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POSTSCRIPT.

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PROMOTER of my work, having communicated to me lately, fome printed OBSERVATIONS UPON THE HOMILIES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND *, I cannot refift the present opportunity of offering the following curfory remarks upon the apparent object of that publication, which I humbly trust will be no lefs diftinguishable for their truth and candor, than the propriety of their insertion. The homilies have frequently fuffered for want of timely vindication: and to have neglected taking notice of a treatise which fo materially concerns the plan of the following work, the Editor conceives would have rendered him highly culpable, in the opinion of all who are interested in the fuccefs of his undertaking.

* A pamphlet printed for Johnfon in St. Paul's Church Yard. 1790.

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Objections

Objections to any work, conveyed in ftrictures only, must be allowed a partial, and incompetent mode of paffing judgment; in common juftice therefore, to the intrinfic value of a book which has engaged fo much of my attention, I must crave the indulgence of my readers for this further teftimony of zeal in its defence.

And first, in general reply to the contemptuous fneers against the many fuppofed exceptions to the homilies; fo far from admitting these, venerable remains of our reformers, to merit the fcourge of partial cenfure, on account of any effential blemishes in their pious labors, I will take upon me to affert, that, with all due deference to the acknowledged improvement of our language, and allowing alfo for modern refinement in the ftyle of writing, they even fill, and ever will retain, the clear marks of masterly compofition in many of the important fubjects on which they treat. They abound in learned ground-work, gravity, of thought, and moft confiderate provifion for the particular objects of their inftruction. Nay I will venture to maintain, that reftricted as the powers of the authors neceffarily must have been, to adopt their meaning to the apprehension of the humble, and uncultivated capacity, juft emerging from the darkness of extreme ignorance, and the trammels of fuperftition; yet

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they occasionally foar the wings of genuine eloquence, and fpeak moft forcibly to the affections, no less than to the understanding. Their discourses were formed for the fimple, untutored, less refined, or lefs corrupted hearers · of that early day*, and doubtlefs carried con-, viction and comfort on the points they recommended. And it would be equally just and reafonable, to derogate from the merit of the homilies, because they speak not in the correct and polished periods of Atterbury, Sharp, or Sherlock, as to question the integrity of an ingenious, and useful artift, because he does not, work in a laced shirt, or embroidered cloaths,

It is a very grofs mistake, to fuppofe that in more early ages, the general manners of the people were equally corrupt as at prefent. The progrefs of wickednefs in the antideluvian world, and the whole tenor of God's word contradicts the fuppofition. God declares that his spirit shall not always Atrive with man; and that there is a time when the measure of iniquity is filled up. And our bleffed Lord doubts, when he comes, whether he shall find faith on earth; for which reason, and for the fake of the elect, the days fhall be fhortened.. It must be obvious to common fenfe, that the more light is offered to any people, and the more they abufe it, the more wicked they must be: befides, when the whole head is fick, and the heart is faint, how is it wonderful that the members par-, take of the difeafe? Thus refinement in vice, and the evil example of superiors, contribute to corrupt the whole mafs. On all these accounts, and many more that might be adduced, we are certainly become more univerfally depraved and diffolute in principle, than in former times, and in the nature of things, fo neceffarily muft it be, till fome check is put to the diforder by a general, and effential reformation,

There is indifputably as much folid judgment required to prepare proper materials for the incumbent task of endeavouring to reform, and regulate illiterate perfons, as to gratify and tranfport the more cultivated understandings of their fuperiors.

Scribendi rectè fapere eft principium et fons.

The pamphlet in queftion is written in a concise, accurate, and fpecious manner, and is defigned to befpeak the favor of the reader, by a recommendation that will ever have weight, viz. an appearance of eradicating error, and supporting truth. I will endeavour to convey a notion of the spirit of the work, by a sketch of the preface, and leave it to the substance of the homilies themfelves, to answer this, and every other attack the public may think proper to compare with them. The principal parts in which I think it neceflary to remark, I shall diftinguish by the Italic character; and the ftill more pointed affertions by CAPITAL letters. To begin with the quotations.-This following is the first, which the writer has felected to grace his title page, like all mottos, it wears a plaufible invitation: Every one who fubfcribes the articles ought to read the two books of homilies, otherwife be fubfcribes a blank, he approves a book implicitly, and binds

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bimfelf to read it as may be required, WITHOUT

KNOWING ANY THING CONCERNING IT *

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As the words here ftand unconnected with other matter, many, from the last member of this quotation, might poffibly fuppofe that these two books contained something a man should be his guard against fubfcribing. Perhaps the author of the pamphlet wished as much to be understood; and indeed without the defire. of fuch an implication, this extract from the prelate is no ways serviceable to the general object of the pamphlet: For it is abundantly evident, that the plain tenor of the bishop's words. infers no more than an exhortation to strict moral compliance in point of engagement in every fubscriber of the articles, and not the least infinuation, that the book of homilies fets forth any thing exceptionable as principal grounds of faith. and practice, or the leaft inconfiftent with the articles of the Church. And indeed from the bishop's own character of the homilies, already tranfcribed in the foregoing introduction, we may fafely conclude, that he thought they contained both godly and wholefome doctrines, and that they were necessary for the times. †

The Second quotation derives its seeming confequence in being taken from a modern publication, entitled, Confiderations on the expediency * Bishop Burnet.

See page viii of the preface to the pamphlet.

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