AMongſt the many Calamities with which the Almighty is pleaſed to viſit the Children of Men, in order to reduce them to a juſt Senſe of their own Weakneſs and entire Dependance upon him, there is ſcarce any that are more productive of true penitent Humiliation and of a Sight of what is really good and truly Evil, than thoſe contagious Diſtempers which, an offended God ſometimes, ſuffers to rage amongſt the People. In the Year 1665 the City of LONDON was ſorely viſited by the Plague: An Account of the Progreſs and Effects of that Viſitation was kept by a Citizen who remained there during the whole Time of the Sickneſs, and appears to have been candid and judicious in his Remarks thereon. I truſt my Readers may, in a ſhort Deſcription of that memorable Judgment, meet with ſuch Leſſons of beſt Wiſdom, which nothing can ſo effectually produce, as a cloſe and ſerious converſe with Death and the Grave. The Introduction of this Contagion in LONDON was by ſome Goods imported from HOLLAND, which had been brought thither from the Levant. It firſt broke out in the Houſe where thoſe Goods were opened, from whence it ſpread to other Houſes. In the firſt Houſe that was infected there died four Perſons: A Neighbour who went to viſit them returning home gave the Diſtemper to her Family, and died with all her Houſhold. The Pariſh Officers who were employ'd about the ſick Perſons being alſo infected, the Phyſicians perceived the Danger, and upon narrow Inſpection aſſured, that it was indeed the Plague with all is terrifying Particulars, & that it threatned a general Infection. The People began now to be allarmed all over the Town; the uſual Number of Burials within the Bills of Mortality for a Week were generally about 240 to 300, but from the 27th. to the 24 Jan. the printed Bill was 474. However this went off again, and the Froſt continuing very ſevere, till near the End of February the Bills decreaſed again and People began to look upon the Danger as good as over; but in May the Bills greatly encreaſed, and the Weather becoming hot, the Infection ſpread again, in a dreadful Manner.

I lived, ſays the Author, without Aldgate, and as the Diſtemper had not reached to that Side of the City, our Neighbourhood continued eaſy; but at the other End of the Town the Conſternation was very great; and the Nobility & Gentry thronged out of the Town, with their Families in an unuſual Manner; nothing was to be ſeen but Waggons, Carts, and Coaches, with Goods and People and Horſe-Men attending them, hurrying away; then empty Waggons and Carts appeared, who were apparently returning to fetch more People: Beſides innumerable Numbers of People on Horſeback, fitted out for travelling. This was a very melancholly Proſpect; indeed there was nothing elſe of Moment to be ſeen, it filled my mind with very ſerious Thoughts of the Miſery that was coming upon the City, and the unhappy Condition of thoſe that would be left in it. By the End of July the Contagion had ſpread and encreaſed to a great Degree: Sorrow and Sadneſs ſat upon every Face; and tho' ſome Parts were not yet overwhelmed, all looked deeply concerned. LONDON might well be ſaid to be all in Tears, the Mourners did not go about the Streets, for no body made a formal Dreſs of Mourning for their neareſt Relations; but the Voice of Mourning, was indeed, heard in the Streets; the Shrieks of Women and Children at the Windows and Doors of their Houſes, where their deareſt Relations were dying, were ſo frequent to be heard, as we paſſed the Streets, that it was enough to pierce the ſtouteſt Heart in the World. Tears and Lamentations were ſeen almoſt in every Houſe, eſpecially in the firſt Part of the Viſitation; for towards the latter End People did not ſo much concern themſelves for the loſs of their Friends, expecting, that themſelves ſhould be ſummoned the next Hour.

It was a Time of very unhappy Breaches amongſt us, in Matters of Religion, Diviſions & ſeparate Opinions prevailed; the Church of ENGLAND was lately reſtored, and the Preſbyterians & other Profeſſions had ſet up their Meetings for worſhip, and apart, in which they were frequently diſturbed, the Government endeavoring to ſuppreſs their Meetings. But this dreadful Viſitation reconciled the different Parties and took away all Manner of Prejudice and Scruple from the People. But after the Sickneſs was over, that Spirit of Charity ſubſided, and Things returned to their own Channel again. Here we may obſerve, that a nearer View of Death would ſoon reconcile Men, of good Principles, to one another, and that it is chiefly owing to our eaſy Situations in Life, and our putting theſe Things far from us, that our Breaches are fomented, and that there is ſo much Prejudice and want of Chriſtian Charity and Union amongſt us. A cloſe View and Converſe with Death, or with Diſeaſes that threaten Death, would ſcum off the Gall of our Temper, remove our Animoſities, and bring us to ſee with different Eyes. On the other Side of the Grave we ſhall all be Brethren again.

The Inns of Court were now all ſhut up, there was but few Lawyers to be ſeen in the City, indeed there was no need of them, for Quarrels and Diviſions about Intereſt had ceaſed; every Body was at Peace.

It was alſo worthy of Obſervation, as well as fruitful of Inſtruction, to obſerve with what Alacrity the People, of all Perſuaſions, embraced the Opportunities they had of attending upon the publick Worſhip, and other appointed Times of Devotion, as Humiliations, Faſtings and publick Confeſſion of Sins, to implore the Mercy of GOD and avert the Judgment which hung over their Heads. The Churches were ſo thronged that there was, often, no coming near, no, not to the very Door of the largeſt Churches. There was alſo daily Prayers appointed Morning and Evening, at which the People attended with uncommon Devotion.

All Plays and Interludes which had lately began to encreaſe amongſt us, were forbid to act; the Gaming-Tables, publick Dancing-Rooms, and Muſic-Houſes, which multiplied and began to debauch the Manners of the People were ſhut up and ſuppreſſed; finding indeed no Trade, for the Minds of the People were generally humbled and agitated with other Things, Death was before their Eyes, and every Body began to think of their Graves.

The Infection ſtill gradually encreaſed till the Middle of Auguſt, when there died a Thouſand a Day, by Account or the weekly Bills, tho' they never gave a full Account by many Thouſands, many of the Pariſh Officers were taken ſick themſelves and died when their Account was to be given in. The Pariſh of Stepney alone had within the Year, one Hundred & ſixteen Sextons, Grave-Diggers and Carriers of the Dead &c. Indeed the Work was not of a Nature to allow them leiſure to take an exact tale of the dead Bodies, which were all thrown together in the Dark in a Pit, to which no Man could come near without the utmoſt Peril.

I had, ſays the Author, the Care of my Brother's Houſe which obliged me ſometimes to go abroad. In theſe Walks I had diſmal Scenes before my Eyes, as, particularly, of Perſons falling dead in the Streets, terrible Shrieks of Women, who in their Agonies would throw open their Chamber-Windows, & cry out in a diſmal ſurprizing Manner; it is impoſſible, to deſcribe the variety of Poſtures in which the Paſſions of the Poor People would expreſs themſelves. Paſſing thro' Token Houſe Yard, of a ſudden a Caſement violently opened juſt over my Head, and a Woman gave three frightful Screeches, and then cry'd: Oh! Death, Death, Death, which ſtruck me with Horror and a chilneſs in my very Blood. There was no Body to be ſeen in the whole Street, neither did any Window open, for People had no Curioſity, now, in any Caſe. I went on to paſs into Bell-Ally, where there was a greater Cry than that, I could hear Women and Children run ſkreaming about the Rooms like diſtracted; when a Garret Window opened and ſome Body from a Window on the other Side, aſked: What is the Matter? Upon which it was anſwered: O Lord! My old Maſter has hanged himſelf. The other aſked again: Is be quite dead? And the firſt anſwered: Ay, Ay, quite dead and cold. This Perſon was a Deputy Alderman and very rich: But this is but one Inſtance; it is ſcarce credible, what dreadful Caſes happened in particular Families every Day: People in the Rage of the Diſtemper or in the Torment of the Swelling, which was indeed intolerable, becoming raving and diſtracted, often times laid violent Hands upon themſelves, throwing themſelves out of Windows, or breaking out of the Houſes, would dance naked about the Streets not knowing one extaſie from another; others, if not prevented, would run directly down the River & plunge into the Water. Some dying of meer Grief as a Paſſion, and ſome of Fright and Surprize, without having received the Infection. It often pierced my very Soul, to hear the Groans and Cries of thoſe who were thus tormented; but this of the Swellings was accounted the moſt promiſing particular in the whole Infection, for if theſe ſwellings could be brought to break and run, the Patient generally recovered. Whereas thoſe who were ſtruck with Death at the Beginning of the Diſtemper, and had Spots come upon them, often went about indifferent eaſy, till a little before they died, and ſome till the Moment they dropt down; ſuch would be taken ſuddenly very ſick, and would run to ſome convenient Place, or to their own Houſes, if poſſible, and there ſit down, grow faint and die. The Method the Magiſtrates fell into of locking up the Doors of People's Houſes where any had taken the Diſtemper, and ſetting Watchmen there Night and Day, to prevent any going out to ſpread the Infection, looked hard and cruel, as, perhaps, thoſe who were found in the Family might have eſcaped, if they had been removed from the ſick; but the publick good ſeem'd to juſtify ſuch a Conduct, and there was no obtaining the leaſt Mitigation by any Application to the Magiſtrates. This put People, who thought themſelves well, upon many Stratagems to get out of their Confinements. Going out one Morning, I heard a great Outcry, which prompting my Curioſity. I inquired the Cauſe of a Perſon who looked out of a Window. A Watchman had been employ'd to watch at the Door of a Houſe, which was infected and ſhut up, both himſelf and the Day Watchman attended there a Day and two Nights. All this while no Noiſe had been heared, nor Lights ſeen in the Houſe; neither had they called for any Thing; it ſeems that two or three Days before, the Dead-Cart had ſtop't there, and a Servant-Maid had been brought down to the Door dead, wrapt only in a green Rug, which the Buriers had put into the Cart and carried away: The next Day the Watchman heared great Crying and ſcreeming in the Houſe, which he ſuppoſed was occaſioned by ſome of the Family dying juſt at that Time; upon which he knocked at the Door a great while, at laſt one looked out, and ſaid with an angry quick Tone, and a Voice of one that was crying, what d'ye want, that ye make ſuch a knocking? He anſwered: I am the Watchman: How do you do? What is the Matter? The Perſon anſwered: What is that to you? Stop the Dead-Cart. This was about one o'Clock; ſoon after, he ſtopt the Dead-Cart, and then knock'd again, but no Body anſwered: He continued knocking, and the Bellman called ſeveral Times: Bring out your Dead; but no Body anſwered, till the Man that drove the Cart, being called to other Houſes, would ſtay no longer, and drove away. In the Morning when the Day-Watchman came in, they knock't at the Door a great while, but no Body anſwering, they got a Ladder, and one of them went up to the Window, & looking into the Room, he ſaw a Woman lying dead upon the Floor, in a diſmal Manner: But tho' he called aloud & knocked hard on the Floor, with his Staff, no Body ſtirr'd or anſwered: This they made known to the Magiſtrate, who ordered the Houſe to be broken open, when no Body was found in the Houſe, but that young Woman, who having been infected, and paſt Recovery, the Reſt had left her to die by herſelf, and were every one gone, having found ſome Way to delude the Watchman, and go out; as to thoſe Cries, and Shrieks, which he heared, it was ſuppoſed, they were the paſſionate Cries of the Family, at the bitter parting, which, to be ſure, it was to them all; this being the Siſter to the Miſtriſs of the Family. Many more Inſtances might be given but theſe may ſuffice to ſhew the deep Diſtreſs of that Day. Death did not now hover over every one's Head only, but looked into their Houſes and Chambers, and even ſtared in their very Faces, and tho' there was ſome Stupidity and Dulneſs of Mind; yet there was a great Deal of juſt Alarm ſounded in the inmoſt Soul: Many Conſciences were awakened: many hard Hearts melted into Tears; many a penitent Confeſſion was made of Crimes long concealed. People might be heared even in the Streets as we paſſed along calling upon GOD for Mercy, thro' JESUS CHRIST, and ſaying: I have been a Thief. I have been an Adulterer. I have been a Murderer, and the like; and none durſt ſtop to make Inquiry into ſuch Things, or to adminiſter. Comfort to the poor Creature, who in the anguiſh both of Soul and Body thus cried out: Many were the Warnings that were then given by dying Penitents, to others, not to put off and delay their Repentance to a Day of Diſtreſs, that ſuch a Time of Calamity as this was no Time for Repentance. I wiſh, ſays the Author, I could repeat the very Sound of thoſe Groans and Exclamations that I heared from ſome poor dying Creatures, when in the heighth of their Agonies and Diſtreſs; and that I could make him that reads this hear as, I imagine, I now hear them, for the Sound ſeems ſtill to ring in my Ears. In the Beginning of September the Number of Burials increaſing, the Church-Wardens of Aldgate Pariſh ordered a large Pit to be dug, to hold all the Dead which might die in a Month, it was about forty Foot long and ſixteen broad; ſome blamed the Church-Wardens for ſuffering ſuch a frightful Gulf to be dug; nevertheleſs in two Weeks they had thrown more than eleven Hundred Bodies into it, when they were obliged to fill it up, as the Bodies were come within 6 Foot of the Surface. My Curioſity drove me to go, & ſee this Pit, when there had been near four hundred People buried in it. I got Admittance into the Church-Yard, by means of the Sexton, who was a ſenſible, religious Man; he would have perſuaded me not to go, ſaying: "That it was, indeed, their Duty to venture, and in it they might hope to be preſerved; but that as I had no apparent call, he thought my Curioſity could not juſtify my running that Hazard" I told him, I had been preſſed in my Mind to go, and that perhaps it might be an inſtructing Sight "Nay "Says "the good Man "If you will venture upon that Score, in the Name of GOD go in; it will be a Sermon to you, it may be the beſt that ever you heared in your Life" His Diſcourſes had ſhock't my Reſolution and I ſtood wavering for a good while; but juſt then I heared the Bell-Man, and the Cart, loaded with dead Bodies, appearing, I went in. There was no Body, as I could perceive, at firſt, with the Cart but the Buriers, and the Man that led the Cart, but when they came to the Pit, they ſaw a Man mufled in a Cloak who appeared in great agony; the Buriers immediately gathered about him, ſuppoſing he was one of thoſe poor delirious or deſperate Creatures, that would ſometimes run to the Pit, wrapt in Blankets, and throw themſelves in, and as they ſaid, bury themſelves. When the Buriers came to him, they ſoon found he was neither deſperate nor diſtempered in Mind, but one oppreſſed with a dreadful Weight of Grief, having his Wife and ſeveral Children all in the Cart, that was juſt come in with him, and he followed in Agony and exceſs of Sorrow. He calmly deſired the Buriers to let him alone, ſaid he would only ſee the Bodies thrown in & go away, ſo they left importuning him; but no ſooner was the Cart turned round, and the Bodies ſhot into the Pit promiſcuouſly, which was a Surprize to him, for he at leaſt expected, they would have been decently laid in, tho' indeed he was afterwards convinced that was impracticable, I ſay, no ſooner did he ſee the Sight, but he cry'd out aloud, unable to contain himſelf, and fell down in a Swoon; the Buriers ran to him, and took him up, and when he was come to himſelf, led him to a Place were he was taken Care of. He looked into the Pit again, as he went away, but the Buriers had covered the Bodies, ſo immediately, with throwing Earth that nothing could be ſeen. The Cart had in it ſixteen or ſeventeen Bodies. Some were wrapt up in Linen Sheets, ſome in Rugs, ſome little other than naked, or ſo looſe, that what Covering they had fell from them, in the ſhooting out of the Cart, and they fell quite naked among the reſt; but the Matter was not much to them, or the Indecency much to any one elſe, ſeeing they were to be huddled together into the common Grave of Mankind, for here was no Difference made, but Poor and Rich went together; there was no other Way of Burials, neither was it poſſible there ſhould.

John Hayward under-Sexton, that is Grave-Digger and Bearer of the Dead, never had the Diſtemper at all, but lived about twenty Years after it. His Wife was imployed to nurſe the infected People; yet ſhe herſelf never was infected. The only Preſervative he uſed, againſt the Infection, was holding Garlick and Rue in his Mouth and ſmoaking Tobacco; this I had from his own Mouth. His Wife's Remedy was waſhing her Head in Vinegar, and ſprinkling her Head-Cloths ſo with Vinegar, as to keep them always moiſt; and if the Smell of any of thoſe ſhe waited on was more than ordinary offenſive, ſhe ſnuft Vinegar up into her Noſe, ſprinkled her Headcloths and held a Handkerchief weted with Vinegar to her Mouth.

And here I muſt not omit mentioning the Diſpoſition of the People of that Day, with Reſpect to their Charity to the Poor, which indeed was very large both in a publick and a private Way. Some pious Ladies were ſo zealous in this good Work, and ſo confident in the Protection of Providence in the Diſcharge of this great Duty, that they went about themſelves diſtributing Alms, and viſiting the poor Families that were infected, in their very Houſes, appointing Nurſes and Apothecaries to ſupply them with what they wanted. Thus giving their Bleſſings to the Poor in ſubſtantial Relief, as well as hearty Prayers for them. I will not undertake to ſay, that none of theſe charitable People were ſuffered to die of the Plague, but this I may ſay, that I never knew any of them miſcarried, which I mention for the Encouragement of others in Caſe of like Diſtreſs; and doubtleſs, if they, "that give to the Poor, lend to the Lord, and he will repay it" thoſe that hazard their Lives to give to the Poor, and to comfort and aſſiſt them in ſuch a Miſery as this, may hope to be protected therein.

From the Middle of Auguſt to the Middle of September the Infection ſtill encreaſed and ſpread itſelf, with an irreſiſtible Fury, it was reckoned that during that Time there died no leſs than ſixteen Hundred a Day, one Day with another. It was then that the Confuſion and Terror was inexpreſſible; the Courage of the People appointed to carry away the Dead, began to fail them: The Vigilance of the Magiſtrates was now put to the utmoſt Trial. At laſt the violence of the Diſtemper came to ſuch a height that the People ſat ſtill looking at one another, and ſeemed quite abandoned to Deſpair. In a Word, People began to give themſelves up to a fear, that there was nothing to be expected, but a univerſal Deſolation. This Deſpair made People bold and venturous, they were no more ſhy of one another, as expecting there was now no avoiding the Diſtemper, but that all muſt go, this brought them to crow'd into the Churches, they inquired no more what Condition the People, who ſat near them, was in, but looking upon themſelves all as ſo many dead Corps, they came to the Churches without the leaſt Caution, and crowded together, as if their Lives were of no Conſequence, compared to the Work which they were come about: Indeed, their Zeal in coming, and the Earneſtneſs and affectionate Attention they ſhewed to what they heared, made it manifeſt, what Value People would put upon the Worſhip of GOD, if they thought, every Day they attended at the Church, would be their laſt. It was in the Height of this Deſpair, that it pleaſed God to ſtay his Hand, and to ſlacken the Fury of the Contagion, in a Manner as ſurprizing as that of its Beginning, and which demonſtrated it to be his own particular Hand above the Agency of Means; nothing but omnipotent Power could have done it; the Contagion deſpiſed all Medicine. Death raged in every Corner, and had it gone on as it did then, a few Weeks more would have cleared the Town of all its Inhabitants. In that very Moment when thirty Thouſand were dead in three Weeks, nay, when it was reported three Thouſand had died in one Night, and an Hundred Thouſand more were taken ſick, when we might well ſay: Vain was the Help of Man, it pleaſed God to cauſe the Fury of it to abate; and by his immediate Hand to diſarm the Enemy. It was wonderful! The Phyſicians were ſurprized, wherever they viſited, to find their Patients better, and in a few Days every Body was recovering: Nor was this by any Medicine found out, or any new Method of Cure diſcovered, but it was evidently from the Secret inviſible Hand of him, that had at firſt ſent this Diſeaſe, as a Judgment upon us. Let the Philoſophers ſearch for Reaſons in Nature to Account for it, and labour as much as they will to leſſen the Debt they owe to their Maker; thoſe Phyſicians who had the leaſt Share of Religion in them were obliged to acknowledge that it was all ſupernatural. The Streets were now full of poor recovering Creatures, who appeared very ſenſible & thankful to God for their unexpected Deliverance: Yet I muſt own, that as for the generality of the People it might too juſtly be ſaid of them, as was ſaid of the Children of Iſrael, after they had been delivered from the Hoſt of Pharaoh. "That they ſung his Praiſe, but they ſoon forgot his Works."

The Author who was preſerved unhurt, with his whole Family during the Time of the Sickneſs, gives, in his Memoirs, a particular Account of the many Reaſonings and Fears which affected his Mind, before he could come to a fixed Concluſion, whether to ſtay, and 〈◊〉 his Lot in the Station in which God had placed him, or by leaving the City run the Hazard of unſettling himſelf, and loſe his Effects, which lay ſcattered amongſt the Merchants. At the earneſt ſolicitations of his Brother he had concluded to go, but being always croſſed in this Deſign, by ſeveral Accidents, it came, one Morning, as he expreſſes it, very warmly in his Mind, whether theſe repeated Diſappointments, were not Intimations to him, that it was the Will of Heaven he ſhould not go, which was ſucceeded by a farther Thought, that if this Suggeſtion was from God, he was able effectually to preſerve him in the midſt of all Deaths and Dangers that would ſurround him, and that if he attempted to ſecure himſelf, by fleeing from his Habitation and acted contrary to theſe Intimations, which he believed to be divine, it was a kind of flying from GOD, who could cauſe his juſtice to overtake him, when, and where he thought fit.

But what finally fixed him in a Reſolution to ſtay, and caſt himſelf, entirely upon the Protecton and good Pleaſure of the Almighty, was, that at a Time, when his Thoughts were more than commonly ſerious upon this weighty Subject, turning over the Bible which lay before him, he cry'd out: Well, I know not what to do, Lord, direct me! at that Juncture happening to ſtop and caſting his Eye on the Second Verſe of 91ſt. Pſalm, he read to the 10th. as follows viz. I will ſay of the Lord, He is my Refuge, and my Fortreſs, my GOD, in him will I truſt. Surely he ſhall deliver thee from the Snare of the Fowler, and from the noiſom Peſtilence. He ſhall cover thee with his Feathers, and under his Wings ſhalt thou truſt: His Truth ſhall be thy Shield and Buckler. Thou ſhalt not be afraid for the Terror by Night, nor for the Arrow that flieth by Day: Nor for the Peſtilence that walketh in Darkneſs: Nor for the Deſtruction that waſteth at Noon-Day. A Thouſand ſhall fall at thy Side, and ten Thouſand at thy right Hand: But it ſhall not come nigh thee. Only with thine Eyes ſhalt thou behold and ſee the Reward of the Wicked. Becauſe thou haſt made the Lord which is thy Refuge, even the Moſt-High thy Habitation: There ſhall no evil befal thee, neither ſhall any Plague come nigh thy Dwelling &c.

THe Inſpiration of God, and the clear Information of the Holy Scriptures aſſures us, that God reſerves his choiceſt Secrets for the pureſt Minds, and that it is uncleanneſs of Spirit, not difference of Method in ſeeking after God, that ſeparates us from him; true Holineſs being the only ſafe Entrance into divine Knowledge. The Apoſtle Peter declares Act. 10, 34. That he perceived of a Truth that God is no reſpecter of Perſons: But in every Nation, he that feareth him, and worketh Righteouſneſs is accepted with him. And the Apoſtle Paul alſo tells the Galatians Chap. 6, 15. That in Chriſt Jeſus neither Circumciſion availeth any Thing, nor Uncircumciſion, but a new Creature. Nothwithſtanding the Clearneſs of theſe and many more ſuch Doctrines contained in the Scriptures, Selfiſhneſs & Partiality, thoſe inhuman and baſe Qualities have been ſuffered to prevail even amongſt ſuch, as are eſteemed the moſt pious in the ſeveral Sects and Parties of the Chriſtian Church: They have raiſed and ſtill raiſe in every Communion, a ſelfiſh partial Orthodoxy, which conſiſts in courageouſly defending all its Opinions and Practices, and condemning the Doctrines and Practices of others; and thus every one is train'd up in Defence of their own Church, their own Truth, their own Opinion: And he often is judged to have the moſt Merit, and the moſt Honour, who likes every Thing, and defends every▪ Thing amongſt themſelves, and leaves nothing uncenſured in thoſe that are of a different Communion. Now how can Truth, Goodneſs and Religion be more ſtruck at, than by ſuch Defenders of it? If you aſk why the great Biſhop of Meaux wrote ſo many learned Books againſt all Parts of the Reformation, it is becauſe he was born in France. Had he been born in England, had he been bred at Oxford, he might have revall'd our great Biſhop Stillingfleet, and would have wrote as many learn'd Folio's againſt the Church of Rome, as he has done. And yet I will venture to ſay, that if each Church could produce but one Man a Piece, that had the Piety of an Apoſtle, and the impartial Love of that firſt Chriſtians, they would not want half a Sheet of Paper to hold their Articles of Union, nor be half an Hour before they were of one Religion. If we loved Truth as ſuch; if we ſought it for its own ſake; if we loved our neighbours as our ſelves; if we deſir'd nothing by our Religion but to be acceptable to God; if we equally deſir'd the Salvation of all Men; if we were afraid of Error, only becauſe of its hurtful Nature to us, and our Brethern of other Communions, then nothing of this Spirit could have any Place in us. For God is Love, and they which dwell in God, they dwell in Love, 1 John. 4, 16. That univerſal Love which gives the whole Strength of the Heart to God, and which makes us love every Man as we love ourſelves is the nobleſt, the moſt divine, and God-like State of the Soul, and no Religion does any Man any good, but ſo far, as it brings this perfect Love with it. Perfection can no where be found, but in a pure diſintereſted Love of God and our Neighbour. There is therefore a Commnuion of Saints in the Love of GOD, which no one can learn from that which is called Orthodoxy in the different Sects, but is only to be had by a total Dying to all worldly Views, by a pure Love of GOD, and by ſuch an Unction from above, as delivers the Mind from all Selfiſhneſs, and makes it love Truth and Goodneſs, with an Equallity of Affection in every Man, let his Name and Profeſſion to Religion be what it may. And by thus uniting in Heart and Spirit with all that is holy and good in all profeſſions, we enter into the true Communion of Saints, and become real Members of the true univerſal Chriſtian Church, tho' we are confin'd to the outward Worſhip of only one particular Part of it. It is thus, that the Angels, as miniſtring Spirits aſſiſt, join, unite and co-operate with every Thing that is holy and good in every Diviſion of Mankind, He that has been all his Life long uſed to look with great Slight upon thoſe of other Profeſſions, whom he has called Superſtitions, Biggots, canting Enthuſiaſts &c. muſt naturally expect, they will be treated by GOD, as they have been by him; and if he had the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, ſuch People woold find it hard, to get a Place in it. But it ſtands greatly in Hand to get rid of this Temper before we dye; for if nothing but univerſal Love can enter into the Kingdom of GOD, what can be more neceſſary for us, than to be full of this Love before we dye?

We often hear of People of great Zeal declaring on their Death-Beds their ſtrict Attachment to the Church of England, and making ſolemn Proteſtations againſt all other Churches, but how much better would it be, if ſuch a Perſon was to ſay: In this divided State of Chriſtendom, I muſt conform to ſome outward divided Part of it, and therefore I have choſen to live and dye in outward Communion with the church of England; fully believing, that if I worſhip GOD in Spirit and in Truth, in this divided Part of the Church, I ſhall be as acceptable to him, as if I had been a faithful Member of the one whole Church, before it was broken into ſeparate Parts. But as I am now going out of this diſordered Diviſion, into a more univerſal State of Things, as I am going to the GOD of all Churches, to a Kingdom of univerſal Love, which muſt have its Inhabitants from all People, Nations, and Languages of the Earth; ſo in this Spirit of univerſal Love, I deſire to perform my laſt Act of Communion joyning in Heart and Spirit with all that is Chriſtian, Holy and Good in all other Churches; praying, from the Bottom of my Soul, that every Church may have its Saints; that GOD'S Kingdom may come, his Will be done in every Diviſion of Chriſtians and Men, and that every Thing that hath Breath, may praiſe the Lord.

AN Eminent Servant of GOD who had known Deliverance from the Dark Powers and experimentally felt the Powers of the World to come, a few Hours before his Death, expreſſed himſelf in the following Words: There is a Spirit which I feel, that delights to do no Evil, nor to revenge any wrong▪ but delights to endure all Things, in Hopes to enjoy its own in the End; Its Hope is▪ to outlive all Wrath and Contention, and to weary out all Exaltation and Cruelty, or whatſoever is of a Nature contrary to itſelf; it ſees to the End of all Temptations; as it bears no Evil in it ſelf, ſo it conceives none in Thought to any other; for its Ground and Spring is the Mercies and Forgiveneſs of GOD; its Crown is Meekneſs; its Life is everlaſting Love unfeigned, and takes its Kingdom with Intreaty, and not with Contention, and keeps it by lowlineſs of Mind; in GOD alone it can rejoice, tho' none elſe regard it, or can own its Life; 'tis conceived in Sorrow, and brought forth without any to pity it, nor doth it murmur at Grief and Oppreſſion; it never rejoiceth but thro' Sufferings, for with the World's Joy it is murdered. I found it alone being forſaken: I have Fellowſhip therein with thoſe that lived in Dens and deſolate Places of the Earth, who through Death obtained Reſurrection and eternal holy Life.