It is not 300 Years, fince our Ancestors were required to believe the groffeft Abfurdities, and to practise the most flagrant Idolatry, and that upon pain of forfeiting all that was dear to them in this world, and of being fentenced to eternal damnation in the world to

come.

Tho' the first Reformers made a glorious ftand, and went great lengths in a little time; yet they could not shake off one of the worst parts of Popery, viz. the Spirit of Infallibility and Perfecution. And a race of tyrannical Kings, fupported by covetous and ambitious Priefts, continued to practise upon Proteftants, that cruelty, which all Proteftants had fo much and fo juftly exclaimed againft, when practifed by the Papifts upon themselves. By these Means it has come to paffe, that true Liberty, and free Inquiry are but of Yesterday. A Bleffing referved by providence for us!

The most acceptable way of testifying our gratitude to ALMIGHTY GOD, for fo great, fo unspeakable a blessing, is to study the Scriptures with care, and to form our temper and practice accordingly. To allow others that liberty of private Judgment, which we ourselves fo ardently defire. To avoid uncharitableneffe towards fuch as differ from us, and to fhow our good-will to the perfons of the Papifts; whileft we fo much and fo justly abhor their Religion. Let us ever take care to watch against a perfecuting Spirit, in

all

6

all the branches and degrees of it; and to lay the great ftreffe of Religion, where the Scriptures of the New Teftament have laid it (not in abftrufe notions and unintelligible fubtleties: Not in Forms and Ceremonies, nor in an empty profeffion of the pureft and best religion; but) upon the fincere love of GOD and one another; upon a due governing our paffions and fenfual appetites, and the habitual practice of univerfal Holineffe. For what fignifieth it what Church any man belongs to, what profeffion of Religion he makes, or what advantages he injoys; if he doth not love GOD and keep his commandments? If he abuses his liberty to licentioufneffe; and, in the midst of such marvellous Light, shows that be prefers darknesse, by leading a scandalous and wicked life, which, of all others, is the blackeft Herefy, and the moft flagrant and moft notorious corruption and Apoftafy?

TRACT.

TRACT. II:

A

LETTER to a FRIEND

Concerning the

END and DESIGN

OF

PRAYER:

OR,

The REASONABLENESSE of praying to an unchangeably wife, powerful, and good GOD.

In answer to the objections of the late Earl of ROCHESTER, Mr. BLOUNT, and other modern Deifts.

JOB xxi. 12-15. They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the found of the organ. They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. Therefore they fay unto God, " Depart from us; for we defire "not the knowlege of thy ways. What is the Almighty, "that we should ferve him? and what profit should we "have, if we pray unto him?"

The libertines are thereupon ready to infult, and the inquifitive cannot forbear fufpecting, that what is kept in the dark, is unreafonable, and cannot ftand the trial. For truth fears not the light, but then appears in its native beauty and luftre, when moft curiously pryed into, and moft publicly laid open.

The objections of the licentious, and the inquiries of ftudious men, have generally iffued in the fervice of true religion; by giving occafion to the pious and learned to ingage in the noble cause, to clear up the truth, to separate it from error and falfhood, and to fet it in the strongest point of light.

Nor fhould we, at this day, have had fo many difficulties folved, had it not been for the attempts of libertines to overthrow all that is facred; or for the queries of virtuous and inquifitive men, who are always the best friends to true religion. The number of rational believers is thus increased; and that confirmed by conviction and evidence, which was, perhaps, at firft received only from a reverence to our teachers, or upon some other as weak foundation.

Among the many difficulties, which fceptics have started, this concerning prayer is none of the leaft, viz. "To what end should a God of infinite wifdom, goodneffe, and power, be petitioned to do what he fees "and knows to be good and proper for any of his creatures? And how abfurd must it

"

66 be,