A* iiL" '^^*^^^^'^ •^ W''-:3 ''^^ jfe:->SJS« '*#.: ^% E-5« •* .f ^l'- ^•'1 wm^m **' '***«n, Ri. . r*^ ?«*.■ >■; m'.....* Cornell University Library BR75 .E65 1816 olin "3""l924"b29 228 198 The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029228198 THE - CHRISTIAN'S MANUAL, COMPILED FEOM THE ENCHIRlDfON MIHTIS CHRISTIAN! OF / ERASMUS, WITH COPIOUS SCRIPTURE NOTES AND COMMENTS ON SEVERAL FATAL ERRORS IN EeUffion anti ^oralitg* PREFIXED IS SOME ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR, HIS RECEPTION IN ENGLAND, AND CORRESPONDENCE. BY PeiJLIP WYATT'CROWTHER, ESQ. Take the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." Ephes. vi, 17. FOE THE BENEFIT OF THE CITY OF LONDON AUXILIARY NATIONAL SCHOOLS. " Ye do err, Hol knoaing the Scriptures, nor the power 193 Rule XIX. The difference between serving God and the Devil 200 Rule XX. The 'different rewards of virtue and vice - - 201 Rule XXI. Of the shortness of life ------- 206 Rule XXIIi Of the danger of final impenitence - - - 207 Special Mules against , some particular Sins. Rule I. Against fornication -------__ 2O8 Rule II. Against avarice ---------- 212 Rule III. Against ambition ----.----215 Rule IV. Against pride -- - -.- - - - - - 217 RuleV. Against anger, revenge, and different sins - - 219 SOME ACCOUNT Of ERASMUS, irts -^ DECEPTION IN ENGLAND, Coite0ponDenci^» K&ASMuS was borii at Roterdairt, 2Sth Octobef, 1467, the illegitimate son of Gerard,- a native of Tergou, by Margaret, the daughter of Peter, a physician of Sevenbprgen, a town in BrOf bant, three leagues from Breda. Gerard's rejiations wished hinl to become an ecclesiastic } to avoid their importunities he removed to Rome, where he acquired considerable knowledge of the Greek and Latin languages, and the civil law ; and maint^ned himself by transclribing ancient authors ; the art of printing being then but lately iiivented.'. His relations, to prevent his revisiting his beloved Margaret, falsely ' John Guttemberg or Gansfleisch, of Mentz, invented printing An. 1438. Schoeffer perfected the invention at Strasbourg, by casting the ^jspes in an iron mould or matrix, engraven with a putifcheon. ', Thomas Caxton, a citizen of London, set up a printing, press in the Abbey of St. Peter, Westminster, An. 1471. It was afterwards intro- duced into the monasteries, '^ide Stow's Annals, p. 404. The origin of printing is ably investigated'by Horne in his " Introduc- tion to the Study of Bibliography." Vol. i. p. 144. Ch. Ma. a ii Some Account (^Erasmus. stated she was dead. Upon this mournful intelligence he took orders ; and when he returned to Holland, and discovered -the imposition, he strictly observed his religious vow, and withdrew from her society. Erasmus, from the harmony of his voice, was appointed a chorister of Utrecht Cathedral, and at the age of nine went to school at Deventer, where his mother settled to watch his infant velars. She died of the plague when her son was thirteen. Gerard was so affected at her death, that he did not long sur- vive. They were respectively aged about forty. At Deventer, Erasmus was distinguished by a great memory, and could repeat all Terence and Horace by heart. " Rodol- ,phus Agricola, having read the exercises of the scholars of his friend Hegius, who had made the school at Deventer very fam- ous, found that of Erasmus the best of them all, and desired to see that youftg scholar, who was dien fourteen years old ; he «»s called out ■cX. the scliool to galute Agricola^ who, taking him by the head, told bim, * you will ofte day be a great man.' " ■ « John Sintheimus, one of the best masters in the College of; Deventer, was so well satisfied with Erasmus's improvement, diat Jte f mbraoed aAd kissed him, saying, < cheer up, you will one ^y attain the higliest pitch of learning.' " ' Erasmias fcnwied a friendship wil^ Adrianus Florentinus, a£terwar-hich in the German language means amiable. Following the fashion of learned men of those times, who affected to give their names a Latin * or a Greek turn, he called himself Desiderius, which in Latin, and Erasmus, which in Greek hath the same signification. Afterwards he was sensible that he should rather have called himself Erasmius 5 and he gave this name to his godson, Joannes Erasmius Frobenius." ^ He also called himself Roterodamus, from his native city. ' Thd fastings and aiisterities of a monastery were unsuitable to his health,^ and in 1490, he gladly accepted an invitation from Henry a Bergis, Bishop of Cambray, to reside with him. The Bishop was anxious to obtain a Cardinal's hat, and to avail him- self of Erasmus's great knowledge of Latin, to solicit the affair. In 1492, at the age of twenty-five, he was ordained by the Bishop of Utrecht. Disappointed in his expectationsfrom the Bishc^ of Cambray, vih0 « was very liberal of his promises, but not of his money,"* in 1496, he removed to Montaigu College, Paris, and supported Juaiself by private pupils, chiefly English, who repaired to Paris as the seat of learning ; among them was William Lord Mont- joy- He was solicited to accept the office of tutor to James Stan* ley, son of the Earl of Derby, aftervf ards Bishop of Ely, with " Ex< gr< Fi&her, Piscator, Bullock, Bovillus. * Joftiii,,LifeofEra»mus, vol. i, p. 4. ^ Ep. S. ♦ Efi, 501. c, 1885. iv Some Account ofEraUfhui. the promise of a considerable pension and preferment, but said, " he would not be so hindered from prosecuting his studies for the wealth of the world." In 1497, he accompanied Lord Montjoy to England, and was at St. Mary's, Oxford ; ' he established a friendship with Wil- liam Grocyn, Thomas Linacer, William Latimer, John Colet, and Thomas More, afterwards Lord Chancellor. He was ac- quainted with Wolsey then bursar of Magdalen College. " As to his familiarity with Sir Thomas More, there are se- veral stories related,* and especially one concerning the disputes that had been between them about Transubstantiation, or the real presence of Christ in the consecrated Wafer, of which Sir Thomas was a strenuous maintainer, and Erasmus an opponent : of which, when Erasmus saw he was too strongly biassed to be convinced by arguments, he at last made use of the following facetious retortion on him. It seems in their disputes concern- ing the real presence of Christ in the Sacrament, which were in Latin, Sir Thomas had frequently used this expression, and laid the stress of his proof upon the force of believing, " crede quod iedis et edis." i. e. believe you eat (Christ) and you do eat him ; therefore Erasmus answers him, « crede quod hdbes et kdbes" believe that you have (your horse) and you have him. It seems at Erasmus's going away. Sir Thomas-had lent him his horse to carry him to the sea side or Dover ; but he either car* ried him with him over sea to Holland, or sent him not back to Sir Thomas, at least for some time ; upon which Sir Thomas writing to Erasmus about his horse, Erasmus is said to have written back to him as follows ; • Wood, Ath. Oxen. vol. i. p. 12. ^ Vide Warner, Memoirs of the Life of More, f. 40. Hoddesdon, p. sr. Peck, Desid. Curios, vol. ii. lib. viii. p. 341, Some Account of Erasmus. v Ut mihi.scripsisti de corpore Christi, Crede quod edis et edis. Sic tibi rescribo de tuo Palfrido ; ■ Crede quod babes et habes.' Grocyn was " Professor or public teacher of Greek at Oxford, about the time when Erasmus was there ; soon after he removed to London, and then to the College of Maidstone, in Kent, where he was master. Erasmus owns great obligations to this man, 'who by his generosity to his friends, reduced himself to straits, and was forced to pawn his plate to Dr. Young, Master of the Rolls. The Dr. returned it to him again by his will, without taking principal or interest. Grocyn published nothing besides an Epistle prefixed to the Sphere of Proclus. Erasmus represents him as one of the best divines and scholars of the English nation. He died of the palsy, old and poor."* Linacer tauglit Greek at Oxford. " He was Physician after- wards to the Royal Family, and Erasmus often consulted him" en account of his frequent indispositions, which came early upon him ; and when he was sick at Paris, he complains that he had no^ Linacer there, to assist him and prescribe for him." " He was in great favor with Henry VIIL who had a high opiniorf of his skill as a physician 5 and he warmly recom- mended his friend Erasmus to the King. After this he went into owlers, and had only the Chantorship of the Church of York. He died * of the stone, in great pain, in 1524." ' " Erasmus ® begged the assistance of "Wm. Latimer in prepar- ing his New Testament for a second edition, knowing him to ' Bailey, Life of Erasmus, prefixed to Colloquies. ^ Xp. 671. Knight, Life of Erasmus, p. 23. ^ Ep. 105. * Ep. -131. c. 1314. 5 Knight, p. 2-4. * Knight, p, 29. vi Some Account of Erasmus. be very accurate, and described him as a man of more than viiv gin modesty, under which was veiled the greatest worth.' He retired to the Rectory of Eastberry in Gloucestershire ; he had also the Rectory of Weston under Edge, and a Prebendship in the Church of Salisbury. Erasmus said he was, « vere Theolo- gus, integritate vitse conspicuus.' " Colet was afterwards the celebrated Dean of St. Paul's, and the particular friend of Erasmus. "In the beginning of the year 14-99, Erasmus, who had been some months in the family of my Lord Mountjoy, and had been entered a little in the modes and fashions of the town, and in the sports and humours of the country ; writes a pleasant letter to a Poet Laureat in France, to tell him what fine improvements he had by this time made in England."^ ' Your friend Erasmus, (says he) you would hardly know him. He is almost grown a good hunter, a better horseman, a very tolerable courtier, he can salute with more complaisance, and smile with a better grace, and has learned all these good manners in spite of nature.' He invites this his friend into England, to partake of these sin- gular advantages of the country, preferable to the dulnesSi and rudeness of France. He tells him nothing but the gout could stop him, and yet, did he but know the excellencies of Britain, he would procure wings, if he had no feet, and fly over hither without any further delay ; especially if he told him of tlie nymphs or fair ladies, here so beautiful, so free and easy, that if he saw them he wouU prefer them before his beloved muses ; and that there was a custom peculiar to this island, never to be enough admired, that men and women salute one another, and kiss with the most innocent freedom, at visiting, parting, meet- ing again, and again taking leave ; and that if he did but come ' Ep. 303. ^ Eras. Ep. Faiisto .Vnclreljno. Some Acccaint of Erasmus. vji over znd taste tbcae pleasures, he would here de^e to spend the whale remainder, of his life. We wiU jest out the rest (says he) when we meet ; I shall see you, I hope, in a very little time." The ceremony of kissing, to which Erasmus facetiously re- fers, was the custom of the early Christians, amd a mark of cha^- rity : " Greet t/e 1502, and at Basil in 15J8 with a Preface. ^ It was originally dedicated to Adolphus, Son tO' Philip of Burgundy, by Anne Borsella of the noble family of the Borsels, which possessed great estates in Zealand, particularly in the town of Veer (vulgarly, Ter Veer) on which account Erasmus calls Adolphus Prince of Veer. '* Erasmus says, he compos- ed it ** not to make a display of wit or eloquence, but only to correct the error of those who supposed religion to consist in mere ceremonies and bodily observances which surpassed Jewish superstitions, and who strangely neglected the things which concerned true piety." Ep. 102. Le Clerc observes that Erasmus in his Preface ' to Paulus Volzius (Abbot of a monastery called " Curia Hugonis'' in Schletstatt, a town of Alsace, who In 1539 embraced fhe reformed doctrine) " has painted in excellent colors the religion of those who wish to place Christianity in inexplicable disputa- tions, and who ■ consider piety to consist in the observance of frigid rites." , As it is a very voluminous epistle, and aTludes t© circumstances, which have ceased to interest, I shall only select the profitable parts. ' Jortin, i. p. 15. ^ Ep. ad Botz, 3 Du Pin. Hist. Kccles. vol. iii, p 316, * " Quamobrem Adolfum Verieiisem Principem vocat Erasmus." Le Clerc, fref. Tom. v. Eras. Op. ' Ep. pccxxix. Erastni Op, omnia. Tom. iii. pt. i. p. 337. Some Aecount^ of Erasmus. xi " This little book called the Christian's Manual, and which I wrote to a friends begins to displease me less, most, worthy Father, since it has been well received by you and other good men of your profession, and nothing can be approved by you, but what is in some measure pious and learned ; indeed it almost begins to please me, since if the printers do not flatter me, it is DOW printed in all sizes, and new editions are constantly in request. But, nevertheless,' I am much hurt, because a learned iriend wittily said, in jest indeed, but I fear as truly as ivittily, * I have found more sanctity in the book than the author.' *' After all, I do not regret my labors jf they encourage so many to the study of true piety ; lior am I to be reviled if my example does nof precisely correspond with my precepts ; for there is some goodness in sincerely wishing to become pious. " I am therefore undisturbed with the scoffs of certain people, who decry this little book as exhibiting not much erudition, and despise it from its elementary style j displaying, it js true, hone of the formalities of the schools : as if nothing, could be instruc- tive unless drawn up according to rule. Let it be unlearned if they will, but let its piety be acknowledged. It professes not . to qualify men for the Sorbonne, but to teach them to live peaceably like Christians. Its design is not theological disputa- tidti, but a divine life. « Have we not numerous smai} treatises all mixed and remixed from each other, like apothecaries' prescriptipns j old ones out of new ones, and new out of old ; one out of many, and many out of one ; moulded and remoulded into every possible form an4 shape? Who pan so direct that this heap of volumes shall conduct us to our duty, when it requires a vi^hole life to turn them over — ^Exactly as if a Physician were to order a sick man to read all the medical books, and tbat thereby he should find the means of re-establishing hi§ xii Some Account of Erasmus- hea,lt|i,l But In the mean time death seizes him, and there is no one tp help hiiiv — in a life so fugitive, the . remedy must be prepared and at hand. " Whoever wishes to live well as regards the gate,' which Christ declares to be open to all, will find his guide, not in the intricate labyrinths of controversy, but in a true faith, and un- feigned charity, accompanied with a hope that majceth not ttshdmed. (Rom. v. 5.) « Finally, although great and learned Doctors are well versed in these volumes, yet their number is small compared with the unlearned multitude for whom Christ died, and who are unable to consult them. " We ought to strive to make the philosophy of Christ not only easy to, but intelligible by all ; nor are we to regard it only as a subject of study for ourselves, as these learned persons seem to think, but as a matter by which we shall entice the multitude to a christian life. ' " We are preparing for a war against the Turks, and with whatever view it may have been.undertaken, we should pray that it may be advantageous not to a few, but to all of us. If we con- quer them, by what means shall we convert them to Christianity ? for I do not suppose that we shall cut all their throats. " What will they imagine, when they shall perceive it so di^cult to know how to speak of Christ ? just as if you were concerned witli some sulky devil, whom you were invoking to your destruction if you used a wrong word ; and not with a most merciful Saviour, who exacts nothing from us beyond a pure and simple life. Tell me, I conjure you, what is to be done if they shall see our manners no better than our doctrine ?* If from our tyrannical noise and .contention thefy shall discover ' Matt. vii. 13, Stime Acccunt of Erasmuft xiii our ambition ; our avarice from our rapacity ; our lust irtm our. adulteries ; our cruelty from our oppressions ; with what / face shall we recommend them the doctrine of Christ so directly ,' opposite to these things, and so widely removed from them ? The most efficacious mode of fighting with the Turks, would be to exhibit in our lives christmn manners, to convince them; that we do not covet their territories or gold, but ..only seek their welfare and the glory of Christ ! This is the true and efficacious theology, which formerly subjected to Christ the pride of philosophy and the sceptre of Princes. When we act thus we need never d-espair that Christ will assist us. But it will little avail us to call ourselves Christians if we slay thousands,, and enslave tens of thousands; if we exterminate' the profane,; or merely denounce anathemas against their faith j instead of; attempting to convert them from their impiety. In short,' unless such are our intentions, it is more probable that we shall ; degenerate into infidels, than. make the Turks Christians. ' " Under, these considerations, if my opinion was asked, it would be, that we should previously endeavour to pfersuade them by books and epistles. But you wiJLask what kind of epistles ? certainly neither threatening or tyrannical ones ; but such as breathe a true paternal charity, and might spring from the bosoms even of Peter aild Paul; epistles which should not' only be distinguished by their apostolic title, but apostolic energy. " Whatever relates to faith should be expressed in a very few articles ; whatever relates to morals should qlso be concise. It is by such measures, not by the sword pointed to the breast, that wild savages may be civilized arid made Christian brethren. The grand object is the Christian truth. But to whatever persons the Roman High Priest shall delegate this office of addressing the Turks, his direction must be, that they shall adhere to the Gospel, and not favor the worldly affections and desires of men. xiv $ome Account ofMrasmU^. " With such ideas was my mind impressed when I formed my Manual. I saw clearly that the christian World was not only corrupted by its passions, but also by its opinions* " On what can we so much rely as on the truly sacred anchor' of the Gospel Doctrine ? " Let it be our endeavour, disregarding the blazing meteors of men's opinions, to cherish the sparks of christian doctrine. " Let us explore the streams flowing from the living and eternal fountain of his grace, until we arrive at the fountain of eternal life. Shall we diligently seek far and wide in our land, that we may eradicate all weeds, and shall we not plough deep in the rich soil of Christ, to draw forth delicious nourishment for our Siouls ? Never shall the winter of vice so extinguish the spark of charity, but that it may be rekindled from the percus- sion of this flint ! Christ is a rock. " If that clear light shall be tlirown upon us from the Gospel, if our mind shall be illuminated by the lamp of pure faith, then shall the minutest stains be discovered and removed. If the rule of christian charity is once adhered to, then all things are easily accommodated to it. But what can you do if one rule is in opposition to others, that have been in general use for ages, and which are sanctioned by princely laws ? for this is not un- common. You are not to be damned merely that obedience shall be paid to princes. Moreover I am unwilling that the heavenly philosophy of Christ shall be contaminated by human decrees. Let Christ remain what he truly is, the centre round which we all turn ; I wish that the true ihark shall not be moved from its place. " Let wars be carried on not for conquest, but for liberty. Let not princes under pretence of justice act cruelly to those whom clemency might amend ; and let them not plunder that people they are bouiid to defend. Some Account of Erasmus. xt « There is but one goal, and that is Christ and his uncorrupt- ed doctrine; but if we set up an earthly goal instead of a heavenly one, all our exertion is in vain. *« Who is there so happy as to be free from his particular disorders ? As that man benefits, and does not injure the health of the body, who points out what is inimical or friendly to pure health, so, he does not turn mankind from religion but rathter leads them to it, who points out the corruptions of faith and practice, and discovers remedies. « Augustine told the clergy that if they wished to be respect- ed by the people, they should produpe that respect by their manners, not by their garments. 'f I certainly wish, and doubt not that many pious men have the same ardent desire, that the evangelical religion should be in the hearts of all men, and that content therewith, they should no more trouble themselves about St. Benedict, or St. Francis. " No man should either foolishly please himself with a. manner of life because it is different from that of others, or despise or unjustly condemn -any regulation. In every state of 4ife e4ch person should strive for the goal of Christ ; they should unite and assist each other ; neither being envious of those who run the same race, nor despising those, who are unable to keep up with them. Finally after each has done his utmost, let him be careful not to resemble the Pharisee in the Gospel, who states his own good deeds to God, saying, I fust twice in the •meek, I give tithes of all that I possess : (Luke xviii. 12) but let him agreeable to the words of Christ say from his heart, / a7i» an unprofitable ' servant: I have done that 'which isas my duty ^0 &/. (Luke xvii. 10.) No man is farther from a holy life than he who thinks himself religious. . ... «' Wejshouitd always have in readiness that apostolic answer, We ought to the monks, who knew of no other piety than that which con- sisted in the observation of some trifling external practices, or at the most in a kind of extatic fanaticism, which differs very little from frenzy, and does no good, or rather does much injury to civil society." ^ Knight remarks, " The Enchiridion Militis Christiani, is of all his books more especially levelled against thisj&nw of godli- ness, {a) when without the power and practice of it. Therefore the Dominican Friars being stung by his plain dealing, especially in the preface to that book, made such a noise^ and clamor against it, that Erasmus never regained their favor ; taking what he wrote so much the more heinously since he was one of them, and conseiquently had disgraced his own order. ' We are told by a creditable author, M6ntfau9on, (Diar. Ital.) that in the library of Dominicans of St. John and St. Paul of Venice, there are two rows of wooden statues, one of the catholic, the other of heretical doctors ; among the latter stands Erasmus loaded with chains, with labels full of reproaches against him, as also against Luther and Calvin ; but those who were more moderate were content to picture him as hanging between heaven and hell." * ' Pref. Tom. V. Erasm. ^ Bibl. choisie, Tome viii. p. 231. " Erasmus was not a Dominican, but an Augustinian. Bayle Erasme n. A. * Introd. Life of Erasmus, p. xxi. (a) 2 Tim. iii. 5. XX Some Account of Erasmus. " It is an excellent manual of piety and good morals." ' In 1525, Erasmus sent his compliments to John, the gunsmith, at Cambridge, observing, " he gave me a sword, and I gave him a book, the Enchiridion or spiritual sword ; I have not as yet made any use of his present, or he, I fancy, of mine." * No : peaceful Erasmus ! thy sword unstained with human gore, was spotted with rust. How long shall we tear out each others* bowels, and invent more deadly engines of war, instead of beat- ing our swords ifito ploughshares, and our spears into j^runing hooks? Isai. ii. 4. , In 1503, Erasmus studied divinity at Louvain. 1506, he returned to England ; and in 1508, he took his Doctor's degree, at Turin. From thence he visited Bologna, Venice, Padua, and Rome, where he received great honors. ' At Padua he was tutor to Alexander, Archbishop of St. An- drew's, son of James IV. of Scotland, by Mary Boyd, daughter to Archibald Boyd, of Bonsham. Alexander was killed by his father's side, at the battle of Flodden Field, aged 20, An. 1513. Erasmus regarded him as a youth of singular merit. ^ In 1509, Henry VIII. invited Erasmus to England ; he was appointed Greek Professor at Cambridge; and in 1511, the Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity. « He earnestly presses Colet to give him fifteen angels, which he had promised long before, on condition that Erasmus would dedicate to him his book, « De Copia Verborum,' which was not published till the following year. See Ep. 115, which is elegantly written, and which shows that this worthy man must have been in great straits, since he was forced to beg so impor- ' lb. p. 59. ^ Ep. T91. 3 Eras. Adagia. Op. 2. Tom. iL Ep. 125r. Some Account ofErasmtis. xxi tunately for a few pieces of gold. It is not altogether to Colet's honor." " In another letter to Colet, we find that the academics at Cambridge, where Erasmus resided, wgre as poor as himself. Ep. 117." Jortin, vol. i. p. 38. In 1510, Erasmus visited Canterbury Church, and in his Col- loquy, " The Religious Treat," he thus alludes to it : « When I ,was in England I saw St. Thomas's Tomb, ( i. e. the tomb of Thpmas a Becket) at Canterbury, so prodigiously rich in plate and jewels, that the value was almost inestimable. Now had it not been better if these superfluities had been rather applied to charitable uses for the relief of the poor, than reserved for those ambitious princes who shall have the fortune one day to seize them ? The holy man, I am confident, would have been very well content with leaves arid flowers." 1537, Henry VIII. unsainted St. Thomas, by seizing his shrine, the gold whereof- filled two chests, and each required eight men to carry it out of the church.' " Erasmus complains that the plague was in England, and that the roads were infested with highwaymen ; and says of Cambridge, that it was almost deserted, and that he could not maintain himself there,^ but must seek some other place to live in, or to die in." ' Holinshed, discoursing " Of the sundrie kinds of 'Punishments appointed for Malefactors," says, " Our third annoiers of the commonwealth are roges, which doo verie great mischeefe io all places where they becorne. For whereas the rich onelie suffer injurie by the first two, (traitors and pirates) these spare neither rich nor poore : but whether it be great gaine or small* ■ Burnet, Hist. Reform, vol. i. b. iii. p. 244. '■ Ep. 131. ' Jortin, vol. i. p, 40. xxii Some Account of Erasmus. all is fish that commeth to net with them ; and yet I saie, hotli they and the rest are trussed up apace. For there is not one yeare commonlie, wherein three hundred or foure hundred of them are not devoured and eaten up by the gallowes in one place and other. It appeareth by Cardane (who writeth it upon the report of the Bishop of Leronia) in the geniture of King Edward the Sixt, how Henrie the Eight, executing his laws verie severelie against such idle persons, I meane great theeves, pettie theeves and roges, did hang up three score and twelve thousand of them in his time. Hee seemed for a while greatlie to have' terrified the rest : but since his death the number of them is so increased, yea although we have had no warres, which are a great occasion of their breed, (for it is the cus- tome of the more idle sort, having once served, or but scene the other side of the sea under colour of service, to shake hand with labour, for ever ; thinking it a disgrace for himselfe to returne unto his former trade) that except some better order be taken, or the lawes alreadie made be better executed, such . as dwell in uplandish townes, and little villaiges, shall five but in small safetie and rest.' What a melancholy record ! Does it not brand the memory of the licentious Henry with ignominy ? The prevention of crimes is the duty of a government. Every offence is more or less a reproach upon the administration. Protection is one o£ the chief ends of civil society ; and the king who is indifferent to the personal security of the subject, neglects one of the highest obligations of his office. In 1511, "Warham, Archbishop of Canterbury, presented him the small Rectory of Aldington, in Kent ; which he was per- Chronicles, vol. i. Description of England, c. ii. p. 186. Some Account of Erasmus. xxiii mitted to resign, and, according to a custom then prevailing, to charge with a pension, to which Warham added afigO/ In an Epistle ' he tells us, that even the King, who had wrote to him in Italy, now talked of him. very honorably and affection- ately J and as often as he waited on his Majesty, he was received with such an affable and gracious air, that it was plain the King's thoughts of him were as favorable as his words ; that the Queen offered to retain him as her preceptor in the Latin tongue ; that every body knew if he would but stay a few months at Court, he might have what ecclesiastical preferments he pleased, but that he preferred his liberty and his studies before all other temptations. " Besides, says he, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate of all England, and Chancellor of the Kingdom, treats me as if he were my own father or my brother j and as an earnest of his affection, he has given me a living of one hundred nobles per annum, which, for my conveniency, he has suffered me to resign, and to reserve out of the profits, a ' yearly pension of an hundred crowns j fof the few years last past, though I never asked for any thing, he has given me in abundance, above four hundred nobles, even one hundred and fifty in a day. From the bpimty of other Bishops, I have had above an hundred nobles ; the Lord Mountjoy, formerly my pupil, gives me an annual pension of one hundred crowns ; ,the King and his prime favorite and minister, the Bishop of Lincoln, promise me what I please ; both the universities, Oxford and Cambridge, are contending for me : for at Cambridge I taught the Greek tongue, and theological sciences for several months, though gratis, as I always resolved : the colleges in the two universities, have in the constitution of them so much of piety '^ Ep. 151. . » Epist. P. Servatio Edit. Guil. Batcsii, 4to. p. 193. xxiv Some Account ofErastnus. and regularity of manners, that were you to see them, you would despise what they call a religious or monastic life." " In a letter to King Henry the Eighth," some tipie after this, he expresses a great deal of pleasure in saying, ' that though he was not a native of England,* yet he was adopted into it, and had as hearty love and esteem for it, as if he first drew his breath here : and, in an epistle to a friend, then going into England, he infinitely prefers our country before his own ; thinks the one hardly worth seeing ; while in the other he would meet with every thing that was grateful and delightful ; but adds this piece of advice, that he should always behave him- self modestly, and not to be too free in his disliking or speaking against any thing he was not pleased with j this being a thing that would not be borne with : (the English people being, riot without reason, great lovers of their country) and therefore it would becoriie him not to -provoke them by any reflections upon things or persons ; it being a great fault in some travellers, who are prejudiced against every thing that is difi«rent from the usage of their own country : musick itself, though never so fine and exquisite, may yet not be pleasing to the ear that is not used to it. He commends in the same epistle the generosity of the English, how much they exceed their neighbours in this point, and then lays down excellent rules how to comport him- : self, as to the receiving or refusing of gifts." ' Every Englishman must love his country for the civil and religious liberty he enjoys, and for her munificent institutions ; but he has no right to insult the feelings of foreigners by invi- dious comparisons. Some fancy they aggrandise the glory of ' Edit. Lontl. p. 357,. ^ Eras. Epist. Nic. Cannio. Ed. Leid. p. 983. ' Knight, p. 161. Some Account of Erasmus. xxv their country by an unsocial and inhuman behaviour, that would disgrace savages. " That independence Britons prize too high, Keeps man from man, and breaks the social tie." Goldsmith. Erasmus considered the art of medicine as the most certain protection from poverty, and next to that, the profession of the law 5 ' and in the colloquy, " The Child's Piety," he observes, " Medicine is a sure fortune in whatsoever land a man is ; the law is the way to preferment. But I like divinity the best, except that the manners of some of the professors of it, and their bitter contentions, displease me." He advised physicians to study Greek. Ep. 295. 1513. " He tells Colet, Ep. 149, 150, that he had begun to translate ^ St. Basil on Isaiah (or an author who went under his name) and would send a specimen of it to Fisher, Bishop of Ro- chester, to submit It to his judgment, and also to try whether that would draw some present from him ; on which he cries out, O beggary I I know you laugh at me : but I hate myself, and am resolved either to mend my fortunes and get out of the number of mendicants, or to imitate Diogenes. " Colet had told him,^ that he would give him a small mat- ter if he would beg with humility, and ask without modesty ; had advised him to imitate Diogenes ; and had hinted to him, that he was too querulous and greedy. It seems they bantered him because he was frequraitly importuning his friends. Eras* mus in his answer tells him, that, in the opinion of Seneca, favors were dearly purchased, which were extorted by begging.* Socrates talking once with some friends, said, I would have bought me a coat to-day, if I had had mopey; They, says Se- neca, who gave him what he wanted, after he made this speech. ' T. V. c. 661. * Knight, p. 124. ^ Ep. 4. c. 1523. * Seneca de Benef. vii. 24, xxvi Some Account of Erasmus. flowed their liberality too late. Another ' seeing a friend, whA was poor and sick, and too modest to make his wants known, put some money under his pillow, whilst he was asleep. "When I used to read this in the days of my youth, says Erasmus, I was extremely struck with the modesty of the one, and the generosity of the other. But since you talk of beg^ng without shame, who, I beseech you, can be more submissive and more shameless than myself, who live in England upon the foot of a public beggar ? I have received so much from the Archbishop, that it would be scandalous to take any more of him, though he were to offer it. I asked N. with sufficient effrontery, and he refused me with still greater impudence. Even our good friend Linacer thinks me too bold, who knowing my poor state of health, and that I was going from Londoa with hardly six angels in my pocket, and that the winter was coming on, yet exhorted me most pressingly to spare the Arch- bishop and Lord Montjoy, and advised me to retrench, and learn to bear poverty with patience. A most friendly counsel ! for this reason above all, I hate my hard fortune, because she will not suffer me to be modest. Whilst I had health and strength, I used to dissemble my poverty : now I cannot, unless I would risk my life. But I am not such a beggar neither, as to ask all things from all persons. To some I say nothing, because I would not be refused ; and I have no pretence to solicit you, who do not superabound in wealth. But since you seem to approve of impudence, I will end my letter in the most impudent manner I can. I have not assurance enough to ask you for any thing ; and yet I am not so proud as to reject a present, if a friend like you should offer it to one in my circumstances. Ep. 150.^ ' Arcesilas. In Diog. Laert. iv. Sr. Seneca De Benef. ii. 1. '^ Jortin. vol. i. p. 60. Some Accouttt of Erasmus. xxvli 1514. Disappointed in his views of patronage, he left England. " At departing from London he saluted the King and the Bishop of Lincoln, who made him no present j though the Bishop treated him with magnificent promises. The Bishop of Durham gave him six angels, the Afchbishop of Canterbury the same, and the Bishop of Rochester presented him with a piece of gold, which he calls regalem." ' He described Wolsey as " feared by all, but beloved by few or none." ^ *« In the beginning of this year Erasmus was in Flanders. He speaks of his passage from England) which was favorable ; but the sailors or custom-house officers, the maritimi pradones, as he calls them, who were to carry his baggage, put it into a wrong ship. Amongst his clothes were all his writings, the work of many years, which he gave up fpr lost, and mourns as a father would weep over his dead children. He inveighs bit- terly against the Dover sailors, true harpies, no less than those of Calais ; but probably he recovered his effects, since he says nothing more about them." ^ , A pension attached lum as Counsellor of State to Charles Archduke of Austria, afterwards Charles V. in Brabant. His pacific councils were little regarded, and the pension so irregu- larly paid, that he humorously observed, « if it were not speed- ily paid, the money would come too late, unless it could be of any service in the Elysian Fields." Ep. 74-2. In answer to an entreaty of Servatius, Prior of the Convent of Regular Canons, at Stein, to reside with them, he says, " I see not what I could do in Holland. Neither the air or the diet would agree with me ; and I should be a show for every one to " Jortin, vol.'i. p. 58. " Epist. Vergarae. 3 Ep. 159. Jortin. vol. i. p. 58. xxviii Some Account of Erasmus. stare at. I left the place when I was a youth : I should return an aged and, grey-headed valetudinarian. I should expose my- self to the contempt of the most contemptible ; I who have been, accustomed to receive honors from the most eminent. I should be obliged to change my studies into repasts. You proinise to seek out a place for me, where I may live and find advantage and profit : but I cannot guess what you design, unless it be to place me in a nunnery, that I may be a slave to women ; I who have refused to serve kings and archbishops. Profit is what I value not : I would not be rich : I desire only what may enable me to preserve my health, and pursue my studies, without being a burthen to any one." « I have lived amongst sober people, and attached tq my studies, which have happily preserved me from many vices. I have conversed with persons, who had a love and taste for true Christianity ; and from their conversation I have reaped much benefit. I will not boast of my writings, which perhaps you despise ; but many persons have owned to me, that by reading them they have been made not only more learned, but more virtuous j I never loved money, and never was subject to ambitious desires of glory, and reputation j I never was a slave to sensual pleasures, though formerly I have been defiled with them ; and as to drunkenness, I ever abhorred it. " Every time that I, have thought of returning to you, I have considered that many of you would envy me, and all of you would despise me. I have considered the insipid and frivolous conversations held amongst you, in which there is nothing that savours of Christianity ; your repasts altogether secular, and your whole way of life distinguished only by those things, which are commonly called ceremonies. I have considered the infirmi- ties of my body, enfeebled by years, by sickness and by labors, which are such, that either I could not give you content, or Some Account ^oj Erasmus. xxix must destroy myself by attempting to do it. For some years I have been subject to the stone and gravel, a troublesome and a dangerous disease; and am obliged to drink only wine, and wine of a particular sort. It is not every diet or climate that suits me. This disorder which frequently returns, obliges me to live by rule. I know the air of Holland and your diet, to say nothing of your manners. Why should I return only to die with you ? But perhaps you imagine; it is a singular happi- ness to die in a Fraternity. Alas ! you are mistaken and almost all the world is mistaken along with you. " We make Christianity consist in dress, in eating and in little observances ; we look on a man as lost, who quits his white garment for a black one ; wears a hat instead of a hood, and often changes his habitation. Shall I venture to affirm that the greatest mischief, which has been done to the Christian religion, arises from these religions (or religious orders) as they are called, though perhaps a pious zeal first introduced them ? they have since been augmented by slow degrees, and multiplied into' various kinds. The authority of Popes, too easy and indulgent in such things, has supported them. For what iimore corrupt and wicked than these relaxed religions ? consider even those which are in tlie best esteem, and you shall find in them nothing that resembles Christianity, but only I know not what cold and Judaical observances ; upon these the religious orders value themselves ; and by these they judge and despise others ; would it not be better according to the doctrine of our Saviour, to look on Christendom as one house, one family, one Monasteiiy, and all Christians as one brotherhood ? Would it not be better to account the Sacrament of Baptisnti, the most sacred ef all vows and engagements and never trouble ourselves where we live, so we live well.' " Jortin, vol. i. p. 59. XXX Some Account of Erasmus. 1515. He complained of the laziness of the English, wte would not transcribe his writings for any price; {Ep. 172) and attributed the plague and sweating sickness, to the bad construc- tion and filth of the houses. " The floors are commonly of clay strewM with rushes, under which lie unmolested, an ancient collection of beer, grease, fragments, bones, spittle and every thing offensive." ' , The cause of the sweating sickness was not in the hovels of the English, although their impurities necessarily aggravated the disorder. The first appearance was in 1485, In the army with which Henry VII came from France and landed in Wales. It was called Sudor Anglicus, and Febris Ephemera Britannica, because it was considered to have originated here ; whereas it was evidently introduced from the continent, and was, as the learn- ed Meade remarks, " no other than a plague abated in its violence by the mild temperament of our climate." It returned several times, the last in 1551 ; in Westminster it then carried off 120 a-day. The symptoms were like those of the plague, only more mild. The patient was attacked with .great anxiety about the prsecordia, thirst and nausea : some voided blood at the nose, ears and eyes; the sweat, which was particularly offensive, was the crisis, and the indication of cure was to prevent coma and continue the sweat by gentle cordials ; for if it ceased, the disease proved mortal : 24 hours decided the fate of the patient ; it generally yielded to an early treatment. * " In a letter to Franciscus Wolsey's physician, Erasmus gives him a melancholy account of his bad state of health, and of his sufferings by the stone in the kidneys. He tells him amongst other things, that it had been his custom for twenty years, to • Ep. 432. c. 1815. ' Vide Lord Bacon's Relation of the sweating sickness examined by Stubbe. Meade, Discourse concerning Pestilential Contagion. Freind, Hist, of Physic, part ii. f. 333. Some Account of Erasmus. xsaa read and write standing or leaning, and to sit very tittle, except at meals, or when he sometimes took a small nap after dinner. Bdt these precautions did not secure him from the many dis- tempers of which he complains. ' He obtained a dispensation "from his vow of a regular Canon. 1516. He said that <« having expended his money in clothes for the winter, he was obliged to sell his horses, lest they should eat him up." Ep. 81. c. 1571. , By permission he dedicated to Pope Leo his edition of a Greek and Latin Testament. Ep. 181. In his preface to the Latin Testament he piously remarks, " Let us earnestly study the Gospel, not only study, but also live conformable thereto. It is called the Gospel of Peace by the Prophet, let it not by our fault, become the Gospel of Discord ! 1 ! " 1517. He declared that his chief support was from his English revenues, which preserved him from mendicity. Ep, 185. c. 16S2. In 1518 he finally left England. 1521. He writes to his kind patron Warham, " At present I think myself a sort of nobleman ; for I maintain two horses> who are better fed, and two servants, who are better clad than their master.", Ep. 574, 590. " The English," says Erasmiis, " are commonly thought to be heretical : but they are not so in point of friendship, and I have the greatest reason to love them." "^ 1524. « The Archbishop Warham sent him a horse, whom Erasmus thus describes to him ; « I have received your horsey who is not over handsome, but a good creature ; for he is free from all the mortal sins, except gluttony and laziness. Else he is endued with the qualities of a holy father confessor, being ' Ep. 431. c. 1813. Jortin vol. i. p. T5. * Ep. 585. Jortin, i. p. 283. xxxii Some Account of Erasmus. pKudent, modest, humble, chaste and peaceable, and one who neither bites nor kicks. I fancy that, by the knavery, or the mistake of your domestics, I have not the horse that you intend- ed for me. I had ordered my servant not to ask for a horse, nor to accept of one, unless some person offered him a very good one, of his own accord. And yet I am equally obliged to you for your kind intention. Indeed I thought to sell my horses, ^as I have given over riding." « We see that neither his studies, nor his distempers, nor his vexations had deprived him of his gay temper which breaks out in his letters." ' Tyndale's New Testament was read with the greatest avidity ; and therefore suppressed by a mandate"^ of Archbishop War- ham's, 3d Nov. 1526. Anciently there were translations of the Gospel in the native language of every country. ' " In an extraordinary consistory held at Rome, A. D. 679 * about British affairs, it was among other things ordained ; that lessons out of the divine oracles should be always read Tor the edificatiqn of the churches, that the minds of the hearers might be fed with the divine word, even at the very titjie of their bodily repast." There is'a MS. Saxon copy in the Bodleian Library : Pede, and King Alfred also translated it, and Richard Rolle a Hermitj of Yorkshire, who died in 1349, translated some psalms. " The first synodical prohibition or restraint of this liberty or- birthright of Christians, in the use of the Holy Scripture in ' Jortin, vol. i. p. 339. " Wilkins, Cone. Mag. Brit. vol. iii. p. 706. et vide ib. p. 740. ■ 3 Euseb. Dem. Evang, lib. 3. c. ult. F. Simon disq. critica de variis Bibl. edit. Usserii Hist, dogmat. de Script, et Sacris V^ernaculis. * Spelman's Councils, vol. i. Sbmf Account of Erasmus. xxxiix their own language, ■v^e find was in a synod held at Tholome, A. D. 1228, on occasion of the doctrine and preaching of thfe Waldenses ; ' that the Holy Scripture is the rule of Christian faith, and that the reading and knowledge of it is free arid necessary to all men, to the people, as well as to the clefgy.' In opposition to this principle, the synod then decreed in the following terms, ' < we forbid that laymen be permitted to have the books of the old and new Testament'-; unless, perhaps somfe" one out of devotion desires to haVe the psalter or breviary for divine offices, and the hours of the blessed virgin; but even those they may not have translated in the vulgar tongue.' * The ptiests were sensible that ignorance and its attendant superstition, were the only supports of their power, and the . light of the Gospel would clearly display their errors and infa^ mous frauds. About 1382 Wickjiffe translated the Bible,' and the copy sold for 21. 16s. 8d, There are MSS. in the Bodleian Liljrary, and Sidney and Magdalen Coll. Camb, In the convocation of 1536, it was Tesolyed to publish a new Translation of the Scriptures. In 1538 Henry VIII., "jealous Jest his own subjects should become such theologians as to ques.. tion his tenets^ used great precautions in publishing that translation of the Sciripture, which was finished this year. He would only allow a copy of it to be deposited in each parish church, where it was fixed by a chain : and he took care to inform the people by proclamation, f that this indulgence was not the effect bi his duty, but of his goodness and libe- Tality to them ; who thelfefore should use it moderately for ' D'Acherii Con. Tora. ii. p. 624. * Lewis, Hist, of Translations of the Bible, c. i. ' lb. p. 30. Burnet, Hist, IJ,eform. vol. i. b. i. p. Ch, ^a, xxxi^ Some AdcouM (^ Erasmus. the increase of virtue, not of strife : ' and he ordered that no man should read the Bible aloud, so as to disturb the priest •*(rhile he sang mass ; nor presume to expound doubtful places, without advice from - the learned. In this measure as in the rest, he still halted half vray between the Catholics and the Protestants." ' ' 6th May 1 542, By proclamation, reciting an order that there should be a Bible in all parish churches at the cost of the curate and parishioners, and the neglect thereof } the observance is enforced by a penalty of 40s. for every month that they shall want the said Bibles ; and the sellers of the largest Bible un- bou^nd^ are not to demand more than ten-shillings for the same } and for one well bound and clasped 12s. * " For the understanding tlie New Testament, Erasmus's Paraphrase, which was translated into English, was thought the most profitable and easiest book ; therefore it was resolved, that together with the Bible, there should be one of these in every parish church over England. ' ," King Henry also thought it not below him to write si very kind epistle to Erasmus, jn order to persuade his return into his kingdom. 'Telling him that it gave him no small concern to hear from Archbishop Warham, that he met with so .much ill usage from men of perverse spirits, who were not ianly enemies to him, but to even the Christian religion itself; and thought it a monstrous thing, that a person he had in the utmost admiration for his great learning and abilities, should be even in danger of his life, and no where safe from their malice ; the account of which Was very grievous to him— ' Hume, H. 8. c v. » Burnet, Hist. Reform, vol. i. \>- iii. Coll. xxiv. p. 251. ' lb. vol. 2. b. i. p. 2T, Sq^b 4oCQUnt qfEretsnms. xxxv yiiat f ber of useful volumes than our author ; every thing that comes from him inStr-HiCtS} and may as easily be Jsjiown by 4jie masterly «,tro^^ as his frit^nd UdM Holbeiii'^ pieces by the iaoldnessief the paiftt and the Ir^sbns^s af the ^^iixm" Cit^by X^ig^tt ib. p. xxviii. Jordn obse!rve$, " £ra9mus o£ten d^tiaires he @!]|u5hing and correcting his own works ; ( especially since for all his pains he had no prospect of attaining any thing besides scholars' wages, weak eyes, ill health, short commons, and a little reputatioa mixed with much envy and ' detraction.'" Vol. i. p. 67. et vide Eras. Ep. to Longolius, l.Jpril,15l9. " The style of Erasmus is that of a man who had a strong memory, a natural elocution, a lively fancy, and a ready inven- tion ; who composed with great facility and rapidity, and who did not , care for the trouble of revising and correcting : who had spent all his days in reading, writing, and talking Latin ; for he seems to have had no taste for modern languages, and perhaps he had almost forgotten his mother tongue. His style dierefore is always unafiFected,' easy, copious, fluent and clear ; but not always perfectly pure and strictly classical. He hath been censured, as a dealer in barbarisms, by persons who not only had not half of his abilities and erudition, but who did not even write Latin half so well as he." Vol. i. ^.601. , " If Erasmus had had an absolute power to establish a form of religion in any country, he would have been a moderate man, and a l^itudinarian as to the credenda. He would have pro- posed few articles of faith, and those with^ primitive simplicity. This system, indeed, would have been highly disagreeable to the men who enjoy no comfort in believing, or in pretending to believe, what they think fit, unless, they can vex, harass and xliv Some Account of Erasmus. torment) all those who will not submit to their decisions." Jb. p. 609. " True criticism owed its re'establishment to him, and the sublime science of morality reckons him amongst the number of its ifotaries." Cheval, Mehegaris View ^ Univ. Modern Hist, hf H. Fox. vol. ii. jp. 236. I could fill pages with encomiums upon his learning -, but will not detain the reader from the Manual. THE CHRISTIAN'S MANUAL. CHAP. T. Of the duty of Watching. It ought always to be remembered, that, life is a warfare, as Job, that veteran, pbserves ;' (a) and that the majority are too \ J «<'Whence is it that a Christian's life is but a warfare ? " First, it comes hence because they are odious unto Satan, he • knovsrs that they are mortal enemies unto him, yea those that shgll confound and overthrow him, and therefore he bruises their heels, Gen. ili. 15. and he raises up tumults against them, Acts xix. , « Secondly, the righteous are odious unto the world, who hate Christ, and all true Christians, John xiv. and hence their life is but a warfare. « Religion, and the word of God, 1st. Condemn sins and the w^ys of the world. 2dly. The gains which come by oppression, craft, deceit, and the like. Sdly. The delights, honours, and vani- ties of the world. 4thly. The wisdom of the world itself counting it but foolishness, and hence the world holds war with all those who adhere to the word. (ri) V. r. xiv. 1. Eccles. ii. 23. Acts xiv. 22. Ch. Ma. A 2 The Christian's Manual. easily imposed upon by the pleasing delusions of this enchant- " Thirdly, the godly cannot endure the wickedness of the world, from whence it comes that the world wars with them. The mo- deration and humility of holy meri often suffer much, and make them live peaceable with all, Rom. xli. 18. ; and hide and conceal a multitude of sins, 1 Pet. iv. 8. " But when the word comes and doth first detest impiety and tlie Tjtickedness of the world, ,and secondly, commands tlie faithful to reprove the works of darkness, and to have no fellowship with them, Ephes. v. 1]. 13. then the godly shew their dislike, and the worldlings hate them for that dislike ; true zeal respects none but God and his glory, and' tljerefore when he is dishonoured, die righteous cannot hold their peace, neither are careful to please men, Gal. i. 10. and therefore the world holds war with them. " How manifold is our Christian and spiritual warfare. How may we know whether we be soldiers or not. Examine seriously these four things, viz. " 1st. Whether. dost thou oppose Satan, sin, the flesh, and thy- self, that is, withstandest all the devil's temptations and sin's pro- vocations, and thy own inbred corruptions and daily insultings. " 2dly. Whether dost thou oppose the world, and honour, and riches, and peace, and whatsoever else tioth war against thy soul. " Sdly. Whether dost thou fight at thy own charges, or goest a warfare at the Lord's, 1 Cor. ix. 7. For the Lord doth first pre- pare his soldiers by illumination and knowledge, Heb. x. 32. And then secondly, arm them with Christian and spiritual weapons, Ephes. vi. 14. And thirdly, support and strengthen them in the day of battle, Ps. xxxiv. 7. Luke ii. 13. «' ,4thly. Hast thou put oiF all love of the world, and worldly cares, for no man that goeth a warfare entangleth himself with the affairs of this world, 2 Tim. ii. 4." — Ward. Theological Queslians ■upon Matt. X. 31'. 36. pt. 2. p. 50. et vide Perkin Theology, c. xl. p. 85. « How can we think ourselves unhappy in treading the footsteps of him who has been partaker of all our miseries ? Or how can our hearts be sensible of torments, whilst we follow the God of suffer- ings and the Man of pains ? The misfortunes he thinks proper to send US', are so many feHcities, for-the hand that gives tliem changes their nature, and if we do not taste the sweets that attend them, we ChaJ). t. Of the didy of Watching. 8 ing world,'' untimely rejoicing before the battle is won :. and, as if all was peace, they lujl themselves into the sweetest dreams of security, calm and unmoved, though attacked daily by the numberless powers of vice, besieged with the various stratagems, and constant ambushes of the enemy.^ To be sensible of your extreme danger, imagine yourself observed by an innumerable host of malicious demons, Watching- a fair opportunity of play- iri^ their whole artillery against you, and transfixing your soul tnay on that account only call ourselves unhappy, since it Is our insensibility which makes us truly so. When the felicities of heaven are not the objects of our desires, the happiness we expect here oil earth,' proves the cause of our inquietudes. If our mind be not intent on the work of salvation, our heart will be void of conso' lation from those dangers which precede our dissolution." Ephrem Syrus said, " a resolute traveller knows his journey is long, and the Way dirty, but goes, on in hopes to come to his house ; so let the Christian, though the way to heaven be narrow, thoUgh it be set with troubles and persecutions, go on till he has finished his course with joy, for heaven is his home." (Died An. 404.) The Mexicans thus salute their new-born infants, « thou art come into this vaarld to suffer, take it patiently, and hold thy peace." " Loose then from earth, the grasp of fond desire, ' Weigh anchor and some happier clime explore." Young, Night 2. Let no man impiously charge, God as the author of the evils of life, but ascribe them to the wickedness of }^s first parents, and bad passions of his fellow creatures ; for what more delightful state can the most vivid imagination paint, than that of a community con- forming itself to the benevolent precepts of the Gospel ! If a man enters a well constituted society, and the majority of the members violate its regulations, and interrupt their own, and the' general happiness, does he censure the framer of the laws, or the . misconduct of the individuals ? ' " ye sons of men. how long mil ye turn my glory into shame ? haua long mil ye low vanity, and seek after leasing." Ps. iv. ^. * " See then that yetioalk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise." Ephes. V. 15. 1 Cor. X. 12. 4' The Christian's Manual. with their poisoned arrows,' which wound infallibly, if not repulsed by the impenetrable shield oi faith, {a) The >world also, which lieth in wickedness, {b) hems us in, it being directly opposite to Christ.* It has several ways of offending, some- times by open force, assailing us with adversity, sometimes tempting us to capitulate, by false promises of immense rewards, at other times it circumvents and steals upon us, seizing and devouring its weak and thoughtless prey.' Beneath, the wfty ' " Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion lualketh about seeking iohom he may devour : Whom re- sist sfedfast in the Jaith, knoimng that the same afflictions are accom- plished in your brethren that are in the world." 1 Pet. v. 8 & 9. Job i. 7. * " Love not the tuorld, neither the things that are in the ivorld. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him"-^— « Tor all that is in the world, the lust of the fiesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." — " And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abidethjbr ever.", 1 John ii. 15. 16. 17. Rom. viii. 6. 7. 13. James iv. 4. Rom. xii. 1. 2. ^ Love and respect fpr this world are tlie most powerful impe- diments to Christianity, John xii. 43. 2 Tim. iv. 10. " The first reason why we must not be conformed to this world, is because this is not such a world as we may safely imitate, 'tis not a world for us to be conformed to ; 'tis not safe following the multi- tude at any time, muchjess now ; nor in any thing, but least of all in the ordering our lif^nd conversation. 'Tis a very ill guide in matters of opinion, but much worse in matters of practice ; for die world is a mere theatre of folly, a stage of vice and debauchery, one great aceldema of blood and cruelty, and to use the description of St. John ' the whole world lieth in wickedness' 1 John v. 19. The words are emphatical ; it has not only fallen into the gulph of sin, but it lies there contentedly and quietly ; 'tis not only slightly dipped and stained with the waters of impurity, but it lies as it were moated round, or rather all over drenched and soaked in them, like the earth in the universal deluge, (a) Ephes. vi. 16. 1 Cor. xvi. 13. (6) IJoIin v. 19. Matt. xiii. SS. Chap. I. Of the duty of Watehing. 5 serpent, the first betrayer of our peace, (a) sometimes concealed in the pleasant verdure, sometimes lurking in his cave writhed «' Secondly, another reason why we must not be conformed to this worldj is because by so doing we shall confirm and strengthen^ the cause of wickedness, apd give it settlement, succession,' and perpetuity, for we shall countenance and embolden those whom we imitate, and cause others to imitate us, and they again will be a precedent to others, and so on till vice pretend to the right of custom and prescription, and iniquity be established by a law. This is one great reason why the world is so bad now, and 'tis the best expedient the devil has' to make it yet worse ; for by this the vices of the former ages descend upon the future, sin becomes hereditary, children transcribe their vicious parents, and actual like original sin is entailed upon posterity. *" Again thirdly, another reason why weTlhristians must not con- form to this world, is because both the precepts and tile rewards of our religion require a very diiferent method of life from what is ordinarily practised ; the precepts are strict and severe, and the rewards high and noble, such indeed as cannot be conceived for 'their greatness, and they both call for a very excellent and extraor- dinary way of conversation, for after the common way of living, we shall neither obtain the one, nor fulfil the other. Indeed our religion obliges us to great strictness and singularity, and a Christian cannot be like himself, if he be like other men. To be a Christian ' indeed is to be a neuu creature, to be new in nature, and new in life and conversation ; he must not be like his former self, much less like the rest Of the world. The argument is the Apostle's, ' Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day ;' that is. Christians, pro:fessors of an holy and excellent religion, whose pre- cepts are excellently good, and whose promises are excellently great. And what then ? Therefore, * let us not steep as others do, but let us iBuich and be sober,' 1 Thess. v. 5. 6. " Again fourthly, and lastly, v^ Christians have one more pecu- liar reason not to be conformed to this world, we have renounced it in our baptism with all its pomps and vanities ; bj which are meant not only the heathen games and spectacles, their vain shows and V (a) Gen. iii. 2 Cor. xj.-S. 6 The Christian's MANUAt. in his circling folds, never jceases to watch our steps, and entice us by deadly enjoyments to sin. Then, as if we had not ene- mies sufficient around us, we carry one more ijitimate even in our bosoms, and wear him in our very hearts : (a) ' nothing can be nearer, therefore nothing more dangerous. This is the old jidam, the earthly part in As, [b) that is more familiar than a friend, keenef than an en^my, whom we can neither keep off with ratoparts, or expel the camp. We cannot keep too many spies upon him, to prevent hi$ surrendering God's temple (c) to the adversary. Seeing then we are all engaged in so dreadful a conflict, with, enemies so numerous, treacherous, expert, and sworn to our destruction ; can we be so heedless as not to take arms, not to stand upon our guard, ,and exainine all that passes ? But as if there was no danger near, shall we revel, sport, play, and swim in repeated pleasures ? So effeminate are our manners, as if life, instead of a warfare, was designed to be a banquet.^ Thus we loose festivities, their lewd Bacchanals and Saturnals, which we renounce absolutely, and the wealth and glory and grandeur even of the Christian world, as often as they prove inconsistent. witli the ends of our holy institution, but ijlso the promiscuous company, the general practices, and the popular examples of this world, which are generally so very corrupt and wicked, that we renounce thero„ not upon supposition, as in the other instance, but at a venture. The very first step to a Christian life, is to die to the world, and to its general usages and customs ; and if we foUovy Christ, we must forsake the multitudes." — Norris Practical Discourses, vol. ii. p. 63. ' « We are betrayed and killed by our thoughts, which consume and ppison the soul." ^—Isidore, Bishop of Seville, (^died An, 636.) * " Woe unto you that are full, for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you thdt laugh nonxi, for ye shall mourn and Uieep" Luke vi. 25, xxi. 34.. Isa. v* 11. Phil. iii. 18. ll. Job xxi. 12. 30, " Is this our duty, wisdom, glory, gain ? (These heav'n benign in vital union binds) (o) Matt. XV. 19. 20. Ram. vii. 23. {b) 1 Cor. XV, 47. Ephcs. ii. ;— 10, . (r) X Cori iii. 16, If, Chap. I. • Of the duty of Watching. If are crowned -with chaplets and roses, when we should be ac- coutred for the battle ; are sunk in ease and luxury, when' we Oilght to be going through our exercise -, and are striking the soft lute with our fingers, that ,ar.ms -wolild better become : as if that deserved the name of peace,>which is the most formida- ble war. For whosoever is in amity Vith vice^ wages war with that God, whom heentered into covenant with, at his Baptism.' And who but a madman can say, it is peatie, when he has God for his enemy, who is the only author and giver of peace ? who hath proclaimed by his prophet, there is no peace to tk€ 'wicJce(l.{a) Indeed he grants the blessing of peace on no other terms than fhat.we fight rancorously with sin,^ so long as we garrison this mortal body. On the other hand, if we cherish sin, we shall And sport we like the natives of the bough "When vernal suns inspire ? Amusement reigns Man's great demand : to trifle is to live : And is it then a trifle too to die ? Wit's oracles ! say, dreamers of gay dreams, How 'wrill you weather an eternal ni^ht. Where such expedients fail ?" Young Night ii. ' « But thou, O man of God, fee these Jhings; and follow after righteousness, go4liness-,Jaith, love, patience, meehness." — S' Fight the good fght of faith, lay hold on eternal life, ixhereuntothou art alsQ called, and lictst professed a good profession before many tdtnesses." 1. Tim. vi. 11, 1 '2. ^' ff ye then he risen txith Christ, seek those things phich are above, ^where Christ sitteth on the right hand " Thou therefore endure hardndss, as a good soldier of Jesui Christ:' 2Tim.ii. 3. («) Isai, Ivii. 10. 21. 8 7I4s Christian's Manual. make him doubly our enemy, whose friendship is most valua- ble ; because we side with that which is as contrary to God, as light and darkness ; and ungratefully violate the promise -we made to him, though bound to perform it, by the most solemn rites. Knoweth not the Christian soldier, that, when he was baptized, he listed under Christ's banner, to whosfe goodness^ he stands indebted for life and salvation ? ' Can he forget, that he hath expressly sworn to obey the will of his benevolent chief, that he hath also taken the sacraments as an earnest, and de- voted himself to hell and destruction, if he proves false to his engagements ? '^ Why were you baptized, but to shew that you jgurposed to fight manfully under Christ's banner ? ^ What a ' " Jesus, saith unto him, lam the laay, and the truth, and the life ; no man cometh unto the Father but by me." John xiv. 6. Actsiv. 12. * " For he that eateth and drinketh wiiaorihily, eateth and drinketh damnation, to hirnself, not discerning the Lor d^s body" 1 Cor. xi. 29. ^ "i^ar as many of. you as have been baptized unto Christ have put on Christ." Gal. iii. 27. " We are to labour therefore after the spirit and power pf these two sacraments in our hearts, that they may be manifested in our lives and conversations, otherwise the let- ter of them can only condemn us : for as ' he is not a Jeiu,' so neither is he a Christian ' xtiho is one outvardly,' but he is a true Jem and he is a true Christian 'who is so inivardly,' (Rom. ii. 28. 29.) from whose heart, and members, , the lust of the flesh, the lust of th^ eyes, and the pride of life, are cut off ; who is dead, and buried to sin, and risen again to righteousness : this blessed work sacra- mentally shewn forth, and begun in baptism, is to be continued through life, by the successive renovations of repentance, by daily accessions of knowledge, faith and charity, producing and carry- ing on a gradual growth in grace until it be perfected." H^rne. Discourses, Vol. I. Disc, -xk page 218. " This is the privilege we are admitted to by baptism, of being the children of God : and it is likewise no less significant of our duty, for every relation whatsoever necessarily supposes and implies the duty correspondent to that relation. If therefore we live not in obedience to the commands of our heavenly Father, it will nothing profit us to have had the name of his children ; nay, we shall be re- Chap. I. Of the duty of Watching. & shame is it for one man to desert his prince, though another man ? What person then can scorn Christ, whom considered as God he must fear ; as made man for his sake, he ought to love ? The very name of Christian reminds you of your duty to Christ. What then can induce you to revolt basely to the enemy, from whom he hath redeemed you with his precious blood ? Why take the devil's pay, to serve, again, in his rebellious army ? How dare you bear arms against that Kingj'who laid down his life for you ? For as he said, " he that is not With me, is against me, and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth^' Lulce xi. 23." And do but attend to the reward of your rebel- jected and punished with so much the greater severity for not having lived ' worthy of the vacation •ft-herewith we were called.' " ( Ephes.'w. \.) ClarkeExpos.oftheCatech.p.\5. ' "And why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things 'which I srq/" Luke vi. 46. " //e that saith he abideih in him, ought him- self also so to xaalle, even as he tutilked. — For this is the love of God, that iue keep his commandments ; and his commandments are not grievous" I John, ii. 6. — v. 3. " Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that -the bodf of sin might ie destroyed, that henceforth iue should not serve sin. — Likewise redkon ye also yourselves to he dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. — Let not sin there/ore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof." Rom. vi. 6. II. 12. " And they, that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." Gal. V. 24. Athenagoras told the emperor that " no Christian could be a bad man unless he were a hypocrite." Legatio pro Christian. p^ 4:. (An. 170.) " Better had it been for all such persons never to have been bap- tized at all into the name of Christ than that by a life unsuitable to that worthy characte- they should dishonour both his name and their own. Our Christian name is a perpetual declaration of our being dedicated to the service of Christ, and it is a shameful neg- ligence, and want of consideration, that make us generally seem so entirely to have forgot the thing while the word is continually in ourmouths." Clarke Expes. of the Catech.p. 4. " For not to regard those obligations is to renounce his baptism. 10 TJie Christian's MANtrAt. lion. If you, who conform to this world, would know what that is, hear St. Paul, " the wages of sin is death." {a) ' Who would willingly endanger his body in the most justifiable war ? You "by leaguing with the devil obtain the perdition of your soul. In furious wars ' which men wage with men, whether and to renounce baptism is to renounce all the privileges of being a Christian, both with regard to the favour of God in this life, and the hopes of salvation in that which is to come." lb. p. 7. "Ye brainless wits ! ye baptis'd infidels ! Ye worse for mending ! wash'd to fouler stains ! The ransom was paid down ! And was the ransom paid ? — ^It was ! and paid (What can exalt the bounty more ?) for yOu." Young. Night iv. ' « And these .shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into V^e eternal.^' Matt. xxv. 46. * " O what are these, Death's ministers, not men ? who thus deal death Inhumanly to men, and multiply Ten thousand fold the sin of him who slew His brother : for of whom such massacre Make they, but of their brethren ; men of men." Milton, " Oh shame to men, devil with devil damn'd Firm concord holds, men only disagree. lb. In 1SI7, Erasmus composed his celebrated " Pacis Querela " or " Complaint of Peace," and he treats the same subject in his " Instruc- tions for a Christian Prince :" he considered no wars justifiable, but for self-defence. In the Colloquy, " the Soldier's Confession," he observes, '' a military life is undoubtedly of all courses the most; wicked, and the most miserable. The law of arms is the highest degree of iniquity ; do you never think what will become of your soul if you are knocked on the head ?" And in that of " Charon," he expresses his detestation of war. In his " Pi;aise of Folly," censuring the ambition of popes, he re» (b) Rom. vj. '23. Chap. I. Of the dMy tf Watching. 1 1 prompted by brutal rage, or necessary defence, have you not observed, how the spirits of the soldiers have been elevated by fearks, " And though v^ar be so brutish that it becomes the beasts rather than men, so extravagant, that the poets feigned it an effect of the furies : so licentious, that it stops the course of all justice, and honesty: so desperate, that it is best waged by ruffians, and banditti: and so unchristian, that it is contrary to the express commands of the Gospel: yet^ in Spite of' all this, peace is too quiet, too inactive, and they must be engaged in the. storms of war. "And yet some of their learned fawning courtiers will interpret this notorious madness for zeal, and piety, and fortitude ; having found out the way, how a man may draw his sword, and sheath it in his brother's bowels, and yet not offend against the duty of the Second Table,- whereby we are obliged to Ipve our neighbour as ourselves." It is a Christian's duty to promote universal love and benevolence. " Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you," Luke yi. 27. —John xlii. 34. 3,5. " From tuhence come 'wars and fightings, among you ? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your mem- hers ? Ye lust and have not ; ye kill and desire to have, and cannot obtain ; ye fight and war J' James iv. I; 2. Cyprian says, " View all the terrible forms of war, and blood- shed ;■ when a single murder is committed, it shall be deemed per- haps a crime, but that crime shall be called a virtue, w'hen commit- ted under the shelter of public authority." « Of the Grace of God." S.5.fAn.24:6.)- Lactantius denies that a good ihan ought to make war. Lib. 5. c, 8. , • Taylor, in his most excellent " Rule of Conscience," observes, "The Christian Religion has made no particular provisions for the conduct of war, under a proper title, because it has so commanded all the actions of men, so ordered the religion, so taken care that men shall be just, and do no wrong, has given laws so perfect, rules so excellent, threatnings so severe, promises so glorious, that there can be nothing wanting towards the peace and felicity of mankind, but the wills of men. If men be subjects of Christ's law, they can never go to war with each other ; but when they are out of the state of laws and peace, they fall into the state of war; which being con- 12 The Christian's Manual. the promises of plunder, the terror of the enemies cruelty, the desire of applause, or the shame of covwardice : fired with these trary to peace, is also without all laws : so that the injurious perscdf is not to inquire how to conduct his war, for he is gone beyond all law." S. 21. " Princes must keep within the limits of a just defence, and do as they would be done to." S. 22. « No other war is just but what is defensive." S. 23'. " The actions of good men in Scripture are not a competent war- rant for'our imitation ; not only when they are reproved, but even when they are set down without censure." Chrysostom says, " We Christians ought to shew a greater virtue, and more eminent sanctity: because we have received abundance of the spirit of God, and Christ's coming is a mighty gift : and if We should derive our warranties from the examples of the old Testa- ment, it were all one as if from the licenses of war we should take pattern for our comportment in the days of peace and laws, or from children learn what were the measures of a man." De Virgin, {died An. Wl'.) « Thus when St. Paul speaks ■ of Gideon, Jephthah, David, Samson, and Deborah, and Baruch, who through faith subdued kingdoms : here their subduing kingdoms by invasion and hostility ' is not propounded as imitable, but their faith only, and therefore let us follow their faith, but not their fighting ; and carry the faith to heathen countries, but not arms." S. 37. " Actions done in the old Testament, though by a command of God, do not warrant us, or become justifiable precedents without such an express command as they had, if the command was special and personal, the obedience was just so limited, and could not pass ■beyond the person." S. 29. " But that Christians may drive out an invading army, that they may kill them that resist, that they may by war defend the public rights, in which all the private are involved, they may safely take for their warrant, the example of Abraham, fighting in behalf of the king of Sodom ; the act of Melchisedec in blessing God for the success of that battle ; the wars of the Judges and of David, be- cause these were just and necessary, by special command or neces- sary defence." S, 31. — Jeremy Taylor (Chaplain to Ch. I. and Chap. I. Of the duty of Watching. 13 incentives, wKat toil have- they not endured, what danger run, and with what eagerness engaged ? and all this for how mean Bishop nfDoion 8^ Cunnor) " Rule of Conscience" h. ii. e. 2. rule vii. p. 288— Vide Matt. v. 21—48. William the Conqueror was extremely alarmed on his death-bed, and entreated the clergy to intercede'for mercy, exclaiming, "Be- ing laden with many and grievous sins, (O Christ) 1 tremble ; and being ready to be taken (by and by) unto the terrible examination of God, I am ignorant what I should do : for I have been brought up in feats of arms even from my childhood, I am greatly polluted with eiFusion of much blood ; I can by no means number the evils which I have done for this sixty-four years, wherein I have lived in this troublesome life, for the which 1 am now constrained without stay, to rendej- an account to the just Judge." And discoursing of his conquest of England he observed, « al- though manly greediness upon such triumjJhs rejoiceth, yet inwardly a careful fear pricketh and biteth me, when I consider that in all these, cruel rashness hath raged." Stow Annals, p. 122. Sf 124. Philip of Macedon having fallen in wrestling, and perceiving the print of his body in the dust, exclaimed, « Good God ! what a small portion of earth hath nature assigned us, and yet we covet the whole world." More, describing the Utopians, observes, " They detest war, as brutal, and which to the reproach of human nature, is more prac- tised by man, than by any beast. In opposition to the sentiment of almost every other country, they think nothing more inglorious than the. glory gained by war ; they engage not rashly in war, but only to defend themselves or their friends from aggression, or to assist the oppressed in shaking off the yoke of tyranny." Ut<^ia,, hy Cayley, vol. ii. p. 133. The true glory' of rulers is, not to infuse into the manly breast the ferocity of a tyger, and stimulate the malignant passions, but to appease and humanize them. Who would not rather be called the friend and delight, than the enemy and terror of mankind ? Each state will best secure its solid prosperity, by respecting the fights of others. 14 7!%* -Christian's MandaL. and paltry a reward ? perhaps an encomium from their general^ a man like themselves ; martial triumph, a laurel crown, a gar- land of oak leaves, an ode, or a little more money. < With what energy the illustrious Phocion declaims against the immorality of wars ! « That virtue which is superior to the love of one's country, is the love of mankind. Extend your view, my dear Aristiasj beyond the walls of Athens. Is there any thing more opposite to this hap- piness of society, the principle of which we are-seeking, than these hatreds, these jealousies, these competitions which set nations at variance ? Has nature made men to torment and devour one ano^ ther? If she enjoins us mutual loVe, how wise would politics be in desiring that the love of one's country should prompt citizens to place the happiness of their republic in the misery of their neigh- bours ? Away with frontiers and limits which separate Attica from Greece, and Greece from the provinces of tlie Barbarians. " How could it be, that men, who gave up their independence and formed societies, because they perceived their need of one ano- ther, did not perceive that Societies are under an equal necessity of assisting, succouring, and loving eacli other, and did not imme- diately infer that it behoved them mutually to obstrve among themselves union and benevolence, as the inhabitants of a town ? How slow is reason in availing itself of experience, and shaking oiF the yoke of custom, prejudice and passion ! « Lycurgus, whose wisdom and abilities can never be sufficiently aditiired, was the man who first understood how much it concerns a state that would secure itself from the insults of its neighbours, to make the laws of that eternal union which nature has established between all mankind, the constant rule of deportment towards them. He would have the love of one's countryj which till then had been in Lacedemon unjust, fierce, and ambitious, to be refined by the love of mankind. His humane republic, now no longer making any use of its forces but to protect weakness, and maintain the rights of justice, soon gained the esteem, friendship, and respect of all Greece, to which these sentiments gave a new taste for virtue. « Why, my dear Aristias, should we think ourselves foreigners, when without the walls of our cities ? Why these jealousies, these animobiticsj-those cruel wiirs ? Has nature bestowed on mankind Chap. I. Of the duty <^ Watching. \S But shame or hope has little or no eiFect upon us, though God himself, is our spectator and rewarder. And what are the such a scanty portion of happiness, tliat it must be acquired sword in hand ?. Knowledge of our real interest would make us all happy. Phpcion. Convers. IV. hy Nicocles. « That law which natural reason appoints for all mankind, is called the law of nations, because all nations make use of it. " It is common to mankind ; and all nations have framed laws through human necessity ; for wars arose, and the consequences were captivity, and servitude ; both which are contrary to the law of nature." Justin. Inst. I. i. tit.^ ii. s. 1. 2. "That which we call natural right, or the Law of, Nature, is the dictate of right reason, shewing -the moral malignity, or the moral necessity, that there is in any act, by either the repugnancy, or congruity it has to rational nature, and, consequently that such an act is either commanded, or forbidden by God, who is the very author of Nature." Grotiifs,, of War and Peace, b.l.c.l. s.x. . « This then will appear a fundamental law of Nature. Every man ought, as far as in him lies, to promote and preserve a peaceful sociablwess with others, agreeable to the main end and disposition of the human race in general. « By this term of sociableness, we would iWiply such a disposition of one man towards all others as shall suppose him united to them by benevolence, by peace, by charity ; and so, as it were, by a silent and a secret obligation. « All actions which necessarily conduce to this mutual sociable- ness, are commanded by the law of Nature ; aild all those, on the contrary, are forbidden, which tend to its disturbance or dissolution." b. 2. c. ili. p. 134. « Indeed these pernicious charms of avarice, and of ambition, have taken so fast hold on hunian minds, that even the most mild and gentle doctrine of our Saviour Christ which is perpetually in- culcating the rules of peace, of kindness, of goodwill, of propension to forgive injuries, of humility, of contempt of riches and worldly power ; hath not been able to extinguish the most unjust oppressions, treacheries, and wars, amongst the professors of that holy religion : so that Plul^rch's description, {Plutarch, in Pyrrho, p. 389. Edit. 16 The Christian's Manual. •'- rewards that he hath set before us ? not gold and sifver, or such lifee-trifles, but that which " eye hath not seen, nor ear heard^ JVeckel.) will too exactly hit the character of some Christian princes ♦whose desires, not seas, nor mountains, nor desarts, can stopand conclude; not the bounds which separate Europe and Asia can circumscribe.' When such ambitious spirits border on one another's possessions, it is scarce possible that they should live satisfied with their proper shares, and abstain from mutual injuries and invasions. In effect, they are continually engaged against each other, envying and plotting being the necessary consequences of their temper. As for the two names of pedce and of war, they use them just as they do money, not as they are determined by reason, but according to custom and convenience." b. ii. c. iii.p. 113. " It is certain that nothing is more consonant to the law of nature, than that no man should offer unjust violence or injury to another ; and, on the other hand, than that all men should shew kindness and humanity to one another and be particularly exact in the observa- tion of agreements and compacts : and when men duly attend to and obey these laws, they may be said to enjoy peace ; which is a state most agreeable to human ^nature, which tends most to promote its happiness and security, and indeed which the law of nature was given to men principally to establish and preserve. Nay, further, peace is a state proper to human nature, as such ; since it ariseth from a principle peculiar to mankind above the brutes ; whereas war flows from principles common to both." b. viii. c. vi. p. 836. " Avarice and all extravagant desire of increasing wealth, as also ambition, and the hopes of enlarging rule and dominion, of growing great, and purchasing a false fame and glory, by the oppression of others, are unjust causes of war." (Vide Grotius. lib. ii. c. xxii, i. 5.) Piiffendorf. Laxv of Nature and Nations, iidth M. Barbet/rad' s Notes, by Carew. 6. viii. c. \i. p, 839. Henceforth be that machiavelia/i principle, a thing may be po- litically right, although morally wrong, execrated by every govern- ment ; a maxim fit only for an infernal Pandemonium, and Barbary and Malay pirates. Oh that all possessed r,f power would reflect upon the desolation and misery their mad ambition causes, and the solemn account they Chap, I. Of the duty of Watching. 17 neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive the thifigsiahich God hath prepcmd for tliem that love him." 1 Cor. xi. 9. ' Certain foretastes of that happiness he hath vouchsafed for our comfort in this life ;* and in the end a blessed immor- tality. This contest is at our utmost peril, and our eternal felicity is at stake.^ And as the highest reward is to be obtained by the- must render to God ! let them descend from their gilded thrones, and vie* the horrors of the ensanguined field ; ^ the agonies of the expiring victims to their vain glory ; the lacerated limbs, the widow's tear, the aged parent bereft of the only prop of declining years, the tender relation or friend weeping over the mangled corpse, and hear the orphan's cries ! But I mlpt, restrain these feelings.—* What is history but a tragedy ? How few benefactors appear on the stage ! if rulers, deaf to the weeping voice of injured humanity, and dazzled by false glory, resolve to pursue their blood-stained career, will not self-interest chec^ them ? for let them turn over the page of history, trace tlie decline of empires, and weigh the prophetic words ; —-yet what occasion to consult antiquity ? the recent events in France are sufficient to demonstrate the fatal policy of ambition. Oppressed liberty, like an elastic power freed from confinement, forcibly rebounds, and knocks ambition and tyranny from their seat; ' " When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear 'with him in glory." Coloss. iii. 4. 2 Tim. iv. 8. John viii. 51 . ," And if children, then heirs ; heirs of God, and joint-heirs mth Christ ; if so be that we siiffer mth him, that tue miy he also glorifitd. together." Rom. viii. 17- " There remairieth therefore a rest to the people of God." Heb. iv. 9. 1 Peter i. 4. "Then shall the. King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye Messed of my Father i inhe- rit the Kingdoni prepared for you from the foundation of the •mffrld." Matt. XXV. 34. « Who inill render to every man according to his deeds." "Tribulation dnd_ atigkish, upon every soul of man that doeth 'evil, of the Jew first and also of the Gentite." Rom; ii. 6. 9. * " And tue'hiota'that 'all things work together for good to th'enl that love God." Rom.' viiii 28. Ps. xi. 7. ' " And every man that striveth for the mastery is temp^ittie i* att things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible cfown ; hut we an incorruptible." 1 Coi:» ix. 25. Ch. Ma. B 18 Z%e Christian's Manual. conquerors, so the greatest punishments will be inflicted upon deserters. Heaven is promised to them that " take it by force," ' and how must every generous mind be fired with such a hope ? especially when it is considered that he who promised can nei-^ ther deceive, nor be deceived, (a) When we reflect, that all our actions are known to God,'' and the whole company of ' " And from the days of John the Baptist until notx the Kingdom ■ of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent^ take it by force." Matt. xi. 12, Luke xvi. 16. 1 Tim, vi. 19. Heb. x. 19. "That is, they who by^^lieir continual attendance on the doc- trine of it preached to theiM their care to understand it, and readi- ness to receive it, show their ardent desires to be made partakers of it, and do contend for an entrance into it, do by these means pre- vail." Whitby Paraphrase and Commentary on the New Testament, Matt.xi. 12. p. 106. "As the Jews of old through the obedience of their Father Abra- ham became the peculiar, the elect, the chosen people of God ; the standard of true religion,, and of the worship of the one true God of thp Universe for a testimony against all the idolatrous nations of the earth, so Christians now in a more excellent and spiritual manner, of which all the Jewish privileges were but types and figures, do through the interposition of Christ, and by their em- bracing the terms of his everlasting gcispel, (Acts iii. 25. Rev. xiv. 6.) become the sons of God and children of the covenant." Clarke Expos, of the Catech.p. 13. * " Can, any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him ? sttith the Lord. Do not I Jill heaven and earth ? saitk the Lord." Jer. xxiii. 24. xvi. 17. " He that planted the ear, shall he not hear ? he that formed the eye, shall he not see ? " Ps. xciv. 9. Luke xii. 2. 3. Heb. iv. 13. " Consideration of God and of the divine presence is a general counter-charm .against all sin ; for as sin in its formality is an aver- sion from God, so the cause, of all sin does at last resolve into for- getfulness of him and a non-consideration of his presence and in- spection. I .(a) Deut, vii. 9. Psalm. Ixxxix. 84. Chap. I. Of the duty of Watching. 19 heaven are spectators of this glorious conflict, will not even shame prevail upon us to fight manfully ? considering that he will applaud us, whose praise is our supreme happiness. Why then should we not seek it, even though we purchase it at the hazard of our lives. {«) It argues a meanness of spirit not to be excited by rewards : the basest of. men are roused by fear of punishments. Now an enemy, however implacable, can only take life and property ; this was the most the fierce Achilles could do to Hector. But in the other case, your immortal soul is in danger. And though your body will not be dragged round your grave, as Hector's was thrice round Troy, yet you will be hurled into the lowest pit.' It is ordained that the body shall die, but the soul cannot die without being infi- nitely miserable. -With what caution do we aver^ any injury " Why should not God's seeing us have' thfe same influence upon us as our seeing God ? « In short, notwithstanding the great corruption of our nature and our proneness to evil, we need no other guard either against sin or against, temptation, than these three words well considered : .God is present.' But there is one particular sin to which this consi- deration is utterly irreconcilable, and against which it is a peculiar antidote, and that is the sin of hypocrisy. "And now since the spiritual advantages of setting God always before us are so great and so many, I think I peed use no other persuasive to recommend this excellent expedient of holy living to our constant practice. Let us then be persuaded to make use of it, by setting God always before us, and having him always in our thoughts, especially under this threefold consideration, as the su- preme goodi , as a pattern, and as an observer, so shall we have a perpetual encouragement to do well, and a siifficient counterpoise against all temptations. And God grant we may so sethim always before us here, that we may not be afraid to appear before him hereafter. AmeM;" ' Norris " Practical Discourses," vol. ii. p. 199. ' ' « And fear not them xvhich kill the hody, but are not able to kill the soul ; 'hut rather fear himriehich is able to destroy both soul and 'body in hell." Matt. x. 28. (e) Matt. X. 38. 2 Tim. ii. 4. 20 The Christian's MANUAt. from the body^ or with what solicitude ,do we cure it ; and shall we . neglect to; heal the inward anguish of; the soul ? the death of the body how alarming, because it is visible j but the death of the soul is invisible, and therefore few dread it ; though the death of the one exceeds that of the other, as much as the soul is superior to the body, or as God is above the soul of man.(a) There are symptoms,- by which it may be plainly seen, -whe- ther the soul is alive, diseased, or dead,* When the stomach does not digest, but loaths its food, we know that the body: is out of order. Now the word of God is the meat and drink -of the soul, (6) which if it disrelishes, and abhors,, it is a proof, that the palate of the mind is vitiated, and disordered. Nay, it it does not receive and digest its food kindly, it cannot be a doubt but the soul is sickly., When we see a man creeping and dragging his body like a load too heavy to bear^, we know that he is very feeble : so we should conclude his soul to be, who is cold and indifferent to all the duties of religion, who takes fire at the least affront^ and is dejected at the loss of a little bit of money. When a man has lost the use of his sensesj and his whole body is stiff, we take it for granted he has ex- pired. And- when a man's heart is frozen, the eyes of his understanding so darkened that he cannot discern the light of the clearest truth, the ear of reason deaf to the inward call of God's word, and in short, the whole man become senseless, do you believe his soul is alive ? Thus a man can see his brother in distress, without the least emotion, for that he is safe himself.' II ,-' ' " And he stretched Jbrih his hand tffuiard his disciples, atid said, hihold my mother and my brethren." " For 'iohosoever shall do the xuUl of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sis- ter, and mother.V Matt. xii. 49. SO. xxiii. 8. " IVe knovo that we have passed Jirom death unto iife,nbecause toe love the brethren : kk that loveth. not his brother abideth' in death." f^ Whoso hatk this laOrld'sgocid'; and sietk his brother' have nei^, and shutteth 'ttp' his btfmekqf'Oompass'ion from him, km dtueU^th. tkeldifsvfG'odiahimi" « My little children let us not love in tvotd, neitherlin fbytgutflmt w (o) Matt. vi. 25. (6) Matt, ivtii John vi. S5. Chap. I. Of the duty qf Watching. 21 Amd why is he not moved'? because the man is dead — dead, and forsaken of God -,' for where God is there abides love, since God is love, {a) Were it otherwise, were he a living member of Christ's body, how could any other mgmber suffer, and he not suiFer with it, nay hot so much as be sensible of it ? To proceed to okher syrnptoms, you have cheated your friehdj or jerhaps defiled his bed,* yet the soul, though it has received a deei. and in truth." " And this is Ms commandment, that ive should heUeve on the name qfhis son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment." 1 John iii. 14. IS. 17. 18. 23i ii. 11. iy. 20. 2L IPeteriv. 8, ' ' "The Scripture looketh on mankind antecedently to the state and life of true and saving religion, not as alive, but as dead, or in the state of the dead. So in the oriental philosoplly they called those men, deadj {Grot. Not^in Matt. vili. 22.) ' that are fallen from their dogmata, are become aliens from the discipline of truth and virtue, whence the soul hath her life, and h^ve subjected their mind to the animal passions.' -^ "As when any one was ejected out of the Pythagoreans' ssciety they set up an empty coffin' in his place, to signify that he ought to be looked upon as dead." Maxwell Introductory Essay, p. cxlix. s. 3, to Cumberland's Treatise of the Laivs of Nature. Et vide Ddcier Life -of Pythagoras,'' -p. 26. Euseb. Eccles. Histor. lib. iii. c. xxiii. " As the soul is the life of the body, so the life of the soul is God." Prosper, (^died An. ^6.) In the parable of the prodigal son, Christ said, « It luas meet that «ue should make merry and be glad : for this thy brother nas dead, and is alive again; and aoas lost, and is found." Luke xy. 32.. And St. Paul observed, " But she that liveth in pleasure is dead vehile she liveth." 1 Tim. v. 6. vide Luke, ix. 6Q. '^ " And the man that eommitteth adultery mth another man's tdfci even he that eommitteth adultery mth Ms neighbour's idfei tM adulterer and the adulteress ' shall surely be put to death." Levit. XX. 10. Exodus XX. 14. The learned Grotius contends that not only murder, but adultery, (a) 1 John iv. 7. 8. 11, 22 TJie Christian's Manual. mortal wound, is so far from smarting, that you rejoice in your and some other acts, were considered as great crimes, and were punished with death prior to the Jewish dispensation, which in many respects was no more than a declaration of the morallaw, binding on all nations. Vide Grotius, Of War and Peace, h. i. c. ii. s. V. This conclusion is undeniable, and is supported by God him- self, who, after enumerating divers offences, adds, " And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, 'which I cast out before you, for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.'" Levit. XX. 23. Vide Gen. xx. 6. 7. xxxviii. 24. Ps. xfx. 9. Rom. ii. 14. 1 Cor. x. 6. 2 Tim. iii. 16. 2 Peter ii. 5. Jude 7. " Fornicators and adulterers shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Gal. V. 19-21. Matt. v. 27. • The Roman law punished adultery with . death. JvMin. Inst. ' L iv. tit. xviii. s. iv. More describes the Utopians as punishing the , crime with bondage for the first offence, and death for the second. Our law is ii^ufficient to restrain this heinous crime. Is it not the first duty of the legislature to check immorality i What state long flourished with licentiousness ? does not history teach us, that . depravity, although silently, infallibly undermines the foundation of a government ? its gradual approaches are the more dangerous, because unperceived. . It has been observed, " what are laws without manners." I asJc, what are manners without laws ? "In the eye of politics no. virtue is small and it cannot safely neglect any one." ■■ "The laws most essential to the safety and happiness of states, are those" relating to the rectitude of morals." ^ " It is only by the uniform practice of the domestic virtues, that a people can be fitted for the exertion of the public." Phocion Convers. ii. Should not adultery be declared an offence against public mo- rals? What crime is a greater violation of domestic happiness, (jauses more bitter anguish, or is more injurious in its other conse-, quences ? ■ The adulterer and adulteress should be liable to imprisonment according to the discretion of the court, not exceeding a limited time. Chap. I. Of the duty of Watehing. ' 23 sin;" but know that your soul has perished. The body that cannot ffeel the puncture of a needle, and the soul that is not sensible of so deep a gash, are alike dead. You will hear a man uttering profane, arrogant, malicious, and unchaste, expres- sions, (o) and raving against his neighbour ; (6) in this case you must admit, that his soul is departed,* — his bosom is the se- Is this subject undeserving the noble zeal of a Romilly, and Wilberforce ? , ^ Let society stigmatize the offending parties, instead of palliating their guilt, and thereby corrupting others. ' " It is an enormous crime to rejoice and continue in sin." " Some glory in their shame, counting the stains of sin the best complexion for their souls ; these men make one believe it may be true what Maundevile writes of the Isle o'f Somabarre in the East Indies, that all the nobility thereof brand their faces with a hot iron in token of honor." Fuller Holy State, b.m. c. 3. s.ii.p. 147. et vide Maundevile Travels, c. xviii. p. 226. ^ " It is enjoined universally ' That nothing be said, though it were but in, jest, which may diminish the honor of God, or the hap- fMness of mankind ; which v^e shall observe,' if we do not, .by a base and wanton satiricalness, expose to contempt and ridicule, the laws of religion, nor the rights of nations, nor of particular states, nor of smaller societies, or families, or of particular persons." Cumberland cfthe Moral Virtues in particular, c. 8. *. vi. In the higher ranks of life swearing is seldom heard, except in the freshman's college room, or from the almost beardless or con- ceited pfficer ; they mistake blasphemy for courage and greatness of soul, and profaneness for wit. In the lower ranks, it more extensively prevails. What impiety, to strengthen their angry and sinful expressions by invocating the Omnipotent, and what monstrous folly ! Are they ignorant he is omniscient ? What occasion for a particular appeal ! At the last awful judgment he will produce the record of their guilt, to their eternal shame and conviction : besides " the man doth not get credit from an oath, but an oath from the man." (ffl) Col. iii. 8. (6) Ephes. iv. 2, James iv. 11. 2* 7^? Christian's Manoal. pulfchTe where it' continues as it were to rot, from whence issue those : steams that poison each by-stander. Thus Christ called ' the Pharisees •whited sepulchres, (a) because their souls within were dead, and fit only to be interred. And the royal prophet to the same purpose says, " Their throat is an open sepulchre, thm^ flatter with their tongtte." {b) The bodies of holy men are the temples of God's spirit, \c) those of tlie wicked are the graves of the dead. And the mouth and throat of such, is but the yawning of that sepulchre, which islodged in their bosoms. For if the body be dead, when separated from the soul, much more so is the soul when separated from God. A corpse is not more offensive to our smell, than the savour of that soul is to God and his holy angels, that has been long dead in siris. When therefore ,a man's heart emits pestilential speeches, it betrays a soul in a state of putrefaction. For the Scripture saith, Jrom tJie abundance of the heart the mouth epeaketh ; {d) if his soul was quickened by God's presence, he would utter things worthy of God. ', There is this further difference between the soul aiid body, that a-n indisposition in the latter will admit of relief! But it must be an extraordinary grace of God that restores a soul once The crime sljould be more frequently denounced from the pulpit, and the vigilance of the magistrate roused. " Quis non vetat peccare cum potest jubet." True religion can never enter the heart defiled with habitual cursing — it always proceeds from irreverence, and often from a contempt of God. " Thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain,Jbr the Lord will not hold him gviltless that taketh his name in vain." Exo- dus XX. 1?. " And ye, shall not smear by my name Jalsely, neither shalt thoy, profa,ne the name of thy God." Levit. xix. 12. "And he that hlasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him : as well the stranger ds he that is born in the land when he blasphemeth the name of the 'Lord shall be put to death." Levit. xxiv. 16. (a) Matt, xxiii. 2?. (i) Ps. v. 0. (c) 1 Cor. iii, 16. 17. \d) Matt. xii. 34. 35. Chap. I. . Of the duty of Watching. 25 dead in sin, {a) and a sound state can only be recovered before it takes its leave of the body. (6) The death ol the body is often attended with little or no suffering ; but the soul must suffer to all eternity. And though it be dead in a moral or metaphori- cal sense, yet in fact it will livo to endure hereafter perpetual torments. Seeing our danger is so great, what stupidity not to pro- vide- against such evil ? We have no reason to despair. For if on the one hand we have & formidable adversary, on the other we have a most- powerful' defence' and succour. • Many" there are that fight against us, but God is -gi eater than- them a!I. And *^ if 'he be for us, who can ie against us?" {d) * If he is eur support, who can make us- fall ? -But we must be' resolved to be conquerors. And for our enoouragemeBt, let-usconsideri that' we have not'to engage witha victorious, -but a cottquCred, enemy; one that has be«n overcome by Christ- our chief j -and ■whom if we follow, we may overcome, [d) Our first 'Care must be. to fight under his- banner.' 'We ar^ weak of ourselves, but iu'him -we arestpotig'.'(ff) 'Noone-ever lO'St' this battle but by his own-choicei' -Every tnah iMaiy-^iaTe assistance, (y) 'and he that uses-it must ■conqu-er'.' The vic- tory is to-be ascribed to him,- w-ho alone being -free from' siii» destroyed ' the ' doininion of it;' but you are not to expect it without ;your'' own exertions. ■' He said, he ef good con^&tfy Ihave overcame the world, John xvi. 33. 'with a design to en- courage, and not to make you- slothful-. To cdnquer 'rfirough Christ therefore, is to follow his example, (g) , We must-steef our course, in such.,a. manner between the two-^ extremes, asnot to depend upon the grace of i God, presuming .to he careless Qurselyes, neither to abaodop ourselves, to despair, ifrom a view of the difficulties to, be, overcome.: {h) ^ ! ' I ' > 'I I I 1 -I H I , f- I I I '■ I I 1 M l V}f I I -I i ' "Patience is, that virtue which qualifies us to 'bear all conditions and ,.all levents . by God** disposal incident to us, ' virithisueh/a^pre* (a) Rom. i.' 38. (fr)'Eccles. ix. 10. (c) Rom. viii. 31. Heb. xiii. 6. i Ps. xItI. 1, (d)'lJobn v.'2-5/ (e) Ps.xxviii. 1. xxvii. 1. J4. (J) Matt.vii.T. {g) iJoluiv. 18. (A) Matt. xvL 24. 26 The Christian's Manual. CHAP. II. , j(, of the Christian Armour. J One principal duty of a Christian^ in this spiritual warfare, is, to be perfectly acquainted with the number and strength of the enemy, and wil^ what weapons he may be most advantageously attacked and subdued. He is likewise to keep them in readi- ness, lest he be surprised in a defenceless state. In a campaign, the soldier is not always fighting, but has frequent opportuni- ties of rest, either when a truce is made, or the enemy have taken up their winter quarters. But Christians are obliged to watch and fight continually, during their residence in this mor- tal body. Our motions must be directed by those of the foe, who, as he never ceases to ensnare, so neither must we cease to stand upon our guard. Even when he appears least dan- gerous, by seeming. to ily, or to be at peace, he is ensnaring us : nay, he is much less formidable when at open war, and more suspicious when he puts on a smooth behaviour. Let it be our first care therefore, to arm well our souls, (a) We defend our bodies against the stiletto of a villain, and shall we neglect the security of our souls ? shall we be less studious to prevent our ruin, than the fiend is to compass it ? less watchful to save, than he to destroy ? hensions, and persuasions of mind, such dispositions and affections of heart, such external deportments and practices of life, as God requireth and good reason directeth." Barrow, Of Patience. "Other graces are but part of a Christian's armour, but patience is a panoply, or whole armour of the man of God. The enemy foils us without it, but we foil him by it." Ignatius, St. John's Disciple, and Bishop ofAntioch, suffered martyrdom An. 107. " Patience and firm belief in God make a man victorious." (a) Ephes. vi. 11. Chap. n. Of the Christian Armour. 27 The Christian armour shall be particularly considered in its proper place. Only it is worth notice, that there are two prin- cipal means to destroy the whole offspring of vice, and these are prayer ' and knowledge, (a) Thus St. Paul, by ordering us to pray without ceasing, (b) admonishes us to be always upon our guard. For devout prayer lifts the soul to heaven, a tower never to be scaled by the enemy. And knowledge fortifies the understanding with wholesome doctrines, so that the one ought never to be without the other. That intercedes, but this teaches what you are to intercede for. Faith and hope enable a man to pray fervently, and as St. James says, nothing wavering ; (c) but knowledge instructs him to pray for what is good, and approved by Christ, [d) Even the sons of Zebedee heatd this reproof, Ye know not what ye ask. [e) Prayer is (indeed the better act, as holding intercourse with God, nevertheless know- ledge is necessary. {/) Perhaps you confide in the number of Psalms you mutter, and think the spirit of prayer consists in multiplying words ; ' which is the error of those that stick to the letter, and are so childish; as to Overlook the spiritual meaning. But we have not so learned Christy (g) who says. When ye prayf itse not vain repetitions, as the heathens do : for they think that they shall ' " Prayer is a religious ■ calling upon God, founded upon the belief both of his infinite knowledge, power, and presence, and of his gracious goodness, and mercy towards us in Jesus Christ, and by virtue whereof, he is not only always present with us, to hear and receive our prayers, thoroughly acquainted with all our needs, and fully able to supply them, but is also most willing and ready, so to do, if we call on him as we ought to do." Archbp. Wake Principles of Christian Religion Explained, p. 126. ^ Beware of imitating the Scribes, " tuho/or a shoru madelong prayers ; the same shall receive greater damnation," Luke xx. 46. 47. («) 2 Peter i, 5. (b) 1 Thes. v. 17. (c) James i. 6. ' (d) Eccles.v. 2. Jamesiv. 3. (e) Matt, xx.ao. (/) 1 John v. 14. (g) Ephes. iv. 20. 38 The Christian's Manual. heiheardfor ihmr much peaking. Be not ye therrfm-e like unto, ihenn:: for your Father kn&ivetk what things ye have need of, iej^ee ye >Msk htm-la) Moses did not utter a syllable, yet the Lord rsaid to him, Why eryest thouwUo me ? (6) which shows kiisithe.Bamestdesire-of the>8oul, not the request of the' lips, •which. he.i "regards' more than the loudest complaints the. voice can atter. (ff) TTherefore wheft the enemy solicits, and you are in '^nger. ©f^ relapsing into siny lift both heart and bands to keaven,!. with fuil- assurance of help; To be employed in the diltaesiof: devotion,. is the surest means to take your m-ind from ^MTtbly .putsmts, and to fix its- attention on Christ. (can be no ■ temptation so strong, or' foe so desperate, ; or J fnisfortujie so grievous, but may be subdued by Study of the holy Scriptures.' They are every. where admirable and^JWDrthyyouii -.most diligent examination, [e) Jt-is usual .'with the holy 'Spirit under the idea of water, id fioueh; the Jcnowledge of the divine > law. (_/) The names of •wdls,r believing them to be the oracles of God. • You will find yomp- self wonderfully pleased if you approach them with suaiabie awe and reverence,^ for they are the delights of the happy I <( We ought to bripg our minds free, unbiassed'jiand teachfeM^ to learn our religion from the word -of , God ;- butwehflvfcgerierally formed- all the lesser as well as the greater points of our religi«a before hand, and then we read,\the Prophets' aixd. Apostles only. Uf pervert them, to confirm our own opinions. Were it, not for thk influence of self, and the bigotry to pur ovra tenets, we could hardlr imagine that so many strange, absuj-d, inconsistent, wicked, mis- chievous, and bloody, principles should pretend to' suppjtjrt and defend themselves by the gospel of Christ." Jp'atri, Logic, pari 21 e. S. S.3. p. 158. • " Search with a; steady honesty of sonl awd-a -sincere iBflipartiaBpf to find the truth, watch against every temptation that -mrght -bribe your judgment Or warp itaaide from irutli.j. Do not indulge yfiiir- self to vsrish any unexamined; propositioai -WBre> »uiB or false;' ' aSL wish ofteBiperverts-; the judgment amd tei»pts3tbeiiftifldisttari||iB}J' to believe upon slight evidence- whatever- we. with to -'be true or false;" ' lb, part 2. c. 6. f. l.pJ 184, i * " Wfaar is there that can so enlarge,i improve, affld-deKghty tfe* human mind as contemplation of the truth and dispensaitiafSSoi'^e .Almighty ? Where is the pleasure that can stand in-c^nparison (ff) Job xxii. 21. Prov.i.iv.e6. 1 Tim. iv. 15. (b) 1 Peter ii. t.