A N

ESSAY

O N

SPIRIT.

Inanlmatum eji omne quod impulfu agitur externa : quod autem Anima eft, id Motu cietur interiore et fuo,

Cic. Som. Scip.

DUBLIN:

Printed by S. Powell,

For J. P. Droz, in Dame-ftreef, over-againft George'^- lane. MDCCL.

[iii]

T O

HIS GRACE

GEORGE,

LORD PRIMATE

OF ALL

IRELAND.

MY LORD,

AS I am a Clergyman of the eftablifhed Church, and have for fome Years been poffefled of an Ecclefiaftical Preferment, in* to which, before I could be admit-

A z ted,

iv DEDICATION.

ted, I was obliged to fubfcribe the four firfl: Canons, which include my Afient to the Articles of our Religion, and alfo to declare pub- licly my unfeigned Afleut and Con- fent to all and every thing, contai- ned in The Book of Cojiunon-Prayer : And, as I have not been fo much employed about my temporal Af- fairs, but that I have found Leifure to apply fome Time to my Books, and to think as well as read ; I find that I do not now agree ex- actly in Sentiment, either with my former Opinions, or with thofe Per- fons who drew up the Articles of our Religion, or with the Compi- lers of cur Liturgy, and, in parti- cular, with the Athaiiaftan Creed : And therefore I have laboured un- der

DEDICATION. v

der fome Difficulties, how to dired: myfelf under thefe Circumftances.

There was a Sermon preached not many Years ago by Dodor Co- 7tybear^ before the Univerlity of Oxford^ which feems to have been approved of by them ; and which hath iince been reprinted in Ire- landj wherein he afferts that every one who fubfcribes the Articles oi Religion, does thereby engage, not only not to difpute or contradid: them ; but that his Subfcription amounts to an Approbation of, and an Affent to the Truth of the Doc- trine therein contained, in the very Senfe which the Compilers thereof are fuppofed to have underftood them : That they are not to be con-

fidered

vi DEDICATION.

fidered as Articles of Peace, but of Do(5trine, as the very Title denotes, whicK is, For the avoiding Diver- Jtties of OpijtionSy and for eftahlifh- ing Co7ife7it touching true Religion, Whereas I apprehend any Attempt tov/ards avoiding Diverfity of Opi- nions, not only to be an ufelefs, but alfo an impradicable Scheme ; fince I do not only doubt whether the Compilers of the Articles, but even whether any two thinking Men ever agreed exa(9:ly in their Opinion, not only with regard to all the Articles, but even with regard to any one of them ; fo that if they were to give their own Interpretation of them, there would be found as many diffe- rent Sentiments as there were In- terpreters : The Difference indeed

would

DEDICATION. vii

would not always be great ; but ftill there would be a Difference.

I faid thinking Men^ for, as to the unthinking Herd, whatever was the Creed of their Father, or Tu- tor, that will be theirs, from their Infancy, to their Lives End ; and accordingly, whatever Country you go into, let the Religion be what it will, the unthinking Part there- of are always the reputed Ortho- dox.

An Uniformity of Profeffton may indeed be both practicable and ufe- fuil ; and feems in fome Degree to be neceffary, not only for the Pre- fervation of Peace, but alfo for the general Good and Welfare of So- ciety :

viii DEDICATION,

ciety : Since I do not conceive how any Society or Commonwealth can fubfift, unlefs fome Form of Reli- gion or other be eftablifhed therein ; as well with regard to Points of Dodrine as Difcipline ; which how- ever ought to be as plain, few, and fundamental as polTible. And as no eftablifhed Form of Relio-ion can fubfift, unlefs that Form be pub- licly made known, and the Tea- chers thereof are laid under fome Obligation, either by Subfcription, or otherwife, of complying with that Form, and of not preaching, or publicly teaching any Dod:rine contrary thereto ; fo I own I do not fee any Manner of Impropriety in the legiflative Power of any So- ciety infifting upon fuch a Kind of

Subfcription,

DEDICATION. ix

Subfcription, as is only required to be made for Peace-fake, and the Prefervation of the outward Forms of Society : Since a Man under thefe Circumflances may, for pru- dential Reafons, honeflly fubfcribe and fubmit to the Ufe of one efta- bliflied Form, though he, in his own private Opinion, may think ano- ther to be better \ provided that he is not obliged to fubfcribe any thing finful ; or fo diametrically oppofite to Truth, as that he can- not poffibly put any other Con- ftrudion upon it.

The firft Subfcription, that I kaow of, was fet on Foot at the Council of Nice^ when the famous Conteft about the Trinity was de-

a ter mined

X DEDICATION.

termined in Favour of the confub- Jiantial Dodirine, by a Majority of near twenty to one : To which the Emperor required all the Bifhops then prefent to fubfcribe. But then he allowed every one to put their ov/n Senfe upon the Word confub- fiaittial^ and not the Senfe that was intended by the Compilers of the Creed : And accordingly, Eufebius Bifhop of Ccefarea^ though he at firft refufed fubfcribing, yet when he was allowed to interpret the Word confub jiantial^ as meaning only, that the So?j was not of the fa77ie Sub fiance with the Creatures that were made by him • he then fubfcribed it, and fo, in a little Time after, did Arius.

Peace

DEDICATION. xi

Peace was what the Emperor wanted, and therefore he was con- tent with Peace : But from the Time that Power was put into the Hands of the Church of Rcms^ im- pHcit Faith and Obedience to her infalKble Determinations, being what fhe required ; unlefs Subfcriptions were then to be underftood as made according to the Senfe of the Com- pilers of the Articles, the Recu- fants were anathem.atifed, and Fire and Faggot was the Word.

But as I apprehend that the Church of Irela?id doth not fet up for Infallibility, I do not think that fhe requireth any other Kind of Subfcription than fuch as is necef- a 2 fary

xii DEDICATION.

fary for Peace and Quietnefs : And therefore I am now not much dif- turbed upon this Head. I likewife find by the Words of the Ad of Parliament, which enjoins the De- claration of our Affent and Con- fent to all Things contained in The Book of Common-Prayer^ that the Purport and Intent of the Ad is that this Declaration of Affent fliould be only to the Ufe of thofe Things which are contained in the faid Book, which is very different from affenting to the Things them- felves : And therefore 1 am prettv eafy alfo with regard to this.

How thefe Words, to the Ufe of came to be omitted out of the ex- prefs Form of Words that are or- dered

DEDICATION. xiii

dered to be read in Church for a legal Qualification, I cannot fay^ nor whether they were omitted out of Negled, or by Defign : but I own it feems to me, when 1 confi- der the Humour of the Times when that Ad: was made, that it was done with Defign ; as a Snare, to oblige poor (i) confcientious Men, who did not read the A3: of Par- liament at length, to give up their Livings, rather than declare their unfeigned Affent and Confent to all and every thing contained in Tie Book of Common- Praj'er, For it is to be obi'erved, that this Condition was not required by the y4cl of

(i) And accordingly, there were 1800 Per- fons that were adually deprived of their Livings, rather than lubmit to the Terms prefcribed.

Uniformity^

xiv DEDICATION.

Uniformity^ as publiflied in the Time of Queen Elizabeth^ but was an Addition made thereto, af- ter the Reftoration of King Charles the Second, when the Nation was, as it were, mad with the Joy of havino; recovered its ancient Confti- tution both in Church and State : The httle Oath therefore wherein it was declared, that it is 72ot law^ fuly upon a7iy Pretence what/oever^ to take Arras agai?ijl the King^ was at the fame time inferred into the ASi of Uniformity, Which Part of that hdi hath been fmce repea- led ; and indeed I cannot but j(in- cerely wifh, that the other Addi- tion, which was made at the fame time, was fo far redified, that the Words of the Declaration fliould

be

DEDICATION. xv

be made to correfpond with the Defign of the Ad:, which mani- feftly was, to require the Declara- tion of Affent and Confent only to the Ufe of all and every thing con- tained in The Book of Commoi^-Pray- er. Becaufe I think that that folemn Declaration which a Clergyman is obliged to make in the Prefence of God and his Congregation, when he is going to take upon himfelf the Care of their Souls, ought to be lirnple, pofitive, plain ; free from all Ambiguity or Doubtfulnefs ; and (hould be exprefled in fuch a Manner, as that it cannot be mif- underftood, either by him, or by the Congregation ; but that he may fafely and honeftly make it, accor- ding to that plain a7id ordinary

Senfe

xvi DEDICATION.

Senfe of the TVords^ in which they would commonly be underjlood by all Mankind, without any Evajion^ Equivocation^ or mental Eeferva- tion whatfoever ; that is, without any latent Reference to the Inten- tion of the Ad, which is not ex- preffed in the very Words of the Declaration.

And indeed I am the more defi- rous of this, becaufe I know for a Certainty, that fome of the moft learned and confcientious Perfons among the Diffenters, have made the Form of our Declaration of un- feigned Affent and Confent to all and every thing contained in The Book of Commoji-Prayerj an Ob-

jedion,

DEDICATION, xvu

jedion, if not the principal one, againft coming into our Church.

As alfo becaufe fome of our own Brethren, who confider Subfcrip- tions in the fame Light with the bigot ted Members of the Church of Rome^ and probably never read, or never duly confidered the AB of Uniformity^ have taken Occafion, from that Form of Declaration of Affent, to brand thofe, who pre- fume to doubt, or differ from them in any of their imaginary orthodox Notions, with the Imputation of Perjury, or, at leaft, of Hypocri-

But though we fhould fuppofe

this was done, and that Subfcrip-

b tions

xviii DEDICATION.

tions were declared to be only re- quired for Peace-fake ; yet there is ftill a Dijfficulty which remains be- hind, with regard to thofe who do not ,approve of all the Articles of the eftablifhed Religion, or of every thing in the Liturgy ; becaufe it is natural for them to defire that thofe Things, which they take to be Errors fhould be amended ; and yet it is found by Experience, that whoever attempts to find Fault with the Canons or the Articles of Reli- gion, or the eftablifhed Form of Liturgy, becomes immediately a Difturber of the Peace of the Church, as he is fure, at leaft, to be loaded with the opprobrious Name of Schtfmatk^ or Heretic^ which ever fmce the Days of Po-

pery,

DEDICATION. xix

pery^ are Sounds that occafion won- drous Horror in the Ears of the Vulgar.

Whoever confiders the Difficul- ties which attend the Reformation of ReHgion in general, and in par- ticular, the Difficulties which at- tended thefe Nations in their Re- formation from Popery^ ought to thank God that fo much was done at that Time as was done, rather than repine that more was not ef- feded. The Humour of the Times would not fuffer a more thorough Reformation ; thefe Nations ha- ving been fo- long accuftomed to a Kind of utter Darknefs, that their Eyes would not bear too much Light to be let in at once.

b 2 Chriftianity

XX DEDICATION.

Chriftianity was not eftablifliedj nor the Jewijh Religion thorough- ly reformed all on a Sudden. Af- ter St. Paul had been many Years a Preacher of the Gofpel, he com- plied with the jfewijh Ceremony of (2} Jljaving his Head in Cenchreay hecaufe he was under a Vow ; and of (3) purifying himfelf at the Temple of yerufalem^ rather than give Offence to the Jews. And the whole Council of Apoftles, when af- fembled at Jerufakm^ affented to en- join thofe (4) JewiJIj Profelytes, who from among the Gentiles^ were tur- ned unto God, to continue for fome

(2) A£is xviii. i.

(3) A5fs xxi. 24.

(4) A^s XV. 19. XX. 29.

time

DEDICATION. xxi

time under a Prohibition from ea» ting Things ftrangled, and from Blood, which hath been long fmce difcontinued. And our Saviour him- felf was pleafed to declare, that he concealed many Truths, till the Difciples fhould be able to bear them, John xyi. 12.

The prefent Conftitution of thefe Kingdoms, both in Church and State, is, in my fincere Opinion, the befl: in the known World ; but I will not fay, that it is not capable of being ftill further amended. What then is to be done ? For if the Church be not infallible any more than the State, why may not that be amended as well as the State ?' And why fhould we be

more

xxii DEDICATION.

more afraid of breaking the Peace of the Church than of the State ? The Peace of the one being full as neceflfary to be preferved as the Peace of the other.

The Chrifttan Religion was, at its fir ft Propagation, called a (5) Herefy ; and therefore (t;) St. Paul^ in his Apology to Felix ^ faid, T'his I co7ifefs^ that after the Way which they call Heresy, fo worjhip I the God of my Fathers, Which De- nomination was continued to it, fo long as to the Time of Conjlan- tine the Great, who in his Epiftle to Chrefius Bifhop of Syracufe^ calls

(5) A5ls xxviii. 22.

(6) A^s xxiv. 5, 14. _

the

DEDICATION, xxiii

the Chrijlian Religion the (7) Ca* tholic Herefy : Which Letter was written after the Emperor had de- clared in Favour of Chrtjltanity,

Kipidih according to Stephens^ fig- nifies, in general, the fame thing with the Latin Words SeBa and Dogma^ that is, a SeB or Opinion. And accordingly, he reckons up ten Seds or Herefies of the ancient Philofophers. But among the Ec- clefiaftical Writers, fays he, it fig- nifies an Opinion, or SeB that is C07ttrary to the orthodox Faith, But as the eftablifhed Religion of every Country is that which confti-

(7) T^ aiffVtwj TBj K9^iK\Kh<i, Eufeb. Hilt. Eccl. lib. X. cap. ^,

tutes

xxiv DEDICATION.

tates Orthodoxy^ according to the common Senfe of the Word ; hence it is, that they who diiFer and fe- parate therefrom are generally cal- led Hereticks ; and hence it comes to pafs, that a Perfon may be ef- teemed as very orthodox in Eng- land or Ireland^ who would be deemed as an Heretic at Rome^ or in other Countries. And for the fame Reafon it was, that the Chrif- tians were at firft called Hereticks in yiidcea^ becaufe they feparated from the Jewijh^ which was the eftabliflied Religion of the Coun- try ; and were alfo called Heretics in RomCy becaufe they refufed joi- ning with the Heathen^ which was the then eftabliflied Religion there.

It

DEDICATION, xxv

It is therefore polTible that an Heretic may be in the right ; ac- cording to the original Senfe of the Word. It is alfo pofTible that he may be in the wrong. And there- fore St, Peter fays, (8) "There are falfe Teachers among yoUy who pri- vily Jhall bring in damnable Here- fieSy even denying the Lord that bought them. And St. Paul fays, (9) / hear there are Schifms among you ; and I partly believe it : For

THERE MUST BE ALSO HERESIES, that

they which are approved may be made manifefl. Now there is no other Neceffity for Herefies being among them but this ; that God

(8) 2 Pet. ii. I.

(9) I Cor. xi. 18, 19.

c did

xxvi DEDICATION.

did not frame human Nature in fiich a Manner as to neceffitate all Men to be of one Mind ; but ha- ving made Mankind to be free Agents, he left them in the Hand of their ow7t Council^ to dhufe their own Opinions for themfelves ; ac- cording to the Merit or Demerit of which Choice, they will be proper Subjects for Rewards or Punifh- ments. And therefore, while this Conftitution of human Nature re- mains, there 7niiji be Schifms, Di- vifions, Herefies, or a Diverfity of Sects among them. And as all Man- kind think themfelves to be in the Right, fo they naturally conclude all thofe who differ from them to be in the Wrong ; and hence it comes to pafs, that the Word He--

retic

DEDICATION, xxvii

ret'tc is generally ufed in a bad Senfe, though becaufe a Perfon is an Here- tic, or is of a different Sect from the eftablifhed ReUgion, it does by no Means follow, that therefore he muft be in the Wrong. If the Perfons from whom he differs fhould be in- fallible, as it is allowed the Apof- tles were, then indeed it would fol- low, of Confequence, that the He- retic or Separatift muft be in an Error. And if, after Inftru6lion and Admonition, he will not amend, it is then fit, he fhould be ejected, or excommunicated out of the So- pety of the Faithful, left his Ex- emption from Punifliment fhould give Encouragement to the Seduc- tion of others ; for though it can- not be fuppofed that his Excommu- c I nication

xxviil DEDICATION.

nication will amend himfelf, yet it may contribute to fave other Per- fons.

And hence it is, that St. Paul^ in his Advice to Titus ^ fays, A Man that is an Heretic, after the fir ft and fecG72d Admonition, rejeEi % knowi7ig that he that is fuch, is fub^- verted, and f?meth, being co?idemned of hifufelf. Which Admonition and Rejection fhews the Crime of Herefy to confift in an Error of the Will, rather than of the Judg- ment ; for otherwife Titus would have been directed to inftrud fuch a Perfon, rather than to admonifh him. But as it is to be fuppofed that Information and Inftradion would be firft tried by Titus, even

before

DEDICATION, xxix

before the firft Admonition, there- fore it is the Perverfenefs of his Will, in ftill periifling in his SeA or Herefy after Admonition, that feems to be the Caufe and Founda- tion of his Excommunication : For, lays St. Paulj fuch a one is fub- verted from the Faith, and Jinneth^ by perfevering therein after Admo- nition ; and is felf- condemned j as having no Excufe of Ignorance to plead after his being admonifhed thereof : He may indeed not be felf'Condemned with regard to his Error, becaufe he may not be con- vinced that he is in an Error ; but may think himfelf to be in the right, when he is in the wrong : Whereas, with regard to his Here-

XXX DEDICATION,

fy, or Separation from the Church to which he belonged, he cannot be ignorant thereof, after Admoni- tion, for differing from the Senft of the Church ; and therefore if he perfijfts therein after being admo- nifhed, he muft be felf-co7idemnedy with regard to his Perfeverance in Oppofition to the Church,

And as every legiilative Power is fo far infalHble, as it is the dernier Refort, and only Judge now left upon Earth, of what is right and wrong, within the Limits of it's own Jurifdiction ; therefore when any Form of Religion hath been once eftablifhed, they who feparate therefrom, or act in direct Oppo^ fijtion to it's Commands, are to be

treated

DEDICATION, xxxi

treated as if fuch legillative Power was infallible ; and if they will not fubmit, upon Admonition, are to be rejected, to prevent others from being feduced, and to pre- ferve the Peace of Society.

By which Rejection, or Excom- munication, I do not mean an Exclufion from civil Rights, and the Protection of the Civil Magif- trate, but only from the outward and vifible Communion of the Church, and its faithful Members, and all the particular Benefits which pro- perly belong thereto, or may refult therefrom ; from which, as it is by their own Choice that they differ, in difobeying its Rules, or rejec- ting its Communion, it can be no

Injuftice

xxxii DEDICATION.

Injuftice that they fhould be ex- cluded, if they ftill perlift in their Difobedience after Admonition.

Since therefore it appears, that a Man's being of a wrong Opinion is not that which properly denomi- nates him an Heretic^ but rather his being of a different Opinion from the Majority ; one would be apt to wonder why that Word, in general, fhould have fo bad an Idea annexed to it • but that the Anfwer thereto is obvious, viz. That it arifes from our having too great a Fondnefs for ourfelves, and our own Opinions ; and too great an '\verfion to thofe who differ in Opinion from us.

There

DEDICATION, xxxiii

There is indeed no Reafon to be alligned in general, why Men fhould be more difpleafed with one ano- ther for being of different Opinions, than for their being of different Sizes, or for having a different per- fonal Appearance. And were it not that Experience convinces us of the Matter of Fad:, it would be hard to believe that Men's Paf- fions could carry them to that De- gree of Animofity againft each other, on Account of Opinions barely fpeculative, which we find pradifed in all Countries, and al- moft all Ages.

I can very well conceiv^e why Men fhould contract an Averfion,

d and

xxxiv DE DIG At I ON.

and an Hatred for one another^ about Opinions where their tempo- ral Interefts are concerned ; and do not wonder, when I read that (i) De7netrtus the Silverfmith raifed a Tumult againft Paul at Ephefus^ for faying, that they be no Gods vjhkh are made with Ha?tds^ be- caufe, by this bold AiTertion, as Demetrius acknowledged, this Craft was in Danger to be fet at nought, and ye hio-do^ Sirs^ laid he, that by this Craft we have our Wealth.

But it is not fo eafy to account, why one Man fhould bear an ill Will to his Neighbour, or any of his Fellow- Creatures, for being of

(i) A^s xix. 24.

a different

DEDICATION, xxxv

a different upinion from him in Matters barely ipeculative, in which the otner is no Way concerned, further than as he is a (2) Man, and a Lover of Mankind. In which Refped every Body ought to be fo far concerned for his Fellow-Crea- ture as to do all that lies in his Power to contribute to the Happi- nefs of each other ; but then this is to be done in a proper, kind, and friendly Manner : And, if that will not prevail, contrary Methods ought by no Means to be attempted ; fmce that Principle which directs us to ufe all Men well, can never vindi- cate us in ufing any Man ill.

V

(2) Homo fumy humani nihil a me alienum futo,

d I If

xxxvi DEDICATION.

If one Man is a Ghrtjiian^ and another is a Jew^ Turk^ or Infidel of any Denomination, there can be no more Reafon for havino; a Dif- like upon that Account to each other, than becaufe they were not all born in the fame Country, or bred up under the fame Tutor, or do not all fpeak the fame Lan- guage ; fince ninety-nine in an hundred of thofe who are Chri- Jiians^ would probably have been Mahometans^ if they had been born in Turhey^ and would have imbi- bed their Religion, as they do their native Tongue, along with their Mother's Milk : And the fame may be faid of ^Jews or Mahometans^ that they would have been Chri-

Jitans^

DEDICATION, xxxvii

fi'ia7is^ if they had been born in a Chriftian Country, and of Chri-- Jiian Parents.

If it pleafes the Almighty to endow one Man with a better Un- derftanding, or greater natural Abi- lities of any Kind, than his Neigh- bour, to appoint the Place of his Birth, where he has better Oppor- tunities of being informed in true Religion, or to produce him from fuch Parents as will take care that he is better educated in the Paths of Virtue ; thefe are Bleffings for which he ought to be thankful to his Creator j but are far from be- ing any Reafbn, why he fhould bear an ill Will to thofe Perfons, who have not received the fame

Advantages

xxxviii DEDICATION.

Advantages from Providence ; or why he lliould not live in a kind and neighbourly Manner with them, though he thinks them in an Error with regard to their religious Prin- ciples,

And yet Experience convinces us, that the Conduct of Mankind is quite otherwife ; which can be attributed to nothing but a vicious Pride in our Nature, which makes us not content with the Applaufe of our own Confcience, when we think ourfelves in the Right, un- lefs we have the Applaufe of others alfo : And renders us follicitous to gain Followers and Admirers, at ^he fame Time that it gives us an

Aver lion

DEDICATION, xxxix

Averlion for every one that difFers in Opinion from us.

Athanafius^ in Anfwer to this Queftion. no^-fj/ AsVslai "A/^ogo-is ; unda dicitur Hcerefis f Saith, Atto tb dipa^dt

m 'iS'^ov, xoci Tela l^ccycoXa^eiy. Ao ellgen-^

do @^ frofequejido Sententtam fuam privatam. So that the conceiving of Error is not that which confti- tutes the Crime of Herefy, but the profecuting and perfevering in it, to the railing of a Party-j and exciting Follower Sy whence alfo the Word SeB is derived ; and for this Reafon it is that St. Paul reckons up He- rejies among fach (3) Works of the Flefli, as Hatred^ Variance^ Emula-

(3) Gal V. 20, 21.

tionsj

X

1 DEDICATION.

tionSy Wrath^ Strife^ SeditionSy EnvyingSy Murders^ and fuch Itke^ as it is near of Kind to them, and may be the Foundation and Gaufe of them.

What then is it the Duty of any Perfon to do, who is the profeffed Member of any eftablifhed Church, if he fees, or imagines he fees, any Errors, either in the Doctrine or Difciphne of that Church ? Muft he, for Fear of difturbing the Peace of the Church, and being deemed a Schifmatic, or Heretic, fit down quietly, and not endeavour to fet them to Rights ? Or, muft he fly off, and feparate immediately from it?

As

DEDICATION. xli

As to the Firft, if Men were not to declare their Opinions, in fpight of Eftabhfliments either in Church or State, Truth would foon be ba- nifhed the Earth. Error puts on fo much a fairer Outfide, ornaments itfelf with fo many plaulible Ap- pearances, and comes loaded with fo many Bribes to tempt us from our Duty ; that if Truth did not fbmetimes fhew itfelf and exert its Abilities in its own Defence, the World would be foon over-run with Error, as an uncultivated Garden with Weeds. Of which the Expe- rience of Times paft is fufficient to convince us, by the Growth and Continuance of Errors in the Church of Ro7ney from the Time that the.

e Bible

xlii DEDICATION.

Bible was fhut, and the Court of Inquiiition opened.

And as to the Second, whoever he is who thinks he ought to fepa- rate from that Church wherein he fees fome Errors, if it will not im- mediately reform and amend them ; and thinks it his Duty to refufe joi- ning in Communion with any Set of Men, till he meets with a Con- ftitution, either in Church or State, that is abfolutely free from Errors ; fnch an one, I fear, is not fitted for this World, but muft live by himfelf, till he is conduded into a Society of Angels.

In my Opinion therefore, the middle Courfe is that which he

ought

DEDICATION, xliii

ought to purfue, which in this Af- fair, as well as moft others, is cer- tainly the beft.

Let us confider how a Perfon in like Circumftances, with regard to the State, ought to conduct him- felf ; and this may perhaps deter- mine our Behaviour with regard to the other. For we generally talk more calmly, as well as more ra- tionally, concerning the Affairs of the State, than of the Church.

Suppofe a Perfon fees any Errors in that Conftitution of Government under which he lives ; may he nor, ought he not to lay his Opinion before the Legiflative Powers of that Society, in order to procure

e z aa

xliv DEDICATION.

an Amendment of it ? I think he ought. But then he ought at the fame Time, unlefs in Cafes of the utmofl: Neceffity, where the Vitals of the Conftitution are in Danger, not only not to defert the State, though the Amendment fhould not be made ; but alfo to avoid raifing Parties or FaEiions in the State, for the Support of his Opinion ; which in the Ecclefiaftical Stile, would be called Herejtes,

But to this it is objedled, that here the Parallel will not hold, be- caufe Men's temporal Interefts will reftrain them from overturning the Eftablifhment of the State ; where- as too many would be very glad to have the Eftablifhment of the Church

DEDICATION. xlv

quite fet aiide. It may therefore be dangerous to begin with making Alterations or Amendments in the Church, left thofe Scaffoldings which are eredted for Repairs, fliould be made Ufe of to pull down the whole Fabric.

With humble Submiffion how-, ever to thefe cautious Gentlemen, I am under lefs Apprehenlion for the Church than for the State : For, as to the Chrifiian Religion in general, we have the fure Word of Pro^ phecy, that the Gates of Hell flo all not prevail agamji it. And as to particular Eftablifhments, I fhould apprehend, that the freer they were from Errors, the more likely they would be to ftand. At leaft, I

fhould

xlvi DEDICATION.

lliould think it would be right to run fome Rifque, and place fome Truft in the Providence of God, rather than let Errors of any Confe- quence remain.

But, fay they again, Truth is not to befpoken at all Times. Which I will allow fo far, as to acknow- ledge, that Prudence and Temper is to be made Ufe of even in the Publication of Truth ; but not that Truth may be concealed for ever, under the Pretence, that the Publi- cation of it at prefent would be out of Seafon ; for if Error may be fafely eftablifhed, and Truth concealed, how can we vindicate all that Outcry that was made by Protejiants againft the Doftrine of

Tranfiib"

DEDICATION, xlvii

Tranfiibjiantiation^ &c ? Since it is manifeft, that before the Refor- mation took Place, the fame Argu- ments were then made Ufe of againft any Innovations in Religion that are now. And all Alterations in the eftablifhed Form of Worfhip were then as much declaimed againfl by the Ecclefiaftics of thofe Days, as they can be at prefent.

I am not againft joining the Wif- dom of the Serpent with the Inno- cence of the Dove : But I would not have the Wifdom of the Ser- pent without the Innocence of the Dove. Let us be as wife as pofli- ble in defending what is right in our Eftablifhment, but let us not €xert the fame Wifdom in defend- ing

xlviii DEDICATION.

ing what is wrong. But, above all, let us, in the Name of God, take care, that our Foundations be clear, and that our Articles and Creeds are free from Error*

The Author of thefe Papers, though he hath addrefied them to Your Grace, is very fenlible, that it IS not in Your Power, nor in that of all the Ecclefiaftics of the Land, to alter the eftablifhed Form of Wor- fhip • he knows, that the AEi of Uniforjnity^ upon which it depends, and of which our Litargy is a Part, was pafled into a Law, by the joint Confent of the thj*ee Ef- tates of the Realm ; and he trufts in God, that he never fhall fee the Church independent on the State.

But,

DEDICATION, xlix

But, my Lord, though the Bi- fhops and Clergy, either in or out of Convocation, cannot redrefs, yet they may recommend ; the Author, however, cannot but remark, that he does not recoiled any Inftance in Hiftory, lince the Times of the Apoftles, w^here the Reformation of Religion in any material Points hath been brought about by the Influence of the Clergy in general ; the Bulk of them, who are always the leaft knowing, being moft te- nacious of old Opinions. The Pope indeed, every now and then, makes fome Reformation in the Ca- lendar of Saints, and ftrikes out a few antiquated Holy-days, in order to make Room for new Canoniza- f tions :

1 DEDICATION.

tions : But if we are to take our Precedents from what hath hitherto pafled in the Reformation of any material Points in Religion, it muft be efFed:ed by a few leading Perfons among the Clergy, when fupported by the upper and more thinking Part of the Laity.

And, as it hath pleafed God and His Majefty to call you to the Pri- macy of this Church, the Author cannot think of any Perfon more pro- per to addrefs himfelf to at prefent, than Your Grace ; as well on ac- count of Your perfonal Abilities, as of Your Intereft with thofe lea- ding Members of the Society, whe- ther Laymen or Clergy, who com-

pofe

DEDICATION. li

pofe the Legiflative Power of this Realm.

And as he thinks this to be the mod proper and Chriftian Method of conveying his own Sentiments to the Powers that be j fo hath he alfo publiflied his Sentiments in the Garb of a metaphyfical Effay, to prevent their falling into the Hands of the lower Clafs of Readers, whofe Thoughts might be difturbed by an Enquiry into Subjects of this Na- ture ; till by gentle Degrees they come, by the Bleffing of God, to be made a Part of the eftablifhed Religion of the Country ; which will give them a proper Recom- mendation and Weight with thofe, k % wha

Ei DEDICATION.

who are not otherwife capable of judging of them.

Not that he expefts, that every Thing, which he hath advanced in this E[fay^ is to be received by his Reader as an Article of Faith, but only that it may have its due Weight in his ferious Confidera- tions j for as he is defirous, that no human Conjedlures may be im- pofed upon him, as of equal Au- thority with Divine Revelation ; fo neither does he dcfire, that his Conjectures fliould be obtruded up- on others.

The Author is thoroughly con- vinced, that Minifters of State will be very cautious, and with great

Reafon,

DEDICATION. liii

Reafon, how they embroil them- felves with religious Difputes. But as he does not apprehend, that there is any Need of purfuing violent Methods, fo neither does he expedl that a thorough Reformation of every thing that may be amended, fhould be made all at once. He could wifh hov^ever, that fomething was done, to convince the World, that the Clergy of the Church of Ireland^ are not averfe to a proper Reformation of fuch Parts of her Public Service, as demand a more immediate Revifal ; fince, other- wife, they may give Offence by their Obftinacy, and feeming Infal- libility ; and if a Storm fhould arife, may run a Rifque of having that Tree torn up by the Roots,

which

liv DEDICATION.

which might have been faved by a little pruning.

As the Laws of the Land require Subfcriptions to be made to the Canons and Articles of our Reli- gion, only by Clergymen, Fellows of Colleges, Clerks, and School- Matters, fo thefe do not feem to need that immediate Redrefs, which thofe Parts of pur Worfhip require, in which the whole Community are expected to join.

He thinks, that he need not in-s form Your Grace, that that Creed, which is commonly called the Athanafian Creed, hath of a long Time given Offence, and conti- nueth to give great Offence to

many

DEDICATION. Iv

many People. And indeed not without Reafon, if we confider it only in this Light, that the Sub- ject of a great Part of it, is a Theo- logico-Metaphyfical Difpute, which few, if any, of the Learned under- ftand ; but is undoubtedly above the Capacity of the Vulgar ; and yet, by being made a Part of our Public Service, every Body, as well low as high, is required to aflent to it.

It is alfo now univerfally acknow- ledged among the Learned, that it was originally a fpurious Production, impofed upon the World under the Name of Athanafius^ till detefted by the Criticifms of the learned Vojpus* But, fuppofing it had been V. ' a genuine

Ivi DEDICATION.

a genuine Piece, and had been un- doubtedly written by Athanaftus^ there can be no Reafon afUgned, why the Members of the Church of Ire^ land fhould be tied down to affent to the Compofitions of a private Perfon, who had no other Merit, which the Author can find, for being declared a Saint, but his bafe and low Sub- miilion to the Bifliop of Rome^ who had no legal Authority over him; and his infolent Behaviour to his lawful Prince, who undoubtedly had a Right to his Obedience,

The Author does, by no Means, prefume to prefcribe to Your Grace; but he thinks himfelf in Duty obli- ged to recommend it to Your Con- fideration, whether the firft Step

to

DEDICATION. Ivii

to be taken is not to try to get the Words in the Declaration of Afient and Confent made agreeable to the Intention of the Ad:, which was attempted in England^ A. D. 1663, about a Year after the laft Ad: of Uniformity, and paffed the Houfe of Lords, but was thrown out in the Houfe of Commons, by the then over-ruling Influence of the Duke of York^ and his Party, who did not let the Claufe propofed pafs even the Houfe of Lords without a Proteft. But, as we are now, thank God, free from any Appre- henfions of the prevailing Influence of fuch an Adminiftration, he hopes Your Grace will not decline ma- king the Attempt here, as he ap- prehends it will open a Freedom of

g Con-

Iviii DEDICATION.

Gonverfation among thofc Perfons, who have hitherto imagined them- felves to be Tongae-tied, by having pubhcly and abfolutely given their unfeigned Affent and Confent to all and every thing contained in 7"^^ Book of Co7nmon-Prayer.

Which will be a proper, if not neceffary, Preparative to a gradual Reception of thofe further Emen-» dations of our Liturgy, which are propofed by fome anonymous Au- thors, in the fecond Edition of a Book lately publifhed, entitled, Free and candid Difquijit ions rela- ting to the