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plicity of fentiment and diction, which, when it is found in other ancient authors, never fails to please the judicious; and ufually furpaffes ftudied thoughts and laboured fentences, as much as Nature is fuperior to Art. One good man admonishes. another with a candid freedom, and gives him a leffon of caution and humility, upon the fuppofition, that none is entirely fafe and quite remote from all spiritual danger, whilft he is in a state of probation. The divine Wisdom, which would not level threatenings against impoffibilities, has made a folemn commination,-When the righteous man turneth away from his righteoufness which is enough to make a righteous man tremble. A perfon may continue fuch for a confiderable time; fo far true to his duty, as to contract no very foul fpot; till at length fome imperious Temptation demands admittance; and then Virtue, Confcience, Honour, Religion, fall before her, to the furprise of men, and to the grief of Angels. Admonition therefore is right and fit; and fo judges our Church, and has made a provision for it in the Office of Confecration.

It may be thought that the Admonition in the. Office is a proper fubject to be affumed and en-. larged upon in a discourse; and fo it would, if it were in fuitable hands. The elders, fays St. Peter, I exhort, who am also an elder. It is impoffible to attempt it in the presence of one, who, as in all

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other repeats, fo, in eminence of station, is far better qualified to perform it.

Shall we then difcourfe concerning the Degrees of facred offices, and the form of Church government which is here eftablished; and vindicate it from the rude afperfions of fome, and the weak prejudices of others? This is a difcouraging subject, for it has been frequently and fully discussed, and nothing new can be offered upon it worthy to engage attention. But from the mention of it we may take occafion to admonish and exhort men, to set a just esteem upon the religion which the kind Providence of God has preferved amongst us, and by which we are as advantageously distinguished as we can reasonably expect; for Perfection dwells not here below. Whofoever knows, even fuperficially, what paffes and has paffed in the Christian world, knows what has been the spirit and the conduct of fome Synods and Affemblies, - I will not fay any thing harder of Proteftant brethren; and what the imperioufnefs of that Church, which calls herself the Mother and the Mistress of all Churches; and what the procedures of the Inquifition; which he who has feen, has beheld a

*Of one who has been in the Inquifition, it might be faid,
Tanarias etiam fauces, alta oftia Ditis,

Et caligantem nigrá formidine lucum

Ingreffus, Manefque adiit, Regemque tremendum,
Nefciaque bumanis precibus manfuefcere corda.

VIRG. Georg. IV. 467.

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This might ferve for a faint reprefentation,

more formidable reprefentation of the infernal regions, than even poetic fancy ever painted.

It is to be hoped that our love for our own Church has been rather increased than diminished, by the apprehenfions which we had, not long ago, of her falling into the hands of her worst enemies. Our eyes then viewed her, as they pursue the mild and gentle light of the setting fun :* we then began to understand her value, because we then feared to lose her.

Shall I proceed to speak more particularly concerning the perfon now appointed to the Epifcopal function? Inclination draws that way, and words present themselves unfought; and it is a pleasure to utter them, when the heart and the tongue conspire together, and Truth guides them both : But the Cenforious would pronounce it Flattery, and the Severe would call it injudicious Gratitude. It is better to be filent, than to be fufpected of offering what is not fit for the one to give, and the other to receive.

Shall we then rather speak in general of the difcreet choice which is made of perfons to prefide over us in Church and State? Many would fay that this was paying compliments to the Age, at the expense of truth. It were no hard task to confute them; but, declining this, for feveral

Ut effe folis gratius lumen folet
Jamjam cadentis.

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reafons, I chufe rather to follow my text, and to give them an advice, of which I am fure they greatly ftand in need; and that is, that they would be cautious not to run into the extreme, of undervaluing and reviling their teachers and governors.

Say not thou, fays Solomon, What is the caufe that the former days were better than thefe? For thou doft not inquire wifely concerning this. There is room to conjecture that Solomon fpake this feelingly, and for particular reafons. There were probably in his time perverfe men in Ifrael, who fhook their foolish heads, and regretted the old days; and obferved that the reign of his father David was preferable to his; and that it was better with the nation under Saul, than under the new family. Such judgments he condemns, as proceeding from malicious fpleen, and fenfelefs prejudice. To bring the matter home to ourfelves, One who were to confider the thing impartially, and found in himfelf no difpofition to flatter, or to rail, or to repine, would probably be of opinion that the world goes on, as the fun fhines, much as it did before we were born, and that we are no worfe than our progenitors for as to public calamities, which human prudence cannot forefee, or, foreseeing, cannot prevent, it is very unreasonable to lay them to the charge of the government; and the civil Magiflrate might juftly fay, as the king of Ifrael did, Am I God, to kill and to make alive? where

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fore confider, I pray you, and fee, how they feek a quarrel against me.*

One thing, only, give me leave to add, for I cannot decently stifle it, in favour of our own times; namely, that Learning,-learning, which has made a man pass for a Magician, for a Heretic, and for a Fool, and has been often observed to be a fymptom of poverty,-is no difqualification or impediment, but rather a credit and a recommendation. It has fome friends and favourers, even amongst the great; and it has no enemy except Envy, which pilfers and purloins a small matter from an established character; a moderate tax upon fuperior abilities, and a lofs which is fcarcely felt.

It would be an unpardonable omiffion in one, who has had a liberal education, not to lay hold of this occafion, and proceed to say something in behalf of Literature. We, who cannot reward it, ought at least to recommend it to thofe who can; and exhort and admonish them, that they would cherish and protect it, even for their own fake. We are naturally difpofed to feek and to value reputation; Reputation and praise are a recompenfe, which our Saviour himself with his own facred mouth conferred upon a generous action: Wherefoever, fays he, this Gospel fhall be preached in the

II Kings, v. 7. —Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me, to recover a man of his leprofy? faid the king of Ifrael. Our fovereign likewife pretends not to cure the leprofy; and yet is a rightful king, and a good ruler for all that.

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