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Godly persons," that is, Christian philosophers, are described, in those articles which all churchmen have most solemnly assented to, as "such as feel in themselves the Spirit of Christ, mortifying the works of the flesh, and drawing up their minds to high and heavenly things." He who feels the Spirit in him, will be conscious of possessing the pearl of great price, and will lock it up in the sanctuary of his heart, as his richest treasure, never to be despoiled of it by the seducing arts of false philosophy; never to exchange that pure gold, which is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, for the base metal of worldly politicians, who may endeavour, as they have done, to make truth itself alter her immutable nature, to serve the varying purposes of temporary ambition. Those doctrines of Christianity, which were true under the first Charles, will be considered, notwithstanding the subtle attempts of politicians, equally true under the abandoned profligacy of a second; or in subsequent reigns, when it was discovered by the court divines, that Christianity was as old as the creation, and the religion of grace, a mere republication of the religion of nature.' The substance of Chris

of the worst kind of simony, and pay their souls for the purchase of their preferment."

This, though the pious Sherlock's doctrine, is nearly the same with the infidel Voltaire's, though not quite so honourable to Christianity.

Notre religion revélée n'est même, et ne pouvoit être, que cette loi naturelle perfectionée? Discours sur le Theisme, par M. de Voltaire." Our revealed religion is not, indeed could not be, any thing else but the law of nature advanced to perfection."

Of preaching natural religion for Christianity, let us hear the opinion of two other celebrated divines, and pious men.

"Scarce any thing," says Dr. Trapp, "has of late years been

tianity can survive the wreck of empires, the demolition of temples made with hands, and the dismission of a superstitious or a time-serving priesthood. The living temple of the heart, where the Holy Spirit fixes his shrine, will stand unimpaired, amidst the fallen columns of marble. The kingdom of heaven will remain unshaken, amidst all the convulsions of this changeable globe. We are told, that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; and, though it should happen, in any country of Christendom, that the rulers should be infidels, and the visible church abolished; yet while there are human creatures left alive in it, the church of Christ may still flourish. The doctrine of grace is the only doctrine which tends to preserve Christianity in the world, independent of the caprice and

more prejudicial to religion, than the neglect of the theological part of it, properly so called: and it is very greatly to be lamented, that some writers, even of our own church, out of an undue terror, in opposing some undue doctrines of Calvin, have run into the other extreme, and have too little regarded the necessary doctrines of religion."

They have dwelt upon the agenda, and totally neglected the credenda.

"To preach practical sermons, as they are called, that is, sermons upon virtues and vices, without inculcating those great Scripture truths, of redemption, grace, and the like, which alone can incite and enable us to forsake sin, and follow after righteousness-what is it but to put together the wheels, and set the hands of a watch, forgetting the spring which is to make them all go?" Bishop Horne, and Dr. Trapp, in his Preface to "Preservative."

What Quintilian said, may be applied to moral preaching, when unaccompanied with evangelical.

Nunc vero quæ velut propria philosophiæ asseruntur passim tractamus omnes: quis enim modo de justo, æquo, ac bono, non et vir pessimus loquitur. Quint. Proœmium." But now, those topics which are asserted to be peculiar to philosophy, all of us (rhetoricians as well as philosophers) treat of indiscriminately;

pride of statesmen' and philosophers, or the wickedness of the people. Who shall be impious enough to maintain that God cannot preserve, by his own methods, his own dispensation?

Civil and ecclesiastical power in union, together with the assistance of early education, may, indeed, retain, in a nation, the forms and the name of Christianity; but "the proper force of religion, that force which subdues the mind, which awes the conscience, and influences the private conduct, as well as the public," will only be preserved by a vital experimental sense of the divine energy of the Holy Ghost, whom we declare, with one voice, in our churches, whenever we repeat the Nicene creed, to be the "Lord and giver of life."

I have endeavoured to diffuse this vital, experimental sense, from a conviction that it is peculiarly desirable at a time when infidelity is said to increase, beyond the example of any former age. But I know that I oppose prejudices deeply rooted, and

for who, even the worst of men, hesitates to prate about the just, the equitable, and the good ?”—Quintilian.

With great worldly wisdom, there is always great pride, the greatest adversary to true and sanctified Christian knowledge. All the skill that men so minded can attain to in heavenly matters, is but like lessons got by rote. It must be quite forgotten, or, at least, utterly renounced and laid aside, before we can be admitted into the school of Christ."-Dr. Jackson, vol. i. b. ii. c. 14.

2 Let it be considered that man, besides the benefit of reason to direct him, is blessed with the advantage of something, if not always equivalent, certainly not inferior to the highest refinements of instinct in lower animals; and from the same fountain, I mean grace, the grace of God; which, if any one be hardy, and unphilosophical, and unchristian enough to deny, I shall not attempt to confute him; only desire him to consider calmly, whether it be more incongruous to suppose God aiding and directing reasonable, but fallible beings, with his grace, than brutes with instincts."-Delaney.

far extended. These doctrines are frowned upon by men in high stations.' I know that our Saviour has predicted, what experience has abundantly verified, that the preaching and teaching of the true gospel, will ever create enemies in the world. The modes of persecution differ in different periods; but, in all times, the defenders of evangelical truth are exposed to some mode or some degree of it. I know it well; yet, Woe is me,' may I, and every preacher say, if I preach not the gospel ;'3 the true gospel; such at least, as after the most careful search and long consideration, it appears to my imperfect understanding, and such as I believe it to be in my soul. I only desire the adversary, if any such should arise, to allow the possibility that he, as well as I, and the many great men who support me in my sentiments, may be mistaken! and to ask his own heart, whether he has hitherto studied the subject as a truly humble Christian,* a fallen, depraved, ignorant, and weak creature; or merely as a scholar, critic, philosopher, logician, metaphysician, controversialist, or politician, con tending for the glory of victorious disputation, or the rewards of a profession established and encouraged by the state.

If any clergyman of the church of England

"These doctrines serve no end of popular learning, they help no people to figure and preferment in the world, and are useless to scholastic, controversial writers." -Law.

2 But I must remember that, the fear of man bringeth a snare; but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord, shall be safe.'Proverbs, xxix. 25.

3 1 Cor. ix. 16.

* Antoninus taught that the very first requisite to form a philosopher, was arobaλeiv oiŋoiv, to throw away all conceit of knowledge.

The Rev. Mr. Thomas Edwards, Fellow of Clare Hall,

T

should be disposed utterly to deny the doctrine of immediate grace, divine energy, and supernatural impulse, I would beg leave humbly and affection

Cambridge, after writing a learned and elaborate book against the doctrine of grace, is compelled, by the force of truth, at the conclusion of it, to make the following concessions:

"There are undoubtedly several passages which sufficiently show, that the operations of the Holy Spirit are not to be entirely limited and confined to the extraordinary and miraculous gifts and endowments peculiar to the apostolic age; but, on the contrary, that it will, in all succeeding ages, be communicated in a peculiar manner, to all those who may stand in need of it, in order to the discharge of their duty.

"I can therefore by no means give into their opinion, who, with the witty French Jesuit, look upon these supernatural workings of the Spirit upon the minds of men, as entirely visionary or chimerical; or, as he expressed himself, a mere nescio quid, (je ne sais quoi.) A tempore Augustini, vix ulla vox frequentior fuit voce gratia, ubi sermo est de hominis ad saniorem mentem reditu et vi, cui is reditus debetur. Ea tamen voce quid significetur, cum ab iis quæritur, qui ea utuntur, nihil responsi perspicui ferre licet. Hinc factum ut in Gallia, Jesuita festivi ingenii, non inficete dixit, 'Gratiam illam divinam, quæ tantum strepitum excitavit in scholis, et tam mirabiles effectus in hominum animis edit, gratiam illam adeo efficacem, et suavem simul, quæ de duritie cordis, illæsa arbitrii libertate, triumphat, nihil esse tandem, præter nescio quid.' Clerici, Ars Crit. p. 2. s. 1. c. 8.-" From the time of St. Augustin, scarcely any word has been in more frequent use than the word grace, when the subject of discourse is a man's return to a sounder mind, and the power to which that return is to be ascribed. But when the meaning of the word is asked of them who use it, they can give no clear and definite answer. Hence it happened that in France a Jesuit of a facetious turn jocosely said, That this divine grace which made such a noise in the schools, and produced such wonderful effects on the minds of men; this grace, at once so efficacious and delightful, which triumphs over the hardness of the human heart, without destroying free will, was after all nothing more than what the French express by the phrase, 'Je ne sais quoi.'

The general manner in which the Spirit operates upon men, we may, I humbly conceive, suppose to be, by raising such particular ideas, or making such particular impressions upon their minds, as may influence them," &c.