monizes in one melodious. Tune of Praife to the Lord of all Lords, whose Wisdom, Power, and Goodness are difplayed with infinite Diverfity, tho' wonderful Order, throughout the Kingdoms of Heaven and Earth.

As the Word Establishment is often used by fome as a Plea for Uncharitableness, and fuch a Conftitution is too much rested in by others as a proper Security for the Truth and Welfare of Religion: That we may not grow remifs by our Advantage, and so become Lofers by that which was intended for our Benefit; that we be not high minded but fear, and not trust in the Arm of Flesh for our Defence, but in the living God, it will be proper on this Account, as well as to answer other Defigns of this Preface, to confider, fome of the various Changes and Revolutions that have happened in the Church fince its first Alliance with the State. And here we fhall do well to reflect, that the Establishment of Chriftianity under the Countenance and Protection of the Civil Power, great as the Bleffing is in itself, is but an accidental Circumstance, and no effential Property of a Chriftian Church, feeing that we acknowledge thofe

to

to have been the pureft Ages of it before it
knew any
fuch Tutelage: For fo it has hap-
pened, thro' the Malice of Satan and the
Corruption of human Nature, that the
pious and praise-worthy Care of Chriftian
Princes in providing for the Encouragement
and Support of Religion and the Security of
its Profeffors, has been in many Instances
disappointed, and that by a most unhappy
Reverse of hoped for Confequences, the
Indulgence of its Friends has on many Oc-
cafions proved more fatal to the true Intereft
of Chriftianity than the Perfecutions of its
Enemies. The Church which before, un-
der all the Weakness and Difgrace of Infancy
and Sufferings, grew up as a tender Plant,
and as a Root out of a dry Ground, yet
bearing much precious Fruit, when tranf-
planted into the richer Soil of an Establish-
ment, did foon lamentably degenerate: It
waxed great indeed in the Sunshine of Prof-
perity and under the copious Showers of
Royal Favour and Bounty, but its Fruitful-
nefs was impaired thereby: She ftretched
forth her Branches unto the Sea, and her
Boughs unto the River, but little elfe than
Leaves were seen to grow thereon. No
fooner did Riches and Honours, Satan's

laft

laft and most prevailing Temptations, flow in upon her, than Chriftianity began to wear another Afpect, the hitherto inflexible Spirit of its Profeffors gradually foftened into a Conformity to this World, and Chrif tian Simplicity gave Way to Earthly Policy: Eafe and Affluence engendered Security, and whilft Men flept in a falfe and fatal Peace, the Enemy with a full Hand fowed thick the Tares of Covetoufnefs, Ambition, and Worldly-mindedness in their Hearts, which grew up and choaked the good Seed. Henceforward, as Church Hiftory informs us, was to be feen great ftriving among Ecclefiaftical Perfons for the highest Dignities and richeft Preferments, and much Pontifical Contention about Precedency and Jurifdiction: The Difciple now wanted to be above his Mafter, and the Servant above his Lord: Nay, Chrift's pretended Vicars began to aspire at fupreme Sovereignty over Princes, and to fet theFoot of Church Power upon the Neck of Royalty.

Moft Authors fix the ceafing of miraculous Powers in the Church about the Time of Conftantine; and the Reafon commonly affigned for fuch Discontinuance is, that being now under the Protection and Security

of

of an Establishment, the no longer ftood in need of those extraordinary Seals and Atteftations to the Divinity of her Original and Doctrines; whereas the Truth of the Matter in a great Meafure lies here: The inward Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit were eminently poffeffed by the primitive Chrif tians; their ardent Love of God, their holy Imitation of the Life of Christ, their powerful Faith, their fevere Difcipline, their Deadness to the World, and their fervent Devotion, enriched their Souls with wonderful Communications of the Divine Energy; they were indeed. Living Temples of the Holy Ghoft, and Chrift wrought in their Faith and by their Faith, and therefore many mighty Works did fhew forth themselves in them: But when Chrif tians forfook their firft Love and became wedded to the Things of this World, they commenced Members of another Kingdom, their fpiritual Powers departed with the fpiritual Life, and confequently the Effects ceafed, fo that from the Fourth Century downwards we meet with but few Miracles of a publick Notoriety that may be depended on.

Under

Under this vifible Declenfion of Chriftianity, in the Spirit and Power of it, the outward vifible Church, conscious that thefe Divine Signatures were departed from her, and that she was no longer, in general, that pure, that chafte, that heavenly Spouse of Christ, all glorious within, and marvellous in Gifts as before, began to deck herfelf in all the painted and pompous Orna ments of a gliftering outfide Worship; magnificent Temples with much Imagery and Sculpture, were erected, and beautified with all that Man's Art and Device could project and execute; coftly Veftments, gilded Furniture, Croffes of Gold and Silver, decorated with precious Stones, stately Wax Candles, &c. were introduced into the Churches, as well to feed the Pride of Man as to make a fanctimonious Show, and to fupply the want of the true Riches. It was now also that Men began to fetch their Divinity from the Schools, and to fubftitute human Learning in the room of that Wif dom which is from Above, whilft a Syftem of Opinions, Diftinctions, and curious Spe culations on the one hand, and a gorgeous Ceremonial on the other, made up the Religion of the Times.

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