ver less deserved, than now when they are the most violent: yet it must be owned, we are not by any means, even the best of us, what we ought to be. And the present State of things calls loudly upon us, to correct our Mistakes, to supply our Deficiencies, and do all we are able for the Honour of God, and the Happiness of Mankind.

If we can be unconcerned now, we have neither Piety nor common Prudence in us. And if we are concerned in earneft, we fhall be very defirous, both to avoid all wrong Methods of shewing it, and to make use of all right ones.

COMPLAINING of our Superiors for those Evils, which perhaps they cannot prevent; or complaining of them with Disrespect, for what we may apprehend they could prevent, would both be undutiful and imprudent Conduct: would give our Adverfaries Joy, and do our Cause harm. Indeed to beg earnestly of God, that He would direct the Hearts of those, who prefide over the publick Welfare; and humbly to represent to Them, on all fit Occafions, the declining State of Religion, the Importance and the Means of preferving it; these things are unquestionable Duties. But then we must always approve ourselves, at the fame time, confcientiously loyal both in Word and Deed; reasonable in our Expectations; fincerely grateful for the Protection we are affured of enjoying; and duly fenfible, that every thing of Value to us, in this World, depends on the Support of that Government, which we now live under. We cannot be

good

good Men, if we are bad Subjects: and we are not wife Men, if we permit ourselves to be suspected of it.

A SECOND proper Caution is, That to speak unfavourably of Liberty, Religious or Civil, instead of carefully distinguishing Both from the many Abuses of them, which we daily fee; or to encourage any other Restraints on either, than publick Utility makes evidently needful; can only serve to increase that Jealoufy, which being in former Ages grounded too well, hath been moft industriously heighten'd, when there never was fo little pretence of ground for it; that the Claims of the Clergy are hurtful to the Rights of Mankind. It concerns us greatly to remove fo dangerous a Prejudice against us, as this: not by renouncing thofe Powers, which the Gofpel hath given us; for we are bound to affert them: but by convincing the World, that they are perfectly innocent ones; and avoiding all appearance of affuming what we have no right to: by fhewing our abhorrence of Tyranny, especially over the Confciences of Men; and fatisfying them fully, if poffible, that we preach not ourselves, but Chrift Jefus, Lord; 2 Cor. iv. 5. and ourselves, their Servants for his fake. Then with respect to the Privileges we derive from human Authority: as, on the one hand, receding from any of them without Caufe is only inviting fresh Encroachments, and giving needlefs Advantages to such as will be fure to lose none: fo, on the other, ftraining them too far is the likelieft way

to destroy them all at once: and both our Ufefulnefs and our Security depend very much, on our appearing plainly, to defire nothing inconfiftent with the common Good; to have the trueft Concern for all reasonable Liberty, and to be zealous only against Licentiousness and Confufion.

THIRDLY, If we should be tempted to oppose Profaneness, by encouraging the oppofite Extreme of Superftition: this alfo would be unjustifiable in itself; would have bad Effects upon as many as we might mislead; and give great Opportunities to all that should see them mifled, either of accufing Religion, or expofing us, as Corrupters of Religion. Not that we are to give up inconfiderately, whatever fome Perfons are pleased to charge with Superftition for there would be no end of Conceffions at that rate but only to avoid encouraging any thing that can be justly charged with it; and then we shall stand upon fure ground. For nothing can be more unjust, than those Imputations of it, which our Adverfaries are fo fond of throwing, fome upon Christianity itself, others on the Doctrine and Worship of that Church, which, through God's good Providence, we have the Happiness to be Members of.

ANOTHER very pernicious Error would be, if we should think to ferve our Caufe by intemperate Warmth in it. Chriftian Zeal indeed is a Duty, that never was more needful, and never lefs fhewn. But Paffion will do no good. If expreffed against those who are indifferent about Religion, it will

turn

turn them into Enemies: if against the Enemies of Religion, it will make them yet more vehement Enemies. Befides, the extravagant things that Men say and attempt against us and our Profeffion, are not always defigned Injuries; but frequently the Effects of Mifrepresentations, and Prejudices that have imperceptibly taken hold on Perfons, who otherwise mean tolerably well. Now Mildness to fuch as these, is but Juftice: and to all others, it is Prudence. Railing is the Province our Adverfaries have chofen: and let us leave it to them. For whatever Success they may meet with that way, as indeed they excel in it, we shall meet with none: but only make the Spirit of Chriftianity be misunderstood and ill fpoken of, by our own want of it. Therefore how injuriously foever we may be treated, let us return neither injurious nor harsh Treatment for it: nor endeavour to mark out thofe Perfons for Objects of popular Hatred, who are ever fo unwearied in labouring to make us fo. Yet at the fame time, we must never court irreligious Men by wrong Compliances; never contribute to increase their Power of doing Harm; never defert our Duty, either for Fear of them or Favour from them. But then let us defend both Religion and ourselves, with that Fairnefs and Decency, as well as Courage, which becomes our Function: acknowledge ingenuously whatever can be alledged against us with Truth; only claiming equitable Allowances; and where Charges are untrue, yet ufe mild Expoftulations, B

not

not Reproaches; and try to shame our Oppofers by the Reasonableness of what we fay, rather than exafperate them by the Vehemence of it. They indeed have little Caufe either to complain or to triumph, if, under such gross Provocations as they give, our Temper fometimes fails: but we have great Caufe to do our utmost, that it fail not.

AND if undue Severity of Speech must be forborn towards profeffed Enemies; much more to those, who may, for ought we know, defign themselves for Friends. Indeed when it is evident, that Men only put on a Pretence of wishing well to Christianity, or the Teachers of it; and whilst they affect to charge us with Uncharitableness for queftioning their Sincerity, would defpife us for believing them: there we must be allowed to see what plainly appears; and to speak of them, both as Adverfaries, and unfair ones. Or when DoЄtrines, whatever the Intention of propagating them be, appear inconfiftent either with the whole or any part of our Religion; it is no Uncharitable! nefs, but our Duty, to lay open the Falfhood and the Danger of them. Nay, fuppofing only the legal Establishment of Religion, or some Branch of it, be attacked; yet the Attempt may both be injurious enough to us, and detrimental enough to the Publick, to deferve a vigorous Oppofition. But to fhew Paffion and Bitterness in any of these Cafes; to take pleasure in making Mens Mistakes or Designs thought worse than they are; to judge harthly of them with refpect to another World, or expofe

2