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From this Glance of Things thus far, there is too much Reafon to conclude, that true Chriftianity was far from gaining Ground from the Time of its Eftablishment downwards, and that earthly Riches and Honours proved Means ill fuited to advance the Interest of Evangelical Piety; nor is it difficult to point out wherein the Church, in these more early Days, miftook her Province and loft her Way; as alfo how much better the would have confulted her Safety and true Honour, if content with Protection and Support from the State, the had more faithfully preferved her Allegiance to Him whofe Kingdom is not of this World, and not defiled herself with the Maxims, Politicks and Alliances that are only of this World, mindful of the Fate which attended the confederate Ships of Jehofaphat and Abaziab, at Ezion Geber. But the Lord, who never left himself without Witneffes even in Times of the greatest Degeneracy, and who raised up Prophets of old to recover the Apoftate Jews from their Defections to Idolatry, has in all Ages of the Church called forth holy Men, animated with a pure and fervent Zeal for his Glory and the Good of Souls, to bear their publick Tefti

mony to the Truth, and to rescue Religion from Ignorance, Error, and Corruption: Accordingly we read of Waldo at Lyons, Claude Arch-Bishop of Turin, Thomas à Kempis, Thauler, Wickliffe, and others, either boldly protefting against fuch Innovations in Doctrine as had endangered the Foundati ons of Religion, or built thereon nothing better than a rotten Superftructure of Wood, Hay, Stubble; or elfe leading the benighted Chriftians of thofe Times through the Darknefs and Formality of an outfide Worship to Repentance from dead Works and a living Faith, to a Righteousness and Truth in the inward Parts: Nor ought we to think fo uncharitably of those who were out of the Reach of their Inftructions and Examples, as therefore to conclude that among them were wanting many holy Souls who, tho'. in much Weakness and Superftition, yet in Simplicity and true Devotion, found their Way to God, and were accepted of Him.

An Author of Church Hiftory, who be trays no Partiality in Favour of the Afcetic Life, gives the following fhort Account of fome British Monks who lived according to the Rule of St. David, at Vall Rofine in

Pem

Pembrokeshire *:* They were raifed with the crowing of the Cock from their Beds, "and then betook themselves to their Pray

ers, and fpent the reft of the Day in their **feveral Callings. When their Tafk was "done, they again bestowed themfelves in Prayers, Meditations, Reading and Writing; and at Night, when the Heavens were full of Stars, they firft began to "feed, having their temperate Repaft to "fatisfy Hunger on Bread, Water, and *Herbs: Then the third Time they went to their Prayers and fo to Bed, till the *Circulation of their daily Employment « returned in the Morning. A Spectacle "this of Virtue and Continence, who altho they received nothing or any thing very unwillingly, yet were fo far from wanting Neceffaries, that by their Pains they provi❝ded Suftenance for many poor People, Orphans, Widows, and Strangers.

To the above mentioned Names fucceeded, at fome Diftance, the illuftrious Catalogue of Reformers both at Home and Abroad, who pared off manyErrors and Superftitions from Religion, and exalted the Doctrines of

Fuller, in his Church Hift. Book VI.

divine Grace on the Downfal of Merits, Indulgences and other lucrative Figments of Man's Invention: The People were now permitted to read the Bible; the publick Service of the Church was performed in a Language understood by all, and Perfecution was no longer established by Law. Thus Light, Liberty, and Moderation, became the Glory of our excellent national Church: And tho' it be generally allowed that our Reformers went too far with Calvin in fome particular Points, yet a Church fo well ordered and modelled in the main of her Doctrines and Conftitution had little Reafon to complain of fome few Tenets which in the Hands of moderate Men could do no Hurt to Religion. But, as if on purpose to teach us, not to place our Strength and Confidence in any the best framed Conftitutions, and to inftruct us in our need of continual Watchfulness, in lefs than a Century Arminianifm got footing amongst us and met with Encouragement: The Dignity and Powers of the human Nature began to be more highly thought of, then according to the Doctrine of our Articles, Men's Attention was called off from the Infide to the Outfide of Religion, and more Pains employed to decorate the Form b

than

than to urge the Power of Godlinefs Nor did it a little help Religion on its Way down-hill, that fome who talked loudly of Grace and the Spirit, fhewed themfelves Men intoxicated with the Dregs of earthly Policy, thirsting after temporal Dominion, and turning Faith into Faction. This ferved to confirm Prejudices already conceived against Doctrines good in themselves, but difgraced by the Practices of fome that held the Truth in Unrighteoufnefs; Piety was now termed Puritanifm, Profanenefs and the Love of Pleasure knew no Bounds, and it was common to place more of Loyalty and Religion in drinking Bumpers to Church and State than in fober Serioufnefs. Politicks and Polemicks had a great fhare in the Religion of the Times, and this occafioned a variable and time-ferving Kind of Divinity: Thus the fame Doctrine of paflive Obedience and Non-refiftance which was a diftinguishing Badge of Orthodoxy in one Reign, was eliminated in the next: One while he was thought beft affected to the Church of England who exclaimed loudeft again the Church of Rome; and foon after a Spirit of Moderation appearing in Favour of fcrupulous Confciences, the Alarm. was founded,

that