more clearly, that our Church has taught a proper leffon of moderation. And may we, confiftently with fuch moderation, endeavour to felect from every age and from every country whatever is amiable, commendable and useful; may neither prejudice of education, nor malignity, nor prefumption, nor fondness for novelty, induce us to reject opinions because they are ancient, or modes of worship because they were adopted in primitive times, and abused or perverted by fucceeding ignorance and fuperftition; always remembering that our Saviour, fo far from altering a Liturgy, in a certain degree unedifying and jejune, felected from it part of his own moft perfect Form of Prayer, that much imperfection is to be found in every performance and every establishment of man, but that those who are most discontented, and most clamorous for reformation are generally the leaft qualified to effect it; for true wisdom is* pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrify.

*James 3. xvii.

SERMON

ΤΗ

HE genuine fimplicity of Christian Faith and Chriftian Worship was but of short duration. After the three, or at moft the four, first centuries, every fucceeding age became memorable only by a new train of useless, and often worse than ufelefs, ceremonies. The power of the Sovereign Pontiff of Rome foon gained an establishment. Much blood and treasure were loft in an Enterprize, first dictated by mad zeal, and carried on with unabating fury, and with vifionary hopes of heavenly affiftance. The manfions of learning were but few, and those few abounded

F 3

ON IV.

bounded with barbarous compofitions, and fcholaftic jargon. The excellent models of Greece and Rome were little attended to, and scarce understood. The manfions of piety and devotion abounded with idleness, effeminacy, luxury, and every kind of vice. The very altars became a refuge for those who by their crimes had forfeited all pretenfions to the pity of their fellow creatures, and the protection of fociety. The fulminations of the Bishop of Rome had terrified and humiliated kings themselves; had sometimes overturned thrones, or had fhaken their foundations. The power of Abfolution, which was granted to the Ministers of Chrift for the encouragement of repenting finners, had long been a fource of wealth, and a plea for extortion. The commandments of men were taught for doctrines, and the clamours for implicit and unbounded deference grew louder, in proportion as the just title

to it became weaker.

Unbelievers have enlarged upon thefe abuses, fome of which excite pity rather than indignation, with a design to disparage the Chriftian Religion; and there may be fatire, but there is no argument, in deriding ambi

tious prelates, and in ftiling them at the same moment the fucceffors of meek and indigent Apostles.

3

Waving therefore that calumny, which carries no real fting, we have reason to rejoice that the revival of learning created a fpirit of enquiry. Improvements of every kind are gradual, and attended with difficulty. Succeeding generations are not fenfible of every impediment. Rooted prejudices are not removed without great labour and circumfpection. Precipitate measures defeat their own purposes.

The effects of Wickliffe's preaching were probably more important than we at present imagine. The fear of punishment may and often does prevent outward and publick oppofition, but operates little upon individuals, and upon private focieties united together by one common caufe. Indeed the Lollards were numerous in defiance of every menace.

The obfervations which it is intended to make on the conduct and principles of our firft Reformers will not admit of methodical arrangement. If we can filence objections

which are frivolous, and anfwer fuch as are important, our zeal in the common caufe will be animated, and the humbleft efforts may be crowned with a small degree of fuccefs.

To an impartial enquirer it will perhaps be obvious, that in contemplating the Reformation, as in contemplating other material changes, both friends and enemies have laid too great a ftrefs upon the character and conduct of the feveral parties concerned. Malignity has exaggerated, miftaken candour has attempted to defend, avowed mifcarriages and defects. As if our bleffed Mafter had foreseen the perverfenefs of men in arguing against his Religion from the conduct of its Teachers, he made him an Apoftle who he knew was a Traitor. If his treachery, if the pufillanimity of St. Peter, if the general defection of the Disciples, be no difparagement to the Gofpel, with what propriety is fo much invective accumulated upon the first Reformers? Luther, in particular, has been ftigmatifed with unmerited reproach. Perfect purity of conduct is fcarce ever to be

* See Bayle's Life. and Mofheim, 4to edit. V. II.

expected