SInce God has been pleas'd to incline your heart to an early and serious enquiry af­ter Religion, so that you are sincerely desirous to [Page 2]know the will of God, in order to do it, I heartily wish you had laid your Commands upon one more able to assist you, than I am: who, being bred up in an Age of Speculation and Controversy, have ad­dicted my self to the study of Divinity more perhaps than to the practice of Re­ligion; and have been (I pray God forgive me) more desirous to furnish my Head with Notions, than my Heart with good Inclinations. I thought [Page 3]my self, by my Professi­on, chiefly engag'd in a study how to defend the Church by Law estab­lish'd against all Dissen­ters, rather than to pro­mote the common cause of serious Piety; and whilst by the strange unaccount­able genius of this Age, I have been led aside to mix the study of Politicks with that of Religion, I have been busily assisting the Office of a Minister of State, rather than doing [Page 4]the good work of a Mini­ster of Jesus Christ.

Now although it has pleas'd God to make me in some measure sensible of those By-paths, in which I have sometimes walk'd, to the hindrance of that duty unto which I ought intirely to have devoted my self; yet I am apt to fear lest those Prejudices and undue Prepossessions of Mind may still remain within me, by which I shall be prevented from gi­ving [Page 5]your Ladyship such an Idea of Religion, as is short, plain, and pure, free from superstitious Appen­dages, and separate from every by-interest.

But without doubt such as this is the true Spirit of the Christian Religion, e­very line whereof directly tends to make us easy within our selves, kind and comfortable to one another here, and happy with God hereafter.

That our holy Reli­gion is a wise Institution, will be evident to any one who considers that God is its Author, whose Wisdom appears in all his Works: Thus the frame of visible nature being agreeably set together, and having each part of it suited to use­ful and proper ends, de­monstrates it self to be the work of divine Wisdom: in like manner the whole Plan of pure Religion, ha­ving also its parts suitable [Page 7]to each other, and every one of them agreeably set to the same good and great Design of the whole, does thereby prove it self to be the contrivance of an All­wise God.

And hereby the Wisdom of the Christian Religion will particularly appear, because every part of it tends to promote the uni­versal good of Mankind; for which reason the di­vine Founder thereof was nam'd Jesus, (that is) Sa­viour, [Page 8]because his only de­sign was to save us from the prevailing power of Sin, and from those Mise­ries in which that evil power would involve us.

Thus Temperance pro­motes our Health, Justice in our dealings prevents us from sustaining the reven­ges of the injur'd, and gains us trust among Men, with all the benefits which arise from thence. Chari­ty by promoting the com­mon good of others draws [Page 9]back their love and af­fection to our selves, while Patience preserves quiet within our own Breasts, and Self-denial by restrain­ing our extravagant Appe­tites, establishes the just power of Reason over us; thereby fitting us for all conditions of life; and thus the law of Christ answers to the Character of Wis­dom, by its agreeable­ness to the best design of God in the chiefest good of Man: and upon this account Solomon character'd [Page 10]the Idea of Religion un­der the name of Wisdom.

Beside these moral du­ties there are several threats of God's Judgments and promises of his favour contain'd in Christ's Insti­tution; the former were wisely design'd to restrain us from Immoralities, which are our greatest Follies; and the latter to engage us in the practice of Vertue, which is our greatest Wisdom: the threatnings prepare the [Page 11]way for the Promises, and qualify us to receive 'em; in as much as they shake off our affections from ill objects, in order for the Promises to fix them upon good ones. We must needs cease to do evil, before we can learn to do well.

Now although a due consideration of the divine nature will carry us on to the belief of a future state, in which he who is in per­fection the best of all Be­ings, will distinguish the [Page 12]good from the bad by am­ple rewards and just pu­nishments: yet because e­very ones capacity may not be sufficient to make this wise reflection, there­fore Jesus Christ was pleas'd (as the Gospel phrases it) to bring Life and im­mortality to light: i. e. to give the World full assu­rance of a future state, in which the just God will distinguish Men hereafter in such a manner as they shall distinguish them­selves here; and 'tis the [Page 13]wisdom of every one to preserve this belief in his heart, and bear it always about him, because 'tis the most awful Monitor a­gainst our committing fol­ly, and yields the strong­est encouragement to Vir­tue.

From what has been said, your Ladyship sees first what is meant by sa­ving a Soul, viz. to deliver it from vitious habits and fearful punishments, the fatal consequents of such [Page 14]habits; and by establish­ing Virtue therein to re­commend it to the favour of God. And secondly, that the Gospel of Christ was design'd to this very end; and its tendency hereunto is its Wisdom. And thirdly, from hence you also perceive in what respect Faith in Jesus Christ is said to save us, viz. because this Faith is our receiving the Christian Moral for the Rule of our lives, and the threats and Promises contain'd in the [Page 15]Gospel, for the outward motives of our practice ac­cording to that Rule.

And from these three considerations, summ'd up together, you may exa­mine all the various pre­tences which differing Churches and Communi­ons make to the purity of Christian Faith, so as to form a right judgment of 'em; for that Communion which manifests it self to have no other design than to assist its Members [Page 16]in saving their Souls from the power of Sin by the Moral and Motives afore­mention'd, is certainly the purest Church; and that Faith which has no other tendency, is the pu­rest Faith. So that if you form your self upon this Principle, you may pass by all nice Speculations, or profound Mysteries, which have no direct ten­dency to improve your Morals, without any ha­zard of Salvation.

Secondly, As the Chri­stian Institution is wisely practical, so it is plain: or in other words, we may say, that as the wis­dom of the Christian Re­ligion appears first by its being practical, so it appears secondly by be­ing plain. The obscure answers which were given out from the old Heathen Oracles, are now known to have proceeded from the indirectness of a de­signing Priesthood: who, [Page 18]to maintain their pretence of foretelling what shall come to pass, sent back all those who came to in­quire after future events, with doubtful and uncer­tain Answers. And it has been the observation of wise Men, that when any one affects to be dark and mysterious in his Conver­sation, either he has some indirect design in so doing, or else whilst he makes an ostentation of wisdom he does in reasity but dis­cover his folly.

Now the Wisdom of God cannot be conceiv'd to aim at any other design in communicating it self to us, than the Information of our Minds in the na­ture of good and evil, and this in order to direct our choice; and all Instructi­on must of necessity be plain: since 'tis by things easy and familiar, such as at first sight we may ap­prehend, whereby we can be led on to the know­ledge of matters more re­mote [Page 20]and difficult: but obscure and unintelligible doctrines can have no ef­fect upon us beside unpro­fitable amusement; and whatsoever is by the wis­dom of God laid out of our reach, can be no part of our concern.

Farther, to what end did he give us intellectual Faculties? surely not to amuse but to improve us, by enabling us throughly to understand each part of our holy Religion, which [Page 21]directly tends to that end, viz. our moral Im­provement: as you will soon perceive, if you re­duce the Christian Insti­tution to its general heads, which are these.

First, A Narration of matters of Fact.

Secondly, A Declara­tion of moral Laws.

Thirdly, A Revelation of such motives which are proper to inforce this Law upon our minds. And

Fourthly, Serious Ex­hortations to refresh our Memories with our duty: and earnestly to recom­mend it to our practice.

First, Your Ladyship sees, that the matters of fact contain'd in the four Gospels, and the Acts of the Apostles (viz. the Travels and Trans­actions of Christ and his Disciples) are so plain­ly related, that you un­derstand the Relation as easily as you read it. And [Page 23]Secondly all Laws must be plain, because they are Directions. Now, obscure directions are but Delusi­ons. And Laws which are dubious and difficult to be understood, are Traps and Snares. And Thirdly, 'Tis as necessary that Motives should be very intelligible, because their design is to work strongly upon our Wills, by convincing our Understandings. Add to this Fourthly, That my­stical and unintelligible Exhortations are ridiculous, [Page 24]upon which account St. Paul forbad religious Ex­ercises to be perform'd in an unknown Tongue.

Now as the four Gos­pels and Acts of the Apo­stles contain matters of fact, laws, and motives; so the Epistles contain Ex­hortations to Seriousness and Piety, arising from the laws, facts, and motives before-mention'd: and [...] take these Books to be suf­ficiently comprehensive of the Institutions and Ordi­nances [Page 25]of Jesus Christ: which ought indeed to be easily intelligible, because they concern the poor weak, and unletter'd Peo­ple as much as the Learn­ed.

Nor can I see that the doctrine of Christ was by him, or his Apostles, de­liver'd first of all into the hands of the learned to be by them convey'd into the minds of the ignorant; but on the contrary, 'tis mani­fest that our Saviour di­rected [Page 26]both his discourses and actions immediately to the common people as well as to the Scribe; and in like manner did his Disciples address their Preachings and Writings.

From all this Discourse concerning the clearness of Christ's Institution, you may spare your self the needless trouble of reading abstruse and my­sterious points of Divinity. Nor need you suffer your self to be amus'd with the [Page 27]pretended deep Speculati­ons of profound Men, when you have the plain directions of a wise, and a good God before you, in following whereof you shall meet with great re­ward.

Thirdly, The Christian Institution is short. True and genuine Religion has always been summ'd up, and gathered together into a narrow compass, by those who best understood it. Thus Micah (6.8.) speak­ing [Page 28]of God, saith, He hath shewn thee, O Man, what is good, and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee? but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. And our Saviour summs up the whole Law in our Love to God, and our Neighbour. And in another place includes the whole scope of the Law and the Prophets, in this one Rule, Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye unto them; hereby directing us [Page 29]to make a right use of that Reason which God estab­lish'd as his Oracle in our Breasts: to which we may at all times resort; and from whence we may be resolv'd in such cases as concern our duty to one another.

For as by consulting your own reason, you know wherein you are justly dealt with, and wherein you receive wrong; when you are kindly us'd, and when otherwise: so from [Page 30]the same principle of rea­son you cannot but know when you deal justly or wrongfully, and when you do kind or ill offices to another; this one short comprehensive Rule, take­ing for its Foundation the Equality of Mankind in respect of their common nature, renders Religion it self a matter sensible un­to us.

For I can feel the wound of a sharp slanderous Tongue as sensibly as that [Page 31]of a Sword; I can feel the wrongs done to my self and Family; and am as much sensible of the benefits I enjoy from the just and kind dealings of those with whom I am concern'd; and hereby I am in the shortest and plainest way admonish'd of my behaviour to others: and if this one short Rule were reduc'd to practice, the state of Paradise would be restor'd, and we should enjoy a Heaven upon Earth.

For hereby first all Per­secutions for Conscience sake, which have occasi­on'd such violent disor­ders, and vast effusion of blood, would be at an end, because every one who has any Conscience, would most willingly pre­serve it free from the Im­positions of Men in the worship of God. To com­pel Men by Fire and Fag­got to partake even of a delicious Entertainment, is a savage sort of Hospita­lity.

Secondly, All Factions in any State would be at an end, if every Member thereof were contented that every one of his Fel­low-Members who was not an Enemy to the Go­vernment, might, having equal pretence of Merit, enjoy equal Privileges with himself.

Thirdly, The occasions of War and Law-Suits would be taken away. Since nothing but mani­fest [Page 34]wrong can be the just cause of either.

And Fourthly, There would be no private quar­rels, and uneasiness among Neighbours; Since by this Rule of doing as we would be done unto, all rash Cen­sures, sharp reflections, and ungrounded suspicions and jealousies, which are the Seeds of private Ani­mosities, are taken away. And hereby we may ex­pect a plentiful store of God's Blessings among us, [Page 35]who will measure out his kindness to us in the same manner, as we measure out ours to one another.

The reason why Reli­gion should be both a short and plain Institution, will appear if you consider the common circumstances and conditions of Men in this World. For though your Ladyship and many more, have leisure enough to read and digest whole Vo­lumes of useful Know­ledge (if there are any [Page 36]such) yet the greatest part of Mankind being neces­sarily imploy'd in making daily provisions for them­selves and Families, and discharging the common offices of Life, cannot at­tend to any religious In­stitution which is either difficult or tedious.

'Tis certain, That the whole Life of Man is not sufficient for him to read all the Controversies which have been written upon pretence of Religion; but [Page 37]'tis as certain, That God never lays on us a great­er task than what he af­fords us both Abilities and Opportunities to per­form: wherefore we may conclude, That since the duties of Religion are laid in common upon all, the poor Day-Labourer must have ability and opportu­nity sufficient to instruct himself therein, without hindering the constant work of his Calling. And in all this the Wisdom and Goodness of God are made [Page 38]known, by adapting our duties to our circumstan­ces of Life.

From hence you may save your self the trouble of reading the long and te­dious Disputes which with such intemperate Zeal are always in agitation among the several Parties of Chri­stians. Indeed the true Christian Institution being short, it cannot admit of being spun out into long Controversies: And tho' I have read many Books [Page 39]of Controversial Divinity, I do not remember that I have met with any one Controversy about the matter of meer Religion; as whether I should main­tain in my heart a high reverence and veneration for Almighty God? Whe­ther I ought to walk before him in Sincerity and Up­rightness? Whether or no I should be thankful to him for all the benefits which I have receiv'd from him? Whether I shall sub­mit to his will with Pati­ence, [Page 40]and endeavour to govern my Passions, to bring them to a due mo­deration and temper, by making them subject to the Law of Reason? Whe­ther I should be true to my Promise, just in my Dealings, charitable to the Poor, and sincere in my Devotions? Whether I should be temperate and sober, modest and chast, and demean my self in an humble, civil, and agree­able manner towards those with whom I converse? [Page 41]Whether I should be hear­tily sorry when I come short of my duty, and should be watchful in the denial of my irregular Ap­petites, Passions, and evil Inclinations for the future? In short it has not (that I know of) been disputed whether Justice, Benig­nity, Meekness, Charity, Moderation, Patience and Sobriety, should be re­ceiv'd into our affections? or whether we should love God and our Neigh­bour? Orthodoxy of Faith is [Page 42]made the pretence of Con­troversy, but the one thing necessary is Orthodoxy of practice.

I know your Ladyship will not be pleas'd with a Discourse upon the sub­ject of Religion, un­less Devotion have its due place in it; nor ought it indeed to be left out, because thankfulness is a necessary part of Religion, and Prayer is the Preser­vative of the whole. A frequent repetition of our [Page 43]thanks for all the benefits we enjoy, preserve in our Minds the consideration of God as the greatest and best of Beings; and there­by nourishes Veneration and Gratitude. In like manner Prayer for Pardon of Sin, and preservation of our Persons, is a constant Recognition of the Mercy and bounty of God. But Prayer against the power of Sin, is the actual with­drawing of our Inclinati­ons from Evil; and Pray­er for any Grace is an [Page 44]actual application of our Minds, to attain the par­ticular Virtue for which we pray.

Now although I would not advise you against set Hours and Forms of De­votion, either private or publick; yet I would ra­ther recommend a sort of habitual and occasional Devotion, as very pro­per to preserve the strong­est Impressions of Religion upon your Mind.

It may be observ'd that many who are very pun­ctual in keeping to their exact times and forms of Devotion, have fallen short of any visible improve­ment in Virtue. The same Pride, Frowardness, Falshood, Covetousness, and bitterness of Spirit, have appear'd in many who have been constant frequenters of the publick as well as Closet Forms of Prayer; as if God had not been in all their thoughts. [Page 46]The reason whereof seems to be because their for­mal Petitions supersede their habitual Endeavours. Men are apt to think that since they spend in every day such a portion of time in Prayer, they have done all their part: And so they leave God Almighty to take care of the event. And this is indeed all we can do when we make our Pe­titions to our Benefactors upon Earth, viz. offer up our requests to them, ei­ther by word or writing, [Page 47]and then only expect their answer.

But 'tis otherwise with relation to God. Our Pe­titions to him must not take off from our constant endeavours to perform that work for which we pray his Enablement. And this occasional Devotion, which I would recommend, is in its own nature a constant endeavour after Virtue, as well as a serious Petition for it. For it ariseth from a frequent observation of [Page 48]our selves in our particu­lar occurring circumstan­ces; from which observa­tion suitable desires will almost necessarily flow. As if at any time I find that I have done an ill thing, immediately upon the discovery, I beg God's Pardon, and resolve to make recompence for the ill I have done. Or if I have design'd any evil in my heart, and presently beg Pardon of him who knoweth the secrets there­of; in so doing I have gi­ven [Page 49]check to its progress. In like manner, if I have spoken slanderously, rash­ly, or injuriously con­cerning any one; and up­on Recollection thereof I ask forgiveness of God, and desire that I may not do the like for the future: but on the contrary, that I may govern my Tongue better; in all this I am la­bouring to with-draw my Soul from evil, and to form my self upon a prin­ciple of Virtue.

Every Night and Morn­ing are proper times of leisure to call to Mind the preservation, support, and advantages we have re­ceiv'd the day or night pre­ceding. And this Recol­lection being accompany'd with thankfulness to our great Preserver, is the actual continuance and carrying on of our grati­tude to God. If I per­ceive Pride or Passion to arise in my heart, so that I am apt to put a great va­lue [Page 51]upon every thing I do, and despise others: or if I find my self eagerly con­cern'd for any little Worldly advantage, or any small punctilio of ho­nour; and hereupon I beg of God for an humble Spi­rit, and a Heavenly Mind; I am herein en­deavouring to expel the Poison of Sin by its pro­per Antidote.

We cannot but feel the Disorders of our Minds, as much as the Diseases of [Page 52]our Bodies. And the cau­ses of a disorder'd Mind are much more easily dis­cern'd, than the causes of a Bodily Distemper. For either my Mind is trou­bl'd for want or losses, or it may be for the prospe­rity of others, or want of a revenge, or because I cannot have my will in what I design'd. Upon these or such like occasi­ons, the proper Cure is Devotional in begging God's Pardon for my dis­content: and being desi­rous [Page 53]that my will should be submitted to his who has taught me that I should not return evil for evil, but that I should love my Neighbour as my self. This sort of Solilo­quy, and occasional men­tal address to God, is a sure way to compose the disorders of our thoughts. For the growing power of any Sin is most certainly suppress'd by introducing the opposite Virtue into our desires.

The same method may be used as to Sins of Omis­sion. A serious Person will observe neglects of common duties, which re­spect either God or Man. He cannot but take notice how much he has neg­lected his business, or his health; how little he has confider'd God as his Own­er, Governour and Bene­factor: and how small a portion of what God has bless'd him with he has laid out upon the good of [Page 55]his Fellow-Creatures. And if hereupon a Man is seri­ously desirous to become more dutiful to God, more useful to himself, and be­neficial to others, he is therein actually bending his mind to supply his for­mer Omissions.

This casual Devotion arising from the observa­tion of our selves, under the common circumstances of Life (although it can have no set times and forms prescrib'd to it) [Page 56]will be very effectual to produce, preserve, and in­crease a true sense of Re­ligion within us. And if you are pleas'd to apply your thoughts hereunto, as occasion shall direct you, this Devotion will soon become habitual, cu­stomary and easy. And its returns, which will be fre­quent and short, will be a continual restraint from evil-doing, and an actual exercise of Virtue.

This exercise which I have been prescribing is commonly reserv'd to be perform'd all at once, in an actual preparation be­fore receiving the Sacra­ment of the Lord's Sup­per; which is usually per­form'd by help of an arti­ficial Catalogue of Sins me­thodically collected out of the Ten Commandments, according to which Cata­logue set Forms of Con­fessions are drawn up, which the Preparant is to [Page 58]take upon content, and without any sort of judg­ment or discretion of his own, he confesses him­self guilty of all the Sins therein mention'd toge­ther, with all their Ag­gravations, though, it may be, many of them were of such a heinous nature, as never enter'd into his heart to commit. And if these Catalogues and con­fessional Forms are read over once a quarter of a Year, or, it may be, once a Month against the usual [Page 59]Sacrament-Day, the work of Preparation is thought to be well pass'd over.

Yet I cannot but think it better to keep a con­stant customary watch o­ver our selves, and upon the first discovery of any evil design or action, im­mediately to retract it within our own hearts, as in the presence of God, and by mental Prayer, pro­per to the occasion, arm our selves against commit­ting the like for the fu­ture. [Page 60]Hereby you dis­charge a duty in its proper season, which is better than to delay it to a pre­fix'd distance of time: for what is most fresh in me­mory will make the most lively Impression upon us; but may in a little time be forgotten. Besides, we are apt to turn Forms into Formalities: And a natu­ral discharge of religious duties must be more im­proving than an artificial one.

And by this your La­dyship sees the reason why I have written a Discourse of Religion in general, in Answer to your Letter, wherein you wrote only concerning the Lord's Sup­per, viz. because I esteem a serious well-inclin'd temper of Mind to be the best preparation, either for that, or any other of the Ordinances of Jesus Christ, that we may par­take of 'em with advan­tage and delight.

David advises us to delight our selves in the Lord, i. e. in all his ways and Ordinances. And I cannot see why our pre­paration for the Lord's Table, and participation at it, should be accompa­ny'd with greater Anxie­ties of Mind than our Communicating in any other holy Office; such as publick Prayer or Preach­ing. We expect the same Blessing of God in the im­provement of our Virtues [Page 63]from all of these Ordinan­ces alike. And why with terrour upon our Minds we should use any of those means which God has or­dain'd for our good, I do not understand. A Man indeed ought to perform every religious office seri­ously and soberly; but Fear by amusing and di­stracting the Mind, is apt to render the Ordinance unprofitable.

Men ought likewise to be discourag'd from com­ing [Page 64]to Prayer, Preach­ing or Communicating at the Lord's Table, with a careless, or profane tem­per of Mind: because such unpreparedness does harden Mens hearts, and renders the Ordinance un­profitable. Such as this was the case of the Corin­thians, who in celebrating the Lord's Supper, were so inconsiderate of what they came to do, that some of them were drunk at the Lord's Table, as you read 1 Cor. 11.21. and to [Page 65]this their prophane beha­viour, those Texts of Scripture do particularly relate, which affright some Men from, and o­thers in receiving the Sa­crament: on this account 'twas said, by St. Paul, that they were guilty of the body and blood of Christ: and to eat and drink damna­tion to themselves, not dis­cerning the Lord's body, Ver. 27, 29. i. e. by such a profane and unworthy communicating, they call down God's Judgments [Page 66]upon themselves: for so the word Damnation ought to be understood, because it refers to the Judg­ments specify'd in the fol­lowing Verse, where 'tis said, that, For this cause (viz. of drunken Commu­nicating) many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep, i. e. die. V. 30. Now to avoid these Judg­ments he exhorts them to examine themselves, i. e. to consider with them­selves what was the mean­ing of that duty which [Page 67]they were to perform at the Lord's Table, which duty was this, viz. to call to mind the death of Jesus Christ. And this Com­memoration is by St. Paul stil'd, Discerning the Lord's body.

The visible signs of our Saviour's Death, which we discern on the Lord's Ta­ble, do prepare our minds to contemplate a divine Person, who for his great Charity to the stupid World, suffer'd the high­est [Page 68]injustice, with such an invincible patience, and Heroick Fortitude, as was superiour to the sharp­est malice of his Enemies. Thereby setting before us the brightest Example of an unshaken resolution to do good in spight of all Discouragements.

You will perceive, Ma­dam, by this Discourse, that the Christian Religi­on is a wise, a plain, and a short Institution; the Be­lief whereof was design'd [Page 69]to save our Souls from the power and danger of Sin, by ingrafting virtuous ha­bits in our Minds. You will likewise perceive, that I hold it necessary to keep a constant watch over our selves, to repent as often as we perceive our selves to transgress, and by oc­casional mental Devotion, incline our hearts to ob­serve the law of Christ; and all this in order to build up a habit of Virtue within us. You will also [Page 70]perceive, that the Con­templation of the death of Christ, with all its cir­cumstances, tends to the same admirable end.

And if these or any other means shall work upon you to be generously just, to bear a good will to all Men, to do what good you can, and to be unconcern'd for the events of things which are not within your power; you will be easy within your [Page 71]self, and satisfy'd in your own Conscience, which is the Dawn of Heaven upon Earth; and you may chearfully Commu­nicate at any time.