felves falvation without forfaking effectually, and mortifying all vices, and practifing fincerely all Chriftian virtues, which our reafon tells us is the only way in which we can secure the favour of God, and our own happiness. But the church of ROME opens an eafier and broader way to heaven, and, though a man continues all his life long in a course of fin, gives him affurances he may be let into heaven by a back gate, even by an act of attrition, at the hour of death, if it be joined with confeffion to a prieft, or by an act of contrition without it.

Juft and perfect are the precepts of piety and humility, of innocence and patience, of good nefs, temperance, fobriety, juftice, meekness, fortitude, and conftancy, contempt of the world, the love of God, and of mankind; in a word, of all virtues, and against all vices, which the Scriptures oblige us to obferve and obey, as ever we hope to fee God in his heavenly kingdom; which, if they were generally obeyed, could not but make the world generally happy; and the goodness of them alone is fufficient to make any wife and good man believe that the religion which obliges to them, comes from God, the fountain of all goodness. The church of ROME enervates, and in a manner diffolves and abrogates, many of the holy precepts of the Gofpel, by teaching men that they are not laws for all Chriftians, but counfels of perfection, and matters of fupererogation, which a man fhould do well if he obferves, but shall not fin if he doth not observe them; that they are for those who aim at high places in heaven; but if a man will be content with an inferior fituation there, especially if he be content to tafte of purgatory in the way, he need not incumber his thoughts at prefent with many of the rules of the Gofpel. Not to fay, that the Romish church manifeftly foments a fpirit of uncharitablenefs and cruelty to all mankind, not of her profeffion. Therefore the religion of this church is far from being fo holy or fo good as the doctrine of Chrift delivered in the Scriptures, and confequently cannot come from the fame fountain of holiness and goodnefs.

Following the church of ROME for our guide, we shall only follow a combination of deluded men, who have fast clofed their eyes, and are not at liberty to open them, or to examine and confider whether they are in the right or no. For that Papifts have no liberty of judgement is manifeft, because they reckon it a mortal fin to doubt of any part of their doctrine. Whence it follows, that feeing every man muft refolve that he will never commit mortal fin, he must never examine the grounds of Popery at all, for fear he fhould be moved to doubt; or if he do examine, he muft before refolve that no evidence, not even of Scripture, no motives, be they ever fo ftrong, fhall move him to doubt, left he fhould fall into mortal fin.

Seeing this is the condition of all who are esteemed good Catholics, who can deny that they are a fet of men unwilling and afraid to under, ftand, that have eyes to fee and will not, that have not the love of the truth, but are given over to ftrong delufion? And therefore, in following fuch a church, and fuch guides, we fhall only follow the blind, and with them fall into the ditch. If we follow the Scriptures, we fhall follow only the truth; we fhall follow a guide which exhorts us to keep our eyes always open to the truth, to try all things, and to hold faft only

Q 2

that

that which is good; to try every fpirit, and to bring every doctrine to the teft of God's pure and holy word. And thus we are at liberty to review the ground upon which we ftand, to correct any error, and to improve our minds in the knowledge and love of the truth.

In these and several other refpects, the fufficiency of Scripture to guide us in the way of life and falvation, is evidently feen, and how foolish and unfafe it is to forfake this heavenly guide, and follow the delufions of the church of ROME. But then, the greater the evidence that Scripture is a perfect guide to eternal life, the greater must our obligations be to ufe it faithfully as fuch.

Let us be much in reading the Scriptures, and think and judge freely. By judging freely, I do not mean rafhly and at random; we must judge of the Scriptures with all poffible care and caution; but judge freely, without regard to the authority of any perfon, party, or church whatsoever. We are made by our gracious Creator for the knowledge of the truth; not to be the dupes of cuftom or authority, not blindly to follow the dictates, decrees, and conftitutions of weak and ambitious men; but to employ our minds generously in the fearch and knowledge of the truth. Chriftianity calls us to the nobleft exercise of our understanding; and we lose the benefit of it, if we do not think seriously, and judge freely.

There is no other way of having our minds established, and well feafoned with the principles of our religion. In this way we fhall fee the glory and excellency of the holy Scriptures; thus we shall feel the power of God's word upon our hearts; thus our understandings will gradually be enlightened with Divine knowledge, and, to our unfpeakable comfort, grow up into Jefus Chrift, and gain the happiness of the man who, forfaking all impiety, and every falfe way, delights himfelf in the law of the Lord, and daily meditates therein. Such a one is under the special bleffing of heaven, and, like a tree planted in a fruitful foil, fhall grow and flourish, and rife infinitely higher than all the honours, wealth, and enjoyments of this world, he fhall rife to immortality, and there find all the glorious fruits of a life of piety, and the full accomplishment of the magnificent promifes which here on earth he with pleasure perufed in the word of God.

This is what I have to offer on this important fubject. Whatever the refult may be, with regard to others, this one point is fufficiently fecured -I have fatisfied my confcience by difcharging what I esteem an incumbent duty and I have done it in the faithfulnefs and integrity of my heart, according to the wifdom God has given me.

APPENDIX.

APPENDIX.

Chronological Dates for Chapters xxxiv, xxxv. and xxxvi.

PROPHETS after the Destruction of the TEMPLE, during the CAPTIVITY.