mmm Ex Libris C. K. OGDEN THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES THE 7 O R K S Of the late Right REVEREND and LEARNED v.FRANCIS HARE, LORD BISHOP of HICHESTER. VOL. II. LONDON: inted by E. OWEN in Amen-Corner. s, j( , MDCCXLVI. THE J ONTENTS O THE SECOND Vo LUME. HE Difficulties and Difcouragements 'which attend the Study of the Scrip- tures , in the Way of private Judgment, re- prefented in a Young Letter to a Clergyman : In order to Jhow, that, faice fuch a Study of the Scriptures is Men's indifpenfable Duty, it concerns all Chriftian Societies to re- move (as much as pojjible) thofe Difcourage- Page i. :ripture vindicated from the Mifinterpreta- tions of the Lord Bijhop of Bangor : In his Anfwer 1967872 The CONTENTS. - Anfwer to the Dean of Worcefter'j Vifitd- iion-Sermon concerning Church -Authority. Page 45. Epiftola Critica ad Eruditijfimum Virum H. B, S. E. I. In qua omnes doffiiflimi Bentleh in Phcedrum Notte atque Emendationes ex- penduntur. Page 285 THE Difficulties and Di/couragements Which attend the l udy of the SCRIPTURES^ in the Way of PRIVATE JUDGMENT, reprefented in a LETTER to a Toung Clergyman : In order to fhow, That, fmce fuch a Study of / it being eften- in the Sttidy of the Scriptures. 5 oftentimes the beft, if not the only Help, to ex- plain the Language of the New ; befidcs that, all Citations in the New are generally made from it : But now, how laborious a Thing mult it be, to ftudy an ill Verfion of a very hard Book, which we cannot read in the Original ? I call it an /'// Verfion : For though it be indeed a very good one, confidering the Time it was writ it in, yet, as a Verfion, it muft be allowed by thofe who can judge of it, to be far from being exact or true. A Man need only confult it on fome hard Places in the Pentateuch^ as well as in the Pcetick or Pro- phetick Books, to be -convinced of this. It was certainly far from perfect at frft, and is made much worfe by the Corruptions it has fuffered in handing down to us : So that I may venture to affirm, that, fhould any body now a-days make a Verfion fo imperfect, inftead of Admiration and Efteem, his Work would be much delpifed by mod of our modern Criticks. I might to thefe add many -other Difficulties that attend a ferious Study of the New Veftament. It requires a good Knowledge of the Jewljh State at the Time of our Saviour's Coming -, a Knowledge of their Government, Sanhedrim, Synagogues, Cuftoms, Traditions, Opinions, Sects , the Kinds of Learning received among them ; what they borrowed from the Greeks ; when their Myftical and Allegorical Manner of expounding the Scrip- tures began, and on what Grounds ; what their particular Expectations were in relation to the Mef- fiah, and what they taught, and on what Grounds, A 3 .in 6 'Difficulties and Difcouragements in relation to Angels, Daemons, PolMions, Oracle*, Miracles, &V. But it is in vain, you fay, to tell you of Diffi- culties: You are refolyed not to be deterred : You have Time before you, good Eyes, a flrong Con- ftitution, a Mind prepared for Fatigue, a reafon- able Degree of Skill in the Languages, and are furnilhed with a competent Knowledge in all the Parts of ufeful Learning that, are preparatory to this Study : So that Difficulties animate rather than diihearten you : And I am not unwilling fo far to agree with you, that were there no Objection againft this Study, but the Difficulty, this alone Ihould not deter one who is fo well prepared for it. But, if you are able to go through fo laborious a Study, I prefume you are not fond of Difficul- ties for Difficulties Sake, You cannot think it reafonable to take fo much Pains, unlefs it will turn to fome good Account. I lhall therefore in the ' II. Second Place take Leave to ask, Cut Bono ? What Good can come of fo much Pains ? For it may fcem that a/ra, ferious, impartial, and labq- rious Study of the Scriptures will be of no great Service, for the following Reafons : i/?, Bi-caufe it is plain the Orthodox Faith is not founded on a nice and critical Knowledge of the Many of the ancient Chriftians, it )e allowed, were not great Criticks, but ar- gued very much in a myftical Way. Origen in particular, who was the greateft Scholar Chriflia- nity had bred to that Time, perpetually turns the tter of Scnpture into Allegory. From whence W? in the Study of the Scriptures. 7 we may reafonably conclude, that the Knowledge of the bare literal Senfe was, in the Judgment of many even in thofe Times, thought to be of little Ufe. But, 2dly, it is certain that the Original Language of the Old Teflament was known to very few for the firft Six Centuries, in which thole General Coun- cils were held, wherein all the Articles of the Or- thodox Faith were fettled. They governed them- felves, and determined all their controverted Points by the Greek Verfion ; and thole who knew He- brew beft, whether they took to the myftical or literal Way, had the Misfortune to be haft Ortho- dox. So it was with Origen, who knew the Scrip- tures fo well, that he had them all by Heart. And Eufebius and others, who ftudied and underftood the literal Senfe of the Scriptures beft in the next Ages, fucceeded little better : So t-hat this Study feems to have been of little Ufe to the Eftablifh- ment of the Orthodox Faith. Now, if an exaft and critical Knowledge of the Scriptures was not ne- cefiary to the Settling of the Faith, it cannot be necefiary to the Underftanding of it, or to the Un- derftanding thofe who have .writ beft in the Expli- cation and Defenfe of it. On the contrary, fuch a Knowledge tends to lejffen our Efteem for the Fathers of the Church, by difcovering their Mif- takes ; and may weaken our Regard to the Deci- fions of Councils, by expofing the Falfenefs of the Ground they feem to be built on. A Man, well skilled in the literal Senfe of the Scriptures, will often find, in the Fathers and Councils, Texts of .Scripture urged very inefficiently \ and great Strds A 4 Iai4 8 Difficulties and Difcouragements laid upon Paffages, which, when critically explain*, ed, prove nothing, or perhaps make againft them. Which fuggefts to me a third Reafon, why it may feem that fuch a Study can do no Good, And that is, %dly 9 Becaufe the Orthodox Faith does not de- pend upon the Scriptures confidered abfolutely in themfehes, but as explained by Catholick Tradition, The Faith was preferved in Creeds, and handed down from one Orthodox Bifhop to another, whofe Bufineis it was to keep this facred Depofitum pure and undefiled, and to deliver it to his Succeflbr entire as he received it. It was by this Tradition the main Articles of Faith were preferved in the Church, and not from any particular Study of the Scriptures. The Ground therefore of thefe Articles muft carefully be diftinguimed from the Scrip- tures that have been brought in Proof of them j Thefe Proofs may be weak and inconclufive, but the Truth ftands independent of them. It is the Faith they have received , and, if at any Time they argue weakly for it from the Scriptures, it is an Ar- gument indeed againft their Learning, but none againft their Orthodoxy. This therefore may feem another good Argu- ment to prove, that an exaft and careful Study of the Scriptures is not a fafe and profitable Study. It is a much fafer, as well as a more compendious Way fo make a Man Orthodox, to ftudy the Tradition of the Church. But you will fay, that to fend you from Script fure to Tradition is to turn you out of Paradife, the Garden of God ? into a vaft cpnfufed bewil- in the Study of the Scriptures. 9 dered Wood ; and that this is fo far from mend^ ing the Matter, that it is ten Times more laborious than the Study I would difiuade you from : And fo, I confefs, it is, if all the Ecclefiaftical Writers were to be carefully read, in order to know the Catholick Tradition. But that is not my Meaning : The Substance of Catbolick Tradition lies in much lefs Compafs : The EJiabliJbed Church^ you will allow, is Orthodox in all neceffary Points. If there- fore you know the Senfe of the Eftabli/hed Church? you have in Epitome the Church Catholick ; and therefore you need only fludy her Opinions to make your Orthodox : And this the moft illiterate Man may find in the Liturgy and Articles. This, I truft you will allow, is zsjhort a Way, as could be wilhed of knowing all that is necefiary to be known. A very little Time will ferve a Man to read, in his Mother Tongue, Things which all together would not fill a moderate Volume *, and he will be Orthodox enough, and have a great deal of Time to fpare for other Studies, that will turn to more Account. Befides that, it is of great Ad- vantage to go in a Way that isfafe as well zsjhort j and will lead you into the Knowledge of all ufe- ful Truths, without the Hazard of falling into any dangerous Opinion. 4//y, But if you will infift that it is Scripture and not Tradition, that the Faith is founded on ; there is one Thing farther I mutt put you in Mind of, which may feem to prove, that a profound and laborious Study of the Scriptures will not make you at all more Orthodox. It is a fundamental Prin- ciple amongft Proteftants, that whatever is necef- io Difficulties and Difcouragements fary to be believed, is plainly and clearly revealed in the Scriptures ; and confequently what is not plainly and clearly revealed in them, cannot be ne- ceffary. Now if what is plain and clear in Scrip- ture is the only Part that is necejfary to be known, then a laborious Search into the obfcurer Parts may feem unnece/ary to the Obtaining a true Orthodox Faith. You will fay perhaps, that notwithftanding this Declaration of Proteftants, it may and has been urged againfl them by their Adverfaries, that they do believe, and maintain as necejfary ', Articles that cannot be proved by plain and clear Paffages of Scripture. This, I confefs, has been urged, and may poffibly be true of all Parties of them, ex- cept the EffMJbed Church : But, if it be, it proves only that they are not true to their Principle ; not that the Principle is not in itfelf true and good. And he furely muft be allowed to be the beft Pro- teftant, who adheres beft to the Principle on which the Reformation was founded. 5//y, Once more : Suppofing the Study of the Scriptures as neceffary as you pleafe ; in the loft Place, I fay, and I am fure the World will fay it with me, that they have been fufficiently ftudied al- ready ; and, if any Parts remain ftill obfcure, who can hope to clear up PafTages that have puzzled fo many great Men ? Or will prefume in disputable Points to fet up his Private Judgment, againft them that were Men of more Learning, of abler Parts, of greater Application, and better acquaint- ed with the Tradition of the Church, than any one will now be allowed to be ? And (which is the beft Guide in Knowledge of Religion) they were in the Study of the Scriptures 1 1 were moreover Men of mod exemplary Piety, De- votion, and Humility ; Virtues, of which very little Foot-fteps are to be found in the learned Men of our Times. Muft not now a Man have a ftrong Bent of Mind indeed, who cannot, by all thefe Reafons, be difluaded from giving himfelf up to a Study? that may by many be thought as unprofitable as ic is laborious ? but will go on, in Defiance of all that has been faid to convince him that he waftes himfelf in vain, and that there will be no Fruits of all his Labour, but to know he knows nothing ? I call that nothing, which will turn to no Account. Bur, to mew you I am difpofed to make all pof- fible Conceflions, I will grant that even this Ob- jection might be got Over, were this the worft of it : But I have one Argument ftill in Referve, that I am perfuaded will be decifive. My III. Third Argument then is this : That a pain- ful, exact, impartial Study of the Scriptures will by fome be thought not only to do no Good, but alfo a great deal of Hurt^ both to the Publick, and to yourfelf. \ft, It will do Hurt to the Publick. It will di- fturb the Peace of the Church, and that cannot but have a malignant Influence on the State. It is certain that Difputes in the Church difturb the Peace of it : And it is as certain thefe Difputes have been generally raifcd by Men pretending to a fuperior Knowledge of the Scriptures, and to Difcoveries that have efcaped others. The Scrip- tures have always been made this Ufe of by the Her sticks of old j and it is the Character of the great 12 Difficulties and Difcouragements great Hereticks of this and the laft Age, who have fet up for a free and impartial Search into the li- teral Senfe of the Scriptures above the reft of the Chriftian World. But with what Succefs ? They have purchafed their pretended Knowledge of the Scriptures at the Expence of their Reputation, and their Study has deftroyed their Orthodoxy. And were not their Books and Opinions carefully fup- prefied, and their Perfons rendered odious to the People, who knows what Disturbances they might have created to the Church ? On the other hand, the Peace the Church has enjoyed for many Years, ^mong its own Members, feems to be owing to no one Thing more, than to a general Negleff of this Study ; and the Dangers, that at prefent threaten its Tranquillity, come wholly from Men, who have endeavoured to revive a Siudy that has fo often proved pernicious to its Peace. Nor can it well be otherwife : For what Secu- rity has a Man that fets out in this Way -, that at- tempts to ftudy the Scriptures in a free and impar- tial Manner, laying afide all PrepofTeflions and previous Notions, refolving to fee with his own Eyes, and judge for himfelf, and to believe no- thing that he is not upon his own Search con- vinced is clearly contained in them ? What Secu- rity has fuch a Man, that he mail not fall into fome Opinions that have been already condemned as erroneous and heretical, or which may interfere with thofe that are commonly received ; which, if they do not immediately ftrike at any Fundamen- tal Point, yet will be thought to do fo ; and may have a Tendency to put Scruples into weak Minds, ancl in tie Study of the Scriptures. 1 3 and to difturb the Peace of the Church, by railing Doubts about the Meaning or Truth of fome Ar- ticles, or by afferting that an explicite Belief of them is not neceflary ? It is fo natural for curious and inquifitive Minds to deviate from the com- mon Road, and the Examples are fo many, that it is odds but Ton do fo too, unlefs you had more Lead in your Constitution, or a more refined Un- derftanding, than any curious Man ever had yet ; otherwife you cannot be fure, that you mall , not fludy yourfelf into Doubts at-leaft, if not into op- pofite Opinions concerning fome received Noti- ons. You will doubt perhaps of the Authority or Author of fome Canonical Book, and think per- haps that fome Paffages are interpolated, or that fome celebrated Texts are not genuine, or mould be otherwife read, or have not been rightly underftood 9 or do not prove the Point they are commonly brought for. You may fall into Notions that will be thought tending to Arianifm, or the like : You may rejeft Arguments brought from the Old Tefta- ment, to prove the Trinity, as trifling, and pro- ving nothing but the Ignorance of thofe that make Ufe of them. You may think a Prophecy has a literal Meaning, where commonly the Myttical is thought the only one. You may think that many Texts in the New Teftament, which are flrong againft the Socinians^ do not prove againft the Arian Notion. That the Title, Son of God, has not always one uniform Meaning in the Gofpel j and that that fmgle Expreflion, of itfelf, is no Proof of any Thing in God analogous to Genera- tion in Men, That the Identical Confidentiality of 14 Difficulties and Difcouragements of the Son, the Eternal Proceffion of the Spirit^ and many other Notions relating to the Trinity, though they may be true in themfeives, are not fo in vir-^ tue of the Texts alledged for them. Thefe No- tions learned Men have fallen into ; and from thence it is to be prefumed, you will not eafily keep clear of them. I chufe to inflance chiefly in Matters relating to the Trinity, becaufe it is the Controverfy now on foot : But the like may be. faid on many other Articles ; in each of which the. Truth is but one, but the Errors infinite: And there is hardly any Notion, with refpect to any of them, which fome learned Man, by following .his/ own private Judgment, inftead of taking the Doc- trine of the Church for his Guide, has not fallen into. Now if you mould ftudy yourfelf into any new Opinions, or into old ones that have been con- demned, What will you do ? Will you keep them to yourfelf, or publifh them ? Or fhall I rather, fay, It is no Queftion. The Authors of new No- tions are apt to be very fond of them : They think it barbarous and cruel, to ftifle the Infant in its Birth. There is a fecret Pleafure in Singu- larity : To differ from the Vulgar is, in Appear-, ance, to bs above them ; and to be diftinguijhed. from the Plerd, is too great a Temptation to be eafily refilled. But, had you Prudence enough to. govern your Ambition, Confcience may come in here, and make you do what Ambition could not. The Truths, you think you have difcovered, either, are, or will be thought by you, of too much Im~ fcrtcmce to the Honour of God and the Good of Religion, in the Study of the Scriptures. 1 5 Religion, to be concealed. You will look on them as the Ble/mgs of God on your Studies ; and think it a capital Crime to extinguifh the Light, and fupprefs the Knowledge he has imparted to you. In fhort, you will think yourfelf under the kigheft Obligation not to difiemble in Religious Matters, and conceal, from the Church of God, Opinions which you .are convinced are not only true, but of great Service to it. Let me then conclude, that the novel or revived Opinions, which your Study leads you into, will be publifhed to the World : What now will be the Confe- quence ? Certain Mifchief, but no certain Good at all. No Good, I fay ; for poflibly your No- tions may be wrong, or not of Confequence ; and, whether they are or not, the Prefumption againft you will be fo ftrong, that your Notions will not be received, and perhaps not examined : They will be condemned as novel Notions, or as exploded ones : And, whatever you advance, it will be thought a certain Proof of its being of no Con- fequence, that in fo many Ages it has never been received. There is no Room therefore to expect, that what you advance fhould be received, or do any Good, But the Mifcbief is fure and certain : It will raife Scruples in weak unflable Minds, fap the Foundations of the Orthodox Faith, and give a Handle to Sceptical Men ; who, becaufe fome Things are called into Doubt (though incidental Matters only, and of little Confequence) will think they have a Right from thence to queftion every Thing. Thus the Church and Eftablijked Faith will fuffer by the Scruples put into its Friends, and the 1 6 Difficulties andDifcouragements the Handle given to its Enemies. And, when Re-* ligious Difputes are begun, defining Men know how to intermix Affairs of State with them ; and then nobody knows where they will end, or what Mifchiefs they may not do. Whereas if you can be content to go in the beaten Road j if you will implidtely fubmit to the received Notions, and humb- ly think the Judgment of the Churchy where it is not the fame, better than your own, you will be out of Harm's Way, and neither hurt the Church % nor yourfelf. 2. I add yourfelf, as another Motive that ought to have great Weight with you in this Queftion i For you cannot difturb the Peace of the Church^ without being greatly a Sufferer yourfelf. If you really do not difiurb its Peace, it is all one, you will be interpreted to do it, and that will bring on you more Evils than I would wifla to my greateft Ene- my. In a Word, you will be thought a Heretick 5 a Term, which there is a ftrange Magick in, though it has no determinate Meaning in the Mouth of the People, nor any /// Meaning in itfelf. It is fup- pofed to include in it every Thing that is bad ; it makes every Thing appear odious and deformed 5 it diffolves all Friendfhips, extinguiflies ail former kind Sentiments, however juft and well deferved j and, from the Time a Man is deemed a Heretick t it is Charity to ad againft all Rules of Charity s and, the more they violate the Laws of God in dealing with him, it is, in their Opinion, doing God the greater Service. That you may not think this is faid at Random, purely to frighten you into a Compliance with me j //; the Study of the Scriptures. 1 7 me ; let me defire you to confider ferioufly the natural Confequences of being under the Impu- tation of Herefy. And the firft I would obferve is, that, from the Moment your People have this Opi- nion of you, you are incapacitated from working much Good upon them ; and that, I am fure, fo good a Man as you are, muft think to be a great Evil. While they think you Orthodox, your vir- tuous and inoffenfive Behaviour, your Uriel: So- briety and Temperance, your affable and familiar Manner of converfmg with them, your generous and charitable Regard to thofe who are fick or in Diftrefs ; thefe good Qualities, joined to your plain and eafy, but affectionate and moving Man- ner of inftructing them, have a mighty Influence, and you may lead them as you pleafe : They ad- mire and endeavour to imitate your good Ex- ample : Your virtuous Conduct is a conftant, though tacit, Reproof when they do amifs : The very Sight of you is a Lecture of Virtue to them ; and the Influence you have already had, in the lit- tle Time you have been among them, is too vi- fible in be denied. But, from the Time you are culled Heretick y much of the Good, you could have done, is at at an End. Thofe, who before had a fecret Veneration of you, think it their Du- ty to defame and injure you : Your Virtue they call Hypocrify, your Humility Spiritual Pride : They look on you as an abandoned Wretch ; that God has withdrawn his Grace, and that the Devil is at the Bottom of all you have been doing ; that nothing can better teftify their Orthodoxy, than to throw off all Regard both to your Doctrine and VOL. II. B Example ; 1 8 Difficulties and Difcouragements Example j and, for Fear they mould feem to be infected with your Errors, they will return to the Vices you had perfuaded them to leave ; and, for the Future, will take effectual Care not to be the better for you. Nobody can do much Good, whom the People do not think a good Man -, and that cannot be expected, when fo much Reproach and Infamy will, right or wrong, be heaped on you, if you do not continue Orthodox. And this you cannot doubt, if you will but reflect on what pafles under your own Eyes : And therefore it is in vain to fancy your Virtue will protect you. No, the moft confpicuom Virtue will not be believed. If you are guilty of no open Vices, fecret ones will be im- puted to you : Your Enquiries will be called vain, curious, and forbidden Studies. Pride and Ambi- tion will be faid to be the fecret Springs of them : A Search after Truth will be called a Love of No- velty : The Doubting of a fmgle Text will be Sceptidfm ; the Denial of an Argument, a Re- nouncing of the Faith. To fay what the Scriptures have faid, and in the very fame Words too, if not explained in the common Way, will be Blajphemy ; and the mod fincere Concern for the Honour of Almighty God, you cannot be fure, will not be interpreted downright Atheifm. Every Thing you fay, or do, will have a wrong Turn given it. A Slip of Memory lhall be made wilful Prevarica- tion : A Miftake in a Citation fhall be Forgery and Corruption : An Error, in an incidental Point of Learning, fhall be a good Proof that you know nothing. Every inaccurate Expreffion fhall be prefled in the Study of the Scriptures, r 9 preffed into a Crime : Any little Warmth of Tem- per mall be aggravated into Pride and Pofitive- nefs, into a Cqntempt of Authority and ill Man- ners. In fhort, all the Indifcretions of a Man's former Life fhall be ript up ; and nothing for- given, that can be remembered or (trained to hia Difadvantage. And where is the Man that can be fond of fuch Ufage ? For my Part, I am free to declare, I am afraid I mould not have Virtue or Courage enough to undergo fuch a fiery Tryal. Now all this a Man will draw upon himfelf, that brings himfelf under the Imputation of He~ refy. Whereas the Orthodox Man lives quiet and at Eafe, unmolefted and unenvied. His Faults (and who has not fome ?) fhall be extenuated or excufed, if not quite buried in Oblivion : His Want of Temper fhall be a commendable Zeal i his Indifcretion good Nature , his Miftakes mail be imputed to Hafte or Inadvertency ; and, when they cannot be defended, it will be argued in his Favour, that the greateft Men fometimes err, and the Writers of the firit Rank are not always in the Right ; or perhaps a Miftake fhall turn to his Advantage : It will be fhewn to be an Error on the right Side, and that a good Caufe drew him into it. His Learning, on the other Hand, mail be magnified beyond Meafure ; every body will be full of his good Qualities, and his Virtues mall be fet in the beft Light to mow themfelves and cover his Faults. In a Word, Orthodoxy attones for all yitgs 9 and Herefy extinguifhes all Virtues. B 2 Thac 20 Difficulties and Difcouragements That this is nothing but the bare Truth, I appeal to what you every Day hear and fee yourfelf. There are, you know, two Clergymen of the Town, who have fludied themfelves into Herefy^ or at leaft into a Sufpicion of it : Both of them, Men of fair unblemijhed Characters : One has all his Life been cultivating Piety, and Virtue, and good Learning. Rigidly conftant himfelf in the pubjick and private Duties of Religion ; and al- ways promoting in others Virtue and fuch Learn- ing as he thought would conduce moft to the Honour of God, by manifefting the Greatnefs and Wifdom of his Works. He has given the World fufficient Proofs that he has not mifpent his Time, by very ufeful Works of Philofophy and Matbema- ticks : He has applied one to the Explication of the other , and endeavoured by both to difplay the Glory of the Great Creator. And to his Study of Nature, he early joined the Study of the Scrip- tures ; and his Attempts, whatever the Succefs be, were at leaft well meant; and, confidering the Difficulty of the Subjects he has engaged in, it muft be allowed that in the main they are well aimed: And, if he has not iiicceeded, no more have others who have meddled with the fame Sub- jefts. Nor is he more to be blamed than they. To be blamed, did I fay, I mould have faid, not lefs to be commended. For fure it is a commendable Defign, to explain Scripture-Difficulties, and to remove the Obje&ions of profane Men, by mew- ing there is nothing in the Sacred Writings, but what is true and rational. But in the Study of the Scriptures. 2 1 But what does a Life, thus fpent, avail ? To what Purpofe fo many watchful Nights, and weary Days ? So much Piety and Devotion ? So much Mortification and Self-denial ? Such a Zeal to do Good, and to be ufeful to the World ? So many noble Specimens of a great Genius, and of a fine Imagination ? It is the poor Man's Misfortune (for poor he is, and like to be, not having the Jeaft Preferment) to have a warm Head, and to be very zealous in what he thinks the Caufe of God. He thinks Prudence the worldly Wifdom condemned by Chrift and his Apoftles, and that it is grofs Prevarication and Hypocrify to conceal the Difcoveries he conceives he has made. This Heat of Temper betrays him into fome indifcreet Ex- prefiions and hafty Aflertions : Defigning to hurt nobody, he fancies nobody defigns to hurt him ; and is fimple enough to expeft the fame favour- able Allowances will be made to him, that he fees made to thofe who write againft him. As to his Learning, it is his Misfortune that he is not fkill- ed enough in the learned Languages to be a great Critick in them, and yet feems not to be fenfible of his Deficiency in this Refpecl. And what Ad- vantage is taken of this, that he has not lefs Heat and more Criticifm ? His Learning is treated in that Manner, that you would think he did not know the firft Elements of Greek , though, even in that, he is much fuperior to moft of thofe who make fo free with him : And you every Day hear his Performances run down as Whimfies and Chi- mera's, by Men who never read them, and, if they did, could not underjland them. Nor does his B 3 Warmth 22 Difficulties and Difcouragements Warmth of Temper come off better : It is all over Obstinacy, Pride, and heretical Pravity ; a Want of Modefty and due Deference to juft Authority : They, that fpeak moft favourably, look upon him as crazed, and little better than a Madman. This is the poor Man's Character j and, low as he is, they cannot be content to leave him quiet in his Poverty : Whereas, had he not been early pof- feffed with a paflionate Love for the Scripture and Pbilofophy ; had he not thought it his Duty above all Things to promote the Glory cf God, and been perfuaded that could no Way be fo well done as by the Suidy of his Word, and Works \ it is more than probable he had, at this Time, been Ortho-* 'dox : And then, inftead of his prefent Treatment? his Faults would have been overlooked ; the Learning, he excells in, would have been extolled, and no Defecl would have been found in other Parts of it. He would have been cried up as an Ornament of the Age, and no Preferment would Jiave been denied or envied him. This you know to be the Cafe with one of the #ew Hereticks ; the other is fo prudent in his Con- duel:, that he comes under but a Sufpicion of fa- vouring the fame Notions. How now is be treat- ed ? Prudence in him is as great a Crime as the Warn of it in the other. The imprudent Man is treated as a Madman, and a rank Arian : The prudent one is lefs a Pier e tick, but more dangerous : Sobrius acceffu ad evertendam Ecclefiam ; and there- fore the greater Alarm muft be raifed againft him, And what has he done ? Why, he has, with a great deal of Pains, brought together, in the btft in the Study of the Scriptures. 2 3 Manner he could, all the Paflages in the New Teftament relating to the Doctrine of the Trinity. And fo far his Work is what tliofe, who differ from him, Jhould be pleafed with, fmce he has brought the Materials together to enable Men to form a right Judgment of the Queftibn in Dif- pute ; and has put into their Hands, if he bs in the Wrong, the beft Weapons againft himfelf. But he has interpreted fome Texts in a Manner that is not liked : It is true, he has fo ; but not once, that I remember, has he given an Interpretation that is purely of bis own Head. He brings great Vouchers, and, if he errs, it is always in good Com- $any. This is his Offence : He has maintained, with many others, particularly the late Dean of St. Paul's, in Opposition to Sabellianifm, that the Three Perfons of the Trinity are Three real diftinft Beings ; and the Belief of Three really diftinct Beings perfefffy equal he maintains with Dr. South to be Triiheifm ; and, that there muft therefore be a Subordination. Now whether this Notion be right, or not ; if he cannot efcape *// Treatment, give me Leave to fay, that, if your Study mould lead you into any Opinions contrary to what is generally re- ceived, you can with no Reafon expect better Quar- ter. He is a Man, who has all the good Qualities that can meet together to recommend him : He is poflfefled of all the Parts of Learning that are valuable in a Clergyman, in a Degree that few pofTefs inyjtngte one : He has joined to a good Skill in the three learned Languages a great Com- pafs of the beft Philofophy and Mathematicks ; as appears by his Latin Works j and his Englijb ones B 4 are 2 4 Difficulties and Difcouragements are fuch a Proof of his own Piety, and of his Knowledge in Divinity, and have done fo much Service to Religion, as would make any other Man, that was not under the Sufpicion of Herefy, fecure of the Friendmip and Efteem of all good Church- men, efpecially of the Clergy. And to all this Piety and Learning, and the good Ufe that has been made of it, is ac|ded a Temper happy beyond Expreflion : A fweet, ealy, modeft, inoffenfive* obliging Behaviour adorns all his Actions ; and no Paflion, Vanity, Infolence, or Oftentation, ap- pear either in what he writes or fays ; and yet thefe Faults are often incident to the beft Men, in the Freedom of Converfation, and in writing againft impertinent and unreafonable Adverfaries, efpecially fuch as ftrike at the Foundations of Vir- tue and Religion. This is the Learning, this the temper of the Man, whofe Study of the Scriptures has betrayed him into a Sufpicion of fome heretical Opinions : And, becaufe it has, he muft be black- ed and defamed ; he muft be worried out of the great and clear Reputation he is poffefled of : And he, that has fo many mining Qualities, muft be in- fulted by every worthlefs Wretch, as if he had as little Learning and Virtue as the loweft of thofe who are againft him. What Protection now can you promife yourfelf from your Virtue, when a Man of fuch a Character cannot be fafe in his good Name ? Whatever therefore you do, be Or- thodox : Orthodoxy will cover a Multitude of Sins, but a Cloud of Virtues cannot cover the Want of the minuted Particle of Orthodoxy. It is expected, no Matter how unreafonably, that a Man fhould always adhere to the Party he has in the Study of the Scriptures. 2 5 has once taken. It is the Opinion of the World, that he is all his Life bound by the Subfcriptions he made in his firft Years ; as if a Man were as wife at Twenty-four, and knew as much of the Scripture and Antiquity, and could judge as well of them, as he can at Fifty. And yet, if a Man will be fludying thefe Things, he cannot be fure he mall continue a Year together in the fame Senti- ments : And, if he ihould not, he muft either ftifle his Perfuafion, againft the Dictates of his Confci- ence, or be expofed to the worft Treatment, to be called a Renegado, a falfe Brother^ a Heretick, or any Thing that Malice can fuggeft. But I have not yet done. This is not the worft of it. This perhaps you may pretend to defpife, and not care what the World fays of you, fo long as your Conference cannot reproach you. Well, let then all Concern for Reputation go. Can you be proof againft one farther Conference of lying under the Imputation of Herefy ? Can you bear to fee yourfelf, your Wife and Children, ru- ined and undone ? This, I fee, ftartles you, But you ask, What Danger can there be in that ? An Englijkman, you fay, is out of the Reach of Perfe- cution or an Inquifition : That Spirit, God be thanked, is banifhed the Land ; and even comrift Hereticks are protected from the Flames. Very true, The Spirit of Perfecution is either gone, or is difarmed ; and that I look on as one of the inva- luable Bleffings of the Revolution : But can you be fure it will not return ? And fuppofe it will not ; Are you therefore fecure, that an Imputation of Herefy will not end in the Ruin of yourfelf and Family ? You and your Children will not be burnt indeed 2 6 Difficulties and Difcouragements indeed j but you may be as effectually rained, as if you were. You may be excommunicated', and in Virtue of That be thrown into a Jail, to rot there, while your Family are ftarving. And (which can- not be too well confidered) when once you come into thofe Circumftances, what is there can deliver you ? Your Punifhment will laft and be the fame, as long as you continue in the fame Mind. A Rule of Punifhment, peculiar to the Ecctefiaftick State. In Civil Cafes, the Offender, if his Crime be not Capital, fuffers a Temporary Punifhment, proportioned to the Fault he has committed ; and, when he has undergone that, nothing further is re- quired of him, except in fome Cafes to find Secu- rity fof his good Behaviour for the Future. But in Cafes of Herejy, there is ho Regard to the Degree of the Offence, in the Punifhment inflifted. Nor is there any End of it. It is not enough to have fuffered the fevereft Punifhment, though for the fmalleft Offence ; it is not enough to give Securi- ty of not offending for the Future. The innocent Offender muft declare (what it is oftentimes impof- fible he mould declare) that he has changed his Sentiments, and is become Orthodox ; and This, though perhaps no Methods of Conviffion have been ufed, except that of Punishment be one. This is the miferable Condition of a corruift Heretick : The Punilhment, which fell on him for exprefling Thoughts heretical, he mufl continue to endure for barely 'Thinking ; which is a Thing not in his own Power, but depends on the Evidence that ap- pears to him : He mufl for ever (cruel Juftice !) for ever fuffer for his 'private Thoughts (though they go not beyond his own Heart) the Punifh- ment in the Study of the Scriptures. 2 7 ment which fome Overt- Aft has once drawn up- on him. To punifh toties guoties, as often as thefe Overt- Acts are repeated, will not fatisfy the Holy Office : Nor can a Forbearance of fuch Acts avail any Thing, or a Promife of Silence for the Future ; which yet is all that is in a Man's Pow- er. No, he muft recant, whether he can or not ; and generally it is required to be done in Words drawn up for him'. So that, if he do not fee Rea- fon to change his Opinion ; and will riot fay he has changed, when has not; he is in for Life, and his Punimment can only end with it. Indeed, on every Suppofition, a Man excommu- nicated for Herefy has a fad Time of it. For, if he does not recant, he is (as I have faid) in Prifon for Life, and his Family muft ftarve ; And, if he does recant, What does he get by it ? His Liberty indeed, but what elfe ? Will People believe he is fmcere ? Will they not think his Recantation loofely drawn in Favour of him, to make it a Recantation in Appearance only ? Or, if it be in the ftrongeft Words, Will he not, if he fubmit to it, be fufpected to equivocate ? Will they not expect the Reafons of his Change ? Will they not afk (if he fays no more for the Orthodox Side than has been faid before) why, if thefe Reafons are convincing now, he did not think them fo be- fore ? Will they not conclude, that to him they are inconclufive ftill, unlefs he can find better Reafons than the bed that had been offered him ? Which I take to be a Contradiction. And will it not be argued from thence, that he is not changed ? That it is the Punimment only, and not his Opi- nions, he would leave ? So that, if he continues in his 28 Difficulties and Dlfcouragements his Opinions, he will lie under all the Infamy and Pwnifhment of Herefy ; and, if he does not, yet it will be fuppofed he does. He is punilhed for acting according to his Conference j and, if he would leave the Herefy imputed to him, he will be faid to aft againft his Conference ; and perhaps be repu- ted a worfe Men than he was before. This in all Events : Once a Heretick, and always miferable. The Reputation (change, or not) is never to be retrieved ; no Preferment or Employment to be hoped for. He will always be fufpected of Herefy, who is once guilty ; and his Wife and Children muft fee him the perpetual Subject of Reproach and Obloquy ; and feel it too : Feel it in their Character, feel it in their Maintenance -, as if the Children of an Here tick were a Brood of Monfters, a Nufance to the Commonwealth, and infected the very Air they breathe in. Thefe Misfortunes a Man of the moft unble- mijhed Life may draw upon himfelf and Family, if he will be meddling with fo dangerous a Study, and cannot in Conference diflemble the Refult of it. Misfortunes, which the vileft, lewdeft, moft immo- ral Wretch upon Earth is in no Danger of. The greateft Immoralities, nay, a long Courfe of them, lhall oftentimes efcape unpunifhed ; epecially if a Man be very Orthodox : But, if they do not, the Puniftiment extends only to the Perfon of the Of- fender. It derives no Infamy on himfelf if he re- forms, nor on his Children if he do not. They are rather pitied for having fuch a Father, and every body is willing to be kind to them. Who now, after this, can be fond of a Study that may bring Qn in the Study of the Scriptures. 29 on him, let him be never fo innocent, fuch a Load of Mifery and Infamy, a Load without Meafure, and without End ? And if this will be the Confe- quence of Excommunication, tell me how much better it is than Psrfecution ? But you will fay, that it is pofiible a Man's Stu- dies may not lead him into any heretical Opinion ; and if they mould, yet it is not very eafy to con- uift a Heretick, or to fay what is Herefy. To the firft, I have already faid enough ; as to the other, I confefs it is not very eafy to convift a Man of Herefy. The Law feems to be deficient in this Point : But who knows how foon this Defect may be fupplied by a new Law ? And, in the mean Time, it may be difficult indeed to convict a Man of Herefy , but perhaps it may be found not to be impoflible. And if it mould, it is but chan- ging the Word, and the Offender may be come upon eafy enough. If, through a Defect: in the Laws, he cannot be convicted of Herefy^ he may however be convicted of Writing or Speaking againft the eftablifhed Doctrine of the Church ; and that will draw on him all the fame Confequen- ces, that Herefy would do. For Herefy is the Op- pofing the Doctrine of the Catholick Church ; but the Doctrine of the ejtablijhed Church will readily be fuppofed to be the Doctrine of the Catholick Church ; and therefore to oppofe the Doctrine of one is in effect to oppofe both. So that a Man mall be deemed a Heretick to all Intents and Pur- pofes, and fentenced to the fame Punifhment ; though in the Sentence itfelf, for his Comfort, the Word Herefy may be left out. But 30 Difficulties and Difcouragements But you are willing to think the Temper of the Englifh Clergy more moderate, and the Generali- ty of them averfe to every Thing that looks like the Spirit of Popery ; as the Ruining of a good Man, meerly for Matters of Opinion, mud be allowed to do. I wifh you may find it fo, if ever there mould be Occafion. I confefs there has ap- peared a good Spirit, a very Human and Chriftian Temper in fome late Writings, where perhaps it was not much expelled ; but, for all that, I mufl beg Leave to differ from you. If indeed no one would judge in a Caufe he did not understand ; if no one were allowed to underftand a Caufe of Herefy^ but who was a good Judge of the Senfe of Scripture and of Primitive Antiquity ; if no one were efteemed to know Scripture and Antiquity, but thofe who ha&ftudied them well 9 who had read them carefully with their own Eyes, and did not take the Senfe of them upon Tru/l from Modern Writers ; if the Arguments for his Opinion were to be examined^ before his Opinion were condem- ned , if a Man, before he gave his Vote, were to lay his Hand upon his Heart, and declare himfelf thus qualified to judge ; that he had confidered the Matter, and would fpeak nothing but what he thought : On thefe Suppofitions, I am apt to think, a Number of Judges would not very eafily be found -, and when they were, it may reafonably be prefumed, that they would not be very forward to condemn. They would be fenfible there was Room for honed Minds to be mif-led from what they had read and obferved themfelves ; they would know that there is more to be faid on the in the Study of the Scriptures. 3 1 the other Side, than the Generality at all dream of ; they would be careful how they diicouraged Learning, by difcouraging the Enquiries of learn- ed Men. They would be very unwilling a Man fhould fuffer by their Sentence, whofe Life they are fure is innocent and virtuous, but whofe Opini- ons they cannot be fo fure are falfe and dangerous. They know Difcpuragements in Learning and Vir- tue to be of fuch ill Confequence, that a Man's Opinions muft be very bad indeed, to make it ne- cefiary to come to fuch Extremities. But give me Leave to fay, you have no Reafon to expect fuch Judges, or fuch a Backwardnefs to judge. It is always fuppcfed, that the Doctrine of the Church you are of, is right ; that it is the Doctrine of Scripture and Antiquity. And this, every body thinks, he underftands. So that little Learning or Reading is neceffary, to make any Clergyman a Judge over the learnedeft Man alive. Another Thing, I take Leave to tell you, is, that moft Men think they can do confcientioujly whatever they can do legally. Men of refined and exalted Underftandings, who have a large Com- pafs of Thought, and have looked into the Princi- ples of Things, know that written Laws are but Deductions of the Law of Nature, which is prior to all human Injlitutions : That thefe fometimes de- viate from that unwritten Law j and, when they do, are of no real intrinfick Authority. They know that a Thing is not juft and reasonable, be- caufe it is entitled, but, in good Governments, is enaled) becaufe it is juft and reafonable. They know that Laws are fometimes obtained by Sur- prize 32 Difficulties and Difcouragements prize or Corruption, by Party-management, by Craft or Superftition. They know that Penal Laws, in Matters of Religion, are feldom advife- able. They would not eafily contribute to the making them ; and, when they are made, would be glad to have them generally lie dormant. They know that no Authority of Man can alter the Nature ofThings> or juftify a cruel or unjuft Sentence in the Sight of God. They are fure, that, if to punifh Men for their Opinions be not very right, there is no Medium, it mud be very wrong. It is publick Robbery or Murder, to de- prive a Man of his Life or Goods for his Religi- on i if it be not juft in itfelf to do fo, as well as legal. Some perhaps may think in this Manner ; but thefe muft be Men of refined and exalted Under- flandings ; and therefore muft be very few. The Generality think they may dojuftty, whatever they can do legally. And it is, no doubt, for them, a good Rule. They cannot judge of the Nature of Things for themfehes j and therefore the Law is the moft proper Guide and Direction they can have. As Jong therefore as there are Laws to .puniih the Afferters of heretical Opinions, or fuch as oppofe the eftablijhed Doffrines ; you may depend on it, they will not be fgffered to lie dormant. There will never be wanting great Numbers, who will call aloud to have them put in Execution ; and they will think their Zeal, in this Matter, the beft Service they can do the Church. This is human Nature : Thus it has been in all Times. And no Experience of the Mifchief done CO in the Study of the Scriptures. 3 3 jo Chriftianity, by a Forwardnefs to pronounce Anathema's on thofe who diflent from the received Opinions, will make us wifcr. It may, I doubt not, be demonftrated with the greateft Evidence, that all Cbriftian Churches have fuffered more by their Zeal for Orthodoxy, and by the violent Me- thods taken to promote it, than from the utmoft Efforts of their greateft Enemies. But, for all that* the World will itill think the fame Methods n'e- jCeflary. The fame Zeal will prompt to the fame Perfections or Profecutions (call them which you will; without confidtring the fame Matter jnuft neceflarily produce, at long run, the fame fa- tal Conferences. Let me therefore intreat you, not to fancy the World is altered in this Point. Do not think your Opinions cannot ruin you, becaufe it is not reafonable they mould. Do not flatter yourfclf, that Temper) Prudence, and Moderation can, in Re- Jigious Controverfies, get the better of indifcreet Zeal, Bigotry and Superstition. In fhort, be not hafty in efpoufing of Opinions, which can have no other Effect, but to lay the beft Men at the Mercy of the worsJ. Every mean Pcrfon, who has nothing to recommend him but his Orthodoxy, and owes that perhaps wholly to his Ignorance, will think he has a Right to trample on you with Contempt ; to afperfeyour Character with virulent Reflections ; to run down your Writings as mean and pitiful Performances, and give hard Names to Opinions he d,cs not underhand ; which you muft bear, with- out the lead Hopes of being heard a Word' ia your Defence. VOL. II. C Let 34 Difficulties and Difcouragements Let me obferve one Thing more, that it is the Misfortune of a Clergyman that he is confined to one Profeffion. Other Men, if they cannot live in one Way, are at Liberty to try another : But a Man, who has once the indelible Character, muft live by the one Profeffion he has made his Choice. If therefore that Livelihood be taken from him, it is in vain he has Learning, Parts, Induftry, and Application. He will not be allowed to take any other Courfe to repair the Lofs he fuffers by his Opinions as a Clergyman. His Time, and For- tunes, and Studies have been fpent to make him ufeful in that one Profeffion ; and, if he had Abi- lities to maintain himfelf in any ether, it is too late : He has made his Choice, and muft abide by it. This then is the unhappy Dilemma a reputed Heretick is reduced to ; he will neither be fuffered to keep the Profeffion, nor to leave it -, he mail neither live in it, nor out of it. So that, notwith- ftanding his Learning, Parts, Virtue, and Induftry ^ though he could make a good Lawyer, Phyfuian, Merchant, or Mechanick ; if he be not Orthodox, all Poffibilities of living comfortably, at leaft, and reputably, are taken from him. Go now, and think, if you can, that the Advice I give you is not the Advice of a Friend. It is the Advice of one who loves Virtue and Learning, who is a Friend to all good Men, and is in particular great- ly concerned for your Succefs and Advancement in the World : It is Advice feconded by the Ex- amples of the greateft Men : For name me any one of the Men moft famed for Learning in this or the laft Age, who have ferioufly turned them- felves in the Study of the Scriptures. 3 5 felves to the Study of -tke Scriptures. I might name to you the moil eminent Men down from Sealiger and Cafatibon to the prefent Time. Ca- pelltts indeed, and the excellent Grotius, are Ex- ceptions ; but they met with fuch Ufage, that one has little Encouragement from their Examples, But not to go beyond our own Country : Who are the Men that have excelled moft (excepting always Sir Ifaac Newton) in Philofophy, Aftrono- my, and Mathematicks ? Have they not been Clergymen ? And was not their Skill, in thefe Sci- ences, the Effect of their great and conftant Ap- plication to them ? Was not that Time fpent in thefe Studies^ that you think mould have been ap- plied to the Study of tke Scriptures ? On the other hand, take out two or three from fo great a Bo- dy ; and where is there a Clergyman of a great Genius, and that has made a chief Figure in the learned World, that has writ upon the Scriptures, at leaft with any mafterly Skill in Critick ? And what is it that all this can be imputed to ? Did thefe learned Men decline this Study, becaufe they wanted the Abilities proper for it ? Surely that will not be faid of Men of their confefled Learning : Or was there Want of Inclination and Good-will to it ? No, they were Men of Virtue^ and good Proteftants^ as well as Scholars and Men of Letters. What then ? Did they, who have taken fo much Pains upon other Books, and with Ib much Succcfs, think the Scriptures the only ones tluit needed not their Help ? Neither can that be pretended. They faw the facred Books, through the Injury of Time and the Ignorance of Scribes, had C 2 fitjfercd 36 Difficulties and Difcouragements fuffered as well as others ; and much more by falfe and abfurd- Interpretations. To be plain : The one Thing, that turned them from fo noble and necef- fary a Study, was the Want of Liberty, which, in this Study only, is denied Men. They found it was dangerous to examine impartially, and fpeak freely ; that they muft write without Liberty, or with no Safety , that it would be expected of them, to ftrain all their Wit and Learning, to patronize and palliate grofs Errors, inftead of expojing or mending of them ; and to fupport the received In- terpretations, however abfurd, inftead of fuch as Reafon and Learning convinced them were the only true ones. But this was a Task, which Men of in- genuous Minds, whofe Integrity and Love of 'Truth was equal to their Penetration and great Abilities, could not fubmit to. For Men to have Eyes and Underftandings of their own, and yet not fee or underftand, but as they were bid, and that by Men who could not fee or underftand themfelves ; &<; A^K'^OV vsfiZyna, ! To make fuch a blind Ufe of their Learning and Abilities was, they thought, to pervert the very End of them, and really to dif- honour God, whofe Service they were given for. Since therefore they could not bear the Thoughts of ftudying the Scriptures on thefe 'Terms, no Part was left Men who could not be idle, but to turn to fame other Study, in which, without Fear of Danger or Offence, they might freely go whither Truth and Reafon led. The Confequence of which, befides the Improvements made in Arts and Sciences, has been, that many of them have feparately made more good Emendations, and happily explained more Difficulties in the fmallejt Pagan in the Study of the Scriptures. 3 7 Pagan Writer, than they have done, take them all together, in two hundred Years, upon the whole Body of the Scriptures. What then I would advife you is, to follow fuch Examples. Turn yourfelf to the Study of >the Heathen Hiftorians, Poets, Orators, and Philofophers. Spend ten or twelve Years upon Horace or Terence. To illuftrate a Billet-doux^ or a Drunken Catch j to explain an obfcene Jeji ; to make a happy Emenda- tion on a Paflage, that a modeft Man would blufh at, will do you more- Credit, and be of greater Service to you, than the mofl ufeful Employment of your Time upon the Scriptures, unlefs you can refolve to conceal your Sentiments, and fpeak al- ways with the Vulgar. You fee a prefent Exam- ple in the great Bentley : What a Reputation has he acquired by the noble Edition he has given us of Horace ? How are his Abilities confefled and admired by all ? But had the fame Genius, the fame Sagacity and Labour, been applied to the Study of the Scriptures, to fettle the Texts in doubtful Places, to mend corrupted ones, explain hard ones, fix the Meaning of obfcure ones, and to trace out the literal Senfe where it can be done & Ihould he, I fay, have attempted a Work of this Kind ; inftead of Thanks and Applaufe, it is more than probable he would have been treated as a ram Man, of no Judgment, of little Learning, and lefs Religion -, and, if his Works had been fentenced to the Flames, a Majority would have been for throwing him in after them. Confider well therefore, how you engage where there is no Retreat, no Repentance, no Room for C 3 Pardon, 3 8 Difficulties and Difcouragements Pardon, if you once offend. You have two Ways before you : One will enable you to be ufeful in the World, without great Trouble to yourfelf ; it will crown your Labours with Succefs j it will bring you to Reputation and Efteem ; it will put you into a Way of making a decent Provifion for your Family, and giving a good Education to (hofe two fine Children God has bleffed you with, and you may have many more. The other will it- ielf fatigue you with many Difficulties, and expofe you to the moil fatal Confequences : It will draw on you an infupportable Load of Infamy, as a Difturber of the Church^ and an Enemy to the Orthodox Faitb, and, in all Probability, end in the extreme Poverty and Ruin of yourfelf and Family. Which God forbid mould ever be the Cafe of one who has no other Views but to dedicate his Life to God's Service. I am, SIR, Tour faithful humble Servant. CONCLUSION. ' A FTER all that has been faid in this long JL\ Letter, I am perfuaded that many Readers will ftill think what is here advanced, a ftrange Paradox ; or perhaps be fcandalized at it as a very wicked one ; and will on no Terms allow, that Clergymen in the Study of the Scriptures. 3 9 Clergymen (hould lay afide what ought to be their chief Study. And, to be4ngenuous, I will confefs I am intirely of the fame Mind. I am as unwil- ling as they can be, to admit the Conclufion, that the Study of the Scriptures mould be deferted ; and yet cannot deny, but, humanly fpeaking, this muft be the Confluence from thefe Premifles. If there- fore we will not allow the Conclufion^ we muft fhew the PremiJJes to be untrue, and that this Stu- dy will not be attended with fo much Danger. But this we in vain attempt, if we do not our Parts at Jeaft, that thefe may not be the Conferences. For, as long as they are, the Study of the Scriptures will certainly continue to be negletted, as it now is ; and all Men who contribute to thefe Conference -j, in any Degree, do fo far difcourage the Study of the Scriptures, whatever they pretend. In Truth, there is nothing more abfurd, than to fay the glorious Things we do daily of the Scriptures ; and, at the fame Time, make the Stu- dy of them, to Men of fmcere and honeft Minds, fo extremely hazardous and inconvenient. If then we would not be guilty of difcouraging a Study, which we acknowledge to be the great Duty of the Clergy, as we are Chriftians ; if we would be true to the fundamental Principles of the Reformation, as Proteftants, that the Scriptures are the only Rule of Faith ; let us ufe our beft Endeavours to remove the great Obftacles that lie againft the Study of them i let us do what we can, that learned Men may have/#// Liberty to ftudy the Scriptures freely and impartially ; good Encouragement given them C 4 to 40 Difficulties and 'Discouragements to go through the Labour and Difficulties of fuch a Study, not (lightly and fuperficially, but with fuch Application and Diligence as the Nature of the Thing requires ; and have Leave to fpeak their Senfe with all Manner of Safety : That their Opi- nions may be examined fairly, and with 'Temper : That their Names be not .unjuftjy loaded with Ca- lumny and Slander -, that their Words and Actions may be interpreted with the fame Candour, as is fhewn to thofe that differ from them: That, if what they advance be rigtyt, it may be received ; if 'wrong, their Errors may be refuted, as the Mi- fakes of learned Men on other Subjects : If doubtful, and the Scriptures fay fo little, or fpt-ak fo pbfcurely, that nothing can certainly be decided either Way , that then nobody may be olHgcd ro take either Side as necejjary: That, whether their Notions be right or wrong, their Perfons may, in all Events, be fafe, and their Maintenance not -affected by it : That, as long as they live viriuoujly, and write with ajl due Modefty and good Manner^ and advance nothing that breaks in upon Morality and Government, they may be treated in all Re- fpects as thofe are or ought to be, who employ themfelvcs in any other" Part of ufeful Learnino-. . I muft add, let them be never fo much in the wrong, I can apprehend no Danger from it to the Church; or that the Errors of a few Men can have any confiderable Influence in Qppofition to a great Body of a vigilant and learned Clergy, who will be always able and ready to defend the received Notions, if they can be defended j and, if they in the Study of the Scriptures. 41 they cannot, it muft be allowed they ought not. But, iffome Inconveniences would wife from the Li- berty I contend for, they are nothing in Comparifon of thofe that muft follow from the Want it. Till there is fuch a Liberty allowed to Clergy- men ; till there is fuch a Security for their Repu- tations, Fortunes, and Perfons ; I fear I muft add, till fo difficult a Study meets with proportionable Encouragement ; it is impoffible a fine ere, impar- tial, and laborious Application to it Ihould general- ly prevail : And, till it does, it is as impoffible the Scriptures Ihould be well underftood : And, till they are, they are a Rule of Faith in Name only. For it is not the Words of Scripture, but the Senfe, which is the Rule , and, fo far as that is not - derftood, fo far the Scriptures are not our Rule, whatever we pretend ; but the Senfe that Men have put on them ; Men fallible as ourfelves, and who were by no Means fo well furnijhed, as the Learned at prefent are, with the proper Helps to find out the true Meaning of Scripture. And while we take the Senfe of the Scriptures in this Manner upon Content, and fee not with our own Eyes, we infenfibly relapfe into the Principles of Popery, and give up the only Ground on which we can juftify our Separation from the Church of Rome. It was a Right to sludy and judge of the Scriptures for themfehes, that our fajt Reformers af- ferttd with fo good Effect j and their Succeffors can defend their Adherence to them, on no other Principle. If then we are concerned for the Study of the Scriptures, 42 Difficulties and Difcouragemnts Scriptures, farther than in Words ; if we in earneft think them the only Rule of Faith ; let us aft as if we thought fo : Let us heartily encourage a free end impartial Study of them ; let us lay afide that malignant, arbitrary, perfecuting, Popijh Spirit ; let ys put no Fetters on Men's Underftandings, nor any other Bounds to their Enquiries, but what God and, Truth have fet. Let us, if we would not give up the Protejlant Principle, that the Scriptures are plain and clear in the neceffary Articles, declare nothing to be necejfary, but what is clearly revealed in them. Then may we hope to fee the Study of thefe Divine Books fo happily cultivated by the united Labours of the Learned, when under no Difcouragements ; that all may, in the main, agree in the true Meaning of them. Places, that can be underwood, they will agree in underftanding alike ; fuch at lead as are of Conference to the Faith. And, for fuch as are too obfcure to be cleared up with any Certainty, thofe likewife they will agree about, and unanimoufly confefs they are iuch as no Arti- cle of Faith can be grounded upon, or proved from. Next to the underftanding a Text of Scripture, is to know it cannot be certainly underftood. When the clear and dark Parts of Scripture are thus di- ftinguilhed, an Unity may then reafonably be ho- ped for among Protestants in necejfary Points 5 and a Difference of Opinion, in fuch as are not neceffa r ry, can have no Manner of ill Conference, nor any Way difturb the Peace of the Church ; fmce there will then be nothing left in its Doctrines, to in- Men's Pajfions 9 & feed their corrupt Interejts, when in the Study of the Scriptures. 43 when we are all agreed about what is effential to Religion ; and what is not effential is looked on as indifferent^ fo that a Man may take one Side, or the other > or neither * or may change? as . hs fet Reafon, without Offence. Upon the Whole, a free and impartial Study of the Scriptures either ought to be encouraged, or it ought not. There is no Medium -, and therefore thofe who are again/I one Side, which ever it be, are neceffarily Efpoufers of the other. Thofe, who think it ought not to be encouraged, will, I hope, think it no Injury to be thought to defend their Opinion upon fuch Reafons as have been here brought for it, till they give better. On the other hand, thofe who think thefe Reafons inconclufive, and cannot find better, will find themfelves obliged to confefs, that fuch a Study ought to be encoura- ged , and confequently muft take Care how they are accefibry to fuch Practices, as in their natural Confequence cannot but tend to its Difcourage- ment , left they come into the Condemnation of thofe who love Darknefs rather than Light^ and, for their Punifhment, be finally adjudged to it : There is, in this Cafe, no other Medium between Encouraging and Difcouraging, but what there is between JJgbt and Darknefs. Every Degree of Darknefs is a Want of fo much Light ; and all Want of Light is a certain Degree of Darknefs. To refufe then a greater Degree of Light, where it can be had, is, in Truth, to prefer Darknefs : Which, in my humble Opinion, can never be reafonable or excufable. , Thofe, who are of ano- ther 44 Difficulties and DifcouragementSj 8cc. ther Mind, plainly diflruft themfehes or their Caufe-. Which if it can bear the Light, Why fhould it not be fhown in it ? But, if it cannot, it is not the Caufe of God, or of the Son of God : For God is Light, and in him is no Darknefs , and the Son of God is the true Light, which ligbteth eve- i Man that cometh into the World. SCRIETUR$ SCRIPTURE Vindicated - FROM THE MISINTERPRETATIONS of the Lord Bifliop of Bangor : In his Anfwer to the Dean of Worcetfer's Vifitation-Sermon concerning CHURCH-AUTHORITY, The P R E F A C E. OON after the Bimop of Ban* * gor's Anfwer came out, the At- tention of the Town was fb, wholly turned from Books to, Matters of another Nature, and ftill is fo , that the Rea- der, I believe, will be more apt to ask, why I reply at all, than, why I have not done it fooner. Inftead, therefore, of troub- ling him with the Reafons of my not doing it before, I will only fay, that I write now, becaufe I promifed, in the Poftfcript to my Sermon, I would, more than for any other Reafon ; other- wife I Ihould have chofen to be ftill Glent, rather than help to the Revival of a Controverfy, that feemed The P RE FACE. feemed to be dead, and buried in the vafl Abyis, that has fwallowed up almoft every Thing elfe. To The Bllfinefs, therefore, without more Ap6- logy. And here I might, after the Example of the -Biihop, but with much greater Reafon, en- deavour to excite the Compafiion of the tender- hearted Reader, with long and loud Complaints of his unkind Ufage of me, who, befides all the Other Afts of an unfair Aciverfary, has many pe- culiar to himfelf, which; the World are now fo well acquainted with, that no Reader can be. a Stranger to them ; but. I have fo little Occasion for fuch Artifices, that I mall begin with return- ing his Lordihip my moft hearty Thanks, for thofe very Things which are the jufteft Matter of Com- plaint. Atid, firft, I thank hfs Lordfhip for fetting out in the very Preface of his Anfwer* with one of the moft palpable Inftances of Infmcerity a Man can well be guilty of. I had faid, " I could not think " it equitable in the Governors of the Church, to *' call in the fecular Arm, to opprefs and crufh '' under its Weight virtuous and learned Men, for " the Miftakes their difmterefted Purfuits of Truth " and Knowledge may happen to lead them in- " to." The Senfe of this Paflage is fo plain, that nobody can miftake it, who does not do fo wil- fully. The Oppofites to Virtuous and Learned are the Vicious and Ignorant. I ask no Favour for the Writings of the Learned* if they are not virtuous > nor for thofe'of others,who are not learned ; for what Bufinefs have the Ignorant and Unlearned to write in Controverfies of Religion ? And if teamed Men write The PREFACE. 47 write in Oppofition to the Eftablifhed Religion, who are not confefledly Perfons of Integrity and Virtue^ there may be ju'ft Reafon to fufpect, that, under the Colour of Confcience, and a pretended Love of Truth, they ferve fome Party- Views, and defign either to promote Impiety and Irreligion, or to difturb the Peace and Welfare of the State. The Advancing novel, or the Oppofihg the re- ceived Doctrines in Religion, have generally that malignant Influence on the Civil Government, that the Magiftrate cannot have too watchful an Eye upon them, though his Care were confined to the Affairs of Civil Life, and he had as little Zeal for the Honour of God, or as little Obligation to fuch a Zeal, as has been, of late, fo publickly contended for. Indulgence, therefore, in my humble Opinion, is then only due in thefe Mat- ters, not when Men write with great Confidence and little Reafon on their Side, but when their Modefly and Diffidence of themfelves, and De- ference to Authority, are great and vifible ; and the Reafons they give for their Opinions are folid and ftrong, and fuch as fliew they have well con- fidered their Argument , that is, they muft be virtuous arid learned Men, otherwife they will want either the good Qualities, or the Abilities they ought to have. And this, one would think, is fp very reafonable, that, if it could not procure his Lordfhip's Concurrence, it might, at lead, have efcaped his Cenfure. But his Lordlhip is fo much out of Humour, that Virtuous and Vicious arc Terms that pafs for nothing with him j and I am reprefented as claiming Favour only for the Learn- ed > 48 The PREFACE. ed j but, for the Ignorant and Unlearned,, perfecuta them who will, I have nothing to fay againft it. So grofs a Mifreprefentation, at the very Entrance, is a Warning to every impartial Reader, to let him fee, that nothing fair or candid is to be ex- pected fr ( om fuch an Adverfary ; and that the Struggle is not for Truth, but Victory. Another Thing, for which his Lordfhip has my Thanks, is, that he has, in feveral Places of his Anfwer, declared himfelf a profeffed Enemy to Learning ; and makes it a Crime in the Dean, " That he has been pleafed to give a Privilege to >' the Errors of the Learned, though in Truth " more inexcufable than the Errors of the Un- '" learned ;" and thinks himfelf, " That St. Paul " would not have had the leaft Regard to fuch a * Qualification, unlefs as it might aggravate their "' 'Crimes,, p. 157." Which reminds me of what he fays, in his Anfwer to the Committee, p. 98. That " what, is called Learning, is fo far from be- " e ing the moft" neceffary, or the moft ufeful Qua- " lification in this Cafe (of judging in Matters 6u. ts&Znffiv. And the laft Words of the preceding Epiftle, are, fpeaking of the Cbrt- P 3 Thus 54 The PREFACE. Thus averfe was Julian, to all Force, in Matters of Religion, and to every Thing that is, in com- mon Language, underftood by Perfection. But did he think it was inconfiftent with Juftice, or his Humanity, not to employ them in his Go- vernment, and beftow Favours on them ? By no Means. He thought there was a great deal of Difference between not Perfecuting, and not Fa- vouring. Hear him, in his feventh Epiftle : 'y V TB fteV TII vvt StotrtGfiS >y mw I will not be judge of thefe Things ; not, becaufe they were Religious, not Civil Matters, as is pre- tended in the next Page ; but either, becaufe Gal- lio defpifed them, looked on them as Trifles about which he would not concern himfelf ; or becaufe the Jewijh Law was no Rule to him, he was no Way concerned to inforce the Obfervance of it. But thirdly, what is moft extraordinary in this Sentence is, the unfair Infinuation there is in fay- ing, that St. Paul's Crime was his Oppofing the Religion eftablifhed by the Law. Had it been faid their Law, it would then prefently have appeared, that what Gallio did, in this Cafe, was nothing to the Preacher's Purpofe ; but as the Words are, ef- tablijhcd 58 The PREFACE. tablijhed by the Law, I doubt it led his Hearers, as well as his unlearned Readers, to believe, that the Cafe of St. Paul, brought before Gallic, is parallel to that of a Man who fhould now be brought be- fore the Civil Magiftrate, for oppofmg the Religion eStaUiJhed by Law, in this, or any other Chriftian Country ; and that, from this Inftance, they are to learn their Duty, and to declare to all the World, that fuch Cafes do not belong to their Cognizance. But, with great Submifllon, I conceive nothing can be wider from the Point it is aimed at, than this Inftance is from the Application it is drawn to. For, in the firft Place, Gattio was but an in- ferior Magiftrate, and was to govern according to Law ; and, if St. Paul had broken none of the Laws in Force in that Province, Galllo could have nothing to fay to him , otherwife he might have entered into the Charge againft him, had he fo pleafed, as well as Felix, or Feftus, or other Ro- man Governors did in Judxa, where, after it was reduced into a Roman Province, the Jewijh Laws, under certain Reflections, were permitted by the Emperors to remain in Force. Nothing, there- fore, from Gallio's Example, can be concluded to affect other Governors j much lefs can it be infer- red, from the Inftance of an inferior Magiftrate, that the Emperor, or any other fupreme Power, could not juftly make Laws about Religious Matters, for the Direction of Judges and Magiftrates, when fuch Cafes fhould come before them. Nor is there any Thing in Fact more certain, than that the Roman, as well as other Governments, did think the The PREFACE. 59 the Affairs o Religion were within their Cogni- zance, ancTdid, from Time to Time, make fuch Laws about them, as they judged proper. In the next Place, it is evident St. Paul is not accufed of acting in Violation of what was the tfiM/hed Re- ligion by the Roman Law , but of acting againft a Religion that was not fo eftablijhed^ againft that of the Jews, about which the Romans troubled not themfelves. Had it been otherwife, had St. Paul been accufed of Blafphemy againft the National Religion, I believe Gallio^ as indolent as he feems to have been, would have acted another Part -, and would have been obnoxious to the Laws, and falfe to his Truft, if he had not. In Truth, the Cafe is much the fame, as it would be, if the Jews fettled here, upon a Schifm breaking out among them, fhould profecute any Member of their Synagogue in Weftminfter-Hall', where the Judge might difmifs the Caufe, as Gallio did, without any Prejudice to his Authority, or Breach pf his Duty, in what regards the Eftablijhed Religi- on. The Profecutor is concerned in the Defence of the Religion Eftablijhed by the Law ; and fo likewife is the Judge for the Religion Eftablifoed by the Law. But are they the fame Religions, or are the fame Laws meant in both Expreflions ? No, they are as wide as can be ; as different as Cbriftianity and Judaifm ; and nobody, with any Truth or Sincerity, could call the Religion Efta- blimed by the Jewi/h Law, the Religion Eflablijhed by Law. But fuch Shifts are Men driven to, fo fhamefully do they pervert Scripture, when they fjt up for new Schemes in Religion, that have no Foundacion 60 Tte PREFACE. Foundation either in the Laws of Nations, or the Law of God. I might go on, and mew the fame Unfairnefs and weak Reafoning through almoft every Para- graph of this Sermon, in which there is fo much Afiurance, and fo little Argument, that, upon thefe Accounts, as well as its Infult on the Eftab- limment, it is, I think, without a Parallel. Its grand Principle is, that the Civil Magiftrate can of Right punifli nothing, but as it prejudices Men's Civil Interefts ; and, in Virtue of this, C9mmon Swearing, Blafphemy, Inceft, and other the moft deteftable Crimes, have a Right to Impunity ; and that for this weighty Reafon, among others, be- caufe fecret Intentions of Wickednefs^ and treafonable thoughts, and the like, are not liable to Civil Puni/h- ments. That is, the Magiftrate cannot punifh what he cannot come to the Knowledge of: But does it follow, he may not punifli where he can ? Curfe not the King, no not in thy Thought ( fays So- lomon ;) for a Bird of the Air jhall carry the Voice ^ and that which hath Wings Jhall tell the Matter. Bat, others having profeffedly written againft the Notions advanced in this Sermon, I fhall enter enter no farther into the Confideration of it, pre- fuming (for I have not yet feen the Anfwers to it) that they have not only anticipated all I could think neceffary to be obferved of it, but have very probably faid a great deal more. Nor mould I have taken even this Notice of it, but for the Re- lation it has to the Difpute between the Bifhop of B. and me ; for the Sermon owns in plain Terms, and at large, what the Bifhop was by every The PREFACE. 61 every body fuppofed to mean, but what he him- felf would not acknowledge he had faid. This made it proper for me juft to take Notice of a Difcourfe that has made fo much Noife, and gi- ven fo juft Offence. But I fay no more, having no Defire to expofe the Author, but the Argu- rrient ; nor would I have faid thus much, in this Place, but that the following Papers were drawn up, while I was at Worcefter^ long before I had ieen this Sermon , and I was not willing to be at the Trouble of making an Alteration in them, having fo little Inclination to this barren Contro- verfy, that they have lain by me four Months un- touched. I mail, therefore, take Leave of this Sermon, with obferving, that, were the Example of Gallio ever fo pertinent to what it is alledged for, yet it would not prove that the Magiftrate has not a Right to favour one Religion above another, though he will not be a Judge in Religious Con- troverfies ; or that the laegiQature may not efta- blifh, as the Publick Religion, what they think the beft, and confine to the Profeffion of it all Places of Power and Truft for its greater Defence and Security againft the reftlefs Spirit of Enthufiafm, and the Cunning of thofe who know how to make the Madnefs of a deluded People fubfervient to their own Ends. Gallio might prefer, and, indeed, could not but prefer thofe of the Eftablifhed Re- ligion to all Places in his Government, exclufivc either of Jews or Chriftians, as their Conftitution then flood. But if even this could be concluded from Gallio' s Example, that Negative Difcouragc- went s 62 the PREFACE, menls might not be ufed in Preference of one Re- ligion before another, purely as fuch, yet Religi- ous and Civil Affairs are fo infeparably interwoven and blended together, and Religion is fo often made a Pretence to difturb the State, that the Care of it neceiTarily comes within the Sphere of the Ci- vil Power, purely as fuch , fince it is impoffible to prefervc the Peace and Quiet of the State, if the Magiftrate renounces all Right to meddle in Matters of Religion. But, if the Magiftrate has fuch a Right, it is of little Importance to enquire, on what Foot he has it ; whether direfffy, as it is a Matter of Religion ; or indirettly, as it affects the Welfare of the State Civil. Which ever Way it be, if he has fuch a Right, he has it ; and who- ever takes it from him, is injurious both to God and rus Vicegerent : He proftitutes the Honour of God, and weakens the Hands of the Government. It is pretended, indeed, 'That God has infinite Ways of maintaining and taking Care of his own Ho* nour, without being beholden to the Secular Arm. And has he not as many Ways of maintaining the Peace of Society ? But fure it would be a ftrange Inference, to conclude from thence, that there is" no Occafion for any Civil Government. And it is juft as ftrange, to infer from the fame Premiffes, that there is no Occafion for the Magistrate's do- ing any Thing to maintain the Honour of God, and the Obedience due to him. Government is the great Inftrument of Providence in all the Af- fairs of this World; and it will be always true, that God ordinarily works by the ftated Means of fecond Caufes, though he has infinite Ways of act- ing The PREP ACE. 6* ^ ing without them, if he pleafe ; for who can fet Bounds to a Power we acknowledge to be infi- nite ? Such a Way of arguing appears to me fo trifling and ludicrous, or rather fo profane, that I fhould think it fo intended, did I not know the Author, who, I verily believe, was far from any fuch Defign. As to the Government, that the Denying it this Right is Weakening the Hands of it, is fo manifeft, that no Principle in Mathema- ticks is more certain, or more evident. I wifh we had not fo fure a Proof of it, as we have from the Effect the barely Advancing this novel Notion, in fo publick a Manner, has already had, by the inflaming Men's Minds, and increafing that Dif- affection, in which the Enemies of the Government place their chief Hopes. But to return to Julian ; it will be asked, Was not he a Perfecutor of the Chriftians ? I anfwer, No otherwife than by purfuing fuch Methods as the Bilhop thinks moil for the Good of their Re- ligion ; which were chiefly thefe three. Firft, he withdrew from them the Revenues and Favours, Immunities, Privileges, and Rights, which his Pre- decefibrs had granted to them ; by which they were reduced to their primitive State, that happy and perfect State which the Bilhop feems to be fo extremely fond of ; and that for the fame Rea- fon that Julian gave, that they might be lefs incum- bered in their Journey to the Kingdom of Hea- ven, "IVA mv'oytyot, fftxpfovaffj x} p gtf*9MP) M 'in A- t*ments 9 fuch as the World has always meant by them, fuch as that is we enjoy in this Nation, as to its Nature and Kind, though not as to every particular Cir- cumftance and Part of it. As to the fecond, I cannot but be very much furprifed, to find his Lordfhip faying, that he has faid nothing againft EJtabliJhments under certain Reftriiftions ; for I think I have read large Books of his, that are, from Beginning to End, again It all Eftablifh- ments, if by Eftablijhmcnt be meant the Encou- raging and Giving by Laws a Preference to one VOL. II. E Religion 66 The PREFACE. Religion above another. For the Encouraging of one is neceffarily the Difcouragement of ano- ther, and confequently is Applying human and worldly Engines to Matters not of this World, and tends to promote Hypocrify, and to deftroy Sin- cerity, which his Lordfhip has made to be all in all. Which Principles tend to deftroy all the Eftablifhments I have ever heard of, except that may deferve the Name of one, that I have lately met with in the Fundamental Conftitutions of Caro- lina, faid to be writ by Mr. Lock, and publifhed in a Collection of Pieces under his Name ; but which, I fuppofe, he only drew up into Form as the Senfe of the Lord Shaftsbury, rather than his own ; the Care of that Affair having, by the Duke of Albemarle, and the other Proprietors, been recommended to that Lord, to whom Mr. Lock was Secretary. But, however that be, Mr. Lock was then but young, about thirty, and had not that Knowledge of human Nature, he acquired in his riper Years, nor had turned his Thoughts to fo ferious and thorough a Confideration of the Cbriftian Inftitution, as his Writings mew he did, for many Years before his Death. In thefe Con- dilutions, to gain the Affections of the Natives, and encourage others to come and fettle in this Country, it is ordained, That any feven Perfons, agreeing in any Religion, Jhall conftitute a Church. And to fuch a Church no Profeffion of any Part of the Chriftian Faith is made necefiary $ only to acknowledge the Being of a God, and that he is publickly to be worlhiped. So that any Man, who could feduce fix more (and he has ill Luck who the P R E fA C E. 67 who in a populous Country cannot) might let up a Church, in which may be pfofefTed any, or all the Herefies and Superftitions that ever were, or can be invented : None are excluded from this Privilege, but downright Atbeifts 9 fuch as the im- pious .Author of the PantbeisJicon *, and a few fuch Infidels, who are either too ftupid to under- fland an Argument, or too thoughtlefs to attend to one, or too vicious to give a practical Aflent. There is, indeed, Provifion made by one of thefe Conftitutions i as the Country comes to be fuf- ficiently planted, for the Building of Churches, and the publick Maintenance of Divines^ to be employed in the Exercife of Religion, according to the Church of England. But this Article, the Editor obferves, was inferted afterwards, by fome of the chief of the Proprietors, againft Mr. Lock's Judgment i and, indeed, the Series of the Conftitutions mews as much, that this was not originally a Part of them. Till I faw thefe Conftitutions, I could not imagine what Sort of Eftablifhments it was his Lordfhip could, upon his Principles, allow ; but this has cleared up my Doubts, and I fha!l fup- pofe this is, in the Main, what he would have, * This Atheiftick Writer, not content with what he has dared to print in this profane Piece, has inferted a Prayer, the following Copy of which, I can aflure the Reader, is from an Original : Omnipotent & fempiterne BACCHE, qui humanam fscietatem toaxume in bibendo conftitttijli ; concede profitius, at iftorum capita, qui hefterr.a compotatione gr&vantur, bod'urna Irventur : idque fiat per pocuh poculorum. Amen. Thus prays this Pantb;ift t whofe impudent Blafphemie.3 loudly Cull for the Animadverfrons of the Civil Power. E 2 till 68 The PREFACE. till I am better informed. As for his Lordmip's Limitations, if he does not include, in the Eftab- ments he allows, that of our own Church, he does then, in Effect, declare, that it is inconfiftent with the common Rights of Mankind, and the Privileges of human Society, and with Chriftian Liberty : A heavy Charge ! but which has been fo often and fo fully anfwered, that I think it needlefs to fay more here. I will only add, I know no common Rights of Men in Society, but legal Rights, and the Laws are the Rule and Meafure of them, and all Nations have thought Religious Eftablimments confiitent with them. And as to Chriftian Li- berty, I defire his Lordfliip would define it firft and fettle the true Gofpel Notion of it, and then I dare fay that he will never more object that to us. But in the laft Place, if his Lordfhip and I were agreed upon an Eftablifhment, he could not do it upon my Reafons ; firft, Becaufe they turn the Eyes of Chriftians from the Conduct of Almighty God in the Chriftian Religion, which was, I fup- pofe his Lordfhip means, is] not of this World, to what it pkafed him to ordain in the Jevvifh, which was of this World. What a pretty Antithefis is here ? Who can ftand out againft the convincing Force of it ? was of this World was not of this World ! Thus Sounds ferfuade as well as Senfe. But, ftrip the Argument of this Jingle, and it is this : The Jews being one People, God did not only give them a Syftem of Religion, but likewife a Form of Government ; which Government had the Cognizance of all Matters 9 whether Civil or Religious^ 'The PREFACE. 69 Religious, under the Direction of fuch Laws as he thought fit to give to them ; fo that they were a Sort of Theocracy. But, with refpect to the Cbri- Jlian Religion, that being not to be confined to one People, but to be propagated to all Nations in which Governments were already fettled, he fenc his Son, not to make any Alterations in them, much lefs to pull down one and fet up ano- ther, but to promote only the Religious Interefts of Mankind, to call them to Repentance by preaching the Doctrines of the Gofpel, and to do what was neceflary, on God's Part, for their Re- demption. And, in Virtue of this Miffion, Cbrift* by his Apoftles, gathered to himfelf, out of all Nations, a People zealous of good Works : But, with refpect to the Governments in the feveral Nations, his Gofpel left all Things -in the State it found them. So that they, who embraced the Faith of Cbrift, neither were by any Appointment from him, nor for a While, in the Nature of Things, could be under any other Direction, as Cbriftians, but that of his Apoftles, and thofe who laboured with them in the Miniftry, or were appointed to fucceed them in it, acting in his Name, and under fuch Rules as the Gofpel has prefcribed to them. This now being the Cafe, does it from thence fol- low, by any good Confequence, that when whole Nations mall be converted to the Faith, when Kings and Emperors are become Cbriftian^ that they may not, for the Eftablifhing of this Reli- gion, look to the Conduct of God in his Govern- ment of the Jews ? Or that they may not imitate the Examples of thofe good and religious Princes, E 3 who 7 o Tie PREFACE. who, in Virtue of God's Laws, ufed all their Power and Authority to procure Obedience to that Wor- fhip and Religion he had inftituted ? Is the Con- duel of God contrary to and inconfiftent with it- felf ? Can he do what is unrighteous or unreafon- able ; what is malum in fe ? Was his Conduct no where fit to be imitated out of one little Corner of the World ? Is an Eftablifhment more incon- fiftent with Sincerity and true Religion now, than It was then ? Or, Was there no Sincerity and true Religion among the Jews ? Is it not as reafonable that a Cbrjftian Prince mould ftudy the Law of Chrift, as it was for a J.ewijh one to ftudy that of Mofes ? Or, Does his Lordfhip think, that the Prince was commanded to ftudy it, as a private Man only, and not in his princely Capacity, as he was to make it the Meafure of his Govern- ment ? Was it commendable, and for the eternal Honour of David, Hezekiab, and Jcfiah, to be zealous for the Honour of God, and in Defence of his Religion ; and mall it be abfurd, and cri- minal, and impious, for Chriftian Princes to mew the like 2eal, and take the fame Care ? What- isver his Lordfhip may think, the Chriftian World has always been of another Mind. The Conduct of God, in his Inftitution of the Jewifh Govern- ment, cannot but be a proper Subject for all Go- vernments to confider well, and, in many Cafes, to form themfelves upon ; and to fay otherwife is to have lefs Regard to God than is ufually paid to any wife Law-maker among mere Men. But farther, Was the Conduct of God, in inftituting the Religion he ordained by Mofes, any other than the The PREFACE. 71 the Conduct of the fame God, in the Covenant he made with Abraham ? Did he not appoint Cir- cumdfion under the like Sanctions ? Did he not expect the Covenant, he had made with him, fhould be punctually obferved, both by himfelf, and by his Children and Servants, by all either born in his Houfe, or bought with his Money, all Perfons without Exception, under his Authority and Government ? / know him, fays God, Gen. xviii. 19. that he will command his Children, and his Houjhold after him, and they jhall keep the Way of the Lord to do Juftice and Judgment ; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hatb fpoken of him. Did God require this of Abraham, the Father of the Faithful, as Father of his Fa- mily, and did he not expect the fame of all Fa- thers of Families among ChrisJians ? Or, Is it pofiible he mould expect lejs of Princes, than of them ? Shall Parents and Mailers be obliged to ufe their Authority to promote the Belief and Practice of true Religion in their Families ? And mall Princes be fo far from being under any Ob- ligation to ufe the Authority with which God has inverted them, in the fame Manner and to the fame good Ends, that to attempt it mall be a Crime in them ? Shall it be interpreted to be an Abufe of their Authority ? Shall they be told, it is Turning their Eyes from God to God ; from God, now well informed in the Nature of Reli- gion ; to God, while as yet he was not ? For the Objection, in Effect, comes to this, or there is no Senfe in it. As to the Antitbefis, was of this World* and was not of this World ; it is of the Jewijb E 4 and 7 2 The PREFACE. and Chrijtian Religion equally true, that neither of them were of this World ; they were both of them from above, and came down from Heaven. Nor was the Jewijh to be propagated by Rebellion and the Force of Arms, any more than the Cbrijlian. For, as to the Extirpation of the Seven Nations, that was in Virtue of a particular Command, and grounded upon particular Reafons. But as this Expreflion, not of this World, is applied by his Lordfhip to the Chriftian Religion, and vaft Con- fequences are made to hang upon it -, I have, in the following Papers, fully fhewn, what is meant by the Kingdom, that is not of this World ; and, therefore, fhall content myfelf to refer the Reader thither, where he will find, that, when it is right- ly underftood, that can have no Place in this Ar- gument. The fecond Objection his Lordfhip makes, for not agreeing to my Reafons, is, that they reflect Shame iipon Proteftantifm, and the Church of England icfelf, by making all its Security to confift in human Laws, as having no lofting Force againft Popery, but from thefe. Here his Lordfhip puts upon me the Fallacy he often puts upon himfelf, by which one Thing is made every Thing ; I fay, our legal Eftablifhment is the great Support of the Proteflant Religion, his Lordfhip makes me fay it is all its Support ; that all its Security confifts in human Laws. Though one Thing may be the great Support of it, furely feveral other Things may be alfo neceffary to the fame End. We have a good Caufe, and we may hope for a Bleffir.g on it from the Providence of God : The PREFACE. 73 God : But how ? Not by Miracles, but in the or- dinary Way, upon .our Endeavour^ in its De- fence. It is the Goodnefs of God that has ra,.ld up learned Men to write in its Defence ; and it is the fame Providence that has turned the Hearts of our Kings, and given our Senators Wifdom to fup- port the Profeflion of his Truth by wife and good Laws. And, therefore, I muft take Leave ftill to be of Opinion, " That the Proteftant Religion, " unlefs it had the Gift of Miracles, could no " more defend itfelf without an Eftablimment " againft the united Strength and Zeal of Popery " than a difconcerted Rabble could ftand againft " a well difciplined Army." Julian, who was no Fool, I have already obferved, thought he could not ruin Chrijlianity more effectually than by an unlimited Toleration of all Se^ls, without the Ef- tablifhment of any ; and, had God fuffered him to reign any Length of Time, who can doubt but he would have obtained his End, unlefs the Gift of Miracles had been revived ? For, when Chrifti- ans had been without Power, and without Union, and by infinite Factions and Divifions crumbled into nothing, who can think it poflible for a Re- ligion, however good, to fubfift in fuch miierable Circumftances againft the Learning, and Power, and exafperated Zeal of Paganifm, under a Prince, whofe Virtue was an Ornament to his Religion ? Who forced no body, but by his Favours invited all he thought worth it, and reformed his Religi- on both by the Spirituality of the new Platonifm^ and by tranfcribing into it what he faw moft excellent in the practical Part of the Chriftian In- flitution ? 74 The PREFACE. fh'tution ? But, not to infift any longer on this Cafe, What does his Lordfliip think of the State of the Proteftant Religion in the Empire ? How long would it fubfift, if the Weftplalian Treaty were abolifhed ? Who fees not, how it labours to fubfift, notwithstanding the Protection is has from it, and that fo many powerful Princes are watchful in Defence of it ? Who fees not, how it lofes Ground, and what Dangers daily threaten it ? If the Goodnefs of a Caufe could preferve it without human Help, how came Mahometanifm to triumph, as it does, over Cbriftianity in fo great a Part of the World ? What is become of the once flourifh- ing Churches of Afia, Syria, Egypt, and Africa ? Let his Lordfhip reconfider thefe Cafes, and then tell us, an Eftablifhment is not necefifary to pre- ferve the Proteftant Religion again ft Popery ; whofe Learning, and Power, and Zeal are always impla- cably bent upon its Extirpation. For I believe his Lordfliip is not fo fanguine as to think, that, if the Proteftants of this Nation mould be in the Humour of making the Experiment, and come in- to his Scheme, the Popijh Countries would follow the Example. His Lordfhip's third Objection, againft my Rea- fons for EjlabliJhmentSi is, That they make him fufpec~t I mean by Eftabli/hments, at leaft, moderate Perfection of the Unlearned and Ignorant. To this, if it be needful to fay more, let me ask his Lord- mip thefe two Queftions, Firft, Whether, in his Opi- nion, the main Body of the Members of the Church of England are more for the Perfection of Djjfenters than he thinks I am, or lefs ? If more, (and The PREFACE. 75 (and I am perfuaded he is of that MindJ then I would ask, in the fecond Place, Which is the likelieft Way to bring the Minds of the People off from fuch a Spirit, and induce them to be eafy and pleafed with a reafonable Indulgence to tender Consciences ? To run directly counter to them, and mew yourfelf as contrary to their Sentiments as poflible, or to make fome Advances, and meet them half Way ? That is, Are People who are the Majority to be driven, or led ? To be gained by a rigid and abfolute Oppofition to them, or by Softnefs and making fome Conceflions, and treat- ing the Notions of thofe you would convince, as if they had, indeed, fome Reafon in them, but were pufhed too far ? Are People ever like to meet and be reconciled, while both Sides, affect to be in the pxtremes ; or by mutually receding from them, and approaching to a Medium ? I know his Lord- fhip will be againft me, by the Part he has taken in his Prefervative^ which I fear never did, nor ever will make one Convert to the Government, however he may have pleafed fome who never were its Enemies. But moft Men, I doubt not, will be of another Mind, and allow, that the likelieft Way to convince People, and overcome their Pre- judices, is not to keep at the greateft Diftance from them, and affect an unneceffary Oppofition to their Principles or Notions, but to mew a Difpo- fition to come to fome Temper, and make what Approaches you can towards them. This Confideration might have made his Lord- fhip lefs fevere upon what he calls moderate Perfe- ciition. But I lay no Claim to *it. Diffenftons in Religion, 7 6 PREFACE. Religion, when under no Reftraint from Laws, are oftentimes of infinite ill Confequence. The Spirit of Superftition and Enthufiafm is naturally turbulent, and Sedition frequently lurks under the Cover of them ; and, therefore, I am not afhamed to own myfelf of Opinion, that fevere Laws, to curb and check the firft Beginnings of Diforders from them, are not only lawful, but often necef- fary ; every Government has a Right to make, ex- ecute, fufpend, abrogate, and renew fuch Laws, when and as often as they think fit. The Laws of this Kind that are, or ever were in Force in this Nation, were none of them defigned to put any Hardmips upon truly tender Confciences, but were all of them extorted from the Government, which is naturally mild and extremely tender of the People's Rights, in Defence of the Conftitution, againft the factious and feditious Attempts, Con- fpiracies, and Rebellions that were carried on un- der the fpecious Name of Confcience ; and were in- tended to prevent Offences of that Nature, rather than to punifh them ; much lefs to aggrieve ho- neft well-meaning People, fo long as no Danger is apprehended from the Party they are of. It is plainly for this Reafon, that very fevere Laws are ftill in Force againft Papifts, though no one feels the Rigour of them, while he lives quiet, and gives no Offence. This the Legiflature has judged necefiary, from the Experience it has had of the implacable and reftlefs Spirit of that Religion, which obliges its Votaries upon Principle to be Enemies to our Conftitution, and difpenfes with all the Ties of Faith and Honour, by which they can The PREFACE. 77 can pledge their Duty and Allegiance , fo that that they cannot give fufficient Security for their a&ing like good Subjects, if they would : This has made it neceflary to keep them always under the Reftraint of fevere Laws. Other Dijftnters are not fuch fworn Enemies of our Conftitution ; they are not lifted under any foreign Head, they have no Doctrines that can difpenfe with folemn. Oaths, much lels are they taught, that there is any Merit in breaking the Faith once given to the Government. The Government, therefore, has proportioned the making or executing fevere Laws, with Regard to them, according to the Temper and Behaviour of them from Time 'to Time. At prefent, there being no Reafon to queftion their Affection to the Government, all Laws of that Kind have been fufpended, or re- pealed, and will, no doubt, continue fo, till ano- ther Behaviour calls for another Treatment. If ever this Rule has not been obferved, and any Sort of Diffenters have been treated with an unrea- fonable Seventy, that is not chargeable on the Church of England, but on Popifh Meafures, which were fecretly contriving both their and our De- ftruction, as is now to every body well known. The Eftabliihment itfelf (lands clear of every Thing that can, with Juitice, be brought under the odious Name of Perfecution. I cannot forbear, upon this Subject of Eftablifh- ments, taking Notice of a PafTage of Mr. Chilling- worth in his fecond Sermon ; where fpeaking of our Reformation^ " The whole Doctrine, fays he, *' of Chrijlian Riith is reftored to the primitive " Luftre 78 f he PREFACE. " Luflre and Integrity ; nay, more (which is' a " greater Happinefs than God ever created [grants " ed] to thofe his chofen Servants, which lived in " the Infancy of the Church) the Profeffion of a " pure unfpotted Religion is ib far from being " dangerous, or infamous, that we have the Sword " of the Civil Magiftrate, the Power and Enforce- tc ment of the Laws and Statutes, to maintain " this our precious Faith without Stain and unde- " filed againft all heretical and fchifmatical Op- AaV, and the like ; this, if it were true, would only mew that thefe are not convertible Terms. Ko'e/o/ and Bets7AV are 'H^- ffyoi, but 'tiyv&iot are not necefiarily Kw'e/o/ or B^AwY That is, every King is a Governor, but every Governor is not a King. A notable Qbfer- vation ! But here it may be proper to put his Lordihip in Mind, that Kt/etw is not a Name or Species of Civil Governors, but an honourable Ap- pellation only, when given to them ; and that, in the Greek Writers, it has not the Senfe he thinks it has ; for it is not the proper Rendering of DO MINUS, a Title the beft Emperors re- jefted 90 Scripture vindicated, &c. jeded with Indignation, and which was not affu- med, except by one or two very bad ones, till the Decline of the Empire, but Aiam-w. And, as to the Title Ban**??, though the Greeks ufually ren- dered by that the Word Emperor, it is well known, that King is originally a higher Title than that of Emperor, and that the Emperors, therefore, would not either aiTume the Title of REG E S them- felves, or fuffer it to be given them. But, for the Meaning and Ufe of both thefe Titles, I refer his Lordfhip to the moft learned Spanheim de Numifm. As to 'HyxfJtso,, it is frequently ufed not only, in an abfolute Manner, to exprefs Governors in gene- ral, but to admonim their Subjects of their Duty to them. Thus in Clem. Rom. vsra7waj6,Vo/ role ryxfJfiois vu$ , and in Clem. Alex. t$J av-mv veify/jji- *< <&t)f T< y*fJfl*e 'i-^vrnv. It is, therefore, 3. falfe to fay, that Civil Governors are called 'H^- /uV/, and by other foft Names to denote their Duty. Neither the Duty nor Authority of Go- vernors is to be learnt from the Softnefs or Hard- nefs of Names. There is . no fofter Name than PJTER, or Father; and yet it is certain, the Patria Potefias, ti\i reftrained by Laws, was a very great Power. And fuch an Obedience is due to Parents, that Children are, in Scripture, command- ed to be obedient to them in all things. But that is a Text his Lordfhip feems not to think of, but to prove from it a Right to Difobedience. ' As for C H>K, is to feed, that is, to do the Office of a Shepherd ; and of like Import are iv&t and &wrAdfo, fo far as we can judge of the true Etymology of them ; and his Lordfhip might know, that the lift Word is is fo far from being a hard one, that it is ufed in Oppofition to a hard one, m^w&, which fell into Difufe from the harm and odious Ideas that were in common Acceptation by the Greeks annexed to it. 4. His Lordfhip's Divifion of Names into hard and high, and fofter and better, is intirely Miftake, and without Foundation. The firft and chief End of all Power is the Good of the Perfons governed ; and the Names of all Officers, fo far as we can difcover the firft Senfe of them, denote fome Part of their Duty or Office, and none have, in their original Meaning, any Thing harm or hard in them. The very Suppofition is ridiculous, that Governors or their People would choofe fuch Names as are odious and hard, and imply Slavery and Opprcfiion. The Names, expreflive of feve- ral Forms of Government, may feem odious to thofe who live under other Governments, or who have 92 Scripture vindicated, 8cc. have been opprefied by them ; as King may be thought a hard and odious Tide to a Republican ; and fo is the Name of a Democracy, or Common- wealth^ to one who loves Monarchy ; but neither Words are fo to the Subjects of the refpective Go- vernments. The Word King is fo far from being a difagreeable Word to the Friends of Kingly Go- vernment, that they will readily tell a Republican boafting of his Liberty, Nunquam Libertas gratior extat, Quam fub regs pio. I would alk his Lordmip which Name he thinks is mod acceptable to the People of England, that of King, or that tfProteftor ? Though nothing can be a fofter and better Name than the latter, and the other his Lord (hip thinks a hard one ; yet nothing is more certain, than that this foft Name is moft deteftable to the People of this Nation, whilft that of King is, of all others, the moft lovely and endearing : Which may mew his Lordfhip, that the Softnefs or Hardnefs of Names is not to be known from their Etymology, or De- rivation, but from the Ideas annexed to them in the common Ufe and Acceptation of them. But, 5. fuppofing this Obfervation were true of hard and foft Names, that is not the Rcafon why thole, his Lordfhip calls hard ones, are not given, in Scripture, to Ecclefiaftical Governors, but the foft- er and better Names ; but becaufe they denote a pertain Peculiarity, or Quality, that does not be- long to the Power they are inverted with, and, therefore, they cannot, confidently with Truth, be applied to them, or not without great Imprppriety. For Scripture vindicated, 8cc. 93 For Kue/o/ and BOOTM?*, as the firft is equivalent to AfW TO*, fignify a Property of the Governors in the Perfons governed, and that they govern in their own Name ; for which Reafon, neither of thefe Titles could be given to Jofeph^ though Pha- raoh made him Governor over Egypt 9 and all bis Houfe , but he is called 'H^^wV-. K.a.7iw^o,. ^. E. D. Nor is there more Truth, in the fecond Part of his Lordfhip's Obfcrvation, that the Word/? U- LERS, 94 Scripture vindicated, &c. LERS, in our Englifh Tranflation, carries a greater Sound with it, in our Language, than the GmiWord does, as fignifying MASTER, or LORD , in which Senfe St. Paul, he fays, " in " the Name of all the Apoftles, renounces the " the Word, 2 Cor. iv. 5. We preach not ourfelves " but Chrift Jefus the Lord, and ourjclves your Ser- " vanls for Jefus Sake : That is, fays the Biihop, " we proclaim not ourfelves your Mafters, but Chrift Jefus your Lord or Mailer ; and our- " felves your Servants for Jefus Sake, in order to " bring you to him, as your fole Lord and Afo- " _/fcr." I fliall not fpend Time to fhew, that his Lordihip does not enter intirely into St. Paul's Thought, and that St. Paul does not here fpeak in the Name of the Apoftles ; but muft obferve the great Moderation his Lordfhip has fhewn on this Occafion, when he had fo fine an Opportu- nity, fo plain and clear a Text to prove, that the Miniiters of Cbrift, even the Apoftles themfelves, were fo far from being KV&O/, or Lords, that they were no better than AKAO/, Servants, and not bare- ly Servants, but Slaves ; for, as his Lordfhip and his Friends have elaborately proved, Servants in thofe Days were Slaves. And from thence does it not undeniably follow, that the Clergy, in all future Times, are the People's Slaves, and, inftead of governing, mould, in Striftnefs, be governed by them, and that in a defpotick and arbitrary Manner ? His Lordfhip has ieldom proved any Thing from Scripture fo ftrongly, as he might have done this : This, therefore, is fuch an In- ftance of his Lordfhip*s Favour to the Clergy, as delerves Scripture vindicated ^ &c. 95 deferves their Thanks. But to return to the Word Ruler ; his Lordmip thinks, it would make one fuppofe that the Word, in the Original, was KI/- utfi'ovTK. Why his Lordfhip fhould have fuch an Averfion to this Word, I cannot imagine, or why he thinks Kc/eidfar the proper Greek for it ; there being nothing, in the Sound or Senfe of the Word, that can give Offence ; nor has it that Peculiarity in it, Kvetdl'oj'TK has, to denote Property or Domi- nion, as that Word means abfolute or arbitrary Government *, fo that to one, who knows any Thing of Words (and his Lordmip fays, be does a little) to rule over, or be a Ruler, muft feem to be the Rendering of ^^ much more properly than of wei&ttv ; and the Tranflators of the New Teftament, who were Men of great Learning and Skill in Languages, were fo much of this Opinion, that they have made the Word Rule, or to be a Ruler , the Interpretation of any Word denoting Government, rather than of x/uf/affcw, which his Lordmip thinks fo proper for it. I will give on- ly one Inftance where the Word Rule feems to me to have a very agreeable Sound : He that ruleth over Men muft be juft, ruling in the Fear of God 9 2 Sam. xxiii. 3. But his Lordmip will have it, that the proper Senfe of the Word 'Hyt/j&ot is Guides, or Leaders ; by the firft of which I had obferved it was render- ed in the Margin, without exprefling any Like of it, much lefs preferring it before the other. How- ever, his Lordfhip greedily catches at it, and thinks, by this little Word Guides, all the Autho- rity contended for vanishes into nothing ; and " that g6 Scripture vindicated. See. " that the Submifiion required dwindles into fuch " a Submiflion as is due tc a Guide, whom a Man *' takes for his Afliftance and Direction, without " putting out his own Eyes." But> i. Guides is not fo proper a Rendering as the other j for a Tranflation, to be juft, muft be of the fame Ex- tent as the Word it renders, otherwife the Tranf- lator choofes for us, and gives us his Senfe, and not the Senfe of the Original ; unlefs it be very evident, that, of the feveral Senfes the Original admits, one only will agree to the Place. But, 2. Suppofe Guides were the proper Rendering, and the original Word were not 'H^K/wVe/, but 'oj*y>l : How comes his Lordfhip to think this fo little a Word) and that it carries in it no Authority ? St. Paul was of another Mind, when he reprefents the Boafting of the Jew^ Rom.u. 19. in thefe Words . 'Thou art confident that thou art a Guide of the Blind) a Light to them that are in Darknefs, an In- ftruftor of the Foolifh^ a Teacher of Babes. Upon which, if a Comment be needful, hear Grotius : Judseis hie afcribuntur, ex ipfcrum judicio, tituli mag- nificentiffimi ; tnoSl magnificent and little ! fo dif- ferent are Grotius and his Lordlhip. I need not add, how often to guide or had is afcribed even to God himfeif. But his Lordfhip has great Com- fort in the Word Guides, becaufe // does not oblige Men to put out their Eyes, or to follow them into the Sea^ or down a Precipice. His Lordmip's Argu- ment is this : We are not obliged to follow Guides into the Sea, or down a Precipice, or to put out our Eyes in Compliment to them : But Ecclefiafti- cal Governors are Guides : Ergo we are not obliged to Scripture vindicated \ &6 97 to follow them blindly into the Sea, &c. Suppofe how we fhould fay, our Ecclefiaftical Governors are Rulers : Is there any Charm in the Word Ru- lers, that, at the very Sound of it, People are flruck Wind ? Or, Do our Civil Governors, in Vir- tue of this, or 4 indeed, of any other Title, require iuch an Obedience from their Subjects ? Why then mud we be charged with claiming fuch a Kind of Obedience to Church- Governors, by gi- ving them the Title of Rulers rather than of Guides ? When his Lordfhip can infer fuch an ab- furd SubinhTion from the Names of the Civil Ma- giftrate, we will be content to be thought capable of inferring the Like from our Rendering of the Word 'H^K/^O/. But it is his Lordfhip's perpetual Practice to render his Adverfaries (I may fay the whole Body of the Clergy] as odious to the People as he can , for the whole Body of the Clergy, in the pfefent Difpute, differ from him. A few Ex- amples to the contrary, moft of them young Men, are not a fufficient Exception, to fay the Body are not againfc him. But I muft farther obferve to his LordlhiJ), that thefe Ecclefiaftical Guides are not fuch unautborita- five Leaders as he takes them for ; they are art Order> not of Man's Choofing, that he may take them* or lay them afide at Pleafure, they are of God's and Chrift's Appointment *, and to reject the Minifters of Chrift, acting as fuch, is to reject him. In Truth, his Lordfliip's arguing, from the Word Guide or Leader*, to the Power of Church- Govern* ors, is as ridiculous as it would be to argue* from the fame Word* to the Power of the General of VOL, II. Q an 98 Scripture vindicated, &c. an Army, in order to Ihew he has none. A Ge* neral is the Guide or Leader of bis Army, he is vy*t#tJ- r^sTC, and >3 ,? * but this General, when he marches in the Night, or through un- . known Ways, takes fome Pcafant of the Country for his Guide, to lead the Army the right Way, and this Peafant may likewife properly be faid, \ as well as the General : O; But mall we argue, that the General has no Power, becaufe the Peafant has none ? Shall we fink the General into fuch an unauthoritative Leader as the other is, or raife the Peafant to the Authority of a .General, becaufe the fame Word is applicable to both ; and, which is his Lordfhip's favourite Ob- fervation, neither have Authority to lead into the Sea, or down a Precipice ? I hope this Inftance will convince even his Lordmip of the Ambiguity of the Words he is fo fond of, and kt him fee, no Argument can be drawn from them to prove, that no Authority belongs to the Perfons defigned by them. But enough o-f this ; it is a Pain to one to think there fhould be any Need of arguing fo plain a Point with a Perfon of fo much Learning. His Lordftiip's next Attack is upon my Expli- cation of the Word ^^^ which, I faid,, was very juftly rendered to obey j which, indeed, needed no Proof i but, knowing what low Adverfaries we have to deal with, I obferved, that the Word was fo ufed, in other Places of the New lejlament ; for Example, twice together in the fifth of the A8s v f Scripture vindicated^ &c. 99 t>f thofe who followed fheudas and Judas of Ga- lilee, two Ringleaders of Rebellion among the Jews ; and, to obviate the poor Cavil that might be made againft it, becaufe M^n are capable of being wrought upon by Pcrfuafion, I added ano- ther Inftance from St. James, that was not liable to this Evafionj where it is ufed even of Horfes. To this the good Bifhop, who is never at a Lofs for an Anfwer, fays, that " -ft'3tfi$ has two Senfes ; c * a proper one, which is, to be perfuaded ; and that I am very unfortunate " in my Attempt to prove my Senfe of it, becaufe the Followers 6f4ft*ttfa and Judas did not do " fo out of Neceffity> but Choice, and were at " Liberty to leave them, when they would.** This is the Subftance of his Lordmip*s Anfwer, ^hich is another Proof, he knows a little of Words : Had he known a little more, he would fcarce have made thefe Remarks^ nothing being more certain, that that Tf/^<5^, in this Conftruction, does ordi- narily fignify parere, cbedire^ morem gerere, as eve- ry Lexicon will inform him ; there is not, I bc- lieve, one Writer, from Homer downwards, in whom there may- not be found fcveral Inftances of G 2 this ioo Scripture vindicated, &c. this Ufe of it. Thus we have TS*<% $t$, cT SCTOTJI, jtsAdlWn, ^nta'ffttter, and the like, in which his proper Senfe of the Word can have no Place. H:s Lordfhip will make ftrange Work of Greek Books, if this be his Rule of interpreting, to Eng- lijh Words in the Pafffoe Form from the Senfe they have in the Aftme^ inftead of confulting the Ufc of Words, as they are found in the beft Authors ; which, if he had done, he would have found, that flr'si^ is to obey, as truly when ufed of Men as Horfcs ; and that it is no more unaccurate or figu- rative, when ufed of them than Man -, but that to obey is the familiar, common, well known Ac- ceptation of the Word, in all Writers. His Lord- Ihip indeed thinks this Senfe of the Word as figu- rative as that of audire in that of Virgil* nee audit currus habenas ; which noble Hemiftick* in which every Word is a Figure, I dare fay, was never fo abufed before. It is a proper Inftance to fhew, that the Simple is fometimes ufed for the Compound^ audire for obedire , but what is that to a2*i&c, or to St. James, whofe Style is too low and familiar to want to be explained by the Diction of an Epis Poet ? That the Exprefiion, in St. James* is very juft and proper, his Lordfhip may learn from the beft Pattern we have of good Writing in the low .Style, I mean Xenopbon* who in his little Piece, De Re Equeftri^ hath the fame Expreffion three or four Times. But nothing can explain this Word better than a Paflage in the lame Author, that evry School-boy is acquainted with ; it is his admirable Introduction to his fyropadia, where he oblerves, That Scripture vindicated^ &c. 101 That ail Creatures 'are governed more eafily than Men, and ufcs this Word no lefs than five Times : That thofe Mafters, who have but few Servants, cannot have even them obedient to them ; *J$ we That Flocks and Herds of all Kinds were more obedient to thofe that have the Care of them, than Men to their Governors rcf vo- n VKVT 3p*T? nle a?xn - That he ne- ver obferved any of them confpiring againft thofe that have the Care of them, either that they might not obey them, or - 'in But that he altered his Mind, when he obferved how eafily CTRUS governed great Multitudes, not only of Men, but Nations, who were obedient to him ; o? TiapTrifoxe ft *j$fihnf i^. 1*0*1 TSr^ ceu iJ - We know, fays be, fome People were willing to obey him, who had never feen him ; nay, who knew they never fhould fee him : vnv - >y o.aut nStkov CU/TW . If any one can dill doubt, whether be not properly to obey. Jet him tranflate thefe Paflfages in the Bifhop's Way; and, if the Senfe of one Tranflation will not fatisfy him, I leave him to be convinced by the Abfurdi- ty of the other. Xeaopbon then proceeds to reckon up the feveral People that Cyrus govern- ed ; which Enumeration he begins thus, itivny ' rynonlo MH^ - firft he governed the A- who willingly fubmitted to him, SD that; we have the Authority of Xenopbon for the Senfe of G 3 both ID 2 Scripture vindicated \ &c. both the Words that are now in might add to Xe-noph&n feveral Examples from jiriftopbanesi who, being a Writer of Comedy^ writes in the familiar Style. Eat it is trifling to multiply Jnftances, in fo plain a Cafe 5 let me only- obferve, that it is properly ufed even of unr willing Obedience \ witnefs that PafTage in his Hyfiftrata, \&7n$ I*SW T' &Y\ Ttf V"? **0^ 3 and, for a Conciufion, add one other Verfe of his ir> the yef$#, where he redoubles the Word \ It is with equal Judgment his Lordfhip o.bjefls againil the Inftance I gave in the Followers of fheudas and Judas, as if, in popular Infurrections, pone lifted under a Rebel-Leader, but by his Per- faafion and Arguments or as if even thofe, tkat did, were not, when lifted, as much under their Command, as tho.le who bore Arms againft them, on the Side of the Government, , the late RebeU lion is too frefh to be forgot. Another Word in the Text, denoting Submiffion, is wixy, about the Meaning of which, I have faid, there could be no Difpute i For that it can fignify Nothing but to fubmit, or yield Obedience. His Lordmip does not give us any other Englijk for uVe/jaT? rol; ^- .f^ois, and yet wonders I mould affirm this, be- caufe it often fignifies a Compliance of Equah towards Equals, and fometimes to Inferiors. As if SubmiiTion were not Submiffion, or Yielding not Yielding, becaufe it is voluntary -, and might not be paid a becaufe it cannot be demanded, Scripture vindicated, 8cc. 103 pbylaft was Co much of another Opinion from his Lordftiip, that his Obfervation here upon the Word virfiKCiy is, T faiyrntftipwH T3 J)a, *& uV- X*TI cAiAoi. The Apoftle ufed this Word to exprefs the Intenfenels of the Obedience here required. . His Lordfhip concludes this Section with com- plaining, that, if all I had laid were true, we are not advanced one Step towards knowing, what this Obedience is that is claimed by us. But, why fo hafty, my Lord ? To fettle Things, we mud firft fettle the Senfe of Words ; and it is advan- cing fomething, to prove that fome Authority is due to Church-Governors , this is naturally the firft Step in the Difpute between us. But, if it were otherwife, his Lordlhip is the lafl Man that mould, in this Cafe, complain of others, who has, for thefe three or four Years, been called on to explain himfelf, and tell the World, whether he allows any Authority to be vefted by Chrift in the Governors of his Church ; and, if any, what it is ? But hitherto to no Purpofe. He intrenches hjm- felf in Abfolutes and Properties, and choofes to lie under the Imputation of denying all Church- Authority, rather than to be explicit, and diftinct- ly acknowledge any , in which, no Doubt, his Lordfhip acts very prudently, for, were it to be fhewn, it would have the meagre Appearance of a Skeleton \ he muft fetch it from the Grave, where- in he feems to have long fince buried it. By this Tafte of his Skill in Critic^ his Lord- lhip prepares us for the Scene that opens in the 2oth Page, and is continued through many Sec- tions j in which he examines the other Texts of G 4 Scrip- 104 Scripture vindicated^ &c. Scripture relating to this Subject, according to his Promife in his 'Title-Page j which I muft own, I was not ill pleafed to fee, as remembering the Expectation he had given us, in a former Book, of doing this, when he had an Opportunity. His Words are thefe, I Jhatt, I hope, find another Op- portunity of' examining diftinklly every Text of the New Teftament, mlating in any Sort to this Sub- ject. Aiifuscr to Com. p. 62. The Opinion I have of his Lord (hip's Abilities,- in explaining Scrip- ture, made me rejoice, in having had the good Fortune to furnifli him with. this wifhed for Oppor- tunity : It is not a little Satisfaction to me, that I have been the Occafion of his Lordfhip's quitting his Intrenchments, and coming into the open Field, where his great Genius has ample Room to difplay all its Forces to the utmoft Advantage 5 ecitur} hie cert amen cer-niturS Now we may expect a thorough Examination of many Texts, which I could but juft touch upon 5 and the clearing up of many Difficulties, that have, hitherto divided the learned World ; here we may expect to fee Priejicraft driven out of all its Sub- terfuge?, and from the Sanctuary it has fo long ta- ken, in the Abufe of Scripture j and the Bounds of Obedience to our Ecclefiaftical Governors, di- ftinctly and exactly fet out, and unalterably fixed on a llire Foot. What lefs could be expected as the Refdlt of his Lordfliip's matureft Thoughts upon a Subject he has fo much at Heart ? But, to, bt; ferious, I expected nothing lefs ; inftead of a diftind Scripture vindicated^ &c. 105 diftinct Examination, and Clearing of Difficulties, and Setting Bounds, I expected nothing, but Con- fufion, the Railing Doubts in the plaineft Points, and Unfettling every Thing ; I remembered, how his Lordfhip had ufed the Texts relating to the Obedience due to the Civil Powers, and, there- fore, hoped for nothing more fatisfactory from his Examination of thofe that concern the Au- thority of our Spiritual Governors. The Refuk of his Examination of the Texts of both Sorts is, that nothing certain can be concluded from them. How much foever, therefore, others may be difappointed, I confefs I am not ; his Lordfhip has perfectly anfwered my Expectation. He has fpent thirty Pages in confidering iuch Exprefllons of Scripture as are fuppofed to concern the t)ffice, Power, and Acts of Spiritual Governors, and the Duty of thofe under them , in all which, if he has cleared any one Difficulty, or thrown any new Light upon any one Text, I am content to give up the whofe Caufe. His Lordfhip fet out under a great Miftake, as I have already obferved, that I had undertaken to prove, from my Text, the Degree of Autho- rity I fuppofed to be vetted in Church-Governorf ; when all I defigned was to prove that fome, and that not an inconfiderable Authority, did really belong to them. And the fame Miflake runs through all this Part of his Performance, the Sub- ilance of which, in the main, is this : (for it would be an endlefs Task to follow his, Lordfhip Step by Step through fo many tedious Pages) * That none of the Exprefllons, I have taken " Notice 106 Scripture vindicated, &c, " Notice of, prove Church-Governors to have a " Right to fuch an Authority, as takes from ln*> " feriors all Right to judge for themfelves, in " Matters of Religion ; nor that any fuch Sub- * c miffion was due to them, as was defigned to " blind the Eyes of all Chriftians ; that they do K not imply in them any Thing inconfiftent with " the Right of Confideration and Examination ; cc that they do not imply, that the People are " not to fee with their own Eyes, to truft their " own Senfes, and confult their own Underftand- " ings. This, fays his Lordjhip, is the only Au- * e thority that has been denied ; and, if the Peo- thority, as is here fo pompoufly denied ? Why then all this Oppofition to what no body defends ? Why all this Pains to render the Conftitution and the Clergy odious, by luppofing them to teach, and practife, and aflert Doctrines they abhor the Thoughts of? It is either falfe to fay, he has op- poled no other Authority, but what is abfolute and arbitrary, or true to fuy, the Church claims no Authority he ought to oppofe ; and that, therefore, he has cauflefly, and without Grounds, fet the Kingdom in a Flame, by making a terrible Out- cry, when there was no Danger, And yet his Lordfhip gravely fays, he has denied no Autho- rity, but what every Prgte&mt denies as well as himfelf j ro8 Scripture vindicated^ &c. himfelf ; than which Afiertion nothing can be more untrue, as is plain to a Demonftration from this very Book, and the Part I am now confider- ing : It is moft evident from this mort Argument. If his Lordfhip denies to the Governors of the Church only fuch an arbitrary and abfolute Autho- rity, as requires a blind Obedience from the Peo- ple, then he allows them all other Authority ; and confequently fuch an Authority as the Apoftles had in Church-matters ; unlefs he will fay the Apoftles had an unlimited arbitrary Power, and a Right to luch a Submimon from the People, as excluded all Liberty of confidering, examining, and judg- ing for themfelves : ButhisLordfhip does not pre- tend the Apoftles had fuch a Power \ nay, he often tells us, they had not, and yet, at the fame Time, denies that their Authority was continued to their Succejftbrs , therefore, he denies to Church-Go- vernors fome other Authority, befides what is ab- folute and arbitrary ; therefore, not only fuch, di" reclly contrary to his own repeated Aflertions. Nay farther, his Lordfhip denies to Church-Go- vernors not only abfolute Authority ; not only fuch as the Apojlles had, but even fuch as they ex- ercifed who were immediately commiffioned by them, as timothy and 'Titus were ; and, in doing this, denies all the Authority for which either Ex- ample or Precept can be brought from Scripture ; and yet, in the very fame Pages, declares over and over, that he denies only abfolute Authority, and expects to be believed. For his whole Bufmefs, for thirty Pages together, is to mew, firft that the Scripture- Expreffions do not prove an abfolute Au- thority, Scripture vindicated^ &c. 109 thority, or a Right to a blind Submiflion : And, in the next Place, that the Authority they carry in them belongs either to the Apoflles^ or to Per- fons commifiioned by them, of whom they had a good Knowledge. From whence the Conclufion is, that no Authority of Church-Governors, in Af- ter-times, can be proved from what they had then. By which Way of arguing, his Lordfhip might with equal Force prove, that no Minifter has now any Right to -preach the Gofpel, or administer the Sacraments^ our Saviour's Commiflion to do fo being immediately given to the Apoflles only ; which fufficiently mews the Abfurdity of fuch Rea- foning. That fome Things were peculiar to the Apo -files, is denied by none ; but the ordinary Powers they exercifed themfelves, and committed to others, for the WelJ-goVerning of the Church, and the Prefervation of its Unity and Faith, againft Herefy and Schifm, as they would always be necef- fary for the fame Ends ; fo have they, in all Times, been acknowledged to have been conti- nued to their Succcflfors j and nothing more, that I know of, has been contended for by his Lord- Jhip's Adverfaries : So that, if he pleafed, he might foon have put an End to this Difpute, by pointing out the Particulars in which he thinks our Church, or her Clergy in her Behalf, have ex- ceeded their Commiflion, and ufurped Powers they have no Right to. How his Lordfhip, who is always charging Contradiclions upon others, could fo flatly contradict himfelf, fo often as he does, in the Compafs of a few Pages, as to deny that the Authority of the Apoftles was derived down to their iio Scripture vindicated, &c* their SticcefTors, and yet to affirm, that he has del*, nied to their Succeffors no Authority, but fuch as the Apofties had not themfelves, I cannot com* prehend j unlefs it be, that, in the ftrft, he fpakc his own Senfe, and intermixed the other, for Convenience. As for myfelf, as I brought not the Paffages of Scripture now in Debate, to aflfert to the Governors of the Church an arbitrary Authority, or the Duty of a blind Submiffion to them 5 fo all his Lordfhip has faid upon them proves nothing againfl me^ but that he has miftaken the Queftion } unlefs he Can mew they carry in them no Authority at alJ, or that no Degree of Obedience to Church- Go- vernors can be proved from them. This, indeed) his Lordfhip has endeavoured) as I have already obferved, but in fuch a Manner as to deftroy all Ufe of Words, and make it impoflible any Thing mould ever be proved from them. For, i. He tells us, that Words, implying Authority or Sub* midion, do not certainly and neceffarily do fo, be* caufe, in their firft and original Senfe, they have not that Signification. Thus, for Example, if we fay 5efaotis to be meant reciprocally. But fure it is abfurd to argue againft the ordinary and proper Ufe of a Word, becaufe it is, in the fame Sentence, ufed in a kfs proper Senfe, and by Way of AlluHon only to the proper one immediately preceding i and that when the Circumftances of the Place make it impoflible to miftake its Meaning. A third Way, his Lordfhip takes to defeat the Ufe I make of fome Scripture-exprelfions, is to except againft them as not certainly relating to Ecclefiattical Perfons, but others : As for Exam- ple, with Refpect to the laft Place mentioned from St. Peter to prove the Duty of Submiflion to che Premiers \ fome Doubt, he oblcrvss, may be H 2 made, 1 1 6 Scripture vindicated, Sec. made, whether - T??- , to which a great deal might be faid, to fhew how much he is miftaken ; but that would carry me too far, and, fmce the Thing I was to prove is already made fo plain, there is no Occa- fion for it. But, perhaps, his Lordfhip is more in the Right, when he obferves, that the other Place I referred to, i Cor. xvi. 16. to fhew that Obedience was due to the Minifters of the Gofpd, is not H 3 fpoken 1 1 8 Scripture vindicated, 6cc. fpoken of fuch. St. Pattys Words are thefe : ye fubmit yourfelves unto fuck, and to every one that helpeth with us and laboureth. Who the fuch are, We are told in the preceding Verfe, the Houfe of Stephanas, who were the, Firft- fruits of Achaia, and had addifted themfehes to the Miniftry of the 'Saints. " Which Words, it is evident to his " Lordfhip, do not mean their being Minijlers v *{ 9 thofe that prefide over them ; and I believe any good Commentator, an- cient or modern, would have told his Lordfhip thefe were the prindpes caetus ; and that H&IKU is more than to confider them, it is to refpecl, A* n^Hf ^v. (See Grotius and ( Theophyla^.'} Well, but whatever Relpeft is here required to be paid, his Lordfhip defires it may be obferved, that it is for their Works Sake, not for the Sake of what they frofefs to do ly their Office -, but 'for the Sake of their VOL. II. J rival 130 Scripture vindicated, &c. attual Doing their Office in the Lord. No Refpeft therefore is due to them, on Account of their FuncJion ; you muft firft be fure of their actual Doing of their Office, and that they labour as much as you think they mould, before you fhew to a Governor of the Church any Refpect ; and, if you think he does not thus labour, then this Text, inftead of being a Ground for fuch an one to claim Refpect from you, is a good Warrant for you to fhew him all the Difrefpect you can. Thefe are the neceffary Inferences from his Lordfhip's Explication of this Text, in which he plays the fame able Critick, as when he proves, from the Thirteenth of the Romans, the Right and Duty of Refinance. For, there alfo, the Ground of the Obedience, required by St. Paul to our Civil Governors, is, that they are appointed by God to be his Minifters to thee for Good ; attending con- tinually upon this very Thing. When, therefore, you think them not to anfwer this Character, if they do not aftually and continually fo attend, and do not, in your Opinion, duly execute the Will of God, you are abfolved from your Obedience and Subjection : By which Comment the whole Defign of the Text is utterly defeated j and that, which was fa id by St. Paul to remove from Christianity the greateft Calumny, and, were it once credited, the moft hurtful that could be caft upon it, that it encourages Faction, Sedition, and Rebellion, is, by this Explication, made to juftify the Scandal it was intended to remove, and to abet and coun- tenance the Crimes it moft exprefly forbids. Such a happy Interpreter of Scripture is his Lordfliip, who Scripture vindicated^ &c. 131 who can encourage Sedition in the State, and Faction and Schifm in the Church, from thofe very Texts that were defigned to preferve the Peace and Unity of both As to thofe Words, for their Works Sake, in the tfext before us, Grotius would have informed his Lordfliip, that Work here is the Function, 'i?y>v hie intelliglt^ Ji&itoviAv, qua fun- guntur^ qu< certe veneranda eft. Refpect is due to our Spiritual as well as Civil Governors, on Ac- count of their Office, and they are ordinarily to be fuppofed to difcharge their Duty, as I obferved before, till the contrary very manifeftly appears. That is in common Juftice, as well as for Order's Sake, due to them ; and confequently this Vext will be a juft Ground for requiring kefpect and Honour to be paid to them. This has always been the Senfe of wife and good Men, who were not fo ftupid as not to fee this Objection, and yet thought this and the like Texts fufficient Authorities to prove what I have brought them for. Thus Chryfoftom on John xx. brings this very fe/, and that of Hebr. xiii. [obey them that have the Rule over you] not- withftanding it follows, for they watch for your Souls, as good Proofs of the great Reverence due to the Minifters of ChrisJ. Uiyt*.n $ $>" it$iuv a%id. Bat does he, therefore, take on him the Patronage of ill Minifters, of fuch as are unwor- thy of the Priefthood ? No ; far be that from him ! Ttfuw Ae^i, fays he, vx, a^tA^lfJ^J- Taf AV&- tyat r \*%wvnv Ji6ixS/Jaf ) euA<* x) therefore Timothy mufl ne- ver rebuke any Perfon, in any Cafe, no, not when he fhould come to fuch an Age as would make it more decent for a Rebuke to come from him ; no, not even young Offenders, who are young in every Thing, but Wickednefs : And, therefore, no ether Bifhop of the Christian Church, in any In- ftance, or any Circumuances, muft ever do fo ; for, if he does, he acts againft the Apoftle's Ad- vice. But does not the very Prohibition, to re- luke^ in one Cafe, allow the Doing of it, in others ? Does not the fame Apoftle direct Titus, who had to do with a very perverfe People, V&K 3ef* 3 to rebuke them Jharply^ and with all Authori- ty \ (jjft cifTnTtifjLiais (jut? a.vstvrictf, fays Theophylafi^ upon the latter ; and, upon the firft, u Ao^-tf. Now if his Lordlhip can fet the Bounds Scripture vindicated, 8cc. 137 Bounds between fanriji'ffw and cAt^x*?, which are both tranflated by the fame Word, or can fhew that the firft implies a greater D grcc of Severity, than the other with its Adjuncts of Jharply, and with all Authority ; then he may have fome Reafon to fay, the Apoftle forbids the firft, in any Cafe, but allows the other, on all proper Occafions. But, if this be extremely trifling and ridiculous, then what is become of his Lordfhip's Obfervation ? His Lordfhip fays, Titus was directed to rebuke with ail Authority, in a Marnier becoming one earn- miffioned by an Apojlle to do every Thing necejjary for their Good , as if other Spiritual Paftors were not commiffioned by as high an Authority; or that an immediate Miflion from an Apoftle were necef- fary to auchorife a Paftor to what>he faw was ne- ceflary for the Spiritual Good of thofe committed to his Care. The Paftors of the Church have the Commiffion of Cbrift^ and what is necefiary to to be done for the Good of the People is, in ma- ny Cates, a Commiflion itfelf. And, whatever Powers of this Kind the Governors of the Church had then a Right to exercife, their Sucafibrs muft have the fame Right to, and particularly this of of reproving and rebuking Sinners. And no Bifhop, I believe, was ever weak enough to think he might not ^h-rXMT?^ 1 , in other Cafes, becaufe St. Paul ad- vifes Timothy againft it, in one. One Inftai*cc is under my Hands ; the Bifhops of the Council of Antiocb) in their Synodicd Epiftle, fpeaking of Paulus Samofatenus> lay, that, if he really were not guilty of fome Things he was charged with, yt that he ought, as a Bifiiop, to have avoided even 138 Scripture vindicated, &c. even the Sufpicion of them, for how elfe can he be fit to reprove others ? IL5* $ &v tinmtymv rv- s*7Vftjr t7*efF ; #/?. Htft. Eccl. p. 282. Need I add, for his Lordfhip's Information, that &i- is vm-nuMnUy nothing more, and ew4wu/f as Suidas and Hefycbius will tell him. But by this PafTage his Lordfhip may, at the fame Time, fee, that v*$*Teiv, which is here joined to b fer, that, becaufe private Perfons may not judge, therefore, a Church by its Governors may not ; as it would be to infer, from the like Prohibition, that the Civil Magtftrate may not judge the Mem- bers of the Civil State. There was, therefore, no Occafion for his Lordfhip's Diftinction to help St. Paul, but purely to extricate himfelf. Private Per- fons are not to judge their Brethren, be they in Fault, or not ; but mould leave that to thofe whofe Province it is ; to God himfelf, and to thofe to whom, by his Appointment, Judgment belongs. This is plainly the Meaning of the ge- neral Prohibition, not to judge our Brother , nor is the Senfe of the Precept at all altered by the particular Occafion on which it happens to be ufed* In one Place, St. Paul reminds Chriftians of it, for one Reafon, and upon one Occafion 5 and, in another Place, another Reafon gives Occafion for it, but it is ftill one and the fame Precept. In the Place his Lordfhip refers to, the Occafion was, as I have already obferved, the Difagreement and Difcord there was between the Jewifh and Gentile Converts, on the Account of Meats and Days, the Obfervance of which the Jew thought not only to be ftill in Force, as to himfelf, but that all others alfo, who would enjoy the Benefit of ths New Covenant, and be faved by Faith in Cbrift* muft, in Order thereto, become Jews firft, and obferve the Ordinances of the Law. And, be- caufe the Gentile Convert would not fubmit to this, VOL. II. K his 146 Scripture vindicated, &c. his weak Brother was much offended at him, and looked on him as unclean. To correct this cen- forious Spirit, St. Paul puts the Jew in Mind, that it is not his Bufmefs to cenfure or judgt another. That his Brother's Practice is, in the Sight of God, as acceptable as his own ; but, if it were not, what was that to him ? Who made thee a Judge, or gave thee a Right to cenfure him ? Whether he be or be not in Fault (which, in- deed, he is not) it is nothing to thee ; he (lands or falls to his own Matter, that is, God, who is a righteous Judge, and before whom we mutt all appear. Let every Man, therefore, mind his own Conduct, and take Care that what he does himfelf be according to what he is fully and firm- ly perfuaded is his own Duty ; but, for his Bro- ther's Actions, let him leave them to God. This ieems to be the Meaning of thofe Words, ver. 5. e^?c c* T^ }J}'&> yo* 9rAW?popc-/<5a>. For it is eafy to mew, that the true Senfe of . &V. been placed, at the End of the Chapter, or had they been repeated there, the Senfe of them could not then have eafily been miftaken, as it now too generally is (which feems to have been chiefly owing to the Latin Verfion, Unufquifque in fuQ fenfu, abundet] as if they gave Men a full Power to do what feems right in their own Eyes, efpecially what alone would juftify them, in the Sight of God, and no Man upon Earth had a Right to judge them for it ; for who art thou that judgeft another Man's Servant ? But this is a wild Conceit, and a very great and dangerous Abufe of the Apoftle's Words, which are fpoken upon a Cafe, the like to which can ne- ver happen in the Church again : A. Cafe in which nothing had, as yet, been determined by a proper and competent Authority, and, therefore, probab- ly not determined, becaufe it was thought necef- fary to bear with the Infirmity of the Jews, for a While, for Fear of giving them fuch Offence, as mould make them fall off from the Faith ; a Cafe not about Matters merely indifferent, as is com- monly thought, but in which one Side was, in the Judgment of the Apoftle himfelf, in the Right, and the other in the Wrong. For the Difpute was not about Meats and Days, confidered (imply and in themfelves, but as they were legal Ordi- nances ; and as the Obfervance of them was made Matter of Duty, and was an Acknowledgment of their Obligation to obferve the Law as Mill in Force. In this View, Meats and Days were not K 2 a Matter 148 Scripture vindicated^ 8cc. a Matter perfectly indifferent. For, if they were, if the Practice of the Jew* in thefe Points, was in itfelf as right and as juftifiable, as that of the Gen- tile, Why does the Apoftle call him the weak Brother ? That is a Demonftration he was really in the Wrong ; and, confequently, the Matter was not, taken with all its Circumftances, perfect- ly indifferent ; however, at that Time, and in that Place, it was, for very good Reafons, in the Judg- ment of the Apoftle, neceffary that thefe weak Brethren fhould be borne with, and that the Gen- tiles mould not defpife them, and treat them with Contempt, for this their Weaknefs ; as it was, on the other Hand, that they mould not cenfure the Gentile Converts, whom the Gofpel had made free, for not conforming to their Practices. But, at other Times, and in other Places, St. Paul changes his Style, and ufes a very different Con- duel:, and, in very fevere Terms, cenfures the Judaizing Chri&ian, particularly in his Epiftle to the Galatians ; where he not only tells them in direct Terms, that Chrifl is become of no Effeft to every Man that is drcumcifed, and that they are fallen from Grace ; bur, with Refpect even to Days, ex- poftulates with them with great Vehemence, How is it that ye turn back to the weak and beggarly Ele- ments, -ivbereunto ye defire again to be in Bondage ? Te obferve Days, and Months, and Times, and Tears. I am afraid of you, left I have besJowed upon you Labour in vain. And yet the Perfons, he reproves fo feverely, followed, or, at leaft, pretended to follow the Perfuafions and Dictates of their Con- fciences, as much as thofe he fpeaks to here, in his Scripture vindicated^ &c. 149 his Epiftle to the Romans. Which fhews that the true Reafon, why they are here forbid to judge one another, and both Jew and Gentile are treated with fo much Tendernefs, is not, becaufe it was in. a Matter of Conference : The Exhortation is grounded partly on the general Reafons for which all Chriftians are forbid to judge one another ; and partly on fpecial and prudential Reafons, with Re- ipect to the then State of Things. Befides, as I obferved before, it is not the Gen- tile Convert that is forbid to judge his Brother, who abftained from Meats and obferved Days ; in which he could not difpenfe himfelf with a fafe Confcience ; it is the Jew, who is commanded not to judge his Brother for not obferving the fame Ordinances ; which he did not refufe to do, out of Confcience, but becaufe he would not be de- barred his Chriftian Liberty. The Reafon, there- fore, why the Judaizing Brother muft not judge the Gentile, is not for Fear he mould thereby wound his Brother's Confcience, or that he might not, in doing fo, afliime an Authority over it j but becaufe, in doing fo, he was guilty of the Breach of an important Duty, and violated that Love and Harmony, which it was neceflary mould be preferved, and by all poilible Ways cultivated and increafed. The Confcience, which the Apoftle is fo much concerned that no Offence fhould be given to, is not the Confcience of the Perfon who vizs judged uncharitably ; for that was the Gentile^ who was ftrong in the Faith, and knew he was in no Fault, in not obferving the Jewijh Cuftoms ; but that of the Perfon judging, the weak Jew^ K 3 who, 150 Scripture vindicated, &c. who, the Apoftle was afraid, might, by the ill Uiage of the Gentile, be tempted, in thefe Mat- ters, to aft againft his Gonfcience, and thereby bring himfelf under the Guilt of Sin. For what- ever is not of Faith, is Sin, however lawful it may be in itfelf. This Snare, this Stumbling-block, this Temptation to aft againft the Perfuafion of his own Mind, is what St. Paul fo carefully guards againft : For it is fuch a Perfuafion that is here meant by Faith. But, though it be neceffary that we fhould, in all our Actions, be fully perfuaded in our own Minds of the Lawfulnefs of what we do> and muft not act againft our Confciences, in any Cafe, yet fuch a Periiiafion alone was not intend- ed by St. Paul to be taken for the one Thing ne- ceffary to juftify Men in all their Actions, Civil, Moral, and Religious ; or, indeed, any, but fuch as are perfectly indifferent, and where the Law- fulnefs or Ur.lawfulnefs of them is not determined by a proper Authority, either by fome Law of God, or of Christ^ or of the Civil Magiftrate, or by the Church acting within their proper Bounds, and in Conformity to the fuperior Laws of God and Chrift j or where a Man is per ft ctjy at Li- berty to act, or not to act. In other Cafes, it is not fufficient to juftify a Man, that he acts agree- ably to the Dictates of his Confcience. To make an Action a good one, it is neceffary, not only to follow Confcience, that is, that the Will mould agree with the Understanding ; but alfo that the Dictate of the Under/landing mould agree to the Nature of the Thing. The Reafon of the Thing fhews this to be true to every intelligent Perfon, that Scripture vindicated^ 8cc. 151 that impartially confiders it ; fince, otherwife, Right and Wrong^ Good and Evil, would be per- fectly arbitrary Notions, and there would be an End either of all Government, or of all Con- fcience. But, to mew that St. Paul's Words ought to be underftood with thefe Reftrictions, it may be pro- per not to reft in the Reafon of the Thing, but to confirm it by fome good Authorities. Thus then fbeopbylaff, in Explication of them : #7ttx /* <3fei e/if^Wt TO) K AOJ'' j a J*H )iy.O.$ 7W Qt&fiU ?0f ^A^- popwcu^, af^at a. in^\aof^fJ^ TAVTA ^li^Hy. VYfien the Point " concerns Doctrines, that is, Articles " of Faith, we are not then at Liberty to abound " in our own Senfe (for fo he feems t6 underftand TAw??3p<%) " but rnuft hold what we have received " (he means the Apoftolical Doctrine) though an " Angel from Heaven mould preach any other <( Doctrine. But, when it concerns Meats, and " Fafts,and the like, and thofe who ftumble at thefe " are new Converts, and fuch as want Indulgence, " there fomething of the Rigour mull be remit- " ted." And to the fame Purpofe, Theodoret, oj frfTo >wAdL' thofe Things which " God has either commanded or forbid ; for he " anatbematifes all thofe that teach Doctrines con- " trary to the Truth ; for he fays, Gal. i. i. If " any Man preach any other Doftrine contrary to " that ye have received, let him be Anathema. It 6 -nfe* TJtf TV* But,- if this be the Apoftle's Meaning, in this Chapter, then neither the Words under which his Lordlhip flickers himfelf, nor any Thing in the Chapter that gave Occafion for them, can do his Caufe any Service ; it has nothing to do with any Sort of authoritative Judging^ no Relation to the Authority of Church-Governors, and their Right to judge the Members of the Church, in any Cafe ; it does not forbid them to judge, with Refpect to Faith as well as Manners ; much lefs does it re- flrain their Power, to judge only open and noto- rious Immoralities, as if they could nor, upon vio- lent Sufpicion only, proceed, as other Judges may, to cite, examine, and pronounce, according to the Merits of the Caufe ; it does not, in fliort, hin- der them .from being Judges over their Confciemes : A Phrafe his Lordfhip is fo extremely in Love with, that one would jhink it was familiarly ufed in Scripture, though, in Truth, it be not once there to be found ; nor any Thing like it, as, ru- l i.g over, lording over, having Dominion over Men's Confciences, or any fuch Exprefiion : For it is upon Confciemes Scripture vindicated, &c. 153 Confciences that all the Strefs lies ; though his Lordfhip, I confefs, fometimes feems to lay the chief Empbajis upon the Particle over, in which there muft be fome ftrange Charm, that one fees that poor Particle which has no Meaning, but as joined with other Words, fo often put in Capitals ; the Inflances of which are fo many, in thofe Pages of his Anfwer to the Committee, I have had Occa- fion to refer to, that one cannot obferve them, without Smiling ; for of what Service is it to him ? Or, Where is the Difference in being Judges of Men's Confciences, and Judges over them ? The only Reafon I can imagine, for treating this poor Particle in fo diftinguifhing a Manner, js, that his Lordmip thinks, by the Help of it, to conneft the various Exprefiions he has of this Kind him- felf, with one in Scripture, which he takes to be of the fame Import ; though this fingle Particle be the only Word that is the fame. 2 Cot. i. 24. there are thefe Words, not that we have Dominion over your Faith. Mind the Word over, is it not plain the Apoftle here forbids the being Judges over Men's Confciences, though there be nothing in the Text either of Judging, or of Confciences ? It is from this Text, which is much in Favour with him, his Lordmip tells us, the Apoftles rejetled with Abhorrence the Word KV&AOVTK, which, he thinks, mould have been rendered ruling over. Since his Lordfhip lays fo much Weight upon this text, it may not be amifs to enquire a little into the true Senfc of it, it being a Text very often milapplied by others alfo. Now, for this, we need only look into the Context. St. Paul, in the foregoing 154 Scripture vindicated \ &c. foregoing Verfe, moft folemnly declares, that it was out of Love to them, that he had not, as yet, been with them, as he had intended. / did it* fays he, qu&idv- w$J, to fpare you ; that is, that he might have no Occafion to ufe Severity, that Rod with which he had threatened them, in his former Epiftle. This was a hard and mena- cing Exprefiion (for he, that can fpare, can punim -,) St. Paul, therefore, the Corinthians being now in a much better Difpofition than when he wrote before to them, with his ufual Addrefs (of which there is a great deal in his Writings, particularly in this Epiftle) foftens what he had faid, and correfts the Harfhnefs of the Expreffion he had ufed, by ad- ding, not that we have Dominion over your Faith. *jc' 077 Meji&otA{J v$5 Tiff vi&us. St. Paul thus cor- rects his Expreffion, partly to obviate the finifter Interpretations the falfe Teachers would be apt to put upon his Words, who mifreprefented him to the People, as affecting to terrify them by his Let- ters, ch. x. 5. and partly, to let them fee, how different his Conduct was from that of thofe falfe Apoflles, who affumed a Liberty of ufing the Peo- ple as their Slaves, and treated them with all Man- ner of Indignity, a Treatment they patiently fub- mitted to ; if a Man bring you into Bondage, if a Man devour you, if a Man exalt himfelf againft you, if a Man finite you on the Face, you fuffer it, and take it patiently, 2 Cor. xi. 20. Thus they fuf- fertd themfelves to be iniulted by falfe Teachers, while they mewed little Regard to thofe who were the true Apoftles of Chrift, even to him who was their Spiritual Father, and, as he fays himfelf, had begotten Scripture vindicated, &c. 155 begotten them in Jefus Chrifl through the Gofpel, i Cor. iv. 15. With thefe Views, the Apoftle adds thefe foftening Words, in which we may ob- ferve, that he had exprefied his full Senfe, when he had faid, % 077 x&o/$J uc$), not that we pre- tend to a Dominion over you : By which he did not mean to difclaim the Power given him to judge and punifh all Sorts of Offences againft the Doc- trine and Faith of Cbrift ; but that he pretended not to an arbitrary Power over them, as if he could punifh whom he would pro libitu, for his own Profit, or Glory, or Pleafure ; it was a Power given him for Edification, for the Good of the Church, and not for Deftruftion ; an^, with all his Power, he acknowledges he could do nothing againft the Truth, but only in Defence of it ; all other Ufe of Power he difclaims, and declares he is wea^ can exert no Power, when there is not a juft Occafion for it, i Cor. xvi 8, 9, 10. -This fhews us fully his Meaning, when he fays, we have not Dominion over you ; and, had he faid no more, his Senfe had been complete. Why then does he add B eiu< w -nvais VV, &c. " It " being not unlikely fome might fay, What ? " Was it for this we believed ? That we might be " thereby made your Slaves, and be treated in a defpotic Scripture vindicated, &c. 157 " defpotic Manner, as if you were our Lord and ravra. y* HOl $1 ifACtVTU TWTO, TO fit) 4TCtXl ID faltl) ffv>(tr,xi)t XttTti TO fti, tta ^, T ft(i> yctf trirft ifr.xctli' iJtyu it TMTO, Trj<; p.\ ir? mxi aSa- T) yap Tina < arar iiui m^rJii^tTran a TIV^- Stotitrtuf Si7ran. O:'x $1 tfffof t'aaj ap**^a;^ ^vTr^craj TV( ap.a:'a: 'a: 158 Scripture vindicated^ 6cc. did judge of Faith as well as Manners, witnefs their frequent Cenfures of falfe Doctrines, and of thofe that taught them. And do they not thus judge, every Time they declare a "Mao to be a Heretic ? Do they not pronounce fome to have made Shipwrack of the Faith ? Does not St. Paul de- clare Hymencsus and Alexander to be of .that Num- ber, and, for that Reafon, deliver them to Satan, i Tim. i. 20. ? Does he not fo far judge of Men's Qonfciences, as to pronounce that their Falling from the Faith proceeded from an evil Confciepce ? Does he not direct Timothy and Titus to oppofe all that teach any Thing contrary to found Doftrine ? And muft they not, in order to this, judge what is fo ? "Were they to forbear cenfuring falfe Teachers, be- caufe they acted according to their Confciences ? They, no doubt, pretended fo, and who could fay, they did not ? What could have been greater Folly, or more perniciqus to che true Religion, than fuch a Conduct ? St. Paul, or Timothy^ or any other Governor- of the Church, are not Judges of Men's Confciences, as that means their -fecret Thoughts, but they are Judges of their Words and Affions ; they are able to know, or, if it be not their own .Fault, may be fo, whether thofe are agreeable to found Doffrine, or not ; and have a Right, nay, it is their Duty, to cenfure them, if th'ey are not, inafmuch ,as it is incumbent on them to, defend the Faithful from the Snares of falfe Teachers, and to preferve the holy Doctrine, committed to them, pure and undefiled. And both the Senfe of the Thing and the Practice of St. Paul fuftkiently Ihew, that the Governors of - the Scripture vindicated, &c. 1 59 the Church not having Dominion over the Faith of their Flocks, is no Obftruftion to their Judging* that is, Cenfuring and Condemning all Teachers of of falfe Doctrines ; and it is ChrisJ that judges by them, they aft in his Name, and by his Commif- fion ; and, if they judge according to Truth, he is in the Midjl of them, and makes their Aft his own. The Reader will, I hope, forgive my having faid fo much, to vindicate thefe two Texts from Mifinterpretation, fince fo much Weight is laid on the miftaken Senfe of them by the Enemies of Church- Authority, that they fill almoft every Page in their Writings, and are in a Manner the whole Refource they have from Scripture. I come now to confider his Lordfhip's mean Cavils, againft what I have faid, in my Sermon, concerning the Power of Church- Governors to judge. My Words are, that St. Paul exprejly afferts to the Church a Power to judge its Member 's, and reproves the Corin- thians, for not having done it, in the Cafe of the inceftuous Perfon, i Cor. v. No body, I am perfua- ded, can miftake the Meaning of thefe Words, but fuch as do it wilfully. But if you will believe his Lordmip, " Here is a dangerous Defign to de- " ceive the Reader. Inftead of Spiritual Rulers *' and PasJors, the Word Church is filently intro- " duced ; and thus the Queftion is fliifted, and *' the Laity are fubftituted in the Room of the " Clergy, for whofe Power over the Laity I had " been arguing, till Page the nineteenth." Who would not think, I had been very large upon this Subjeft ? Nineteen Pages fpenr, in proving, from 160 Scripture vindicated, &c. from Scriptute, that Church-Governors have a real Authority ? How his Lordfhip come to let this Slip of his Pen pafs, who has fo minutely in the Errata corrected others, I know not. But, for nineteenth, he mould have faid ninth ; indeed, if he would not have amufed his Reader, he fliould have faid third. For it is but the third Page in which thefe Words are, after I have done with the Explication of the Words ufed in my Text. But let that pafs ; my Crime is, " That I have filent- " ly introduced the Word Church, by which I " I muft here mean a particular Congregation. " I call it the Church, without Explication ; think- " ing, perhaps, that Word may pafs here, as it " has been ufed, in latter Ages, for the Clergy only- -very filently and without any Notice " fliifting the Scene, and changing the Subject " of the whole Difcourfe." Bad, indeed ! How will the Dean be able to get clear of this ? No- thing fo eafy. The Scene is not fhifted, I am ilill fpeaking of the Governors of the Church, and do affert to them, from this Chapter of the Co- rinthians, a Power to judge the Members of their feveral Churches , I mean by Church the Go- vernors of it, of which no impartial Reader could doubt, and his Lordfhip might as well cavil at the Title of my Sermon, as he does here ; the Au- thority, I contend to be veiled in the Governors of the Church, I call Church- Authority, and accord- ingly, through the whole Sermon, mean them .by the Word Church, when I fpeak of its having any Authority to act. Nor is this a new Senfe of the Word, fprung up in latter Ages ; the Word, ex- cept Scripture vindicated^ &c. 161 cept it ever mean the Pope in any Writers of the Romijh Church, has no Senfe in thefe latter Ages, that it, and the like Words, had not always, as all know, who are not very ignorant in thefe Matters. For from whence does his Lordfhip date his latter Ages ? Or, Did he never hear of St. Chryfoftom's Explication of thofe famous Words, 'EtTn T GX.*\n<77oi T7SS7 7c7f c?c/)><5ta7 ? Tell it to the Church, that is, to the Prefidents and Ru- lers of it. And fo Tbeophylaft, 'EOT T&V $ UzMffiat v&$ffav jH/xoyi&nv TO ?#*7o>f, Publijh the Offence before the Rulers of the Church. To which Purpole, as Dr. Hammond fays, in his learned Treatife of the Power of the Keys, from Rabbi Kimchi, it is ob- fervable, that Governors are often meant, in the Old Teftament, by the Word Kahal, that is, *,- MAtto/a, or Congregation ; and even the Word Peo- pie, he obferves, doth fometimes clearly fignify the- Elders only, not all the People. The Word Church^ a Perfon of his Lordfliip's Learning can- not but know, is ufed, in the fame Senfe, in Cy- prian and Tertullian -, and older dill, it is obferva- ble that the Epiftle of Clemens Romanus begins thus, The Church of God that is at Rome, to the Church of God at Corinth. Where by Churchy in the firft Place, the Bifhop and his Clergy are principally, if not folely, meant ; as is well obferved by Dr. Hammond, in the fame Place. For what Part can the Laity be fuppofcd to have in that Letter ? Did they draw any Part of it, or were the ieveral Pa- ragraphs, .when drawn, put to their Vote ? The Writing fuch a Letter might, in an Afiembly, be propofcd to them ; or, when it was writ, they VOL. II. L, might 1 62 Scripture vindicated^ &c. might give a refpectful Approbation to it ; or if any among the Laity, who in thofe Times were not only Perfons .of a private Conndition, but ge- nerally of the meaner Sort, if any of them were able to advife, what they had to fay might fa- vourably be heard by their Bimop a^id Presbyters, but it could not, of right, determine them. But, however that be, that the Word Church^ in ancient as well as modern Writers, is often ufed for the Governors and Rulers of it, is rnoft certain ; and a Man muft be a very ill Writer to leave it doubtful, whether he ufe it in that Senfe, or not. But his Lordfhip will have it, that by Church I mean the Congregation^ becaufe I fay, in the fame Sentence, that St. Paul reproves the Corinthians^ for not having judged the inceftuous Perfon. I wonder his Lordfhip did not infer, by the fame Logic , that I meant Pagans^ as well as Christians .; for I did not fay, Chriftian Corinthians^ as I mould have done, to prevent Miftakes ; for, certainly, all the People of Corinth were not then Believers, nor the more numerous, not the more confider- able and fubftantial, much lefs the governing Pare of that great City : Why then was I fo carelefs, as not to put in the Word Chrijlian ? For the fame Reafon that I did not add Governors to the Word Church, to avoid an unnecefiary Multitude of Words ; it being impoftible any body could mif- take my Meaning, but fuch as read with his Lord- Ihip's Candor and Exaclnefs. His Lordfhip's next Cavil is grounded on hi s own wilful Miflake -, I had argued from St. Paul's Declaring, .that he had nothing to do \& judge them that Scripture vindicated^ &c. 163 that were without the Church -, and his Bidding \\iemjudge thofe that are Within (which he does to convince them, that when he warned them not to keep Company with Fornicators, &c. he did not mean thofe of the Gentiles who were guilty of thofe Sins, but thofe of the Brethren that were fo) from this Paflage I argued, that by Judging, here, is meant fuch an authoritative Aft, as they had no Right to exercife over thofe ivko were with- out ; whereas, in his Lordfhip's Senfe, they might judge thofe without, as well as thofe within ; they might fee Fornicators to be Fornicators, and avoid their Company. This Act of Judging, which Sr. Paul exercifed, in requiring them not to" converfe with any Brother that was a Fornicator (which, for Want of fufficient Limitation of his Words, was by fome interpreted to extend to a Prohibition even of converfmg with any Gentiles that were fuch) this authoritative Aft his Lordfhip turns in- to Excommunicating, and then very acutely ob- ferves, that Chriftians had not only no Rigbfi but no Poffibility of excluding thofe who never were among them. His Lordfhip might as well have faid fo to St. Paul, as to me, who am only arguing from his Words ; for this judicious Remark falls equally on both. That all Judging is not by me confined to the fingle Aft of Excommunication, his Lordfhip might have feen, if he had pleafed, from the next Words he cavils at ; where I fiiy that the Power of Judging had, in the loft Refort of it, fo real an Effeft, as to excommunicate and put out from among them the Perfons that deferved to hw fo judged, What is plainer from thef* Words, L 2 in 164 Scripture vindicated, 8cc. in the kft Re fort ^ than that I fuppofe there are many other Afts of Judging^ inferior and prior to this of Excommunication ? Which laft Effect of the Church's Judging mews, at once, how different the Church's Power is from that his Lordfhip afferts to every private Cbriftian, who can have no Power to exclude an offending Brother from the Society of Chriftians. But his Lordfhip does not know what to make of thefe dark Words, the P erf on who deferred to be fo judged. Strange, fuch Words mould puzzle a Perfon of fo great Pene- tration ! I exprefled myfelf fo, for this plain Rea- fon, becaufe I fuppofe the Governors of the Church to judge righteoufly, and not to abufe their Power, for that, if they do, their Sentence is of no Force, in the Sight of God. x The Perfon, whom thofe of Corinth ought to have excommunicated, was not a Perfon unjuftly accufed of Fornication, but was really guilty of it, and that in one of the moft enormous Inftances. Such Perfons they ought to judge, and, if other lefTer Steps would not do, they might and ought to exclude him from all the .Advantages of their Society, as Chriftians ; and, when he is defervedly thus excluded, he is exclu- ded, in the Sight of God as well as Men, from being a Member of the Body of Chrift ; and, if he do not repent, will have Reafon to look on this Judgment of the Church, as the Judgment of God himfelf upon him. Of which more anon. His Lord (hip's laft Cavil upon this Subject is, at my faying, that the Expreflion St. Paul ufes, of delivering to Satan, though it be not attended HOW with the vifible Effefts that were then confequent Scripture vindicated^ &c. 165 upon fucb Delivery , may, for aught I fee, be properly pronounced upon any Perfon defervedly cut off from the Body of Chrift. It offends his Lordfhip that, before I quit the Subject of Excommunication, I do my utmoft to keep up the Horror of it. I allow the Charge, and as"k, who acts moil like a Mi- nifter of Chrift, he who endeavours to keep up in the Minds of Chriftiam an Awe of that Difci- pline that is fo ufeful to keep them in their Duty, and to reclaim Offenders ; or he that does his ut- moft to deftroy the Force of it, and render it contemptible, vile, and infignificant in the Eyes of all Men ? What I faid of this Expreffion was faid in Defence of the Chriftian Church, which has always ufed this Language. That it was not difufed after the Apoftolic Times, and taken up in latter Ages by the Church of Rome (to which ig- norant Men readily impute every Thing in Church Matters they do not like) I will mew his Lord- fhip from a Writer of unqueftionable Learning and Authority, St. Jerom, who wrote in the fourth Century, and yet thought it no Way improper to exprefs Excommunication, by Delivering to Satan ; nay, he ufes it in fuch a familiar Way, as plainly fliews it was then the Language of the Church. Ws have two Inftances of this in his Epiftlcs. In that ad Heliodorum de V. E. we have thefe Words, fpeaking of himfelf : Illi [Presbytero] fi pec caver a, licet tradere me Satan* & in veteri qjiidem lege, quicunque Sacerdotibus non obtemperdjfet, aut extra cajlra pofitus lapidabatur a populo, aut glad'w eervice fubjeftd, contemptum cxpiabat cruore. Nunc verb inobediens Spirituali mucrone truncatur, am L 3 ejefius 1 66 Scripture vindicated ', 6cc. ejeffus de Ecdeftd^ rabido D this Commiflion would fink St. Peter and the other Apoftles into mere Cafuijfa, to re- folve Doubts that mould arife, with Refpect to the Jewijh Difpenfation ; and would not impower them to declare what was commanded by the Gof- pel, but to determine only what was permitted by the Law ; which is fo jejune and poor a Senfe, that Dr. Ligbtfoot could not but be fenfible of it ; and, therefore, would extend it to mean a Power of retaining and aboliming fuch Parts of the Mo- faic Law as they judged proper. But, inftead of faying more of this Notion here, I mall refer the Reader to the learned Pr. Hammond, who has largely Scripture vindicated^ &c. 173 largely confidered and thoroughly confuted it, in his Treatife of the Power of the Keys, c. 4. But, to tell his Lordfhip the Truth, what I faid, againft this Interpretation, was not pointed imme- diately againft Dr. L, but againft one of his Lordfhip's Advocates ; a young Writer, whofe Name I had a Mind to fpare, and, therefore, de- clined taking any direct Notice of him, and chofe rather to go back to the Fountains from whence this Notion has been propagated. The other Interpretation of this Commifflon, which his Lordfhip diflikes, being the received one, of Binding and Loo/ing Sinners, and inflfcling or abfolving from Cenfures, I fuppofed it fo under- flood by every Body, and therefore, for Brevity Sake, did not give a particular Defcription of it ; but thought it more to the Purpofe to mew, how this Power came to be fo exprefied ; for the Words, by which it is conveyed, are plainly figu- rative and metaphorical, which I endeavoured to account for, in the befl Manner I could, and that after a long, and frequent, and attentive Confideration of them. The Words, wbatfoever yejhallbind, &c. by thofe who agree in the fame Senfe of them, are, as to the Conftruftion of them, underflood two Ways : Some, by wbatfo- ever^ underfland Sins ; others, Sinners ; both which come to the fame IfTue ; binding Men un- der the Guilt of their Sins, or loofmg them from it, being all one with binding Men's Sins upon them, or loofmg, and fo abfolving them. Of .thefe two I thought I had Reafon to prefer the latter j and had the Satisfaction to find Cbryfoftonij Tbeopbytaft, 174 Scripture vindicated^ 8cc. g$$#4&ib anc * f ne bed Interpreters, generally of the farrje Opinion. For, though M// ^<*pw* is fometi.mes ufcd to fignify Remitting Sins (of which there are two Inftances, in the Greek Bible ; one, Ecckf. xxviii. 2. and another very remarkable one, in the laft Chapter of Job, where what, in one Verfc, is 'iwaw -nv ii^^ajt <*J7f, is, in the next, rt>Jjx6c , that it is ever joined with Ayut^ajf, or with any other Word of the fame Import. As to the Objection made to the other Senfe, from the wbatfoever being in the neuter Gender, Dr. Hammond has mewn, in .the Place before-mentioned, by a great many In- ftances, that nothing is more common, in the New Teftament, than for the Neutral to be in Senfe Mafculine alfo, anfl to take in Perfons as well as Things. Now, fuppofing the Words to mean the Binding and Loofing Perfons, I thought the Metaphor was taken from making Perfons Prifoners, and releafing them from Prifon ; it be- ing then, as I have fhewn, the Cuftom for Pri- foners to be put in Chains. And, by this Account of it, this Figure of Speech agrees perfectly well with that other of Delivering to Satan, or fenten- cing an Offender to be his Prifonsr. And this Ex- plication, which was long fince the Refult of my own Thoughts, upon confidering the Places them- felves, without taking in any other Helps, I was pleafed to fee afterwards confirmed by great Au- thorities. Chryfoftom, on Job. xx. 23. tvhofe-foever Sins ye remit, has thefe remarkable Words -, Scripture vindicated, &c. 175 wry fKuGAft.* r becaufe it is not attended with Infallibility, though his Lordfhip perpetually confounds thefe two together, as if they were infeparable j forget- ting, it mould feem, th.ofe memorable Words of his Mafter Cbillingworth to Mr. K. " Methinks, fo " fubtle a Man, as you are, mould cafily appre- " hend a wide Difference between Authority to do " a Thing, and Infallibility in doing it j and " again, between a conditional Infallibility, and " an abfolute," Every Act is an authoritative Aft, M 2 that 180 Scripture vindicated, 8cc. that the Minifters of Cbrift are authorized to do, in his Name. The Apoftles could ordinarily do no more to thofe who defired to be baptized, than Philip did to the Eunuch, Aftsvm. 37. ask them, if they believe with all their Heart ? And, if they anfwer, they do, they may be baptized ; by which A6b they were not only admitted into the Number of the Faithful, but their Sins were warned away alfo, according to thofe Words of Ananias to St. Paul, Acls xxii. 16. arife and be baptized, andwajh away thy Sins. And, if the Apoftles in Baptifm remitted Sins only conditionally, and upon Suppo- fition of a true Repentance, then they did no more than their Succefibrs might do ; and the fame Aft, in their Succeflbrs, is as valid as it was in them. And as the Apoftles Refufal of Baptifm to Perfons, not qualified to receive it, would have been the Retention of the Sins of fuch Perfons, fo is the like Refufal now in thofe that are the pro- per Minifters of the fame Sacrament. And what is faid of the Effect of admitting to, or of repel- ling any Perfons from Baptifm, will equally hold of receiving into the Church thofe who, for their Sins, were caft out, or of cafting out thofe who were in. They, who have the Spiritual Govern- ment of the Church, have a Right to remit the Sins of thofe who truly repent of the Sins for which they fell under the Cenfures of the Church, and to retain the Sins of thofe, who, having fallen under its Cenfures, continue impenitent ; for, what they do on Earth, our Saviour hath declared the fame to be done in Heaven. And that this is the Senfe in which this Place in St. John, and the Scripture vindicated^ Sec. 1 8 r the two others, in St. Matthew, were underftood by the ancient Church, is fo well known, that I need bring no Vouchers for it. But his Lordlhip can, by no Means, allow of this, for weighty Reafons ; i. Becaufe it is abfurd that weak, fallible Men fhould have a Power of remitting Sins, and that God mould be obliged to ratify their Cenfures. But this Objection is fully anfwered, by the Abfolution being given only con- ditionally. If the Governors of the Church hap- pen to be miftaken, either in releafmg, or receiv- ing into the Church thofe that fhould be bound, or kept out ; or, on the other Hand, in binding thofe they fhould loofe, and not admitting or ejecting thofe that ought to be received or kept in the Church ; they pretend not to fay, that God has obliged himfelf, by any Promife, to ratify fuch Cenfures. Which Senfe of the Church can- not be better exprefTed, than it was very early done by St. Cyprian, Ep. 55. Neque enim pr^judi- famus Domino judicatu.ro, quo minus ft pcenitentiam -plenam & juttam peccatoris invenerit, tune ratum fa- cial, quod a nobis fuerit hie ftatutum. Si vero nos aliquis panitentid Jimulatione deluferit ; Deus qui non deridetur, & qui cor hominis intuetur, de bis qu. They have not underftood even thofe Places of Scripture, which it moft concerned them not to be miftaken in, the very CommilTions our Saviour gave to his Apoftles j and, in Confluence of this Miftake, have all along ufurped Powers they had no Right to. This muft be very agree- able News to the Enemies of Chriftianity ; but 5 fure, its Friends cannot hear it, without Horror j for, if the Church cQtild be miftaken in this Point, what is there in which one may be fure it could not be miftaken ? Did our Saviour come from Heaven to found a Society, that had never St:nfe enough to underftand their Charter ? Did the Spirit, that was given to lead them into all Truth, fail them in fo neceffary a Point, in which the Life and EfTence of their Society confifled, that the Hulers of the Church mould not knew the Extent 'M 4 and 1 84 Scripture vindicated, &c. and Meaning of the Powers by which they were ' to govern it ? This is one Confequence of his Lordlhip's Ds- monftration ; which, if it be good, the Church hath always affixed to thefe important Places a Senfe which it is impofiible fhould be true ; for, if it could, then it is pofllble that what is, in this Senfe, bound by Men, may be bound by God alfo ; and, confequentjy, fomething done by God, that was not done before j and an Alteration would there- by be made in the Man's Condition, in the Eyes of God, which his Lordmip declares to be im- pofiible. For if, upon the Cenfure of the Church* a Sinner be bound by God, then, before it, he was pot actually fo bound ; and, therefore, an Altera- ' tion is made in his Condition, from not binding to binding j and it is the fame, with Refpect to a Man's being leafed by the Church. His Lordmip may, perhaps, think it fome Defence of himfelf, for rejecting the common Interpretation of thefe Places of Scripture, that they are confefled to be difficult, and that the Power in Pifpute is too im- portant and weighty a Matter to be made to de- pend upon obfcure Pafiages. But it mould be con- fidered, that the Obfcurity of the Scriptures is oftentimes accidental only ; and arifes purely from the Pittance of Time we are at from the Writing of them, and the Alteration that has been made in Language and Cuftoms, on which many Times the Senfe of certain Idioms of Speech intirely de- pends. Diftance of Place Jikewife often creates an Obfcurity in Paflages, that otherwife would be . yery eafy to be understood, And it may, there- fore. Swtptitre vindicate^ &c. 185 fore, very well be, that the Pafifages now before us might be very eafy and intelligible to thofe \vho lived in or near thofe Times and Places, when and where they were writ, though now it be difficult to fix the certain and precife Meaning of diem, without having Recourfe to the Light given us by the ancient Writers of the Church. But the Im- putation, here carl upon the Chrijiian Church, is not barely its miftaking the Senfe of fome diffi- cult Pafiages, and that in a very capital Point v they have not only fixed upon them a falfe Senfe, but a Senfe, in his- Lordfhip's Opinion, fo big with Abfurdity and Contradiction, that they muft have been no better than Idiots and Changelings, not to fee, at firft Sight, that it could not pbffibly be true. But this is not the worft Confluence of this Demonftration ; his Lordfhip is. forced, in Virtue of it, to deny , this Power even to our Sitviour hirn- felf, and to affirm that he neither did, nor could, forgive Sins, in the obvious Senfe of the Words, while he was on Earth, in exprefs Contradiction to the plain Words of Scripture. Where our Saviour does not only often remit Sins in thefe Words, thy Sins are forgiven thee^ bur, in the Cafe of the Man fick of the Palfy, Matt. ix. 6. he does, in the fulleft Terms, declare, That the Son of Man hath Power on Earth to forgive Sins ; which we muft obferve is faid, in Anfwer to thofe who thought it Blafphemy in him to afiiime fuch a Power. Why doth this Man thus /peak Blafpbs- inies ? Who can forgive Sins but God only ? as it is ex- preffed Mar. ii. 7. Is there any Room to doubt, what 1 8 6 Scripture vindicated^ &c. what they, who ufed fuch Words, meant by them ? Did they not mean Forgiving Sins, in the obvi- ous Senfe of the Words ? Or, Was the obvious Senfe of thefe Words, in thofe Days, different from the obvious Senfe of the fame Words, now '? But if they, who murmured at our Saviour's af- fuming this Power, underflood the Words, in the obvious Senfe, Did not our Saviour, in his An- iwer, under (land them, in the fame ? Did he not fpeak ad idem ? Did he change the Terms of the Queftion, and give a delufive Anfwer ? Was it agreeable to hisfToly and Divine Character, to ak fed: fuch Language, whereby he could not but know, he mould incur the Sufpicion of Blafphemy, and to ufe Words that, in their obvious Senfe, carry in them fo great a Power, to exprefs another, not only much lefs, but of a very different Nature ? Had he really done fo, he had impofed upon thofe to whom he fpake, arid had afliimed a Preroga- tive he had no Right to (for Men's Claims muft be conftrued by the plain and obvious Senfe of their Words, where they do not exprefly caution to the contrary ;) and their Charge had been juft, in faying he blafphemed, if he really could not for- give Sins. Nothing, therefore, can be more cer- tain, than that our Saviour, while on Earth, had Power to forgive Sins : n/r3 p*v $ /2*<' o /la, re \nfva$ TV ti.jia.vlf ^OIKO^^ fays But his Lord (hip, in Defiance of thefe Confi- derations, adheres to his Demonftratjon, and . will by no Means allow, that to forgive Sins means to Scripture vindicated \ &c. 187 forgive Sins ; no, oar Saviour had no fuch Power. What the Scripture calls a Power was really " a " ficpernatttral Knowledge only, by which he knew ic that God was going to Jhew Mercy to the Man. " Our Saviour , knowing the Cafe of the Man, " allured him of God's Forgivenefe ; and the Son " of Man's Power to forgive Sim on Earth was " plainly to declare this to him, of whom he cer- " tainly and infallibly knew it to be true. This " arofe wholly from his infallible Knowledge of the " Will of God, with Refpect to that particular " Perfon. Preferv. p. 94, 95." Such Work does the Bifhop make with Scripture, fo free does he make with Chrift and his Church, while he in- dulges his own Fancy, and lays fo much Weight on a pretended Demonltration. And I fee not but, by Virtue of it, he may go Hill farther in the fame Way, and declare, that ChrisJ car* no more forgive Sins in Heaven, than he could on Earth ; nay, that God himfelf cannot forgive Sins -, and that if he fhould declare, by a Voice from Heaven, to a penitent Sinner, that his Sins are forgiven, we muft be obliged to put another Senfe upon the Words ; for the Man's Condition, which is the great Demon flration, is not altered by it a Tittle , nay, one Step farther, he might, by the fame Reafon, deny wholly to God, even at the Laft Day, all Power of remitting or retain- ing Sins ; for Condemnation or Abiolution de- pends not on the Sentence of God, but on the Merit or Demerit of the Man ; no Alteration is made in his Condition by the Sentence, it was the fame before the Sentence as after it ; God has no Power 1 88 Scripture vindicated, &c. Power in the Cafe, he is the Inftrument only of Neceffity and Fate. Thefe, I think, are the ne- ceffary Confequences of his Lordfhip's Demon- ftration, if it be a good Proof that the Sentence of the Church, though juft and ratified in Hea- ven, is really of no Effect, nor an Argument of any Power given to it. And thus, by the Help of this, and his other Demonilration about Sin- cerity, equal Degrees of which, as fuch, the Favour of God muft equally follow, his Lordlhip may de-. monftrate away not only Chriftianity, but even all Natural Religion. How much more would it become weak and fallible Men to fufpect their own Reafonings about God, than thus to fly in the Face of the Catholick Church of all Ages, and even of Cbrift himfelf, and the plain Declarations he has made in Scrip- ture, I may fay, even of God himfelf. If God be a free Agent (and that he muft be, or elfe he is, properly fpeaking, no Agent at all) has he not a Right to have Mercy on whom he will have Mer- cy ? And may he not forgive the Sins of Men, when he will, and by what Inflruments he will ? Nimirum prxfcribes Deo, quibus temporibus, ant mo- dis, aut loch de familid fud judicet ; quafi non &? prajudicare judici liceat. Tertul. Scorp. c. 6, God may give Infallibility to Men, and make their Aft his own, and declare to the World, that, on whom they pronounce Forgivenefs, he forgives alfo ; and, where he has not given Infallibility, he may give them Directions for the Ufe of this Power, and declare, that, when they remit the Sins of any according to thofe Directions, they are remitted, Scripture vindicated, &c. 189 remitted. But, if he either bind or loofe Men by the Church, he does fomething that, till then, was not done, and an Alteration in the Condition of Men is thereby made , then Sentence is patted upon them. Now the Condition of a Criminal after Sentence cannot be faid to be the fame it was before, though he might have Reafon enough to apprehend what it would be. I would beg his Lord/hip, inftead of indulging his own Reafonings fo far, to confider that Cbrif- tianity is an Inftitution^ adapted by God in the beft Manner to keep Men in their Duty, or bring them back to it ; that it is otMvopitt, a Difpenfa- tion, in which God condefcends to the Infirmities of Men, and deals with them in a Way fuited to their Weaknefs and Capacities, and, therefore, does not contain in it only fuch Things as are, by the mere Light of Reafon, deducible from the Na- ture of Good and Evil, or from the Nature of God ; but takes in alfo feveral other Things, which are not, in themfelves, abfolutely necefiary, as Fences and Prefervatives, for the more effectual fecuring Men's Obedience to thofe that are. Such are neceffary Ingredients in an Inftitution of Reli- gion ; and fuch an Inftitution the Divine Wifdom judged neceflary for the Reformation and Re- demption of Mankind. For Chriftianity is not calculated for a few, but for the Body of Man- kind, to whofe Ufe nothing could be better ac- commodated. For the Generality of Men are ftrangely apt to flatter themfelves in their Sins, and promife themfelves Security, becaufe Ven- geance is not immediately executed upon every evil Work. i go Scripture vindicated^ 5cc. Work. What, now, could be better fitted to awaken Men from this fatal Security, and to bring them to a Sen'fe of the .heinous Demerit of their Sins, than this Power given to the Church of 'Binding and Loafing ? To offer certain Pardon to thofe who repent, and embrace the Faith tfChrift ; and to denounce the Wrath of God on thofe who, after their AdmifTion into the Church, fall back into cheir old Sins ; and again to reflore them, upon true Repentance ? When a Sinner is juflly fallen under the Sentence of the Church, fo as to be ejected out of it i whatever he thought before, from that Time, he fliould look upon himfelf as certainly under the Sentence of God himfelf: On the other Hand, when a Sinner Is humble and re- pents, and is again received into the Church, he may then lay afide all defponding Thoughts, and be allured he is then in the Favour of God. And there is great Reafon to prefume, that their Sen- tence ordinarily will be juft. For, as fallible as Men are, if the Governors of the Church are care- 'ful in the Difcharge of this important Trutt, in common Cafes, it will not be difficult for them not to be miftaken. But what News, it will be faid, is it, that the Sins of him that repents /hall be forgiven, and that he who does not repent Jhall be damned -> which is, in 'Effecl, all that this Power comes to ? I anfwer, very great, if we confider it in its true Light. To which End, we muft go back to the Begin- nings of the Gofpcl, and behold the Apoftles de- claring this to a finful World, and proving by Miracles that they had Authority from God to do fo. Scripture vindicated, 8cc. 191 fo. Was this Declaring nothing, but what the World knew before ? Did Men certainly know, that an Atonement could be made to the offended Majefty of Heaven for their Sms ? Or that God would pardon them, without any Atonement made for them ; and that they had a Right to Pardon, upon an imperfect Repentance ? The Sacrifices and other Ways of Expiation, ufed by all Parts of the Heathen World, fufficiently iriew they were far enough from any fuch Thoughts ; and fo, indeed, does what followed upon the Apoftles making this Declaration to them ; for what Joy did it give to- fmful Men, to have fo full an Aflurance, fo unexpected, and which they had fo little Title to, given them, that, if they would repent and be baptized, their Sins, their many and crying Sins, mould not only certainly be forgiven, but immediately be warned away in Baptifm ? What Numbers were there, that, upon the Hearing this Gofpel, thefe glad Tidings, without De- lay renounced their Sins, and embraced the Mercy offered ? Three Thoufand, at once, we read of in 'the Second of the ARs. Such Power and Efficacy liad this Mefiage from Heaven upon the World, when firft promulged to them. It was fo great and fuch welcome News, that great Multitudes every where gladly liltened to it ; and, as they quitted their Sins to be admitted into the Number of the Faithful, fo did they fteadily continue in their new Life, that they might not be again caft out, or forfeit the Privileges their Chriftianity had intitkd them to, by breaking the Conditions on which they were admitted j which, in the early .Ages 192 Scripture vindicated, &c, Ages of the Church, they could not eafily do, without being feverely reminded of it by the Vi- gour of the DifcipUns that was then exercifed. The ftrange Turn, and the thorough Change, the Doctrine and Difcipline of the Church, firlt wrought, and then preferved in the Minds of vail Numbers, who had before been Men of diflblute Lives, and profligately wicked, made Origen^ in Jhis Difpure with Celfus^ admit, as true, the Ca- lumny thrown upon Cbrifiiam> of MJ J^'no.^, &K.A 'xirAovv. : Do not examine y but believe -, for it is bet- ter, fays he, for Men. to believe a Religion that has vifibly' fo good an Effect on Men, and then examine ; than for Men to live one of it, and lofe the Benefit of being reclaimed from their evil Ways, till they have examined ir. This, I hope, may (hew, that the Power the Apoftles had to offer Men, in the Name of Ggd and Cbrift) Remiflion of Sins, though miniflerial only, was a great Power, and that a right Appli- cation of it made an Alteration in the Condition of Men, in the Sight of God ; that Men, who before were under the Guilt of their Sins, were, from the Time they fincerely embraced the Par- don offered, no longer fo j and that their Sins, by Baptifm, were effectually remitted , and, confe- quently, they, who were intruded with this Sa- crament, were intruded with the Power of Remit- ting Sim. But, if this was a great Power, when lodged in the Apoftles, it is the very fame in the Hands of their Succefibrs, and Length of Time makes not the lead Alteration ; it is not at all the lefs, becaufe it is not r.ow new, or bccaufe, by the Scripture vindicated^ &c. 193 the Publication of the Books of the New ye/la- ment., all who are Chriftians know the Power given to the Minifters of Cbrzft, as well as they do them- felves. We now all know, from the greateft to the lead, that Pardon is offered by Chrift to all that truly repent, and that, unlefs Man do repent, they mail not be pardoned , and that the Go- vernors of the Church muft, in their Cenfures, acl: agreeably to the Rules prefcribed to them ; and that an unjuft Sentence will not be ratified in Hea- ven : But we know by the fame Scriptures, that a juft Sentence mail be ratified. And this ought to have; and will have a great Influence on the Minds of Men, where it is thoroughly believed ; they will conclude themfelves, from the juft Cen- fure of the Church, under the Difpleafure of God, fince, where the Church does not judge wrong, the Sentence of God concurs with it, and both are one. For though the Difpleafure of God is not properly caufed by the Censure of the Church (for an impe- nitent Sinner will not be damned at the Laft Day, becaufc he is excommunicated by the Church, but becaufe he deferved to be fo excommunicated, ac- cording to the Terms of the New Covenant) yet the Cenfure of the Church, when juft, is of that Efficacy, that the Sentence the Sinner will re- ceive from God (the Declaration of which would otherwife have been fufpended, and which the Sinner might flatter himfclf, from the Mercy of God, who is perfectly free and infinitely good, would be remitted) is thereby actually denounced. God now judges him by the Voice of the Church, judging in the Perfon of Cbrift, and according VOL. II. N to ig4 Scripture vindicated, 8cc. to his Appointment, and he has no Hope left of God's being reconciled to him, unlefs he be firft reconciled to his Church, or is in a proper Difpo- fition for it, and do his Part towards it. The Governors of the Church in this Cafe are, as TJr- tullian fays of the Civil Powers, Miniftri droini judicii) hie etiam de nocentibus prrdfhip's Proportion, by thofe of Euclid, Mqua- Jes Scripture vindicated, &c. 201 les rtttdt line* aquatiter diflant a centra. I will only add (which I find Mr. Stebbing alfo, in his lad Book has obferved) that the Gofpel of Chrift knows no Sincerity in Infidelity, or in a Refufal to believe the Gofpel, when it is fufficiently pro- pofed. Having fhewn what Foundation there is, ifi Scripture, for afierting to the Governors of the Church an Authority in Ecckjiaftical Affairs, I thought it proper, for Method's Sake, to take No- tice, who the Perfons are, in whom, agreeably to Scripture, and the earlieft Antiquity, this Autho- rity is lodged ; but, this making no Part of the Difpute in the prefejit Controverfy, I did but jufl touch upon it, in a very few Lines, and contented myfelf with obferving, that neither the Presfyteri* an nor Independent Schemes have, either in Scrip- ture or Antiquity, any Ground for them, but that the Apoftolical and Primitive Government of the Church was by Bifhops, and their Prefbyters. This is a Point has been fo fully proved by feveral emi- nent Writers of our own Church, that that Dif- pute may now be looked on, as at an End ; but his Lordfhip cnnnot prevail with himfelf, either to own Epifcopacy to be Apoftolical, or that there is any Obligation on Chriftians to retain it ; nor will he exprefs the kaft Diflike of the other Schemes ; but, on the contrary, mews plainly enough, he is offended at my Cenfure of them. 1 obferved far- ther, with Refpecl: to the mere Authority of a fmgle Paftor, that the Scripture knows no fuch Thing as a fingle Independent Presbyter, but fpeaks of them always in the Plural, as I mewed in feven or 2O2 Scripture vindicated, &c. or eight Inftances, in which I can fee no Pretence for complaining of Obfcurity, or in what goes be- fore. But his Lordfhip, when he was writing this Section, had fuch a Cloud upon his Underftand- ing, that, to him, he fays, it is all Darknefe ; and fo leaves it. But this Darknefs is no Darknefs to any one who allows that the ordinary Powers of the Apo- ftles were derived to their Succefibrs, and that Bifliops, with their Presbyters, are thofe SuccerTors : And, therefore, one may from hence conclude, that his Lordfhip allows neither of thefe Points ; and thinks, that, becaufe it has been a Difpute, whether thefe two Aflfertions be true, it muft ever be fo. And of this he gives an Intimation, when, upon what I had faid, he obferves, that what has remained, through many Ages, a Doubt, among the befi and greateft Commentators^ may be, at once, happily fettled by the mere Affirmation of a learned Man. I would be glad to know, through how many Ages his Lordfhip thinks this has been a Difpute ; or, whether Epifcopacy was not, till the fixteenth Century, the univerfally received, and uninterrupted Form of Church-Government ; and whether, when a Point has been thoroughly and demonftratively proved, it may not be taken and fpoken of as fuch, but as if it were a Thing ilill in the dark. If it may, his Lordfhip's Cen- fure upon my Affirmation is very groundlefs and unreafonable. His Lordlhip obferves with fome Pleafure, that the Government, I have affirmed to be the primi- tive Government by Bijhops and Presbyters, does pot agree well with the Conftitution of the Church of Scripture vindicated, &c. 203 of England, and fuppofes I cannot pofiibly have in my Thoughts the two Houfes of Convocation. It is fomething extraordinary, that a Bifhop mould want to be told, that the Dean and Chapter are his {landing Presbytery ; and that, befides this, he has frequent Opportunities of confulting his Presby- ters in his Vifitations, either in Perfon, or by his proper Officers ; it is a Sign his Lordlhip has not been yet at Bangor. I acknowledge the Confult- ing with thefe Handing Presbyteries is grown into Difufe, but it is, becaufe there is now little Occa- fion for it, the Affairs of the Church being brought into that Method, that every Thing goes on in its proper Channel ; and the Bifhop has ordinarily nothing to do, that- requires any fuch Confultati- on, or that he wants to know the frefh Senfe of his Prejbyters upon. And, for the fame Reafon, the annual Synods of the Clergy, that were ancient- ly held in each Diocefe, have been laid afide, there being in a fettled State of Things no Ufe of them,, iufficient to balance the Trouble and Expence of fuch Meetings : And, if any Inconvenience ihould arife from this Difufe, the Defecl is eafily fupplied by the frequent Meetings of the Bijhops and Clergy in Convocation. Another Thing, his Lordfhip wants to have, proved, is, how the Powers, vefted in the Bifhops and Presbyters, can admit the Sanftion or Controul of the Civil Government. For that it is not, he thinks, enough for me to affirm as I do, that it is not nece/ary, that this Power Jhould, in every Part vf it, be kept fill in the fame Hands. Had his Lordfhip had any Thing in View but Caviling, and 204 Scripture vindicated, 8cc. and Starting Difficulties, he would not have ex- pected that all the Queftions, that may be raifed concerning Church- Authority, mould come with- in the Compafs of a fingle Sermon ; nor would he run Divifions upon one Controverfy, when the prefent Difpute is about another. The Point now in Debate is not, what Right the Magiftrate has in Matters relating to the Church*, but whether there is not an Authority vefted in the Governors of the Church by Cbrift, to govern the People committed to their Care in fpiritual Affairs. But Jet us hear what his Lordfhip has to fay. I faid it was not neceflary that the Power, necef- fary for the Governmeut of the Church, mould, in every Part of it, be ftill in the fame Hands. This Sort of Plea, fays his Lordmip, will ferve both for the Independent and the Prejbyterian Schemes. And- he fpeaks, no Doubt, as he thinks ; but, had he thought more, he would have feen that no two Things can be more different, than thefe that he takes to be alike. For he then would have obferved, i. that no Part of the Powers properly fpiritual^ fuch as that of Preach- ing, Adminiilring the Sacraments, Impofition of Hands, Ordination, and the Denouncing of Church-Cenfures, are vefted in the Civil Magif- trate. And 2. that the Power, which I fay is not neceflary to be in every Part of it ftill kept in the fame Hands, is fuch a Power as the Church has a Right to from the Nature of Society for its Pre- fervation , all which muft be lodged necefTarily in the Ecclefiaftical Governors of the Church, fo Jpng as it is unfupported by the Civil Magiftrate ; but. Scripture vindicated, &c. 205 but, when it has Afliftance from thence, it is plain the Neceflity of Keeping all this Power, in the Hands it was in before, is at an End. The Civil Power, as has been very juftly obferved by one of his Lordfliip's Adverfaries, has an inherent Right to interpofe in Matters relating to the Religion publickly profeffed, to make Laws, and give Orders for the regular Adminiftration of the feveral Parts of it, and to prevent Abufes, of what Nature foever. And as the Civil Power ha a Right to this, fo does the Protection given to the Church, and the many Favours conferred on it, deferve from the Church all the Regard, and all the Communication of Power they can give, though the Civil Power could not of Right claim it. Shall not the Crown, for Example, be allow- ed to nominate Bifhops, when it is to the King they owe their Temporalities ? Shall not the Statt make Laws for the better Government of the Clergy^ when it is to the Laws of the State they owe the Alignments of their Parifhes, and the Afiurance of their Maintenance ? Laftly, Shall not the Civil Power make Regulations for Church- Cenfures, and join Lay- Judges with thofe of the Church, in Ecclefiaftical Caufes, when it has given fuch a Weight and Force to their Cenfures, by the Civil Sanctions it has annexed to them ? Sanctions, without which the Church could not eafily have fubfifted, after the World was become Chriftian. For a little Reflexion upon the prefent State of the World may convince a reafonable Man, that the Government of a whole Nation, as it is Cbriftian^ is too great a Work for Ecclefiaftical Governors, as 206 Scripture vindicated, 8cc. as fuch ; and that a Difcipline, merely ipiritual, would be too weak to attain thofe good Ends now, for which, when Christians were in Com- parifon few in Number, and thofe generally of the inferior Sort, and they were either under, or in Fear of Perfecution, it was abundantly fuf- ficient. Thefe few Reflexions may let his Lordfhip fee, that the Share the Civil Power, upon the Empire becoming Chriftian^ had in Church-Affairs, did not at all affect the internal Conllitution of it, or alter its Government by Bifhops and Presbyters, or take any Part of their Functions out of their Hands, to put it into lay ones. All that Conftan- tine took to himfelf was, to be tonvw*- v sf, and the Civil Powers, fince, have but followed his Example. They have not taken to themfelves any Power that is properly Spiritual ; the Inftitution of Bimops and Presbyters was continued, not only as Primitive, but Apoftolical^ and eflential to the Being of the Church, in all Chriftian Nations, till the Reformation. Is not, now, this Cafe of the Civil Power*s interpofing, in the Affairs of the Church, extremely like that of his Lordfhip's Friends the Presbyterians and Independents ? Is it not mighty clear, that the fame Sort of Plea will juftify their novel Schemes? Or, Is it not very Jhameful to fee a learned Bimop put fuch different Cafes upon the fame Foot, which are juft fo much alike, and no more, as the Prefervation of a Thing is to the Deftruction of the very fame Thing ? Mr. Lock fomewhere obferves, that Wit confifts in obferving Likenefies in Things to one another, but Scripture vindicated \ &c. 207 but Judgment in being able to difcern wherein they differ : If his Lordfhip had ufed a little more of that Faculty, on this Occafion, he would have feen too wide a Difference, in thefe Cafes, to think the fame Defence could ferve for both. But, this being no Part of the prefent Difpute, his Lordfhip may be allowed to be the more neg- ligent here, and to referve himfelf for the next Point, which being the Crtfts of the Caufe, we may there hope to find his whole Strength and Attention exerted to the utmoft. For the Point, next under his Confideration, relates to the parti- cular Powers Church-Governors have a Right to. To go through every Branch of their Powers di- ftin<5tly, with the proper Proofs for each, would fill a large Volume, much lefs could it be done, in a few Pages : In (lead, therefore, of this, the next bed Thing, I could do, was to point out the Grounds and Heads from whence they are dedu- ced. And thefe I obferved were three : Scripture, the Practice of the Primitive Church, and the Na- ture of Society. The firft of thefe his Lordihip difcards, as of no Ufe, becaufe the Powers, men- tioned in Scripture, are given to, and ufed by, Perfons extraordinarily affifted, as if Powers, gi- ven to fuch Perfons for the ordinary Ends and Ufes of the Church, were not ordinary Powers, and intended by Chrift and his Apoftles to be con- tinued to their Succefibrs ; or, becaufe the Scrip- ture is not a perfect Rule of external Worfhip and Difcipline, it were no Rule at all. There is not, indeed, a Body of Canons for Church-Govern- ment 20 8 Scripture vindicated, 8cc. ment delivered to us in Scripture, nor a perfect Plan for it any where laid down ; but, if that were a good Reafon to prove it no Rule, it would be as good a one to prove it no Rule of Faith, there being no one compleat Summary of the ne- ceffary Articles of the Cbrijtian Faith to be found, in any Part of it ; if there had, there had been no OccajQon for the Church to have compofed any Creed, not even that which is called the Apoftks ; this, therefore, hinders not but Scripture may be a Rule for the Government of the Church ; and certain Powers, as well as a general Authority, may be concluded from it ; but a perfect Plan it can- no.t be expected mould be there, becaufe the Form of it was not prefently and at once fettled, but gradually, as the Nature of the Thing required it Should be. St. Paul wrote, while Churches were, as yet, but beginning to be formed : In his Wri- tings, therefore, we can expect to find only the firft Elements and Seeds of this Formation ; not a perfect arid fmifhed Model, where all the Parts and Proportions are fully adjufted and determin- ed. In a Word, every body that confiders thefe Matters, muft be fenfible of the Difference there is between Ecclefia conftituta, and Ecclefia conftitu- enda -, and the fame Difference there will necef- farity be between a complete Scheme of Church- Government, and what we have towards one in his Epftles. But, if his Lordfliip will not allow any Powers for Church-Governors to be deducible from Scrip- ture, one might hope he would be more favour- able in his Sentiments upon the fecond Way pro- 'Scripture vindicated \ 8cc. 209 pofed, the Prattles of the Primitive Church. Here was Room for his Lordfhip to difplay his Learn- ing and Judgment, to mew the World his Know- ledge ot Church- Hiftory, and the Ufe which, in his Opinion, mould be made of it.; one might have hoped he would have been fo good, as to have told us, what he liked or difliked in the Government of the Church, in the beft and pureft Ages of it , what he thought we might imitate in it, and what not ; whether certain Powers, the Governors of the Church then ufed, were, in them, Ufurpations over the Confciences of Men, and their Chriflian Liberty, or were lawful $ and, if lawful then, whether fo now ; and, if not, for what Reafon*. This, I fay, one might reafonably have expected from his Lordfhip, on this Occa- fion ; but he asks your Pardon difplicct ipfg l ocus inftead of any Thing of this Kind, which might enlighten or inform his Reader, and tend to clear up the Controverfy, in fome Meafure, he contents himfelf with thefe two notable Obferva- tions, " i. That many, who have taken this Way " to underftand the Powers of Church- Governors, " have feemed to be more at a Lofs than they " were before ; that many are the Differences* " upon, thefe Subjects, even among the Learned, " who have ftudied thofe primitive Writings with " equal Sincerity and Impartiality.*' But why would not his Lordfhip tell us, who thofe many are, or what are the Points of Church-Power, about which they differ ? Which fince he has not done, I fufpect his Lordfhip miftakes the Point j and, bccaufe there has been a Difpucc about the VOL. II. O State 2 1 o Scripture vindicated, 8cc. State of the Church, till towards the Middle of the fecond CeHtury, whether it were then under Bifhops,\>r not, or who the Perfons were In whom the Government of the Church was then lodged, from thence concludes, it was difputed, what the Powers were that were veiled in thofe who did go- vern it. But does his Lordfhip think, that, becaufe fome Points cannot be demon ilratively cleared from the few Remains we have of the firft and greateft Part of the fecond Century, that, therefore, the Practice of the primitive Church cannot be a Rule to us, or that it cannot be known ? Is the Senfe of that Expreffion, the primitive Church, confined to two Centuries ? Muft it ceafe to be primitive, from the Time we begin to have a good Knowledge of it ? From the Time we have any certain Monu- ments, next the Scriptures, of any Largenefs re- lating to it ? That is, from the Time Jutfin Mar- tyr and tfertullian wrote, who are the oldeft Wri- ters that have left us any Thing more, that is cer- tainly genuine, than a few Epiftles : And the Ge- nuincnefs even of thefe Epiftles, or of rnoft of them, his Lordfhip knows, hath been not a little difputed. Is the Knowledge of the Practice of the ancient Church ufelefs to us, as foon as it be- comes certain ? With his Lordfhip's Leave, we (hall extend this Term of Primitive to other Bounds than he feems to have put to it, fo as to take in the four firft General Councils, at leaft, and particularly the Age of Conftantine, which is the earlieft Age of the primitive Church, confidered as under the Protection of the Civil Power -, and is* Scripture vindicated, &c. 2 1 1 is, therefore, the beft Model for Churches under the like Protection, in all After-times, to form themfelves upon. We may, for Matters of Faith and Doctrine, juftly be referred to earlier Times but, fure, for the external State, and Conftitution. of a Church in a Chriftian Country, to fend us for a Pattern to the ancient Church before the Em- pire became Chriftian^ is extremely ridiculous. 1C i$ to fend us for a Pattern to fomething that, be- fore the Reign of Conftantine, WAS not in Being, the Condition of a Church in a Chrijtian State , and it is not fo much as pretended, that the Srate of the Church was more perfect, or more fit to be imitated, in any Age %f\s$^Conftantine, than it was under him. The Practice, t-HeTefore, of the Church, as to the Authority and Powers exercifed in the Government of it, in his Time, is the beft Model for all Churches in the like happy Circum- itances. If it be faid, that this belt Model was a very bad one, and fuch as ought not to be fol^ lowed j that is fuch a Reflexion on the Cbriftian Church, in its greateft Perfection, for fo it then was, that one may be fure there can be no juft Grounds for it ; efpecially if we confider, whaC great Lights, what bright Examples of Learning, Piety, and Virtue, adorned the Church, in that and the next Century, who knew perfectly well the Faith and Difcipline of their Anceftors, and would have died a thoufand Deaths, rather than they would adulterate one, or, in a faulty Com- pliance to the Civil Power, give up the other, or refign to the Magiftrate any Share of that Autho- rity, which by Cbrift was unalienably vetted in O 2 themfclves. 212 Scripture vindicated, 8cc. themfelves. We muft, therefore, beg Leave to efteem the Church, in thefe firft and beft Ages of it, a fafe Pattern for us, in all Refpefts, and par- ticularly in what relates to Church-Government, about which it is in vain to pretend Ignorance, when, betides all other Helps, fo many ancient Canons of Councils are ftill preferved to us. I do not fay, it is neceiTary to follow the Example of the primitive Church, in every Thing ; all I contend for is, that it is a fafe Pattern, and that there is no Danger of the Governors of the Church receding from their juft Claims, or fetting up ex- orbitant ones, fo long as they keep within thofe Bounds. And this, if his Lordfhip will receive it, is the Juftification of the Church of England, for acknowledging fuch a Share of its Govern^ ment to be lawfully vefted in the Civil Magiftrate. She follows an Example of fourteen hundred Years Standing, the Example of the primitive Church, when it was firft in Condition to be a Pattern to us ; and what the Church then did was done agreeably to what was the Will of God in the Jewifh Church, in the beft Times of it. When his Lordfhip can make as good a Plea for the Presbyterian and Independent Schemes, though the fame, or like it, cannot be, we mall readily allow it. To come now to his Lordfhip*s Remark, " Ma- *' ny, who have ftudied the Primitive Writers to " know the Practice of the Church, as to the *' Points in Difpute, have feemed to be more at " a Lofs than they were before." Well, What then ? Is it not fo in every other Part of Knowledge? Scripture vindicated, &c. 213 Knowledge ? Is not the Man, who knows moft of any Science, beft acquainted alfo with the Diffi- culties that are in it ? Ignorance fees no Diffi- culties, ergo^ there are none. If this Argument were good, and it followed, that there are none, where thofe that are blind fee none, Pr bers, of which this Expreflion confifts, is put for the Whole ; as, E vAffauv $ /fo?7Af/af, tbe Gofpel of tbe Kingdom, Matt. iv. 23. EU*JJ*A/O? & 0J, tbe Gofpel of God-, as Rom. i. i. 2 Cor. xi. 7. EvJV y&toy fingly, tbe Gofpel, Mar. i. 15. xiii. 10. C H /?*97AH* n 06, tbe Kingdom of God, Markx. 15. Luk xviii. 17, 29. Aftsxx. 25.. Col. iv. 1 1. which, in St. Matthew, is generally throughout his Gofpel called ^aCTAf/a r^/ *zvav, the Kingdom of Hea- ven. I will remind his Lordmip only of one Place in the Chapter I had particularly referred to, xiii. 52. Every Scribe, which is injlrufled unto the Kingdom of Heaven, is like unto a Man that is an Houjholder, which bringeth forth out of bis Irea- fure 'Things new and old. Eis $ &a.reffion, the Kingdom of Heaven, is peculiar to St. Matthew ; and that the lame is always called by St. Mark, and St. Luke, the Kingdom of God. The Reafon of which, perhaps, was, that, St. Mat- tfaw's Qofpel being writ in the Hebrew of thofe Times, the Word, Heaven, was ufed for the God of Heaven j of which Ufe of the Word there are feveral Inftarices in the Apocryphal Books, and in the New Tefiament. I will mention only two very noted ones in the Gofpels, Matt. xxi. 25. The Bap- lifm of John, whence was it ? from Heaven, or of Men? And Luke xv. 21. Father, I have Jtnned egainft Heaven, and in thy Sight. In both which Places it is manifeft, that Heaven is put for the God of Heaven. And it is, probably, to this. Language of the Jews we owe that of Juvenal^ Nil prater nufas & cceli numen adorant. This Kingdom of Heaven, then, is the Kingdom of God ; which is, indeed, exceeding evident from this one Paffage in St. Matt. xix. 23, 24. Our Saviour, -having faid, in the firft of thefe Verfes, that a rich Man Jhall hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, in the next Verfe, repeats the fame Thing in thefe Words : // is eafier for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle, than for a rich Man io tnter into //fo Kingdom of God. Here the King- Scripture vindicated^ &c. 247 dom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God are moft manifestly one and the fame Kingdom. And it is as plain, that the Kingdom of Heaven^ or of God, is the fame with the Kingdom of Cbrijl. If we compare Matt, xviii. i. with xx. 21. and Mark x. 37. what, in the firft of thofe Places, is exprefied by the Kingdom of Heaven, in the fecond, is called the Kingdom of Chrift, and, in the third, bis Glory. It is, indeed, originally the Father's Kingdom, but by his Gift vetted in the Son ; and it is God that rules in Cbrift. This, to a Chriftian and a Scholar, one would think, fhould need no Proof. For the Sum of the whole Gofpel is con* tained in thefe Words, The Kingdom of Heaven [or, of God] is at Hand. It was in thefe Words, that not only John the Baptift, but our Saviour himfelf, and the Apoftles by his Command, began their Preach*, ing. And nobody, who confiders, can doubt, whether that Declaration be not perfectly equiva- lent to this, the Kingdom of ChrisJ is at Hand. No* body, I fay, can doubt of this, who obferves, what were the Expectations of the Jews, at that Time, or the Prophecies on which they were grounded. And the fame is evident by many cxprefs PafTages in the Gofpels. Let us but com- pare the parallel Places, in which the near Ap- proach of this Kingdom is foretold, Matt. xxiv. 33. When ye Jh all fee all thefe Things , know that it [or be} is near, even at the Doers. But (vcr. 37.) as the Days of Noe were, fo Jhall alfo the Coming of the Son of Man be. And the fame Words we have, Mark xiii. 29. How now is this exprefled in St. Luke, xxiii. 31.? When ys fee thefe Things 248 Scripture vindicated, 8cc. come to pafs, know ye, that the Kingdom of God is nigh at Hand. To thefe Proofs, let me add the Words of Tertullian, upon Luke xvii. 20. (When Chrift was asked of the Pharifees, when the Kingdom of Godjhould come, he anfwered them and faid, the Kingdom of God comes not with Obferva- tion.) Ne argument etur audacia b. 130. he does not only ufe this Expreffion, the univerfal invifible Church, or Kingdom of Chrift ; but ftiil more fully exprefles his Notion thus, the univerfal inviftble Church, or WHOLE Kingdom of ChrijL But, 2. The Queftion is not, Whether his Lord- fhip, or any others, allow the Expceffion of the Kingdom of Chrifl ever to have, in Scripture, any farther Meaning befides this of the Church ; but, Whether Scripture vindicated, &c. 251 Whether it ever, in any Place, has that. Which is what I have denied 5 not only by (hewing, it always hath fome other Senfe, but that it cannot have that ; becaufe the Definition of the Churchy being put in the Place of the Thing defined, that is, rAiTSSh @Aoi*.b/styot', in the Place of B*j7A t will not make Senfe. Here lies the Strefs of the Difpute. But all his Lordfhip could fay, he could not but be fenfible, would be to no Manner of Pur- pofe, unlefs he could bring fome 7V#/, where if can be plainly proved to mean the Church. This, therefore, he attempts, and, out of near an hun- dred and fifty Places, pitches upon four, which he thinks are decifive againft me , two out of the Gofpels, and two more out of St. /Ws Epiftles. Of thefe two laft, one is the noted Text, i Cor. xv. 24. then cometb the End, when he Jhall have delivered tip the Kingdom to God, even the Father. This Vext will give us little Trouble ; for his Lordfhip himfelfconfeffes, that &tA* here fignifies Christ 9 s Regal Dignity ; which is all I contend for. If it had fignified the Church here, it had been to his Lordfhip's Purpofe ; but fmce, by his own Con- feflion, it does not, whatever other Purpofe this Text may ferve, it concludes nothing againft me. His next 'Text is, Col. i. 13. where St. Paul, fpeaking of God the Father, hath thefe Words : Wbo hath delivered us from the Power of Darknefs, and hath tranjlated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. Here his Lordfhip is fure, the Church is meant by the Kingdom. But, if his Lordfhip were better acquainted with St. Paul's Style, he would be 252 Scripture vindicated, &c. be very fure this is not the Senfe of it ; and that this Expreffion, hath tranjlated us into the Kingdom of bis Son, is to be underflood of the ajfured Hope he hath, by calling us to the Gofpel, given us of this Happinefs ; by which we believe, that, if we fujfer with Chrift bere, we jhall reign with him here- after, when his Kingdom fhall be revealed from Heaven ; of which, while in this Life, we are Heirs only through Hope ; the Hope of eternal Life, Tit. i. 2. which in the next Chapter, Verfe 13. is itfelf called, the blejjed Hope ; looking for that bleffed Hope, and the glorious Appearing of the Great God, and our Saviour Jefus Christ. This is the lively Hope, to which St. Peter fays, God, through the Refurreftion of Chrift, hath begotten us again, i Pet. i. 3. Through the Strength of this Hope St. Paul anticipates the Joys of the other World, and fpeaks of what will be, with that Af- furance and Fulnefs of Faith, as if it already were. And this Figure of Speech he was very naturally led to, from what was the general Expectation of the Faithful, in thofe Times ; who not only firm- ly believed our Saviour's Promife, as what would, one Time or other, certainly be fulfilled, but lived in a perpetual Expectation of his Coming, and were as fenfibly affected with the near Profpect they had of it, as if he were already come ; as is evident from many Places in St. Paul's Epiftles 5 who found it neceflary to undeceive the fTheffalo*- wiam fo far, as to let them know, that it was by no Means certain, that the Day of Chrift was fo near at Hand ; and that there were Reafons, why. it might, and would be delayed, though he knew net; Scripture vindicated, &c. 253 not how long, God havingf referved the ^imes and the Seafons in his own Power. In this prefent State, our Life is hid with Chrift in God. But when ChriSf, who is our Life, Jhall appear, then/hall we alfo appear with him in Glory, Col. iii. 3, 4. And the Hope St. Paul had of this makes him de- clare, Rom. viii. 18. that the Sufferings of this pre- fent Time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which Jhall be revealed in the Saints ; which he reprefents the whole Creation impatiently long- ing for : The earneji Expectation of the Creature ivaiteth for the Manifestation of the Sons of God. v St. Paul was wrapped up in thefe fublime feraphick Thoughts ; and, full of the Contemplation of this glorious State, every-where fpeaks of thofe who are called to have Part in it, as if they were already admitted into it, and Faith were turned into Fruition. I mall give his Lordfliip but one Inftance, which will, at the fame Time, be a perfect Comment on the Text in Difpute, and fhew what is the true Senfe of it. Eph. ii. 5, 6. the Apoftle fpeaks thus : When we were dead in Sins, God bath quick- ened us, that is, reftored us to Life, together with Chrift, and hath raifed us up together, and made us fit together in Heavenly Places, in Cbrijt Jefus. Will his Lordfliip fay, that or Wij \**&viw here means the Church, becaufe we are not yet made actually to fit in any other Heavenly Places ? Or will he admit, that St. Paul here fpeaks by a Prohpfts, on Account of the Hope and Confidence we have in Chrift, that we fhall, when he appears, fit with him in the Heavenly Places, mail partake of that State 254 Scripture vindicated. Sec. State of Life and Glory which fhall then be Re- vealed ? Grotius has, in one Word, fully explained the Apoftle's Senfe here * Jus ad rem fepe rei no- men accipit. And by the fame Figure of Speech it is, that we are faid to be already tranflated by God into the Kingdom of his Son. And the Pa- rallelifm of thefe two Places deferves the more Re- gard, from the great Likenefs that funs through thefe two Epiftles ; which is fo great, that it is plain St. Paul wrote one, while his Thoughts were warm and full of the other j and, from thence*, the ExprefTions, that feem to be parallel, may be prefumed to have fallen from his Pen, not by Chance, but becaufe the fame Ideas were frelh in his Mind. If this be a true Account of this Text* then what his Lordfhip fays muft be the Senfe of it, I take the Liberty to fay, cannot be tfre Senfe of it* Which his Lordfhip might have feen from the Verfe immediately preceding, where the Apoftle fpeaks as if God had already made them Parta- kers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light ; which is exaftly the fame Figure of Speech, and what is as yet future, and in Hope only, is fpoken of as already done* But, perhaps, his Lord- fhip was not aware of this, becaufe St. Paul's Expreffion is, that God hath, made them meet to be Partakers iJ taraWn np< ; but that does not mean, hath made them meet now* to be Par- takers hereafter ; but, that he hath now made them fo ; as his Lordfhip might have feen by his Ufe of the fame Word, 2 Cor. iii. 6. of x) <^V^sr cu Atx&m, who hath made us meet to be Mini- Scripture vindicated, &c. fters ; that is, as it is well tranflated, who bath made us able Minifters. Nor is the Senie altered by the different Conftru&ion ; it had been exaft- ly the fame, if, inftead of c/WSraf, he had laid, < ? JtAAovia*, as "it is here in the Col. V # (**&&. 1 might add, for a farther Illuftration of this Place, that God hath tranflated us into the Kingdom of bis Son, in the fame Senfe as his Son is faid to have delivered us from the Wrath to come, i Thef. i. 10. agreeably to the Vulgate, qui eripuit nos. But, becaufe it is in the Original, fvlffyov, in the pre- fent Tenfe, I do not infift upon it. Nor is there, after what has been faid, any Need I fhould. But, that his Lordfhip may fee I am not fmgular in this Explication. I will ftiew him that the Greek. Interpreters underftood it in the fame Manner. Tbeopbylaft's Words are thefe : MSJA j? x) 71? 5*oy ?^w* \ar>fj^ftauA, ^ wp.Ga.ff7Mvato(Atv. And the fame Writer on the parallel Place in the Epbe- fians^ a.vTet &VA av'oi nS *u&le* ffi/K^iu'ovT-, furi^fuf *>(**<< ?&** $ <%** VOT? ** TB Qw Tvi*ytA$eus 7j(Mt> xp -re ns&a-nwv, $ ju# BAA'lT- 41 TOTSAN 3pt amvipw. We are taug-bt to give " to Rulers, and the Powers ordained by God, fucb Honour, as doth not hurt ourfehes. This is plainly faid, with Reference to the fame Place !' of Scripture vindicated^ &c. 267 v of St. Paul's Epiftle to the Romans (C. xiii. i.) " of which it is, indeed, too loofe an Interpreta- " tion. But it manifeftly mews, that there were " Cbriftians and Martyrs amongft the immediate * SuccefTors of the AposJles, who did not imagine " that St. Paul had obliged them to Subjection in " all pofiible Cafes, and who interpreted his Rules " about the Behaviour of Subjects, fo as to leave " them even GREATER LIBERTY than what is " given them in the foregoing Sermon. This ex- *' prefs Teftimony, with another from Origen (in " which his Lord/hip is as much iniftaken) makes it " (he thinks} highly probably that the Chrijiians of " the firft Ages did not interpret the Precepts of " St. Paul concerning Subjection to the higher Pow- *' ers, fo as not to allow the Lawfulnefs of Re- " Jtftame in fome Cafes. And, therefore, defires " to know, with what Juftice it can be affirmed, " that he has interpreted St. Paul contrary to the *' univerfal Voice of the ancient Church? p. 140. In this Paflage, his Lordftiip would perfuade us, that the primitive Chriftians were not all of a Mind, upon the Subject of Obedience to the Civil Pow- ers. That one of the carlieft is with him ; nay, is more loofe in the Explication of St. Paul, than himfelf, and allows the Subject greater Liberty ; and this in a Difcourfe with the chief Magiflrate, the Promnful, juft as he was going to the Flames, and with Defign to let him know his Senfe of the Obligations Chriftians are under to Magiftrates. All which is pure Miftake. Pofycarp had no Dif- courfe with the Proconfnl, about the Obedience due to Magiftrates i he was asked nothing about it, nor 268 Scripture vindicated, &c. nor had any Defign to make any Declaration, what his own Thoughts were on that Subject ; much lefs did he intend to give a particular Expli- cation of that famous Text of St. Paul : Nor can any Thing be a wilder Imagination than to fan- cy, that he has given too kofe an Interpretation of it. It is in vain, therefore, pretended from this Pafiage, that the primitive Chriftians were not all of the fame Mind, as to the Subject of Obedience to the Magiftrate. To know what St. Polycarp meant, we muft confider the Occaiion of his Words. He had been prefied, to prevent his being put to Death, to fwear by the Fortune, or Genius of the Emperor, to facrifice, to deny Cbrift, and the like. Polycarp would do none of thefe Things, and Declares he fa will not blafpbeme bis King and Saviour, whom be badferved to an extreme old Age. He could not give an active Obedience to fuch Commands, which were unlawful, and againft the Commands of God and Cbriffy and, therefore, could not be obeyed, without incurring the Divine Vengeance, and ever^ lading Punifhment. Afterwards the Proconful him- felf prefling him to fwear by the Fortune of the Emperor (which was a Criterion by which a Cbri- ftian was known from others) he anfwers him thus : If you prefs me to this, as wanting to know what I am, I tell you plainly, I am a Cbriftian and, if you would know what Cbriftianity is, ap- point a Day, and you mail hear. To this the Pro- conful replies, Speak to the People, * tnv TOV f/wy f perfuade them, if you can, (who were clamorous to have him put to Death.) To tfiis fylycarp an-? Scripture vindicated, 8cc. 269 fwtrs again : No, I do nor think them worthy of it ; but, if you pleafe* I think that Refpecl due to you , JitiMyuiS* j<), &c. For we are taugfrt to give to Principalities and Powers^ as being ordained by Gob all due Honour^ that will not hurt us. Poly- carp had refufed Compliance, in Things that were not lawful for him to comply in, and would not give undue Honours even to the Emperor 5 but, in other Things, (hews he has for Magiflrates, as the Ordinance of God, all due Refpeft. He fays this., plainly to mew, that what he had faid before, and the Conftancy with which he had refufed to fa ear by the Fortune of the Emperor^ that is, in other Words, to renounce Chriflianity^ was not the Effect of a fulJcn Obftinacy, or out of any Dif- refpect to the Emperor ; fo far from that, that he is ready to pay all due Honour to all in Autho- ' rity under him ; but with this Limitation, provi- ded it be confident with his Duty to God, and will not hurt him in that Refpecl, will not wound his Confcience, and expofe him to the Divine Vengeance. His Lordfhip might eafily have known, that this is the Senfe of B A A'n T E I N, in the Mouth of a primitive Chriftian^ much more of a Martyr. They did not think themfelves hurt by any Thing they could fuffer from Men, fuch as the Lofs of Goods, or Liberty, or even of Life itfelf, Thefe were not Evils, even in the Mouth of a Philofo- pher. Some Sec"ls even of them had that Con- tempt of all external Things, that they declared it was not in the Power of the World to hurt them. Thus Socrates tells his Judges, " That, in *' putting 2 7 6 Scripture vindicated \ See. " putting him to Death, they will not hurt him fd " much as themfelves : That Anytus and MelituSy " his Accufers, can do him no Hurt ; for it is " not* fays he, in the Power of an ill Man td " hurt a good one : They may procure my Death* " or Banifhment* or Difgrace, which others think " great Evils, but, for my Fart, I think them none. It is, in my Opinion, much mere an " Evil, to do what they are attempting, to take " away the Life of an innocent Perfon :" 'E^ V fi $ \tJiv BAA'^EI KT* Mi*/?-, 'KT? "Aft/7- ' *Ji $ AV A/~ v&iym' $ fifMU Stf-unv if) cl' ' BAA'nTE20AI. ^s^'m2 ft v * CU7It)i]il'VwjCU. Apoli Plat. p. 23. And, in the Clofe^ he fays, " he " promifes himfelf that Happinefs in Death* that " he could not be very angry either with his " Judges or Accufers, though they had not done ' what they did, with that Intention, but with a '* Defign to hurt him,*' aM.' oi'o/fyot BAA'nTlM 77. Thus the Divine Socrates : And the f^me Spifif was kept up by his Followers ; they thought the' Mind to be the Man, and Virtue to be the only Good. And, therefore* in their Opinion* nothing. was an Evil, nothing could hurt them* that did not corrupt the Mind, and take from them their Virtue. Shall now the Dlfciples of Socrates, fufl of the Virtue of their Matter, ift his Senfe, and after his Example, declare, it is notfuffering, but doing only, what is Evil, can hurt them ? An'd fliall Scripture vindicated, &c. 271 lhall we be fo degenerate, as not to underftand the lame Language, in the Mouth of the Difciples of the blefied Jefus, the primitive Chriftians ? Who, true to the Example of their great Leader, rejoiced that they were counted worthy to fuffer for his Sake, and efteemed all Things but Dung* as St. Paul exprefies it, Phil. iii. 8. that they might win Cbrift. The ancient Apologies are full of this noble Spirit, and {hew, that the Chrislians then not only equalled, but greatly exceeded the utmoft Philofopby could do, in Proportion as the Views and Hopes, they acted upon, were more certain, as well as more fublime. To be convinced of this, we need only read the latter Parts of the Apologies of Tertullian and Minutius Felix. But, for the Senfe of the Word QhA-flnv, in the Mouth of a Chriftian, nothing can be more full and appofite, than what we meet with, at the very Entrance of the larger Apology of Juftin Martyr ? where he fays to the Emperor, &c. to whom it is infcribed, Tou may kill us, indeed, but you cannot hurt us 5 for we can fuffer nothing that is really a Hurt to us, fo long as we do no III : 'H/KW* ' $ J\' i. Thus we fee, what his Lordfhip calls too kafg an Interpretation, and Allowing greater Liberty for Refinance than himfelf contends for, is really the Reverfe of it. The holy Martyr dares not pay idolatrous Honours to the Emperor, dares not re- nounce his Religion, will not give an aflive Obe- dience to any unlawful Command of Men ; bur, for 272 Scripture vindicated, &C; for a paffive Obedience, or a Non-rejtftance^ he fays nothing about it, in his Words , but, in his Ac- tions, (hews himfelf ready to fuffer every Thing an incenfed Magiftrate, and in Compliance with a more incenfed Mob^ can inflict upon him. He is fo far from diftinguifhing between Refifting and not Refiftingt with Refpect to temporal Things, and what relates to this Life, that he makes not the leaft Account of them. He has but one Thing in View, worth contending for , to pieafe God, and gain Cbrift. For the Sake of this, he fuffers pati- ently the Lofs even of Life, and rejoices in the very Flames. This was the Senfe of Tolycarp, and of all the other Martyrs of the ancient Church, indeed, of all the primitive Chriftiam ; who had no legal Rights to defend by Arms, if they would ; norj in the Circumftances and Sentiments they werej would they, if they could. They were perfuaded Refinance was not lawful, even againft a private Man who injured them ; in fo literal and ftric"l a Senfe, did they underftand our Saviour's Precepts, Matt. v. 39. But I fay unto jyfr#, that ye refift ntit Evily &c. Much lefs did they take it into their Heads that they might, in any Cafe, refill the Magiftrate, whom they looked on as God's Vice- gerent, and fet over them by his Appointment ; quern neceffe eft fafpictamus, fays fertullian, tit euto quern DO MINUS NOSTER elegit ; & merito 'dixerim, nofter eft magis C^SAR, / a noftro I)eo conjtitutus. Apol. c. 33. And c. 37. Male facer -e y male dicers^ male cogitare de quoquam ex scquo veta- non licet in Imperaforem, id nfc in Scripture vindicated, &c. 273 in quemquam. Quod in ntminem, eo for/it an tnagis nee in ipfum, qiii per Deum tantus eft. And yet, as far as Terfullian was from any Thought of re- filling the Magiftrate* he would no't, any more than Polycarp, give him the Honour that did not belong to him ; as may be feen in the 33 & 340. non enim DC urn Imperatorem die am, ye I quia mentiri nefcio Dicam plane Imperatorem Dominum ; fed quando non cogor, ut Dominum DEI vice dicam* And in his Scorpiace, c. 14. condixerat fcilicet Pe- trus Regem quidem honorandum^ ut tamen tune Rex honoretur, quum fuis rebus injiftit -, quwn a divints bonoribus longe eft -, quia & pater & mater diligen- tur ; cum Deo non comparabuntur. And this he fays^ while he has this Text in the Thirteenth of the Ro- wans full in his View, for he recites it, at large, but juft before. It is now, I hope, plain to the mearieft Capa- city, that nothing can be a greater Perverfion of Polycarp** Scnfe, than the Explication the Bifhop has given of it ; which is, indeed, all over Mif- take, and as oppofite to the Martyr's true Senfe* and that of the primitive Cbriftians in general* as Light and Darknefs are to one another. There is no Need, I think, of obferving, how unac- curately his Lordfliip has tranflated the Martyr's Words i we are taught to give to Rulers and tkt Powers ordained by God \ inftead of^ to Principalitits and Powers, as being ordained of God ; (but by th Way, thefe Words, Principalities and Powers, /hew that Polycarp had a Paflage of St. Paul to Titus in his Thoughts, as well as that in the Romans ; for the firft Verfe of the third Chapter of that Epiftte VOL. II. 3 274 Scripture vindicated, 6cc. begins thus, Put them in Mind to be fubjeft to Prin- cipalities and Powers, to obey Magistrates ; as it is alfo probable he had that of St. Peter, i Epift. ii. 17. Honour the King;) then *p rf by the fame Apoftle, that bids them, Honour the King ; no Honour that will hurt them (not as Men, not as free Men, not as poffeffed of certain Rights and Properties, but) as Chrifiians ; as the Servants of God, who, after Men have killed the Body, can deftroy both Body and Soul in Hell. The only Hurt the Martyr had in his Mind, or was at all afraid of, never once came into his Lordfhip's Thoughts ; as, on the other Hand, what his Lordfhip's Thoughts were fo full of, and fo intent upon, the Martyr did not think worth a Thought. Had his Lordfhip entered, in the lead, into the Sentiments of the primitive Chriftians, and known in any Degree, what Spirit they were of, he might have been fure, without feeing his Words, that St. Polycarp could not poflibly fay what he puts in- to his Mouth , or, had he confidered, with any Care, the Words themfelves, and what gave Oc- cafion to them, though he had known nothing of the Character and Sufferings of the ancient Cbri- ftians* he could not have put fo abfurd a Senfe upon Scripture vindicated \ &c. 275 Upon them : But, being full of his own Notions, neither the Plainnefs of the Words, nor the Spirit of the Writer, could hinder him from feeing in them what he had a Mind to fee, and putting up- on a Martyr a Senfe the fartheft pofllble from his own Thoughts. He is made by the Bifhop to de- clare for Rtfiftance, not only without his Will, but againft it ; and not only to declare for it, but to do this, in a more general and loofe Manner than himfelf. Even that Confederation, which alone would have alarmed another Man, could not make his Lordfhip fufpect he Was in the Wrong, or that he had miftaken the Marty r*s Senfe ; being re- folved that he fhall be of his Opinion, arid, as fuch, be ciced to bear Teftimony to him. After his Lordfhip's Book had been fomeTirrie publifhed, among other Things objected to it, this was one : That he had miftaken Polycarp's Mean- ing, and had made him a Witnefs for his Caufe, without any Colour of Reafon for it ; nay, when, undoubtedly, he was againft it. Upon this, in a fecond Edition of his Book, his Lordfhip pre- fixes a long Preface, in Defence of it ; and, having taken Notice of other Objections that had been made to it, at^>. 38, comes to this, concerning the Words of Polycarp. What Part now does his Lordfhip take on this Occafion ? Does he own his Mirtake, or plead Inadvertency ? Or give up the Paffage, upon fecond Thoughts, as making no- thing for him, and do Juftice to his Author ? No- thing like it. He ftifly defends what he has faid, and maintains his Interpretation to be true. He has, he fays, confidered it ferioufy and impartially ; S 2 2 j6 Scripture vindicated, &c. and fo fruitful is his Invention, that he is able to defend it by many Reafons ; where there neither is, nor poflibly can be, fo much as the Colour of one. Which, to fatisfy the Reader's Curiofity, are thefe : " It is objefted, that I have miftaken St. " Poly carp, p. 140. i. Be it fo, it is of fmall 41 Importance, if fo be I have not miftaken St. '* Paul. The Caufe I have undertaken will not fuf- " fer by this ; and, for myfelf, I am fure I was " not wilfully guilty of miftaking, or mifapplying what he faith in the Paifage referred to. 2. It " is manifeft, that, at a Time when it was for his " Intereft, and for the Intereft of the Chriflian Re- " ligion, that he mould fpeak as highly as pofli- * ble of the Obedience to Magtftrates, he is far from " reprefenting St. Paul, and the Cbriftian Religion^ " as fome Perfons have fmce done , but is content " with a very general and loofe Exprefiion con- cerning the Obedience required by it. 3. It is * manifeft, that, in the Paflage referred to, he ' hath Rom. xiii. i . in View ; and that this holy " Martyr thinks it fufficient to tell the Proconftd, ** that the Obedience taught and enjoined, in that " Pajfege, is, *? ut muft ftill be pf the fame Mind. I can have no Expectation, that any Thing in thefe Papers Ihould have any Weight with his Lordfhip, and have writ them, only to undeceive others, that plight be mif-led by him. And that, I hope, I have, in fpme Meafure, done, having gone through fo much of his Anfwer, as has any Shew of Learn- ing^ and meddles with Scripture^ and the Senfe of 2*x/J in the Original -, in the Interpretation of which, either his Lordfhip, or myfelf, is extremely unhappy , which, the Reader muft judge. As for the remaining Part of his Anfwer 9 it is either what I think may be fafely trufted with the Englifh Reader, or has already been fufficienjJy anfwered by others who have writ on this Subject * . What elfe there is, is only perfonal Cavil and Chicanery* upon fomething I have faid, without af- :* Thofe who want yet farther Satisfaction, upon the Points I have not entered into, will find more than I could have gi- ven them, in Mr. Rogers's excellent Review ; through which there runs fuch a Vein of clear and juft Reafoning, in every Parj: of it, that it makes one doubly feel that ftrange Want of {*%?:*, that is fo conspicuous in the Writers of the other Side. feeling Scripture vindicated, &c. 279 feeing the Merits of the Caufe. Of which Kind, whatever there is, I had rather it mould quietly poflefs what Credit it can get with thofe it can deceive, than be at the Trouble of refuting it ; having no Concern for Victory, but Truth. Here then I take my Leave of his Lordfliip, and of all that he has writ, or ever (hall write, in this Controverfy ; which, as managed on his Part, is the mod jejune and barren, the loofeft and mod trifling, the mod unnecefiary and un- profitable, that was ever brought upon the Stage. It is founded in Miilake, and iupported by Chi- cane ; it is built on nothing, and ends in nothing ; it looks on Learning as its Enemy, and difdains to be tried by Antiquity , the only pofllble Way of ending Controverfies, and retloring Unity, in Church-Affairs, where the Senfe of Scripture is difputed : But his Lordfhip will not fubmit his Caufe to be fo tried, but appeals, from Learning and Antiquity* to the unerring Judgment of the ILLHERATI of the prefent Times : And even there, fuch is his Caufe, he is far from having a Majority. Which yet is necefiary for the new Scheme ; nor will will that alone do : A Majority of Laity and Clergy of the better Sort muft be gained, before Arianifm and this new Independency can get the better of the ancient Faith and Confti- tution, and erect themfelves into an Eftablijhment. Which if our new Mafters would ferioufly confi- der, they would fee Reafon to be quiet ; and not move Heaven and Earth to effect an impoffible At- tempt. And if they had any Scnfe of what they owe to their Superiors, both in Church and State, $4 for 280 Scripture vindicated <> &c. for their Connivance and Indulgence, and the Eafe they thereby enjoy, unmolefted and undifturbed, jhey would in Gratitude think, that a Submiffion 0f Silence was due from them. Or, if they muft be filling all Places with their own Opini- ons, they would do it, not with that Rudenefs and Infult upon the Conftitution, as if the Num- bers and the Power were already with them -, but with Modefty and Pecency ; and in fuch a Man- ner, as to convince all equitable Judges, that they are adled by no other Motives but the Love of God and Truth. And fuch I mail always wifh rnay be diftinguimed from thofe who take the fame Liberties, without any Spark of the fame Virtues. But one Thing \ would beg Leave to remind them of : That they are, in fome Meafure, an- fwerable for all the ill Confequences of the like Liberties taken by worfe Men (which, in ill Hands, quickly degenerate into the groffdl Errors, and the greateft Licentioufnefs) as they have fet the Example , much more, if they are themfelves ac- eeflary to fuch Abufes j and either openly, or fe- cretly, abet and encourage ill Men to do what they do not think it fafe or decent to do them- felves, in order to make a Party, and ftrengthen themfelves by fuch Profelytes, or Advocates ; which Strength is, indeed, mere Weaknefs. They mould Jikewife confider, that not to difcourage alj they can, in others, the pernicious ExcefTes of thofe Li- berties wfrich they are concerned to have con- nived at in themfelves, is really to encburage them : Qui non iictat., - cum pot eft, jubet. Thefe Re- flexions, Scripture vindicated^ &C. 281 flexions, which the prefent melancholy State of Things, with Refpeft to Religion, fuggefts to me, I cannot but recommend to the ferious Confidera- tion of all thofe, who, however they 'may differ with us, upon fome Points, heartily wifh well to the Caufe of Virtue and Religion. And let not any wonder at fuch Advice, from one who has been thought no Enemy to Liberty. A little Ex- perience may convince Men, that the fame Thing, at different Times, is not the fame. The Liberty, I am now fpeaking of, is, at fome Times, in fuch Diftrefs, that it is exceeding difficult to gain the lead Room for it. It is like moving a vaft Weight up Hill, fo great is the Oppofition it labours to furmount. Such was the Spirit of the Times, no: many Years fince ; when there appeared a Difpo- fition to proceed with extreme Rigour againft fome, who are now far enough from any fuch Danger. To try to moderate fuch a Spirit, though, perhaps, a fruitlefs Labour, yet was it not uncom- mendable. Good Nature, and Friendmip, and a Love of Truth, and a Defire to promote Know- ledge, and a Zeal for the Honour of God, and an Abhorrence of what looked like Pcrfecution for Righteoufnefs Sake, pight make it, then, be thought reafonable and honourable, to plead the Caufe of Liberty. But the Spirit of the Times foon altered to the oppofite Extreme. Then the fame Liberty, being put again into Motion by a bold Hand, which be- fore had been labouring flowly on in vain, took large Steps, and has, fince that Time, advanced from Strength to Strength, with that Violence, that nothing 282 Scripture vindicated. See. nothing now can Hand againft it. Impatient of Delay, it knows no Checks, no Bounds ; it bears down all before it with Force impetuous : From fmall Beginnings it is grown to fuch a Head, that it wants Reftraint now much more than before it did Encouragement ; and is fo big with Evils, that every Day we feel the dire Effects of it. To oppofe Liberty, thus degenerated, is as confident with being a" Friend to it, while kept within Bounds, as it is to extinguijh Fire, when it threatens nothing but Dellruftion ; though nothing be more worth preferving, or more ufeful to human Life, when under due Reftraints. Let not, then, the the Advocates of this Liberty confound together Things the moft unlike. It is this boundlefs Li- berty we complain of, which has laid wafte Reli- gion far and wide, and has fpread through all Ranks of People a Contempt of every Thing that Kfacred; which if fome Stop be not put to, OMI- NARIHORREO $UM FERAT. Here I had ended, in Defpair of feeing Things foon in a better State, when, behold, on a fudden a moft agreeable Surprize ! Our drooping Hopes are very unexpectedly revived by an ORDER of Council, for fupprejjing, in the moft effectual Manner, all Profanefi, and every 'Thing that tends to the Cor- ruption of Principles and Manners ; upon Informa- tion given to his MAJESTY of Societies form- ed, on Purpofe to carry on fuch wicked Ends- In this Order it is 1 declared, to the great Joy of all good Men, Wat Ms MAJESTY has nothing more Gt Heart, than to maintain the Honour of Goal, fo impcujly ft ruck at ; and that he is determined to Jhem Scripture vindicated, &c. 283 foe w all Marks of Difpleafure and Difcouragement to any who lie even under the Sufpicion of fuch de- teftable Practices ; and will ufe all the Authority God has committed to him, to punijh, with the ut- moft Severity, and moft publick Ignominy, fucb enormous Offenders ; and crujh fuch Jhocking Impieties, before they increafe, and draw down the Vengeance of God upon the Nation. If this ORDER be executed with a Vigour proportioned to the juft Relentment his MA- JESTY has exprefied on this Occafion, we may hope thefe monftrous Impieties will foon have an End. But that is not all that this feafonable and vigorous Interpofition of the Royal Authority, in the Caufe of God and Religion, gives us Room to hope for : His Majefty's Commands, to deleft and profecute with Vigour all Profanefs, will, we hope, ftrike a Terror into other Offenders in that Kind ; and ftop profane Pens, as well as Tongues, who are perpetually poifoning the Youth of the Nation from the Prcfs ; and have, for fome Time pail, in the moft impious and blafpbemous Manner, infulted and ridiculed the moft facred Principles of our holy Faith, the Authority of the Scriptures, the My- fteries of the Gofpel, the Rites and Sacraments, the Doctrines, Discipline, Worfhip, and Miniftry, and whatever elfe makes a Part of the Chrijlian Inftitution. Since the prefent Diflra5Hon of the publick Affairs has not hindered the KING from taking into his Confideration the Suppreffing one one Sort of Rlafphemtrs, we may hope, when Things are a little more fettled, his Attention will be turned with with no lefs Indignation towards thefe 284 Scripture vindicated \ 8cc. thefe other ; and that his Parliament will be ready to do every Thing neceflary, on their Part, to ftrengthen his Hands againft fuch Offenders ; who cannot be content to be without all Senfe of Religion themfelves, unlefs they can corrupt a whole Nation, or the Toutb, that are the Hopes of it. Such Men are, of all others, their Coun- try's greateft Enemies, and moft juftly deferve to feel its Vengeance. One of whom feems to have dedicated his whole Life to the Caufe of Irrdigwn \ and, though he was, on that Account, many Years ago, forced to quit one Kingdom, he is perpetually, by the fame wicked Practices, pro- voking the fevered Refentments of another. Had he dared to act the fame Part, in any other Na- tion under Heaven, he would long fince have had his Reward. BRITAIN is the only Country* where Men may openly propagate Irreligion with Impunity; I fhould fay, ENGLAND, for SCOTL AND will not bear it : It is a Reproach peculiar to ourfelves, which it is high Time mould be wiped off, if we have any Regard to the Glory of God, the Honour of the King*s Government, or our own national Happinefs 5 which, other- wife, I know not how foon it may pleafe God, in his juft Anger, to take from us. EPISTOLA EPISTOLA C R I T A D I C A AdEruditiffimumVirum H.B. S.E.I. In qua omncs dotiffimi BENTLBII in PHJB- DRUM Notae atque Emendationes expen- duntur. Viro Eruditiflimo atque Amiciffimo H. B. S. E. I. S A L U T E M. UM deftinaflem Animadver* fionum libellum in Ph notis daturum. Et tamen in prjma etiarp fabu|a fui oblitus pro Bur- .mannianalectioneni aljam dedip : Burmapnus enim, non face, qupmodo Pithceus edi^it, quern plures alii deipceps fecuti funt ; fedfauce, quas Remenfis codicis leclio eft ? a Guyeto, Heinfip, Qudio, Fa- ^ro, Jac. Grpnovip, aliifque docliffimis Viris, ilia alcera melior habita. Et fie Romulus. Seel l}a- rum lectionum neiitra Bentleio placet : cum enim incitatus, inquit, dixeris, intelligas oportet affeftu ftiauo yel agpetitu. Ille igitur conjecluram am- Epiftola Critica, &c. 297 pledlitur Ritterfhufii, & reponit Fame ; cum ve- LIB. L ro prsecefierit, fiti compujfi, cui paulo attentius hasc legenti placere poflit tarn fubita^/zV mfamem converfio ? quod fi guld incitatus itnproba, dicere li- ceat, quod nemo, opinor, negaverit, cur non & fauce ? Cur, jnquity turbulent am fee ifti mibi ^ Iftam bibenti ? Vett. Editc. Cur, inquit, turbulentam tnihi fecifti IJlam bibenti ? quomodo codices habuerint, nee Gudius, nee Rigaltius dixere. minor igitur unde 3. dicat fie libros fcriptos habuifle. Ego quidem crediderim aquam ab iis abfuifle. alias enim, cur recentiores omiferint, non video ; fed interea cer- tum eft iftam fine aquam dare non pofle, cum pne- ceflferit, rivum : pneterea nee vox ipfa placet ; fi enim lupus loquutus eflet c/Vi*7/x^, non iftam fed jbanc dixiflet. Sic igitur in libris fuiffe fufpicor mi- hi fecifti aquam bibenti. cum vero aquam compendio forte fcriberetur am, ex his literis & ultimis verbi prsecedentis Libraries fecifle iftam : veram autem loci ledlionem hanc efife, Cur, inquit, turbulentam fecifti mibi Aquam bibenti ? Et hanc Jectionem firmant cum Anonymus, turn Romulus. B. cetera fe refte ha- bere putans, iftam mutatum vult in obftans : quod immane quantum fcriptione ab iftam recedit, nee fenfu fans commodum videtur, cum obftans aliquid majus dicat, quafi agnus vi quadam & magno cum molimine fe Jupo opponeret. Sed huic lectioni Vir doctiff. cenfet Neveleti Grascum favere, Fab. 232. (1. 233.) Ay'*" Stj H7j&p*t A*j"7a. TB yui diffolutos mores vi c ompefc e ret. HoogftratanusL i B. I. verfum hunc, Rigaltium fecutus, pofuit poft V. 22. II. 12. fed hanc illi fedem aflerunt & Anonym. -& Ro- mulus. mijjum quod fubito vadi j . Motu fonoque terruit pavidum genus, fie Cod. Rem. recte, opinor : miffwn eft emiffum ; diftin- guendum vero videtur poft fubito, ut fit adverbi- um ; qua forma, fubito Phsedro in frequent! ufu eft ; alias enim quod ante miffum poni deberet, quod metrum corrumperet. atque hanc leftionem pro- bant Rigalt. Heinf. Scheff. Gud. J. Gron. alii. B. leftionem alteram ampleftitur, vadis. fed nufquam alias Phsedrus vada dixit, & mumw-nyi merito vi- deri poffit, nifi prsecefllflet, liberis paludibus : Ano- nym, aliam le&ionem exhibet. miffum quod fubito* levi motu fonoque^ quse forfan non contemnenda. Hoc merfum limo cum jaceret diutius, i. e. cum tigillum aliquamdiu Ibni motufque expers jacuiflct, l * nee quicquam metus de novo iis incuteretur, tan- dem una caput extulit. quo quid apertius ? B. ta- men locum ab eruditis omnibus haftenus intaftum vitii arguit, & ad hunc modum rcfingit, Immerfe limo cum laterent diutius. quo non mo- do omnis loci elegantia tollitur, fed & ratio, quac tandem ex iis unam impulit, ut caput timore po- fito proferret. fed ad hanc emendationem tuen- dam Vir. doctiff. duos teftes idoneos allegat, qui hanc rem eodem modo narrant. Alter eft Graj- cus Nevelcti ; Fab. 1 70. Sv'\ot> ; * AI'^WK ^^x*, ^ j PAT&XI T ^' 'BfiZ'nv (B. omifit TB ^u) &T&T\it'}*vTK f 4oer, V TO. geis* ? M'/XW Ihw. cur vero hie fubfiftit Vir doftifT. ? in teftibus requiritur, ut ni- hii 3 2 Epiftola Critka^ &c. L i B. I. hil reticeatur, quod ad caufam attinet. audiamus .igitur, quid Grascus porro dicat. "T&&V $ etc 3 A K I N H T O N v n %v>>oy y a.yttfun'nt els nfvtvv &* eat ctvovTtS CM/TO tSt 'AITINHTON nV TO t>W, cum lignum immotum jaceret -, quid melius cum Phaedri verbis convenire poffit, aut aptius fententiam eorum red- dere ? tantum igitur abeft, ut Grascus Bsntleii emendationem firmet, ut contra plane evertat. Quod dicit Gr. ranas in -prcfunda paludis fe abdi- diffe^ hoc Phaedrus, brevitatis mire ftudiofus, omit- tendum putavit, fatifque habuit dicere, terruit pa* vidum genus. . Alter fane teftis difertius loquitur, Anonym, nempe Fabulator : Ille enim haec ipfa fere habet quas Vir doclifl". repofuit, merfe lima cum laterent ; fed Graeca forte fabula, vel fua ip- fius infcitia Anonymum in errorem induxit, U putaret Hoc in Phasdro non ad tignum, fed ad ge- nus referendum effe. laterent vero librarii forfan culpa eft pro jacerent^ cum in verborum principiis faepe /. &j. mifceri foleant. autoritas certe ejus non tanti facienda, recentis & obfcuri gloffatoris, ut a conftanti cod icum left ione multa immutando recedamus, nifi fenfus quoque 8c mens loci idem fuadeant ; quse hie, ni fallor, ftant a recepta lec- tione. Sed objicit Vir doftiff. - qiwmodo mergi potuit lignum aqua levius ? aut ft femel Hmo tnerfuw ft, cur non ibi permanfit ? fed has objectiuncul* fa- cillime diluentur, fi ponamus limum vcl tam craf- fum, vel tam parum altum, ut lignum non penitu's demerfum vel fubmerfum effct, fed ita merfum, ut fakem parte fiii aliqua extaret, vel forfan tota fu- periori fuperficie e Hmo rantillum emincret. Quis non Epijlola Critica, &c. 33 non in ftagnis prope exficcatis, vel aliis ccenofisLiB. I. locis ad fluviorum ripas hoc centies vidit ? Lignumque fupra turba petulans infilit. En al- 20. terum ejufdem negligentiae, nifi^id dedita Opera fecerit, quam ad primam fabulam notavi, exem- plum ! Burmannus enim non tignum quod eft ab Heinfio, fed Lignum^ quomodo habent Ccrdices ; ad quod hsec Scheff. prorfus eleganter ; non tigil- //, ut ante, vel tignum appellat, (fed) voce vi- liori, ut oftendat, quam contemptus fuerit rex ille a ranis. Schefferum recoquit B. Codex, ait, uter- que Lignum. refte. Rex ille tot modis fpretus, contemptus, etiam vocabulo ut Ligneus faftiditur. Tignum vero majeftatis quid habet, prse illo al- tero Parvum tigillum. Tantine vero fuit SchefFe- rum exfcribere, ut Burmanno falfam leftionem affingeret, quo huic annotation! locum faceret ? addit, Gr repone igitur, inquit, Os devoratum fauce cut hcnrebat lupus, vel po- tius, Os devoratum fauce cum btereret lupo. At quorfum hasc correct io ? num is vel ille requiri- tur, ut ambiguitas aliqua tollatur ? num alius pne- ter lupum eft, ad quern Viclus trahi poflit ? nonne fimilis prorfus locus, V. 3. i. ? Calvi momordit mufca nudatum caput : Qucm opprimere captans En caput calvi ! ut hie fauce lupi -, cur non ibi quoque Vir docliff. repofuit c afoo ? Pro quo cum paRum flagitaret premium. Sic Virg. i o. ^n. III. 604. PRO QJJO ft fieleris tanta eft in- juria notfri, Spargiie we in fluStus. Anonym. A U 3 quo -Epiftola Critic*, &c. L*B. I.' quo cum pacfum ; quod reponit B. fl enim pro hie admittitiir, utique reponendum erit pro qua y fcilicet medicma. Icane vero ? nonne Gruis fla-i- t> r tabat prsemium pro eo, quod medicinam lupo fe- ciflct ? rectius igitur quam jarf, quoniam non pro medicina firnpliciter, fed pro eo quod felicitef medicinam adhibuiflct, 'prasmium deberetur. E- mendatio igitur hie minime necefTaria, & fie re perpenfa cenfuit docliflimus Burmannus. *2- ore qute noflro caput .Iwpune abftuleris. Pro ex vel abs ore, inquit SchefF. preepofitionem omittit ob verbum fubfe- quens, cui vis ejus ineft. Sed conftru vel intuemur. fie iv. 21. 21. db- fentis admirator tnaximtts. & Hi. 18. 3. cunftis avi- bus admirabilem ; fi locus fanus fit, de quo eft quod dubites. at fimplex tnirari, fere fignificat tantum rei infolentiam, vel quod prater expeftationem acciderit. ut iv. 17. 14. MIRARI ftbi legatos non revertier. Sic enim legendum videtur, non mirati. Utjlia tnibi profuerint, qu quomodo jam video effe & in Danielis co- dice, & in Wiffenburgcnfi : atque hanc leftionem reponit B. 9 At Hie ftulius, dum vult vocem qftendere. Cum Jtultus nullo codice nitatur, ejiciendum. Codd. ha- bent, dum eliam vult. Si inverfis verbis legas, dum wilt etiam, verfjs erit optimis numeris, At tile, dum VULT ETIAM vocem oftendere. Cur B. diverfum verborum ordinem elegerit, nefcio. fie enim ille, At Epiftola Crltica, &c. 315 At ilk DUM ZTIAM VOCEM vuLT oftcndere. E-Lis. L legantius certe eft, ut verba disjungantur, & o/^/o- 7t*w'v concurfus vitetur ; adde quod in dum ctia/n ingrata fit elifio. Hac re probatur, quantum ingenium valet ; 14* Virtute & femper prcevalet fapientia. Hi verfus, five Latinitatem, five numeros, five fententiam fpectes, tarn aperte fpurii funt, ut mirer erudites non uno confenfu confixifTe. Ego certe dudum induxeram, & jam video idem de iis fenfifle Guye- turn & Heinfuim, quibus accedit B. de iis tacens. nee parva eft fufpicio verHas hos a mala mana e(Te, quod hoc pacto eadem Fabula duplex haberet n/ui/sx contra perpetiuim Phsedri mofem , quod ab Heinfio etiam obfervatum eft. Malus cum futor inopia deperditus. PeffimurnjXIV. I inquit B. habcmus hie Librariorum facinus. Quis enim, cui ullus Latinitatis fenfus eft, ne dum Ph- drus, fie loquatur, inopia deperditus. Quid igitur ? nullufne Latinitatis fenfus fuit fummis illis Viris, Gronovits, Fabris, Heinfiis, quibus tantum debent Latinae Literae, qui omnes haec faniffima cfle pu- tarunt ? SeJ ad rem, quid eft quod in hac locu- tione rcprchendat ? nonne optime dicitur amore^ luxu, perditus ? Nonne Cicero dixit, Egetfate psrditus ? quidni igitur inopia perditus ? quod fi perditus^ cur non deperditus^ cum de vim fim- plicis verbi folum intendat ? cur, cum dicatur amore deperditus^ non Phasdro etiam liceat com- pofito uti, metro id pofcente ? quod Schcffcro adeo non difplicuit, ut elegqntcr dictum putaret. nul- lum igitur hie Librariorum facinus ; pura puta eft PhaeJri ipfius manus. Sed videamus jam quid ejus loco Vir doftifl". fuffecerit : iJJi utique certum eft Jcgendum 316 Epiftola Critic** LIB. I. legendum effe protcrritus. PJautus enim dixit bine proterritum, & Ter. proterruifti bine. Miror au- tem Virum doftiff. non obfervaffe, utroque Icco addi bine, quod oftendit, unde fmt proterriti, & perfonas etiam, a quibus. hie vero apud Phsedrum nihil fimile. Prasterea proterrere eft, de fubito, tre- pidum & perterritum loco pellere ; quod ab hoc loco alienum. deperditus igitur, nifi novas quafdam machinas Vir doctiff. adhibeat, de fede fua non proterrebitur. 9. Hoc bibere jufjit ipfum pofito pr^mio. Hoc abeft a codicibus -, laboranti aatem verfui eruditi variis modis fuccurrerunt. alii enim hoc addunr, non male ; alii obbibere, alii turn bibere. Richterus ebibere. Et hoc repofuit B. tacitc Richteri no- mine. Sed hoc minus placet, cum in hujufmodi narrationibus fimplici bibere uti foleant, uc oftendit Jac. Gronov. ex Juftino & Livio, & fie alias Phse- drus tribus aut quatuor locis. Neque fane putan- dum eft regem eo verbo ufum fuifie, & dixifle, ebibe, fed bibe ; alterum enim fervulorum tan turn aut congerronum, fe liberius invitandum. Ego quidem, cum nullus frequentior librariorum error fit, quam qui ex omiffione fyllabse gcminandse ori- tur, toxicum vero immediate prsecedat, legendum efle combibere fufpicatus fum, quod jam video Bur- manno etiam placuhTe, qui hanc leflionem non parum firmat his Horatii verbis i Od. 37. 27. Ut atrum Corpore combiberet venenum. ubi percommode accidir, ut ibi de veneno pariter, ac hie, agatur. Sed & alia ratione & forfan veriore verfus emen- dari poteft, fi pro pofito legamus propojito, cum pofterius Epijlola Critica, &c. 317 pofterius a priori in MSS. nequaquam differat, nifiLiB. I, quod p gemino fcribatur. Si haec vox reftituatur, & in principio fedem habeat, verfus pulcherrime incedet, Propofito bibere jujjit ipfum pramio. fie V. 5. 5. Propofito cunttos invitavit prasmio. ' Hoc pertinere vere ad illos dixerim. if* Quorum ttultitid qu rojlro tuo. & juvat, quod jam videam Ncvelctum & Meurfium idem fcntiro. Effvgere ve Uct : q.uas funt rofuri. legendum forteyfo/. Anonym. >uas illi erant rofuri^ tolas devores. XXIII. Verum peritis inrilos tendit dolos. B. una litera 2. mutata, Rerum pen 't is \ quse fane correctio prima facie fe plurimum commtrndat : quod fi pcnitius infpicias, qurenam ejus neceflitas ? quia peritis, in- quit, abfoJute poficum difTertiffimo audori non convenit.' Et verum quidem eft peri t us rarius abfolute pom", quod tot fere Periling genera fint, quot rerum ; fed ubi vel ex verborum oppofitione, vel locorum circumftantiis, fatis elucet de qualL/>- ritia agatur, nihil turn vetat abfolute poni. & cum pcritus^ turn imperitus hoc modo abfolute poni poffe, bene multa exempla ex optimis fcriptoribus docent. fie hoc in loco cum pnrcefTerit ftultus^ quis nefcit, quid velit peritus ? nee video, cur non pari jure abfolute dicatur vir perilus, ac vir experiens. de quo nemo tamen litem movcrit. Sed nee alters vox ijeruw noftro arridet : Scd ideo, opinor, dif- plicet, ut emendationi locus fit. Verum enim ex iis verbis eft, quas abfque fententtae difpendio plu- rimis in locis vel adefle, vel abefle poflunt. Sed aliud eft, quod facit, ut hanc emendationem minus probem ; quid enim eft canis rerum peritw ? quod tamen Fabula poftulat, ut ew^vSiV conveniat. An cibo pcffit capi. Sic quidem MSS. fed Ritterm. mutavit in poJJ'et, & fie omnes quas vidi editt. ut poffit in Burm. pro typographi errore habuerim. rcponit igitur B. poffe t. Heus, fh inqttity linguam vis tneam pr multum fdhris. lilud A Epiftola Critical &c. 325 /, inquit B. ab Heinfio additum eft ; abeft a ma- LIB. I. nufcriptis, & merito ; fi diftin&ione fententiam ad- juves. Quis non putaret illud Jt occupafie omnes cditiones poft Hcinfium, & diftinctionem ab ipfo profectam effe, interrogandi fc. notam poft domi- ni? Schcffdrus tamen non modo, quam nofter ve- lic, Icctionem exhibet, fed & diftinctionem. quas tamen diftinctio ncquaquam neceiraria ; adeoquc Jac. Gronovius in editione fua poni noluit, quo- cu/n ipfe fentio , falfius enim videtur canis furem irridere diftinflione altera. Heus, intelligo quid veils ; v/j, ut ne Iatrem y fed muhumf aliens. In prato quodam rana confpcxit bovem. Redliffi- XXIV me, inquit B. Hcinfius, in prato quondam, idem 2. ipfe ad libri mei marginem adfcripferam, cum Phsedrus, ut dixi ad 15. 4. non foleat quidam no- minibus fubftantivis adjungere, quod fententiam nihil adjuvet. Quis major effet. illi dixerunt bovem. Tolle hunc verficulum, inquit B. utpote fpurium, & ^K xj t uiMl&. Quis major de duobus, pro uter ma- g jor. Bis quidtm vcl ter in tota Latinitate Quis fie accipitur, fed loca mendi fufpcfta funt. Nonne base fatis pro imperio ? mcum quidem non eft de tota Latinitate pronuntiare ; hanc laudem iis relinquo, qui in ftudiis hifce confenuerunt. Sed ut Grasce W pro 7*&v fspe dicitur, lie Latine quis pro uter licere dicere, abunde conftat. Ex- emplum ex Apulcio adducit ad locum Scheffer. Et plura dat Pricasus, ad quern rcmittit ; fed loca ifta noftro omnia mendi fufpefta funt : Sed unde hoc evenit ? pone in codicibus variari, & in aliis legi quit, in aliis uter ; utrum, qujcfo, veri fimi- X 3 lius Epijlola Critica, &c. LIB. I.lius, uter a librariis vel fciolis in quis mutari, aut guts in uter ? pofterius certiffime omnes asqui harum rerum judices exiilimabunt. Scd quid dicetur ad illud Virgilii, JEn. 12. 658 ? Quos genera* vocet ? quod adduxic Pricasus; ubi Servius, quo s pro utros. quid ad notifllma ilia Lu- cani, (quern fcriptorem nofter nuper in deliciis habuit, & totus deperibar, cum defubito alio af- fe&u abreptus, excufib Lucano, in medio opere, ad Terentium omnes curas fuas tranftulit) quid inquam vir doftiff. reponet ad ilia Lucani ? Quisjuftius induit arrna^ Scire nefas. Caefar nempe, an Pompeius ? quid denique ad base ipfius Phaedri ? III. 13. 14. Apertum eji^ quis non pcjjit, aut quis fecerit. A- pefne an Fuci ? fed exemplum his etiam diiertius, & ad locum de quo agitur, propius multo acce- dens, etiam Ph^drus habet, IV. 23. i. Formica & mufca contendebant acriter^ QUM PLURIS ESSET. ovum, opinor, ovo non fimilius, quam Qunge certe flicilius de tola Latinitate pronuntiare, quam idoneis argumentis pronuntiata comprobare. Quam iniquum vero eft, ut quis eo ufque fe in ve- terum Scriptorum Cenforem erigat, ut integros verfus deleaf, aut fpurios pronuntiet, quia Jevis ilium de locutionis Latinitate fufpicio incefferit ? Quis ad infanam hanc licentiam non exhorrefcit ? Cum tali cenfore, judicium tarn temere de vete- rum fcriptis ferente, Viri in re Literaria Principes nunquam fentient, nee pro illius arbitrio hxc Phsedro abjudicabunt. Sed ut ad pofteriorem ver- ficuli hujus partem veniam, nee ilia noftro placet. pro Epiftola Critica, &c. 327 pro bovem, inquit, alius dixififet, Bos. ut Horat.LiB. I. Art. Poet. 328. poterat dixifle,, Triens ? Eu ! * Rem poteris feruare tuam. Incredibile profec"lo eft, ut quis base follicitet, in quibus nihil eft, quod vcl levifiima fufpicionis caufa fit. dixerunt bovem 9 efle fc. majorem. aeque bene dicitur, dixerunt bo- vem, vel bos eft. Sed hac occafionc liceat Horatii locum emendare, quo base ipfa fabula narratur, quern Vir doftiff. infigniter corrupit. Ilia rogare, Quant ane ? num t ant urn , fufflam fe, magnafmffet ? Major dimidio. Num tantum ? cum magis 9 atque Se magis inflaret ; non^fi te ruperis^ inquit, Par eris. Cum Vir doftiff". ex codicibus cetera reftituiflet, ad base verba, Major dimidio^ haze ha- bet. " Illud quod jam difturus fum, nefcio an " auftori ipfi fit vitio vertendum. Qua enim veri " fpecie aut decori ratione, rcfpondet hie ranula, " Major DIMIDIO ? An credibile hoc aut me- " morabile eft, ranam vel prima fufflatione di- " midio duntaxat minorem bove vifam effe ? " Quid fict ? an ipfum Flaccum hujus culpse dam- " nabis ? an ob magnas multafque ejus Virtutes did locupletesftudcnt. Quis i veterum fie locutus eft ; effe conveniens potejt, pro convenit ? nihil certe infulfius, nee bac res pro bee fabula eft ex Phsedri more. Hos igitur verfus pu- to ab eadem eflfe mala manu cui debemus duos il- los inficetos in fine Fab. 1 3. & eadem viri do&ifT. eft fententia, qui infuper addit, fabulam non iia convenire, qui diet, fed qui effe locupletcs ftudent ; fed quam infirmum hoc argumentum putem, vi- dcbis iis qua dixi ad 5. 7. Invent^ & violavit quia manes decs, ad hsec B. 4. Codex unus violat t alter, violarat. Retinendum hoc pofterius, quod jure Gudio & Burmanno pla- ccbat. Quid vero fibi vult hsec nota ? nonne ipfe Barm, in editione quam ex profeflb nofter fequi- tur, violarat legit ? ut inutili notse locum faceret, videturVir dodtilT. dedita opera violavit pro wWj* rat in citando Barman ni textu pofuiffe. Ptxnas ut fanff* Religionipenderet. Sic. IV. 10. 4. Repente vocem fanfta mi/it Religio. Sic. Virg. (^^ JEn. III. 363. Namque omnem c urfum mibi profpera di.-. RELLIGIO. o conceptual & educatus tfercore. Et & ver- n. fum iinpcdit, & de fcntentiae emphafi atque ele gam: a nonnihil dctrahit, ideoque ad libri mei mem d^lcveram. ominc etiam B. NiJcque pofuit pul/is, efcam ut carperent. Dif- XXVIII t. .:.aum, opinor, non poft pul!is y fed poft ef- 4. 336 Epiftola Critica, LIB. I. cam 5 carper ent vero eft pro difcerperent, fimpJex! pro compofito, quod Pha^dro frequens. Heinfius maluit, carperet. vide autem quid ad hsec B. Sj,- ut oportet, poft pofuit fubdiftinguis, (quo tamen modo nemo diftinguendum putavit) fyntaxis eft vitiofa. Sic igitur ille reponit, Nidoque pofuit^ pullis ut efcam conderet. Condere cibos> fruffus, frumentum, inquit, faepe habemus. Qus exempla pro more haufit ex Scephani The* fauro. unde factum eft ut eodem, quo Stephanus ordine pofuerit, fecundum Alphabet! feriem, nee alia, quam quae ille, exempla attulerit. fed vidc% quam parum haec emendatio loco conveniat. Ni- do pofuit) i. e. condidit, ut conderet ; lepide mt>- hercle. Hofti dolorem damno mifcens fanguims. Hc cor- ruptifiima efle pnma fronte fe produnt, inquit B. Ego vero cum doctifllmis viris iana efle contendo. mifcens eft parans^ inftruens, tranflatione fumpta a potionibus. Cic. Tufc. IV. 36. Major mihi moles ^ majus mifcendum malum, ex antiqua, forte Accii, Fabula. Haec vere & erudite Gronov. Sanguinis autem eft prolis^ nempe fua, ut recle Rigak. Hofti, AquilGi Vulpes dolorem creare vult, id eft, hoftem ulcifci, damno etiam prolis fuse. Quod ut fenfit Aquila y incolumes natos vulpi reddidit^ Heinf. co- dici fuo adfcripferat legi pofle, Hofti dolor em damno ulcifcens fanguinis. Et Ovidii locum adfcripferat, Qua proprii damno fanguims ulta mrum eft. Sed poftea earn conjecturam induxit. in Ovidii autem verfu, (quod obfervat Burm.) fcribendum erat, Quce Socn damno fanguims ulta virum eft. Ovid. Rem. v. 60. His addit Burm. locum ex Valerio M-ix. Eplftola Critka, &c. 337 Max. II. 10. 2. ubi dolorem ulcifci dicitur. His LIB. I. fubfidiis adjutus Vir doctifiT. hanc nobis emendatio- nem excudit. Proprii dckrem damno uhifcens fangmnls. quail idem hie dicere Phsedrus voluerit, ac III. 10. 28. Nibil refpiciens, dum dolcrem vindicet. miratur- que viros acutifiimos, quibus hgec loca ante ocu- los erant, hanc emendationem non perfpexiffe. Ego vero multo magis mirarer, fi perfpexifient. Vide autem, quid Heinfiutn intereft & Bentleium. Heinf. re perpenfa cOnjecturam fuam induxic : B. fuam in textum ingerit ; mutato bofti in propriij quo nihil ab hoc loco alienius, cum boftis mentio prorfus neceflaria fit. Cum Vulpes de fuoruln fa- lute defperarer, ne Aquil*&6ov fuifle, vel id certo indicio eft, quod apud Virgilium, Horatium, Tibullum, Propertium, &c. nufquam reperiaturj verfu fcilicet Heroico & Penta- rnetro tale 7*$a*a.Cot non admittente. Scriben*- dum igitur ubique in Plauto & Terentio reliMa.u< pronuntia ndum, ut apud . Plautum & Terentium SEMPER. Quid vero eft, quod huic Guyeti annotationi Vir docliff. de fuo addidit ? ad indices in Poetas, quibus aetas Guyeti caruit, fe recipit, quorum majorem nemo copiam habet, ne- mo diligentius excutit, iifqae confultis, quod ne quartam quidem hor^ partem pofcit, hanc vocem nufquam invenit apud Virgilium, Horatium, Ti- bullum, Propertium ; unde etiam certo conftat eorum quoque ternporibus convenire, id, quod Guyetus de Plauto & Terentio obfervarat. Quod igitur vir docliff. nunc primum didicit, quivis a Guy- eto difcere potuiffet ante annos fexaginta. Cur igitur Guyetum debijta ]aude privat ? quo jure fibi obfervationem hanc, ut prorfus novam, vindicat ? Eodem utique, quo in Notis ad Zufeula- nas p. 53. jaftat fe primum deprehendiffe apud Terentium verfus Creticos, qui hactenus ibi latitaf- fent a nemine animadverfi y cum ante ducentos fere annos Epiftola Crltka, &c. 343 annos idem obflrvaflet, & aperte oftendifict Eraf-LiB. I. mus, quod palam & puhlice teftantur Terentii edi- tiones, quas Frobenius & R. Stepbanm cum Eraf'mi difortatione dc Mctris Comicis, notifque ejus ex- cuderunt : Eodem, quo egregjre emendationis lau- ?r Jovem, ftcubi r/je triftem cerneret t Nit ar ion appellabat y aut Eatmm fuum. c< Quasritur itaque quid fit Nitariu.m, quid fit Ba- ". tium. Alii alia fortaffe conferent, nos ea, Lec- *' tor, quas jam jam leges. Scripfit olim Symma- ^ chus, Ariftophanis Inperpres, ideo Nitarium vo- " catam fuifie anjculam, qqod Nitarus quidam oh- " mpllitiem famofus fuerit. Sed contra judicium " facial qui amiculae blandiens, earn aut Bathylli *' nomine, aut .Ganymedis, vpcayeritj Quare ri- '.' dicule Ter.entianus ijle Jhrafo fecit, qui coram ew, ppdicern fcilicet, atque ff inde &a.-nov vocatam illam mulierem fuifle ; quod '.? ita ridiculum eft & ineptum, nihil ut ineptius ** quidquam fingi queat, ut ne de turpifiima ima- *f gine dicam. Quin & yocem illam fignificare " fatuum aiqnt, vel mollem & dclicatum,, uti ba- * s tus pifciculus eft (qm;m tamen eundem efle ar- 4< bitror,, Epiftola Critic*, V. 34$ '* bicror, qui apud nos Raya dicitur, non inter pif-Li8. L " ciculps habenda.) Denique pumilas mulieres " 0&tun*< diftas fuifle aiunt ; quod tamen Grseci " fermonis ratio npn patitur, dicendum enim fuit " tfaTuA**, forma diminutiya a M< exiguus. Et " haec qujdem ab ill is fcripta fuere ; Videamus " ecquid aliquanto melipra fint, quze mihi in men. *' tem. Legendum putp, non N/Tv '$ &AV *' vsrsjwe/^Toj Nitarion appellabat aut Ratium fuum. " Nempe fi credimus Symmacho, Grammatico ' paffim a Scholiafte laudato, Nitarus quidam & ^ Batus erant mollitie inf'ames. Ergo *- " 77cT/sf eft diminutivLim Socratis, ut nullius alte- ec rius : fie NIT&^OV fplius Nitari fuerit -, Bo,?, fo- " lius Bati. Sed cum hzc interpretatio plane fit ^ abfurda, aliam in fit : y^ ?&< f^n^f -J 2nA'^ ^t- -" TvAKf \Kvpv. Quse primo corrigenda erunt, de- * inde expendenda, SuiUas habet ftM&{ SHA^ : " unde Epijlola Crltica, * c unde fie lego, jj tt " A;0v. /^/'rw pumilos &? effeminates Batalos vo- "cabant. Vide BAIKA* apud Hefychium, Har- " pocrationem, Suidam, Etymologum, Plutar- " chum in J^'/fl Demofth. cui ob mollitiem cog- " nomen Batalus adhcefit. Certa eft haec emen- " datio ; & fortaflls infuper legendum eft, TV " ftaia.wc, pro [Myxf : etfi & hoc tolerari potefr. qui tua opera id olim poflunt refcifcer?. Fa- a ciamus igitur periculum : & primo illud per- ' commode accidit, quod apud Suidam ifta no- *' mina cum duplice TOW efferuntur, vitiati*^ & " fiaTJiov : cui fcripturas aftipulatur Scholiaftes ille V ad locum, qui v ; ut pro- ' fedo apud Etymologum hodie habetur, @a.Ti&*& *' $ fai)a.tinv Jam igitur fie locum refingo, mi- *' nima mutatione. " Anaticulam & plumbulam me blande vocabat. ** Non dubitaveram confueta qu^dam fa " amatoria fub mendofis illis delitefcere ; & pro- " inde tentanti quiddam ejus generis ex iis ex- " tundere ftatim fucceflit, A ywwa, Attice, rfM*, ** diminutiva exftant, vntiiov & w3o.v.w ; a qxtsju, " ^ eft m'/V, deinde & tertius* 5. 5. Duces Epijlota Critttfl, V. . 5. Dtices eorum qui cz-pmbuscornu con- cefieris. Humanum, ne quid peccet imprudentia. EC B. quidem feniit necefiario reponendum efTe Humanum, cui ut locum faciat, JEfopi ejicit ; quod fruftra explicare conantur, inquit ille, facinus eft Librariorum aliud agentium. Dedit auctor, Exemplis continetur humanum genus. Hoc eft> exemplis potius continentur homines, reguntur, flee* tuntur, gubernantur, quam legibus aut prasceptis, Qua explicatione, tota via, Vir doftiff. a mente Phasdri aberrat, cui non in animo fuit generalem de Exemplis fententiam dicere 9 fed de unicis /Esori exemplis loqui, ut utiliffimis & ad vitam morefque hominum formandos egregie comparatis. Mfopi igitur neceflario retinendum eft, nee alia ratione locus fanari poteft, quam alium, ut dixi, verfurn poft primum inferendo., Quicunque fuerit ergo narranti jocus. Codd. Nar- e randi locus, fed Iproj verborum initiis familiaris librariorum error, ut dixi ad I. 2. 16. Et facili quidem lapfu narranti mutatum eft in narrandi. Burmanniana igitur baud dubie vera lectio eft, cpe debetur Ritterfhufio & Frienfliemio. Et fie doftifiT. Grsevius, fere puer, legendum vidit, nifi quod ille, narrantis pro narranti : quae pofterior lectio melior videtur & conftrudionis ratione, & Z3 ut 35 & Epijtola LIB. II. ut vitetur JtUlus^ cum fequatur jocus. vide ipfutrv ad Cic. Famil. XVJ. 21. ad quern remittit Barm. Sed hasc Bentleio neutiquam placent, ille reponit narrandus, quod tanquam e fuo promit , fed hoc etiam a Guyeto, tacito ejus nomine, fublegit. Verfu autem fequente pro commendatur ex Heinfio reponit, commendetur : fed nemini non praeter Heinf. altcrum refte fe habere vifum eft. Voluit nempe auftor dicere, jocos laudari folere, non quod hujus aut illius fuerint, fed quod hpidi, fa-, c&ti, urbani ; nee enim frigidi fummorum virorum joci probantur, quod Ciceronem expertum efle nemo paulo humanior ignorat j qus Grasvii verba funt. JO. Difforum fenfus ut deleftet oar let as. Ne ab hoc quidem loco, quamvis faniffimo, interpoJando tern- perare pptuicVir doclifT. Repone, inquit, DIVER- SUM, fsnfus - quid quasfo eft, aliquid interponere y nifi addideris diverfum ? Ego contra contendo id fatis innui ipfis hifce verbis aliqiiid interponere, & diverfum fruilra addi ; & elegantius diftingui poft interponerey ut Pro], fecundo, V. i. poft inteepofu- ero, fed ecce aliam a viro dofliff. aliatam emen- dandi rationem ! Qus conftruclionis ratio fit, in ambiguo eft j an varietas dittorum deleftet fenfus. an vane fas fensus di ft or urn deleft 'ef, an van e fas de- leftet fenfus difforum? Quid vero ? an obtufa adeq nobis elfe pedtora vir doclilT. cenfet, ut vel leviter dubitemus, quaenam ex his conftruclio eligenda fit ? aperte dicam, fecundam tertiamque efle ab- furdiflimas, adeoque primam tantum veram efie pofle. Quod vero impedire debebat virum dodlifT. ne Ipcum hunc tarn fcede interpolaret, Varietas a Epiflola Critica, &c. 359 PhaeJro nunquam abfolute dicitur, fed in regimine,LiB. II uc loquuntur Grammatici. Diftringit quern multarum rerum varietas. IV. 25. 3 . &V.5. 40. Et copiofa abundat rerum varietas. ad qucm mo- dum hie dicitur diBorum varietas. Bonas in paries, Leffor, accipias^ velim. * 1 ' Itafic rependet illi brevitas gratiam, Cujus verbofa ncfdt commendatio. Illi in fecundo verfu plane oftendit, in primo legendum efle ac- cipiat, ut ad libri marginem annotaveram. Quod ad fecundum, Codd. Itajic rependit. Cum vero Ita fie manifefte m^ndofum fit, Heinf. mutavit in 7/j, ft, cui accedit B. nifi quod rependit retineat, pro quo alii mallent rependet. Jac. Gronov. Pad rependet^ quod nemini, opinor, arrifit. Scheff. Sic jfta tibi rependet. Perizon. Sic iff am. Gudius Stu- dio, mihi vero, quod & Burmanno vifum eft, ne fie quidem locus integer videtur. Unde^r pedern hue intulerit, nefcio ; fed illo fublato, pro ita le- gendum putem meritam^ quod compendio fcrip- tum mita facile in Ita deflexerit, prima litera ab ultima vocis praecedentis abforpta j er enim apice fupra pofito notare folebant, & w, finale prasfer- tim, lineola appidla. hinc autem pulchra exurgit oratio. Bonas in partes hzc accipere Lector non faflidiat, pro qua ejus benignitate gratiam debitam, feu quam meruit, brevitate mea rependam. Ere- vitate fe non exiguam a lectoribus iniifTe gratiam plus femel nofter dixit. Sic. IV. 25. 8. Brevitatis noftrrju, alios autem interpretes nefciviffe, ae diphthongum e fimplici fcribi folere ? quod a vero tantum abeft, uc omnes hoc procul- dubio probe fciverint , fed cum non intelligerent, \ quomodo Com* huic loco convenire poflit, adjec- tive fumendum putarunt, quod in MSS. invene- rant, & cum adj^clivi quantitas metro repugnaret, yerborum ordine inverfo, &c jaftans in jaftitans mutato, repofuerunt, come officium jaftitam. Hanc autem leftionem improbat B. quod nufquam alias appareat come officium : unde vero hoc conftat ? quia nempe in duobus locis quae attulerat SchefF. non come officium, led omne legendum contendit. Efto ; num vero exinde fequitur, nufquam apud alios fcriptores fjpereffe Ie6lionis hujus exemplum ? Sed hoc quoque conceffb, non hodie extare ; cer- tumne eft nullas loctitiones olim in ufu fuifle in tanto librorum numero, qui jam diu perierunt, quia nulla earum veftigia habentur in illis qui fu- perfunt ? Forte autem fortuna accidit, ut apud Juftinum etiam extet efficii Comitas y 1. 5. c. 2. Cut je cekriter OFFICII COMITATE, Cjf obfequendi gra- tia 364 Epiftola Critka, LIB. II. (fa inftnuavit. id quod Ardelio nofter hie voluit. Quod fi officii comitas dicatur, quidni & officium co- me ? Sed hoc modo officium come relegato, in lo- cum ejus vir doctiff. fuffecit verbum nequaquam literis affinc, nee fententise aptum, legitque officium /eve, i. e. levem operatn. ' Haec ille. Ut jam dicam quid ipfe de loco vexato fentiam, come quidem difplicet, non tantum quod metro re- pugnet, & interpretes cogat a codicibus nimium recedere ; fed quod officio fervili non bene con- veniat. Comitas enim videtur ea efle animi benig- nitas, qua pares mutuas fibi tradunt operas, vel qua, qui fuperiori loco conftitutus eft, hominibus infra fe pofitis amicitise vel humanitatis officia prar- ifat. Servo vero nequaquam comment, ne dum fervo, cui'dominus eft Caefar. Sed nee comes pla- cet, cum non intelligam, quid fit offitium COM^E, vel officiofa coma, quomodo Urfinus hasc joco diet cenfet. Pro hac quidem leclione plurimum fa- c'eret quod dicitur ^.13. cirris dependentibus, fi non de fimbriis extremis veftium aflui folitrs, fed de c'apitis cincinnis intelligendum eflfet. Ita quidem intellexit Pignorius de Servis. Per cirros, inquir, puerum cirratum intelligit Phasdrus, ut loquitur Perfius, qualem nobis exhibent imagines Antinoi, quern imperatoris Hadrian! Atrienfem fuilfe tefta- tur apud Eufebium Hegefippus. In hujus Icones rion omnino convenit illud Martialis, mollefque fla- gellant Colla coma -, cum fint neque promiflb ca- pillo, neque deto'nfo, fed cirrato & leviter dif- fufo, quern coma tenorem fervant omnes Antinoi imagines. J Ut ex his" & PhjEdri' carmine liceat fufpicari, Atrienfes perpetuo cirratos fuiffe, neque aluiflfe Eptflola Critica, &c. 365 aluifle comam prolixam, neque attondifie eandem, LIB. II. Ted longiufculam fuifTe in ufum cirrorum. In hanc Pignorii fententiam ivit Prafchius ; ei- dem etiam accedit Burmannus. Et fi base qui- dem vera efTcnt, coma hie de cirris intelligendum efTe merito contenderent ; & quod, jaftans officium com& eflet ofHciofe jactans caput cirratum, dum magno ftudio humum dextra Jaevaque irrigaret. Ut 7. 5. collo jaftans tintinnabulum. Sed, cum praeccdat tunica ab humeris deftricJa, CIRRIS ad tunicam non ad caput fpeftare, ideoque non cin- cinnos fed veftium fimbrias intelligi longe veri fimi- lius; nee dependextibus refte dicitur, de cincinnis* nifi promiiTa coma dependeant, qualem non fuiffe fervorum comam Pignorius ipfe agnofcit ; nee in univerfum de Atrienfium cirris quicquam ex unius Antinoi iconibus certo colligi poteft. Praeterea, quod proxime fequitur, Sed deridetur, non obfcure innuit jaftans de verborum jaftantia capiendufn effe. Cum vero Atrienfem ipfum nulla jaftatione Uti, fed tacite open', in quo occupatus erat, afli- duum incumbere circumftantias loci fatis doceant, quaerenda ledlio eft, quae hunc fenfum fundat. Ea vero obtinebitur. fi legamus, jaftat officium comes. cujus ultima litera a prima fequentis fyllabse ab- forpta eft. comes, i. e. quidam, quern Atrienfis fibi comitem adfciverat, ut ineptam hanc ejus opellam infpeftantibus deprsedicaret, atque ita detnum vex- atiflimi hujus loci, vera, ni fallor, leflio eft refti- tuta. Cum hzc fcripferam, video in Hoogftratani notis Ch. Wafium legendumputaflTeyj^wj officium comes, & expo n ere, in facro comitatu pra cat ens jaffantior, fed locum non adjecic, ut plenius fciam, quid Epijiota Critica, LIB. II. quid Wafius vellet ; ex iis qu^ dedit Hoogft. nuk Jum opinor commodum fenfum elici poffe. 20. Id ut putavit effe nefcio quid loni t Id abeft a: codicibus. quo dempto verfus laborat ; quern ut integrum prasftemus, forte quatuor ultimo liters vocis prascedentis repeteridse funt, & legendum, Igitur putavit effe nefcio quid boni. 22. Donationis alacer cert. 22. Alii uno confenfii alapas intelligunt de manumiflione. & vero de co- laphh hoc modo : Donationem^ inquit, id eft, pe- cuniolam, expectabat fervulus : Tiberius contra, nondum eum ob ftulfam & ingratam diligentiam olaphos meruifle, majoris eos apud fe venire, non nifi ob graviora delicta folitum irafci. Si enim, ^t alii 3 intelligas, Veftram fidem ! quomodo fodes jocatus eft TiberiuSift tarn trifle 6f aridum refponfum dederit ? Sic ille, dum jocum ibi qusrit, ubi nullus eft. Sed quod magis adhuc mireris, ad hanc fuam explica- tionem firmandam adducit hszc Terentii ex Adelph. II. i. 5. Quamquam eft fcehftus^ non commit tet hodie unquam iterum ut vapulet. Hsec ^Efchinus minitans, ad fervum de lenone turn prsefente ; tam male, inquit,- ilium mulcavi, ut vix putem aufurum quicquam fa- cere, quo novas plagas mereatur , non eft igitur ut ilium metuas^ numqiiam dum ego adero, hie te tanget. Quam belle hsec conveniunt Tiberii Jo- co ? quantum quadrata rotundis. VI. I* Contra potentes nemo eft muni f us fat is. Recte, in- quit B. fed & fatis bene alter Codex, Contra poten- . tes nemo tutus eft fatis. mihi vero haec alter a lec"tia melior Epifiold Crhica^ We, 369 tnclior, quod fie gT/^i/fl/oK fabulas difertius conve-Life. iL niat. Sic tuta qu& naturua comminuta, facile vefcatur cibo. B. Repone. j^ 4 ' Qya comminuta, facili vefcatur cibo. quam emen* dationem Vir docliflf. de fuo dat, cum a Burman- no fublegerit. fie enim Burm. Puto, facili vefcatur cibo. vid. qus notavimus ad Petron. XCIII. fed mihi/rfttYtf verior lectio, ut V. 3. 6. Mecum facile redeo in gratiam^ non facitem ; & fie faepe alias^ prseterea, quid eft/tff/'/rj cibus, nifi cibus parabilis ? quid autem hie loci habet, parabili vefcaris cibo ? Quod fi nihil aliud obftaret, locutio nimis poetica pro hoc fcribendi genere videtur. Induct a verbis aquila, monitis paruit. GronoV. . -, pro verbis^ verts, Hcinfius monito, Utrumque ar- ripit B. & reponit. InduXa VERIS aquila monito paruit, Sed fiurrrt* VOL, II, A a meriw 370 Epiftola Critica> &*c. LIB. ILmerito dubitat, an non prseftet verUs, & alterius immutationis neceflitas plane nulla eft. 15. Simul &? magjftrte large divifit dapem. Burm. largam, ut 4. 24. largam prcebuerunt dapem ; cui accedit B. fed nee hujus emendationis vel minima eft neceffitas. quid enim ? nonne redle diceretur parce dividere ? recte igitur, & large, i. e. libera- liter. fed hoc, inquit B. ingenio aquiluoniam occupa- rat alter^ (id eft, pra?venit, antevertit me) ne ego "primus for em (fabularum fc. inventor) Siudui^ h. e. in id incubui, quod proximum erac, ne ipfe folus eflet fabulator. base Ritterfh. fed cum MS. foref, B. pro ne primus, reponit /, quod ipfi multo ele- gantius videtyr -, cui emendation! anfam dedere haec ex Plinii Paneg. 10. qu?e adduxit Scheff. Oc- cupavit, primufque fecit., quod omnes fafturi erant. Sed altera lectio, opinor, melior, & Jevior muta- tio , cum occupare, ut primus ipfe fit ', infoientior videatur locutio ; occupare^ ne alter fit, proprie dictum, & fignificet occupando facere, ne primus fit. Sed utro modo legas, param refert. Nihil vero ad locum magis appofitum, quam vetus illud elo- gium, quod adduxit Rittfefm. Cicero e fecit., ne Demqftbenes effet folus orator ; Demofthenss, ns Cicero primus for et. IO * Si Uvor oltrefiare cur am voluerit. SchefF. fcriben- dum putat'^, ut v. 15. Sin autem^ & fie Gudius : accedit Bentleius. IZ * Si noftrum ftudium ad aures pervenit tuas. Hasc clare, ni fallor, indicant, quasdam ex hoc Epilogo intercidifTe, cum, in iis quas praecedunt, nemo no- minetur, ad quern tuas referatur. Et vett. quidem Editr. lacunam prse fe ferunt poft v. 4. 13. Et arts ftfas animus fentit fabulas. Sic Prol. m. 3. Ut Epiftola Critica, &c. 375 Ut liber animus fentiat vim carminis. LIB. II. Sin autem : ac Hits doftus occurrit (Barm, occur- *5- ret) labor. MS. ab illis. olim forte hie verfus e li- bra rrorum manibus fie exiit. Sin autem minus, ac illis dottus occurret labor. Ut Prol. HI. 31. Quern ft leges, fatabor ; fin autem minus, Habebunt certe, quo fe obleftent pofteri. Poftea vero, qui hsec metro repugnare viderunt, cum vel autem vel doffus inducendum effet, ejecerunt minus, dottus enim abefle poterat, & labor abfolute dici, ut curam v. 1 1. Scio quidem non deefie exempla, in quibus Sin autem idem eft, ac fin autem minus \ tamen cum ea rariora Tint, fi liberum eflet, mal- lem, delete autem, legere Sin minus : pro ab vero reponendum ac, Schioppii conjectura eft, cui ad- fcnfi funt fere alii, vel pro ac fcribi voluerunt 0?, cum eorum alterum fententia neceflario videatur poftulare. cetera vero, ni tailor, fana funt. 6. qui- dem cum videret Heinfium quoque base follicitafTe, qui inter alias conjeduras hanc libro fuo adfcripfit, Sin autem dottus illis arguitur labor * reponit, Sin autem ab illis doclus obteritur labor. Dofius enim labor y inquit, eft ipfe hie libellus. Quidni jgitur cccurrat, qui publice venum exponitur ? Et ego a viro dodtiff. vicifTim quasro, quidni perveniat ad aures ejus, cui dedicari voluit v. 13. occurrit enim idem eft zc peruenit. Sententia Phaedri hsec plane eft, Si ad te tuiquc fimiles pervenerint hre Fabulse, mibi beatus videbor ; fin minus, ac in illorum tantum manus devenerint, Qnos Scd quid fi libellus hie non publice venum exponeba- tur, fed privatim in plebem fpargeretur, ut foknt ejufmodi fcripta, cum eos tangunt qui rerum furfi- Aa 4 rn."e Epiflola Critica y II. ma; prsefident ? qms enim nefcit Tiberii mini" flros, imprimis vero Sejanum, in his fepe Fa- bulis notari, cum Phasdrus ipfe id aperce dicat Pro). III. 41 ? ?? Nee quicquam poffunt nifi meliores carper e. ad hune verfum nihil alii. B. a mala manu infcrtum putat ; iyntaxis vitiofa, cum dt-fideretur Qui. Qualis vero iententja ? miferum & mirum genus hominum, qui nihil pofTunt nifi carpere. Numeri denique abibni funt, nee in fenario ferendi : abeat igitur, quo dignus eft. Hasc ille. Quidni vero putemus verfum, qui pr^cefferit, excidiffe ?' Qui ad hunc forte modum fuit, ui fcripta aliorum excipiunt cum faftidio. Sed hoc forte fbbficlio nihil opus eft, neque enim Syn- taxis hasc magis yic^etur vitiofa, quam ilia Virgilii JEn. X. 593. GUI Remuk cognomen erat ; Turniqiie minor em Germanam, nuper thalamis SOCIATUS babebat. alter vero non video cur non ferri pofTit, cum fecunda 'Irf/^wi J}^^'A conftet ex daclylo c anapasfto. fi quidem fcandatur per Trochaicam JtTnJlttvi primus pes fecundi Ditrochasi erit pro- celeufmaticus ; fed fi nifi inter legend um contra- hatur in */', vpl / in meliores pronuntietur ut confo- nans, numeri bene procedunt. quod autem ad il- lud hominum genus, nee mferum nee mirum magis, quam eorum, >ui 9 ut putentur fapere, NIL NON vi- tuperant. Sic enim Vir dqctiff. verfum ilium re- poni jubet. Quo jure, ad locum dicetur. lg. Fat ale exitium corde durato feram. Cum Exi- tium nihil fit nifi interjtus, vidit pronov. id locum )iic habere non pofle \ & vitium legendum puta.- vit? Epiftola Critica^ &c. 377 vit : fed id, opinor, non unicum hujus loci men- LlB. II. dum eft ; re enim altius perpenfa, Fatale non ma- gis placet quam exitium. Fatale enim eft dirum, Jethiferum -, nullus igitur dubito quin Phsedrus de- derit, Talcm exitum etiam corde durato feram. Exit 9 etiam ad exitium quam proxime accedit : Talis au- tem vocabulum eft quod Phasdro videtur vehemen- ter placuifle. B. cui Fatale non difplicet, pro exi- tium, reponit event urn. Reftituo, inquit, fuam auftori manum, Fatale eventum corde durato ft- ram. Cic. de Arufp. refponfis c. IV. P. tile Sdpio % qui Cartbaginem^ qtiafi fatal! eventu, folus evertit. Quid vero ? Carthaginis fortunas hue trahendae ? ad hafce nasnias ? Urbcm^ quam dicunt Romam, Melib'de putavi, Stultus e'^o huic noftr &c. LjB.III. Aldus exhibet. Sinas me hie extra limites evaga- ri paulifper, ut exiguam aliquam a doctiff. viro gratiam ineam, & dicam quales fmt hi verfus, & quae metri lex. Sunt igitur *Vu*>77!>/, & conftant ex lambico Penthemimeri, five lambo & Bacchic, & M&y'tt, tkxt*t : quse quidem V. dmsrat nomine infames ' fuiflc Theflalos docet Scholiaftes, quod Eruditi tamen non animadverterunt, quia non di- citur in Scholio ad hxc verba & -A^X fed in eo quod proxime pra:cedit. Servitus cbnoxia. Nifi quaedam exciderint poft 34. v. 37. Servitus hie eft ^!fopi fervitus. Ego porro illius femita fed viam. Burm. nony^- --g t mita fed f emit am, quas conjecture eft SchefF. MSS. Ego illius PO femita. unde Gudius, Ego illius pro f emit a fed viam. eo fenfu quo Martial. VII. 61. Et modo qua fuerat femita, fatta via eft. Gudi- um fequitur B. Jac. vero Gronov. Ego illius pofty?- mitafeci viam cum PO in MSS, non femper fit porro, 382 Epijlola 7, fed etiam poft. atque hanc" leftionem am- plexus eft Hoogftratanus. 4 1 - Quodfi accufator alius Sejano foret. Hoc primum loco de Sejano aperte Phsedrus loquitur ; unde conjicere eft hunc tertium librum fcriptum efie Se- jano jam damnato ; duos vero priores, dum ille apud Tiberium gratia floreret. Damnatus autem Sejanus eft Tiberii anno decimo octavo, a quo ad tertium Claudii, cum Seneca putatur Con- folationem ad Polybium icripfiffe, anni funt duo- decim. Quo tamen tempore Seneca videtur Phse- dri Fabulas neque vidifTe, nee de iis quicquam inaudivide. Sic enim ille c. xxviii. Non audeo te ufque eo producer ?, ut fabellas quoque & JEfopeos lo- gos, intentatum ROMANIS INGENIIS opus, folita tlbl venuttate connettas. quomodo enim hasc ilii excidere potuerunt, fi Phasdri fabulas legiflet ? refpondetur quidem ad hoc, quod Phsedrus Threx fuerit ; quid vero, nonne ille tarn Romanus, cum Romse & La- tine fcriberet, quam Polybius, quern nomen ip- fum Cretan fuifie fatis indicat ? nonne Phsedrus ipfe fe pro Romano habuit ? quid aliud fibi volant quse dixit Epil. II. 8 ? Quodfi labori faverit LA- TIUM meo 9 P lures habebit, quos opponat 5 1 . Rem me profeffum duet fors aliquis gravem. Codd. forfan aliquis. quod cum veriui repugnet, Heinf. maluit retento forfan legere quis. cui accedic B. quod melius, ut vitetur accentus in ultima w ali- quis. quid quod nee fors nee aliquis alias apud Phaedrum occurrunt. 1. Si Phryx sEfopus potuit, Anacharfis Scytba. Hie iterum errat B. in citando Burmanni textu. ille enim, Epiftola Critlca, &c. 383 enim, Ji Anacharfis. locus vero eft vexatifiimus. Lis.III. MS. Frigem fuiffe jEfopum, Ji Anacharfe Scytb^ Gudius. Neveletus vero (pro lectione Pithoeani codicis, opinor) edition! fuse appofuit, Frige fuiffe jEfopus Anacharftz Scbytb qu* per eum condidit^ per [ermonem fuitm fcilicet. alter eft Novatiani locus c. 31. " Quoniam aliquo paclo antecedat necefie " eft eum qui habet originem (fc. Chriftum) ille f Epiftola Critka, &c. 385 ** qui originem ncfcit -, Jimul ut hie (nempe Chrif-LiB.III. " tus) minor fit^ dum in illo effe fe frit, babem " originem quia nafcitur, fcf PER PATREM quo* uoniam perennis mihi debetur gloria. Notum illud Nafonis, Carmina quam tribuent^famaperennis erit. Hoc- cine vero eft Phasdrum emendare, loco vocis non intelledae, aliam ponere, quse nihil ad rem, quod ea ufus fit Ovidius ? non tam levi brachio locus hie expediendus. MS. Quoniam mihi folemnis. Frienfh. putat Phsedrum fcripfifle, Quod jam de- tur. SchefFer. pro debetur, dabitur. non enim gemit livor deberi gloriam, fed dart. Quid vero fit folemnis, nemo facile dixerit. Ego quidem vix dubito quin pro folemnis, reponendum fit^Jimilis illis. Et tbtum verfum fie legend um, Quum jam mihi fimilis illis dabitur gloria. Hits fc. quos primus memorarat ; JEfopum puta & Ana- charfin, vel forte Linum & Orphea. j 2> Adhuc Falerna face e tefla nobili. Burm. Fece. prius legebatur 6? tefla. Gudius e tefta y qus mihi nondum leclo Gudio certiffima vifa eft emendatio, Et fie repofuit Hoogft. Facillimus certe hie Li- brarii lapfus et pro e ponere, cum vox fequens a / incipiat. Bentleius, Adbuc Falerna e face & tefla nobili. fed cur ita corrigat, ne verbo quidem dixir, hoc Us relinquens, qul pott fe fua probabunt. 5. O fuavis anima, qiiale in te die am bonum. Hoc a Gudio eft. vefas le<5lio erat, qualem te dicam bonam -, quam leclionem retinendam puto, fi poftrema li- tera Epiftola Critlca, &c. 387 tera inducatur, & legatur banal Quod & Fabrum LIB. III. velle video. Gallicus Interpres fie, Et combien there Crucbe, dois je croire, que tu as ete excelente autrefrois, puifquc tes retfes font ft agr cables ? i. e. Qualem te dicam mea amphora. Rigalt. ad hsec, blande compellat Amphoram. Burm. revera Ampho- ram alloquitur. His accedens B. quod anus Am- phoram alloquitur, pro bonam reponit Amphora. Panthera imprudens olim in foveam decidit ; II 2 ' Videre agr eft es ; alii fuftes congerunt ; Primo, in- quit B. repone ingerunt. Iflus, plague congeruntur. Saxa, tela^fuftesipugni ingeruntur. Et verum quidem eft refte dici, faxa^ tela^ pugnos ingeri, quse exempla viro doflifT. ut folet, flipped itavit R. Stephanus. fed &y2tttf quoquett?m'dixit Seneca, Oedip.IV. 3. 871. CONGE RITE civfs SAX A in infandum caput. quod exemplum viro dofliff. ante oculos erat a Scheff. allatum. Quidni igitur & Fuftes congerantur ? fed quid Senecam affcrimus ? ibi quoque, fi novi ho- minem, Ingerite kgendum dicet. Sed ab hoc lo- co difcedere noluitVir docliflC antequam alio quo- que modo interpolarat, ingerendo ut in primo verfu poftfoveam. Ufa per if us hariolo ve loci or. i. e. ingenio velocior^ i. quod mihi quidem durius videtur. ideoque, fi per codices liceret, Jibenter legcrem, folertior, ut IV. 4.48. It a quod mult or urn fugit imprudenttam^ Unius hominis reppcrit folertia. Et fie legi pofle vifum eft Heinfio. Habenti cnidam pecora pepererunt oves. B. Re- 4. pone, alenti : quamobrcm ? quia Terent. And. I. i. dixit, equos alere. Dvi quo vero dicit id Te- B b 2 rent. ? 388 Epiflola Critka, LiB.III. rent. ? non de homine, cui opes equi erant, fed de adolefcente, qui non pro aliorum more, canes aut equos fibi ad venandum cum cura & ftudio alerct* quod plerique turn foiebant. Jo< Et infitivos ftgnificari liber os. Significari forte e margine irrepfit, & legendum indicari. 13. Homini/que cur am c ura major e adgrav ant. B. cledit audlor, Hom'mique. unde id conftat ? IV. r. Pendere ad laniam quldam vidit Jimium. B. pro more fuo poft quidam inferit /, fed hie illi prasivit Heinfius, quern tamen non nominat. 5. Ridicule magis hoc diftum quam vere aftimo. MS. Ridicule hoc diftum magis. quse leclio fi recipiatur, pro magis fcribendum mage, & pro TV, quod repofuit B. abfque ulla.neceflita- te, ut infra oilendam. Illi etiam difplicet . ictrt, inquit, faciem, quid hie faciat, nullus vi- deo, Epiftola Critica, &c. deo. Ejus igitur loco fufficit penfes. quid enim nonne Sappho dixit, Ingcnio form^e damna rependo me*. At quas hasc confequentia eft ? Penfes dicere potuifTet hoc exemplo, igitur plane oftendant oppofitionem hie efle inter Augujlum & Judices^ qui cum ipfi impliciti hcererent, orant uc caufam ad fe advocaret. Quae autem viro doftifT. caufa fuit tarn bcllae emendationis ? Dixie, inquit, Ph^edrus in re non diffimili ; IV. 4. 20. FIDZM ADVOCAVIT jure mgktto parent, cum tamen ibi manifeitum fit disjungijWm & jus t qu33 hie con- juncla funt \ quid quod non \bijusjurandutn fit, fed jus, i. e. putavit parens, ut recte explicat Gronov. VOL. II. Cc fibi 4-02 'Epiftola Critica, &c. LiB.III.fibi ex aquo & bono agendum, quando ad Iiterarrl interpretari commode fcriptum non pocerat. Quia vero aliquid inter duo loca eft fimilitudinis, ideo Bentleio judice alter ex altero refingendus ; atque hasc folennis illi emendandi ratio. Vel auftor ipfe fc., vel alius, it a fcripfir illic -, it a igitur fcripfit & bic. quafi omne Jtmile effet idem, aut etiam idem non diverfis modis efferri potuiffet. fcecundus hie pravarum emendationum fons, unde innumeri errores in do&ifT. viri fcripta Critica profluxerunt. 47. Quod ft damnanda perferufatus crimina Pater familias effet ', fi mendacium Subtiliter limaffet^ a radidbus Non everti/et fcekre funefto domum. In primo verfu damnanda^ cum prseceffiffet damnandum, in- grate & infulfe repeti nemo non videt. In corri- gendo autem omnes, ni fallor, fruftra font, dum quasrunt vocabulum, quod ad damnanda icriptione proxime accedat. Inde alii clam tanta^ alii tarn in- fanda, alii enodanda, alii alia, cum enim pr^cedat, MISER AND AM potius, quam DAMN AN DAM exiftimo : non modo ejufdem vocis, fed ejufdem etiam foni repetitio, eaque trina, ingrata auribus accidat ne- ceffe eft. andam and 3 anda. Veram leclionem , quz- cunque fuerit, intercidifle opinor, & damnanda ver- fui fupplendo locum ejus nefqio quo cafu occupafle. -Cum igitur non ex affinitate icripturae, fed ex fenfu folo vera leclio eruenda fit, li verfus hie cum fe- quentibus diligenter conferatur, videbitur, opinor? adverbium aliquod ante pe-.fcrutatus poni debere, 1 ut mox fubtititer ante limaffet, legendumque, Quod fi penitius perferufatus crimina : fequente autem ver- fu pro mendacium rectius forte mendacia, ut crimina ; fie Epiftola Critlca^ &C. 403 fie enim v. 13. de puero PLURA mentitus / &c. \4iZ.lU.fententia. SchefF. 'Tune illam eis tulit. fed typogra-r phi, opinor, vitio, pro 'Tune ilia talem eis tulit^ Heinf. Tune ilia talem Us tulit fententian. B. lec- tionem quam tertio loco pofui, ampleclitur, Tune ilia lit em fuftulit fent.enlia. nifi quod bac inferciat poll lit em. Ego cum Ritterfhufio & Fabr nihil hie mutandum cenfeo , compofitum enim pro fim- plici adhibitum videtur tulit pro fuftulit t quod ma- lim, quam hie alludi ad Cito rumpes arcum^femperft tenfwn habueris. Sic Amafis apud Herod /. n. c. 69. Ei >B Jti & -mvnt. - 2J>rov -c7S7^,^p. ' (T 7T)|at) Wfcgjj^ff) a,v. Et Apul. Miles, i. Formidy ne nervus rigoris nimie- tate RUMPATUR. quse loca attulit Rigalt. cito 9 \, e. brevi fpatio. femperfi tenjum, id eft, nifi per inter- valla relaxes. B. vero hasc damnat. Sententia, in- quit, perabfurda ; ft femper tenfus, quomodo, cito. rumpetur ? egregie. reponit igitur, Corrumpes arcum y femper tenfum Jl babueris. quantp alarum fortius, tanto ; opinor, putabis me- lius, Sk Epiftola Critica, &c. 407 Sic ludus anhno debet aliquando dart, LIB. III. Ad cogitandmn melior ut redeat tibi. Vett. Editt. 12. Lufus & debcnt. Sed Ritterfh. metri gratia debet. & pro lufus Guyetus ludus. ut Horat. ammo dar$ ludum. in fecundo verfu, pro tibi y Tollius ad Cic. pro Archia Jibi 9 tefte Hoogftratano. Sed Heinf. malebat tibi. B. Tpllio accedit, quia animus cujuf- que is eft quifque. Et fi ita Phaedrus fcripfifiet, ne- mo certe repreheqdiflet , fed curr* Codices habeant tlbiy nulla ell idonea ratio cur ab iis difcedatur* tibi enim eft in tuos ufus. Dein portat onus ignotum certis menfibus. ignotum^ XV. 5. quia ut v. 10. difciuir, nefcivic mater, niger an albus nafceretur. At cur ignotum ? inquit, B. an quia in utero claufum, & nondum vifum ? Atqui eodem nomine & Cor, pulmones, inteftina dici poffunt Ignoia. Corrige. Dein portat onus INGRA- TUM. quid-enim ? nonne Catullus dixit, Ingratum tremuli tolle parentis onus. Dixit qui-' dem, fed de re ab hac alieniflima. ibi enim paren- tis onus eft ipfe parens, qui amoribus filise impor- tunus intervenit ; ut moleftum igitur, auferri vult. vid. Cat. LXIX. 142. nihil inepdus afferri poterat, nee ineptiore de caufa : quid enim molcftus fenex ad parturientb onus, aut quid fimile fxtui eft & /;;- ttftinis ? Dulcemqus fponte pr#rj fuse modefti*. 2. 6. dum volunt /'///' pares. 4. 8. quod vides quetidie. 5. 5. y? tamen pajfum, volo. 5. 7. fw petens Neapolim. 7. 14. yw/ opes obn&xi*. 8. 6. tf^ necem cucurreris. II. 8. 1 8. centum habet, Ji venerit. JI|. Prol. ii. Quam rei dome/lie^. 48. w^ veiim nibilominus. 57' fi* P arens > wufa Orpbeo. 3. 17. ^ tuis paftoribus. 10. 51. ^ tamen credat ftatim. 1 6. n. non finunt cantus tut. 12. quos putes Apollims. 14. ii. quum voks erit utilis. 1 8. 14. ^^ tibi aw/r ^ ^/w. IV. 6. 22. /^ juvant nee fabul &c. 4 T 5 empla defunt, ut dixi, ubiLifi.IIL idem de utroque medio pede verum eft. Eun. I. 2. 109. In hoc biduum Thais vale, mi Phadria. Haut. I. i. o. Nam pro deum atque hominum fidem, quid vis tibi ? IV. 5. Etfi fcio bofce aliquot dies nm fentiet. Poftremo, quod addit Vir doctiff. Notandum quoque prior em brevem effe^ (cum Terent. tertium pedem ex unica dictione conftare facial) & ex muficus quoque dicatur admirabilis ? B. contra, curri Admiratio folius Animi fit, fcire velim, inquir, quo paclo, Aures admirari pofllnt. ille igitur revocat cwibus. Sdd fi h.tc lectio recipiatur, cum Scheffero Jegerem Ilium effe e cunffis. Omm s qu< propriis funt content* vocibus. Heinf. j^, dotibus, quod repofuit Hoogftr. & fie B. pro qiue vero legendum forte que. Turn circumeunti fuerat quod iter longius. Cum XIX ^ urn in circum elidatur, nefcio an non melius fepara- tim fcriberetur, Circum euntij ut LUCRET. IV. 317^ CIRCUM AGITUR, cum venit imago. Capit redire. Et quidam e turba garrulus. Heinf. ft Hie quidam^ quod arripuit B. fed citra necefiitatem, ut dixi ad I. 6. 2. Et melius, ni fallor, quam Hie, cxprimit hominis garruli promptiflimam in jocos linguam, & quam prono animo /Efopo illudendi occafioncm captarit. GalliCybebes circum quaftus ducere. Heinf. f/rfwJC){. 4* in qxteflus ducere* Gronov. circum c#tus ducere, VOL, IL D d Scc\ 4i 8 Ept/lola LiB.III.Sed Burm. bene obfervat coitus non did pro op- pidis & pagis, nifi quando de fociandis primo ho- minibus agitur. B. vero ex Babriae verfibus quos hue adduxit Neveletus, haec laudans, Oum 3 yjuKhto m?, dedit audor, inquit, pagos vel vicos. & prius in textu reponit. Ego vero nefcio an non qutcftu legi poflit, i. e. pro quseftu feu quaeftus gratia, cum fie mercede faspius ufurpari vi- deatur. Ut ace erf ere mercede, mercede militare^ &c. quas dabit St. Thefaur. In Babria autem legen- dum HAPlONTES. 6. Is cum labore & plagis effet mortuus^ Detract a pelle y fibi fecerunt tympana. B. reponit, Hutc 9 cum labore. quamobrem ? nempe quia fie vi- fum eft ; quse haec temeritas ? 9, Quidnam fecijfent^ hoc locuti funt modo. Heinf. hocjocati : Et Hine h^ voces in MSS. funt admo- dum fimiles. fed locutus totics a Phaedro ufurpatur, ut cum Scheffero putcm non temere vocem hanc movendam efle. Sed conjedluram Heinfianam pro more arripit B. LIB. IV. "J ocular e tlU videtur : & fane levi, PKOL.I. Dum niLil babemus majus^ calamo luditnus. Codd. leve. Levl eft a SchefFero, qui calamo adjunxit. Sic Ovidius leviore lyra, Horatius leviore phttro ; & paflim levia Jludia dicuntur minoris moment!, ut pluribus oftendit Burm. fed haec Bentleio nequa- quam fatisfaciunt, quia levis generale calami Epi- theton eft : & probat ex eo quod Virgil. & Mar- tial, dixerint leves calamos. Sed ha^c ratio mini quidem parum firma videtur, cum hie fingulari numero, Epiftola Critica, ^fr 419 numero, calamo dicatur. Sed ut ut hoc fit^ ille re-LtsJV* ponit pro leve, rei. REI Dum nihil habemus^ quo nihil infulfius excogitari poterat. Ter. quidem dixir, ffbi vero quid iftic rei fuit ? nihil mihi qui- dem. Ad. IV. 5. & II. i. Quid tibi rei mecum eft ? nihiJ. Quis vero unquam dixit, Rei dum nihil ma- jus babemus, praster unum Bentleium ? mihi qui- dem perfuafiflimum eft, initio hujus libri quasdani exci.hlle, quibus Patronum (i. e. ut ex quinti libri prolr^o conjicio, Particulonem) alloquitur, iibi- quc co: ciliar, nomine compelJans. Sin nihil aliud defit, ai unus certe excidit verficulus, quocum ille, qui r.anc primus eft, conjungatur -, qui forte ad hunc fuit modum. Fabellis occupari fcribendis fenem. In fine vero fequtntis addendum eft y Joculare tibi videtur \ & fane teve eft. Aut aliquid hujufmodi admittendum> aut duo primi verfus tranfponendi funtj quod vi- deo Mcurfmm voluifle. Sed hoc minus placet, & turn poft Joculare inferendum hoc. Non fempef ea funt> qua videntur. Hie turpif- % fime fe dedit Vir doftilT. dum faniffima emendare vult. Generalis plane haec eft fententia, id quod ipfe mox fatetur ; Res non femper funt euod interiore condidit euro, angulo : id eft, quod 7- cum cura & follicite in peftore, & animi recefli- bus condunt & occukant. quo quid intelleftu faci- lius ? Burm. curam hie capit pro ftudio quo auftor fub involucris ficlarum fabuJarum veros animi fen- fus tegit ; quod Phasdrus certe fub generali fcnten- tia contineri voluit. B. tamen, femper corredtio- nem appetens, pro Quod condidit cura^ reponit, Quod condat natura. 8. Hoc we locutus fine mercede exiftimer. Miror eru- ditos fe torquere explicandoyfo? mercede^ cum li- , cet paulo affeftatior fit locutio, nihil aliud intelli- gi videatur, qaam gratis, fruftra. quod fenfit etiam Schefferus. * 5- ' Adflluitj & compreffus occubuit neci. Ritterfh. comprenfus, quod Heinfio etiam placuit. quibus ac- cedit B. 6. Alter fimiliter^ deinde per tit tertius. Codd. pernf & tertius. unde manifeftum eft verbis tranfpofitis legendum effe periit, deinde & tertius. quod repo- fuit B. quod firman etiam oftendit verbis Romuli, , qui fie dedit. Alter fimiliter capit ur, deinde 6? tertius. III. 5. Rediit ad hoflem. Jaftis bunc telis eques. Le- gendum forte vocibus tranfpofitis, Ad hqftem rediit V. Cod. inquit Rigalt. Rediit ad ho&em latu s jaffis. Sed cum lector mox fequatur.v. 7. vix putem fetus effe a manu Phasdri. & magna ilia fimilitudo, qus intercedit inter fetus & jaftis facit ut credam prius pofterioris effe corruptionem. B. utrumque fervan- dum putat, & ut verfus capere poffit, pro rediit^ reponit it prasfenti tempore, cum locus poftulet prieteritum, & pro ad, in, quia ad hojlem it, etiam qui Epiftola Critica^&c. 421 qui in gratiam rediturus eft; quad non ex ferieLi3.IV. narrationis fatis conitet, quo animo ad aprum equus rediret. Ita vir doftifT. Leclores Temper pro bard is & fungis habet. Quo pa3o non pojfideant^ quodfuerat datum. Jac. ** J 5- Gronov. fuerit , ut v. 45. Sic nulla pojfidebit, quod fuerit datum. & pariter Hoogftratan. quod reponit B. verbulo tantum dicens, lege, fuerit. deinde qu< tulerint nihil. i. e. acccperint. B. *6. kabuerint ut v. n. tumfimul Habere res dejierint^ quas acceperint. Quis non videt mutationem hanc ineptam efTe & inutilem ? ALfopus media fubi to in titrba conffitit : 29. OJi maneret. Hujus loci venuftatem vir dofliflf. corrumpit inferendo hie etiam Ut pofl; turba. Interpretari non potuijjent Attici. SchefF. putat 32. Phjedrum exemplo Plauti & Terentii fcripfifie potef- fent -, male, cum jfti Archaifmi longe ante Phsedri setatem defiiffent. nee hac emendatione opus efle quivis facile intelligat, qui meminerit, quanta f;t arBnitas imperfecli & plufquam perfecli temporis, quamque haec tempora invicem mifceantur. Ne nihil hie B. reponit potuerint. dgros, vites, & pecora cum paftoribus. Jac. Gro- og. nov. Agros, villas^ & pecora. cum vero villa una tan- turn videatur fuiflTc, v. 23. Agellos, pecora^ villam ; melius. agros, villam. un- de legend urn puto. At agros villam {5? pccora. at enim fencentia videtur defiderare. B. Agros fcf vil- lam s? pecora. fed unde primum &? hauferit nefcio. incommode bis ponitur, nee a Phsdro eflo ofteij- dit v. 36. Veflem^ uniones^ pedifequos^ & cetera. D d 3 Deformis 422 Eptftola Critica, LlB.IV. Defer mis cult urn vendet, ut vinum paret, 4?. Agros abjiciet rnaecha^ ut ornatum paret. Par ft male in utroque verfu poni omnes vident, fed ne- mo refte emendavit. Qronov. vinum petat, quod merito improbat Bentleius, cum vinum pelere fit ex taberna venale fubinde petere, non domi in penu pofli dere. ille igitur w0 bibat, quod nihilo melius. Si verfus hos attentius expendas, videbis in fecun- do paret opponi rJ abjiciet. & pari ratione in pri- mo quserenda vox eft, quae refpondeat W vendet - s quod plane indicat reponendum efie emat \ & pro ut vinum emat, legendum, vetera ut vina emat. ut u. 35. Et yina vetera date lanifcx rufticz. Vetera autem cum fcriptnm eflet vefa apice appofito pro cr, facile excidere poterat poft vendet iequente ut. atque haec, ni fallor, hujus loci, qui tot eruditos exercuit, vera emendatio eft. 44- Quacumque fumma trade t luxuries domum. Mul- tum fudant interpretes in hac leftione tuenda & explicanda. Bentleius hie nihil. Ego vero nullus dubito, quin vera leclio fit, luxuriam , ff domum. quod facili errore degeneravit in luxuri* domum, omifla vel detrita lineola fuper a & e compendio pofito pro et. tfujufmodi erroris infigne exem- plum eft in Tertulliani libro contra Praxeam. VI. Ut primum deus voluit ea qu& cum SOPHI^E RA- TIONE 8c fermone difpofuerat intra fe, in fubftanttas Cs? fpecies fuas edere, ipfum primum protulit fermonent kabentem in fe individual fuas RATIONEM & So T PHIAM. Ubi pro Sophia ratione^ certiflima emen- datione legendum eft Sophia & Ratione. fec mihi fcribendi amicus intervenit, qui nefcius quid iple Epiftola Critica y &c. 423 ipfe turn agerem, de fitnili mendo apudHoratiumLiB.IV. monuit, Od. III. 27. 39. an vitio carentem Ludit imago Vana, quaj porta fugiens eburna Somnium ducit ? pro qua enim legendum efle quam. quo nihil certius ; fed addendum e, qtue enim proclivi lapfu natum eft ex qua e. Hanc autem Phsedri emendationem firmat v. 34. " Domum & ornamenta cum venuftis bortulif. Cum viZii mures muftelarum exercitu, V. z. (Hiftoria quorum in tabernis pingitur} Fugerent^ fcf artos circum trepidarent cavos. In fecundo verfu alii aliis modis metro fuccurrere co- nati funt. Heinf. inferuit et poft quorum, cui ac- cedit B. fed verfus hominum do6liflimorum opera, fi quid video, nequaquam dignus ; nequeo enim a me impetrare, quo minus fpurium putem. mar- gini, opinor, aliquis adfcripfcrat, Quorum Hiftoria in tabernis pingitur, & inde in textum irrepfit pri- mis verbis inverfis, ut verficuli fpeciem priE fe fer. ret , & juvat, quod videam Guyetum idem fenfire, cujus base verba funt, Infitivus verfus videtur. Hie autem inficetus, opinor, verfus eruditorum oculos ad fe trahendo, obftitit, quo minus vitium in pri- ore latens animadverterent. Nemo enim ad ilium quicquam annotavir, quo receptam le&ionem vcl culparet, vel defenderet. Hsec laus BL'ntleio unice debetur, qui ad hasc trifli excrcitu. Qito fades ex- emplo, inquit) fie loquamur ? Et certe dicendum erat a vel ab exercitu. fi a viffi pendeat, & verbis tranlpofitis legendum, D.d 4 Cum 424 Epiftola Critica, &*c. LIB. IV. Cum mures viffi a muflelarum exercitu. Sed, fi fecundus verfus ejiciatur, melior eft docliflimi Viri emendatio, ut legamus eitHrcitum, cum minima fit mutatio, ne literulse quidem additio, fed tantum lineolas, qua m finale appingebatur. 5' Duces eorum. Heinf. Duces at horum. eui acce- dit B. temere. 1 1 . Quemcnmque popuhim triftis evenfus premit. >uem- ciimque hie videtur iners, & nihil ad fententiam conferre. pro co igitur reponendum puto, uum- cumque, id eft quandocumque. fie Lucret. II. 113. Contemplator enim cum foils lumina cumque. Sed cum iniblentior vox tflet, Librarii mutarunt in quemcumque. VJ I ^ u I 11 * na f ute feripta deftringis mea, Parva tibellum fuftine patientia. Id eft, paululum tolera libellum meum. Gronov. Tene, non ftatim abjice faftidio quodam tarn minutae fcriptionis. Scheff. Non molefte feras in manus fumere. Sed hxc Bentleio nugx funt, quorum tamen loco mul- to majores nugas ipfe dat. pro libellum enim la- bellum legi jubet, atque hac emendatione audoris . fibi manum reftitujt. Jn faftidio fcilicet, con- temptu, offenfa labium inferius exporrigi folet. Tu, inquit, qui faftidis hoc JQCorum genus, fufti- ne parumper labeilum, omitte faftidium, & feve- ritatem. Quomodo vero probat Veteres hoc fen- iu dixiffe, labeilum fuftinere ? quia fc. Pcrfius de lis qni fecum alcius meditantes incedunt cum mur- fnure & labiorum motitatione, dixit, III. 81. Murmur a cum /ecum & rabiofa filentia rodunt, Atque expcrrctto trutinantur verba labello. H;c yero nihil de faftidio aut contemptu, nee quicquam , quod Epifiola Critica, &c.- 4 2 5 quod pftendat, quid fit fuftinere labellum. At Ju- LiB.IV. venalis de homine trifti atque indignante dixit, Hoc quoque fi rugam trabit^ extenditque labellum. Siiftinere igitur labellum eft faftidium omittere. Quae vero hasc Dialeftica ? num SUSTINERE labellum, & EXTENDERS funt oppojtta ? num quis veterum fuftt- ncre labellum dixit ? Prseterea, quasnam hinc ex- ilirgit Sententia ? Omitte paulifper faftidium & fe- vcritatem^ dum faftidium tuum & feveritatem -placo. fequitur enim, Severitatem frontis dum placo tu nufquam quod fciam, apud veteres oc- currat, 1 6. Poft aliquod tempus aliud adfcribi julent. Codd.- adfciri, quod reponit B. praseunte Heinfio, de quo tacet. j^ Rumor legatos fuperiores prodidit. Hie etiam Meurf. notat lacunam. prodidit, eft aperuit, no- tumque fecit, quam turpiter fe gefllfTdnt. Scheff. B. Venter legatos. quia Plautus dixit, Rud. II. 7* 3'- Itaque alvum prodi fperayti nobis falfis poculis. Achilleum fane argumentum ; Afous feu venter pro- di dicitur, id eft fshi ; igitur venter hominem prodidit. Q^ipe base fequela ? Si quid mutandum, mallem fimor ; fed indubie Rubor eft vera leclio, utIV. 4. 3. Athenas Rumor implet* Et hac voee Fhsedrus alias libenter utitur. jo. Odore canibus anum^ fed multo, replent. B. le- gendum forte, Sed fpurco^ quae fpurca certe emen- datio, fed typographi, opinorj culpa accidit, prse- ter ipfius animum, ut hc elegans leftio in textu reponatur. quid vero, num timuerunt, ne hi quo- que legati cacando Jovis Regiam inquinarent, & ad Epiftola Critica^ &c. 433 ad hoc prcecavendum odorem fpurcum adhibent ?LiB.IV. Odor hie in bonam partem fumitur pro aromaris, ut rec~le Ritterfh. licet hoc fenfu plurali quidem numero plerumque veniat. Hie autem ita fumi liquet ex V. 25. Odorem mixtum cum merdis cacant. pro multo, verifllma, ni fallor, emendatione iegen- dum nimio. in utroque par duftuum numerus, & ex co maxima vocum in MSS. fimilitudo. Mandata dant, legati mittuntur^ ftatim 20. Adeunt. Rogantes aditum continuo impetrant. Codd. Mandant, dimittuntitr ftatim. Ritterfh. Man- date, danf, dein dimittuntur. Sed dein nufquam, quod fciam, eft diffyllabum. Urfinus, Mandant eadem, dein dimittuntur jtatim. Heinf. Mandata dantur^ 6f dimittuntur ftatim. Jac. Gronovius, Mandant, maturent, ac. Burm. Mandata dant k- galis, quos mittunf, ftatim Adeant. Gud. Mandan- fur antro y non dimittuntur ftatim^ & verfum hunc ante duos ultimos collocari vult, quem fequitur Hoogftrat. Horum quod vult Gronov. maxime arridet ; cum'vero fequatur Adeunt. rogantes aditum* videtur excidifle nomen ejus quem adierunt, ideo- que legendum putem, Mandant) dein dimittuntur. ME R CURIUM ftatim Adeunt. Sed videamus jam quid B. ille accurate omnibus, ut iokt in hoc opere, expcnfis. Rcpone, inquit, Mandant ', DENT OPERAS, ut dimittantur ftatim. Et tanquam clara & certa eflfet emendatio, ne ver- bum quidem addit, cum tamen omnium quas vi- derim, longe pefiima videatur. Sed ifti occafio. nem dedit Sulmafii conjeflura, Mandant^ PR 10:'. UT DIMITTANTUR ftatim. Quid enim hie o VOL. II. E e af 434 Epiftola Critica, "Liz. IV. operas pro operam? qualia autem fententia ? num hi debebant a Jove pofcere, ut vel ipfi, vel priores, STATIM dimittantur, an tacite potius, & patienter expectare, donee illi dimittere vifum fuerit ? In- fortunium priorum ortum eft ex eo, quod non celeri gradu^ fed lente nimium proficifcerentur, V. 6. nee flatim recte de reditu ad fuos dici videtur, unde nondum difcefTerant, cum res ipfa aliquam faltem moram pofceret. In fecundo verfu pro Adeunt, Scheff. abeunt, cum fequatur, rogantes adi- tum. Adeunt enim rogantes aditum, vix ferri pofle putavit -, recte quidem, fi conjungas -, fin poft adeunt diftinguas, emendatio nequaquam videtur necefTaria. Mercurium enim adeunt, peten.tes ab eo aditum ad Jovem. Sed ad hujus exernplum Abeunt repofuit B. non admonito leclore fe a Bur- manniana Ie6lione difcedere. 24. Canes, confufus fubito quod fuerat fragor, Repente odorem mixtum cum merdis cacant. Ca- ms confufi fcribere debuerat B. fie enim in textu Burm. Confufus eft codicum lectio ; fed omnium fere confenfu prava. Gud. Heinf. Scheff. alii de- .. derant confufi^ quo4 tanquam de fuo reponit Vir .doclilT. Sed & Gud. & Gronov.fubitus, quod ar- ripuit etiam, eorum nomine tacito : pro quod fu- er&t vero, ille, de fuo, terruerat \ quje conjeclura, opinor, orta eft ex I. 2. 14. mijjum quodfubzto terruit pavidum genus. Heinf. ruerat. Gronov. Confufos fubitus fecerat fragor. Verius forte, Ef- fufus fubito quod fuerat fragor, quod parum abit a MSS. Qiiod fuerat vero toties apud Phasdrum oc- currit, ut in eo ipfms videar manum agnofcere. 26. Reclamant cmnes, vindicandam injuriam. Heinf. Exclamanty Eplflola Critica, &c. 435 Extlamant, & lie ipfe ad libri marginem adfcrip-LiB.1V. feram. Ut in Plauti loco laudato ad III. 10. 49. Exquiratur eruditi repofuerunt pro requiratur. B. pro more, UT clamant. Sed hoc feretis pro judicio premium. Gudius pro 3 O< fed) (let hoc (feretis pro judicio premium) Non cito dimitti. quern fequitur Hoogftratanus. Alii red- nent fed, verum pro feretis Meurf. ferent ii. quod B. reponit. fed pro it, hi, Miror autem cur nihil dixerit ad ilia verba pro judicio, pro quo Gud. pro juffitia. quorum ego neutrum intelligo. Heinf. pro delifto, vel vindifta, fed nee ifta placent, & a fcriptura nimium recedunr. Vera, ni fallor, lec- tio, pro immunditia, quae vox fi duplex m & n non fcribantur, fed fupra lineolis notentur, ad ju- dicio quam proxime accedit, & rei de qua agitur^ optime convenit. Non veto dimitti, verum crucian fame. B. volo, 31* quod eft a Guyeto, fed tacito ejus nomine, quo- modo vero hoc convenit cum eo quod dictum eft V. 28. Non eft legatos regis non dimittere ? melius, ni fallor, Gudius, qui pro veto, cito, quod repofuit Jac. Gronov. & Hoogftratan. //// autem qui miferunt vos tarn fu tiles, Gud. & 3 j Heinf. bos, quibus accedit B. fed tanquam de fuo dat. fed fortafle hoc dixit Jupiter, ad legatos con- verfus ; & turn vos refle fe habet. Nunqua?n cartbunt bominis contumelia. SchefFer. q^ t kgendum cenfet bominum. ut v. 3. bominum contu- tneliis. It a nunc legatos expeftan! {? pofterr ) 35 Novumque venire qui viJet, culum olfacit. Codd, It a nunc legato 5 expecl antes pojleros. e 2 No- 436 Epiftola Critica, &c. LIB. IV. Novum venire cum videt, culum olfacit. Fruftra haec eruditi corrigere conati funt, cum ipfi nume- ri oftendant verfum priorem fincerum effe ; fed aliquis poft earn exciderit, necefle eft , qui fult forte hujufmodi, Nafo fagaci videas in triviis canes. In fecundo vero conftru&io poftulat ut pro cum le- gamus qui. Editr. Vett. utrumque verfum exhibent ut Codd. Et inter recentiores, Jac. Gron@v. & Hoogftrat. fecundum fervarunt. Ad haec B. Re- ponas, in quit, nefcio an vere, melius certe quam nunc habetur. Ita nunc legates quifque expeffans pojlerumj Novum 'venire cum videt^ culum olfacit. Neque hanc conjedluram, de qua ipfe fe nefcire an vera lit fatetur, in textu ponere erubuit. addit Sed forte ver/us bine excidit^ ut alii plures in hac Fabula. Quod fi hujus poflremi verfus gratia totam hanc fcedam fabulam confinxit Phaedrus, otium fuum vix ineptius collocare potuit. XVIII. Smuque fovit contra feipfe mifericors. Malim fe- 3- tpjitm ad virandum tot brevium concurfum, fie XIX. 1 9. ipfum te fraudas tibo^ licet ibi quidem legendum putem ipfe te. XIX. 3. Pervenit ad draconis fpeluncam uliimam. id eft in ultimam fpeluncae partem, ut Ter. ultima platea. ultimis xdibus ; fie Scheff. Hoogftratanus autem td- timam putat pro prima dici, ubi incipiebat draco- nis fpelunca ; ut ab ultimo initio, ultimum in ami- citia^ fanguinis ultimas aucior. Burmanno ultima fpelunca eft profunda, maxime remota, a terrae fuperficie, ut ultimis orbis, ultimo terras. Ben- tleius, ut folet, nodum folvit mutando ultimam in intimam. quia fc. dicitur intimus angulus* intimus fi^ nus, Epiftola CriticO) &c. 437 i, tntimus receffus : quae quidem exempla pro- LIB, IV. bant intimus probum effe verbum, & a Phsedro ad- hiberi potuiffe, fed praeterea nihil. Ego fane per uliimam nihii aliud intelJigi puto, nifi quod vulpes tandem pervenit ad draconis fpeluncam, & is fen- fus tft quern voluit Heinf. qui mallet ultimo. Gud. ultimum pro ultimo, fed quomodocunque explices, uhimam^ opinor, retinendum. Quern fruttum capis $4. Hoc ex lalore, quodve tantum eft premium ? Schop- pius & Heinf. tanti. fed ifta mutatio nequaquam neceflana. B. delet eft. peflime, ut mihi videtur. Sedfruftum, inquit, & premium conjungit Cicero. Efto ; an vero Cicero iis in locis verbum poft pri- mum nomen ponit, quod hie factum eft, an pofte- riori adjungit ? prseterea Phasdrus non dicit, quern frufluw, quod premium ? fed quodve tantum pre- mium ? Qui thure Juperos, ipfum te fraudas cibo. numeri 19; erunt meliores, fi legamus ipfe te. & fie repofuit Hoogftrat. Libitina ne quid de tuo facial lucrum. Guyet. 26. lucri, vel quod lucrum. potlerius repofuit B. Rit- terfh. & Faber. lucri. Quidjudicare cogitet li-vor modo. Licet diffimulet, pulcbre tamen intelli^o. Miror^x^ j^ docliiT. virum fervare diftindionem poft tnodo, cum nmlto reclius modo adjungatur fequentibus. & fie Scheff. Jac. Gronov. Hoogftrat. judicare vero eft de fcriptis ejus fententiam proferre ; fed B. pro eo reponit pro arbitrio fuo pradicare. Dignum memorise. Quicquid afterant ad hanc 3. Icdionem tuendam, legcndum puto memoria. Ut E e 3 Prol. 43 8 Epijlola Critica, &c. JLiB.IV. Prol. V. 9. Dignumque langa judicatis memoria. Op- timus enim quifque fui interpres, & Phaedrus Tem- per alias ad hanc formam. XXI, 8. E ra t autem natus, ut aiunt ^ in Ceo infula. Non ita Burm, fed Cea. olim quidem omnes Ceo. fed Guid. & Heinf. Cea. quos fecutus eft Burm. fed pro natus, ut aiunt, numerorum gratia fcribendum, ut aiunt, natus. ut V. 6. 6. Carbonem, ut aiunt. at- que ita repofuit B. 9- >uam tempeftas horrida, Simul 6? vetutfas media diffohit mari. Hi zonasB. ne hiaret oratio, hie etiam ut infe- rit poll media, inyenufte prorfus. J 5- &i a plures onere degravati ferierunt. Sic Guy- et. Heinf. Salmafius, penultima correpta, ut in abierunt, 19. 16. & prtebuerunt, II. 4. 34. & hujus fane licentise ignorantia plura Veterum loca depra- vavit ; fed hie perierant videtur conftruclionis eti- am ratione melius ; hoc igitur merito B. revocavit. tdeo, inquit, pauci enatant, quta plures perierant. 25. Quos cafu obvius Simonides ut vidit : Dixi, inquit, mea Mecum ejfe cunffa : vos quod rapuiftis, pent. In primo verfu Salmafius mallet obvios. cui accedit B. In tertio Vir docliflf. reponit habuiftis. Cur, in- quit, quasfb, rapuiftis ? an res fuas in fubfidium vi- tas colligere eft rapere ? Quae vero correclionis hu- jus neceffltas ? rapuiffis eft pro compofito eripu- iftis, fc. e naufragio. Et hoc Simonidem decuit, qui fibi de fuis nihil fumpfit ; dum alii trepide concurfarent, nee tarn fumerent, quam raperent. Qy*d horum fmih tibi contingit^ niftica ? Mag- 9. nopere vcllem, ut hac falcem ab Fabula interpp- lands Epiftola Critica, &c. 439 landa & corrumpenda temperaffet Vir doftiiT. cumLis.IV. nulla fit in toto Phsedro elegantior, venuftatifque plenior. Sed ceterarum vicem hasc quoque experta eft, & hie etiam verfus longe pulcherrimus, quo mufca urbana jadationem fuam egregie claudit, di- midia fui parte mulcatur ; & pro contingit Ruftica t Vir doctiflT. repomt'Contra infit Ruftica : abfurdifli- me , num enirn Orationem tanta arte faftam & tantas jactantias plenam, defmere oportuit in verbis & pondere & fono & acumine carentibus ? ubi tam abjedli & humiles numeri, & oratio ipfa im- perfecta ? Qaid horum Jimile tibi ? Quis unquam periodum numerofam, & vehementer animatam ita claufit ? abfit ut putemus hoc a Phsedri manu efie. Prasterea, num credibile eft Phaedrum Ruf- ticam pro formica loco nominis dixiffe, quafi for- mica? uni conveniret, ut Autituhs afino, Barbatus hirco ? quod fi mufca id demus, nulla vox illi ma- gis convenire potuit, aut acutius orationem ejus elaudere. Nemini, opinor, Vir doclilT. emenda- tionem fuam probaverit, cui fit aliquis vel oratio- nis, vel proprietatis, vel decori fenfus. timuit fci- licet, ne ftupidus & infulfus Lector non intelligent quas fequuntur, formic* efib verba, nifi iis moni- tus quae ipfe fuffecit. Sed vanus ille metus, cum nemo tam fit fatuus, tam tardus, ut in tam plena via deliraret. vid. fimile prorfus orationis initium. J. 30. 7. Sed illiy qui invitatur, non qui invifus eft. B. de- x j dit Auclor, invitafus, & invifus. Bis accipitur eft. Ille nempe venuftum putat, ut fint cuo/orM-m : ego contra, voluiffe Phaedrum id evitare ; & idem alios omnes fenfifie opinor, cum nemo ante eum Ee 4 44 Epiftola Critka^ &c. LIB. IV. hasc follicitaret. Quod fi ad fingula mufc iratun^ Epijiola Critlca^ We. 443 iratum te dimittere, ad cenam te invito. Sed nihil Lis.IV. opus eft cur fentias mutetur in cenfeas, qua pofteri- ori voce Scheffer. priorem explicavit. Ne male dimiffus gratiam corrumperet, iS. Promifit Ad hsec nihil B. nee alii quicquam, quod fatisfaciat. Potes tuam ipfius gratiam cor- rumpere ; hoc intelligo. alterius, priufquam acce- peris, quomodo poflis corrumpere, nefcio. Re diligenter perpenfa opinor hie quaedam excidifle, quod faepe alias in Phaedro eveniffe manifeftum eft. fuerint aqtem ad hunc fere modum, aut faltem in hunc fenfum, Ne male dtmij/us, fe . 10. 14. II. Et hoc minus perveniet ad me muneris. MSS. Ve- met. alii aliis modis labanti verfui fuccurrerunt. Faber minus & minus. Gud. minus ufu. Urfin. & Heinf. quibus accedit Burm. perveniet. mihi quidem magis arridet deveniet, quas conjeclura eft Guyeti. jo. Et mors "jicina flagitabit delitum. B. flagitarit^ quia prasceflit defierit^ cui nequaquam ailcntior, cum defierit fit futurum exadtum, ut loquuntur Grammatici, verba enim funt, Quum jam defterit ; flagitabit vero tempus proprie futurum fignificer^ oportet. 2 Q Stultum admovere ttbi prices exiftima. Pro gre- ets exiftima in Rem. codice eft PRECESEXES, in Pithceano, PRECEPSEXIS unde Pithceus, prices exiftima. Ad quse Gudius, Quid ineptius, quid flultius, fi ita Phaedrus fcripfnTet ? quin fe ipfum ftultiffimum declaraflet, qui plus una vice Eutycho preces jam admoverat. SchefF. maluit, exitfimo, ut fit formula confitentis importunitatem tot fua- rum precum. Gud. legendum putat certifllma emendatione Sexcenties, quod ait hoc modo com- pendio fas-pe fcribi. Verum hoc minus placet, quod Epiftola Critica, &c. quod & Phjedrum nimias importunitatis, & patro- num duritis nimise argneret, adeoque fupplican- tem parum deceret. Vidcamus jam quid hie B. exifti- ma, inquit, a Pithoeo eft. mallem cum celeberrimo Burmanno cxiftimo. Quam infeliciter vero benevo- Jentiam celeberr. Burmanni Vir doctiff. hie captat, cum exiftimo non fit Burmanni conje&ura, fed ut dixi, SchefFeri ? Burm. quid hie eligat nefcit, fed exiftima corruptum effe cenfet. dein vero B. me- moratis & codicum lectionibus & conjecl:ura Gudii, fie ipfe reponit, Stultum admoverc tibi preces eft Eutycbe, Proclivis ultro cum Jis mfericordi quod patitur fdfs. B. ma- 26. lim, 448 Epiftola Critica, &c. LiB.IV.lim, inquit, pofcit. Quid vero, nonne hoc eft pa- tronum injuftitise poftulare ? Si fides enim pofcit, cur veniam differt ? alterum certe longe modeftius, ideoque fupplicanti aptius. 2O. Integritatis qui fincerx confcius. Scheff. fmcere^ Heinf. Integritatis quiftbi verr^- frius. F&berprivus. Bentleiusvero hsec pro mendo- fifllmis habet. Quid eft enim, inquit, animi cogitatio f quidve, Cuique color proprius ? apage iftas labes ab opere elegantifllmo. Repono. Sua cuique cum Jit animi confcientio^ Dolorque proprius. Animi confcientla y quod fie Sc alii, & ipfe Pha?drus locuti lint. III. Prol. 4?. Stulte nudablt animi confcrendam. & ex eodem prologo probat re<5le hie reponi dolor. Afftftus proprios^ In calami tat em dilijrexs qu &c. LIB. V. dam potius putem, cum nulla fere parte ad fcrip- turam codicum accedat. Cogitatio vero huic loco tarn apta, ut nihil magis, cum ipfe III. Prol. 39. de fe & JEfopo verba faciens dixerit, Et cogitavi plura quam reliquerat Et verbo ifto eogito alias libenter utitur. prsecipue vero hue fa- ciunt ultima Fab. XIV. L. III. Sic ludus ammo debet aliquando dart, Ad cogitandum redeat ut vnelior tibi. Nee quic- quam opus eft, ut Cdor vertatur in Dolor, cum co- lor, quod a picloribus tranflatum videtur, fit agen- di ratio, optimis fcriptoribus ufitatum, Senecse ve- ro frequens. Color, inquit eruditiff. Gronov. eft habitus, genius, indolcs. Quod fi calami fas & dolor, primam fabulis fcribendis occafionem dedere, (quod de .flifopo quidem ejufque fabulis, potius quam de hoc fcribendi genere in imiverfum voluifie Phae- drum opinor. III. Prol. 33.) alise certe caufae erant, quce ad fabulas fingendas homines allicere potuerint ; & compertum eft Fabulas antiquifllmum fuirle docendi genus, ut ad primi libri Prol. dixi ; & ampliffima iis materies convenit, cui dolor nullus immifcetur. Receptas igitur Lecliones locum fuum tueri nihil vetat. Heinf. vero pro animi, animo- 12. Quafi paucas oftsnderit, ego f lures differ o. MS. Rem. ua/t paucas ilk oftendit ; alterum Pithcei, Quafi paucas tale oftendit. Unde ftatim legendum putavi, fi paucas fanum fit, Quia paucas ilk often- dit, ego plures ftroi Sed Gudius pu tat Quafi> cum verfus prsecedens a Quas incipiat, delendum eflfe & legendum, Paucas oftendit ilk, ego plures diffe- ram. quod forte reclius, fi pro di/eram retinuiffet - differo, quod cur mutet, neicio. Quod fi id ver- bum retinsatur, & initio verfus ^uia^ neceffe eft lega- Epljlola Critica, &c. legamus, Quia pauca oftendit ille, ego plura differ o. ut III. Prol. 39. Et cogitaroi PLURA, quam reli- qtterat. B. eandem, in quam ipfe incidi, conje6tu-> ram reponit. Quartum libellum dum tu varte (Burm. vacivej jttrfyer, Hunc obtreffare Ji volet malignitas. Pendere ora- tionem nemo non videt. mihi quidem perfuafum eft excidifle verficulum inter hos duos ; quod cum mirarer neminem advertifle, video tandem ex Gu- dii notis idem quoque fenfifle Meurfium. Qui vero exciderit, ad hunc forte fe modum habuit. Quintum exarabo, ftudiis ne defim tuis. Quintwn exarabo, ut III. Prol. 29. Librum exarabo tertium jEfopi Jlylo. Studiis ne defim tuis^ quia prasceflic v. 10 quoniam caperis fabulis, & mox v. 17. quod tu> quod fimiles tui Veftras in cbartas verba transfer tis mea. Sic autem omnia bene coherent. In priore autem verfu Codd. dum varie y abfque tu. vane Pith, mutavit in vacive, ut laboranti verfui fuccurreret ; quod, cum vacivus nufquam poft Plauti & Terentii tempora, quod fciam, occurrat. non temere in Phsedro admittendum. nee alii ta- men hie quicquam melius. Cum autem nee tu facile abefle pofiit, nee varie fanum fit, ego qui- dem legendum arbitror, dum tu valide^ id eft,^rtf. nue y diligenter. magno enim iludio Particulonem Phsedri fabulas legiffe oftendunt verfus v. if. 18. quos modo adduxi. Quod vero mox Quartum Gudio moleiliam creat, id ex eo eft, quod non animadvertifict vir eruditifT. vettrcs libdlos luos fc- orlum edere folere, non omnes fimul in unum con- junclos. Fruftra igitur mutavit Quartum in Qua- rum, quod tamen amplexus eft Hoogflratanus, & F f 2 ex Epiftola Critica^ &c. LIB* V.ex illo Burmannus. Videamus jam quid ad hasc B. repone inquit (pro Quartum) Quintum libellum cum vacant perleges. fine dubio hunc quintum, quern Particuloni nunc mittit. Illud vero Quintum ab Urfino eft, quem non nominat. Sed quis ex hac Jectione fenfus ? Quare Particulo, quoniam caperis fabulis, Quintum libellum per leges , cum vacarif. Hoccine voluit Phsedrus ? minime. Sed quoniam caperis fabulis, ad laborem priftinum in tui gratiam redibo, & dum tu quartum libellum, quem nuper ad te dedi, attente perleges, ad quintum fcriben- dum me accingam. Hunc enim, quod fequitur, manifefto oppofite dicitur ad quartum librum. B. vero pro hunc in textu pofuit huic> nefcio an dedita opera, an per incuriam. fed aliud eft quod pene oblitus fum dicere, diftmftionem fcilicet pleniorem ponendam efle ad V. 12. ut decimus tertius fequenfc annectatur. H.PROL. iff quidam artifices noftro faciunt feculo^ 4 * Qui pretium operibus majus inveniunt, novo Si marmori adfcripferunt Praxitelem fuo, Trito Myronem argento. Fabul* exaudiant Adeo fugatERIS amavit : Sufpendit pifta vul- turn mentemque TAB ELL A. Cur vero dicat in lin- gua emortua non pojje non effe veras, non intelligo ; vera enim emendatio vera erit in quavis lingua, emortua fit necne. Sed ad rem, fi cetera Juijus correftionis fana fint, at in extrema ccrte parte peccat, dum juftos extra limitcs licentius evagati.r. 454 Epiftola Critlca^ LIB. V. Fines enim intra quos contineri oportebat, termi- nantur -rdfugate. Sequentia enim integerrima effe, adeoque non vexanda quivis viderit. Hasc dico, Plus vetuftis nam favet Invidia mordax, quam bonis pruifnam, quod quidem leve eft ; in ultimo ve- ro, pro mutatus lacuna; appofitis indiciis, Vir doc- tifif. mutatur cum plena diftinclione, quafi nihij de- efTet. Scio 9 quod virtuti non fit credendum tu tcrpolandi occafionem infane arripit. Si non hoc anirno ad Phaedrum emendate edendum accefMet, quot inanibus conjefturis careremus, quibus libel- lus hie jam obrutus & omnibus paginis deturpatus eft, ne parum fcilicet Criticus videatur ? II. Hoc argumentum veniam mage dari docet, Qui cafu peccat, quam qui conftlio eft nocens. Cod. Rem. Hoc argumento veniam dari docet. & fie dedit Neveletus, ex cod. opinor, Pithcei. pro do- 'cat vero Gud. decet. veriffime, opinor ; & fie edi- dit Jac. Gronovius, & Hoogftrat. cum vero verfus laboret, inferendum puto ei poft veniatn, quod & fententia flagitat. la verfu autem fecundo pro quam^ ftatim vidi fententiam poftulare -nam y to- tumque adeo locum fie reponendum. Hoc argumento veniam ei dari decet, Epijlola Critica, &c. 459 ui cafu pec cat. Nam qiii confilio eft weens, &LlB, V* fecundum verfum jam video ita emendafle Rigal- tium. cui accedit etiam B. fed ille in primo dandam illi, & fie totum verfum reponit. Hoc argumentum veniam dandam illi docet. Et dandam quidem Docet requirit. fed Decet, dari, quae codicum lectio eft. miror vero cur non potius do- ctt in decet mutandum putarunt quam arguments in argumentum, cum dari & docet fimul confiftere non pofiunt : quid quod argumentum docet, nuf- quam alias occurrat. Cum vero debet dari Phae- drus dixerat, III. 14. 12. & IV. 25. 23. fufpiceris legendum, Hoc argumento venia dcbet bide dari> meliore numero ; fed nimium abit a codicibus. Tuum libenter prorfus adpeterem cibum. MS. Li- IV. $< benter tuum. unde B. Libenter ittum. fed, num ita uterque codex, non dicitur ; & fi ita fit, pro Lt- brarii errore habendum putem, cum & tuum mul- to hie aptius fit, & pr or fits a libtnter non facile divelli queat.. certe in membranis frequences funt hujufmodi trajecliones. Periculofum femper vitavi lucrum. Vitavi, excerp- ^ ta Rigaltii ; (ex codice Remenfi, opinor, quo ille ufus eft) pericuhfum eft cum pcriculo conjunclum. Sic, I. 8. 9. PERICULOSAM/^;/ medicinam lupo. in altero vero Codice videtur fuifle reputavi, cum fie Ritterfh. & Nevelet. atque id repoluit B. Ucra.- que proba Jeftio, fed prior fabuhe potius convcnir, & reputavi pro vitavi forte pofitum ell errore li- brarii, cum tres primae ejus littcra: fmr ciedcm ac tres ultimae in femper, fed ordine inverlo. T/ repu- tai'i tamen favere vidcatur, quod dixit, II. 7. 14. Magn* 460 Epiftola Critica, LIB. V. MagHts periclo funt opes obnoxi*. Utrique lefti- oni convenit, quod de feipfo, III. Prol. 21. Curatnque habendi penitus corde eraferim. 9. Sed dicis, qui rapuere divitias, habent. Heinf. dices* quod dat B. tanquam de fuo. rapuere^ id eft, qui- bufcunque poterant modis, fibi divitias arripuere ; habent, poflident, divites funt. quid in his culpes ? B. tamen, pro rapuere, latuere. Quid vero, num omnes qui latent^ divites funt ? inane acumen hie captat vir dofliff. In verfu proximo Heinf. pro qui, quot. fed qui valet eos, qui ; nihil igitur ifta emendatione opus, prater tamen morem eft viri doctiff. quod non arripuerit, cum fit fads fpeciofa. 12. Faucis temeritas eft bono, multis malo. miror te- meritas eruditis non difplicuifle, cum argumentum fabulae plane poftulet aviditas, cupiditas^ improbitas, quorum primum malim, cum ipfe dixerit, II. i. 14. Verum eft aviditas dives. V. 4. Fafturus ludos quidam dives nobiles. Sic 7. 16. Erat faflurus ludos quidam nobiles. jg^ Verum ut fubejje pallio contenderent. Hie & v. 32. pro verum & vero Heinf. vellet verrem &verri, cui nemo affenfit. B. ne ad hanc fabulam nihil dicat, utroque loco dixit fe hanc conjecluram improbare. non placet, non affentior. fed aliud non minus ma- lum dedit Heinf. quod cum noftri palato arrideret, omittere non potuit. ad verfum 22. 22., Hoc vidit fieri Rufticus. Heinf. Hoc. v\fat\& fi- eri. re6le, inquit B. 3^. >u putafle certius eile priorem in migro produci, quam in latro. ' & tamen certis exemplis Plauti & Te- rentii conflat plerumque corripi. Sed, cum non obfervafient exempla iftiufmodi in Heroicis & Ele- giacis Poctis, inde propere nimis fententiam erudi- ti in alteram partem pronuntiarunt. Illos utique fugerat Lucretianum illud, II. 965. Inque locum quando R EMIGRANT, ft llanda vo- luptas. De latro quidem nihil affirmare aufim ; apud Plau- tum quidem occurrunt latrant & latranti> & pri- mam in utroque loco per verfum brevem efle li- cet ; apud Terentium vero nufquam. Sed fieri poteft ut quantitatis notitia ab unico interdum ex- emplo pendeat ; cujus exempJum eit verbum FLA- GRO, quod licet optimis Scriptoribus frequentiflimo in ufu fit, cum latro contra raro occurrat, nemo tamen quod fciam, priorem corripuit pncter Vir- gilium, TEneid. II. 685. VOL. II. Gg Nos 466 Epijlola Critica, LIB. V. Nos pavidi trepidarc rnetu, crinemque FLAGRAN- TEM Excutere, 62 fanftos reftinguere fontibus ignes. Sed ut dicam quod fentio, ipfa vox latrans mihi minus loco videtur convenire ; cum non hie pro cams fimpliciter poni videatur, quod nee exempli? defend! poteft, nee res ipfa patitur. Ut enim de domino dicitur, Hie turn senator dolens Canem ob- jurgabat ; fie videtur defiderari ingemens, aut ali- quid ejufmodi, quod canem indignantem & asgre ferentem tarn iniquam objurgationem exhiberet, Jngemens vero ideo minus placet, quod nulla fit ra- tio, quas induceret libraries latrans ejus loco po- nere. Quaerenda igitur vox quasdam rarior & ob- fcurior, cujus latrans glofla efTet. ea vero fortalfe fuit kirriens, quod proprium canum eft, indigne aliquid ferentium. liirrire^ ut dicit Scaliger ad Feftum, eft vox ad imitationem efficla ob literam R. quam canes irritatae fonant ; quas & ideo canlna dicitur. Sidon. Prodat hirritu rabiem canino. B. ut verfui confulat, alio confugit, & ad notum exi- tum fe recipit. Illi certum eft primum in latrans corripi non pofle, cum a gravi vaftoque fono ver- bum ipfum primo faclum fit . (quafi nullus latratus fit acutus) neque tamen hilo melior erit verfus, fi latrans a pede. fcxto ad quartum reduxeris. Dedit auclor, Cui fenex contra Lacon. Horat. Epod. VI. Nam quails aut Moloffus, aut fufaus Lacon. Eleganter autem, cum prius dixiflet canis, poftea intulit Lacon. ut Virg. -^Eneid. XII. 750. Senator curfu canis, & latratibus injlat. Ilk (cervus) autem inftdiis^ ac rlpa territus alta y Mills Epiftola Critica, &c. 467 Mllle fitgit refugitque in as : at vividus UMBER LIB. V. Hlus zut/Etbon ? quia Virgilius dixit, ^Eneid. X. 861. RHOEBE diu, res ft qua din mortalibita ulla ^/?, Vixi- mus. &XI. 89. Poft bellator equus fofitis infignibus ^Ithbn // lacrimans. Operam, opinor, Judcrer, qui hoc ridiculum Fore operofe probaret, cum primo (latim confpcftu ineptiam fuam ultro omnibus prodar. Quod vcro Gff ? Vjr 468 Epiftola Critica, &c. LIB. V. Vir do&uT. dicic, eleganter, cum prius Canis dix- iffet^ intulit Lacon, idque Virgilii exemplo firmer, hie quoque fallitur, & elegantiam ibi captat, ubi plane nulla eft : UMBER enim in Virgilio non mi- nus elegans foret, etfi Canis non prsecefliffct, ut li- quet ex his S.enecae, Thy. v. 497. Sic cum feras veftigat, &? longo fagax Loro tenetur UMBER, ac preffb vias Scrutatur ore -, dum procul lento fuem Odorefentit, paref, & tacito locum Roftro pererrat : pr laudafli. fie, enim Epiftola Critica, &c. 4 6 9 enim Anonym. Laudafti, quod //, mibi jam dam-LtB. V. nas quod fum. Remicius, laudafti quod fuimus^jam damnas quod fumus. Atque hi:-c dicta fint ad hanc Phasdri editionem, de qua tantam fpem conceperam , quibus me fi- dem liberaffe, & quod receperam, abunde prsefti- tifle confido, ut non verear pronuntiare, omnium, quotquot viderim, nullam effe, quas veram auftoris manum minus referat. Num. in Terentio, opere per triginta fere annos promiflb, fed jam tandem fejlinantius, ut ruenit, deproperato^ melius viro dodifiimo fucceflerit, viderint quibus plus otii at- quc ingenii eft , ego quidem pauca tantum & le- viter infpexi, in iis vero paucis ubique video ho- rn inem lupra modum glorias appetentem, & ali- eni laboris malignum obtredatorem ; ubique fefti- nationis temerariae magis nefcio an fuperbas indi- cia, & in optimi au<5toris textu interpolando licen- tiam non ferendam. In his vero quas ad Pha;- drum dedit, quot ineptias ? quot hallucinations ? quot opera nimium celeris, curaque carentis argu- menta ? quot $t\turrictt & tv'S^*<'etf, quot plagii, quamque aperta exempla ? quam multa denique mali commatis, cum quae bona & fua, fint per- quam pauca ? Hasc fane cogunt invitum tandem difcedere ab exiftimatione ilia quam haftenus ha- bueram de fumma viri doctifiimi in his literis prae- ftantia. In aliis quidem eruditionis partibus du- dum liquet nihil ilium egregie praster ceteros poflfe, immo in nonnullis vix etiam mediocriter. In re ANTIQUARIA hofpitem efle luculenter probavit Dodtifif. CHISHULLUS prarclara fua Dcfenfione Commentarii ad INSCRIPTIONEM SIGEAM ; quo nihil 47 Epiftola Critica, &c. LIB. V. nihil in illo genere lectu jucundius, nihil utiliu aut reconditas eruditionis plenius. Idem in P/ TRUM fcriptis evidentifllme oflendit ingeniofiffirm MIDDLETONUS in Animadverfionibus in No\ TESTAMENT i fpecimen prius memoratis. In fti diis vero THEOLOGICIS, SACRISQUE Literis, i alia mittam quas plura habeo, quam parum fit e> ercitatus, aperte nimis indicant & PRELECTION* perpetuo, proh pudor ! intermiffe per omne illu tempus, ex quo ad primariam Theologian Cathc dram eveftus eft, & DISPUTATIONUM vix melic conditio ; in quibus Regius Profeflbr partes fix quam ftrenue fuftineat, quam raro quamque inv: tus deferat, dicant Academici. Hie certe in URB commoratur Vir dodliff. turn maxime, cum pr muneris ratione id minime faciendum erat. Se in humanioribus fludiis, in Poetarum fcriptis, i Veteribus Comicis, in re metrica, in his eum fa cile Principem credidi. Et eft profeflo, fed no eo quo haclenus putaram fenfu ; nondum enir ' fummum in hifce ftudiis faftigium affecutus eft, t non etiamnum quo crefcat habeat , nee ideo i re metrica principatum obtinet, quod in coder iladio certatim magnoque numero currentes Jong poft fe reliquerit ; hie enim folus leeum certavi; cum alii fere hanc eruditionis partem vel prorfi neglexerint, vel leviter attigerint. Neglexerur autem quam adolefcentes non didicerant, quia ill fe facillime carere pofle jam viri facl:i probe fci > rent. In dimetiendis enim pedibus, ac perpen dendis fyllabis confenefcere, id, inquitQiiintilianui turn mifcri, turn in minimis occupati eft. Nequ enim, qui fc totum in hac cura coniumpferit, po tioribc I Epiftola Critka, @fV. 471 ribus vacabit. Quanto autem cum fruftu, quan- LIB. V. jue rei literariae commodo, aliis ftudiis tempus impenderint, qui kvioribus hifce nullum dari ;runt, teftantur prseclara in omni literarum & mtiarum genere monumenta, quse Eximii illi ri elaborarunt, quos Vir doctiff. tanta folet cum ntemptione fpernere, quod in verborum fyllabis, fuumque Comicorum pedibus & numeris per- rutandis & ad digitos exigendis noluerint adul- ris jam setatis tempus fibi mifere perire. Quad tunas Grsecias in eo verterentur, ut hsec erudi- mis pars in qua ipfe primas tenet, unica effet, veras do^rinas laus & nomen merito compe- ;nt ; alias vero omnes pras ea plane forderent, imque pretium fEftimandum efTet ex incuria a qua ipfe eas tractavit ; cum re vera fit omnium inime utilis, nedum neceflaria ; utpote quas nee >num civem nee prudentem virum faciat, nee ad im vel divinarum vel humanarum cognitionem ticquam conferat. Ex eo enim tantum, quod a irifque vix infpedla fit, reconditum quid & /MU?- r/tf efie exiftimatur, cum in fe tamen nihil ilia facilius, fi fuo tempo re, primifque in annis ad- catur. Unus certe ^btologi* locus, unum facra iptura caput,-una in ///fitor/oraut Cbronologicis asftio, ut de Scientiis vel de Juris prudentia nihil :am, plus Tibi temporis & ftudii faepe poftulat, am tota de Trimetris & Tetrametris Doftrina, a primis ufque elementis in abditiflima ejus my- ria penetres. Quod in eorum gratiam dicen- m putavi, quos ob rei metrics ignorantiam, etfi |D fere omni doftrinse genere prseftantcs, vir iiflimus tarn inhumaniter tamquc indignis mo- dis 47 2 Epijlola Crltica^ LIB. V.dis laceravit. In hoc igitur uno genere, in quo alii operam fuam ponere detreftarunt, Ipfe primas habeat, & Principatus nomen non tarn amet ha- bere, quam mereri, bonas literas quantum poffit, poteft autem egregie, promovendo, & hanc Spar- tarn, quam fibi fine rivali naftus ell, non jadbmdo, fed ornando ; fententi^ illius memor vero Jove dign^, quam Phasdrus fuo tribuit, III. 12. 18. Ni/i UTILE eft quod facimuS)ftult& eft gloria. Et quod idem dixit, I, 12. i. Laudatis UTILIORA, qux contempferis, S