arise and abound, who have no authority to teach the people. One reformation without authority soon begets another of the same sort : confusion thickens; and of spiritual, as well as of political anarchy, we all know the end; we know whence it cometh, and whither it goeth. One corruption, once admitted, soon increases. to more, till all is lost. We preach wrong: that error is corrected by another; by a reformation founded in disobedience; that turns to schism; and in schism, they that are wise without the Church, will soon be wise against it; this leads to heresy, and that to infidelity; a dreadful progress; but it hath been verified a thousand times. Whence comes all this? what is the root of all? how are our preachers formed and educated? Look at Bishop Warburton's directions for the studies of a young Clergyman; his first book is Locke on Human Understanding you need look no farther, for if he begin here, we know what road he will pursue. When I speak of Mr. Locke, I speak not of the man, but of his principles. God will measure no man by his powers, but by his application of them. We must allow that he was a man of uncommon talents, and wise in his generation; but so much the worse, if his foundations. Y 3 tions were false, and his schemes dangerous. after We must also allow that the world is gone him worse still, for they are a large body; and if they are out of the way, great must be the power to fetch them back again? We may add, which is worst of all, that he was the oracle to those who began and conducted the American Rebellion; which led to the French Revolution; which will lead (if God permit) to the total overthrow of Religion and Government in this kingdom, perhaps in the whole Christian world; and all this from Mr, Locke; the prime favourite, and grand instrument, with that mischievous infidel Voltaire; who knew what he was about, when he came forward to destroy Christianity, as he had threatened, with Mr. Locke in his hand; and it has answered his purpose after which, let any person judge, whether the doctrines of Mr. Locke will prepare any young man for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Facts are stubborn things, and they furnish a plain and certain rule to our judgment; the same with that of the gospel, By their fruits yes hall know them. I may be thought to have said too much, and gone too far, but I am afraid I have not gone far enough. This is not a time to trifle; we are are not to tremble at small dangers, when evils of the first magnitude are ready to fall upon us. I would not rudely conclude any notion to be false, because it is popular; but popularity with me is no recommendation, when I consider what absurdities have been propagated by learned men, and swallowed by the populace in the Church of Rome. But this I know withal, that he who slights popularity, must never expect to be popular: a great misfortune to some men, but a very small one to others. I learned very early in life, that if any one would go through the world with peace to his mind, and advantage to his fortune, he must hear, and see, and say nothing; but I learned afterwards, that the truth of God is worth all the world; and in this persuasion, as I have long lived, so now I hope to die; leaving be hind me this paper, as a witness that there was one man, of little note, and of no ambition, who, having his eyes opened to see some great errors of the time, with the power they have obtained over the judgments of learned men ; and knowing their tendency to alienate us farther from God, and involve us in that total corruption which must bring divine judgment upon us, could not refrain from warning his brethren, that they consider in time (if time be still left to us) how far, and in what respect, they are departed from the faith and truth of the Church of England, as it was at the Reformation: how far they have been seduced by novel schemes, which have no foundation but in men's heads; how far they have been carried down the stream by the current opinions of the time, and the influence of fashion, which few minds are able to withstand. We are told that things may be highly esteemed among men, and yet be abomination in the sight of God. What are these things? where are they to be found? and how are they to be detected? not by scholastic subtilties, but by this easy rule before-mentioned, and ever to be remembered; in the application of which it is scarcely possible to err, BY THEir fruits ye SHALL KNOW THEM. One naked strait line from Heaven will detect all the numberless crooked lines of earthly wisdom, with all their flourishes and decorations about them. Let every word I have said be put to this test; it is all the allowance I ask or desire; but from the world I will never take the rule of my judgment: I will take it only from God, who is the judge of all. Knowing the danger of human authority, and the rashness of human speculation speculation, I will depend no more on any philosopher, however great and celebrated, than upon the poor fallen Pope of Rome : if he do not depend upon God, I will not depend upon him and if the world, for so doing, should shut me out from its mercy, God, I trust, will receive me to his, through Jesus Christ: in whose name, and for whose sake, I subscribe myself, with duty and affection. A Friend and Servant to the THOUGHTS |