eonviaion. For by men's being
required' tb do dtherwife, it is that mankind are
led into and remain in errors of evil confe
quences, and become dupes to impofture. U

( 5 )
If fpeoulative opinions are moi-e or lefs valua-
Me as they are more or le& ufefuil to peace and
fociability, thofe are moft worthy our recom
mendation and regard, which beft tend to pra^
mote a friendly di%ofition.
If men are deceived in beHeving a doairiii|e
which is of no bad confequence, it is a
matter of indifference, and as fuch it fbouid
be received and regarded. We don't know
abfolutely that we have right notions of any
things only fuch feem to be moft right which
are moft fi^t for us: we jiitdg£ only by ap
pearances, fucch ^. our fenfes fomii, which are
different in different bodies,, and our reafb'n
canaot condu£l us contrary to fenfe : therefore
that appearance of things which beft agrees
with every one's experience, is his heft guide in
judgment and aaion, if it conduce to the main
point, man's peace and mutual happinefs: for
the affeflionsi and difpofitions of men are ac
cording to their natural frame and eonftitutions,
and become a&ive by motivies. Yet many a
difpofition may be cultiimted and improved^
many an afifeflion increafed or lefleaed, by in-r
dulging or not indulgi^ it, by Mceiving or
reje£ling

( 6 )
r^eaing rational leffons; and aaions are always
correfpondent to the affefilions and motives that
produce them. The nature of the mind, like
that ofr the earth, fubmits to culture; nature is
fo improved by art, and art is fo much the
produaion of' nature, that it is not poffible to
fepaxate them. And as we do many neceffary
things freely, we are neceffarily free to do
many things ; therefore the difference between
the one and the other is fuch, as ought to make
no difference between our communion and union.
It is prudence and virtue not to give offence to
the injuring of ourfelves or others, unlefs it
have a profpect of producing a greater good,
and to take care not to gratify a humour at the
expence of virtue, but in all things conform to
the cool condufit of -reafbn, and feek the prefer
vation and promotion of the peaceful and fociable
fpirit. If education or cuftom is to direfit our con
ceptions and belief, it fets afide the ufe of
reafon ; but if we defert thofe leaders, then are
we free to exert the powers of the foul, which
if not exerted, are given us in vain., But if
exercifed, we may hope at, laft to anchor in
the

( 7 )
the harbour of truth. If our minds covet
knowledge, and labour to acquire wifdom, that
valuable, that great, that glorious acquifition,
we may obtain, if we caft off all the impedi
ments of pufillanimity, prejudice, and par
tiality to pre-conceived opinions. If affairs of
confequence are the fubjea of our enquiry,
why fhould our fearch be hindered ? why not
encouraged ? If of no confequence, but for re
creation and the exercife of our abilities, why
fhould it be forbidden, why prevented, feeing it is
harmlefs? and harmlefs recreations ought always
to be indulged, that the mind at times may be
relaxed from the cares of life. The door then
being open, and the paffage clear, let us enter
in, and in our contentions for truth, let us alfo
contend to maintain peace in this fociety ; then
we fliall not only fay as a compliment, Peace be
to this houfe, but do the things that make fpr
peace, and wherewith one may edify another ;
and may a peaceable and benevolent fpirit enter
and remain among us !

ON

On Confideration and Social Converfation.
Let us consider for ourselves, and then
Converfe, and reafon, Uke difcerning •men.
TO this end we meet, that we may confidet
and judge of fubjeds prefented to oiir
enquiry, according to our abilities ; which fhould
be employed without prejudice and partiality.
This is virtue — Every virtue is known by this
rule ; it conduces to the happinefs of ourfelves
and others. All virtues are of a fecial nature ;
they, like the fun, difplay their kind influence
for human benefit ; therefore lovers of virtue
are lovers of men. The good fpirit circulates
among a body of good men in civil fociety, as
blood in the veins of a natural body, fivery
good man wills good to ail men, eVen where
he cannot d'6 it, and does it where he can. He
rejoices at the profperity of the good, and en
deavours the amendment of the bad, and the
information of the ignorant.
Confideration in queft of truth is the path of
wifdom, in which path philofophers only travel. They

( 9 )
They withdraw from fociety to contemplate, that
they may return to it better qualified for the
fervice of it. The moral end of fecial enquiry
is the improvement of fcience, and the infor
mation of the judgment, for rightly conducing
ourfelves and our affairs. This contributes
to focial benefit. To purfue truth, and praflife
it, includes man's whole duty, both in private
and public life.
If we confider the ways of men, we fliaU find
that men unacquainted with each other, are
jealous and fearful ; and fear breeds diflike and
hatred. This uncultivated fiate of nature is a
ftate of war. Men are oft deceitful in feeking
their own advantage, and, the defigns of men
being fecret in their own minds, they are
not well to be trufted before they are well
known : but in fociety men become acquainted,
and better knowing each other, the harmonious
fpirit of fociability kindles kind thoughts in each
others breafts; and in colleaing acquaintance,
men naturally believe and hope the beft, which
make jealoufies and fears fubfide: hence comes
credit, confidence and mutual affiftance. This
ftate of nature is a ftate of peace ; and this is
that

( 10 )
that ftate which is defirable, aud worthy our
endeavours to promote and cultivate.
Men that love fociety for the fake of conver
fation and improvement of their minds and
manners, will have an advantage to fele£l out
of many thofe who are moft agreeably difpofed
to contribute to this end ; and feparate, for their
more familiar company and converfation, fuch
as are moft agreeable to their difpofitions.
Vulgar difcourfe and breeding beft fuits with
vulgar minds : they are no more polite in their
choice, than in their underftandings : but thefe
are no company to men of nice tafte and dif-
cernment. The crude and indigefted thoughts
of the inconfiderate vulgar, whether 'rich
or pool*, noble or .ignoble (for men are hot
wife becaufe they are rich or great) whom the
common cry and cuftom carry away, are (Jiftafte-
ful and naufeous to men of fenfe, difcernment,
and careful condua : Like things attraa each
other: In, correfpondent qualities there is har
mony. Hence it appears that intelligent natures
as well as unintelligent, have their attraaion
and repulfion, or fomething like them ; and
that nature governs all her works by the fame
laws, which only change as the fubftances and
their

( H )
their circumftances change. An enqtiirer after
wifdom hates the impertinence of fools, and
repels them and feparates himfelf from them ; at
leafl, chufes not fuch for his converfation ; but
dra^s to him, the ' converfation of wife men,
when he finds them, or he is drawn to them.
Good men alfo avoid bad company, and love to
affociate themfelves with good men. Men de
light to herd with thofe of their own kind.
Tho' thinking and judging for ourfelves is
our natural right, maintained by the wife and
honeft in all ages, moft divines efteem it the
parent of herefy, becaufe it leads men to eradi
cate' irrational credulity, on which craft their
wealth and pawer depehds; though oti this
principle ftand the reformation in the church,
and revolution in the ftate, from fpiritual and
civil bondage. . , ' , cjl*
Churchfhip is conneaed by agreement, in
unexamined opinions and ceremonies ; our
fociety by exainining opinions without cere
mony, to promote liberty and truth, which
ftand or fall together. Such who think thofe
are right, will naturally think thefe are wrong,
not confidering that thofe are the produaions of

( 12 )
pf art, thefe of nature. They are compofed of
bondmen, thefe; of fr^men, They are the
childre^iof darkqeft, thefe pf light. The more
ignorant men are, the greater dependence they
place on their guides, and the more eafily they
fuhpait to their guidance, and yield to them
riches and dominion.
The guides of the multitude lead them by
traditional creeds, enthufiaftic notions, and fenfe
lefs fuperftitions ; but the knowledge and virtue
beaming frpm nature, are man's glory : Whereas
reafon is warpt to ferve the interefted opinions
of men, and mpr^ls are formed fubfervient to
their intereft'. But liberty and truth leave men
tp believe what they can» and to praaife what
^hey ought.
Thefe divines are diviners, gueffers, conmrers,
dealers in fupernatural myfteries and miracles-
Though they can donomiracles, they affert mjiny
to have been alreacjy done*, which ferves their
purpofe as well. And they are a kind of fpr-
tune-tellprs of (hings to come after death, which
they krip^ as muqh of as the wonders paft, the
trilth
* fhe Reader is l^ere to undfrftfmd, that the mirael-es qf Chrifl
and his Apoftles are not queftioned, but ihe reflection is on the ufe
fiten make of them.

( 13 )
truth of both which they equally aflfert, and
their ignorance and affurance of b^th are equal i
therefore their divinity is divination^ •
We profefs to ^hilofophize, n6t to divihe.
Our arguments ought to be ^fetdhed frSfh the
revelation of nature ; not from filperhatural re
velation. It is not our bufineft to foar out of
fi^t. If men would build on nature more,
and adliere more to reafon, and lean lefs on
authority, they would not be fo ftinted in their
underflandings, fitting down at their neplus
ultra. They \rould not always Walk in go-
carts, nor hang ©n their leading-ftrings, but
they would become men ia underftanding.
The mifled multitude, and their interefted
leaders, affociate only to fupport their party,
and to increafe their intereft. Thefe, as
much as their power permits, prevent men
from enjoying their rightful and natural liber
ties ; and injure, as much as in policy they can,
the abetters and defenders of that darling free-
dom^ which all wife men are fpnd of) ahd good
men aiWays indulge. Thefe confederate to in
jure fociety, and opprefs mankind ; thelfe con
fult their own benefit by the evils they bring on
others.

( 14 )
others, and, by their narrownefs of felf-love,
injure focial felicity. But the pleafure that re-
fults from obeying the diaates of pure nature,
in diffufing knowledge and doing good to
mankind, is the pureft of all pleafures. Thofe
who never did the one, never knew the other.
The love of wifdom is a love of a moft divine
nature, and is therefore the love of God in man :
and obtaining wifdom, is a divine reward for
the labour in feeking it. He who enjoys the
tranquility that wifdom brings, has heaven
within him. The world is generally a ftranger
to thefe fpiritual delights ; becaufe it is a ftranger
to the knowledge of truth. Men feeking fenfual
pleafures and mammon, are unacquainted with
wifdom and her rewards: they not caring to
go out of the fafhion in opinion (for there is a
fafhion in thinking as well as in dreffing) are
content to receive that for truth which cuftom
calls fo, and, being flothful and daftardly, will
neither confider for themfelves, nor give en
couragement to thofe that do. They that
feek the kingdom of truth faintly and with
pufillanimity, are thofe who feek to enter in,
but are not able. The kingdom of Truth is
the kingdom of God, into which the heavenly
heroes only enter ; for they are worthy. They

( 15 )
Thofe who cannot find fatisfaaion in the
trafh that is commonly put off for truth, think
it neceffary to confider for themfelves, and re
commend fhia and cautious examination to
others ; for the more truly good things are, the
more, by examining, their excellency will appear.
There are among men fome who only need
to be roufed out of their indolence, to employ
their talents for the happinefs of themfelves and
others: and there are thofe who are feeking
truth with honeft hearts, but are much be
wildered by the deceits of men. Thofe wan
dering and bewildered minds should be excited
and direaed to exert their talents, to try, fee,
and tafte for themfelves ; and be affured that
when a man has done his endeavour, he has
done his duty. None are enemies to the light
of enquiry and underftanding, but the dealers
in fraud and deceit. They love darknefs rather
than light, becaufe their deeds are evil. They
take great care to work in darknefs, to hide
their fraud, and conceal their averfion to truth,
and to throw a veil over their motives and in
tentions. To enlarge narrow minds, and cultivate im
partial truth, is the good aim of encouraging
D free

( 16 )
free debates. It is not for hire or reward. He
that being avaricious would make his market of
truth, would corrupt and adulterate it, if there
by he could raise his price. Whoever would
make a trade of truth, or embrace it for gain,
woul4 trade in falfhood, awd. embrace error if he
could get more by it ; for his ultimate end is
gain. Their gain is tbeir godlinefs ; for take
away their gain, and their contention for pro
pagating and promoting godlinefs ceafes. So
lomon advifes to buy the truth and fell it not :
That is, fpare no labour, no coft, to obtain it ;
but when you are poffeft of it, do not profti-
tute it to lucrative views, and bafe mercenary
intereft. fo cultivate the mind, prevents vice, and
promotes virtue. There is no meuding the
heart without the head ; nor the head without
confideration and refleaion ; which to ftir up,
Converfation is ufeful. — Minds which, if duly
cultivated, might be the glory of the age,
without culture, may become the difgrace
and fcandal of it. The garden of Paradife
needed dreffing and tilling. The fineft vines,
without the cultor's care, run wild ; and much
of the precious juice that would become fruit,
fpends

( 17 )
fpends itfelf in leaves and branches, and the
fruit itfelf degenerates. ¦
Enemies to reafonable liberty are lovers of
flavery. Reafonable liberty is the exercife of
our reafon on whatever may come withiA the
fphere of it. Thofe who are foes to freedom,
are thofe whom felfifh intereft,. prejudice, bigoti'y
and ignorance liave blinded. All who defire*
liberty for themfelves, fliould give it to others,
who would make no fuch bad ufe of it, as the
fpirit of popery makes, to crufh all thiat do not
herd with them ; which ufe it ever made, when
ever it had the power. Liberty is not to be ¦
granted' to thofe who would deftroy it, w^en
poffeffed of power to do it. Good policy which
/eeks the good of mankind^ forbids that Kberty
to- thofe which tends f o this end ;< for they are
unworthy of receiving goodr, whoi make a bad
ufe of it. There fliould be no wrath fhiswtt
againft any on account of difierent fentiments ;
nor marking out the inan j let men exprefs their
fentiments freely, and be freely anfwered. This
is for the advantage of truth. They who can
not bear reafonable contradiaion, are prejudiced.
This narrow-foul difpofition has been pro-
diiiaive of a world of mifchief • but maintaining the

( 18- )
the caufe of human liberty, in all ufeful and
commendable things, enlarges the good difpo
fitions of men one towards another, and delivers
them from many violent and unjuft oppreffions.
Liberty therefore is certainly worth contending
for, becaufe life is not worth contending for
without it. What is greater fpiritual bondage,
than not being permitted to think freely, and
determine rationally ; than not being allowed
to dire<a ourfelves by our fight, our fenfes, and
our underftandings, but by the arbitrary will
and diaates of others, contrary to our better
judgment ?
Let us, who enjoy the happinefs of judging
foi- ourfelvesj foar upwards, and fly aloft in the
open firmament of philofophy, whofe wings of
Contemplation and enquiry are not dipt ; in a
land where men are not confined, like reptiles,
to the low and grovelling thoughts which the
enflavers of mankind bind and limit men to,
whereby their minds being enflaved, they are
eafily deluded of their fubftance, when they
have juggled and bugbear'd them out of the
ufe of their underftandings.
Thofe who juftify evils done to men for the
pretended

C 19 )
pretended caufe of God, whether they are in
favour of the Jews againft their neighbours, or
of papifts againft proteftants, or of prbteflants
againft any they call fchifmatics, heretics, or in-
fidelsi have the fame fpirit in them all. God
and Truth can maintain their own caufe, without
perfecuting and deftroying men for their fakes.
In thefe focieties, it becomes us to hear ; it
is as neceffary to be heard ; it becomes us t(*
beware of entertaining a violent and heady
temper, that ufes railing inftead of reafoning.
Soft language will penetrate thofe pores of the
mind (if I may fo metaphorically fpeak) which
paffion and violence fhut up and clofe. We
look upon one as a friendly fpirit, and entertain
it as fuch ; but on the other, as the fpirit of an
enemy, and fo guard againft it. A friend that
comes like an enemy, is fufpeaed as fuch, and
as fuch received. And it becomes us to put
away prejudice in hearing, as well as wrath in
fpeaking. The prejudiced ear puts the worft
conftruction on what it hears ; and rather than
not find an error, will make one. An honeft
plainnefs and genteel ridicule may be ufed
where all reafonable freedom is allowed, and
the cafe admits of it ; but the le^ft fliew of ill-
nature

( 20 >
nature i« dflsgracefol in a fpeaker. Ill language
indeed juftly raifes indignatiou. It is not un-
jiuft to fhew refentment to injuftice j but a cool
judgment is the beft judge of right and wrong.
Laftly, it becomes us to ufe as much prudence,
perfuafion and gentlenefs,, to undeceive men,
as ffelfifh artifts make ufe of to deceive j not
that truth needs to be thus artfully dreft, but
the humours of men love to be foothed ; and
they love it to that degree, that they had rather
be foothed in their errors and vices, than be led
to truth and virtue in a rugged manner. And
truth, like a beiautiful genteel perfoja,, has an
enchanting appearande; im a becomring garb.

L E C T U R E in.
Retigidfi pure, , isfriendty, 4ifeful,plkifi;,
Religion falfe, injurious ts, arid vain.
REI/IGIONi is much talked o^ becaufe the
poin* what; it rightly is, feems not to be
fettled among men who profefeit,/ thoikigh it be
eafy to* apprehend it by St. James's- dcfcrip*
ta©n ; xdiich i^. tlM pmfe r^eligim ani^un^eftlvd
BtforeGo^and'iheFdtlkr, is thvSyforumcm to
vifit

( Si )
vijit the rvidatos irndfatheriefs in^heir^id^im,
and to keep kmjelfwnfp^ttedfro'm. Phe world; tiliat
is, Pure and undefiled religion, before tbe God
and Father of men, is for men to avoid evil,
and do no injury to each other, but all the benefits
they can. This is not dreft up in allegdrynor
mgp^ery ; but plain and eafy to underftand ; and
when religion is thus piain, it cannot deceive ;
it widi be able to ftand its ground, without^ a
miraculou« or fupernatural aid. This is the
praSlical part of religion, and which all its
doSrinal parts ou^t to tend to promote.
True reUgion does good to men, for mens
fake, as well as in obedience to God's com
mands ; bat falfe religion does evil to men, for
the pretended caufe of God. It pcrfecutes thofe
that do mot comply with its formalities. It will
knock a man at head for trifles, for gathering
a fisw flicks to make a fire on a Sunday. It
teaches its votaries to borrow of men their fub
ftance, their gold, their jewels and apparel,
without any defign to reftore them again. It
fends men out to deftroy mankind with fire and
fwordi, and to poffe& their lands and fubftance,
under a pretence of their being idolaters^ or
heretics. It requires men to forfake and hate
their

( 22 )
their neareft and deareft relations for the holy
caufe of religion, and that a man fhould always
be ready to defend the church with his life and
fortune. True religion gives men true notions of
deity but a falfe religion exhibits falfe notions
of deity ; it teaches to worfhip many Gods, or
a compound God, an incomprehenfible jumble;
it confounds the nature of God and things ; it
makes three Gods of one God, and one God of
three Gods ; it makes God a man, and man a
God ; it fays God died, and yet afferts he is im
mortal ; it limits him to a body, and reprefents
him infinite ; it tells us he is in vifible and with
out form, yet that he may be feen in the fhape
of a man, a dove, a wafer or a cake ; that he
is incorruptible, and yet eatable; that he is im
mutably happy, and always angry ; that he is
full of mercy,, and full of wrath ; that he made
all men to make them happy, but he will make
the far greater part of them everlaftingly mifer
able. Falfe religion lays an injunftion on men to
believe nonfenfe, and abfurdities, and contra-
diaions ; and damns them to the pit of hell for
not

( 23 )
uot believing them. It perfuades meii, that
after they have Uved a moft reprobate life, a
few good words, and good wifhes, will, with
the confent of a prieft, tranfport him into the
manfions of the happy ; that whatever is done
to advance the power and grandeur of the
church, is divinely good, though it be moft dia
bolically evil ; that mortifying and plaguing
ourfelves and one another, pleafes God ; that
it is highly neceffary to believe in myfteries and
miracles, and to abandon fenfe, and reafon, and
humanity, when the church commands it, or
when thefe would oppofe her commands.
Innumerable are the notions and praaices of
men concerning reUgion. All of them, fo far
as they deviate from reafon, are either ridiculous
or mifehievous. And each party fooUfhly or
wickedly damns all other parties, who do not
believe or praaife as the damning party does.
All falfe religions have their fanauaries above
reafon, their myfteries, or rather abfurdities, over
which they draw a veil to exclude the judgment
of reafon. Enthufiafts ; foar out of its fight;
they fay man's reafon is not God's light ; true,
but it is man's, and the man who leaves it has
E no

( 24 )
no light to condua himfelf by. In all coun
tries and cafes wh§re the light of reafon doe*,
not, fliwe out, they commit the moft ridiculous
aaions, and the groffeft evils. ¦ I
¦ , Thftugkthe reafon of man is not the reafom
of God as in him, it is fueh as is fit for, man;
and fo far as man fees the laws of God in the
creatures, it conveys thereby the laws of God
to the mind of man, and is God's light to man ;
for by it we receive the laws of God from God^i
aad read his word by that light he has afforded
us, and fitted for our ufe.
, Ta j|»eak truly and plainly, there are but two
kinds of religion in the world ; one only is true,
aad the other kind is falfe. The falfe is popular,
outwajrd, fenfual, formal, ceremonious, various,
and artificial ; the other is unpopular, inward,
fpiritual, fincere, fimple, plain, and natural.
The multitude of interefted apd unenquiring
men embrace the former ; wife and good men
the latter. The one is fuited to cover vice and
hypocrify ; the other to extirpate them. The
one is fupported by force, the other by free*
dora. The one has the voice of mereeoary
impofe^rs and credulous men ; the other is the
choice

( 25 )
choice of rational men, tlie difinterefted lovers
of truth. The one religion dreads examination
and difcovery ; the other courts it ; for enquiry
overthrows error, but eftablifhes truth. The
lovers and adherents to the true reUgion, I call
Rationifls, the others Traditionifts, becaufe the
foundation of the former is rationality, of the
ether is tradition.
Weall k n ow very well that the principal
wifdom is, that of the praaifing kind. That
wifdom, without putting forth itfelf into aftion,
is like a tree which bears nothing but leaves :
A man, that from a true principle or difpofition
of heart, feeks right fentiments, does it for the
fake of knowing and doing right. A well-
fpent life is the greateft ornament of human
nature, and gives the grmteft fatisfaaion, both
in life and death. The objeaions of good and
wife men, againft what tradition makes to be
the rule of faith and manners, is againft that
which does not exhibit wprthy ideas Of God,
or juftifies the unworthy aaions of men : when
the rule of faith is not rational, and its exam
ples not moral, it is enthufiafm or knaveryj
which leadsto evil deeds, and vindicates them. They

( 26 ;
They are to be detefted by all men, who, under
pretence of ferving God, deftroy men ; that lay
claim to a command from God to do mifchief,
as Jacobifm and Popery have both done, and
therefore both to be abhorred. The good fer-;
vice of God cannot be drawn from bad notions
of hira. Men cannot ferve Gbd honourably,
who conceive of him contemptibly. To com
pare him to ourfelves, is making a man of him,
which is mean ; but to afcribe to him the weak
nefs and paffions of men, reprefents him weak
and contemptible. If the common people, that
is, the generality of mankind, would but expunge .
fuch abfurd notions of deity, and conceive of
him but as of a man poffeffed of all moral real- '
tude (though fuch a nature is only the rule of
man's condua), their religion fo founded would
do no mifchief, for fuch a nature is a difplay of
the God in man, or of his laws to man ; it is
the righteous nature he ought to endeavour to
conform himfelf to, which is fit to guide him to
his duty in all circumftances. If ignorant men,
I fay, only confidered God as a perfeaiy wife and
good man, and his laws as comingfromfuchlight,
they would confider what wifdom and goodnefs
was,andown they oughtto be governed by it,and
tliat all fuch government was God's, or the rule of

( 27 )
of his laws over us, fuch as they fhould endeavour
to know and praftife. This would be their reafon
able fervice, rlghteoufnefs, pure and uncorrupt.
If he that follows reafon isdeceived in judg
ment, ftill following reafon he will foon be un
deceived ; but fome cautions are to be ob
ferved. Men fhould never go out of their
depths ; never renounce or condemn any prin
ciples, till they are fure they are abfurd or falfe;
never embrace any new one, without knowing
it to be true; never affert pofitively any thing
doubtful. To go on other mens bottoms, and
affirm, what they affirm, is to walk boldly in the
dark. How wild, and daring, as well as blind
and ignorant, are mens affirmations about im
material fubftance and fupernatural notions,
which they know nothing of ! We do well
when nature guides our reafon, and a mind un
prejudiced fteers the helm. When we love
truth fincerely, we fhall be willing to part with
the deareft notions we poffefs, as foon as they
appear to be erroneous ; and to part with that
too,, which we receive in its ftead, when upon
good grounds we are convinced of more fterling
truth. Thus, when thejirong man keeps the houfe,
his goods are in peace, till a ftronger than he comes and

( 28 )
and difpsjfeff^s hMn<, taking nway all his armour
wherein he ^ujfkd*)
If one man's confcience is to injure another
for cOnfcienoe fake, it is a very bad one, and
ought to be fuppreffed and ranked among the
lufts of the flefli j but a tender, innocent con
fcience, ought to be induced in. fmall things,
becaufe it is an encouragement to preferve' it
good in great things, and a difcouragement to
virtue if not indulged. Confcience, when broke
in upon, and fet light by, leads to vicious prac
tices without bounds. Men learn by little and
little to do evil, till they become hardened to
aU evil that is in their power to do. Keep con
fcience tender while it is fo, or by degrees it
will grow as tough as ftretching leather.
It is in vain to force people to be reUgious.
SabathariauS) that profecute people for what they
call Sabbath-breaking, do not convert thofe
they profecute. When a beadle takes away a
poor woman's whole ftocfc of apples, nuts, and
gingenbread, foemufe fhe fells them on a Sun
day, without which flie caunot poffibly get
money enough to hold out the whole week
from pinching want, it does not fliew the law to

( 29 )
to be good, nor make the woman more religious.
If a poor barber be made to pay five fhilUngs
for fhaving on a Sunday, when perhaps he does
not get above ten fhillings a week, it makes
Hm never the better churchman. The law is
not good that ftarves honeft people. Severities
iu points of confcience are deftruaive to con
fcience. Nature and neceffity cannot be con
trolled without manifeft injury. When religion
confifts in fuperftitions, the enforcing them by
pains or penalties renders that religion contemp
tible with many, and deftroys truepiety in thofe
that enforce the obfervance of thofe fuperfti
tions, and teaches the fufferers to defpife it.
Whatever is not injurious to men, is not of an
immoral nature, but are matters of indiffereuce ;
all which fhould fubmit to neceflity, be re^
gulated with moderation, and limited only by
decency. Such are all external modes of religion,
which all men fhould be permitted to ufe as they
pleafe, but none fhould be compelled. That
fea which would reign over all, and compel all
to ufe their mode, and have fo exercifed their
power, forfeit their right to rule, as a tyrant
forfeits his power who ufes it to opprefs. But

( 30 )
But as bad governors may be good fervants,
and many men may do good when their power
to do evil is taken away, every mode of wor
fhip may be tolerated, that every one who
pleads a tender confcience may be indulged in
things indifferent; and but tolerated in fuch
manner, that no one, under pretence of con
fcience, be enabled to do mifchief to another'.'
For though the law of nature indulge every ap
pearance of good, under which no evil lies
concealed, it forbids the granting of power to
fools, madmen, or known villains to do mifchief.
The Romifh religion has no right to tolera
tion: tolerating a religion which excites people
to perfecute, is tolerating wickednefs under the
cloke of religion.
Thofe who fuffer in a good caufe, to pre
ferve a good confcience, expofe, by their fuffer
ings, to everlafting contempt, the caufe; and
thofe that oppreffed and perfecuted them, fuf
ficient to make all good and reafonable men
hate and deteft all fuch perfecutors.
Can proteftants forget the burning ra,ge of
popery in the popifli reign of Queen Mary, and can

( 31 )
can they remember it, and tolerate popery ? can
they retain their fenfes, and think it ought to be
tolerated by proteftants ? Certainly not ! Not to
tolerate it, is an aaion tending to extirpate an
evil, known by dreadful experience. It cannot
be the work of goodnefs, but of folly, to in
dulge a fea or faaion, whofe works are evil,
and whofe leaders are the promoters of it.
' Let us turn from hence, and confider our
own happinefs, that we may the better relifh it.
How eafy are mankind impofed on, and how
careful we ought to be to prevent the impofition,
as much as may be in our power; though to do
it abfolutely is irapoffible, as may be feen by
refleaing how few are capable to feek for and
judge of truth among the grofs of mankind,
being by cuftom and education generally vitiat
ed and corrupted ; and of thofe who are by
nature capable, how few have the means of
improvement I how many of thofe who have the
means, live fuch bufy lives, that they are not
capable to make ufe of them ! and how many
of thofe that have both capacity and leifure, are
diverted from rightly applying their minds to
form a true judgment of things, being called
off by pleafures, or deterred by fears, that fuch
F appli-

( 33 )
application will tend to their injury in this world,
or the next. Thefe being much the greater part
of the capable few, it muft needs be that thcj
multitude muft be deceived, and cannot avoicjl
being mifled, while there are men in the worldl
who have power, and find it their intereft to
miflead them. But hpw happy are thofe . who
feek truth and peace, and reft therein. May
we enjoy this felicity, and may it ever be con-,
tinned to us, and to fucceeding generations, to
our offspring to come, to our and their lafting;
happinefs and profperity ! Amen. <'

LECTURE IV. >
A LeQure containing a Propofal to unite allj
true Proteftants in one Principle, and form
a Society of United Proteftants in order
to vanqui/h Popery,
SIR,
IT is a complaint that is made' by all who
call themfelves proteftants, that popery pre
vails among us*, and I believe not without
foundation. I intended in this difcourfe to have
fhewBf
* If it was fo ten years ago, tehen this toas vrritten'f how
much more m-ujl it be now, that Jefuits are hanijht out of all ,
popi/h countries !

( 33 )
fhewn the grounds of mens converfion to Rome, or
the reafons why the ignorant are thus carried off;
but when I had confidered and drawn them u,p>
I found they were too many to be mentioned
in the time prefcribed here to deliver ray fenti
ments in ; and that they are owing as much to
ourfelves, as to the induftry of popifh- priefts»
who compafs fea and land to make profelytes :
but becaufe there are fome of both preachers
and people, of both the right and wrong reverend
gentlemen, who are enemies to that foundation
principle on which proteftancy ftands, namely,
to the right of thinking and judging for our
felves, which is free-thinking, who are them
felves the caufe' of the delufion of the people to
j>opery^ and yet either knavifhly or ftupidly
impute it to free-thinkers ; I fhall propofe a plan
I wherein it fhall be experiihentally fhewn, if it
take effea^ that free-thinking proteftants are
the only perfons who can confute popery; for
reafon only is capable of overthrowing it ; and
thefe only make ufe of theif rieafon in religion^
for nothing but reafon can determine what is
right or WroUg. If it be not fo, how Can every
man judge for himfelf? and why did Jefus fay
to the Jews, Wherefore judge ye not in yourfelves
that which is right? If men muft be infpired tb
do this, with an infpiration above reafon, who but

( 34 )
but crazy enthufiafts pretend to have :fuch an
infpiring fpirit? and when we make fuch an ^i^m.
fatuus our guide, who knows where, the rufliing
of this mighty wind may drive us ? 'and who
knows not that this is effentially the very fpirit
of popery, that like a rapid torrent falling down .
a precipice, carries whatever 'it meets with, and
is moveable along with it ? ; •; :
If man's reafon may not judge what is right,
what is there in man that can dp it.? Why did
Jefus upbraid the uninfpired Jews fpr, npt judg
ing in themfelves what is right? If, regardlefs
of reafon, we ought , to follow any authority
called fpiritual ; why npt that of; Soni^ as that
of Geneva.'' why any one rather than a;ny other?
for if the rule or doarine be above; reafon,
reafon. can be no judge; ' why not that; church
which has been the repofitory of our authori
ties, without whichthofe that pretend to infpi
ration would know and find nothing ofit, their
proof of it being their own conceit and imagi
nation: foraiTumingan infpiration above reafon,
they have no reafon to prove it by; therefore
they are obliged to condemn What they cannot
ftand the trial of; and does not the forfaking
reafon, or advancing faith above it, lead
dire6lly

,( 35 )
direflly into the bofom of the holy mother
church of Rome r

As we read. All are not Ifrjiel, who are of
Ifrael ; ,fp all are not proteftants who are called
fo : They are not, who maintain popiflj doc
trines w;ith a popifh fpirit ; they are not, whofe
faith can furmount mountains of abfurdities;
trampling down reafon and virtue; who pre
tend to a greater infallible guide than what
human nature can find; -vYhofe pride , makes
what they pleafe to be God'Sj and makes him
do as they pleafe ; thefe, whpfe ftupidity make
him ; human in perfon, and cruel in nature,
reconcile men to Rome, and drive the ignorant
from .his imagined wrath ; to her pretended
mercy. i Ir. / : '
Thefe falfe prpteftants are incapable of being
united in focial union ; for I do not propofe to
bring all that are. called proteftants into one
fociety. I know that I may as well propofe to
unite the jarring (Clementsy, or ftiUthe fto^irpy
winds, and filence the roaring waves ofthe
tempeftUous fea. But to thofe proteftants
among all parties (for I; wiUingly bejieye there
are among all parties fome, .who are come to
the ufe of their reafon in reUgion, as in other
things.

( 36 )
things, who are not bound by the fettersof any
crazy or flavifli authority above reafon or below
it), to thefe reafonable, thefe free-thinking pro
teftants, are my words direfited; for he that
reafons muft think freely and cooHy : to Unite
thefe are my endeavours exerted, my hopes
and expectations raifed of the poffibility pf
doing it, and probability of fuccefs. Into this
clafs I do not put obftinate bigots, nor hot-
headed enthtiflafb; for thefe are papifts in fpirit,
and would be fo in profeffion had they beenfo
educated. They are not effentially and really
true proteftants, who do not miaintain that it is
every Inan's right and duty to judge for himfelf.
It is on this uniting principle, and oil no other,
that a fociety can be formed tO' flop the progrefs
and fubvert the power of popery in this nUtion;
ahd every one who embraces this fundamental
principle of proteftancy, is' a free-thinker. On
no other foundation can proteftancy be de
fended. By whatever perfons or means the
name of a free-thinker has beisn brought into
reiffoafch/ it isi a fcandal to thofe perfons who
have ufed 'means to that endl E\?ery one who
encourage this fociety by his cbnVeifation or
prefence, ought to be a free-thinker ; that is, a
free examiner of his own and other men's Opi
nions; and not attempt to damn men into his
own,

( 37 )
own, but to encourage aU free and f^ir examina
tion. A. government that indulges free-thinking is
an honourable government ; for it fhews thereby
that it has no mean defign on the liberties of
the people. It is faid no nation in Europe en
courages it more than this ; that none therefore
is more free : when it is difcouraged and fup-
preft, the iron fceptre will be extended, aud
flavery will come oji. Deftroy the banks that
free-thinking has raifed againft ig;^)rauc^, ty
ranny, fuperftition, and epthufiafm, and the dp-
luge of. popery and arbitrary power ¦wjill over
flow us with a rapid tprrent : Xhe chprch will
fwallow up the earth, and the fpiritual Ipcufts
wiU .devour every grjeen tbi.ng; and the prefs
will be fupprefl, which all tyrants and tyrannical
priefis wifh for and endeavour'
I think it therefore neceffary to exert ourreafon,
and encourage men to affert,; maintain and de
fend this uniting proteftant principle, that it is
every man's right and duty tp think and judge
for himfelf, and to affociate for t]jjf4 end. In
other fentiments or opinions of truth, men may
and muft be allowed to differ ; but thofe who
agree not to this, yield their necks to the yoke of

( 38 )
of popery, which is a yoke that neither we nor
our fathers were ever able to bear ; a yoke by
many degrees worfe than circumcifion, worfe ,
than all the ceremonies of the levitical prieft
hood ; and it is the root of popery to deny men
the right of judging for themfelves.
On this uniting principle of private judg
ment and reafonablenefs of toleration in religion,
our reformation from popery and pagaiiifm, and
truepiety ftands ; and on this all right reforma
tion always did and ever muft ftand, and on no
other defenfible principle ; and all who confent
not to this, are through ignorance or defign,
favourers and friends to popery, flavery, and
arbitrary power in ftate and church; for with
this principle, liberty, civil and facred, ftands or
falls. I prefer the ftate to the church, becaufe;
the church receives its power from the ftate, and
is its fervant.
To lay down our reafon at the threfhold of
faith, is fubmitting to whatever doarines the
church impofes, which is popery ; and to be
obliged to difown one's judgment by an impof
ing and arbitrary authority, is to introduce
hypocrify, perfecution, and every vice ; for
every vice is neceffary to promote fuch authority. If

( 39 )>
If our underftandings are to be over-ruled by
the. pretended piou^ power of the church, by
tradition, impofing prieft, or flavifli bigot of
any kind, or by a text of fcripture, which in
the literal fenfe is abfurd, and contrary to ;the
common fenfe of mankind ; this is popery in
kind; for what, more or lefs, is the doarine of
tranfubftantiation, which was that accurfed trial
by which fo many honeft and innocent people
were adjudged to death in Q. Mary's days, and
the moft cruel of all deaths, that of burning,
and fometimes by a ilow fire ? Such are the
tender mercies of that holy church, which we
are now almoft reconciled to, becaufe we fee no
fires in 3mithfield, no mitre now trampling on
the fceptre, ijfrefting the fword of juftice from,
the magiftrate,and barbaroufly murdering God's
people for God's fake : No books of Martyrs
are retained in churches as in former days.
Popery is not now dreaded fo much as free-
thinking is, which fhews the growth of popery,
and the declenfion of proteftar^y ; becaufe the
craftfmen are more afraid ofthe force of reafon
than the power of popery, to fhake their thrones,
ftalls and dpminion over the laity, whom they
can no longer keep in ignorance if reafon pre
vails ; and all this inclines to popery, which in
every fhape is to ber detefted. | But papifts hay-
vmn ' G ing

( 40 )
ing now no power to do mifchief for the fake of
reUgion, men ate reconciled to the indulgence
of popery, though the beaft hai the fame na
ture now as ever, only her jaws are muffled.
Their burning Jews every year at Lifbbn, a
people to whom they are obUged even fbr their
Grbdj and to them and the Pagaflst for their re
ligion, fhews what a godly fpirit and what reli-
giatt they have.
To require pfeople to take the fenfe of fcrip
ture on any church authority, not employing
their own judgments to attain the right under
ftanding of it, is to hood-wink the people, and
enables any church to lead and govern their
underftandings as fhe pleafes ; and by pleading
God's authorit^^ for affuming fuch power, men
are brought into ftaVery.
It therefore appears to be ufeful, necJfeffai'y}
and kudable, to form a fbciety, whofe members'
may be proteflants of any or of every kind,
who agree in this one conneaing principle, that
it is all mens right and duty to judge for thetti-'
felves, which is the only fupport of reafon and
virtue, in order to oppofe awd confute all the
errors and vices of popery, anfwer^ all the
arguipents in its favour, and any objeaiofasf that
may

( 41 )
may, be delivered in writing againft thofe an
fwers, giving them fair play, and killing popery
by no force but that of reafon,
TJus may be begun and carried on by ohe
evening leQure in a weekj of about half an hour
long, in fome hall or proper place hired for
that purpofe. The charges of rent, candles
and other neceffaries, to be paid by the contri
butions of fubfcribers: but I propofe thp lec
tures to be given gratis, agreeable to the com
mand of Chrift, Freely ye have received, freely
give ; which I fhall be moft ready to dp, and
not as an hireling, and fubfcribe alfo to promote,
and whatever fubfcribing n^f mber befides,' the
fociety may chufe and appoint for coadjutors,
if any prompted by the fame difinterefted fpirit
offer themfelves for the work, or who, being
thought worthy, may be prevailed on to join
in carrying it on; for none are fitter to defend
Liberty, than thofe who are in lov© with it;
and L hope there are other men as well difpofed
as myfelf to encourage it both by their fubfcrip-
tion and labour. The latter indeed may be con
venient but to few ; but if there are a fufficient
number of the former, I have no doubt in me',
that the latter will be wanting to vindicate the
proteftant principle, which I would have the
fociety

( 42 )
fociety united by, from' whence aU trtie virtii^
proceeds ; by' which the juftice of the ' reformat
tion and revolution may be weU defended;
againft all arbitrary power in ftate and church,
which would lead us back agaiii to the errors
and impofitions of the corrupt church of Rome,
to the^houfe of cruel bondage, to the terrors
and tbirtures of an ihqUifition. Here aigain I fet
the -church before the ftate, becaufe arbitrary
power always firft begins there. ¦ ' '
And as the preachers of 'all profeffions no\ir
among us, feem^ rather to declare againft the
right of. private judgment, for their bwn advan
tage, than to excite men to it; it appears to be
therefore neceffary, 'that we may not be reduced
back ' 'again to that Nvhich is' only paganifra
chriftened, and changed in* name. This wifl
certainly, or I am mvith miftaken,' tend to the
commorigoodandintereftof proteftants, and pre
ferve the-allegian'ce"'of the king's fubjea^i to his
majefty's perfon and government,' and to the
proteftant -kings of this realm, which every
convert to popery is- made an enemy to, or
alienated from, in fuch meafure as is his zeal
for popery. ¦

And

( 43 )
And to remove all timoroufnefs and back-
wardnefs of well-difpofed proteftants to contri
bute to form this, fociqty, they ^re to under
ftand, that there is no fecret defign hereby to
fet up any new fea of ! religion, nothing but
kaures being •pEopofed on the, fubjea? before
mentioned, withp,ut' any forms or manner of
worfliip, leaving every one at liberty to follow
his owii religious profeffion, or way of wor^p,
at' the church of England, or elfeWhere, as Bis
confcience, dr intereft, or cuftbm direfls.

fit I 1

There is an affociating fpirit in this nation
for many good things, and why not 'for this ?
Men 'may be conneaed by one fundameiilial
principle, on the fapport of which aU ttleir
liberty and happinefs depend; biit inlnidre
articles, or thofe Of another nature, men ^ ver
did, willj'or can agree. It is a kind of fpiri
tual tyranny and impofition to require it, a.id a
ftupid or flavifh fpirit only that can acquiefce
to bear the burden of what he knows nbthow
foon he may be unable to endure: but thif plan
of union is to enjoy the freedom ' that truth
gives; and the truth that freedom gives; and if
the truth makes you free, then are ycii free
indeed.
LECTURE

( 44 )
LECTURE VV
£ P H £ S I A N s iv. 3.
Eftdeiavourmgto keep the Unity eftkeS^irifin the
Bond of Peace.
AJSi external fo^ms of worfhip are matt(prs
of fuch indifference, as pbligq oply the
particular coiifciences of different praaifers;
for worfhipping the Father in fpirit and truth,
wl^Ja is iptef n^l and not; formal, is only effen-
ti^l, Outwar^ f9'''w^ ^^^ J^^: j^h^^'6 i"^ %^, phpif*
ti^ difpenfaii^ii particularly prefcribed, and
cpnmanded;, therefore left to every one's >vill
^n4 pl^af^re; a^ii confequently a good he^^,
a ^ue and a right fpirit, is ^peptabl^. in all
fpjcys, or i« no form. I k»o>jf ,there is a fet pf
mei, wli^^ wUl contend fpr, t^p farn^er, rat^fr
tbali the fatter, though it l?e .t^fen^ed witii all
the ruperftitipns pf idola|qrjs,^ who are apid wi,ll
beruieron the fide of falfe gods, and fa^je
worfiip, thau aone at; all ^ but the mind tha|; is
a Walk is; nx^ich fitter to receive t^e fcripture
Q^f trilth, than that which is written fuU pf
errorst for before truth can be there imprinted, the

< 45 )
the «rrors muft be erafed, which are too often
impoffible to be done, becaufe the impreffion
penetrates the very fubftance of the foul, aud
thoroughly tinftures all the paffions.
If the external forms, ritet and ceremonies of
religion were effential to it, they would have
been prefcribed aud commanded ; but as they
are not, they are things indifferent, and fo ac-
kuowledged to be by many contenders for their
ufe. And yet to fupport thofe indifferent things,
what virtues have not been trampled on? what
violences have not been committed ? But if
fpeculative prineiples are matters of indif"
ference, and external modes of worfhip are
their produaions, they alfo muft be deemed
matters of indiffereace* Such as the tree is,
fuch is the fruit : Spiritual worfhip cannot be
confined to a certain mode or place : There
fore faid Jefus to the Samaritan woman, Ke
Jhall neither in this mountain (of Samaria) ^ nor
¦yet in Jerufalem, worjhip the Fatkeir. It fhall
not be confined to this place or that, that is^, not
to any; but the time mmeih, it was always
coming, as well as now is, that the true worjhip-
pers worjhip the Fkth&r in Jpirit and truth, in
fincerity and purity, /dr the Father feekethJUch
to worjhip him; or chufes fuch Woffhippers. All

( 46 )
AU the external modes of worfliip are what
St. Paul calls, will-worfliip. But the will of
man .worketh not the rightepufnefs of God. We
may fay of the different forts of them, as St.
Paul fays of eating different forts of meat, Let
not him that eateth defpife him that eateth not ;
and let not him that eateth mot, judge him:£hat
eateth ; for God;approves them both. Trifles
make no difference in his regard, let them make
none in ours ; heiays,My fon, give methy heart,
all iOther gifts are trifles with him. In giving
him that, we give him our all, he accepts no lefs ;
and he wills ns to pleafe our childifh fancies
with ohildifh things : like that oiejieeming one
day better than another', in the judgment of
fome, while others efteem .every day alike. Let
emery .man be fully perfuaded in Ms oxon mind.
And as .it is of things eatable, nothing is unclean
of itfelf, but to him that efteemeth any thing to
.be ifnclean^ to him it is unclean; fo it is with
forms of worfhip ; none of them are good or evil
iinthemfelves, but he that efteems them the one
or the other, fo it is to him ; they are pure to
him that thinks them pure, but they are evil to
him that ufes jlihem by conftraiait. It is .good
therefore not to eftablifh this or that form, or
any form,'>as the fole, mode of true worfhip^jor
effcntiaj to it, but the things that makeforpmee, and

( 47 )
and things whereby we may edify one another ;
for there is no morality or immorality in things
whereby men are neither benefited nor injured,
as in forms and ceremonies ; thefe are, there
fore, indifferent things. It is men's faith or
imagination rather that makes all indifferent
things good or evil.
And as it is with forms, fo it is with all fpe-
culativCi hiftorical, and traditionar faith. The
faith which makes not the head wifer, nor the
heart better, is infignificant ; but that , fort of
faith which confounds reafon, and makes the
heart evil, which makes men utter bitter threat
enings, cohdemnings, and revilings on thofe
that do not believe, is not a matter of indif-
ferencej though men pretend to it to maintain
and fupport the caufe of God : God's caufe
cannot be fupported by fentiments that cannot
fupport virtue.
But it may be objefted, that in a fociety fet
up to encourage fpeculation and enquiry after
truth, would you forbid men to fpeculate? or
indulging them in it, would you forbid them
to difclofe their fpeculations? and wiU not dif
fering opinions breed animofities ? Ifow then
H " ean

( 48 )
can fuch a fociety have virtue for its bafis arid

union

?:

I anfwer, I would by no means forbid enquiry ,
after truth, nor the divulging it. The one
would be nipping virtue in its bud, the other
would be preventing it from bearing fruit. It
is a virtuous fpirit that loves and feeks truth.
It is nobility of mind to divulge and defend it *.
but let it be done in a virtuous manner. Let aii
bitternefs, and wrath, and anger, and clamour,
and eoilfp6aking be put away from you with alt
malice, and be kind one to another, and tender
hearted: I would have men learn to contradia
with good nature, and with good nature bear
contradiaion, Thefe are virtues w6rthy to be ;
learned and praaifed. This is the trial of virtue ; i
virtue without trial cannot be known ; but the
more it is tried and known, the more refulgent
it fhines. It will happen that pride and wrath
will not bear controul ; and in fuch cafe it muft 1
needs be, that the fociety chufe rather to lofe
or amputate a member, when neceflity requires
it, than fuffer the mortification of the whol6
body. Good laws are alwajl's ufeful tp pre
ferve the peace of fociety.
No fpeculations can be fo effential as a virtuous
condua ; the latter, therefore, muft not be fuffer ed

( 49 )
ed to be broken thro' for the fake of the for
mer- Truth is not only to be fought, but
obeyed. It promotes virtue to bear contradic
tions with good nature, and to treat opponents
with affability and friendfhip. It is a virtue
that yields delight, to manage an argument in
a genteel and friendly manner ; and with mild-
nefs and decency, to bear oppofition with pa
tience, which will enable men to bear other dif
agreeable things. Thus internal and external
peace will be preferved, to the comfort of a man's
own mind, and of fociety. How can a lover of
truth come to the knowledge of it, if he cannot
bear to have his fentiments examined with can
dour? And how can a man expea his own
fhould be treated friendly, who cannot candidly
treat his brother's? This is highly neceffary ;
for if men do not learn this, how can men of dif
ferent principles be united by virtue? and of
what confequence is virtue, if it will not produce
fuch union among men ; and if men are more
zealous for things of lefs ufe and value than of
greater,how does it difplay their wifdom or good"
nefs ? Truth is beft fupported by true condua.
If men are more zealous for fpeculations and
ceremonies, than for a virtuous behaviour, how
do they make virtue their effential point and
aim ? We fhould praaife truth as well as love it;

( 50 )
it ; otherwife we are like trees that bring forth
leaves, but no fruit. He will have praife, and
avoid many evils,, who keeps, his affeaions and
paffions fubjeft to impartial reafon. How- can
fuch a fociety as this fucceed where freedom of
fentiments are allowed, if oppofition break the
bonds of unity ?, And how can it fail of fuccefs,
if men aim at thp knowledge, of truth for the
fake of preferving a good confcbnce? ;for truth
and virtue I love and jadmire, not formalities
and foolerieS) myfteries and nonfenfe, irripofitionsi
and fancies called fai.th. I am an enemy to*
making thefe the effentials .to promote happi'-^
nefs ; but I can bear with them, . and with thofe
that praaife them, as things indifferent.  ¦' I.:
• I think it neceffary that every.one who is ae- '
kno wledged a member of this body, fhould from
his heart fubfcribe with his hand to this one ar
ticle : That any opinion called faith, which a
man cannot have demonftrable evidence of, and
all religious ceremonies,, are not of that value
moral virtue is, but are things indifferent : Be
caufe I conceive, that thofe who think them.
otherwife, will contend for: them with a zeal
that will deftroy the peace of this fociety. I. am

( 51 )
I am bertain fuch a fociety muft be pleafing to
virtuous difpofitions ; for my own part I own
I want it greatly ; and will gladly do all that
lies in my power to promote it: though my
power be but fmall, yet thofe of greater abilities
may be hoped for; and tb obtain fuch, if my pro
pofal and labours be approved, I will fhew you
in after Leaures how agreeable fuch a fociety
muft needs be to all good Chriftians ; fo that it
may give them no difguft. <
As to forms or ceremonies of worfliip, I fhall
give ydu my opinion in the words of St. Paul;
concerning celibacy and matrimony, in his epif
tle to the Corinthians, Chap. vii. I would that
ail men were even as I am, divorced from them
all ; neverthelefs, to avoid contention, let every
man follow his own Way or choice, for every one
has his peculiar Way of thinking and judging ;
one after this manner, and another after that, as
his education, or the manner he haS made of his
reafon, has taught him. I fay therefore to thofe
that are wedded to ceremonies, let theni'fo abide
until otherwife convinced; bnt to thofe that are
not wedded to any, I need fay little. Let not him
that ufes them, condemn thofe that do not; and
let him that ufes them not, condemn thofe thatdo;
for God efteems them both alike; therefore, whe ther

( 52 I
ther he ufetl^ or ufcth them not, he finneth not ;
the ceremonies of any church are nothing but
the commandments of men ; therefore let every
man abide in that calling, or way of worfhip,
wherein he was called to liberty of thought and
freedom of judgment, as beft fuits his condition
and intereft ; but if unconfined in thefe, let him
ufe his liberty rather. Art thou bound hy thefe
things to ceremonies, remain fo; art thou lopfed
from them, feek not to be bound, being a Church
man, or a Diffenter, or Quaker, or Jew, or Ma
hometan ; care not for it ; this is toleration. Put
this I fay unto you, the time is couiing, that thpfe
who ufe them be as though they ufed tl^ifii npt ij
for as thefe things come more into difrepute
through knowledge of bel;ter things, fo they will
come into lefs ufe,. If any man thinks he be
haves negligently towards his church, let him
more frequently ^ttend it ; but if fhe. is becppip
antiquated, withered and unlovely, in his judg
ment, let him do what he wiU, keep to her or
put h^r away, he finneth,, not, Churchman or
Quaker ; let him keep to his pwn way. I ih^\\
conclif4e at this time with only adding, that the
true worfliippers, worfhip the Father in fpirit ar^^,
truth, for he regaideth only fuch worfhippers.,
Virtue being a focial fpirit, muft needs love, the
harmony of fogiety. It is not of a monkifh 4ifpp-
fition ; for virtue out of fociety has no exiftence.

( 53 )

LECTURE VI.
Againfi Popery.
TO deny men the ufe of their reafon in mat
ters of religion, fhews a difpofition and in
tention to ifflpofe on their underftandings, and
deceive them: fophiftical arguments have the
fame tendency ; fo is arguing on a falfe foundation,
granted to be true ; therefore underftanding dif
putants grant nothing to be true, but what they
know to be fo, or cannot deny; they are fo evi
dent, that to deny the propofition would be to
deny common fenfe and reafon. To reafon and
judge aright, we fhould be fure to reafon on
right premifes; that we be not embarraffed
with fophiftry. Men are principally to beware
of this, who argue with popifh priefts, or their
bigots, for they deny to men the free ufe of their
reafon to judge for themfelves, but as they direa
their judgment. Thus men's reafpn that feems
free, is biaffed and perverted, and by this per-
verfion their craft gains ground; which all who
have oppofed, and expofed, have fell viaims to
their power, if they were able to exert it. If they
could

( 54 )
could not be revenged on their perfons, they
have never failed tb blacken and ftab their cha-
raaers; witnefs what they have written againft *
Martin Luther.
The papifts foolifhly and malicioufly report,
that Luther, before he fet up a reformer, had a
conference with the devil ; and fuppofing it true^ ' '
tho' I do not grant it to be fo, do not Matthew, '
Mark and Luke, fay the name of Jefus Chrift ?
for what end they reported this, I know not.
I think the ftory gets him no honour, was it
only written to fhew us how well the devil is
learned in the fcriptures, and that both of them
Avere able to faft forty days. If it had been well
known that Luther and the devil had been feen
together upon the pinnacle of St. Peter's at
Rome, and had been forty days in private to
gether before he fet up for a reformer, what
would not the Romifh priefts have faid againft
him to fupport their church ?
They fay, Luther was guilty of a fcandalous
marriage with , a Nun : none but the cor
rupted fuperftjtious think marriage fcandalous;
unlefs it be in this one thing, that the church
has procured a law to make thofe that are mar
ried live together,' thp' fuch living together makes

< 55 )
makes them miferable, becaufe tlie one hates or
drfpifes the other; for marriage formerly did not
oblige people to be joined together for better or
worfe during life.
The advifing and obliging young women to
be nuns, and youn men to remain unmarried,
is indeed fcandalous', becaufe it perverts the or
der and difpofition of nature, which obliges all
creatures to increafe and multiply. It is a doc
trine injurious to the felicity and poftority of
mankind. Such doarine.' in Timothy iv. 3. is
called the doftrine of devik, and of feducing
fpirits, forbidding to many, and to abftain from
meats which God-liath created to be received;
yet both thefe things the Romifh church does,
making <thefe to be with her members a^s of
hoUnefs ; but is not this abominable 'fupei«ftition,
and- denying' men their natural liberties ? Does
eating fifh make a man more holy than eating
flefli ? If it does, why do they not eat fifh always ?
If it does not, why are people permitted to eat
it at one time, and not at another? Befides, it is
contrary to the doarine of Chrift, who faid,
not that which goes into the body defileth the man.
Thus the doarine of Rome contradias that
of Jefufi Chrift.

As

( 56 . )
As fbr Calvin, as he only threw off the cere
monies of Rome, but the curfed perfecuting
fpirit remained in him, and he exercifed it with
the fame cruelty ; this, and his doarine of elec
tion and reprobation, fhew him to have been a
man of fuch bad principles .and praaices, that
it brought fcandal on the reformers.; His refprmar
tion from fuperftitions worfhip, might do 'fome
good ; but I cannot believe he was a good man,
who aaed the pope at Geneva. I give him up to
his adverfaries to damn hini if they pleafe ; burn
him they cannot, tho' he. deferved it for. burn
ing Servetus and pthers.
However, as God often, nay always,, brings ;|
good Put of evil, Calvin helped to, fliake thei
power , of . Romifh hierarchy that was grown ex-
ceffively tyrannical, andmoftabominably wicked;
fo that fins and pardons were fet at a price.
The papifts endeavour to fqandalize proteftan
cy, becaufe it was begun in king Henry VIII.
reign,; on account of his, not waiting, an immo
derate time ;fpr leave from the Pope to obtain a
divorce; and why fhould he have alked his
leave? Had he not power, as a king, to do,what
principally concerned himfelf, and related to his
own happinefs? Did holy King David alk the
high

( 51 )
high prieft whether he fhould marry thofe he
liked, or divorce thofe he difliked ? Did he
not alfo take many concubines, and was he
reproved for any, but for taking Bathfheba^
Uriah's wife, and murdering him ? The papifts
fay it was criminal for Luther to allow Philipj
Landgrave of Heffe, to have two wives at once :
had not the religious David, who was called
a man after God's own heart, and Solomon,
whom it is faid the Lord loved, abundance of
wives? Were Jacob, the patriarchs, and old
teftament faints, a parcel of notorious finners
for fo doing? How came God to allow it then,
and not now? Is it he, or priefts, that are whim-
fical and change his laws, not allowing at one
time what, they fay, he allowed at another ?
However wicked Henry VIII. was, it is
certain he lived and died a higotted papift,
and had no intention to introduce a reformation.
He indeed delivered himfelf from the oppref
fion of Rome's bifhop, but not his people. He
wrote in defence of popery, and was therefore
ftyled by the pope, Defender of the faith ; in
which he lived in word and deed all his Ufe
long : for after abolifhing the papal power over
himfelf, he executed the laws in defence of the
Romifh religion, and burnt feveral of his fub -
jeas

- •( 58 ')-
jeaS' in fupport of it.' Religion, which fhPuId
have made him a tender aUd affectibnate fathel:
t6 his filbjeasj made hira a cruel tyrailt- over
them : for however their fentiments agreed or
difagreed from the king's, as it did not dift^KKr^e
them from their duty to him as their common
father, had he proved fuch to them, neither
ought it to have made him dtherwifd,* yet lUch
is the fpirit of the popifli religiOn,- that it fets
the parents againft Ithe childrerij the tihildrBa
againft the parents ; friends againft friends ; the
king againft his fuUjeas ; and the fuhjeas againft
their kingi : . . ,
It had been matter of wbnder, if at the refor
mation Rome's ^rieffe had given their affent to
be difbanded with all their trumpery, and to
deltver up what Ihey had obtained by fraud and
force. When did-eVer thieves give their eOnfent
to refund their ilUgotten wealth?
..'1 ,f»K' , ; '• ¦-¦'; '
.' Have not the king afid paHilnyentj the great
authority of thenation, a jp'^wer to make prie^,
and a chureh? Surely^ if a ohurch is made by
law, it is a lawful churchj- thoilgh It may be a
1 very bad one, as the church of Rdme is. • It is
a legal clmrch as it refpeas the law, though it
may be a Very illegal otm, as it Ve^>e&s the
natural

( 59 )
natural rights; of r^ankind. rIt js a church of
the ftate ; it is the produaion of power and
ppUcy, feldom of truth and virtue: but it is fo
much the lefs the phurch of Chr jit, by being
eftalplifhed, if Chrift's kingdont is not of. this
world; fo(r then it becomes part of the kingdom
pf this world. But if Chrift's kingdom be of
the wprlfl no Wj though it was not at firft, is it
becaufe the wprld , h altered for the. better, or
becaiife Chrift'^ kingdom ifl Altered for the
^off©?. it muft be thi^ latter if this argument
be applied to the iniquitous church of;Bome.
It is the church of mammon^ and ye cannpt ferve
God and mammon.
, Ambition and covetoufnefs laid the fpa^da-
tion of this church ; treachery and violence haVe
carried it on. It is but anci(?nt hfeathenifm
chriftened. By villany it obtained its power ;
and by villany it , hap retained it. As it has en
couraged kings to enflave the people for the
fake ef the?hurch, fp, for :^he chi^rch's fa^e, it
has encouraged rebelUon againft good pri&oed;
for which caufe it has a^jvayB , affumed, a pre
rogative, and exercifed a power to difpenfe iwith
moral duties, whenfjv^r the difcharge ^ t&em
tended tp injure its ppwer or profit; it has
vfan#i^ed

( 60 )
fanaified rebeUion, maffacrcs, and all manner of
cruelties. The intereft of this church is a feparate intereft
from that of the people, therefore they herd
together againft them; their intereft depends
on keeping them in fubjeaion, therefore they
tyrannize over them, and fqueeze them. The
wealth of the" church depends upon cajoling the
people out of their properties and effeas^ in-
groffing their lands and eftates ; therefore they
are ever deluding, deceiving, preffing and op-
prefliing them ; wherefore it cannot be expeaed
they fhould ever confent to refund their ill-gotten
wealth, and give up their ufurped authority. Do
Wolves,' foxes and lions ever freely' deliver up
their prey ? and are not the fheepifh people the
prey of the cannibal priefts ?'
Is it to be fuppofed that fuch a head of ini
quity could be thrown off without great ftrug-
gles, 'and that fo powerful and iniquitous a
church would not do its utmoft to preferve its
power and wealth ? It was Uke taking away the
goods of a common robber, which he had gotten
with viplence, fraud, and repeated murders/
who would not fpare to do as, much wickednefs
to keep what he had gotten, as he committed to
get

( 61 )
get them. Soft, eafy and gentle methods will
nPt do in fuch cafes ; triumphant villany muft
be oppofed by violence.
The Roman church has been fouiided, erea-
ed, and cemented by blood, luft, and facrilege :
It is a monfter that has ever lived. by blood.
The innocent of mankind have been butchered
to feed her pride and covetoufnefs. Her fpiri
tual markets have been the fhambles of honeft
men; thefe they have. maffacred in. all nations,
wherein they have afcended .from beggary to
dominipu. The church, at firft, came creeping
in the mafk of , humility, meeknefs, fubmif-
fion,.and all fo.rgivenefs ; but .threw off the mafk;
and exercifed hernatural, fpirit of -pride, info
lence, tyranny, robbery, murder, and cruelty,
as foon as ever fhCjObtained the power. The
perfecutlons pf the pagans -. fell infinitely . fhort
pf papal perfecutlons.
As for luft, from whence came her riches,
but chiefly from, brothel houfes, and women,
married, and unmarried, privately dealing with
'priefts? Thus,, women being confecrated by
the lufty fons, of the church, .the libidinous
clergy are. married to thatftrumpet, the church,
which was formerly the whore of Babylon ; but
thofe

( 62 )^
thofe who have been debauched %y her, are now'
pretty well reconciled to her. What are all the
gifts which have enriched the ohurch,) but the
fruits of luft, proftitutes, rapes, and rapine ;
bawds, pimps, andpandersywho left their ilUgot
gain to tihe chtiordh, to atp^ne for the means
they ufe4 in getting it ? -
As forvfacrdlege; did they not rpb tihe hea
thens of their temples, and is not that as much
f^icsrileg^ as robbing theirs ? And is it not feeri-''
lege to ^ve that honour to man' which is only
dueftoOdd? which has been and is conftantly
d©«i« by the dhu^fch .df Rome. Many p^rotef-
ta»t» have learnt #0101 them' tO' call the word of
thespreaich* the word of 'God. They honour
the Pope as God Alniighty, ftyling him His Ho
linefs ; ^lAiough Chrift' himfelf refufed the appel-
lati®«i p>f good. To one that called hint good
mafter, he faid, ^ Why cd^lefi-ihou me good?
there is none good but pne, that is God.'
As >for ithe ouenefs or unity 6f 'their.ehurch in
opttwicgijiiaaay two men among papifts agree in
^ir fe«ititti#n»feis asifUttle as any twoiomoftgipro^
teftants. ; M«eh muft differ by* tfie>%ieo^flJty9t)f
their ms^dt, co^ftWbions, and nnd^erftandiiigs.
W*ieh it ^ems tdfbe otherwife in thfe -dhurch of

( 63 )
of Rome, it is hypoCrify, the effea of tyranny*
To require all men to beUeve and judge alike,
is an evident mark of impofture, becaufe it re
quires men to do otherwife than ever God de
figned, being contrary to the nature of man
kind fo to do, unlefs they were all made and
circumftanced alike.
Ours is the church, fay they, in which all
faints lived and died. Brag is a good dog, but it
fhould have been thus rather, Our church has
the only true patent for faint^making; and our
church has murdered all the faints ; therefore
all the faints have died in it. My pills, fays the
impudent quack, are the only true catholic
pills. Beware of counterfeits.
The miracles that have been urged as proofs of
the Romifh being the true apoftolic church, have
certainly proved it to be as true as their miracles
were. If that church can do a miracle, why
don't they make us fenfible of it ? Let it be
done openly, at noonday ; let the eyes of in
fidels be convinced, that their hearts may be
converted. Ah, no ! they can do no miracles
here in Great Britain, becaufe of our unbelief ;
without faith a miracle would be a miracle in
deed. Do miracles ever appear when they are
caUed for ? or come when they are wanted ?
K Their

( 64 )
Their religion and miracles are e<|ual|y true and
geupin^, > The proofs of a religion evidence
th^ nature of the religion ; if, thereforf, the
propfsare impofture, fo is the reUgion they are,
brought to confirm.
This church pretends that Jefus gave his
power to Peter, and Peter to his fucceffors (who
were all the Popes that have been fince) over
the whole churcb, wherever its members are
found throughout the whole world ; but this is
contrary to the laws pf Jefus, who appointed
they fhould all be equal as brethren. But the
church never had any thing to do with Peter,
and it is a fcandal to Jefus Chrift that his name
fhould be profeffed by that church.
They fay, that they alone inherit the name of
catholics! ; fo dp the devils inherit the name of
angels, and they are as good angels as thofe of
the Roman church are catholics ; that is, they
are not the more fo, nor the better for being fp
caUed ; hut the church is, indeed, a eathoUo
band of impoftors. She hath, by her doarines^
endeavoured to. pervert tiie natural fenfe, reafoa,
and underftanding of mankind, and hath fo
done to thofe who have believed. Priefts of this
church compafs, fea and land to make one prO"
felyte ;

( «5 )
fhlytte ; and when he is fo made, thejr make him
tWo-fold more the child of hdl than tliemfel^eL
What more ftupidi fbolifh, knavifh, and blaf-
pliemotis, than their abfurd andimpious notions
of God, to darken and deftroy the reafoii, uti-
derftanding and common fenfe of mankind,
ih what concerns Religion ; that the one God
is a ridiculous and nonfenfical compound' of dei
ties; that the unchangeable infinite God chang
ed into a mutable finite man ; that the God of
life was put to death, and that they- live fpiri-
tually by eating him carnally ^' and many per
fons have they burntto death fot not believing
fuch blafphpjiiy- and nonfenfe. Indeed, what
ever we conceive concerning God, hurts not
nor difturbs him ; nor does it ! affea ' hiUi' what
we believe concerning him ; but it is moft wicked
and cruel to perfecute people for profeflSng
they cannot believe what is contrary to the com
mon fenfe and reafon of mahlcind, whixrh no
man can underftand. What can be a, more evi
dent badge of an evil fpirit,. than perfecution
for notions^ for: falfe notions, for 'not believing
bafe and abfurd notions' concerning God? What
greater demOnftration of rage and violence?
How many have the church utfjuftly pUt to
death, in all ages, ever finee it exifted, arid in all
countries

i 66 ')
countries where it has exifted unjuftly and bar
baroufly ! What more horrid or helUfli than the
Inquifitions ? What more ftupid than placing
holinefs in aaions of fupeiftition, fafting, and
mortification ; in afferting that a prieft is able to
make water, earth, bricks, ftones, wood, mor.
tar, and things inanimate, holy ; alfo little
children, who cannot underftand what holinefs
or unhoUnefs is ? ; • ,
This power to opprefs and delude the people,
the people have been foolifli and eafy enough to
grant them ; and they have fo artfully fixt their
dominion, that now they arenot able to deprive
them ofit, becaufe fome of them who fhould
do it, are higotted adorers of the funaion ;
but unlefs the power of the church be leffened
and broken, it cannot fafely be tolerated in any
kingdom,, All political governments, whether they have
kings or priefts for their heads, are fo made by
a right from the people, either freely given,? or
forcibly extorted. Kings and priefts that pre
tend to have their miffion from God, muft have
it from the people, vow populi vox Dei^, The
government of Gpd is not tyrannical, but eafy
and natural ; he rules us by pur own confent :
it

( «7 )
it is the natural voice of a free people, not the
voice of, tyrant priefts, and ofthe corrupted bi-
gotied people; it is the voice of freedom, not of
flavery, for fuch is not the voice of the people,
but of facerdotal tyrants; therefore church
government as well as kingly is political. They
are dependent on the people for their power
and prefervation ; therefore without the peoples
approbation, they have no rightful exiftence. The
king that is weak enough to tyrannize over his
fubjeas, by the direaion of a prieft, lays the
foundationof future mifery to himfelf and them,
for by this trap the prieft' tyrannizes over the
¦ king. ; i The people being ill ufed, complain ; if
.their complaints are redreffed,. the people regain
their liberty ; if not redreffed, the king lofes
his, by being alway under the direaion of his
¦prieft, who will not fail to increafe his own au
thority over him, and in proportion as the prieft
afcends to power, the prince defcends to fub
jeaion ; if the king dare rebel againft^hepricftly
fovereignty, . the priefts, one and allj that have
a prieftly fpirit, join as in a -common caufe'fbr
the power of the church, . ftir up the people
againft the. prince,, or. the prince againft the
people,, to. preferve their own dominion. Did

( 68 )
Did the church ceafe to do wickedly, the
church Would ' c^afe to exift. It has always ex
ercifed its art to deceive by fraud, and its pdWer
to force by violence.

,1

::.aiJi.iK

L E t TUR E VIL .
Agaififi Popery.
IT is €very man's duty, who is a lover of truth,
to vindicate it ; to do which, it is fufficient
only to fet things in a true light, and'into thie
fame toidrag that monfter impofture, which has
l^^itcbed and enflaved the much greaten part
of mankind, by- the mafk of religion, and by that
of .the Chriftian religion, as profeffed by the
greats number nnd^.that charaS^r, in. that
church which is, ruled by the Bifliop; Pope, or
J*apa of Rome, and therefore calfed ; by thofe
that pndbeft! againft it, Papifis, and thait church
tbeiiopifh church. But the, name they give
themfelves, ¦aaad whioh they are ifond of, that
of R0j»an.;Catholics, can in no wife belbng to
them, hei«^, ttddmpatible with con^mon fenfe)
the words fignifying a limited univerfal church.
iRwnan it is, but catholic or univerfal it cannot be;

( 69 )
be; For that is not tbe cathoiio churchy whicli
isi circumfcribed by the narrow limits of a pre-
feribed faith; but that only which comprehends
all honeft:, virtuous and good men throughout
the whole world ; to which the Socinians and
Quakers come nearer than any chriftian church
I know. Seeing that many in this part of the town ad
here to the Romifh religion, fo pernicious to this
Qa.te, and to the hberties enjoyed in this country,
I determined to do my endeavoiur, if I cannot
convince the bigots of that perfuafion, at leaft
to inform othersj that they may not be carried
away, and mifled by defigning men into that
whirlpool of delufion ; nor countenance a religion
fo called, Avhich teaches, vindicates, and prac-
tifes every art and viofcnce in its power to raife
itfelf over the natural rights and liberties of man
kind, impoverifeing and enflaving them, 'to
make itfelf rich and powerful.
To oppofe the fpirit of popery is, therefore,
to oppofe a peftilential evil, the moft deftruaive
to trul^, virtue, religion and piety, that ever
was in the world; a fpirit- which has been the
enflaver and deftroyer of men, that has lived
and fattened by the effufion of innocent blobd, by

( 70 )
by murderis the mbft unjuft, and by moft cruel''
perfecutionsj'by the moft notorious impoftures,
that were ever committed by man, in fupport of
the greateft fuperftitions and idolatry man ever
praaifed. To fupport the holy pretenfions of this fpirit
or church, all are deemed by it heretics and
infidels who promote not her faaion: therefore
fhe can forgive, or claims a right to forgive, all ¦
fins but thofe of nonconformity to it; and to
frighten the fimple and ignorant, fhe declares
all who are not within her pale, to be in the
perilous ftate of damnation : for her prefump*- i
tion and pretended power are fo great, as to
punifh in another world her adverfaries who
efcape her indignation in this ; a notion taught
by knaves and believed by fools. The reafon
of this is, becaufe thefe heretics and infidels
join not with them in their wickednefs, but ex
pofe the knavery of the leaders, and the credulity,
folly and ignorance of thofe who are led by them.
In order to, fupport and vindicate the detefla- .
ble wickednefs of this church, fhe has corrupted
ah hiftory; the ahleft pens of Rome have been
employee! to difguife^ and falfify all hiftory fof
faas againft her power or intereft in which flie
had

( 71 )
had any concern, efpecially in the dayi^of igno
rance, before printing, and arts and fciehoes
flsurifht, When what learning was among us
was engroff'd by monks, and thofe who had the
chief power in the church, which they made
the moft ufe they could of to its advantage ; for
in it, their own was included. Nay, they have
fo corrupted our tradition of Jefus and his apof
tles, called the gofpels, as point blank to make
him the author and favourer of their barbarous
praaices and inhuman fyftem. They make his
coming to be on purpofe to fend fire and fword
among mankind, Luke 12. 51. Bitter divifions
and hatred between the neareft and deareft re
lations, even to death, Luke 14. 26. Wliat
demon from the infernal regions could be dif-
patcht on a worfe errand, if literally ¦rinder.'
ftood? But being not defenfible in this* fenfe
againft men of fenfe, and efpecially .when power
is wanting, we have liberty to explain thefe
texts away. The enemies of their iniquitous
church they caU Chrift's enemies, and they have
found or rather formed an order from Chrift
that fuch fhould be deftroyed, Luke 19. 27.
nay burnt, John 15. 6. And by their pretended
commiflion to execute the terrors df the Lord,
tbey net only perfuade men, and, like their an
cient brethren, thefuperftitiousandhyp^ritical L pharifees

( n )
m.^jcAAi they Gotii|iaf^^ feaai8d/>ftlkvtd
3i9ak$%plrotfeiyteS> bd«ipleadifbarAt}th89le^to coitfi-
;pel;ineiinto come in,! tHat!.€hrifi?a»Iha>uife)!'thell
•ehufcch wJitch;th^'call-fd, may/]fe'jfiite^iflr]!l(*
Ikbeyipwiaifa with all fiieip. pC&ititJal;'p®««ei? and
«mgines:of .xjifuelliyfibivfeifg no raiidiial^etfeeid
of proving thfeir do^rJnes^ mot- ofifft^eSing
ihen-toiltbe! authority of their ohorbhi ;a«d th^
tj^.mnny of thfeir-p(riffthoed,>he*flby'to inflav*
the.i^mof-arit people^ to pfohiote artiong tbcitt
bigotry and iheggary : nor is it any wonder thftt
the p'ra^atco of jthat church ^uld ^ be the mdft
mriieked^i whofe ddarines at;e the moft ftupidi
What wdnder is it, thai men Who eat their
God/ fliould devtoliR men I j No WondeT^ their
piraaadesf.have been void of all hUtoattity, whdife
doamne&aiinB void of all isgafon. If ftupidrt^ itt
the Ipedple-and' imjiofture in the priefts were
»Bit<prodiiaive of bfartsarity fot their fiipport?,
iJui^Puld beof > 'Kttleifigtiificajikc@ whaH the one
ta«igJ5iit[,iiandithtedtherjibiettevedu ' j>r.<^
oviJtiv^:^; • ^:-' <ao;.ir;iio t^iii-iuJ <; -, 'ifi.: .. ju; >
jiihfelUibility ibmieipr^teiBdted dhaVaiaer df the
P^Spetdr eharfchbf Roibei I care not \^^^ ^isf
tedgciita Biit Jftbereisnotte ^bdd-bit one, that ii
(Siod,! I am foEB that is- faohe i^lkllibte but Mfiii
The being ihat is i&falKble,-Mtftift be-j^rfeft/
and unohangeayyfo ; fdr that which i^^ling^a' ble

( T^S )
ble may he iiriperfea and fo fallible; Nothing
is neceffary to be beUeved which has not fome
pmof that it is fo. Now, if the biihop of Rome
be irrfaillible, and if he is infallibly God's vicar
general upon eaith, as liie is pretended to be, he
can infallibly prove it^ and know«' God ; but
what his knowledge of God is, is ievfidently
nonfenfe and abfurdity, (for <Ispd is not a con-
l^adiStory conipound, but one undivided puri^
and fimple being) alfo that the unchangcr
able God was «banged into man, or fSa far
changed himfelf, as to take man's nature and
form into himfelf, and that the Lord of life
fuffered death. And that the flelh and b>lood
of this "God may be dianged into bi^ad and
wine, or bread and wine into that, lb that every
man and woman niay eat and drink a whole God ',
and though ahundred thoufe,nd of thefe gods are
devoured daily, yet they are all but one Qod.
This is all agreeable to Popery, whidh afferts
nonfenfe, and fanaifies falfebood. ' >
They are infidels Who do not believe this great
myffe^JoHS npnfenfe; who do not beUeve as
the dhiireh teaches, that three Gpds, eadi
in himfelf is a diftina and perfea God, yet; be
ing put together make but one perfea- God.
The infidels afk, if Jefus Chrift was a God, an

( 74. )
an inhabitant in heaven, fo long before he was
an inhabitant of this world; why he did not
give a iietter account ofthe world he came from ?
Whether he drank of the river Lethe by the
way, and thereby forgot all that he knew before.
They are ignorant that he bargained with his
Father before the world began, to fave a few of
mankind (corrupted and damned by the fin of
Adam) dearly bought by the lofs of his blood
and life. And that the Father was fo inflexibly
implacable to man, as to defire it, before he,
would be friends with the beings he had made.-
They wonder, if he came on that errand, hefor-
got to tell it to the wprld. They are .ignorant
that a Spirit can get a woman with child as a
man may do, and wonder too why he that begot
one, does not beget more; becaufe tho' this
Son came to mend the world, by blotting out
fin, yet wickednefs has fo prevailed that it has
been rather worfe than before, as the perfecu
tlons of the church have fufficiently proved:
they afk if the blending or uniting the man
hood with the godhead, muft not needs mar,
and make an heterogeneous deity. But thefe
feemingly ftrong objeaions are all eafily an
fwered by true believers. That

( 75 )
That this God has flefh, blood, and bones,
in the form of man, which hp took upon
him, by coming through the body of a woman,
betrothed to a human hufband, feems to ex
ceed, as fome think, all human faith ; but what
cannot human faith exceed ? That this God,
a prieft can make, as often as he pleafes, of
flour and water, without ever changing the form
or nature of the- cake ; he changes it into this
God, by fpeaking thefe few words, £foc est corpus
meum, from whence camethe conjuring words,
Hocus pocus ; the wafer thereupon is imme
diately changed in fubftance to the eye of faith,
not to the eye of fenfe ; (for they judge by faith,
not by fight,) into the very flefh and blood of
the God Jefus, who hung upon a crofs, and died
above 1700 years ago, and though now be
lieved to be in another world, yet is always pre
fent in this ; and though limited to the dimen-
fions of a man, can be whoUy in ten thoufand
places at one and the fame time, and enters into
the bodies of believers ; where he lies, like Jonas
in the whale's, belly, if not like his body in the
grave; and what good he does, there, or when
he gets, out, I could never learn nor underftand.
No wonder it is caUed a myftery. But furely,
inftead of being the myftery of godlinefs, it is
the myftery of iniquity. But the wonder is fiill
greater,

(^ 76 ))
g£6aiter,] f^btat'.pa^ff^si in a proteftant . couhi'ry
fhould not;open (theirreyes wheve ths^'.may doi
it, and fee that this is a darknefs £uid impofture
wMch;may he .felt; a iGod which they make,:
eat and ivprihip. . Of; aU the h^then. impiii£r>
tiomSj never was any fo great on the fide of the
god-makers, nor any fti^dity fo grcsfsJon i^Ue
fide of bf^eveirs. It is not tobe wondeoediat,;
nor to he expeaed, >that ihofe who are.fo ;iixfa'«
tui^d asto believe fuch jpr^poftprdus. abfurd ities,i»
fo eontpry to every janiamai fenfej ihould. ever
hsarkien to reafon. But from h)ence,to conelude,
we may learu two things j-^tt : .
Wm% That ttoe are no abfurdities and ini'?
jiofhinefi tpfi>gi;Qat fmvnmio impefe, tO(Phtain
w«altb,aflid doioinidn in the worid; WhatdiflS^-
cailtie»fi«ro»Pt craft and policy, perfeveKed^foeF
ag'ea, Ivirjwpunt ? What^js iit thai, naan'^pride and
oo-VieitOkKfihefr fears ito attemp/t ? What, is it *ba*
fraud »od force ^r. to do ^ And M-bat.ifQpM*-;
tune o^SBApt the fa^te of r^Ugiea j&natfy>and
djifend ? , Leaim frjom henee |q jput jno feith in
tiift unoft fana jffed pretender, jfiaeiaig thefe whp
aire Ithe »diffla0i»af imen's confoieuces haKflithc
l^ftuonfcience ©f. aU naen, when then darling
IuSb sure to ^e ini^ulged, or ftjbeir inter.0fts
are eooeerjied. Mm. of thi»;«lafsip wluwpireadh damnation

( n >
^itiim\mi^.mi&t\m-, feem to ^itke th^'litt^
pftifi^Bd'^^r'^elt theriifelves, or at leaft td ton-'
vlhKs^'iili'ittWft^ who hatfe but the leaft gumtner-i
fflg*; of iniellfeetuar light, tM they believe i
featai^^fllais \ty be a bubble, an<$ df ufe only td
^ -'Seistiaiy,- We ^fey learh that there ean be
n& i alrfurdities and impdftures invented,' V'tdd
gi-«fe!fet'fhfe Igndtanl io believ^a-, and (idUcatWH
to rivet- in theniitids ^meti \ and the hidft nn^
tgafefiafMe tk«idh^ eve** pro^tJte «h^ ttttft'^clt«li=
asfte-^ig6tfyi ifor^wheti nfen wiU dot be eon*-
V&«ed tff'Kheir own fenfes, how can reafon pre
vail, which muft be builttt^ft thfe eVidenee df
feafe^ and the evident nature of things, Qr4t-bas
no foundation at all?. When men are taught to
believe that' with God impoffible things are
poffible; that he can raifs chickens to a hen
from ftones inftead of eggs; can make a hprfe
go through a pin hole -j that faith can remo'l'e
tree's and gardens into a river by commanding
it tp be dpne j 'that all things are poffible to
nim tiiat believes ; that the immortal and in
finite (jrod can becomemortal and finite man j
that there is a being called the devil, who brought
finJntQihje world and .God into a man, and
ialtea the HHtt! that eofttaJwed the <Jdd ; ahd
" ¦ '"' thougli'

( 78 )
though this God had wrought many miracles,
he wrought not one for his own redemption,
from an ignominious death,nor obtained it by his
mofl fervent prayers, which fhews he would have
done itif he could ; fo that he did not fucceed
in being his own interceffor, yet he mtefc^es
with God his father for pardoning the fins of
mankind, and is their redeemer from the infernal
dungeon of fire and darknefs: this is. all, Po
pery, and fprings, from taking the fcriptures in
a -wrong fenfe*. But from all fuch; darknefsr I
fhall endeavour to deliver my readers in future
leaures. -, Qnepf the popifh bifhops in Queen
Mary's days faid, that God could turn himfelf
into a cardinal's cap. ,/ ,|i ,

.LECTURE VIIL \ "*' "
• ^ Of Infallibility.
IF there is ih the world any infallible truth,
there muft be infaflible marks pf it, or
meaps infaUibly to know it by. If there be
no infallible rule whereby it m'iy be knPwn, riieu
can neVer cPme to any certainty about itj' there
fore thofe that make pretenfions tp Ihe fanje
foundation,
• -This is true in afpifituatfetife, which this- c^n^l' ahfiihrj^ioM
church knows nothing qf.

( 79 )
foundation, attack one another's Underftand
ings of it. It cannot be an infallible founda
tion, nor rule, that cannot be the means of
union, fatisfaaion, and reft to mankind.
Where can the infalUbilitv fouajht for be
found? Not in any thing liable or poffible to
change, for that only which is unchangeable is
poffeft of it ; that which is the fame at all times
andin all places, inthefamecircumftanceshathit,
and nothing elfe ; and that is the immutable na
ture of God. That which the common fenfe of
mankind convinces them never changes its laws
and operations, but is always certain and conftant,
is the infallible rule of truth, and the qualities
of things repeatedly known, and experienced
by the common fenfes of mankind,, are the
means of judging what is true. Here then
we have a fure foundation to build on, a certain
rule to guide us in our enquiries after truth,
that is clear and evident to all ; not the pre-
fumptuous authority of men, pretending to have
it from God, without reafon, proof, or evi
dence ; but the well known and undeniable
authority of -God hirafelf, is that of his own
works. This then ought to be the only foun
dation men fhould build upon; and another
true foundation c»n no man lay. Thofe who
M deny

( 80 )
deny the evideliee of common fenfe to be truth,
aie to be pitied, .as wanting the natural tafte
and; feeling of mankind.
The qualities of things are known to the com
mon fenfes of men ; they agree in what is called
hot and cold, moift and dry, light and dark,.
heavy and light, foft and hard, bitter and fweet,
white and black, and the different properties of
thipgs which their fenfes are judges of, fome
producing pleafure, others pain. They only
differ in the comparative degrees of' the proper
ties pf things, as their different abUjties of fenfe
enables them tp judge: but every one forms a
certain relative proportion of judgment, which
enables men to.agree in their opinions of the
qualities, .properties, .powers, operations, or dif
ferent natures, of things,, fo much at leaft as is
necj^i^y to forai each perfon's degree*)f under
ftanding, fo as ttO harmpnife in the wholes and
unite their jud^ijjents of right aud wrong, good
aod.b^ which is common fenfe.
As all ^.rts and fciences have the la^s and
powers of nature for their foundation and rule,
ib has true religion; only falfe religion takes
another road, out , of nature, which fhe pre-
tjgnds is above nature; but^othing; ahOite na
ture

'( 81 )
ture can be known or conceived by man.
This is pretended to, that the fallacies of falfe
religion may not be underftood and difproved.
But by coming to the foundation of nature,
we Come to the only foundation of truth ; and
afking ourfelves what would be the judgment
of mankind in the fame cafe propofed, is the
way to caft off prejudice, and the certain means
of forming as right a judgment of things as
poffible, which can never fail us, if we are im
partial lovers and feekers of truth. By not
adverting to this rule, all men have, in all ages,
divided into fefits. and faaions in opinion, and
obftinately maintained their errors as truths, to
the fubverting the. peace and happinefs of man
kind, and involving eacbother and themfelves in
confufion and mifery.
The Roman church knowing, that without an
mfallible rule fhe can claim no pretenfions to
be the only right and true church, affumes to
herfelf the authority of InfalUbiUty, by a power
delegated to her from Chrift. But infallible
truth admits of no difagreement.
The Romifh religion, as well as all others,
was ever fpltt into feas and faaions from its ear-
heft times, and had moft violent differences arifing

( 82 )
arifing from the fmalleft occafidns, ' from thofe
of the moft indifferent and fenfelefs nature,- and
therefore only merited contempt ; but as ma
naged by the violent fpirit of popery, became
deftruaive and deadly : furely the popes have
not more infallibility than the apoftles, nor the
prefent church than the primitive.
From the beginning were faaions and divi
fions in chriftianity; the leaders, by prejudice
or intereft, adhering to their educated opinions.
Paul withftood Peter, for temporifing with the
Jews, in the cafe of eating with the Gentiles,
Gal. ii, 11. altho' Peter firft praaifed that free
dom to which he was invited by a pair of mi
racles. Aas X. And Paul tempdrifed with
the Jews in circumcifing Timothy. Aas xvi.
Tho' he declared, whoever among the believing
GenXWeswascircumtifed, Chriji would profit him
nothing. Gal. v. 2. Paul and Barnabas fell out
fo as to part from one another, about 'chufing a
fervant to wait upon them, Aas xvi. 36. 40. And
never, that we read, were they reconciled after.
Tho' the firft promulgators of chriftianity are
affirmed to write by the infpiration of the Holy
Ghoft, Peter difapproves of the writings of Paul
for being in many' places unintelligible, tho' he
calls him beloved brother. 2 Peter iii. 16. Paul
fwears

( 83 )
fwears in Gal. i; that immediately after his con-
vofton he went into Arabia, and that it was
three years after before he faw Peter and James ;
and yet by the hiftory of his peregrinations in
the Aas, told two or three times over, he went
not there. Paul fays he was a Hebrew of the
Hebrews, Phil. iii. 5. Barnabas, in the epiftle
that is current in his name, fays, Paul was a
prdfely te of the Gentiles. Paul declared before
Ananias the high prieft, that he was a pharifee,
and was called in queftion for the . refurreaion,
which the: Pharifees believed, that they being
there prefentj might deliver him, or to obtain
their favour, though he was not then a pharifee
but a chriftian, and examined for being fo,
and not for believing the refurreaion. Was
not this prevaricating and temporifing? How
are all their words divine truths and infallibly
to be depended on? If the Apoftles themfelves
were fallible men, how came thC; bifhop of
Rome to be infallible ? What infallible guide,
then, have any chriftians, papifts, or proteftantsi?
And if the fpirit which many of both parties
pretend to be poffeft of was an infallible guide,
fhould we not fee fome proofs of it ? but we have
proofs of the contrary by the difagreement of
all pretenders to it.

It

( 84 )
It would fill a volume, and therefbre wou)d
be tiiefome, if not endlefs, to mention all the
different opinions which have fprung up in the
Roman church etnbraced by the heads of it them)-
felves, and by thofe who own but one head. To
mention only the notions that have been vented
and entertained of the divinity of Chrift, whe
ther he was half God, or whole God, how the
divine and human natures in him were mixt
and compounded, are all confounding to com
mon fenfe, and would be but a rehearfal of fo
many abfurdities, as there were opinions and
parties in the bowels of the church : Nor was
there any more proof of orthodoxy in one age
of it, than in another, but as power prevailed.
Thofe who had the greateft power were always
moft orthodox, and the moft lafting power con
flrmed the doarines' which conftitute the true
church ; falfely called, catholic. Calvin threw
off her fuperftitions, but retained her barbarous
Vnd nonfenfical doarines. jU^t
1 find not, therefore, any infallible guide, in
fnan's authority, to falvation ; but, if there be
a falvation, every man is left to gre^e out the way
iFor himfelf; and all nations of m^en, as Paul faid,
Aas xvii, 26, 27, are to feek the Lof<d, ifh^ply
they might feel after him and find him, tho' he be
not

( 85 )
not far from every one of us, fo that he is as
near to us as he was to them ; therefore we ate
to feek and feel for ourfelves. And Jefus up
braiding the Jews for their, negteft in feeking
truth, fayfe, Luke xii. 67. Tea, and tehy evdn
(^'ymtr own Jehfes judge ye not that which is
right? whieh, hoWeverj thofe who ate preju
diced in favour of what is wrong, eannot do.
in
No church upon earth can give Us any proof
df its being infallible, or having an infallible
guide : if you will not take it for granted that
it has^ you cannot be deceived. NUmberlefs
are the proofs bf tbe fallibility of every church
and every guide IF you feek for a proof of in-
faHilulity in any man or men, ' or in the works
or words of men, you will be able to find it no
where, -i All human authority, antiquity, mira
cles, '.prophecies, and writings, are fallible;
the bifliop of Rdme is no more infallible than
any private man, or than any other bifhop or
prelate, believel" or unbelievei^ infpired or Un-
ittfpirdd. tl Common fenfe and reafon, founded
oh' ttien's experience of things, j is every man's
beft guide, and better than leaning dU any iii-
falliblb pretender or pretenfions which are uri-
afole td be j&^p^ted by hny natural or 'reafon
able method or evidence. ,';j' - '''*^-'
Man,

( 86 )
Man, and all the works of man, are fallible :
The fcriptures were the writings of men, there
fore fallible ; and they appear evidently to be fo,
as they, contain many inconfiftences and errors,
in theplain, natural, andUteral fenfe, which men,
therefore, are obliged to explain away, in order
to vindicate what they, would enforce by that
authority. As they are the works of men, they
are fallible in their original ; and as they have
been tranfcribed and tranflated by fallible men,
they are fallible in their tranfcribed copies and
tranflations, fallible in their fignification, fallible
in their interpretations, fallible in divers parts,
and therefore in the whole : if they . were ori
ginally the Avritings of God himfelf, they would
become fallible when tranfcribed, tranflated and
interpreted by men, and the oftener fo, the more
fallible. If any thing appear in the fcriptures
to be abfurd, and in one place contrary to, or
inconfiftent with another, or to human reafon,
can it be denied that it has not the appearance
of falUbility ? . If it be only liable to be. falfely
underftood, it is fallible to us. If.Romifli
church or pontiff pretends to give an infalUble
explanation, but gives no . infallible proof of
that ability, it is but vain pretenfion ; apd he is
certainly mifled who believes it, and bubbled,
who depends for infalUbiUty on any thing with out

( 87 )
out a fenfible infallible proof to himfelf of its
being fo.
Whatever traditions we depend on, are to be
doubted of, and miftrufted, as they have been
conveyed to us, not only by a fallible, but a
falfe church ; a church which has fanaified falfe-
hoods and falfe miracles to fupport her caufe.
Ecclefiaftic hiftorians were men partial to their
party, and wrote not from knowledge or con
viaion, but copied falfe ftories one after another;
nor were they always able to judge of truth,
if they had it in view. Ignorance or intereft for
the moft part governed their pens. Thofe who
wrote in favour of church authority were always
on the fafeft fide, which ever did and will juftify
any ftories that tend to the a,d vantage of the
church : what is truth in the fcriptures, which
are of confequence to enlighten our judgment
and to direa our condua, are known by their
own intrinfic nature, harmonifing with reafon
and the nature of things. Supernatural ftories,
which afford us no natural proof, are no more
a guide to our underftandings, than they are ex
amples for our praaice. What was not done
on our account, concerns not us ; and what we
are told was, as we are only told fo, and men
will lie for their own advantage, or may through
N ignorance,

( 88 )
ignorance, we fhould have fpnae good reafpn to
convince us df the truth of it. Common hiftory
may be believed or not believed, it matters not
much, if it concerns not us ; uncpmmpuhif|pry
requires uncommon teftimony, and more fo, if
it be of uncommon ponpern, or preffed on us
to receive it as fuchi Surely wh^t is imme«^i-
ately frpru God, cannot depend on, norfta|i(Jin
need of man's teftimony, but carries itsownlight
ancl evidence with it; otherwife, if it lofp the evi
dence it ought to have as coming from Go^, and
r^f]: on the evidence of man, we receive ft as the
word of man: if what comes from God ftands
in need of this, it js. impoffible fpr man to know
what is of God, and what not. The writings
we call facred, do not appear ^o he the ii\faUibfei
word pf , God, becaufe there is no end of the
contentions about underftanding them; if the
gui^e that may be fuppofed to be infallible iu it
felf is npt fo to me, it; caiiupt he received by.
me as fuch. ,
In the firft, fecond and third century of chrif
tianity, the chriftian world was overrun withft)r- .
ged or cprrupted gofpels, epiftles, revelations,
raartyrologies, miracles, fegenc^ au4 ^^ y]^^^ •
were. called men/dficia facra, an4 encouraged for
the good ofthe church, which were in the
times

( «9 )
time» of ignW^nce and impofition received as
authentic, but have been Ance rejeaed by honeft
men df learning and underftanding of all perfua
fions. Some hiftorians have been credulous
men, who being no judges of truth or error,
took up with any authority, and gathered toge
ther both good and bad; they Were men Who
fought riot truth, or had no judgfnent to diftin
guifh it; fo that what was truth, could ndt be
depended on from fuch writings, unlefs confirm
ed by otliers of more judgment. Some are ea
fily impofed oh; others write with defign to
impofe bn, and miflead the underftandings of
men ; their bufinefs is not to fearch oUt truth,
but to difguife it. Before printing was praaif
ed, ^ the world lay involved in the thiCkeft mifts
* of ignorance; fuperffittdn' and credulity tri^
' unfff^ed without controul, and fpurious pieces,
* filled with idleand improbable ftories, prevailed.'
Let this fuffice for Writings.
And what reafon is there tor belieVe the popes
were more infallible than other men? Does
power or prerc^ative ghe infaUibiUty ? for in
that cafe only they were ftiperiors. That many
of them have been as Wicked, as abandonedly
wicked as. the worft of tyrants, is undettiable ;
ndtwithftkndin^thejialhs that have been taken to
• extenuate

( 90 )
c^cfeenuate their crimes, wliich were as great as
their power. Quarrels and wars arofe between
them and emperors many years, which occafion
ed 78 battles, and in them a vaft effufion of
blood, and thedeftruaipn of an infiniteinumber
of innocent people. Was the kingdom, or
church of Chrift,. then of this world or not ?
If it was, it was ftrangely changed; if it was
not of this world, it was not his church. By
the vileft of means the bifhops of Rome have
been raifed,' from the loweft and meaneft begin
nings, to, the higheft pitch of. grandeur, by thp
¦deepeft policy of men that ever was praaifed
upon earth, of men of the greatdl natural and
acquired abilities that ever were known, and by
the moft fubtle and politic meafures obtained
abfolute dominion over mens bodies and minds,
whereby they, acquired alfo their eftates ; and to
complete the farce, affumed to themfelves a
fovereign power, not only over the living, but
the dead, and taught the fuperftitions multitude
to .believe they had fuch power. By the exceffive
ignorance of thofe dark times, and by , the in-
aaivity of fome difcerning. men, and the indor
leupe of others, the greatnefs,- dominion and
wealth of the church, was effeaed,.till it over
balanced the ftate. When fraud and force had
raifed the heads of the church to uncontroulable power.

C 91 )
power, then, and not till then, thefe hekds were
declared to be the infallible oracles of God, and
guides of men. But faas, undeniable faas,
prove their falUbility ; for hiftory fhews, that
the decrees and eonftitutions of one pope have
been reverfed by another, and have confeffed
not only their predeceffors, but even themfelves
had. been miftaken. Pope Liberius figned the
Arian Creed, which was declared heretical by all
1ms fucceffors. Pope Honorius was condemned
by the fathers of thefixth cecuinenical council,
as an organ of the devil, for holding the herefy
of the, Monothelites. Pope John the 22d
preached up, and propagated by his miffionaries
and his legates, a latere, a dodlrine, which he
himfelf retraaed on his death bed*. We read
of feven Popes, curfing and damning (in emu
lation of one another) all who denied a certain
tenet, viz. that the Francifcan Friars had no
property in common or in private, and the faid
John22d as heartily curfing and damning all
who maintained it ; nay, and recurring to the
ultimo ratio of the later Popes, with fire and
faggot, in order to root out of the church what he
* See Bower's Hiftory of theTopet, page ix of the preface.

( n )
he ca,lled, fo pieflilcsnitial, erroneous^ hferetieajl^
and blafphemoUs a doarine. The Fraaciltean!
Friars, who had occafioned this difput^ paid
dear for it, as they continned td plead the infal-
libilifty of feven Popes, againft that of one,' and
©bftinately adhered to their doarine. Pope John
Wfing all patience, ordered them all to be burnt
alive, whpdid not receive his conftitution, which
was done apedrdingly, and many of thofe un
happy wretches chofe rather to expire in the
fla-mesj than to yield. Thefe remarkable tranf-
aaioUs.are related by feveralcotemporary writers
of unqUeftioiiiable authority, aUdamong the reft
by Nicdlaais Eyniericus, who was iniquifitor of
the Prdvince ofTaragon, and has inferted them
in his direStbriiiik itiqui/Siormn. Other faas,
wiilihPttt,n<Mniber, of the fame nature, occur in
hiftory, .adad aTe alike irrecpncileable with the
othdr pireroga^ ves claimed by the Popes,- as well
as Witbtib: chiaef articles ofthe Roman Religion,
and>all fo well aittefte»i^ thatmothing I think €an
w^Miand the fbrbe of truth thUS' d^played.
If fallibittiyheas apparent in the-Eoman dhurch
ajid pontiff as in any other, how is it better than
any other ? If pjetenJion to infaUibiUty cannot
be made good, but prpyed to he impofture,
were not all tKofe Popes who pretended to it,
falfe

( 9S )
falfe preterider? ancl inippftprs ? and if the Jiead^
of a qburoh are inipoftor*, is ^pt the chureh*
whiph is fp gf>vpfued,. a f^lfe church ?

-';"iruK> ,¦'

LECTURE IX.
On Mortification,
SOME there be that require men to mortify
themfelves by aaing contrary to their na
ture, in order to pleafe God, asif thi^ world wa^
indeed the deyil's kingdom, and the nature of
man was tpdp every thing cpntrary to right
and good, being, as they are told, by nature tjid
children qf wrath. Therefore they are required
to love their enemies, and hate their friends ; to
give and lend all they have j to forfake all their
poffeffions and enj.oy ments; to take no thought
for bodily wants, but for their fouls' good, which
is rather for the good ofthe church. And they
are required to faft and pray, arid watch, and pu
nifh the body for tbegopd of the foul, by various
ways^ and are taughtthat fuch fort of behavipur*
which is called penance, will atone for fins, and
appi^fe deity, who otherwife is revengeful and
mercilefs,

( 94 )
mercilefs, as they reprefent him. So the Jacobite
and heathen priefts urged the neceffity of blood
and murder, to bring their god into a good hu
mour. But reafon and good nature condemn
fuch condua. To fpeak firft of fafting, either
private or public : Does it pleafe God to fee
men pining and whining with hunger ? Every
virtue fhould be oppofed to fome vice, and every
aaion contribute to fome natural end. What
vice can this of fafting fupprefs, but the vice of
gluttony? does God aa by men, as foolifh parents
do by their children, who when they are naughty
refufe them viauals ? If fafting be only a cure
for gluttony and drunkennefs, it needs only be
praaifed by thofe that are guilty ofthofe vices :
what need have the poor to faft, who have food
it fcanty meafure, or thofe that live fparingly ?
As luxury can never be a general fin, I fee no need
that fafting fhould at any fet time be a general
duty. If the fin of feafting requires thepenance
of faifting, or fafting atones for feafting, it fuits
with the vulgar, who love to run into extremes,
and therefore praaife both. If the church did
not indulge the one, what need fhe command
the other? What are all public feaftings, but'
luxury ? and all public fafting, but formality?
Is fafting itfelf a virtue? one would think it not,
unlefs eating be avice. They that eat or drink more

( 95 )
more than they fhould at one time, and
thereby have injured their eonftitutions, fhould
faft after it, or ufe fome evacuations to repair
that injury. Thus penance fometimes make the
atonement to nature. But concerning its abi
lity to pleafe God or nature, in any other man
ner, my ignorance cannot perceive it, unlefs God
is difpleafed to fee men eat their food, which
they cannot blefs him for giving them, if they
muft not]eat. But fajimg and prayer is humbling
the foul before God, Well, if the foul has been
fenfible of pride, then itis good to humble it. If
men have been luxurious and proud, let them
faft^and pray ; I have no objeaion to their doing
it, to bring down their ftomachs ; but what need
thofe who are not guilty of thefe fins, punifh
themfelves for the fins of others ? If men have
been guilty in fecret, they may faft in fecret ; if
in public, let them do it publickly ; public
fins requires public confeffion and atonement.
I do not underftand why a man who fhews by
his condua, that he does not love fafting him
felf, nor is difpleafed with feafting, fhould re
commend fafting to others, as an aa of extra
ordinary devotion ; But temperance preferves
the body and mind in the hoiieft and hap-
pieft ftate, teaching content, humility, and
O- tranquility,

( 96 )
tranquility, by bridling inordinate defires that
prey on the vitals of happinefs : and fometimes
excefs brings fudden death : Therefore; faid
Jefus, Luke xxi, 34. Ta,ke heed to yourfelves,
lejiatany time your hmrts.be overcharged with
/krfeiting and drunkennefs, and' that day come
upon you. unawares. What day ? The day of
Chrift's coming, for which men have long
watched in vain. Watching is a piece of morti
fication, which brinigs, no honour to, God, nor
good to man, but tends to make men ftupid and,
blind both in body and. intelkas. Can any one
tell what advantage it is to man to deny him
felf bodily fleep ? And if it be none, why fhould
it be fuppofed God, requires, it ? The difeiples.
watched; for their Mafler's coming upon them
like a thief in the night. It has been a long
night, but, thank God, it is now morning in
Great Britain, fo that we who.fee the light. have
no occafion to watch.
Epicurus, that mirror of temperance andsfo^
briety, thanwhom.no manbas been more beliedi
and: unjuftly flandered. in thisj^ article, highly
recommended and praaifed thefe; virtues, more;
than moft chriftians or philofophers. He fays,
'it hardly can be expreffed j how great- good/ re -
' dounds from fobriety, which reducing a man 'to

( P7 )
' to a thin, fimple, and fpare diet, by happy ex-
* perience teaches how little that is which na-
' ture requires, and that her neceffities may be
' abundantly fatisfied with flender and eafily
' provided food, fuch as decoaed barley, fruits,
' herbs, and fountain water." He fhews that tem
perance and fobriety brings and preferves health,
and the funaionsof themind in ferenity, acute-
nefs, and vigour, enabling men to eat their food
with delight and appetite, and" makes them fu
perior to the threats of fortune. But fafting, on
the other hand, makes men four tempered, fick
and faint, dejeaed, difpirited, dull and va|)oUr-
ifh ; therefore is the moft improper condua that
can be, to be praaifed at the beginning of a
war, for at thefe times the fpirits of men ought
rather to be roufed, and raifed by good nourifh-
ment to heroifm, high fpirits, and vengeance.
Then fafting from flefh, arid eating fifh, feems
to be a piece of fifhermen's craft, as if fifh was
more holy than flefh. Did Peter and his fol
lowers appoint it for the good of their trade ?
I remember I have read, or been told long ago, of
one, that in a public houfe, ate rafhers of broiled
bacon on Good Friday, which fome there prefent
thought very irreligious ; but he eat on, and left
behind him at departing the foUowing verfes : —
Who

( 98 )
Who can fuppofe, with common fenfe,
A bacon flice gives God offence ?
Or has a herring fuch a chjarm, ,, , ¦
Almighty vengeance to difarm? >uA'4, .
Enrapt in happinefs divine,
Does he regard on what we dine .?
They that endeavour to crucify every fen
fual appetite, as if they would live altogether
without fenfe, by imagination called feith, fee
things invifible, and hear things unutterable,
and have a fenfe of feeling which no body has
hut themfelves. Thefe people are ever con
demning and tormenting themfelves and others
with their fantaftic notions, and vapours which
fafting breeds. Their rational powers are by
wrong exercife run mad.
But the rational man enjoys all his faculties
of mind and body in the moft proper manner ;
his reafon affords him a fedate and wife rule of
aaionj which, as much as he can, follows the
perfeaion of nature in all her ways, and imitates
her in all her works ; he confiders caufes and
confequences ; and direas his aaions accord
ingly, as the nature and reafon of things re
quire. This principle is the mother of laws and

( 99 )
and fociability; forthe reafonable man makes
the feUcity of others his own, and his own fuch
as gives felicity to others ; fo corroborating and
increafing the happinefs of mankind, gratifying
whatever nature requires in himfelf and others
with reafon and moderation, in fuch degree as is
confiftent with public and private happinefs.
In things that concern the judgment and un
derftanding, he fees for himfelf, and will neither
be impofed on, nor impdfe on others: he con
fiders what is right, and maintains it without
hire againft oppofition, and aas according to it.
Folly, tho' fanaified; and nonfenfe, tho' facred,
he defpifes: He alone is the patron of freedom,
the oppofer of tyranny, impofture andoppreffipn ;
he is the defender of juftice and virtue, which
without illuftration and defence would fink ; and
confufion, folly and madnefs would govern the
world. When the judgment is not rational, the
praaice cannot be right; men fp befotted beUeve
abfurdities and praaife folly.
We ought not to deny ourfelves thofe pleafures^
which nature, reafon, and our circumftances re
quire, and enable us to indulge ourfelves in the
enjoyment df ; only reafon and prudence always
teach us to confider our ways, and keep the
mean

( 100 )
mean of all extremes, and to ufe moderation in
all things, by Which our health, life and fubftance
are preferved, and fo live to-day, as we may live
to-morrow, and neither fear death, nor defire
it Jefus Chrift, in his lifetime, neither macerat
ed himfelf with; penance, nor his difciples; but
lived freely with them, and was therefore called
by the ceremonious and fafting pharifees, a glut
ton and a wine bibber, afriendof publicans and
finners. Higher pretenfions than ordinary are
extraordinary prefumptions, and are always pro-
duaive of juft refleaions. Too much righteouf-
nefs, that is, a too great pretenfion to it, a pro
feffion of a meafure of it more than is reafonable
and naturalj favours df weaknefs or hypo-
eriiy, and is no other than fuperftition and for
mality. Let us confider our ways as men and
philofdpherlSi behaving as each man in his par
ticular ftation ought to do, is enough for us to
^m at or pretend to. The world do fomewhat
juftly mark every Uttle flip and imperfeaion of
thofe that are fevere, on every little flip and im
perfeaion of others. They love to infult a
fpirituijl;pfide, and humble a four haughtinefs
and a fupercilidus behaviour, which is always
|ii^riiou» to agooddfifpofition, deftruaive of .ge
nuine virtue, and the franknefs of undiffembled
honefty. The

( JOl )
The fpirit tliat fcandalizes nature is not the
fpirit of God. The fpirit which teHs you the
nature of man is wholly finfUl, that man is dipt
or plunged all over in fin, frmn his mother's
womb, and muft therefore be mortified; that
man muft oppofe, thwairt, conitradia, and* fighit
againft his own nature, to become righteous,,- is
the fpirit of contradiaion. He who always, con -
feffes his heart to be notorioufly evil,, cither
knows it to be fo, and confeflie& the truth, and
therefore fo it is ; or he does it for cuftom or fa
fhion fake, and is a hypocrite:; but he who
takes care to keep a. goddi confcience, cannot
believe he has. a bad one..
A voluntary mortification of evil difpofitions,
is the evidence of a virtuous heart,, and produces'
commendable words and goxjd- aaions; but
bodily mortification iscarnalj; and outfide reli
gion of no. real value; fuch as to faft or feed
little, to eat fifh inftead of flefh, to watch- much,.
denying one's felf natural reft,, to lay; hard, tQ<
bearcold^ to wear rough garments,. to walk bare
feet/, to- fcourge: the flefh, or by.; any ways* and/
mean&to macerate and torment it^ isr nof der
ftruaive of any vicious habit or bent of the
mind;; therefore thefe are mortifications that
produce;

( 102 )
produce no good, and not what virtue and pru
dence direa to the praaice of.
To be mortified to all the innocent pleafures
and happinefs of life ; to tafte no felicity here,
in hopes of enjoying all hereafter, is folly. We
ought to enjoy thofe good things we honeftly
acquire, and thank our Benefaaor for our bene
fits, blefs the Power that enables us fo to
fweeten life, and; the Wifdom that thus inftruas
us how to be happy. But if we deceive our
felves, or fuffer ourfelves to be deceived, it
makes not God our debtor. What furety have
we, becaufe we fow to ourfelves fufferings, that
therefore we fhall reap eternal fatisfaaion? He
that enjoys his own life, is good natured, and
wiUing that others fhould enjoy their lives; his
heart is open to- pity and bounty ; but he that
torments himfelf for God's fake, will torment
ofbers for the fame; he is pitilefs, and clofefifted.
Many of the moft fanaified profeffors are the
moft covetous perfons; this.. world they blame,
asif theirMaker had made it wrong, andyet this
world' they crave more than open finners; and
atdying theymake the greateft: lamentations*
on leaving this dear world, tho' they believe^
or pretend to believe, they hope to enter into a
better. I

( 103 )
I fhall conclude with Solomon's advice, Ecclef.
xi. 9. 10. 'Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth,
and let thy heart cheer thee in the days, of thy
youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and
in the fight of thine eyes : But know thou, that,
for all thefe things, God will bring thee to judg
ment.' Confidering that refleaion will follow ill
condua; in thefe things avoid excefs. 'There
fore remove forrow from thy heart, and put a-
way evil from thy flefh ; for childhood and
youth are vanity,' to aa without difcretion is
vanity.

LECTURE X.
On Mortifications
MORTIFICATION mongers wpuld per
fuade people that their aufterities and
feverities are the duties of a religion that is
conducive to happinefs in another life ; under
that notion they deftroy all the good of this.
This' is bartering a certainty for an uncertainty,
both with refpea to the means and the end ; for
Avhy fhould difpleafing ourfelves pleafe God?
are not our natures fuch as he has given us,
P and

( 104 )
and why fhpuld Contemning the gift pleafp the
Giver, Tor is it npt contemning it, tp aa in direa,
oppofition to it? and r.efpeaing the end) un
certainties attend things future eyen iu this. life;
and are lefs to be expeaed in things utterly un
known? tjie affuranpe of which is pretended
to come from fomething above nature, l^,e-,
caufe it is not fpund in nature ; but if a fnt,^e ,
ftate be undeniably evident, yep the eujoynient
pf happinefs hereafter by denying ourfelis«^s hap
pinefs here, is ufing, means that are without evi
dence to anfwer t^e end.
Parting with all a man has fpr a fhare in the
kingdom of heaven, is a very great mortifica
tion. The rich man thought fo, wljp was guilty
of no crime but being rich, and unwilling to
purchafe it at fo high a price; perhaps he con
fidered too that if he did, he could not be fure
of^ it then- He had Chrift's Word for it indaedl;
Wnich is fufficient fpir a Chriftian. But he did
ndt care tp take his bare word, apd be a cer
tain great I'of^r for uncertain gain.' I fuppofe
he was a merchant,' becaufe he was willing tp
makis'k'niori^'fure bargain; and not venture his
all for prdfit in a country top remote for Uving
cOrrefpondencq^ which it appears he knew not
the way to, by his enquiry after it. Yet this is

( 105 )
is the way to heaven in the gofpel, for furely
he was lidt required to gd a different way thitheir
than others ought to go. That feems riot to
have been jufl.
Why are men required to bear all manner of
perfecutlons for the fake of the gofpel ? can it not
be fupported without ? if it cannot, is it not ad
vifed and enforced for the good of the church ?
What pleafure can it give to Gdd, that riien
fhould fuffer pain for his caufe ? and he Udt ra
ther defend and preferve thCm from fufferings ?
what horiour brings it to him, that men fhould
ferve him, on to the hardeft terms ; as that, all a
ma.k has, his kindred arid his own life, mUft be
bartered i6i the favour of Chrift and falvation?
Why is heaven held forth at fo dear a price ?
Why is the Way to it iriade fo ftraight, that
few there bewJioJindit, and the gdtefo narrow,
Hidtfew go in thereat f Cannot God be gi:acious
wilhout being fevere.'' or merciful but to a few,
Without being cruCl td irifiriit'ely more ? Are
thefe things agreeable to infinite mercy ? tb a
Lord God, gracious and merciful, long fiij^ering
dhdabunddnt in goodnefs and trtiih} to a God whofe
tender ihercies are over dll Ms Works f What mercy
is shewi^iri hell ? Has not t;he church riiade the way
fo heaven firaight, arid thegate niarrdw, that fhe
may

( 106 )
may fqueeze the more wealth out of thofe fhe
can perfuade to endeavour to obtain her promifed
prize; for what methods has fhe npt contrived
to enrich herfelf? She barters her heaven for this
earthj to advance and eftablifh her power and
prefumption. Let it be underftood, that when I fay the
church, I always mean the mother church of
Rome, that polluted fountain, from which all
the polluted ftreams have run, who has been
the mother of plagues and penance to mankind,
the mother of myfteries and confufion.
There are troubles enough that naturally arife
in the world to mortify man, and try his tem
per, without tormenting his body, by creating
to himfelf voluntary affliaions . Evil difpofitions
are to be mortified, but not the poor pafftve bpdy.
And men would never mortify the one for the
other, if they did not love their own wicked
tempers better than their body ; or find it more
hard to curb the one, than punifh the other. It
is eafier fpr moft people to feem religious, than
be truly honeft; therefore to compound for
keeping their fins, they go to church, pray de
voutly, hear attentively, read fermons, faft at
leaft from flefh twice a week, nay give to the
poor.

( 107 )
poor, and do good to fome, that they may be
indulged in doing wickedly, or behaving iU to
others. Though all the bufinefs of their reUgion
is penance to them, they'll fubmit to it aU, to
keep their beloved lufts ; thefe are the ends of
bodily mortification.
But if men would mortify themfelves aright,
let them mortify their unruly paffions, their ex
orbitant defires, and evil difpofitions. Are you
sin high life, and lifted up in that ftatipn ; mor
tify yourfelf by humility. Are you rich, and
fwelled with being fo, or covetous ; mortify
yourfelf by giving to the needy, and diftribut-
ing alms deeds : would you be thought righte
ous of men, do righteous aaions, and let the
light of them fhine out before men, that they,
feeing your good aaions, may glorify your
Heavenly Father. Are you low and poor; mortify
yourfelf by labour and contentment. Are you
ill-ufed and defpifed ; 'tis fufficient raortification
to flight the offence and bear it patiently. Do
not return evil for evU, nor railing for, railing.
Is it in your power to revenge an injury done
you ; forgive it. Endeavour to reconcile your
enemies by a placable condua. Such praaices
as thefe are laudable mortifications. Every con
ftitution has forae teraper to fubdue ; every ftate

( m )
ftkte fome ilUs to bear. Tb coht|Uer illi ufdaWM
defllies, and thofe lawful dries that cannot be
gratified ; td^ bear difappdirithientis witb pa
tience, and fUch like, ate laudable riibrtiHcatidnS.
Men are apt to run into extremes, a&d all
extremes are evil. The extreme o^ piety is
impiety. Tbe nature df riiian, in e'very cafe, has
certain bou!ax§, <beydnd which it deviates td
evil. Therefore, Soldmon fays, Se not righteous
overmuch, as well ais; be mt overmudh 'dfickid;
for the former, as Well as the latter, leads td de-
ftruaion. To keep in tlie mean between all
eltremesj is Wifddrii ; therefoire a wife niatt will
not run intd them: But he whd is religidufly
tailgbt to def{)ife Wifddm, is 'fitted td coriimit
any folly that his religion diaites. If we throW
away that Ufe/ dr the happinefsi' of ii, wMfch
Gbd' Mg given us tb enjoy, in the fuppbfed
fervice of Gdd^ Which Gdd requires ndt, iriay
he^riot juftly faty to Us, Mo re§UiHd thkfe iiiH^s
aiifou^Hmas P' m^iiy is he that keeps the
goldteiifi'ekri. : Td be evei* thWartirig knd cru
cifying rifatUre to' niake \i\yMki,ik td make it
worfe. 'I«be6dmes iH, by being ufed ilU It
refleai'dh''©bd, asif he hdd^veti us a fenfe
of good, and ri^ean^ of enjidying it, drily to
m&Lt us wretched bjr' A^tyxtf ou'ii^ve^'^h^ofe
"f« fenfible

( lOSf )
f
fenfible and necefTary enjpyruent^s. , It ii^ l?eft
not; tp covet top rnuch thp gwi^ thii|»gs of life,
nor tp defpife what we fipd gopd iuit "• The one
uiakps u?,too Ip^th tp die ;, the ptjheri UU,th,ankful
fprij^h^t we have. The ehbs ^nd floods of paf-
fipu and defp^ud^uey fhpulfl, be,a,vpjded as^mueh
as; poffi,ble ; to crofs all evil defire;?, apd mortify
all evil inclinations, is fuffipi.ent crupifying tlie
flefh, wi^h its affeaionsi aud lufts. jj,. .fjn r
, Dpgged fpirits havp Ijitjtl^ need of any mprti-
fication, their fullennefs aud ill-n^tureisfufficipujl;
for their punifhment ; Jiigh tp'verWg^l^d, am
bitious minds need a mortifying weight, as
ballaft is needful tip prefefve a high maft, fhip
from Qyerfqtjting. /^bi^oji, pf every kujfj^ ti^gjr,
l^t^dable, w^ph, fpi- cert^i?»^u,d?,,^ man;s,g^n|[ja'
pron^pts l^ni, pu^ht i;q lie c^ref^ljy cpr^dR^ed.
If his ends are lauda>ble, fpr l^fjpref^ry^tiw pf
the fiate, pr, to re%x^;the;l|pfi:, Ul?(^rti^s,,pf,thp
pe9ple,,lethim purfup w,ha.teYe^, i^i^y be,tl^6,cpn,-
feqi^pncje,; buj;, if the me?.ii^j;%r5, unfurippput-
al3.1ej» iff. i? beft fprhi^.h^pp^nef^, ,aiid therefpfft
hi? wifeft |i|ifaa;^9£^, to epde^ypui- by all rns^tW
iu, his pm^fi l!9i hre.*k,,of,his.;i^^ ffS^nj,
fo fruitlefs a purfuit; for it is t|iei g^^^
unhappiuefs in nature, earneftly to defire
y^l^si cannot be obtained ; and it is, on the
contrary.

( no )
contrary, the fweeteft enjoyment, for a man to
delight himfelf with what he has, to covet no
thing but what is within his power, and to be
pleafed with that. We fhall find content at
leaft, if we fuck out from the flation poffeffed,
what benefit and comfortable fupport that ftation
affords. When a man finds by experience, and
efpecially by repeated experiences, that he can
not obtain the ftate defired, he fhould bring
his defires to the ftate, and bpund them by his
circumftartces ; as they fay Mahomet taught, by
calling to him a mountain, which not coming,
he went to the mountain.
That a man may delight himfelf in what en
joyment the manner of life he is in affords, let
him often meditate on the prefent comforts, and
the conveniencies of the condition he enjoys,
which, if fome incon veniencies attend, fo they do
in every ftation of life. Again, let him confider,
that we do not always defire what is beft for
us : perhaps the ftate defired would afford more
anxiety, if known, than the prefent ; or greater
troubles may attend that, than this; which,
when experienced upon trial, it may be too
late to repent of.

Is

( in )
Is it wifdom you feek? 'tis not a high
pitch of wifdom, but the enjoyment of modeft
and moderate delights makes life happy : Wif
dom is only neceffary to regulate thofe enjoy
ments. Is it a grave and ftudious life you crave ?
¦Tis mirth, inoffenfive mirth, and innocent plea
fure, give happinefs to life. Is it to be exalted
in the ftate ? a condition which expofes a man to
every one's cenfure, is not defirable by him that
would live free from perturbations, which dif-
compofe the mind. They that conquer their de
fires in thefe refpeas, what paffions may they
not learn to conquer which are hurtful to a
happy repofe ? and, indeed, he that can do fo,
is wife and happy : for wifdom and happinefs
confift more in well-governing bur paflions, than
in indulging thofe that cannot be gratified, or
gratifying them by means not commendable.
A laudable end fhould be purfued in a laudable
manner. To be ever coveting what can never be gain
ed, is harbouring a never-dying worm within,
and afire that never can be quenched, which are
torments everlafting, or as long as we laft. It is
turning an eternal wheel like Ixion, or rolling
always a ftone up hill like Syfiphus, which
cannot be kept there, but immediately rolls
Q down

( 112 )
down again to renew the-endlefs labour. 'Tis
drawing water in leaky buckets like the Danaids,
which; ere they get to the well's brink are empty.
'Tis thirfty Tantalus, having the pleafure of
apples and water prefent in view,; -and at the
lips of enjoyment, without beirig able ever to
tafte the one or the other.
Befides, ambition and covetoufnefs have no
bounds. If they gain one affenty^ ftis as uneafy
there, when reft is required, as before';" and the
gnawing pain remains till it arrives at another
afcent ; and this being.gained,' wheai it fhould
be enjoyed," affords no mdre-fatisfaaion ;thau
the former. Thus the reftlefs man gdes on; -and
vainly ftrive* and- hopes for that repofe: Which.
he never finds, till labourand anxiety bi^g him
to' his grave, where he is objiged'to erijdy- a
fenfelefs reft, for he never could enjoy a fenfi
ble one.
The principal thing: in life, is the conduB of
life; it requires a man to be as wifeasaferpenfyt
and as harmlefs as a dpve. To caft beforehand,
what oughtto ;b© done or, faid,,fo;as to.do or
fay the, beft, in order to effea the beft endsi
And what a man canript remedy by his condua,
to^ bear with refignation totheaU-ruUng Power.* To

( lis )
To get a living by honeft labour, and bear With
undeferved and unavoidable evils in; the world,
is fufficient mortification to moft minds and bor
die? ; tho' thefe are prpduaive of evident good :
the one brings confolation to the mind, the
other health to the body. It becomes every one
to praaife the ways moft conducive to his hap-
pini^s, confiftent with the happinefs of others.

LECTURE XI.
Of the Light within. '^
Of that immortal, light which Jhines in man, ',.}
Sing-, heavenly mufe ;for none but heavenly can.
THAT there is a light in the minds of niCn,
men's minds perceive ; and that this
light is that of men's underftandings, men of
nnderftanding know. The beings that have
natural intelleas, are endued with this natural
intelleaual light. Tho' I call it natural, I don't
deny its being divine ; for the nature of things
is the offspring of the Divine nature. Therefore
tho' 'tis human, 'tis heavenly ; and tho' born in
man, it is begotten of God ; and as this inward
iUumination

( 114 )
illumination is man's only true Ught from God,
'tis the only begotten Son of Gdd, the God in
carnate, or God humanized. 'Tis human na
ture uncorrupted, therefdre human perfeaion :
'Tis the fpirit that calls God father. The mo
tions and inftruaions ofit, are fuch as are fuit
able to the digriity of its defcent from God.
'Tis that which difcerns a God ; therefore 'tisthe
way to him ; it difcovers to us the truth that is
of God, 'tis therefore the word of God, who
fpeaks by his works to our underftanding ; 'tis a
fpiritual living nature, therefore 'tis the fpirit,
the life, the Chrift of God ; the bafis of true
religion is founded hereon, and muft be the
chriftian foundation, if the chriftian be true, for
on this can no falfe ftruaure be ereaed. All
the myfteries of chriftianity are manifeft in this
light, and in this only. Herein I fhall reconcile
Deifts and Chriftians, arid fhew that iri this
Chrift they are all orie, fo are Jews and Gentiles,
bond and free, male and female ; one univerfal
light erilightens all, In this union the wall bf
partition is broken down ; it is by this true light
only that every truth is feen, and aU things are
known that can be known : without it, we Canridt
diftinguifh nor know any thing. There is not
one natural light which teaches natural thirigs,
and another fupernatural which teaches things
divine,

( us )
divine, for all our knowledge of divinity is by
natural means, and we know nothing fuperna
tural ; but if fuch was the light, fuch would be
its informations and inftruaions ; it would pro
duce effeas of like kind, and appear with fuper
natural proofs. Therefore this light which I am
prefenting to your view, is an invariable, fixt
and fteady light ; which always fhewsto all men
the fame truths, when attended with the fame
circumftances ; as the fame caufe always pro
duces the fame effea. 'Tis not an enthufiaftic
flafh; like lightning, fuch' as fools and madmen
fometimes have, and pretenders to fupernatural
infpiration lay claim to : All the infpiration of
the God of nature, is the infpiration of nature.
Every one who leaves this natural light
for fomething fupernatural, which he can
not conceive nor defcribe, is an enthufiaft.
The difference between the one and the other is
this, and by this you fhall know them : He
that makes natural light his guide, can reafon
coolly and clearly, but he that defpifes reafon,
and prefumes to foar above it, finks below it :
All his proofs are from Wind erroneous and dog
matical authority. He ftrives to work on your
paffions, as the fpirit of madnefs works on his ;
and nails down the free enquirer, with damna tion,

( m )
ticm, for not being a confin'd believer. . But; I
leave thefe to thofe who claiBHthe fame power,
todamnoneanotha". It is, certain that thpfe
whc^ Cdnfign men's fouls to hell fire, would, if
thelrteal power was eqnal to their pretended*
eonfign their bodies to earthly flames. They
that di^ thus, are already iti hell fire; they haye
fire,' without light; they have a^eal which
burris with wrath, but, not the Ught of under-
fiandia^, ^Whicb diffufcs love. Such are all thpfe
whoire^lsagmrifi] thfi Mght,!Who, know itott/tewayi
thereof, nor walk in the paths thereof, whoprpA
titutBj their.pens and p^n\ to juftify the wicked
fora reward, i who glpfs over iniquity, andfanc-
tifyiiins, or who, thro' prejudice by cenfure and
flander, agreeable to the conftitution and cuf
tom of modern Jain ts, take away the righteQuf-
nels)of the; rigbtepU? from Jhirij. The Ught of
God within is extinguished by fuch deeds as
thefe.'.) '
What man can juftify fhe, bloody rage and
r obbeiy of. the old fafliioned faints ? he is fit tq
juftify the impeties of the. new, the deteftabl§
cruelty of theiSpaniards.in the Weft-Indies, the
barbarities. anduijijuflace of. Popifh inquifitions^
If a Jew vindicates the murders, rapipes an^i
rapes,, the ancient; Jews committed on the (gen tiles.

( M7 ^
tile^, does he not by this teach tl^e gentiles, to
guard themfelves againft. the Jews? If gentiles
tindicate thefe things, have they not imbibed the
dregs of judaifm? The ceremonies of the law
were prieftly pplieyj but thefe are immoralities.
They may be ridiculed, thefe are to be abhorred:
Wo be unto them that call good evil, andevilgQodi
that put darknefsfotlighti, md light fordartpnefsa.
As the light of nature does not teach us to
do evil to others voluntarily, nor to vindicate.
tliofe that do, either for God's fake or our own,,
fo it inftruas us not to plague others, or our-,
felves, and think by fo dPing to pleafe God i
not to believe that God will not make men.
happy, unlefs men* make themfelves miferable j
or that mortification is 'the means to fanaifica-,
tion. The light of naturedoes not tell us that
God is better pleafed to fee us eat fifh thAUjftefl^'
pr rather neither, that a hungry flpmach is a
morcr^ fanaified fiate than a full belly ;> that
God: bas'giyenj men appetites 'to be/ oppofed,/
defi«|sliending- to maintain and; |)ropsg£|te life
to be denied; which are to be enjoyed under
the regulations of reafon. Natural iigh^.doei^^ot
teach us that God is pleafed when we are grieved,
and grieved when WP ai:#r ^leafed ; that he loyes
to fee nrankind 'grpmvgt vfhmngi imi^nt\ns,i and

( 118 )
and ftarving, rather than to fee them healthy,"
cheerful, rejoicing and feafting, and requires
them to crucify every pleafing defire, tho' lawful
and reafonable ; in fine, to renounce every thing
that conduces to the pleafure and fatisfaaion
of the flefh, as difagreeable to the fpirit and law
of God. He that teaches and praaifes this
doarine, wants the true light of, a good under
ftanding in this point, however he may fhine in
others; and tho' he may be a good man, I cannot
in this refpea efteem him a wife man. He
may deferve no reproach, becaufe of his finceri
ty, but merits no praife, becaufe of his mif
taken judgment. The Ught of nature allows
a man to delight himfelf in all innocent, law
ful and reafonable enjoyments. And none are
more free to contribute to the happinefs of others^
than thofe that are moft happy in themfelves.
The mortified man is moft four when he would
be mdft folemn j he that learns to be cruel to
himfelf for God's fake, will foon become cruel to
others, for the fame caufe; and at length his
greateft aas :of piety willbe aas of impiety
and cruelty. From the doarine of mortifi cation
came human facrifices.
Superftition is not guided bythe light of na
ture, but of man's invention ; the light of en-
' tbufiafm

i 119 )
tbufiafm is the delirium of a light head, which
leads men into the wild meanders and inextrica-
bk mazes of imaginations fupernatural. The
blaft that fwells the breaft of an enthufiaft, is
Uke the rufhing of a mighty wind, which fiUs the
whole man, and carries away part of his fenfes.
It tumefies his conceit, and leaves a fraaure in
his underftanding. It is a contagious malady
that preys on the fpirits. 'Tis a fpiritual inter
mitting fever, which, in the paroxyfms,, is gene-
raUy known by heavings and fobbings, by voci
ferations and bowlings, by fhakings and contor
tions, by broken fentences and nonfenfe. No
remed.y can affuage or moUify it in the fit; but
between the fits, a cool and temperate regimen,
with phlebotomy, may be of fervice^ not only on
account of the repletion' of the fpirits, but as
heing moft confentaneous to their fanguinary
doarine, that without fhedding blood,< there isno
remiffion. Evacoants which ejea the rediundamcy
of bile and atrabilis, feem proper to be adminif-
tered, that the ebullition of the blood may be
tempered ; carminatives, too, fhould be exhibited
for the ejeaion of the flatus, by Crepitation and
^detonation, that the eruaations ofthe fpirit may
be allayed, and a free diurefis procured, that
the red hot thunder-bolts of the conceited
wrath of revenging deities may be quenched
R by

( 120 ).
by the diuretic flood. When a fmoothnefs of
the brow, rifibi lity, and civil mirth appear, they
are great and good figns of approaching health,
of a found mind, and reafon returning. i .

But the true light keeps men in their- true
fenfes, being oppofite to every dark error and
falfe Way. That is a true light which. gives us
the light of truth, and by which truth is clear
ly feen ; therefore thofe doarines that we can
not certainly know whether they are true or
falfe, are not the teachings of this true, this
natural, this divine light ; but are human,- are
doubtful, and maybe fallacious ; and therefore
ought to be doubtfully received, and carefuUy
examined. God is the God of truth ; .and. as
God's word is all truth, fo all truth is God's
word, whether it be divine, mathematical,^ or
mechanical; for by all thefe the world is con
ftituted, and the one light of reafon informs
mankind of them all, and inftruas him in aU.
This light, this everlafting light, this ever
lafting univerfal light, the light of all creatures,
the light of man, the nobleft of them aU, fo
made or diftinguifhed only by poffeffing . the
greateft meafure of it, of all the creatures on
this;globe; this eternal and unfading light rer
veals

( 121 )
veals to man aU that is neceffary for man to
know, direas him all that is proper for him
to fay or do. Tho' it be in man, but as the
light of the moon or planets to the fun, bor
rowed, Umited, and fubjeaed to various afpeas
of inconftant duration, and notwithftanding its
rays in man are faint, and often clouded, 'tis
the beft Ught man has ; therefore let us make
the beft ufe of it, and fo doing we fhall find it
fufficient to guide us thro' the world, and lead
us to all the felicity we are made to enjoy j
for let it be as cloudy and as obfcure as poffi
ble, God, who gives to man his capacities by
meafure^ can, as a juft being, require no more of
any man, than the beft improvements and ufe
he can make fuch meafure of it, as he has given
him in his circumftances. For this light,
refpeaing its own nature from God, like the
fun, fhines on all alike, but refpeaing the ob-
jeas it fhines upon, is not feen alike by all.
As fome eyes are better than others, fo fome
minds have clearer perceptions than others.
This is according to the infinite variety of
things ; and what but the all-ruling Power has
made us to differ in our abilities ? Some indeed
make a better ufe of theirs than others ; in thefe
their abilities grow ftrong, and their light is
dear; in others, they are weak and faint. As
there

( 124 )
there is a difference in the capacities of receiving
the light, which is not criminal, fo there is in
the improving by it, which is not alwaysicrimi-
nal neither; for the want of proper opportu
nities and circumftances, prevent many from.
growing in the knowledge of truth who have a
fincere love to it. By carefuUy regarding this
light, the natural light of good nature, and a
good underftanding, men grow wifer and better ;
but by carelefs^ly diftegarding it, men become
morp foolifh and brutifh, creduldus, : and fuper
ftitions. All that are wifp and virtuous, are led
by it ; for this is the fpirit of God in riian, and
As many as are led by the fpirit ^Qwi, they are
the children of God. But the wicked love -darkr
nefs rather than light, becaufe their deed^ are evil.
Grant, Father, that this heav'nly light ofiMne
In eo'ry breqfi may glow, in ev'ry mind im&yj^inei.

LECTURE XII.
OJ spiritual Underfldndiiig:
¦ '.  -. ..!.; (¦ -:...;.:
nrHAT ye may be filled with the : kxiowiedge
of God's will in. all wifdom md. fpiritual
underfianding, was the prayer of Paul fof the
Coloffians,

( 1^3 )
Coloffians, (C. i. v. 9.) and mine for you who
are my auditors. Underftanding Is ofthe mdft
fpiritual nature, and is indeed the'perfeaidn of
it ; at leaft it appears fo to us. Spiritual is here
joined to the word underftanding, to fhtew that
it is reftriaed, or limited to divine fubjeas, fuch
as wifdom to know the wiU of God. '*' \
I have taken this text to fhe^ you what fpi*''
ritual underftanding is ;' to have fpiritual under
ftanding, is to have light in the mind, or ari in
telligent- fpirit; And as^there can be none of
this without reafon, it ¦ is reafon's taper lighted
up by God's light, which is no other than man's
reafon, enlightened by the nature of things. This
light is every where,- where God is; and the
evidence of it is very where, where nature is,'
or where the laws of material beings are mani
feft : and they who believe not in this light, but
in the falfe lights that men have fet up, in dp-
pofition to it, are verily and indeed the true in
fidels. -¦¦ ¦-¦-• •-'•/- "a- •"¦¦¦'
¦^ji-t :; , ' , "* ' '"Uil '4 . ']'}\..'^!
If this be the truth of the cafe, and that it is,
all cafes fpeak it, then he who is taught by na
ture and i-eafon, is taUgfht of God; he haS a
fpiritual teacber ; he, and he only, has fpiritual
underftanding."''''' •' * • Ji'^r..'
Knowledge

C 124 )
Knowledge and wifdom, truth and goodnefs,
are fpiritual natures ; therefore all virtuous dif
pofitions and aaions proceed from thefe, and
are fpiritual ; and whatever proceeds from con
trary natures, as ignorance, folly, and falfhood,
are called carnal, being the fruits of carnality; fo,
I Cor. iii, v, 1, 2, 3. Andi, brethren, could not
fpeak unto you as unto fpiritual, but as unto car
nal, even as unto babes in Chriji. I have fed you
with milk, and not with meat ; for hitherto ye
were not able to bear it, neither j/et now are ye
able ; For ye are yet carnal — For whereas there
is among you envying, andjirife, and divifions,
are ye not carnal, and walk as men ? S^c.
Unto them that are without, all divine doc
trines are parables ; who are thofe that are with
out, but the outwardly religious, whofe under
ftanding is carnal, not fpiritual, who look for
things in an outward manner, which they ought
to look for in themfelves ? Thofe who defire the
knowledge of truth, and feek for it, are only
worthy to find it. Parables whet the appetites
of feekers, and leave the carelefs and conceited
in ignorance. It is evident to all men of thought
and refleaion, that the doarines of the gofpel,
being delivered in parables and allegories, in
nletaphors and fymbols, the true fenfe lies hid, its

( 125 >
its recondite treafure is concealed under enig
matical expreffions, and can only be the fubjea
of a fpiritual underftanding. /,»- , .
The facred fcriptures being parabolically de^
livered,. it has given rife to abundance of differ
ent fe6ls who were led by the letter, and had not
a clear rational underftanding, which is the true
guide of men. What cannot be fupported ¦ by
reafon, by reafon may be deftroyed. What doc
trines are not rational, are enthufiaftical or dog
matical, there is no mean between thera ; they
are direaiy oppofite. Thofe principles, notions,
doarines, and- creeds, which are not rational,
will ever remain doubtful and difputable; and
confequently evermore create feas, and divide
men into faaions. *..> ^; ,fS
Becaufe carnal minds are not able to bear, or
cannot endure the plain trUth, therefore it is
delivered to men in parables, metaphoirs, arid al
legories : therefore it is that when plain truth is
delivered, ftript of all covering,carnal minds fhew
by the reproach of their tongues, the malignity
of their hearts; but thofe who know no better,
and . whofe underftandings cannot ftretch to
behold truth in her , naked luftre, are babes,
whofe eyes, being nurfed in darknefs, are not
ftrong

(; ne )
ftrong ertoughi to bear the refulgent light of
truth. This, weaknefs, if they wait with pan
tience, and feekwith fincerity, will be overcorae.
But thofe who for interefl:, or to gain the ap
plaufe df the prejudiced and ignoi^ant, know
ingly;, oppofe the truths are men, whofe con-
feiences.are proftituted tp carnal purpofes ; tram
pling oil truth and fincerity. As truth is one,
fo is Ithe way that leads to her habitation. And
all other ways but that one, lead men into the
wildemefs of error, wherein are thedens of fac
tion, divifion, bigotry, blindnefs, animofity^
rq>roach, flander, perfecution,. all the infernal
demons,,, and all. the brood of carnality. But
in the habitation lof. truth there is unity, free
dom, Ught> love, . friendflMpi, humanity, true
philofophy, pure divinity, and aU the happy offr:
spring of fpirituality. Here is the revelation
of) God ; this is the kingdom of heaven. They
only kncnvarid enjoy thisy who have fpiritual
uriiderftanding. ^. ...'liii
The revelations of God are certainly, more
knbwable^move certain and intelligible, thanthe
revdaiions of men : whatever is God's revela
tion, man knows to be certain truth, and it does
notdepend on any dubious teftimony. Spiritual
underftanding is conviaion ofthe cleared kind:
', ,.i whatever

( ^*7 )
whatever therefore is not cleariy underftood,
and not known to be an undoubted truth, is no
revelation of God ; confequently what a man
does not know to be his duty to believe or do,
as a command from God, is not his duty to
obey as fuch. I fay that God's revelation con
veys to us certainty and knowledge; therefore
it is not of things uncertain and unknown by
tradition or report ; for the traditions, reports
and affertions of men, tho' they may be true,
are no revelation of God to me, until, by un
deniable evidence and convincing reafon, I am
fully fatisfied they muft of neceffity be fo, and
cannot poffibly be otherwife ; therefore no man
ought to be condemned for not believing aught,
until God, by the evidence of naturej andligfht of
reafon, convinces him of the truth, with which,
whatever does not agree, wants not only divine
teftimony to confirm it, but has divine tefti
mony declaring againft it, by not agreeing with
it. This is not like the bare declamation of
men in vindicating a fafhidnable faith, but the
difplay of that fpiritual underftanding which can
bear the teft of coraraon fenfe, reafon and ar
gument, which doarine I fhall recapitulate in
thefe words. What is the infallible revelation
of God, men may infaUibly know to be as in
fallibly true, as their own beings : Therefore
S whoever

( 128 )
whoever fuffers himfelf to be impofed on, is
not guided' by God's revelation. Nothing is
more true than that truth is the word of God,
and God's word is known by his work. He
fpeaks to our eyes and to our underftandings,
not by founds, but fenfe. As nature is in God,
fo truth is in nature; and we know more cer
tainly that what we call the works Of nature,
are the offspring of God, or produced by him,
than that any book iri the world was written by
his immediate direaion ; therefore that fhould
guide our fenfe in all things.
A fpiritual underftancfing is the divine light
of nature. In a divine light the divinity of
Chrift confifted, therefore it is called Chrift,
Chrift being conceived to be the rational fpirit,
which is fpiritual underftanding-: chriftianity is
altogether rational; but thofe who are withdut
this divine fenfe, all things' to thefe are parable,
all is darknefs, whom the god' of this world, the
worldly things men iddlize, has blinded, 2 Cor.
iv. V. 4. Thefe are thofe who are without, that
have only a Chrift without, and are therefore
without Chrift. ^ Chrift without was but man,
but Chrift within, is God. The worfliippers of
this Chrift have fpiritual underftanding. But the
former are idolatbrs, who run away with en
thufiaftical

( 1£9 )
thufiaftical and falfe notions which operate on
their paffions, not on their underftandings.
Whatever God requires raen to believe, muft
not only be plain and clear that he does require
it, but it rauft be plainly and clearly fuch, as
is neceffary to direa raan's underftaniding tp
fee that the neceffary confequences of believing
it leads raan to certain happinefs. This doarine
difpels, as the fun does, the clouds which inter
cept its light, all the irapofitions of men, whjch
they have fanaified in the name of God : time
permits rae to give you but one inftance, but
by this one you may be able to apply, the
doarine to any other.
The inftance or example by way of trial is
this : I afk ferioufly, what is the fall of raan,
and man's rederaption from that fall by Jefus
Chrift, to us, confidered a^ an aaion done out
wardly, long ago, and wil;ho.ut our knowledge,
to which our wills neither acquiefced nor gain-
fayed, and which our power could neither further
nor prevent? What certainty can we poffibly
havCj that thefe things are true? and if true,
how does it tend to enlighten our underftand
ings, direa our cpndua, or improve our hap
pinefs to know it ? If the firft perfon corarait ted
\

( 130 )
ted a fault, and another has made amends for
it, what is it to us? Are we not thereby put
into the fame condition as if nothing had ever
been done? Does it concern us to know what
was done before we were born, which we could
not poffibly have any hand in, any more than
what wfll be done when we fliall be dead and
gone, or what is done in kingdoms remote from
us, which we know nothing of? How can fuch
things concern us? How can the ndt knowing
them make us urihappy ? or the knowing' them
contribute to our happinefs, which every mo
ment depends on the prefent ftate, and the cdn-
fequence of that to us, not on the knowledge or
belief of things paft and unavoidable, and which
could not by us be promoted or prevented?
I expea to be anfwered, that we are raade
acquainted with thefe paft tranfaaioris, that we
may know our fallen ftate in order to humble
us, and that we may be thankful to God for dur
merciful deliverance by a Redeeraer.
I anfwer, that if this account be true, and if to
believe oUr wretched condition by nature, hum
bles us ; it hurables alfo our opinion of deity,
who contrived his work fo ill ; artd finding the
weaknefs of his work, not immediately to re
medy

( 131 )
medy it ; and when he attempted to do it, did
it in fo bad a manner, firft by drowning 'man
kind, and afterwards by making the juft fuffer
for the unjuft; and both to fo bad a purpofe,
that things go on as iU as ever. This doarine
is df no ufe to iraprove men's underftanding,
to direa their condua, nor to make them hap
py ; and the abfurdities that attend' it, fhew it
to be no revelation of God. And it is abfurd
to thank God for a chimerical deliveraojce.from
a chimerical fall, the effea of ignorance and ftu
pidity, and not piety. — I «,'!;,
It will be objeaedy that if Adam's fall concerns
us not, why does the apoftle- Paul mention it ?
I anfwer fuch objeaors, that he fpeaks of it
Only allegorically, and the raoral of any fable
or allegory is of concern to us ; for this reafon
are faas allegorized; , Know then, that St.Paul
fpeaks of two natures or difpofitions in man;
the one carnal, the other fpiritual. ;j Thus the
fall of man is- in the one nature, and his refto
ration in the other. So in 1 Cor. xv. 45, 48;
The firft man Adam was made a living foul, fig
nifying a natural life; the laft Adam a quickeri-
ing fpirit, fignifying a fpiritual life ; fo man
lives firft a natural or earthly life, before the
fpiritual or heavenly. ,, .
Hence

( 132 )
Hence learn, that all carnal or crude imagina
tions of things paft or to corae, not knowable,
warrantable, nor probable by the prefent evi
dence of nature and huraan reafon, are unwor
thy of credibility, and have no place in a fpi
ritual underftanding, in which the fpirituality
of the fcriptures confiift.; To make the dark
parts of fcripture agree with the light, is the way
to enlighten the whole. If fcripture doarines
are parabolical, men cannot corae at truth by
the letter, but by the fpirit of truth ; and until
that opens men's underftandings, they cannot
find truth in them, nor make truth of thera,
tho' men may be blpwn up and bloated with a
faffe conceit of it.
Whatever is embraced by the underftand
ing,, agrees with the evidence of nature, which
is the t^ftiraony God has giyen us of himfelf
His laws, which we call the laws of nature,
are the foundation of all truth, and the unerring
guide of human reafon, becaufe unchangeable:
therefdre whoever teaches pr preaches any
doarine contrary thereto, is a falfe teacher, either
through ignorance, or knavery. If this be not
God's light in roan, God's light is fpmething
greater, or contrary to it. A light greater
than reafon, cannot be received by human
powers— all fuch pretenfions are evidently falfe ;
and

( 133 >
and a light contrary to reafon, cannot be true;
becaufe in all affairs that man can clearly exercife
his reafon on, it gives infallible proofs of its rec
titude, beyond all other pretended lights in
oppofition to it. Whenever man's reafon judges
wrong, it proceeds from the want of fufficient
and^lain ground, to fee clearly into the nature
of tbe cafe, to form a right judgment of it, or
the prejudices of men cloud their fpiritual un
derftandings. And why is our belief of things ui^ed, as if
the very exiftence or truth of the things de
pended on the belief? It is indeed all the truth
or exiftence that falfhood has ; and without this
deception takes place, the deceivers have no
power nor influence, to avail themfelves of
men's good things, by their credulity; or to
acquire honour and profit, hyefpoufing a pre
dominant and fafhionable opinion : For how can
our belief or unbelief alter the nature of things,
either to ourfelves or others ? But if the belief
of a bigot makes him aiperfecutor, it is doing
good to fociety to perfuade him to quit his
faith and follow reafon. When the belief of
myfteries are required to conquer our reafon,
and confound our underflandings, to introduce
ftupidity, flavery, and the fupport of knavery, it

( 134 )
it is the natural impofition of an unnatural
faith, and therefore it is that we endeavour to
plow it up, that better feed riiay be fown. This
is myartfwer to thofe who fay, if you take away
our chriftianity, what do you give us in the
roora ? We would take away your carnal-chrif-
tianity and give you fpiritual ; for your'^th,
we would give ydu truth J for your fuperftitions
piety, we would have you receive focial virtues,
and the light of reafon for the darknefs of tra
dition, that you raay judge and aa confiftent
with natural light, and fee your own happinefs
to be united to and infeparable from the hap
pinefs of others ; not to idolize men, nor books,
nor notions ; but in your own minds, feek the
knowledge of true judgment and right aaiori,
and you will find it in what enthrones reafon and
fpiritual underftanding ; and in what dethrones
all domineering paffions, and exorbitant defires,
reducing all extremes to a proper mean ; and
you Will learn by the nature of the circumftances
that call fdr aaion, and by motives to it the
rule of right aaion, and nature of virtue.
It appears by what has been faid, that the
gofpel is a fpiritual myftery, therefore known
only to thofe who have a fpiritual underftand
ing; not underftood by the parabolical letter,
which

( 135 )
which cannot give life and intelligence. Thofe
who feek it here, feek the living among the
dead. Chrift is riot here ; he is rifen, he is af
cended. The letter is that flefli, wherein he is
crucified. He was put to death in the flefh,
but quickened in the fpirit ; he is dead in the
flefhly nature, but alive in the fpiritual ; and fo
are all who enter into the kingdom of the gof
pel, which is the kingdom of Chrift, of heaven,
and of God : and this kingdom of heaven is
within you. Turn in therefore, and look for it,
and there you may find it ; but thofe who are
without, feenothingbut parables. May the good
God give to all that hear me underftanding eyes,
and honeft hearts, that you may find the king
dom of heaven is come unto you !

LECTURE XIIL
Of the Word of God,
THINGS are known by their qualities ;
by the nature of things, things are dif-
coverable to the nature of man. What things
are naturally good or evil, or tend to promote
the one or the other, are by their nature known.
T The

( 136 )
The nature of divinity rauft be of the nature
of God, which it coraes from. It muft carry
conviaion with it without human teftimony.
'Tis felf-evident ; itfelf difplays itfelf.
As the reafon and nature of things is the
natural rule of man's condua, fo all fcripture
founded thereon, or agreeable thereto, either in
the letter, or in its conftruaion, as Mr. Bayle
fays, ' is more apparently true, more certainly
' clear, and confequently more infallible, than
* what fkill in languages, grammatical criti-
' cifms, the judgment of the church, or any
' fupernatural infpiration, can afford ; for all
' right interpretation of fcripture muft be a-
' greeable to principles univerfally received by
' the light of nature. Any fcripture which in-
' finuates an obligation to believe or do what
* reafon and comraon fenfe conderan, is to be
' efteeraed falfe and erroneous ;' I add, tho'
miracles on miracles be wrought to confirm it.
Miracles cannot fhew the nature of doarines, be
caufe there is no conneaion between them : nor
are they needful to confirm the charaaer of a
man of God ; for if his life and doarines be
correfpondent to the light of nature, that muft,
declare it ; but if contrary, nothing can ; for
no revelation of God can run counter to it.
We

( 137 )
We never can be affured of any thing, but as
it IS agreeable to that primitive and univerfal
light, infufed by God into the rainds of men,
which makes a part of human nature, " This
light (as Mr. Bayle fays) infallibly and irrefifti-
bly obliges men to affent to evident truths, the
moment they lend their attention to it."
The word of God is man's infallible rule and
conduaor in what we ought to believe and do :
but where or what is that word ? If what is
called fo by men be not felf-evident, if it carry
not its own conviaion with it that it is fo, then
it requires proof.
If God has given me his word to be my guide,
will he not tell rae what his word is ? If I
take God's word on man's authority only, it
wants that teftimony which is neceffary to
confirm it to be God's word: And for want
of this, I don't know that I obey God in
making that word to be my guide, which men
fay is his ; for I obey it on man's account,
and put my faith in thofe that tell me fo, not
in God; for what is his word for certain I
know not, if I take God's word on the credit
and authority of man.

Is

( 138 )
Is the fcripture which is- called God's word,
a light diftina from reafon ; if I put out the
light of my reafon, what light fhall I then have ?
Or remove it from my, reafon, and what is ray
reafon the lefs ? To believe that any thing is
the word of God, withput reafpn, is confeffing
I have no reafon to believe it. I will give cre
dit to reafonable and probable things. Things
that are not fp, let them credit who pleafe, tbey
will find no bounds to their credulity, and raay -
be flaves to every impofition of men that lay in
wait to deceive.
The words of man are no more the word
of God, than the works of man are the works
of God. Man reads God in his works. The
dilates of an enlightened underftanding ^s the
word of God in the foul. of man. Man's tradition
is not God's word. The letter of the .fcripture
which is written by man, man will corrupt, ^per-
vert and defile; but the word of God endurel^
forever. It has in itfelf the power of an end
lefs life, it is the life pf the world, and in this
is the light of man, Confequently the revela
tion or word of God is not paper, written or
printed, in a book, but written by the finger of
God in tables of men's hearts ; it is what the
diifine nature teaches, comparing fpiritual things wifh

(139 )
with fpiritual, that is, by reafoningi And thofe
fcriptures are given by the infpiration or teach
ings of this word, which contain rational and
ufeful inftru^jn..
. What know we of any of the priraitive pref-
byters, or their writings ? We receive the laitter
on truft frora the forraer, and the former on
trUft from what is related of thera, of whom
'tis.probable the relators know no more than
we. Unlefs we judge by reafon, we build as
much on tradition as papifts do'. And if we
judge by reafon, we make reafon our judge,
and believe no more of tradition than what a-
grees with reafon. And that's as much as we
fhould do, if men were not made what they are
by education, and had not that natural preju
dice which fticks to it, which is hard With moft,
impoffible with many, wholly to eradicate : they
would queftion whether fome writings were
written by thofe whofe names they bear, when
'tis certain foriie ancient feas charged othei-s
with corrupting the writings of their predeceffors,
and putting their naraes to books they never
wrote. And it muft be confeffed that chrfti-
anity itfelf has fo often chariged its corapfexidn,
that the chriftians of one age and country
have , generally deeraed dthers heretics. If
" ' the

( 140 )'
the writings we efteem were written by thofe
whofe names they bear, have theyjreceived no
alterations fince ? Can we be fure they are as
true and uncorrupted, as unbiaffed reafon and
common fenfe are ? Or if thefe writings are
pure and uncorrupted, can we more fafely truft
to thera, whora we and our fathers never knew,
than to our own reafon and fincerity ? And are
their rayfterious writings raore to be confided
in, than our own integrity and underftanding ?.
'Tis a popifh error to fuppofe the fenfe of the
letter of the holy fcriptures is the word of God.
No, yoUi^ may read the bible a thoufand times
over, and never know God's word, which none
but he that is of- God can read. For as Jefus
declared to the Jews, that tho' he was fent of
God, and he who is fent of God, fpeaketh God's
word, yet tho' they heard him fpeak, they
heard not God's word, John vni.47. He that is
of God, heareth God's word; ye therefore hear
them not, becaufe ye arenot of God. Men's li
teral underftanding the bible is ofttimes their
delufion. If fcripture is to be explained by reafon, it
is not fo plain as reafon : It is reafon then that
enlightens us, not fcripture ; but reafon is the
rule

( 141 )
rule that direas our underftandings. If reafon
is to be goverried by fcripture, then a text of
fcripture is of more force than reafon, and rea
fon muft be filenced by it ; to reafon then about
fcripture, is to confound oui-felves. If fcripture
is to rule our reafon, reafon is no judge of fcrip
ture ; you muft take the fcripture as it is, not
prefume to explain it by reafon, for that is
giving the preference to reafon. If fcripture
fay one thing and reafon another, rauft you fol
low reafon or fcripture? as when it fays, take eat, '
this is my body, and this is my blood, drink ye all
qf it, Ifa man come unto me, and Hate noi his
father and mother i and wife, andchildren, and bre
thren andfifiers, yea and his oxon life, he cannot
be my difciple. And many other expreffions,
which if you explain by reafon, you make that
your guide, not fcripture.
But if the true fenfe of facred fcripture is
the word of God, and men err becaufe they
do not underftand it, it is not the word of
God to them that underftand it not.
The fcriptures without reafon are not con
vincing. It is an authority without light, which
it receives from huraan laws and cuftoms. The

( 142 >
The fcriptures were Written by men, and by
men havebeen conveyed to us ; nor is it poffible
for us to know that God was more concerned
about them, than about any other wriings of
men,, as they have no peculiar evidence in
themfelves to prove it.
The word of God is in thefe fcriptures called
God himfelf. In the beginningwas the word, and
the word was with ^od, and the word was God,
The word of God is God's law, his law is his
nature, and the nature of God is God himfelf.'
Now the fcripture is not God, therefore not his
word. The word of God in thefe fcriptures is
faid to be, Heb. iv. 12. quick, that is living,
and powerful, Jharper than a two-edgedfword, a
difcerner of thethoughts andintents Of the heart ;
it is the fpirit of enquiry and found underftand
ing : but the fcriptures are dead, weak and blunt,
not improving our reafon, unlefs by employ -
it. as other writings do, which are hard to
underftand and make rational fenfe of;' and fo
far is it from being able to difcerU the thoughts
and intents of men's hearts, that men's hearts
and thoughts find it difficult in many cafes to
difcern its interit and meaning : The letter killeth,'
but the fpirit giveth life, fays Paul. It is the fpi-'
rit, not the letter ; the underftanding mind, not
the book ; that is God's word. I

t i4S )
I allow that to be tlie word of God which the
fcripture fays is ; but it does not fay itfelf is
the word of God, and if it bears witnefs oJ itfelf,
it's witnefs is not trues John v. 31. Jefus
Chrift faid fo of himfelf; and furely the fcrijpture
is not greater than he. ; ; !
We fhould not confound things of a contrary
nature, and put one fdr the other ; the letter is
not the fpirit, nor is the fpirit the letter : man's
word is not God's, nor God's Wdrd, man's;
the one is dark and deadly ; the other is light
and lively. Wo be unto them who put darknefs
for light j and light for darknefs.
The fcriptures cannot be proved to be the
word of God from the authority of riien, who
ever they are or have been; for that -is only
proving fuch men fay it is ; and the fUrthCr men
go back to prove this, is but an attempt to
lead us more out of fight, and to fix our faith
or credit on perfons more unknown ; therefore
their authority is lefs than one who is knowri,
whofe wifdom and veracity can be depended
on; for we ought to have fatisfaaofy proof
of their Wifdom and veracity, whofe bare
word We take for proof, or 'tis only faying
infl«ad of proving, and giving us affirmatidn
U, for

( 144 )
fpr;deniopftration. Wl*at then muft we do with
pur bibles ?j, Muft we give up our bibles ?
Shall we burn our bibles? No, keep them; in
the names of God, but^do not put the name of
Gpd upon them. Dp not idolize them. Do
not make a paper God pf them. Learn to
know, that what veneration they deferve is to
be judged by the nature of their contents, and
give, them their deferts ; give unto God the
things that are. God's, and to man the things
that are nian's. Its intrinfip nature is its only
true, r^ght, and reafouajble .proof, whereby it
will appear, that as the fubjeas it treats on are
various, and varioufly handled, in fuch manner
and degree, the parts are. to be varioufly ef
teemed, or regarded. We ;Can only have ra
tional and natural proof: we fhould read it with
a mind as uuprejudiced as we do other books,
and judge ofthe contents as freely, and take the
liberty torationalife what is dark and rayfterious,
and rejea what is literally abfurd and erroneous,
and fpiritualife it into fenfe; for as God isa
fpirit, his word is fpiritual.
The ufe men make of the fcriptures, which
they call the word of God, is fufficient to
make us difbelieve them, for they ufe them tp
fubjea our reafon and underfland^gs irapli-^ citly

( 145 )
citly to believe it to be what they terra it, and
that it , teaches what they fay it does ; as if it
was the nature of the word of God to enflave
the reafon of man ; for what more enflaves the
mind than to be required to believe without
evidence* without reafonable proof, without
conviaion, without liberty to think and judge
for ourfelves ?
When fpiritual truths are our food, and our
delight, then it is our meat and drink, as it was
Chrift's, to do the will of him that fent us into
the world, as God fent him into the world on
the lame errand.
What hinders men from receiting the truth,
but fondnefs for nurfed-up opinions, and im
bibed prejudices ? thofe are the things they muft
abdicate ; thofe are the relations tbey muft hate
for Chrift's fake, that is, for the truth's fake,
for truth is God's word, and God's word is
Chrift fpiritnally, and no other Chrift wUl do us
any good. Mark it weU, and bear it in mind.
Truth does the office of the Holy Ghoft. It
fanaifies. Sandtify them^faid Jefus to God, of his
diMples) thro' thy truth,thywordis truth, John
xvii, 19. It denotes the true worfliip of God, for
he is worfliipped only in fpirit and in truth. Truth

i 146 )
Truth, does the office Chrift is faid tb' do, fdf'
truth is man's, favioUr and deliverer, for if faVes
and delivers men from the delufion of error and
the captivity of fin, that land of Egypt and houfe
pf bondage : truth is the mediator bettleen God
and man ; it brings man to the knowledge of
God, and, thus brings God to man r the re
ception of truth, atones for paft errors^ for it
brings man to repentance and amendn^ent of
life, and thus makes the reconciliation between
God and man. Thus the true Chrift in a fpi
ritual fenfe ;is fpiritual truth ; for the flefh pro-
fitethnothing, no, not the flefh df Chrift. The
words that I fpeak unto you, faid he, they Ore
fpirit, and they are life ; they are of a fpiritual
and living\natur'e. ;ti .*: . ' ;.

F f]^ I S,

Printed hj Wili.iam Clark,
No. IS6, Aldersgate Street, London..

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