They have devoted themselves to a feducing philofophy, and left religion, thus disfigured, to the grofs vulgar, whom they erroneously conceived were naturally attached to the horrors of a cruel and gloomy, as well as a filly, fuperftition.

Is it not defirable to vindicate Christianity from fuch difhonour? to fhow that her moft important doctrine, the doctrine of divine energy, leads to every difpofition that is gentle, amiable, and beneficent; that it exalts, refines, and mollifies the human bofom; and while it kindles a lively and ardent hope of future felicity, improves every real enjoyment of the present life? Such a representation, and it certainly is a just one, must invite every man, who feels, as he ought, for himfelf or others, within the Christian pale.

The Spirit is a fpirit of truth, and therefore must be adverse to all affectation of fanctity, all studied severity of afpect and demeanour, intended only to excite external refpect, and to imprefs on the fpectators, often for the fake of intereft, as well as from vanity, an idea of spiritual pre-eminence. The Spirit is a loving fpirit, and therefore very unlike that of the four, cenforious pretenders, who condemn all innocent amusements, and think none capable of divine favour but themselves, and those who entertain their fentiments on points perfectly indifferent in the fight of God, and of every reasonable man. The Spirit is a spirit of wisdom, which implies a due degree of knowledge and ability for every undertaking we voluntarily engage in, and therefore cannot approve the preaching of illiterate perfons, who are unacquainted, not only with the languages in which the fcriptures were written, but often with their own; who are fitter to be catechumens than catechifts; to fit at the

feet

feet of Gamaliel, than to ufurp his chair. Learning may not be requifite in the pious hearer, but is certainly fo in every one who affumes the office of an inftructor. He is not an honeft man, who profeffes and is paid to instruct others, without having exerted himself to the utmost to procure a competent store of knowledge. The operations of the Holy Spirit, accompanying his endeavours, may make a good Chriftian in his private capacity; may give him faith and knowledge fufficient for his falvation; but they do not, fince the time of the apostles, bestow a knowledge of languages, or qualify ALONE, without the aids of human learning, for a TEACHER of theology*.

The annals of fuicide, if any fuch there were, and the registers of Bedlam, might bear witness to the mischiefs caused by fanatical mechanics, with strong paffions and imaginations, but of feeble and narrow intellects, wildly haranguing weak and aged men and women on their lost state, on their danger of eternal damnation, and a thoufand other moft awful matters, which at once puzzle the understandings, and difmay the hearts of the deluded multitude. True Chriftianity shudders at the fufferings of well-meaning devotees, wantonly inflicted by ignorant zealots, feeking felf-importance, and gratifying the pride of their hearts, as leaders of a wretched tribe, whom noife and high pretenfions collect eafily in every populous city, and in every poor neighbourhood, where the neceffity of constant manual employment for the

"Minifiring grace confifts not in a felf-appointment and defig"nation; for no man taketh this bonour to himself but he that is called "of God." Heb. v. 4, 5.-" A promifcuous miniftry and intrusion

into it without call or miffion, is a facrilegious attempt on the grace of "God, but is no gift of the Holy Ghoft." GLOUCESTER RIDLEY.

means

means of fubfiftence, precludes all contemplation, and the improvement of judgment that might refult from it.

In compaffion to these people, who deferve every affistance, because they certainly intend every thing that is good, though they do and fuffer great evil, through defect of judgment, I wish the regular clergy, both of the established and diffenting church, to feed them with the food in which they delight-the heavenly manna, the doctrine of grace. There is no doubt but that many of them do fo occafionally; but I fubmit it to them whether grace ought not to be a leading and principal topic in every difcourfe inculcating morality. I beg leave to fuggeft that EVANGELICAL preaching, in which the doctrine of divine energy must always make a very confiderable part, would keep their congregations from wandering after men, who have no other qualification for preaching but zeal, real or pretended*; zeal without knowledge, or a knowledge confined, fuperficial, and unaccompanied with general charity or found difcretion. With all their defects, they do, however, preach the doctrine of grace. The people know this to be the genuine doctrine of the gospel, and therefore they flock by tens of thousands to hear it, regardlefs of the barbarifm of the felf-appointed orator, who leaves the loom and the laft for the pulpit.

The pearl of great price, the common people, efpecially the methodists, eftimate highly, however rudely it may be fet; but how much more would they prize it, if it were fet, adequately to

*They procure attention," fays Mr. Herbert, "by earnest"nefs of fpeech; it being natural to men to think that where there " is much earneftnefs, there is fomething worth hearing."

Their nonfenfe is generally dreffed up in Scripture phrafe, which gives it an air of fanctity and folemnity. It is the afs in the lion's fkin.

its immense value, in the pureft gold, by the hand of a master? If men of found and extenfive learning, of true taste and eloquence, were to recommend it, in a dignified, decorous manner, and with all the beauties of proper language, the fieldpreacher would rant in folitude, and the tabernacle * would be as empty as most of the parish churches in London. To the parish churches in London I refer the inquirer, who wishes to know how little the most decent and ftudied difcourfes on morality, or practical religion, for they are ufually confounded, avail to attract the people. Let him leave a while his books and library, and read the volume of real life. We have had enough of

*When one fees the multitudes that throng certain tabernacles, where very weak men hold forth with fcarcely any apparent recommendation but effrontery, one is almoft tempted to fay on the occafion, "God hath chofen the foolish things of this world to confound "the wife; and God hath chofen the weak things of the world to "confound the mighty, that no flesh might glory in his prefence." I Cor. i. 27.

These things, fays the haughty court divine, are calculated for the meridian of the vulgar. But let us hear Erafmus: " Hæc, in66 quam, PLEBEIA, fi præftarent pro fuâ forte principes, fi in concionibus "inculcarent facerdotes, fi pueris inftillarent ludimagiftri, potius quam ERUDITA ILLA***; non fic perpetuis pene bellis tumultuaretur un"dique res Chriftiana, non tam infano ftudio per fas nefafque congerendi "divitias ferverent omnia; non tot litibus ubique perftreperent facra "pariter ac profana. Denique non titulo tantum et ceremoniis differemus

ab his qui Chrifti Philofophiam non profitentur."—But VULGAR as these things are, if men in high ftations gave an example of them, as far as their ftations admit, in their lives and converfations; if the clergy inculcated them in their fermons; if schoolmasters inftilled them into the minds of their boys, in preference to thofe HIGHLY LEARNED MATTERS, with which they make fuch a parade; then Chriftendom would not be disturbed by WARS almost without an interval of ceffation;-then men would not every where be hurried on with the mad defire of heaping up riches without regard to right or wrong;-then all things, both facred and profane, would not be every where involved in ftrife and confufion :-in a word, then we should be diftinguished in fomething more effential than the mere name of Christians, and the ceremonies of the church, from those who openly and honeftly avow themselves not to be profeffors of CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHY.' 33

ERASMUS.

words,

words, enough of systems, enough of controversy; let us ftudy and teach what attracts the erring multitude, what is really and efficiently useful to the mass of the people, what improves human nature, renders life as comfortable as the condition of humanity will admit, and opens a pleasing profpect, when life must be relinquished, beyond the grave.

SECTION XLII.

Bishop Lavington's, Opinion refpecting the Extravagancies and Follies of fanatical Preachers, and Pretenders to the Spirit.-Calmness of Temper recommended to religious Perfons.-Sobriety, Moderation, and the ferene Compofure of a well regulated Mind.

IN N the cautionary part of my work I think it expedient to reprefent fanaticifm, in its proper fhape and colours, which are truly hideous. I cannot do this more effectually than in the words of Bishop Lavington, who, while a ftrenuous defender of the true doctrine of grace, wrote a very able treatise on purpose to explode thofe abfurdities which were advanced in the ftrange journals of Whitfield and Weftley; both of them men of great abilities, and one a man of learning; but both intoxicated at one time by the flattery of multitudes, who followed in their train with a submission approaching to idolatry.

"Wherever," fays the bishop, "I find great ftrefs laid upon fome imaginary, infignificant, or unintelligible peculiarities; the word of God "turned into a conjuring-book; the divine ordi

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