m 
 
THE LIBRARY 
 OF 
 
 y THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 I 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND 
 
 MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID 
 
LETTER 
 ADVICE 
 
 T O A 
 
 YOUNG GENTLEMAN 
 
 Of an Honourable 
 
 FAMILY. 
 
 Now in His 
 
 T RA V ELS 
 
 Beyond the S E A 1S; 
 For his more fafe and profitable 
 
 Conduft in the Three great Inftan- 
 ces, of Study y Moral Deportments 
 aftd Religion. 
 
 >i- - ■ I ■ ■ ■ ■ II ■ I . 
 
 In Three Parts. 
 
 By a True Son of the Church of England. 
 
 J.ONDON: Printed for B^Clavellt at the Sign 
 oi tbe JP«4CMJtm S.Pw/i Church-Yard, 1688. 
 
f 
 
 LICENSED, 
 
 Jul} 25th. 11S88. 
 
^ ^ SUCH 
 
 Honoured S I R^ 
 
 MT Old Difiemper returning fnd^ 
 denly upon me^ I could not 
 wait on you as I defgndj and 
 fee you on Ship-hoard : 7>/ my hearty 
 Prayers and IVe/J-wi/hes have^ and (hall 
 ever attend you^ for the good Succefs 
 of your Travels y and fafe Return. I 
 think my felf alfo obliged to congratU" 
 late your happy Voyage^ and hopeful 
 Settlement (jind as I am informed) in a 
 flourifhing and well-govern d Univerfi- 
 ty ; vohere you cannot want Means and 
 Opportunities to improve your Parts 
 con ftder ally ^ and enrich your Soul with 
 fuch excellent HabitSy as none of your 
 Rank and Tears may out- do you in the 
 mofi de fir able Accompli fhments of Know- 
 ledge^ Wifdom and Experience. 
 
 But (^Sir^ befides thofe many Ob/i- 
 
 gations which I fhaU always recognize 
 
 with the greatefi Exprejfions of Love 
 
 and Gratitude^ J have fever al other Mo- 
 
 \.: A z tives 
 
[ ] ' 
 
 fives and Inducements j (ju pull fee in 
 the Sequel pf this Epiftle,) which have 
 prompted me to give you the trouble of 
 perujing thefe following Sheets : And 
 tbo I am very fenfihle^ that you cannot 
 want the Counfel and Advice of Men 
 far more eminent for learning and Obi- 
 fervation than I durft ever pretend to; 
 yet my Endeavours may have their de* 
 fired Influence (jind kind Acceptance) as 
 the Effe£l of undijfembled Love and Fi- 
 delity^ and the Produ^ of his retired 
 andferious Thoughts^ who (jo his power^ 
 ever was^ iSj and^ God willing^ fhall he a 
 true Friend to your Self and Family. 
 
 Tet I mufi heg leave to teOyou^ {le-* 
 fore I proceed to the fuhje^ Matter of 
 this Epiftle,) that the Eyes of your 
 Country are much upon youj as the 
 hopeful Son offuch a Father j and there- 
 for e^QU mufi expeBy asyour Accomplijh- 
 ments^ Jo your Defers will he narrowly 
 and critically ohferved. Tou mud there- 
 fore either fludy to equal^ and {if pof 
 fihle^ out'do his eminent Vertues and 
 Endowments, or otherwife youU find 
 that they II exceedingly kjfen and ۥ 
 
 clipfe 
 
[ ] 
 
 elipfe your own. Beftdes^ you have left 
 your Country, Relations and Friends^ for 
 the increafe of Learning and Experience ; 
 we do all therefore hope to fee the generous 
 and worthy Fruits and Effetls of your 
 Care and Induflry^ and as great a change 
 in your Perfon as in the Climate. Nor 
 can it he much fat ufa^ion toyour felfor 
 others^ tho you he able to give an account 
 {at your return^ of the fl range Occmrcn* 
 ces ^/Nature or Event : For^ the Fruits 
 ef Study andTnvd/houldnot reft there^ 
 but your chief hujinefs will he to culti-" 
 vate and heautifie your Soul with fuch 
 ufeful and profitable Knowledge^ as may 
 he a future benefit both to your felfand 
 others j nor can any thing lefs than this^ 
 countervail the great Charge^ Hazzardsj 
 and Fatigues of Travel. 
 
 Tou fhould alfo confider {Sir^ that 
 your Contemporaries here are gtovoing up 
 apacCy and may be great Proficients in 
 aO forts of Learning; and therefore as 
 you II have greater OpportunitieSy fo you 
 mufl endeavour to make a futahle Im^* 
 provement in all the geniiel^ ingenuous 
 and vertuous AccomplifhmentSy both of 
 A J Mind 
 
[ ] 
 
 Mind and Bady. But if hy their Dili^ 
 gence they fhould out -fi rip you^ it would 
 he no little RefleBion ; not to mention 
 the fruit lefs ex pence of Time and Money ^ 
 and the far greater Hazzards you run 
 upon among(i Foreigners and Fugitives. 
 
 Nor will it he unfeafonahle to remark 
 to youy that feveral Young Gentlemen 
 (^within the compafs of your own ohferva^ 
 tionj) have returned from beyond StdLS^ as 
 ignorant to the fully and more immoral 
 and extravagant J than if they had never 
 left the Smoak of their own Chimneys. 
 They have indeed dearly pur chafed, and 
 brought over with themfome new Modes, 
 affe^ed Geftures, (// not the Difeafes 
 of the Country^ and fuch Language and 
 Deportment as are not only ungentiel 
 and unhecomingy hut unmanly and unchri^ 
 flian : {We fhall have occafton to take 
 notice offome Particulars afterwards ; ) 
 infomuch that they are fo far from being 
 either wifer, or better for their Travels, 
 that (jo give them their due^ they have 
 anly commenced Matters of that hellifh 
 Wblack Art'^/ Debauchery, Irreligioa 
 4»^Profanenefs. But^ 
 
 Thefe 
 
[] 
 
 Thefe Examples (Sir^ are only noted 
 by way ^caution: For we know^ and 
 /hall always hope for^ and expe^ better 
 Things and Fruits from you : And your 
 'virtuous Temper, and hitherto religious 
 Education, will he a Sovereign Antidote, 
 andfure Defenfitive againji all the dan^ 
 gerous and charming VXtdiiS^syou can 
 pojfihly meet with. To which give me 
 leave to add the following Advice, which 
 I hope may heufeful to you in all your Tra- 
 vels ; nor fhall it he unfeafonahle^ whil(l 
 you continue in that well govern d Socie- 
 ty, where perhaps the leajl Danger is 
 neither feard nor fufpeSied. 
 
 Not to trouble you with 'a longer Ex- 
 ordium : What I have further to imparty 
 fhall for Methods fake^ he comprehended 
 under thefe Three following Heads of 
 Difcourfe. And the 
 
 Fir (I J will refpe^ the well-husbanding 
 and management of your Timlin at tend-- 
 ing your Studies, or Converfation with 
 others. The 
 
 Second^ Your Morals, and Civil De- 
 portment. And the 
 
 Third^ Your Religion. /m 
 
[ ] 
 
 • /ff all which I Jhall endeavour to lay 
 
 down fuch Rules, as I hope may direil 
 
 and encourage you to imploy your Time 
 
 ta the hefi Purpofes\ fo that you may go 
 
 on chearfully in your Bufinefe, mththe 
 
 greatefi fuccefs^ delight and fatisfa^ion ; 
 
 and return home thro^ GodsBleJfmg^ every 
 
 m^ accomplijht^ as a welUhred Gentle- 
 
 uasn, a g^^^s/ Scholar, and a found Chxi'^ 
 
 ftian. All which would he the greatefi 
 
 Comfort and Bleffingto your Parents, am 
 
 Ornament to your Coxxnttyy and the mofi^ 
 
 pe^^liar Happinejs to your Self. 
 
 Of thefe feverally m4 M: Oder. 
 - And Firft, ^a 
 
 ■»i > \^n s tt ' iMi ' i 4 ^^ ' lU'^ 
 
 JH 
 
I 
 
 A 
 
 LETTER 
 
 ADVICE 
 
 TQ A 
 
 YOUNG GENTLEMAN 
 
 Now in His 
 
 TRAVELS 
 
 Beyond the SEA 'S, &c. 
 PART I. 
 
 Of STVDIES. 
 
 Now (Sir) it would be an ill 
 .and unaccountable Application 
 o/yow T/wf, i( yout Q&aJlify (as we 
 B have 
 
2 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 have feen in too many) Ihould make 
 you impatient of Difcipline and Re- 
 llraint, or make you confult your Li- 
 berty and Eafe; the Effefts whereof 
 are ufually dangerous and deftruftive. 
 For fmce God has biefledand ennobled 
 you with the Priviiedges of Birth and 
 Bloody and an ingenuous and religi- 
 ous Education, you Ihould imploy your 
 Time and Faculties in the fearch of, 
 and purfuit after thofe things which 
 now, and in the after-courfe of your 
 Life, will afford you the greateft Ad- 
 vantages, as well as Pleafure and De- 
 light. You muft not fancy then, that 
 God made you only for Sports and 
 Paftimes, but gentiel and heroic Exer- 
 cifes : Let thofe who underftand no 
 better, pleafe and divert themfelves with 
 their Horfes, Dogs, Wine, ^c But 
 what are all thefe to the more noble 
 and worthy Endowments of a Gentle- 
 man and a Scholar ? And feeing God 
 has been pleafed to blefs you with the 
 underftanding and all other Faculties of 
 a Man^and thofe too in the beft degree) 
 imploy the moft confiderable part of 
 
 your 
 
Of Studies. 3 
 
 your Time (efpecially now whilft you 
 have Leilure, Opportunity, and few 
 Avocations) at your Book^ and in your 
 Study. For, 
 
 Firft, As this will adorn your Soul 
 with the greateft Treafures this World 
 can afford, fo you'l have caufe to con- 
 gratulate to your felf your own Hap- 
 pinefs, and God Almighty will blels 
 and profper you in your Endeavours : 
 Who even in Paradife would not al- 
 low Pleafure to the firft Aciam (tho 
 certainly as Noble as any of his De- 
 fcendents) without Labour and Induftry. 
 Nor can your retired and feeming Ob- 
 fcurity in your Studies leffen your 
 Gentility, fince there's no well-bred 
 Scholar that can fail of the Reputa- 
 tion and Charader of a Geotleman- 
 But befides, 
 
 Secondly, You*l hereby become not 
 only more courteous and obliging to 
 all you converfe with, but more ca- 
 pable alfo of managing (with Prudence 
 and Difcretion) thofe weighty Affairs 
 which may await you at your Return; 
 and your Birth and Education will in* 
 B 2 title 
 
4 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 title you to, both of Juftice and State. 
 Befides, you'i better underftand what 
 flefpedJ: and Eacouragement is defer- 
 vedly due to Learned Men, (fuch I 
 mean as are diligent, fober and pious) 
 and herein your dear and worthy Fa* 
 ther may be a Pattern to you, who 
 by his difcreet and obliging Carriage, 
 has extreamly endear'd himlelf to all 
 Scholars, but the Orthodox Clergy of 
 the Church o{ England efpecially. And 
 lience 'tis very obfervable, that thofe 
 Gentlemen only who have purchafed to 
 themfelves the honour of Learning and 
 true Breeding, know beft how to value 
 and efteem, and are moft willing to 
 encourage thofe Attainments in others; 
 which will alfo have a mighty Influence 
 upon ail your Deppridents, as well as 
 others below you, who do ufually ei- 
 ther refpeft or conteifftn wife and good 
 Men, 'by the Examples of their Lea^ 
 ^/ifrio Gonfider^ 
 
 irrThirdly, That whereas the Yertues 
 or Vices of private Men do common- 
 ly pals, without much Notice or; Gen- 
 iiire, you'l belet a$ it were a -ff^^ctw up- 
 . a ' on 
 
Of Studies. 5 
 
 on an HiH ; and as the Words of great 
 Men are ufaally Maxims and Theorems^ 
 {o their Anions become Examples, 
 Rules and Prefidents for others to Iteer 
 and walk by. Befides, you'l be no lefs 
 efteemed and admired for the Excellen- 
 cy of your natural and acquired Abili- 
 ties, than herein for the fway and in- 
 fluence of your Authority ; nor can any 
 thing btf more bafe and inglorious, than 
 a Gentleman only by name, whc^e Soul* 
 is ignorant and Life immoral, ^ 
 
 Fourthly, There's nothing in this 
 World, which can countervail the great 
 Expenceof your Time and Pains, (^c. 
 but Learning and Experience (^$ before) 
 which are only attainable by Sta^/y and 
 a futable Converjation 'wiihSchohrsi 
 and Men of Parts; for hereby you 
 may be qualified both for Aftion and 
 Speculation, and excel the Aiohile zs 
 much in Underftanding and Vertue, as 
 Nobility of Birth and gentielExtradtion. 
 Now, thcfe are the genuine and proper 
 Yr\Xiis oi Education and Study ; and un- 
 lefs you imploy and improve your Time 
 and Faculties to thefe purpofes, tho per- 
 . B 5 haps 
 
6 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 haps you may gratifie and pleafe your 
 Fancy with vain and empty Delights, 
 yet your Underftanding will prove un- 
 fruitful ; and after many tedious and 
 dangerous Traverfes^ you may return 
 Home with a fliatter'd Body, and a bar- 
 ren and empty Soul. 
 
 Thefe are all fuch generous Induce* 
 ments, as will prevail with your ingenu- 
 ous Temper and Inclination, to keep 
 clofe to your Studies : But as a further 
 Obligation and Inforcement, give me 
 leave to remind you of the Mi/carriages 
 of fome (who would neither be perfua- 
 ded to love Learning nor Books) which 
 may be a fure Caution to you to avoid 
 thofe Sins and Indifcretions of licenti- 
 ous and ungovcrn'd Youth. 
 
 For alafs ! we have many deplorable 
 Inflances (the Sparks and Blades of our 
 Age) who confume their Time, Parts, 
 Wit,Eftates,^c. in purfuit of the greateft 
 Fooleries and Vanities in the World, to 
 the greateft Ihame and difgrace of them- 
 felves, and fcandal of others j as if they 
 were a diftinft Species from all Rational 
 Beings^ and made only for a Sword, or 
 
 a Horfe, 
 
Of Studies. 7 
 
 a Horfe, or a Dog, and the other brutift 
 and fenfual Exercifes of Luxury and 
 Profanenefs. I am no Enemy to mode- 
 rate and innocent Pleafures ; but thofe 
 Sots and Ignaros make it their Trade 
 and way of Living, to obferve all Modes 
 and Fafhions, drink, fwear, curfe, whore, 
 game, fight and quarrel like Heftors 
 and Madmen, defpifeand fcorn all be- 
 low them, and run on in a full Carreer 
 of Sin and Extravagance. 
 
 Infomuch, that Tm afraid they have 
 fcarce leifure to fay their Prayers, or 
 look on a Book, and therefore wholly 
 unfit for Chrillian or ingenuous Con- 
 verfe ; (their Dogs, Horfes, ^c. being 
 ufually the Subjeds of their Difcourje 
 in their more ferious Intervals}. By all 
 which inhuman Methods, many of them 
 are become fo barbaroufly Ignorant,and 
 void of all Learning, that they haveal- 
 moft forgot that ever they were at 
 Schools or Vniverfuy (unlefs they hap- 
 pen to remember fome Pranks they 
 play'd there) and are as much ftrangers 
 to Humanitj^ Philofophy^ Hifiory^ &c. 
 as if there had been never any fuch thing 
 B 4 as 
 
8 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 , , • • • * - 
 
 as Books or Learning in the World - 
 Nor are theie the Faults only of our 
 home-bred Gentlemen; (for we have 
 many learned, wifej and good Men,who 
 never had th'e Curiofity norConvetiience 
 of Travel.) but even of thofe who liave 
 fcen many Foreign Countries, Cities^ 
 Delights, (^c. yet negleding the Bufi- 
 nefs they w^ent about (as we have obfer- 
 ved already) have returned home after 
 inany impertinent Wandrings, more 
 vain and prodigal^ wicked and irreligi- 
 ous, than thofe Companions of Igno- 
 rance and Epicurifm they left behind 
 fhem. For what'pleafure and fatisfafti- 
 on has that Man, who has feen all the 
 Noveltib anfd 'Gurj^Mes in thfe W(^d, 
 Vi h€ has (ludied^ndthhing elfe but to 
 pleafe and pamper his own Appetite? 
 All that We can fay of him, is, that he 
 lias beftowed much pains to no purpofe, 
 or for thaf which is worfe ; and bo^iight 
 his Sins knd Vanities at a dearer rat€ 
 thanothers/ : . 
 
 Thtjs, I havefef before you thofe Ar* 
 gumerits nnd Motives^ ditid Dangers and 
 Hazards^ Qti the right hand and on the 
 
Of Studies. p 
 
 left, which your Prudence will confider 
 betimes; fo, that you may improve all 
 thofe Opportunities' that fall in your 
 way to the befl advantages, left you 
 -fliculd \xn\\^^^\\y m'if carry in your great 
 Adventure^ (*as thofe miferable Inllan- 
 ces we have already noted ; ) which the 
 Lord of his great mercy avert. 
 
 Confider again, that your Statiorr, 
 Quality and Parts, may difpofe you at 
 \ our Return for Offices of Honour and 
 Truft ; wherein you may be highly 
 Serviceable to your King and Country, 
 ias your worthy ^Father is, and has been 
 before you : Nor can any Magiftrate be 
 duly qualified to adminilkr Juftice or 
 Couaiel, with eafe and fatistadlion to 
 himfelfjOrfor the ^'benefit of others, 
 but by fuch habitual Accomphlhmencs 
 ns are the proper Refults of 5/«^ and 
 Ohfervation: Infomuch that Charles 
 the Great ^%m^QXo\xt^ did folemnlyide- 
 clare, That he had rather ahoi^nd in 
 Knowledge than Riches and Honour. 
 
 But befides thofe foriCgoing Topicks, 
 you'i find by Experience; ihdii the Plea- 
 ilires as well as the Benefits oi Study ^ 
 
 are 
 
lo Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 are fo charming and delightful, that Ws 
 next to impoflible for a Scholar to be 
 idle : Efpecially confidering (as a Learn- 
 ed Man obferves) the many Improve- 
 ments of Reafon, the fweetnefs and de- 
 lights of Knowledge, the great range 
 and multitude of Thoughts and Specu- 
 lations ; for there's much wit in Poe- 
 try, in Philofophy Reafon, improved, 
 in Mathematicks Acutenefs, in Hiftory 
 curious and ftrange Events, in Politicks 
 variety of Projeds and Defigns, in Ora- 
 tory fweet and delightful Eloquence, in 
 Divinity fupernatural Light, Rules of 
 holy Living and Dying, and heavenly 
 Devotions : Which laft will be a means 
 to fanftifie all Endeavours to your ufe, 
 and make all your other Studies both 
 pleafant and profitable. 
 
 Now a ftrid: and diligent Enquiry in- 
 to all thefe feveral forts of Learning, 
 will fill up all the empty Spaces of your 
 Time^ which is commonly mif-imploy- 
 ed, if not vainly mif-fpent, by all thofe 
 Gentlemen that are not Scholars. You 
 may alter the Methods and Courfe of 
 your Studies as you pleafe, fo that there 
 
 Oiall 
 
of Studies. II 
 
 lliall never be any fpare Time upon 
 your hands ; nor will it ever feem to 
 pafs away flowly. But feeing the Hu^- 
 landing of Time we 11^ is a thing of the 
 greateft advantage and importance to a 
 Student ; I (hall give you an account 
 of the Method which I have ufed, and 
 found very fuccefsful in the Condudt 
 of mine own Studies : Yet I would 
 not have you to obferve it fo exadly, 
 as to negledi the more fcafonable ^^- 
 vice of others. 
 
 Now I have always thought, that 'tis 
 the Duty and Intereft of every Chrifti- 
 an to be well skilled in the divine Arith- 
 metick of numbring his Days: For 
 Time is a precious Jewel, for which 
 we muft all be accountable ; and there- 
 fore he who lofes a Day is dangeroufly 
 prodigal ; but thofe that dare mif-fpend 
 it, little lefs than defperate. For the 
 prevention then of thofe Evils and Mif- 
 chiefs refulting from the fruitlefs ex* 
 pence of Timey I fhall propound to you 
 this following Method. And, 
 
 Firft, Rife early in the Morning, if 
 your Health permit ; for Aurora mujis 
 
 arnica^ 
 
1 2 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 arnica^ and the fooner the more early the 
 Blejfling. Let your fr/i Thoughts be 
 always with God ; return him mod 
 humble and hearty llmnks for your Re- 
 irefhment and Protedion from the dan- 
 gers of the Night. Prefent the Jirji 
 fruits of your Reafon and other Facul- 
 ties to your Maker ; think on him whilft 
 you aredreffing,: and humbly beg that 
 you may be clothed upon with the 
 Robes of your Saviours Righteoufnefs, 
 and thamoft precious Ornaments of his 
 Grace and Spirit. 
 
 Then return to your Clofet^ and pray 
 earneftly/ervently, confl:antly,devoutly 
 and afledionately unto God, for your 
 Prefervation that day, and for ever, 
 from Temptation. Sin and Danger ; and 
 th^t he would fandlifie your Perfon, 
 andblels and profper you in your Stu- 
 dies. 'Twas Z.^r/;^'/'^ obfervation of 
 himfeifjthat hene oraffe efl henefiuduijfe ; 
 and if your Heart be early feafon'd with 
 Gods Prefence, 'twill reliili of him all 
 the day after. And when you have 
 thus happily performed your Morning 
 Devotions^ then, 
 
 Secondly, 
 
Of Studies. 1 5 
 
 Secondly, Sit down a little and con- 
 fider (efpecially if you have occafiont 
 to go abroad or entertain Company that 
 day at your Chamber,^ what Tempta^ 
 tions or Sins you are in danger to run 
 upon; refolve againft them, and fee 
 that your Purpoles be fixt and (leady : 
 So that if any of thofe Temptations 
 fliould afterwards aflauit you, call to 
 mind what you have refolved on in 
 your Clofety and then endeavour to arm 
 your felf againft them with the Argu- 
 ments of your Religion ; as the confix 
 derations of Deaths Judgment j Heaven 
 and Hell. But if you expeft nothing 
 extraordinary that day, (^intending to 
 continue in the courle of your Studies^ 
 then a ferious Recommendation of your 
 Perfon and Affairs to Gqd, in a general 
 Fetiticn^ will be acceptable and fuifi- 
 cient. • . 
 
 Thirdly, Begin your Studies ,witli 
 reading a C/;^/>r^ror more of the AVu? 
 Tejlamenty every morningj^ till you have 
 read it ail over j and then begin again; 
 always obferving the, fame Method. 
 Meditate of, and cpnfider well whj^: 
 
 you 
 
1 4 Advice to a Gentleiiian^ 
 
 you read, that you may thence collect 
 lome ufeful IJotes and Ohfervations^ for 
 the Confirmation of your Faith, and 
 Conduft of yourManners in the ways of 
 Religion. And having read fome Por- 
 tion of the Holy Scripture ferioufly 
 and deliberately, (for the better under- 
 ftanding of it, you may confult 
 Dr. Hammonds Paraphrafe, or Grotiusy) 
 this, with your Prayers, will prepare 
 you for your other Studies. Wherein, 
 
 Fourthly, Your Tutor will be care- 
 ful to give you the mod proper and fea- 
 fonable Advice. Your Vniverfity Lear- 
 ning will be chiefly (as I fuppofe) Lo* 
 gicks and Philofophy : Now if you'l but 
 take pains to be an accurate Logician^ 
 and thorow^paced Fhilofopher^ (which 
 will not require very much time, if 
 you be always careful to attend the 
 Ledtures and Difputations in thtSchools^ 
 you'l readily underftand any Author; 
 and the whole courfe of all your future 
 Studies^ will not only thereby become 
 beneficial, but pleafant and delightful. 
 
 Yet herein I defire to caution you, 
 not to fpend too much Time in dry and 
 
 ufelefs 
 
Of Studies. 1 5 
 
 ufelefs Notions and Speculations^ being 
 a Fault which I have obferved in the 
 Methods of reading Philofophy in Fo- 
 reign Vniverfitics i for no Study is 
 worth a Mans while that's not accom- 
 panied with Profit, and fuch unanfwe- 
 rable Reafons and Arguments as are in 
 a great meafure able to filence all fu- 
 ture Debates, feeing the capacity of the 
 Ignorant lyes as much below fuch Phi- 
 lofophical Curiofities^ as the more know- 
 ing and judicious are above them; fo 
 that there remains to all in things du- 
 bious and only probable, a Power to 
 admit, or rejecft what Opinions they 
 pleafe. Therefore I would recommend 
 Mathematicks next to Logicks^ as the 
 moft ufeful part of Pbilojophy ; for this 
 Science propofes nothing but what's 
 apparent by moft undeniable Demons 
 ft rations ; which Knowledge is not on- 
 ly the chief we can acquire upon Earth, 
 but will alfo accompany us to Heaven. 
 
 Fifthly, When you have leifure, read 
 over your Clajftck Authors^ and remark 
 with your 'Pen what you find moft ob- 
 fervable in them ; for as you'l hereby 
 
 under- 
 
1^ Advice to a Geyttlemdu^ 
 
 underfland the Cujloms and Manners of 
 the mod antient and celebrated Hea- 
 thens^, fo this fort of Learning will qua- 
 lifie^^ou to write and fpeak Latin well : 
 And when you have obtained this Fa- 
 culty^ yo\x cannot.be a ftraoger in any 
 place where you come ; nor can any 
 thing be a greater Ornament to a Gen- 
 tleman and a Scholar. 
 
 Sixthly, And feeing your Quality andi 
 Eftate will exempt you from all other 
 Profeffions but that of a States-man^ 
 the Knowledge of all forts of Htjlory 
 will be very ufeful and neceflary ; but; 
 eipecially French Authors^ being of all 
 others the moft accurate in Negotia- 
 tioHs zni Memoirs^ recorded by ^\xh'' 
 IkkMiniJlerSy and publiflit by their 5^-^ 
 cretaries after their Deaths : For 'tis 
 obferv'd by a Perlbn of great Judgment 
 and Policy, that none make more faith- 
 ful Reports of things done in all Nations 
 than Amha(fadours; having the beft and 
 moft authentick Intelligence from their 
 Princes PenJionerSy who are obliged to 
 acquaint them with all they can dif^ 
 coven . : ; . : 
 
 Seventhlys 
 
Of Studies: i j 
 
 - Seventhly, Conluk likewife all the 
 feveral Speeches^ Declarations^ Tryals 
 and TranjaAions^ occafion'd by the late 
 unhappy Wars in England^ wherein 
 you 1 find more natural and u(etul Know- 
 ledge, than is ordinarily to be met with 
 in all the mouldy Records of antienc 
 Statifts and Tolitltians, 
 
 Eighthly, There will be no need to 
 advile you what Authors ^ow Ihallread 
 in Divinity ; tor I know fuflicicnt care 
 is taken for that already ; yet in my O- 
 pinion^ next to the Holy Scriptures and 
 our Churches Catechifm^ Dr. Haryimonds 
 P r apical Catechifm^ and thofe Books by 
 the Anther of the Whole Duty of Man^ 
 are the beft. And indeed all our mo- 
 dern Writers of the C\\\xxc\\oi Englaml 
 tor the laft fifty or fixty years, (who 
 have imploy'd their Parts, Faeulties and 
 Time, in treating de omni ente^ and out- 
 done the greateft part of the World,) if 
 accurately read and welldigefted, will 
 furnifh you with variety of fliatter^ all 
 forts oi Methods, and a delicate ^/y/^?. 
 i3ut then you fliould take Advice in the 
 tholce of fuch Books^ as are approved 
 C and 
 
l8 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 and mod authentkk upon every Suh- 
 jefl^ that the whole Time of your Stu- 
 dy may be profitably imployed ; for a 
 few Books well read and throughly di- 
 gefted, will more improve your Reafon 
 and Judgment, than hundreds fuperfici- 
 ally turned over, as many young Stu- 
 dents do. 
 
 Yet there's abundance of Pleafure in 
 variety of Books j for when your Facul- 
 ties grow dull and weary of one, you 
 may pafs to another, as your own 6e- 
 nim and Inclination lliall diredt ; where- 
 by the whole Time and Bufinefs of your 
 Study will become a delight and bene- 
 fit, rather than a burthen to you : Nor 
 can any Recreationhe fo pleafant, (this 
 I find by experience,) nor any Labour 
 {o profitable to a Scholar a§ Study. And, 
 
 Laftly, You'l find it of fingular ufe 
 and advantage for the improvement of 
 yonx Par tSy toimploy and exercifeyour 
 Pen upon every Occafion, Write often 
 to your Relations and Friends; for the 
 negleft of that is a general fault in young 
 Students, Have always a Common-Place 
 Book by you, (your Tutor will dired: 
 
 you 
 
Of Studies. ip 
 
 you to the moft ufeful Heads^ and 
 note therein the moft remarkable, 
 quaint/and ingenuous Paflagesyou meet 
 with in any Author^ which you may 
 afterwards have recourle to immediate- 
 ly upon every occafion : Obierve like- 
 wife, and note in writing, all the Re- 
 markable Occurrences in your Travel ; 
 particularly the Situation of Places^ the 
 Cufloms and Manners o[\\\t?eople^ their 
 Religion^ Government^ Policies^ Traf^ 
 fique^ &c. This will be of great eafe to 
 your Memory, and of fingular ufe and 
 advantage in the whole Progrefs of your 
 Life ; befides, you'l find that your Parts^ 
 Style and Method^ will be the beft im- 
 proved by much Writing : All Learn- 
 ed Men can witnefs this from their own 
 Experience, and is very remarkable in 
 all our Englijh Worthies ^ infomuch 
 that I dare be confident, if you'l apply 
 your felt to this method, your Reafon 
 and Judgment will by degrees attain to 
 fuch a Habit, as will not dare to prefent 
 you with any thing but what's very 
 curious and excellent. 
 Yet I would not hereby engage you 
 C z to 
 
20 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 to be fo earneft in the piirfuit of your 
 Studies^ as to prejudice your own Con- 
 (JitutioHi for there's aTime for all things, 
 and too much reading may prevent the 
 Accq{s of a newer, nearer, and quicker 
 Invention of your own : Befides, if your 
 Body be ftrong,as you'J rather complain 
 of the fhortnels ot the Day,than be wea- 
 ried with Study:, fo, if it be weak and 
 feeble, the Decays of Nature may be re- 
 paired, ^being alfo allowed to the ftrong- 
 eft Cofifiitutions^ either, Firft, By a 
 fu table Converfation ; or, Secondly, By 
 moderate and innocent Recreations. 
 
 For the firft of thefe, namely a futable 
 ConverfationiWh^n you are wearied and 
 indifpofed with your Studies^ a door of 
 Conference is open, and the Converfation 
 of' learned, wife, and good Men, is a 
 greater Refiner of xht Spirit than Books. 
 Yet let not this tempt you from your 
 Studies in the Forenoon, which is the 
 moft proper Time to be refervedand at 
 your Book ; however, whilft you conti- 
 nue in the Vniverfity : And herein let 
 me advife you to lay down fuch Rules 
 to your felf, in obferving thofe ftated 
 
 Hours^ 
 
Of Studies. 21 
 
 Hours^ as no Man lliall be able to per- 
 fuade you to recede from them ; for that 
 when your Refolutions are once known^ 
 as no Perfon of Ingenuity will dirturb 
 you, foyou'l find t his iWi?/^/^ (7^/ ;^of keep- 
 ing this bed part of the Day to your 
 felf,) will become not only prafticable, 
 but very commendable, and offingular 
 benefit to you in more iriftances than I 
 can readily mention. 
 
 But when Dinner is over, (fo foon as 
 you can with convenience and civility to 
 the Company,) retire to your Clofety 
 and pray (as in the Morning^ always 
 concluding your Devotions in the Name 
 of our Lord JefusCbriJi^ and with the 
 Lords Prayer: Again, r^<a^fome por- 
 tion of the Holy Scripture in the OlclTe-^ 
 fiament^ and the Pfalms for the Day^ and 
 (as before) with attentive Ohjervation. 
 (And be as careful in performing your 
 Evening Devotions^ with Thankjgivings 
 for the Blefings of the Day^ and earned 
 Prayer for your Safety and Prote^ion^ 
 that night and for ever). 
 I do not doubt but you '^.^v K 
 have good '^ Helps and 'vononr^^c 
 particular Devotions by C 3 you 
 
2 2 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 you for Morning and Evenings which 
 you may ufe with your own, as God 
 iliall be pleas'd to enable you: But 
 be fure that you never he down to reft, 
 till you have made your Evening Obla- 
 tion'^ that whether you fleep or wake, 
 you may be always fafe under the (hel- 
 ter and protedion of a gracious Provi- 
 dence. 
 
 But to return, having performed your 
 Devotions after Dinner^ then you may 
 either go to, or fend for fuch Companions 
 as you think fit, and fee that they be al- 
 ways choice and \ew ; for as the vitious 
 and unlearned are not worthy of your 
 Company and Acquaintancey fo too many 
 of the more learned, wifer, and better 
 fort, will but increafe the expence both 
 of your Time and Moneys befides, the 
 Examples of others do ufually prevail 
 more, and have a greater Influence than 
 their Precepts and Counfels; and by the 
 opportunities oiConverfe^ either good 
 or bad, we commonly imbibe all the 
 TindluresofF/c^ oxVertue ; infomuch 
 that *cis almoft impofTfble for the moft 
 prudent Man to hold out long againfl: 
 
 the 
 
Of Studies. 25 
 
 the forcible Batteries of Cuftom and 
 Opportunity. Bur, 
 
 There are no certain Rules to be pre- 
 fcribed for Converje ; feeing all Difcour- 
 fes of that Kind are Occafional^ and de- 
 pend much upon the Ctrcumftances of 
 TimeyPlace^Perfons.&Lc. yet a Gentle- 
 man has ufually the freedom to be as 
 inquifitive as he pleafes; and what would 
 becenfured in others as humorous Mo- 
 rofenejsy or pragmatical Sawcinefs^ will 
 be interpreted in you, as an ingenuous 
 defire and thirft after Knowledge: 
 Therefore 'tis a fingular and extraor- 
 dinary Priviledge you have in this Kind 
 above Perfons ot a lower Rank, which 
 (^being improved to the bed Advanta- 
 ges,) may very much conduce to your 
 Intereft and Satisfaftion ; for he's a ve- 
 ry weak Companion from whom you 
 may not receive fome benefit, and re- 
 turn ivijer. But then if yoncorrefpond 
 with LearnedMen and Communicative, 
 they'l freely impart to you thofe Secrets 
 (in a little time,) which havecoft them, 
 and would have put you to the expence 
 of much Pains and Travel j and if the 
 C 4 Company 
 
24 Advice to a Gentleman, 
 
 Company be below you in Parts and 
 Learning, in being free, open, and dif- 
 cqrOi^e of what you know, (and the oft- 
 ner you repeat then) ) they'l be more ri- 
 veted and confirmed toyou,and imprefs 
 them upon your Mind and Memory, in 
 Hiore durable and indeleble Characters. 
 Yet give me leave to caution you in 
 two things: And Firft, See that you 
 be innocently free and chearful in your 
 ConverfatioH \ Let hoc age be your con- 
 ftant Motto ; for if a ManbefuUen, mo- 
 role, mopiih, and unfeafonably poring 
 upon his Book or Bufinefs, helofes the 
 Fruits and Benefits of 0;;wr/?, nor will 
 \\isCompaf9y'ht looked upon by others 
 to be tiihtx prof table or diver five. And 
 Secondly, Avoid the other Extreme of 
 talking too mucff, as troublefome and ab- 
 furd ; for every Man that can be a fit 
 Companion for you, will exped to have 
 a fiiarein the Difcourfe. It muft needs 
 then be a great Vanity in many Gentle- 
 men, who having fome little fmatte- 
 rings of Learning, (for empty Veflels 
 have the loudeft Sound,) do make all 
 Places eccho with their Lati^^ Italian^ 
 * French^ 
 
Of Studies. 25 
 
 French, &CC. and Citations out of the 
 mod celebrated Authors ; for the more 
 that any Man feems to borrow from 
 Uooks, he do's thereby proclaim the 
 meannels of his own natural Parts, 
 which only and properly can be call'd 
 his own. 
 
 Be refer ved in pa fling your Judg- 
 ment, efpecially in what may concern 
 the Reputations or Interefts of other 
 Men ; your Bufinefs will be rather to 
 enquire (as before,) and that too with 
 all poflible Candor and Modefty, into 
 the Policies and Forms of Government, 
 all forts of Learning, ©c. And therefore 
 to this End endeavour to be acquainted, 
 and converfe with Men of the greatelt 
 Parts Sobriety and Experience ; from 
 whom you'l always receive Benefit, and 
 note fometliing worthy your Obferva- 
 tion. I would not advife you to avoid 
 wholly the Converfation of your Coun^ 
 try-men^ yet correfpond as little with 
 jthem as poflible ; for you would find 
 it very unprofitable vipon feveral ac- 
 counts, which I leave to your own 
 ,Confideration. 
 
 Thus 
 
26 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 Thus every thing is beautiful in its 
 Seaibn : And we have leen hitherto how 
 the chief part of your Time fhould be 
 imployed at your Book^ Leisures, and 
 Exercifes in the Schools^ and Converfa- 
 tion with others, whilft you continue 
 in x\\tVmverfity^ or when fetled in any 
 other Place : (^For upon Travel^') the 
 Methods mull be altered and ordered ac- 
 cording to the Laws and Dictates of 
 Prudence and Difcretion. And tho 
 neither Birth^ nor Quality^ nor Eft at e^ 
 can give any Man a Pnviiedge or Pa- 
 tent to be idle : Yet, 
 
 Secondly, There mull be fome con- 
 venient Time fet apart (which fliould 
 always be in the Afternoon^) for feafo- 
 nable and innocent Refrefhments ; the 
 Diverfion and Reparation of your wea- 
 ry Thoughts^ as well as the Eafe and Sup- 
 port of your Body. But herein I muft 
 caution "^QW^ that your Recreations be 
 moderate^ endeavouring always to con- 
 fine your felf to thefe following Rules 
 and Meafures. 
 
 Therefore your bodily Pleafures 
 iliould not be expenfive of too much 
 
 Ttmey 
 
Of Studies. 27 
 
 Time^mr Money i both which may be 
 very well imployed to better Purpofes; 
 nor cruel^ nor hloody^ nor fwful ; as 
 when Pajtimes and Sports are mixed 
 Vi'ith Anger ^ Tajfion^Violence^ Fury^Cur^ 
 Jing^S wearing^ Quarrelling^ Covetoufnefs^ 
 and the like ; For we fliould ufe our Z?/- 
 verfion and Merriments^ as we do Saw- 
 ces to our Meats^ to delight and refrejh 
 Us, that we may hereby become more 
 adive and vigorous when we return 
 to our necedary Bufinefs and Studies ; 
 which cannot by any means lerve thofe 
 good and necelTary Ends^ unlefs they 
 be always conduced with Reafon and 
 Sobriety. 
 
 Hitherto of thofe Arguments and Mo^ 
 fives J Rules and Methods^ which I hope 
 may be of fome ufe, not only to allure 
 and invite, (tho moft agreeable to your 
 own temper, and therefore more at- 
 traftive,^ but dired you too in the fuc- 
 cefsful Management of your Studies. 
 We pafs on now to the Second Head^ 
 which will more immediately refpeft 
 your Manners and Deportment^ as they 
 difpofe to Religion. 
 
 The End of the Firft Part. 
 
2^ 
 
 A— • — __-^ 
 
 ADVICE 
 
 T O A 
 
 YOUNG GENTLEMAN 
 Of an Honourable 
 
 F A M I L Y 
 
 Now in His 
 
 TRAVELS 
 
 Beyond the S E A 'S, &c. 
 
 PART 11. 
 
 Of Manners andDeportnunt. 
 
 TH E tender Care of your Worthy 
 Parents inyour vertuous and re-' 
 ligious,as well as learned Education, and 
 
 your 
 
^o Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 your own natural Genius and Temper 
 might fpare me the trouble of writing a 
 large EJfay of Morality and Civil De* 
 portment : Yet becaufe Wickedneft and 
 Vice is always more infinuative than 
 Vertueand Goodnefs, which by feveral 
 repeated Ad:s grows (gradually) to a 
 cuftom, and becomes habitual ; and be- 
 caufe Perfons in your Station are ufually 
 expofed to more and greater Temptations 
 than thofe who move in a lower Orle : 
 Therefore without any further Apology, 
 you'l be pleas'd to indulge me the li- 
 berty and freedom to become your Re- 
 m^brancer, or rather Monitor in a few 
 Things. And, 
 
 Firft, It will be a great Argument of 
 Parts and Difcretion, to be modeft and 
 referved in fpeaking of your Self^ Family^ 
 and Affairs^ left by a fanciful and over- 
 weaning Conceit of your own Quality 
 and Merits y you defervedly incur the 
 the Cenfure of Pragmaticalnejs and 
 Ojtentation ; from which Precipice many 
 have dangeroufly fallen : For we know 
 that Pride was the Sin oith^ fallen An* 
 gels and Foundrefs of Hell, the ruine 
 
 of 
 
of Manners and Deportment. 3 1 
 
 of Mankind from the beginning of the 
 Creation^ and ever fince hateful in it 
 felf, and abominable to God and ail good 
 Men : But befides the Evil, fuch is the 
 Folly and Vanity of this /^/C(f, that tho 
 the humorous and felf-conceited Man 
 has leldom any thing to boaft of, yet 
 he's ufually fo tranfported with an Opi- 
 nion and tow'ring Ambition of what he 
 has, as to negled a Supply of what is 
 wanting; and being always attended 
 with Infolence and Contempt of others, 
 do's effeftually blall and difparage all 
 other Vertues : For every Man is more 
 inquifitive after ihtBlemifhes than Beau- 
 ties of a proud Perfon ; whereas the 
 humble and modeft Man may pafs filent* 
 ly and uncenfured, with more real Faults 
 and Indifcretions. 
 
 ' Therefore have always a lowly and 
 modeft Opinion ot your own Perfon^ 
 Quality ^ Ac ([Hiftt ions ^ Merits and Endow^ 
 tnents^ both of Body and Mind; and be 
 content that others ihould have fo too: 
 For why fhould any Man admire thof§^ 
 little Pittances of Learning, Know- 
 ledge, ^c. feeing they are not properly 
 
 our 
 
32 Advice to a Gentleman] 
 
 our own, but are either begg'd or bor- 
 rowed from others, or have been pur- 
 chaled and acquired by dear-bought Ex- 
 perience ? B"itdes, if we ferioufly re- 
 fled: upon and cchfider all thfe Deficient 
 ces, Follies and Indifcretions of our beft 
 Performances, the Ignorance and Errors 
 of our Judgments, the Perverfenefs and 
 Obftmacy of our Wills, the many Sins 
 and Infirmities we are daily guilty of; 
 and that every thing we have may be 
 taken away or blafted in a moment i 
 Such Confiderations as thefe, would 
 humble the /)/-Wf/? Man alive, and fub- 
 due all the vain and infolent Conceits of 
 our haughty and ambitious Spirits ; for 
 fuch proud and fupercilious Humours 
 are more futable to the Court of Spah^ 
 where Men feem wifer than they are^ 
 than this of England^ where ow Pa* 
 trtots are ufually wifer than at firft fight 
 they feem to be. Therefore as you arc 
 obliged to fubdue and abandon all a- 
 fpiringand lofty Conceits of what you 
 are, or what you have,, fo^the Practice 
 of Modefiy znd Humility will recom* 
 mend you to the Acceptance^ and pro- 
 cure 
 
Of Manners aiid Deportment. 35 
 
 cure you a good Eftecm and Opinion 
 from all you converfe with. 
 
 Secondly, Be prudently referved in 
 . ceniuring or ridiculing the Faults and 
 Indifcretions oi other Men : For, a/>r«- 
 clent Carriage is highly efteemed by 
 all, but flrangers elpecially. Befides, 
 Prudence and Dijcretion will teach and 
 diredl you how to fubjugatc all the Ap^ 
 petites, Paflions, Afledions and Incli- 
 nations both of Soul and Body, to the 
 Empire oi Reafon and found Judgment ; 
 fo that when you have reduced alL your 
 lower Faculties to this Order and Har- 
 mony, your Vnder (landing will direA 
 aright, and your JVi/Jand Affetlions be- 
 come conformable to the Laws and 
 Rules of right Reafon and Religion. 
 Then,you'l manage all your Affairs />r«- 
 dently^ with the greatefl: Calmnefs and 
 Tranquillity, and be always in the pur- 
 fuit ot generous Binds, and the moft ef- 
 fedual Means and Methods of obtaining 
 them. And thus^ 
 
 Thirdly, By ading according to thefe 
 
 Rules of Prudence and Difcretion^ you'l 
 
 come by degrees to an excellent Tem- 
 
 t) per 
 
54 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 per and Habit of Sobriety and Mode^ 
 ration : For you'l hereby prevail with 
 vourfelf, not to indulge your Appetite^ 
 to the diflurbance and difquiet of your 
 rational Powers : Nor will any Man of 
 iPrudenee and Sobriety endeavour to 
 pleafe and gratifie his Palate with deli- 
 cate Meats and Drinks^ nor his Touch 
 with Softnefs and Effeminacy nor his 
 £y<? with fair and gaudy Show's, nor his 
 Sme// \vith coftly Perfumes : For an im- 
 modttate Complyance with all or any of 
 thefe, would not only force your Reafon 
 to (^u^it her Doiiiinion and Authority, 
 and thereby hurry you into all manner 
 df fin a:nd wickednefs, but continually 
 difl;rad:y6ur Thoughts, with a fruit lefs 
 variety ofExpeftattbhs and Difappoint- 
 'rneitts^. The ready way then to be at 
 pea<5c with God, and Man, and your 
 owh Cohicience, will be to govern your 
 ielfaceording to the fober Dilates oi 
 fru*finct Stid Moderation^ as Gods Ho'- 
 ly Word and the Dilates- of right Reafon 
 ihatl'direft you, 
 
 Now, thefe Vertues and their oppo- 
 fite^?(*>5 having the moft confiderable 
 
 Afped: 
 
Of Manners and Deportment. 55; 
 
 Afpeit upon Gentlemen, as the greateft 
 Examples either of Good or Evil ,• I fhall 
 therefore be more particular in the hand- 
 ling of this Point of Sobriety : And^ for 
 the prevention of a Shipwrack of your 
 Intereft and Honour, (many thousands 
 having fplit their Fejfels upon this 
 Rock,) give me leave to advife you in 
 the 
 
 Firft place, To be vtxyfoher andtem^ 
 per ate in Eating. Have recourfe always 
 to the foregoing Rules oi Prudence, and 
 they'l teach you to confult the Health & 
 Prefervation of the Body, that fo it may 
 be the fitter Manfion for your Soul : For 
 'tis always obfervable, that ungovern'd 
 Lufls are the infeparable Companions of 
 intemperate Eatings and all other Sins 
 are indulged and encouraged by this Kind 
 of Excefs J whereas on the contrary, 
 thofe that live temperatelj and accor- 
 ding to Rule, are feldom tempted, or 
 troubled, as the intemperate arc, with 
 fickly and ill Humours, or deprived of 
 the comforts and benefits of Health by 
 raging and violent Diftempers .- For as 
 a good Confcience is the bed Divinity, 
 D 2 fo 
 
3^ Adviceto aQentleman^ 
 
 fo Temperance is the bed Phyfick, arrd 
 a good Expedient thro' Gods Bleffing, 
 to prefer ve went em fan am in Corf ore fano. 
 And therefore if thro' inadvertency you 
 ihould tranfgrefs at any one Meal, Jet 
 no Temptation allure you to a fecond 
 R^pajl^ till by a fierce Hunger and Fall* 
 ing, you find your felt difcharg'd of the 
 former Excefs : By which means, your 
 Undcrftanding will be always clear, and 
 your Conftitution firm andunlliakenj 
 efpecially if you take care, 
 
 Secondly, To ufe the like moderation 
 in Drinking^ for your Health and Re- 
 fre /hment, both ^s to the Quality and 
 Quantity of Liquors. Your Prudence 
 will obferve^ that this is one of the reign- 
 ing and epidemical Sins of the Nation, 
 and an Inlet to mofl other Sins, which 
 many thoulands (and thofe generally 
 none of the meaneft Rank,) make their 
 chief Trade and Bufmefs ; and is of late 
 Years become fo modifli and fafliiona- 
 ble in all Entertainments, that the many 
 will fcarce think themfelves welcome, 
 unlefs the Liquor and Freedom be al- 
 lowed them to make Beafts of them- 
 
 felves : 
 
Of Mafiners andDe-poriment. 3 7 
 
 ftlves : One would think that their 
 Quality and Education Ihould reach . 
 'em better Manners. But alas ! thcvM 
 go further yet, and the moft (which is 
 yet a higher Aggravation of their Sia 
 and Villany,) become the Devils Faftors 
 for Damnation ; and ufe the moft bafe 
 and fordid Methods,not only to debauch 
 themfelves, but knock down others. 
 But for the prevention of all Excefs in 
 this Kind, be pleafed to confider, 
 
 That intemperate Drinking is the in- 
 centive to, and fewel of all filthy Lufts : 
 For Chambering and Wantonnefs is the 
 ufuai Effcft of Rioting and Drukennefs, 
 as the moft Debauchees find and feel by 
 woful experience. This puts Men up* 
 on defperate Projeils, and engages 'em 
 in all lorts of Wickednefs and Villany ; 
 infomuch, that the very moft in their 
 drunken Fits, will blafpheme, fwear, 
 curfe, lie, backbite and rail againft their 
 innocent Neighbours, and do often kill 
 and dcftroy one another : For fome of 
 ^em are cut ofi by fudden AcciJents^ o- 
 thers in Duels^ occ:i(\ond thro' Drink- 
 ing J and not a few of i\\ok guzling He^ 
 D ? clors 
 
38 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 Bors have fumm'd up their Days at the 
 end of a Watchmans Bill. In a word, 
 intemperate Drinking^ lays a fure Foun- 
 dation for all forts of lingring Difeafes, 
 makes the mod not only Beafts, but 
 Mad-men, and either brings them (as 
 I have noted to you,) to a fwift, untime- 
 ly, and cruel Deaths or a deteftable and 
 infamous Old Age, (which not one in 
 a thoufand ever attains to,) and thofe 
 that do, are offenfive to all honeftand 
 vertuous Company, and to God the 
 moft of all : And befides thefe tempo- 
 ral Punifliments, fee their eternal Doom 
 is detained already, if they live and 
 die in this Sin unrepented of, and unre- 
 form'd. Ifa. 5. II, 12, Luke z I. 34. 6a/. 
 5. 21. Whereunto might be added many 
 other parallel Paffagesto the fame pur- 
 pofe. 
 
 Thefe Confiderations well weighed, 
 might perfuade any Man to be mafter of 
 his Appetite, and keep himfelf within 
 the due bounds o^ Temperance ^nd Mo- 
 deration ; which would not only be an 
 extraordinary Bleffing to private Perfons 
 and Families, but conduce very much 
 
 IQ 
 
Of Ma7iners and Deportment. 3^ 
 
 to the Intereft of the Puhlkk : . For I 
 am confident, there's more Money fpent 
 in one year in exceiiive Drinking^ than 
 would very well provide for and main- 
 tain all the truly poor and indigent 
 People in England. 
 
 Therefore as you tender the Welfare 
 of your Perfon and Family, and Intcrell 
 of your Soul and Body, in this and a fu- 
 ture Life, avoid and abandon the Con- 
 verfation and Company of all difToIute, 
 debauched and intemperate Perfons: 
 Let not their Allurements,nor Scoffings, 
 nor Railings, perfuade you to a compli- 
 ance with them in their inhumane and 
 beaftly Immoralities^ fo as to run with 
 them to the fame Excefs of Rioty 1 Pet. 
 4, 4. For, they are the Devils Inftru- 
 ments, whom he commonly imploys, 
 to precipitate inconfiderate Youth from 
 the Throne of Vertue .- Befidcs, 'tis a 
 mod infedtious and bewitching yice^ 
 infomuch, that if a Man fliould once fall 
 in love with, and contrad a Habit of 
 DrunkennefSj 'twill be very difficult to 
 /hake it off; for the longer it pofTefleth 
 him, the more he will delight in it ; and 
 D 4 the 
 
40 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 the older he grows^ the more beaflly 
 and fortilh : Upon which account ma? 
 ny have complain'd at the laft Hour, 
 that this fmgle Sin has been the caufe 
 of all their other Wickednefles, wliich 
 they mu ft eternally fmart for. 
 
 I know the bell of Men may fome- 
 times exceed the Boundaries of Sohriety 
 and Temperance in Drinking: Now 
 (Sir,") if ever it fhould be your Unhap- 
 pinefs to be overtaken with this Fault, 
 whofe Confequences are fo mifchievous, 
 (which I befeech you beware of ; ; do 
 not remove from the place where you 
 received it, except in fuch a place or 
 company where the Danger may en- 
 crcafe by your continuance therein j 
 for hereby fome part of the Inconveni- 
 ence may be avoided, and more of the 
 Shame and Scandal, always attending 
 this giddy Spirit; which working in 
 the Pate, will make one ad all the Hu- 
 mours habitual in a Mad-man. When 
 you have obtained a Habitr of Tempe* 
 ranee ^ 'va the moderate ufc oi Meats and 
 Drinks^ v/hich are the proper Efleds 
 and Fruits of Prudence^ ^ thefe Vertues 
 will difpofe you: Thirdly, 
 
Of Mantiers a?icl Deportnmit. 41 
 
 Thirdly, For the well-governing of 
 the other Lulls and Appetites of the 
 Flej]:^^ in your Abftinence from hazily 
 Tkajures. Now (Sir^: you are under 
 the mod forcible Obligations by the 
 Laws of Nature and Chriftianity, to a- 
 void and abftain from all carnal Pollu- 
 tions^ and every kind and degree of Ef- 
 feminacy : For unlefs you keep under 
 your Appetite (^as PruJence dired:s,) 
 'twill prefently fet on fire the whole 
 Courfe of Nature, and plunge both Soul 
 and Body into mod defpcrate, damna- 
 ble, and irreparable Milchiels. 
 
 For this kind ot finlul Excefs and ^x- 
 travagance, feldom or never fails to 
 draw Men away from God and his Wor- 
 (hip ; which is oblervable in that deplo- 
 rable Inftance of young King Solomon^ 
 1 Kings II. 12. who tells us from his 
 own (ad Experience, (which might be 
 a fufficient Caution to all young Men,) 
 that when they are once plung'd into 
 thofe Pits of F/Ithinefsy 'tis very difficult 
 to retreat. See Prov.-j. 22, 25. and 
 Prov.z^.zj. implying in both PafTages, 
 the great Perils and Dangers intempe- 
 rate 
 
42 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 rate Perfons run upon, who will pro- 
 flitute their Wit, Learning, Honour, E- 
 ftates, and endanger tlieir Souls, Bodies, 
 and All, rather than not gratifie their 
 brutifli and unfatiable Lulls, This is 
 not only the cafe of this great Man be- 
 fore us ; for we have {Qtn many fad and 
 miferable Spectacles even in our own 
 Age of the decayed Bodies, fhatter'd E- 
 ftares, and ruin'd Families, of many 
 (otherwife hopeful) Young Gentlemen. 
 And tho perhaps here and there one 
 may efcapc the woful Effeds of this 
 Lewdnefs and Debauchery, (for the pre- 
 ient,) yet without repentance and a- 
 mendment of Life, Gods Judgm.ents and 
 Vengeance will certainly overtake them 
 in another World : For Whoremongers 
 and Adulterers God will judge ; and 
 whofoever dies under the reigning Pow- 
 er and Prevalence of this Sin, fliall ne- 
 ver enter into the Kingdom of God. 
 
 Therefore for God's fake and your 
 own, and as you tender the Weal oiy out 
 family, hold no Parley with your Ap- 
 petite in this Cafe ; for if you do com- 
 ply in the ieaft, you are in great danger 
 
 of 
 
Of Man?iers and Deportment. 43 
 
 of being over-come. Set a ftrid: G^ja-^/ 
 then upon all your *S'd'>f/?i', watch all the 
 Ports and Avenues ot your Soul againffc 
 the incurfion of carnal Teniptations,and 
 haveGod always in your thoughts : This 
 was young fojephs fecurity againfl: the 
 iuftful Temptations of his wanton and 
 importunate M/ftrifs ; fo that by this 
 means, if any evil Motions fliould creep 
 in unawares, you'i not fufter them to 
 fix there ; but either caft them out, or 
 kill them. 
 
 Ufe drift Temperance (as we have 
 perl'uaded before,) with Falling and 
 Labour ,• all which are powerful Expe- 
 dients to fubjugate the Flefh^ and the 
 beft Injiruments to further you in the 
 great work and neceflary bufinefs of 
 Mortijfcation znd Self-denial. And here- 
 unto add your moft earneft Prayers un- 
 to God for the alliftance of his Grace, 
 that you may obtain a comfortable Vi- 
 dory over your Appetites and Paffions ; 
 which is a Duty fo abfolutely neceflary, 
 that unlefsit beconftantly and regular- 
 ly perform'd, all your other Natural 
 and Moral Indeavours will prove ineffc> 
 
 dual 
 
44 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 ftual and to no purpofe. And thus your 
 Chriftian Trudencf; and Moderation in 
 ai! thefe fevcral Injlances^ will further 
 quaUfie you/ '^ 
 
 Fourthly, For the exercife and im- 
 provennent of thofe other excellent Ver- 
 rues of Meeknefs and Patience^ which 
 you'l find of admirable ufe and advan- 
 tage for the quiet and peaceable govern- 
 ment of your whole Life ; lo that your 
 CoHverfation will become not only plea- 
 fant, but delightful both to your felt and 
 others. Now thefe Vertues do enriinent- 
 ly confift, in bearing and fuffering meek- 
 ly and patiently all the crofs Accidents 
 ( which you'i often meetwith,^ without 
 fainting and fretting, andfuchaneven- 
 nefs and compofednefs of Mind, as is 
 only confonant to the Mild and Gentle, 
 yet magnanimous Temper and Spirit of 
 Chrifttanity ; and if all be thus well 
 within, no Troubles nor Affliftions can 
 vex nor difcompofe you from without. 
 Befides, when by the Affiftance of God's 
 Grace you are form'd into this admira- 
 ble Frame and Temper of Mind and Spi- 
 rit, you'l neither be timorous in Dan- 
 
Of Manners and Deportment. 45 
 
 ger, envious in PF*^;?/, impatient under 
 ^ffl/fl ions ^angxy orreftiefsat Reproaches 
 and Contempt^ nor malicious and re- 
 vengeful under Injuries and Affronts ; 
 but bear every crofs Event with equa- 
 nimity and a chearful fubmifiion to the 
 Will of God, in all Straits and Difficul- 
 ties ^hatfoever. And this is certainly 
 the greatest Vidory in the World, (and 
 far beyond all the Gonquefts arid At- 
 chievements we ever read of,^ for a 
 Gentleman to be mafler of his own 
 PaJJions. 
 
 Hence therefore 'twill evidently ap- 
 pear, how much thofe Perfons are to 
 blame, who think it a piece of Honour 
 in cafe oi Injuries and Affronts^ to mak^ 
 the Sword Umpire of their own Life 
 and others. And tho many great Fa- 
 milies have paid dear for this Honour or 
 Valour^ (as they are pleafed to call it,) 
 yet I do not find it warranted either by 
 Prudence or Religion^ (as a worthy Gen- 
 tleman obferves ; ) nor will any Man 
 that is either wife or pious, either give 
 or accept a Challenge : For no j^arrel 
 can be fcrewed up to that pitch ot ladif^ 
 
 cretion, 
 
^^ Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 cretion but one or both Parties mufl be 
 arraigned as guilty of the moft ftupen- 
 dious Folly and Madnefs in the World. 
 Befides, formal Duels are but a late In- 
 vention of the Devil, and never heard of 
 in former Times, as relating to private 
 Injuries and Affronts ; and 'tis moft cer- 
 tain, that {^nAlngo^ Challenges renders 
 the Dead a greater Murderer than he 
 that kills him, as being the immediate 
 Author of his own Death : Nor are thefe 
 inhumane and unchriftian Pra^ices fo 
 genteilly treated by our Englifh Laws^ 
 that any Man (hould be encouraged in 
 this defperate Attempt : For if the Mur- 
 derers Legs, or his Friends procure not 
 his Pardon or Reprieve, (tho he iliould 
 not die in the Encounter, yet) he runs 
 J)recipitantly upon his own Death, and 
 his Eftate iliall be confiicated too, to the 
 perpetual detriment and undoing of his 
 Family. Befides the Sting of Confcience^ 
 (if he has any Confcience at all,) and a 
 dreadful Fear like that of tainsy atten- 
 ding Blood, will render the whole re- 
 mainder of his Life tedious and mifera- 
 ble to fuch unfortunate Men ; who will 
 
 ever 
 
Of Manners and Deportment. 47 
 
 ever after fmell too ftrong of BlooA, to 
 be admitted into any intimate Friend- 
 iliip or Relation. 
 
 Therefore in this Cafe particularly^ 
 Meeknefs and Patience are not only a 
 Chriftian Vertue, but the trueft Cou^ 
 rage and fureft Defcnfative againft all 
 Injuries and Affronts : And as the pra- 
 ftice of thefe Vertues may probably qua- 
 lifie the Heats and Paffions of any quar- 
 relfom and dilTolute Company you (hall 
 happen to engage in, (tho take all pot 
 fible care to avoid fuch Furies^ fo this 
 excellent Frame and Temper of Mind 
 and Spirit,will difpofe you tor a brighter 
 Crown when thefe Storms are blowrt 
 over. Again, The exercife and im- 
 provement of this Chriftian Prudence 
 and Moderation, Meeknefs and Patience^ 
 will further dired: and enable you, ^ 
 
 Fifthly, To be moderate in ufirtg, 
 and a good Husband in the management 
 of that Patrimony and Eftate, which 
 Gods Providence and the Dijcretion of 
 your Parents have allotted you. Now 
 'tis obfervable, that Riches and Honours 
 do expofe Men to the greateft Tempta- 
 tions : 
 
48 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 tions ; {and tho your prefent Circum- 
 fiances do not require much Enlarge- 
 ment upon this Head Jyet give me leave 
 to remark to you That 'tis a great tault 
 6nd weaknefs in many 7W»^ Gentleme>7^ 
 who cannot fee the Pomps anJ Fannies 
 of the iVorUl^ but they muft needs fall 
 in love with them- Thefe feeming 
 Beauties may and will tempt you {li 
 poflible, to Lew Jfjefs and Luxury ; but 
 'tis your own fault if you be infnared 
 and led captive by them : Nor fliall you 
 ever find any thing in thofe vain Foo/e* 
 riesy which will be able to fatisfie or 
 pleafe your rational Defires and Expe- 
 dations. 
 
 Yet I fliall readily grant you, that he 
 whom God has blefled with a plentiful 
 Eflate, has many great Opportunities to 
 do good both to himfelf and others j 
 (for your direction herein, fee the Gen- 
 tlemans Calling) : Nor can any Man of 
 Realon and Piety (tho he be rich and 
 honourable,) come under the Tempta- 
 tions ot being either Idle or Extravagant : 
 For righteous Noah did in reality fee 
 two,Worlds (^before and after the De- 
 luge,) 
 
OfMan?iers and Deportment 4^ 
 
 luge,^ and yet was not polluted with 
 ^the Vices or Vanities of either ; vertu- 
 cus Lot was holy and chad in the midft 
 o^ Sodom ; and Mofes in Pharaoh's Houfe 
 kept clofe to theGod of 7/r^d'/; fo did 
 Elifha in the Syrian Court, and Daniel 
 and others among the PerfianSy &c. 
 Your Danger or Satety then, muft flow 
 from a Principle within you : For tho 
 the Devil and the World may and will 
 tempt, yet they have no power to con- 
 ftrain you : Nor can any thing ever 
 make a Man unhappy, but a voluntary 
 compliance with thofe Temptations, 
 and the bafe fuggeftions of his own (la- 
 vilh Appetite. Be prudent and mode- 
 rate therefore in difpofmg of your Mo- 
 ney (both now and always) ; for if you 
 fpend too high, you'l incur the Cenfure 
 of Prodigality or Epicurifm ; and if too 
 /(?ti?,either of unbecoming Niggard line fs^ 
 or fordid Covetoufnefs : Which (as an 
 ingenious Perfon obferves,) is like a 
 Candle ill made, and fmothers the fplen* 
 dour of a happy Fortune in its own 
 Grcafe. 
 
 E Sixthly, 
 
5 o Advice to aG entleman^ 
 
 Sixthly, Be moderate alfo in your 
 Hahit and Apparel i let it not be youth- 
 fully wanton, but grave and comely, 
 like the Mind and Behaviour of the 
 Wearer. But do not by any means ex- 
 ceed in the Humour of Bravery : For 
 our Clothes fhould rather humble, thail 
 pu^ us up, being always the vifible En^ 
 Jigns ofourSm and Slavery ; nor ihall 
 any Man be efteemed for this fort ofEx^ 
 fravagance but by Fools and Wantons.' 
 
 Seventhly, I fhall but add one Conji- 
 deration more, and that m\\ be of gene- 
 ral ufe and necefTary importance, in the 
 prudent, moderate, patient, peaceable 
 and chriftian Condud of your whole 
 life ; which will render your Converfa- 
 tion pleafant and profitable to your 
 felf, and acceptable to all vertuous and 
 good Men. And this will be the dif- 
 creet and confcientious Management of 
 all your Thoughts^ Words and Anions. 
 And, 
 
 Firft, For the government of your 
 ^ tjoughts. Now C^ir,) if you be care- 
 ful and referved, fo as not (willingly) 
 to conceive or fofter an evil Thought^ 
 
 you'i 
 
Of Manners and Deport?nent. 5 1 
 
 you'l then be afraid to [peak, or a^ a- 
 ny thing contrary to your own Reafon 
 and Confcience. And to this End think 
 often (as before^ of the quatuor l^ovif- 
 fima^ Death and Judgment, Heaven and 
 Hell J which thro the affiftance of God's 
 Grace, may keep all the ftnful Excurfi- 
 ons of your Thoughts under fo much 
 reftraint, as youM not readily and wil- 
 lingly conceive any thing that fhall be 
 either finful or irregular. And this will 
 be an excellent Difpofition. 
 
 Secondly, For the Government of 
 the Tongue^ which lliould be always kept 
 under a ftridt guard : For Solomon fays. 
 That Life and Death are in the power 
 of it. And £«ri/^i^d'j truly affirms, That 
 every licentious and unbridled Tongue 
 Ihall in the end find it felf unfortunate : 
 For we fee by daily experience, that all 
 Quarrels^ Mifchiefj Hatred^ &c. and 
 Deflru^ion, arifeth from unadviled 
 Speech \ and in much Talking there 
 are many Errours, from which your 
 Enemies will take the mod dangerous 
 Advantage. Befides, all fcurrilous, fro- 
 thy, profane, idle, uncharitable, filthy^ 
 £ X and 
 
52 Advice to a Geiitlemaji^ 
 
 and wanton Communication^ is not on- 
 iy finfal and impertinent, but altogether 
 unbecoming a Gentleman ; whofe Ex- 
 ample is ufually a Pattern to others, and 
 tor whofe fins they muft be accounta- 
 ble (if they be Patterns of wickednefs) 
 as well as their own. 
 
 Set a watch then always before the 
 doors of your Lips, that no vain Commu-^ 
 ntcation proceed out of your Mouth j 
 and pray earneftly unto God, that he, 
 would io fandtifie your Speech, that 
 Truth, Integrity and Innocence, may 
 be the Rule and Standard of all your 
 Difcourfe. And as it will be very happy 
 for you if you obferve thefe Rules, fo 
 ^twiil be as necefTary to avoid the Con- 
 verjation of thofe whofe Tongues are 
 profane and licentious. Do not by any 
 means liften to, nor give the leaft En- 
 couragement to WbijpererSj 'lak-lear^ 
 ers^ and inqutjitive PerfonSy whobufie 
 themfelves with the Affairs of other 
 Men, that creep into Houfes as SpieSy 
 to hear and learn News^ which con- 
 cerns them not : For I have always 
 obferved them to be bafe and unwor- 
 thy; 
 
Of Manners arid Deportment. 53 
 
 thy ; few of them thrive and profper, 
 nor fliall they ever be refped:ed amongft 
 worthy and wife Men. Bur, 
 
 Thirdly, Be circumfpedt and prudent 
 in the Management of all your Anions. 
 Set your felf againft all Sins in general, 
 and every one in particular, but efpeci* 
 ally,againfl: thofe whereunto your Tem- 
 per and Difpofition are the mod inch* 
 ned ; for thefe will require the greatefl 
 Diligence and Endeavour to overcome 
 and fubdue them. Do not indulge your 
 felf in any one Lull, neither commit 
 the lead fin with delight and approba- 
 tion; becaufe, even thofe which we 
 think are the fmalleft, will prove De- 
 coy's and Incentives to greater; vain 
 and finful Thoughts proceeding to Words ^ 
 and Words toDeeds : So that m this Pro-^ 
 grefs of WickednefSy a Man knows not 
 where to (lop, till he has plunged him- 
 felf into the mod dangerous and irre- 
 parable Mifchiefs. 
 
 And then on the other hand, for your 
 
 Pofitive Duties ;you (hould always pro- 
 
 pofe God's Glory, the happinefs of your 
 
 felf and others, as the End^ and his in- 
 
 E J fallible 
 
54 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 fallible Word and the Didates of fober 
 Reafon,as the Rule and Standard to go- 
 vern all your Affairs by: For without 
 *^is, your bed Endeavours will prove 
 45ither unprofitable or finful. Whereas, 
 if you oblerve this Method^ and your 
 Intentions be fincere^ tho you fail in 
 many Inftances of Duty, and unwiUing- 
 ly fall intofome Sins and Errors^ yep 
 God will be gracious in not imputing 
 them, and pals Judgment upon you ac- 
 cording to the general Frame and Ten- 
 dency of your Life, if you do not wil- 
 fully and wickedly continue in any known 
 Sin^ or the negle^of^any known Duty. 
 
 'Tis obfervable hence, what Obliga- 
 tions you lie under, to avoid the moft 
 accurfed and tempting Company of 
 profane Swe^rers^ gluttonous Perfons^ 
 'Wine-Eihlers^ unchaft Men and Wo^ 
 tnen^ &c. I have fingled out thofe ^i- 
 ces (on purpofe) which are moft inci- 
 dent to Touth^ and given you the moft 
 feafonable Advice I can thinjc of, to 
 vanquifh and overcome them. RejedJ: 
 therefore every Temptation to fin and 
 wickednefs in the firft AlTauIt, and the 
 
 Concjuefi 
 
Of Manners and Deportment. 55 
 
 Conqueft will be eafie and certain. La- 
 ment and deplore your pad Failings, and 
 humbly beg the afliftance of God'sGrace 
 and Spirit, that you may be more watch- 
 ful over your felf and ways for the fu- 
 ture. Now the beft and mod certain 
 Means to 2LVo\d greater Sins^ is to make 
 Confcience of the lefs : (For the leafi Sin 
 is damnable in the fight of God^ ; and 
 when the work of Regeneration is 
 wrought in you, beware of Relapfing; 
 confider the dangers of habitual Sin and 
 Apoftafie from Grace, and exert all your 
 Endeavours to live in the exercife of a 
 Confcience void of offence both towards 
 God and Man : For fo the whole Time 
 of your Ihort aboad in this World, will 
 be plcafant and conafortablc, and your 
 Death happy. 
 
 There are fome other little things I 
 defire to note to you before I leave this 
 Point. And, 
 
 Firft, Beware of Swimming, which 
 you'l probably be allured to in thofe 
 Low Countries^ the mpft being dexte- 
 rous in that Art : For tho it may fave 
 a Mans Life in cafe of neceflity, yet a 
 E 4 vain 
 
5^ Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 vain Curiofity herein may expofe yoq 
 to the greateft Dangers and Hazards. 
 Therefore if you fhould attempt it for 
 your Pleafure, exceed not your own 
 Depth; and in feeking to fave another, 
 have a care you drown not your felf. 
 
 Secondly, Your Gejlure and Deport- 
 ment fhould neither be light, nor info- 
 lent, nor wanton : For the Life and 
 Soul of true Honour, is in generous > 
 Qualities, and a modeft and affable 
 Carriage ; but yet with a comely re- 
 gard to your felf, and fuch as becomes 
 aGe^tlemafiy whofe Mind is furniflied 
 with worthy and generous Spirits. But 
 in this Point (as in his abftinence from 
 the Fices^ and pradlice of all the Fertues 
 hitherto recommended,) you have an 
 admirable Pattern in your dear and 
 worthy Father^ almofl. beyond Exam- 
 ple ; whofe temper, and fweetnefs of 
 Difpofition has defervedly recommen- 
 ded him to the Favour, and made him 
 honourable and refpedled amongft all 
 Perfons of all Ranks and Conditions. 
 Yet be careful to avoid the other £;f- 
 treme of afTefted Eajinefs or Compliance^ 
 
 left 
 
Of Ma7i7iers and Deportment. 57 
 
 left your good Difpofition fliould be im- 
 pofed upon by others Deceit^ and your 
 own too much Credulity : For too much 
 Familiarity and Fawning is always re- 
 warded either with Flattery or Con^ 
 tempt. 
 
 Thirdly, What concerns your Bodily 
 Deportment^ iVreflling^ Fencings and 
 other Feats of Arms and Military Ski/I; 
 and how far all or any of thefe are expe- 
 dient or necelTary to be underftood or 
 pradifed, I muft leave to your felf, and 
 better Judgments, for Advice and Di- 
 redionj for thefe are not my Pro^ 
 vince. 
 
 What other Vertues or Vices may 
 occur in your Converfation with o- 
 thers, (which my defigned Brevity and 
 the Occafion I write upon, have perfua- 
 ded me to omit,) you iliould note and 
 obferve them, and make that ufe of 
 them, at leaft to improve and corredfc 
 your own : For what you diflike or 
 admire in others, ftudy and endeavour 
 to avoid the Evil, and ftrive to imitate 
 what is vertuous and commendable. 
 And when you have fcrioufly confider'd 
 
 all 
 
58 Advice to aGentlema7tJ^c. 
 
 all thofe fcveral Rules and Arguments^ 
 which under this Head do concern 
 your Maimers and Deportment ; you'l be 
 pleas'd to go one ftep farther to the laft 
 Branch of this faithful and friendly Ad- 
 n)icey which will have a more peculiar 
 Refpe^t to your Religion. 
 
 the End of the Second Part* 
 
S9 
 
 ADVICE 
 
 T O A 
 
 yOUNG GENTLEMAN 
 
 Of an Honourable 
 
 FAMILY 
 
 Now in His 
 
 T RAV EL S 
 
 Beyond the S E A 'S, &c. 
 PART IIL 
 
 Of RELIGION. 
 
 TH E Bufinefs of Religion is the 
 grand Concernment that all of 
 us are fent into the World to mind: 
 
 ana 
 
6o Advice to a Gentleman, 
 
 and our eternal Happinefs or Miferj de- 
 pends on the right knowing and ac- 
 knowledging of Godj or miftakes about 
 it. We had need therefore be very ac- 
 curate in the choice of that Religion we 
 intend to live and die in, and venture 
 our eternal Salvation upon. 
 
 Now, there are nfiany Opinions in the 
 World concerning Religion'^ and we 
 may be eafily impofed on and delu- 
 dec^ if we make not a prudent and wife 
 Choice. I fliall not trouble you with 
 , 2n account of Heathenifm^ Mahometan 
 nifm^ and Ju^aifm : For thefe are all 
 falfe Religions^ and contrary to the whole 
 fcope and dejign of the Gofpeh^ which 
 being without the Lines of Chriftian 
 Communication, we leave 'em to 
 themfelves and the righteous Judgment 
 of God. We Chrijiiansknow no other 
 way to Salvation but One, and that's 
 by Faith in Chrifi J^f^s ; and there- 
 fore we think our felves obliged to be- 
 lieve the Principles of Chrijlianity with 
 all our Hearts, and live according to 
 them : For there's no other name un- 
 4er Heaven whereby we can expecft or 
 
 hope 
 
Of Religion. 6i 
 
 hope for Salvation, but the Name of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrifi^ Afts 4. 12. 
 
 Yet there are many Differences^ not 
 only Circumfiantial but Fundamental^ 
 even amongft thofe that are called Chri^ 
 ftians, which difturb the Peace of the 
 Church, and ruine the Souls of many 
 private Perfons^ as w^ill appear more ful- 
 ly afterwards. But 'tis more immedi- 
 ately my Defign to recommend to you^ 
 and inforce the Belief and Pra^ice of 
 the truly Primitive and Reformed Re^ 
 ligion, as now folemnly and publickly 
 profefs'd, and by Law eftablifli'd in the 
 Church^oi England. 
 
 I have not the leaft caufe to doubt or 
 fufpedt, but that your Parents did fe* 
 rioufly weigh and confider (when they 
 fent you abroad,) the Minority of your 
 A^e and Judgment ; which (yet) with* 
 out your own extraordinary care and 
 caution, may hurry you unawares into 
 the peril of Mi/carriage. For alas ! how 
 many young Gentlemen have loft their 
 Hopes and themfelves in Foreign Ad-> 
 ventures^ and rcturn'd home as empty 
 of Grace and other vertuousAccomplifh- 
 
 ments, 
 
62 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 ments, as full of Words, Vanity, and 
 other vitious Habits and Inclinations ? 
 Now (Sir,) if you fliould unhappily 
 Mijcarryy which the Lord of his great 
 Mercy present; as it would be the 
 greateft mifchief to your felfi fo not 
 only your Parents hopes of your Touth^ 
 but theStaff^and Comfort of their ^^^ 
 will lie a bleeding, to their unexpreffi- 
 ble Grief and Sorrow. 
 
 Thefe Confideratlons have very much 
 affefted me, which I took the freedom 
 to mention to fome of your Friends, 
 when I firft heard of their Defign of 
 fending you beyond &ea\ and upon 
 more due and ferious deliberation, do 
 now with more confidence (yet hum- 
 bly) communicate my Thoughts to you 
 upon thefe SuhjeBs : For I am very well 
 auured, (that confidering me as a Di- 
 vine and True Friend^ I fhall not incur 
 the kzHfufpicion of being (herein) too 
 bold or prefumptuous ; and will think 
 my felf fufficiently apaid, if thro God's 
 Bicffing, I may be an happy Inllrument 
 in doing the lead good to your SouL 
 I know It would be the greateft Happi- 
 
 nefs 
 
Of Religion. 6^ 
 
 nefs to your felf, as well as a Comforr 
 to all your Fne^ds, if you be perfuaded , 
 by any means to fall in love with i?^- 
 i/g/on betimes, and rememler your Cre-^ 
 ator in the Days of your Touth^ Eccle/I 
 12. I. This has been for many Agc^ 
 the glory and fupport of your Family, 
 which has been always eminent for Re- 
 ligion and Loyalty ; nor could there 
 ever be lefs Danger of a degenerous 
 Heir, (not to flatter you Sir, nor puff 
 you up,) nor greater Hopes of its efta- 
 blilhment to future Generations. 
 
 But before we come to the Point, 
 give me leave to note to you (for your 
 greater Security,) That you'l be in 
 danger of meeting with many Brokers 
 of Villany^ whofe Trade and Bufinefs it 
 is to pervert, and do live upon the 
 Spoils and Ruins of Toung Gentlemen ; 
 infomuch that fcarce any Perfon of 
 your Quality can travel into Foreign 
 Parts J but he ihall be mightily carefs'd, 
 and treated with fo much refpeft and 
 civility, as if it were a pleafure to be 
 feduced. We know very well what 
 Stratagems are ufed by fome Men, to 
 
 under. 
 
6'4 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 undermine the facred Foundations of the 
 Dofirin and iVor/hip of the Church of 
 England; infomuch that (before his Ma- 
 jejlies Declaration of Indulgence) neither 
 Laws nor Penalties could reftrain them. 
 What then will they not dare to attempt 
 within their own Territories and Jurif- 
 di6lions,efpeciaIly when they meet with 
 Perfons of Temper and Quality, who 
 are inclined and difpos'd Cas you are) to 
 Religion > And feeing alfo they have 
 not only free fcope and priviledge, but 
 encouragement to feduce ; io^ that 'tis 
 next to impoflible not to be aflaulted 
 (at leail) by their clofe and cunning In- 
 finuatioris. 
 
 There have been, alafs ! too many 
 perverted already; the lofs of whom 
 Joyned wdth the Churches, we have 
 fufficient caufe to lament : And indeed 
 ^tis a great wonder we have loft no 
 more, (and let us praife God for it,^ con- 
 fidering the importunate Methods and 
 F laufihlenefs of our Adverfaries^ on the 
 right hand and on the left; who like 
 thofe infeded with the Plague^ have 
 always an itching defire of tainting 
 
 others. 
 
Of Religion. ^5 
 
 ethers. Wherefore none can blame the 
 Clergy of the Church of England ^ if we 
 be as zealous for Truth, as our Adverfa- 
 ries of Fal/hood j which Argument a- 
 lone might be a fnfficient Apology for 
 this Undertaking. 
 
 I have read (^Sir) of fome Countries 
 (\ wifli your Curiofity may not carry 
 you thither) whofe chief Vertues (mo- 
 deftly fpeaking,) do very much border 
 either on Impiety or Superilition ; and 
 yet thofe very Places (as Travellers ob- 
 ferve,) which are moft worth feeing, 
 are of all others the moft contagious. 
 Now 'tis no fmall difficulty for a Young 
 Gentleman to be chaft and vertuous in 
 the midft of Sodom^ and few have tra- 
 velled thither, however they may pleafe 
 themfelves with variety of Ohjetlsy and 
 returned home without fome dangerous 
 Tinfture, either of Sin and Wickednefs, 
 or Schifm and Sedition. 
 
 Thus I have noted in general, what 
 Temptations and Hazards you are ex- 
 pofed to amongft Foreigners ; and the 
 greateft of all is, the danger of being 
 corrupted and contaminated in your 
 F / Religion 
 
66 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 Religion and Manners : And 'tis certain, 
 tho your Tutors be never fo careful, yet 
 much muft be left to your own Temper 
 and Inclination,how to fever Good from 
 Evil : For there's no Man proves Fadti- 
 ous, Superftitious, or extreamly Wicked 
 on a ludden, but thro feveral Declinati- 
 ons, falls by degrees from Vertue and 
 Religion. Seeing then fo many Tem- 
 ptations and Snares may await you in e- 
 very Place where you come, (which no 
 Mans Prudence can forefee,) and your 
 own Heart prove deceitful and forward 
 to betray you : Therefore I befeech you, 
 be c> ; vantly upon your Guard ; and if 
 your Tutors fliould either be negligent 
 or perfidious, (as many have been in 
 the like Truft, and I could name feme 
 of them,) yet thro the Affiftance of 
 GodV Grace, you may fecure your Re^ 
 ligion and Cenfcience inviolable. 
 
 But for the further prevention of their 
 Machinat/onSyVvho lie in wait to deceive, 
 and your Eftablifliment and Confirmatt- 
 on in the Religion of the Church of Eng- 
 land^ I oier thefe Three following Par- 
 ticulars to your ferious and impartial 
 Confideration. And, Firft, 
 
Of Religion. 6 J 
 
 tirft, I fhall give you a true (tho 
 fhorO Account ot' the Conftitution of 
 the Church of England^ both as to her 
 I)od:rin and Worlhip, or Difciplirjej 
 which I hope may for ever obHge you 
 to continue in her Communion. 
 
 Secondly, We fhall enquire a little 
 into the Principles and Practices of the 
 Romifh Church and Religion^ wherein 
 they chiefly differ from Vs : A Religi- 
 on of all others (within the Pail of the 
 Chriftian Church,^ the moft pleafing 
 and delightful to Flefh and Blood : A 
 Religion which no Man fcarce can conj- 
 ply with ; efpecially if he has been bred 
 up in the Church of England^ but muft 
 offer violence to his own Reafon and 
 Confciencc, if he pretends to either. 
 
 Thirdly, We fliall confider the Pre- 
 ten/ions, Reafotfs and Arguments ^ which 
 our Brethren ot the Non-conformity h^ve 
 urged in their own Defence,to palliate 
 their Separation from our Communion^ 
 and feduce others : By all which,! hope 
 'twill evidently appear, that there can- 
 not be the lead colour of Reafon, nor 
 any th ing like Argument to teDipt,much 
 F 2 lefs 
 
6S Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 lefs to perfuade you, or any other Per- 
 fon of Parts and Education, (who is not 
 blinded with Paffion, Intereft or Preju- 
 dice,^ to feparate from the moft truly 
 Orthodox, and beft conftituted Church 
 in the wholeWorld ; I mean the Church 
 oi England. Of ait thefe feverally. And, 
 
 Firft, Of the /?i?//^ie?«ofour Churchy 
 both as to its Do^rin and Worfhip^ or 
 Difciplme. And Firft, Concerning her 
 DoHrin ; Wherein 'tis ntoft plain and 
 evident, That we have a clear Profeffi- 
 on of all Fundamental Truths and Du-^ 
 tie 5^ both to Godm^ Man ^in our Creeds^ 
 Commandments^ Lords Prayer^ and the 
 Doftrinof the Two Sacraments; which 
 every Orthodox and Believing Chrifti- 
 an in the wholeWorld, will readily fub- 
 fcribe, and fay Amen to. 
 
 Our Sabhaths 'diXQ duly obfervedand 
 kept, with the greateft Reverence and 
 Solemnity. God's Holy Word is pure- 
 ly and faithfully preached j his Sacra^ 
 ments duly adminiftred, according to 
 our filelled Saviours own Inftitution. 
 We worlhip God^ viz. the One Divine 
 Ejfence^ and Trinity oiPerfonSy in Spirit 
 
 and 
 
Of Religion. 6^ 
 
 and Truth ; in and thro' Chrift, with- 
 out the Mediation of Saints and Angels. 
 We hope for> and believe the Remifton 
 of Sins^ and Salvation of our Souls and 
 Bodies^ by the Merits of Chrijl alone, 
 thro' the Mercies of G(7/y, and upon the 
 condition of a fihcereand unfeigned Re- 
 pentance : Which Repentance in the 
 Judgment of our Churchy implies a true 
 Sight and Confejfwn of, hearty Sorrow 
 for, and the hatred and forfaking of all 
 our former Sins ; with a (led fall Refolu- 
 tion never to return to them again,with 
 zny confentj delight ox approbation^ and 
 the ufe of all pofTible Endeavours to 
 put thefe Refolutions in pradice, even to 
 our Lives End : So, that if we fliall at a- 
 ny time fall into the commiifion of the 
 leaft Sin^ or the negled: of any Duty^ 
 either wilfully, or by infirmity and fur- 
 prize; we do again fcrioufly and (o- 
 Icmnly renew our Repentance^ and are 
 never at peace with our Selves and in 
 our Confciences, till we be again re- 
 conciled unto God, or our Neighbour, 
 whom we have offended. And this wc 
 do as well after as before our Convert 
 F I (xow 
 
7© Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 fion ; not daring to continue in any one 
 Jin uHfepented of\ uniformed. 
 
 When we have thus renounced and a- 
 bandort'd 5iA?, the WorUj and the Devi I ^ 
 as our deadly Emmies^ we think our 
 felves further obliged to magnifie and 
 ^doxtiX)\xx Pf-ofefion^ by the VVorks^x\^ 
 Fruits of Piety and true Hoiinefs^ Ju^ 
 Jiice and Charity^ Purity and Sohriety^ 
 Tit. 2. 12. and to perform all and ev^ 
 ry one of thefe Duties both to God and 
 Man, without Partiality^ without //j- 
 focrifu. This is a fliort Specimen of the 
 Doflrin and Fundamentals of our Reli^ 
 gton^ which in all and every partieular 
 are warranted and recommended to Us 
 by God's infallible Wori^ and the con-' 
 current Suffrages and Confeflions of all 
 the Churches oiChrifl^ in the Primitive 
 and Purefl Ages of the G of pel. And as 
 the Doilrin otom Churck is Sound and 
 Orthodox, fo. 
 
 Secondly, Our Worjhip and Difcipline 
 is truly Antient and Apojlolical : For 
 there's not one fmgle Paflage in our Li- 
 turgy and Church Service, and Circum- 
 Jlmials of Worfhip (our mod rigid Ad- 
 
 verfarief 
 
Of Religion. 7 1 
 
 verfaries being Judges,) that is either 
 Anti'Scriptural or Sinful^ but do all ve- 
 ry much conduce to Decency firdcr^Vni' 
 formity^ and the Edification of its Mem- 
 hers\ All which, I could eafily make 
 appear to you by an Induction of Par- 
 ticulars; infomuch that there's not one 
 National Church under the Cope of Hea- 
 ven, that's more Orthodox than Ours, 
 in Her whole Worjhip and Politie. Con- 
 fult and examine our Liturgy^ Articles^ 
 Homilies^ Canons and Conflitutions ^Cere- 
 monies^ &c. and there you'l find a truly 
 Primitive and Apoftolical Spirit in the 
 difpofitionofthe feveral Farts^ for the 
 Honour and Glory oiGod^ and Advance- 
 ment of his true Religion and Worjhip a- 
 mongfl: Vs. 
 
 And for a further Teftimony hereof, 
 and your own particuUr Satisfadion, 
 read (when you can have the conveni- 
 ence ofthofe Books, and leifure to read 
 *em, ) Hookers Ecclefiaftical Folitie^ 
 l)r.Coml€r's largeVolume on our Chttrch 
 Litur(j[ily and Dr. Falkner's Lihertas Ec* 
 clefiajii<:a; which Triumvirate are ii\i' 
 ficiently able to anfwcr all the Doubts 
 F 4 aaJ 
 
72 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 and Scruples of any unbiaft and unpre-* 
 judiced Reader. Befides, I can give you 
 a Catalogue of fuch Books^ when you 
 pleafe to command it, as have treated 
 \o learnedly, judicioufly and convin- 
 cingly of the Religion of the Church of 
 England^ in all the Points of Faith^ 
 WorP)ipzx\dL DifcipUne^ as will furnifh 
 you with fuch Reafons and Arguments, 
 as neither Pa^ijl nor Phanatick were e- 
 vcr yet able to anfwen 
 
 Let your Religion then, and that 
 Church into which you were admitted 
 and initiated by Baptifm^ and in whofe 
 Comrmnion you have been hitherto edu- 
 cated, be as dear to you as your Eflate 
 and Life: Remit nothing of your Love 
 and Atieftion, Zeal and Courage, to de^ 
 fend it, w hen you are thereunto law- 
 fully called : For the DoBrin and Wor^ 
 Jhip of our Church has been tranfmit- 
 ted to Us by our pious Anceflors^ with 
 all the Sanations both oi divine and hu^ 
 wane Authority j and as furc as there is 
 a God, the Religion which you profels 
 came down from Heaven : For the ever- 
 lafting Pnnce o^ Peace has confign'd and 
 
 confirmed 
 
Of Religion, 75 
 
 confirmed it to Us, by the EfFufion of 
 his own precious Blood ^'^nA the Suffrage 
 of many Saints and Martyrs in this 
 Kingdom ; fo that you have not the 
 leaft reafon to fcruple your Compliance 
 with, and Conformity to it. 
 
 If therefore an Angel^ or Devil^ or a- 
 ny ill Men^ ftiould at any time fugged 
 the contrary *to you, have no Communis 
 cation with him, but rejeft him as an 
 utter Enemy and Impoftor. And when 
 you have more leifure, opportunity and 
 experience, your Curiojity may leadyou 
 to read over and confider the Canons and 
 Conftitutions of the Greek and Latin 
 Churches ; wherein youU find the true 
 State of Things and Times ^ the Begin- 
 nings^ Proceedings^ Increafes^EncounterSj 
 Tteldings^ and Reft aur at ions of the Gof" 
 pel; and what the Primitive Fathers 
 did and fufler'd for the propagation of 
 theCbriftian Religion^ and the intereft 
 of tht Church: And herein you'l alfo 
 fee the Conformity of our Church of Eng- 
 land Men^ fincethe beginning of the /?-- 
 formation^ to the Primitive Pattern, 
 And when you have thus made fonie 
 
 confider* 
 
74 Advice to a Gentleman, 
 
 confiderable Frogrefs in inquiring into 
 the Fundamentals and SuperflruHures of 
 our Religion^ you'l be better able to 
 judge ot trie Opinions and Errors of 
 thole that dijfler from Us. But till you 
 have more time and convenience to in- 
 form your felf as to the Particulars, I 
 ihali prefent you, 
 
 Secondly, With a truetnd brief Ac- 
 count of Foperyj or the Do^rin and 
 T radices of the Church of Rome^ as to 
 thofe F articular s wherein they differ 
 from the Church oi England-. For which 
 caufe, we are forced to fepar ate from 
 them, fincc we cannot communicate 
 with them without fm ; nor have we 
 departed further from 'em, than they 
 have departed from Themfelves, and 
 the Truth. 
 
 Now for Method's fake, we fhall con- 
 fider alfo, Firft, The Frinciples or Do- 
 ^rin ; And, Secondly, The Fra^ices of 
 the pretended Catholicks of the Romijh 
 Church : Whereby 'twill evidently ap- 
 pear, that Popery(xix\^\idy underftood,) 
 is no fiich beautiful and charming Ob- 
 feft, as to aitui"€ any Man of Reajon and 
 
 COH» 
 
Of Religio7i. y^ 
 
 Confcknce to fall in love with it. And, 
 
 Firft, For the Principles of Popery ; 
 and we are obliged to call them fo, be- 
 caufe they arefo efteem'd and account- 
 ed by their own Church : For fince their 
 Council of Trent ^ no Man can properly 
 be admitted into the Roynijh Communion 
 (however in Popijh Countries) but Ihall 
 be ceniured and condemned as a damnM 
 Hereticky unlefs he believes as foliow- 
 eth, viz. 
 
 * That a Mortal Man, as the Pope in 
 ' Cathedra^ (or as fome fay, with his 
 
 * Council oiCardinals^h infallible,knows 
 
 * all things, and can err in nothing; that 
 
 * he directs, informs, animates, and com- 
 
 * mands both in Earth and Purgatory ; 
 
 * expounds Scripture^ forgives 5/»5, ca- 
 'nonizeth Saint s^ creates new Articles 
 
 * oi Faith ; and in allthefe,(and many 
 
 * other of the fame Stamp and Chara- 
 
 * d:er) is as abfolute and infallible as his 
 
 * Maker. [But they are not yet agreed 
 amongfl: themfelves where to fix this 
 Infallible Judgment, whether in the 
 Pope alone, or Council^ or the Pi)pe and 
 his Council^ and theretbre their C/^?^rr£> 
 
 ancj 
 
J 6 Advice to a Gentlema?i^d>cc. 
 
 and Pope^ for any thing they have yet 
 prov'd or determined, are erroneous and 
 fallible in the firft Principle of their 
 ISlew CneJ^ and nnionftrous Dodtrin of 
 Infallthility.'] 
 
 * That the Pope is the Supreme Head^ 
 
 * and ChriJFs chief F/c^r in, and has an 
 
 * Unlimited Jurifdt^ion over the v\^hole 
 
 * Catholkk Church ; that he has power to 
 
 * difpenfe with the Laws oiGod^ and can 
 
 * fet up L^w^iof his own devifing. which 
 
 * obliges all Men's Confciences to pay 
 ^ him theTribute of Fealty &Obedience, 
 
 * as will more fully appear afterwards. 
 [This is a grand Ufurpation upon the 
 Rights and Priviledges of Kings, Empe- 
 rours, and all other Chriftian Bifliops ; 
 two parts of Chriftendom having rejeft* 
 cd his Authority, and that upon mofl 
 reafonable and juft grounds : For the 
 Jurifditiion of the Bifhops of Rome^ was 
 limited for the five firft Centuries to the 
 Sulurhiarion Regions^ and had only a 
 Primacy of Order^ not JurifdiHion over 
 his Fellow Bifl:iops. See Hammond"^ 
 Fundament. Dr. Barrow Upon the Su- 
 premacy ; and Dr. F^lwood's Roma ruit. 
 
 Which 
 
Of Religion. 77 
 
 Which Ufurpation do's alfo diredly o* 
 verthrow Chrift's Kingly Office.] 
 ' That the Bread and 
 
 * IVine in the Eucharift, is ^'^ji^f ^^ J^J- 
 ^tranfubftantiated into camn'i. '"^^'^^ 
 
 * the real Body and Biood 
 ^oichrifi^ which was facrificed for our 
 
 * Sins upon the Crofs 2XHlerHfalem ; the 
 
 * Colour and other accidental Qualities 
 
 * of the Elements only remaining with,. 
 *out their Subftance. [This violates 
 the Truth of Cbrifis Human Nature, 
 which themfelves do confefs, is in Hea- 
 ven ; and yet according to their Hypo- 
 thefisj muft be in a thoufand places on 
 Earth at the fame time ; contradifts 
 the holy Scripture, Man's beft Reafon, 
 common Senfe, and the Nature and De- 
 fign of the Sacrament oLChriJis holy 
 Supper.'] 
 
 * That there is no 
 « real difference betweeij t?.^ ^- Z'- ^^S- 
 
 L ^, n ^u y^ r J ^^fi' Council 
 
 * Chrtit on the Crofs, and xr«af. 
 
 * Chriji in the Mafs ; it 
 
 * is the very fame in both, only differing 
 
 * in the Reafon of Offering : For on the 
 
 * Crofs he offered himfelf immediatly, in 
 
 •the 
 
y8 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 * the Mafs he offers himfelf by the Mi- 
 
 • nillry of his Vnder-Priefis. [ Which 
 Do^r'iH of the Popijh Mafs^ is one of the 
 greateft /^/(7/j that ever was invented in 
 the World : For a piece of Bread is 
 made the Saviour o^MankinJy and a pro- 
 per Sacrifice for the pardoning all Sin j 
 is worfhiped as God^ and of fingular 
 benefit not only for the Living but the 
 Dead : And this they are bound to be- 
 lieve, tho the Apoftle has told them in 
 exprefs terms, That there remains no 
 more Sacrifice for Sins, becaufe Chrifi 
 once appeared to put away fin hy the Sa^ 
 crifice of himfelf^ Heb. 9. 26.] 
 
 ^ That Good Works are 
 t^tcil'Te ' "^^/i^o^io^s of Grace 
 Canon 3/^* ^ ' * ^"^ eternal Life j which 
 ^ are not fo much given 
 * of God freely and out of Uberality, as 
 ^ out of debt. [Which DoiSrin deftroys 
 Jufiification by Faith, and the Merits of 
 Chrifi Jefusi who came down from 
 Heaven on purpofe to redeem us from 
 ail Iniquity, and tells us, when we have 
 done the beft we can, we are unprofita- 
 ble Servants, deferving nothing but 
 
 Hell 
 
of Religion. 7^^ 
 
 Hell and Damnation every hour.] 
 * That there's a certain 
 
 * place caird Furgatory, I^^cret Council 
 
 * wherein, as in a Prilon, Years ago. 
 
 * Souls are purged after 
 
 * this Life, that were not fully purged 
 
 * here ; to the intent they may enter pure 
 
 * into Heaven. [Which Article of their 
 New Creedy deftroys the Satisf action of 
 Chrijl, and his meritorious Interceffion 
 with the Father for Vs ; makes good 
 Men afraid to die, being a terrible thing 
 (as their Priefis reprefent it,) to enter 
 into Purgatory ; and bad Men lefs care- 
 ful to prepare for Death, becaufe a great 
 part of their bufmefs may be done by 
 other hands when they are gone.] 
 
 * That, if any fay, that 
 
 * the Clergy who have re- ^ ^'"''^'' ^ 
 ' ceived Holy Orders, or c^nm 9. 
 
 * Regulars who have fo- 
 
 * feranly profeffed Chaftity ^mzy contraft 
 ^ Marriage ; and that fuch Contra^ (not- 
 
 * withftanding the Ecclejiajlical Law, znd 
 ^ their own Fow^ is valid ; and that the 
 
 * contrary AfTertion is no other than to 
 
 * condemn Marriage j and that all (al- 
 
 ^tho 
 
8o Advice to a Gentleman ^ 
 
 * tho they have vowed Chaftity^, may 
 
 * contract Marriage, that do find they 
 *have not the Gift of Continency ; let 
 
 * him be accurfed .• Forafmuch as God 
 
 * will not deny this Gift to thofe who 
 
 * rightly feekit, neither will he fufTer Us 
 
 * to be tempted above what we are able. 
 [ Now this Dodrin is exprefly contrary 
 to the Word of God, which faith, That 
 Marriage is honourable in ad^ &c. Heb. 
 15.4. See alfo, i Cor. 9. 5'. Tit. i. 6. 
 I 7/w. 3,x,4, J', II, 12. iC^r. 7. 1, 2, 
 8,9. Befides, the Prohibition of Fri^^^ 
 Marriage^ has been the caufe of much 
 Lewdnefs and Villany, as Adultery, For- 
 nication, Inceft, Sodomy, Murder, ^c. 
 
 * That the Saints reign- 
 CouncU of Trent. < j^g ^yi^h Chriji, and of- 
 
 ^-^' 9* * fcring up their Prayers 
 
 * for Men, it is good and profitable hum- 
 ' biy to ii^x^(?c^/^(?them ; and that we may 
 
 * obtain Benefits of God, thro his Son 
 
 * JefusChrifi our Lord, who is our only 
 
 * Redeemer and Saviour to have recourfe 
 
 * to their Prayers, Aid and Affift- 
 
 * ance,®'^ [This Doftrin has no Foun- 
 dation in, nor Warrant from God's 
 
 Word: 
 
Of Religion. 8 1 
 
 Word : For there's not one Precept nor 
 Example of praying to Saints in the 
 whole B'llk^ nor Prom ife that fuch 
 Prayers /hall be heard and accepted ; but 
 the contrary is every where evident. Be-^ 
 fides, this Praflke is irrational and ab- 
 furd : For the Saints (and Angels) are 
 neither omniprejent nor omnipercipient ; 
 and therefore they cannot hear Us. And 
 they do alfo folemnly in- 
 vacate and worfhip many Caffknd. de Me-- 
 or their reputen SatntSj ^^^^^ •]; 
 
 whofe Saintfliip, nay, 
 whofe Exiftence (fays one of their own 
 celebrated Authors,) is very queilion- 
 able.] 
 
 Not to trouble you with Citations at 
 large, there are feveral other known and 
 received Dodrins of their Churchy 
 which bear the fame /w/>r<?/^(7/i and ^/^j- 
 rader ; but thofe I have mentioned al- 
 ready being the moft confiderable, the 
 reft will cither ftand or fall by 'em. Yet 
 their Doftrin of Oral Tradition (which 
 I had almoft omitted,) defervesits place 
 amongft the reft : For this vilifies the 
 Holy Scripture, deftroys its Authority 
 G "and 
 
8 2 Advice to a G entkmaji^ 
 
 and SuiSeiency ,by a certain Dependance 
 upon the Church J whereby they make 
 our Saviour's Prophetical Office a meer 
 Nullity^ in faying no lefs, than that He 
 has not fufficiently reveal d the Will of 
 God to the Sons o^iMen^xxx. all the World 
 mud be beholden to the Church oiRome 
 for their Oral Tradition. In a word, 
 all their Pardons, Confeffions, Indulgen- 
 ces, Satisfadions, Merits, (S*c. do ex* 
 prefly contradift the great End and De- 
 ilgn of our Saviours fncamationy and 
 fet up the Pope and Prie/ls in his ftead* 
 Thefe are the New Articles of Pope- 
 ry^ which (as incredible and abfurd as 
 they are) the Subjeds of that Com- 
 munion are bound to believe, under the 
 pain and peril of the Pope's Anathema. 
 And indeed, they are all New^ (you may 
 fee the Original of 'em in Dr. Ow- 
 Ber^s Advice to the Roman Catholicks^ 
 and wholly unknown to the Old 
 Church of i?(^w^, in her Primitive and 
 Gofpel Purity : For thefe Errors and 
 Delufions feem to have been contrived 
 on purpofe, for the Support and Main- 
 tenance of the Pride and Covetoufne/ir 
 
 of 
 
Of Religion. 83 
 
 of the Bijhop of Rome and his Clergy^ 
 as well as the Advancement of the Statt^ 
 linefs and Grandeur of tlieir Church. 
 
 I could eafily make it appear to you 
 in all the Particulars^ that there's not 
 one of thefe Articles th^t has any Foun- 
 dation in Scripture or Primitive Anti- 
 quity, but are contrary to both, and 
 do undermine and overthrow almoft all 
 the Articles of our Chriftian Faith. But 
 what I have faid already concerning 
 thefe Do^rins^ may be a fufficient cau- 
 tion to you not to venture your eternal 
 Salvation upon fuch a Bottom, left you 
 communicate with them in their 
 Plagues, Rev. 18. 4. I have taken fome 
 pains to digeft the whole Body of Po- 
 fifh Controverfie intoOrder and Method, 
 for the fatisfadtion of my Self and 
 Friends, (which I thought of neceflary 
 ufe at this time.) There are other ex- 
 cellent Authors which may be more va- 
 luable, but you may command this if 
 you pleafc ; 'tis not very large, yet Me- 
 thodicaL But to return : As the Do^'^ 
 rin and Principles of the Church oiRome^ 
 (in thofc Inftances wherein they differ 
 G % from 
 
84 Advice to a Geiitlevian^ 
 
 from Us) are heterodox, abfurd and 
 erroneous ; fo, 
 
 Secondly, Their Traclices are the na- 
 tural and genuin Refults and Confequen- 
 ces of fuch Principles. Not to mention 
 their private and perfonal Immoralities^ 
 which may confift well enough with 
 that Religion^ efpecially confidering the 
 I^iherty and Indulgence allowed them, 
 (which do more profefTedly belong to 
 thofe of that Communion than any o- 
 ther,) we ihall confider their P radices 
 as Popijh, which are warranted to them 
 by the Examples and Sand ions of their 
 Siiperiours. And of this Rank are, 
 
 Their Worihiping o{ Images^ Relicks^ 
 Croffes^ Angels^ Saints^ and particularly . 
 -the Virgin Mary^ all which are amoft 
 dired Violation of the Second Com' 
 mandment ; and therefore they leave it 
 out of all their Catechifms^ Manuals^ 
 Mafs' Books ^&i.c. kit it fhould rife up 
 in Judgment againfl: them ; which Prac-^ 
 tices are alfo contrary to the whole 
 Word of God^ and the Dodrin both of 
 the Old and New Teftaments. 
 
 Such 
 
Of P,eligio72. 05^ 
 
 Suchalib are their Dealings with the 
 Laity ^ who rob them of the Bread of 
 Life, in denying them the reading of 
 iJie Holy Scriptures^ the Cup in the Sa- 
 crament^ and in commanding the whole 
 IVorfhip of God to be celebrated and 
 performed in an unknown Tongue; which 
 few of their Laity ^ and perhaps fomeof 
 their Priejis do not iinderftand. Tho 
 they cannot but know that our blefled 
 Saviour has exprefly commanded, that 
 df/4f (indefinitely) hoxhPriefts and Peo- 
 ' fle^ fhould fearch the Scriptures ^ drink 
 of that holy Cup^ and pray with the Spi* 
 rit^ and pray with the Vnderflanding al^ 
 fo : Which no Perfon can in their Com- 
 munion, unlefs he underftands Latin 
 well, and the ftrange Mumhlingsoi tiieir 
 Priejis ; who being generally too igno- 
 rant themfelves, are afraid that the Peo- 
 ple fliould know it- horrendum Nefai / 
 that fuch Pratlices as thefe (Iiould be fo 
 much as tolerated by thofe that are 
 caird Chrillians, And yet there are flili 
 others as bad, or worfe than the for- 
 mer, viz. 
 
 Their Spiritual Tyranny^ in exacting 
 G 3 a blind 
 
8^ Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 a blind Ohedience in Matters of Faith j 
 their innumerable Ceremonies and Super- 
 ftitions^ which almoft fwallow up the 
 whole Subilance of iJf'/ig/^/? ; their no- 
 torious Schifm (many degrees worfe 
 than that of the Donatijh and Novati- 
 afis,) in feparating from all other 
 Churches^ far more Pure and Orthodox 
 than themfelves ; and yet, becaufe they 
 cannot be the Pope's Suhje^s^ therefor^ 
 they Ihall be none of Chrijis. 
 
 To fay nothing ohhtlx School Points 
 and Cafuijlical Divinity ^ 'tis evident 
 that their whole B^eligion is only the 
 bare fliadow and outfides of Chrijiia- 
 ttity^ and meer Pageantry and Forma- 
 lity of Devotion : For alafs ! their poor 
 fimple and ignorant Laity^ fay, hear, 
 and do they know not what, and re- 
 turn from their Churches as void of 
 Inftrudion, and Chriftian Admonition 
 and Edification, as when they went ; 
 and yet for all this, (which is the high- 
 eft aggravation of their Sin and Mifery,) 
 they are obliged to believe, that this 
 their blind Devotion is not only accept 
 talk but meritorious. Befides, how ma- 
 ny 
 
Of Religion. Sj 
 
 oy notorious and damnable Shs pafs 
 for Venialy and how eafily are they 
 atton'd for ? Inlbmuchthnt a few Drops 
 of Holy Water^ and Crofs upon their 
 Breafls OX Foreheads, will throughly 
 wafh off the Stain^ (according to itieir 
 groundlefs Apprehensions,) and expiate 
 the guilt of all their heinous and cry- 
 ing Sins. Their notorious Equivoca-^ 
 tions have fcarce left any room for 
 Truth, whereby they deceive others, 
 and offer violence to their own Con- 
 fciences. But tho poor ignorant and 
 unwary Souls may be impofcd upon 
 and deluded, yet it cannot be fo with 
 an All-feeing God ; who will one day 
 convince all Men, and expofe their So- 
 phiftical Villanks and Re[ervations to 
 the open and publick view both oi Men 
 and Angels. 
 
 Now this Liberty and Indulgence of 
 theirs is fo pleafing and acceptable to 
 fenfual and carnal Men^ that 'tis no 
 great wonder that they gain fo many 
 Profelytes to their Party, as fome do 
 prefumptuoufly and vainly boaft. But 
 then if we give our felves the trouble 
 G 4 to 
 
8 8 Advice to a Gentleinan^ 
 
 to enquire what fort of Perfons thejr 
 are whom they have perverted j we 
 fliall find, that many of 'em are {\\\y 
 Women and Men notorioully debauch- 
 ed, or ignorant, or of mercenary Spirit^, 
 who expedt Preferment in that Way. 
 And therefore we have no great caufe 
 to regret the lofs of them ; and if our 
 number be lefs, yet we are not the 
 w^orfe : For if all our Licentious Bypo^ 
 crites and Malefa^ors^ who are not 
 worthy to live in the World, fliould go 
 over to. their Communion.w e ftjall have 
 no great caufe to complain. 
 
 But alas ! thefe erroneous Principles 
 and worfe P radices o^i\\Q Papifis^ who 
 being the more intelligent and Judici- 
 ous fort of that Communion, cannot 
 jbe fo much the error and miftake of 
 their Judgments, as the perverfenefs of 
 thdr Wilis : And tho a fimple and ig- 
 norant /^^/)(?//;;g, who lies under fuch 
 Temptations and Obligations, (as be- 
 fore,) may be faved ; yet I am afraid, 
 the more Learned and Difcreet having 
 made Shipwrack of Faith and a good 
 -Confcience, are in a very dangerqus 
 
 State, 
 
Of Religio?!. Sp 
 
 State, if they live and die according 
 to thofe corrupt Principles ; becaufe 
 they are in the number of thofe dacn- 
 iiabie Herefies the Scripture fpeaks 
 of. 
 
 What I have already offer'd, are 
 Truths as clear as the Sun ; nor can a- 
 ny thing in the World be more de^ 
 rnonjiratlve to a Perfon throughly ac* 
 quainted with the Principles and Pra^ 
 thces of Popery. And yet for all this, 
 'tis a thoufand to one you'l meet with 
 fome bold and cunning Sophiilers^v^\\o\ 
 tell you a great many plaufible Stories^ 
 and endeavour to elude the mod clear 
 and convincing Reafons^ which can be 
 urg'd againft them ; whereby they do 
 ^rangeiy impofeupon, and many times 
 entrap poor ignorant and un'^^xy Souls. 
 To inftance in fome Particulars : And, 
 
 Firft, A Catholick (^fay they,) fo li- 
 ving and dying, even by theConfeffi- 
 on of the Protefiants thcmfelves, may 
 be faved. [Which is a confcfTed Argu- 
 ment of our Charity and Moderation^ 
 
 Secondly, That the One Church of 
 Cbriji is more likely to be found in all 
 
 the 
 
^o Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 World, than in a Corner. [As if there 
 were no true Church in the World, 
 bat the;! ■.] 
 
 Thirdlv, In all Ages than of later 
 Years. [Not confidering that we had 
 a Chrillian Church in England, before 
 e\7er Popery was known in the World.] 
 
 Fourthly, That this Opte Church is ra- 
 ther to be found in Vnity, than in P/- 
 vijion. [Which we could eafily recri- 
 minate and retort upon themfelves: 
 For there are more and greater Schifms 
 and Divifions in the Church of Rome^ 
 than in any other Chrifilan Church wiiat- 
 foever.] 
 
 Fifthly, That they have a Succefion 
 o^ BiJhopSy Priefls and Deacons^ irom 
 the Days of the Apojlles downward. 
 [ So have we, as is fully evident from 
 all our Antient and Authentick Records. 
 See Billiop Bamhal^s Account of the 
 Schifm of the Church of Rome. And 
 they have quite forgotten that there 
 were three Popes^ or Bifhops of Rome^ 
 at the fame time: What then became 
 of their uninterrupted Succellion ? ± 
 
 Sixthly, 
 
Of Religio7i. 5 1 
 
 Sixthly, That the Bifbop of Rome is 
 the Supreme Head of the Church Vni* 
 verfal^ and Chrifis Vicar in extraordi- 
 nary upon Earth. [ Which fpurious 
 Title and Vfurpation^ as we noted be- 
 fore, ) is rejeded by at leaft two parts of 
 the Catholick Church at this day, and 
 difliked by fome National Churches (^as 
 ^tis fuppofed) of their own Communi- 
 on ; who are inclinable "enough (^if they 
 knew but how^: to caft off that Papal 
 and Tyrannical Yoke.] 
 
 Seventhly, That the Church of Eng^ 
 land\s only a Branch lopt off, or a Rag 
 torn from the Coat^ and that we had no 
 Church nor Religion before Luther. 
 {This is a moft grofs and manifeft Vrr^ 
 truth : For we had a Chrijlian Church 
 in England before ever St. Reter came 
 at Rome^ founded by Jofeph of Arima- 
 thea^ and flouriflied under King Lucius^ 
 the firft Chrijlian Monarch in the World. 
 And we know very well by what Vfur- 
 pat ions and EncroachmentSyand the time 
 when Popery firft got footing in Eng^ 
 land; that Augufiin the Monk^ caufed 
 fome hundreds ot that Order to be (lain 
 
 at 
 
p2 Advice to a Gentleman, 
 
 at Bangor^ to make way for it ; And 'tis 
 further evident by what Means and Me* 
 thods the Bijhops of Rome did work up- 
 on the VVeaknefTes and Credulity of 
 fome, and the Neceflities of others of 
 our Chrifiian Princes, not having the 
 Power, or Courage, or Refolution, to 
 cad off the Popes Supremacy^ till the 
 Reign of Henry the Eighth, King of 
 England: APerfon whofe Temper and 
 Affairs (let our Adverfaries befpatter 
 him as they pleafe,) made him a fit In- 
 firument to begin the Reformation ; 
 which thro' Godi's Providence, and the 
 prudent and religious Condud of his 
 Succejfors^ has been happily carried on 
 and perfected ; which we hope thro' 
 the Favour and Protection of his Sa- 
 cred Majcfty who now Reigns, may 
 be. continued a Bleiling to Vs and our 
 Fofterity^ 
 
 Hence therefore 'twill appear to you, 
 That thefe are all thred-bare and ftaje 
 Evajions and Suherfuges^ to colour and 
 palliate their groundlels and unreafona- 
 ble Pretences to Antic[Hity^ VifihtUty^ 
 tJnity^ Magnificence^ Right ol Succeffion 
 
 'of, 
 
of Religion. ^^ 
 
 of, and in their Church : All which have 
 been anfwered at lealt an hundred times, 
 by Worthy and Learned AutborSy as 
 you'l fee afterwards. But this Controvert 
 jie has been fo well ftated and through- 
 ly canvafTed by our Church of England 
 Men in thefe laft three Years, that there 
 will be more difficulty now than ever, 
 toperfuadeany Gentleman ofSenfeand 
 Ingenuity to believe their incongruous 
 and hateful Abfurdities. 
 
 But yet there are feme others of the 
 fame Foot-mark, who having laid afide 
 all Modefty and -Candour, their Fore- 
 heads are fo fteerd with Confidence, 
 as to affirm, That we have neither 
 Churchy Friefh^ Sacraments^ nor Religt^ 
 en amongft Vs ; and are fo uncharitable 
 as to load Vs with all the nonfenfical 
 and unjuft Cahimnies imaginable, not 
 regarding what they arc, fothey be but 
 fpiteful and malicious,- obferving the 
 old Maxim, Fortitercaiumniari aliquid 
 hcerehit. Nay, they '1 even difclaim their 
 own PopifhDoclrins and Praflkes^ as the 
 Invocation of Saints^ Worfh'tping of Ima- 
 ges^^c, and do tell thecredulous Pco* 
 
 pie, 
 
P4 Advice to a Gentleman, 
 
 pie, that their Adverfaries outofmeer 
 Spight and Malice, do mifreprefent 
 them. 
 
 Thefe Methods have been lately ufed 
 (by an Eminent Papift here of my Ac- 
 quaintance and Neighborhood,) to fome 
 Perfons of our Communion who were for- 
 merly my Parifhioners, and feem*d to 
 be warping towards Popery : They ac* 
 quainted me with it, and look'd upon 
 thofe Sophifms to be nervous and llrong 
 Arguments and Motives, (and fo in- 
 deed they were if they had been true,) 
 to perfuade them to change their Re- 
 ligion. But fuch fliuffling Tricks as 
 thefe carry their own Confutation a- 
 long with them ; for this is an old piece 
 o{ Legerdemain^ which one would have 
 thought (liould have been long fince 
 exploded. And I find the very fame 
 Hocus pocusy Illufions, ufed by the Po- 
 pifh Priejis^ about the beginning of the 
 Reign of Q^Elizabeth : For we know 
 very well, what Priviledges are allowed 
 them to fwear and forfwear ; and not 
 only deny, but even rail againft their 
 own received D'oHrins^Pra^ices^ChHrch^ 
 
 and 
 
Of Religion. ^^ 
 
 and the Pope himfelf, for the Interell of 
 the Cat hoik k ( i. e.^ the Roman Religi" 
 9n. Confult Dr, Naif on s Foxes and 
 Firebrands^ and there you'I find many 
 of their jugling Devices, and being Men 
 of Latitude and Faculties to prepare 
 Diflics for every Palate. 
 
 I have been a little more exprefs in 
 ftating thefe Differences^ becaufe I know 
 thofe Popijh Emiffaries are crept into 
 all Countreys, and do every where lie 
 in wait to debauch and corrupt Young 
 Gentlemen, both in their Principles and 
 Manners. There are not a few Inllan-^ 
 ces of both, who have been taken Cap^ 
 tives by thenx : I lliall name Two parti- 
 cularly. The one a Perfon of good Qua** 
 lity^ ftrong and quick natural Parts^ an 
 excellent Scholar^ under the Conduft 
 (as 'twas fuppofed,) of a well qualified 
 Tutor^ well educated according to the 
 Church of England^ by his pious and 
 prudent Parents ; and yet for all this, 
 was perverted in his Travels^ and con- 
 titiues a zealous and cunning Papi(i. 
 There was anotherGentleman alfo,both 
 of my Acquaintance, not inferior to the 
 
 former. 
 
p6 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 former, and every way as well ^ted iot 
 Travel, yet did contract fucli a habit 
 of Lewdnefs and Debauchery^ (to fay no 
 worfe,} that in few years an EJlate of a* 
 bove 2000 Lper Annum is intirely waft-=' 
 ed, and nothing remains but a bare pufF 
 of Honour without any Eftate to fupport 
 it : I could tell you all the particulars by 
 what Methods that unfortunate, fweet, 
 and ingenuous Young Gentleman was 
 allured and trapan'd into xhticMifchiefs^ 
 who alfo died immaturely, k^c. Which 
 Examples amongft many others, have 
 been often in my Thoughts : And tho 
 there be not the lead grounds of any 
 Jealoufieor Sufpition of your Mifcarn- 
 age^ yet I have fet them in your Yitw as 
 Land Marks, and Sea Marks, to prevent 
 the danger of fplitting your Veltel, (fo 
 well built and richly laden,} either upon 
 the Sands and Shelves oi Debauchery 2ind 
 ProphanenefSyOx the Rocks and Splinters 
 ofSch/fm and Superfiition. 
 
 Therefore (^Dear Sir) let me befeech 
 you once more to be continually upon 
 your Watch, that you may return with 
 the fame Soul and fame Bod^ you car- 
 ried 
 
Of Religion. ^j 
 
 Tied frooi hence, and all the Tempers 
 and Dil^ofit ions of both. And for this 
 End endeavor throughly to underftand, 
 and then live up to the Principles and 
 Rules of that Religion you have hither- 
 to profefs'd. This will prove thebefl: An- 
 tidote againft that deftrudive Poifon^ 
 u^hich might otherwife.taint and infefl: 
 both your Intel/equals and Morals ; and 
 not only deftroy the Chriftian, but even 
 the Man (or rational part) vi^ithin you. 
 
 Let me advife you ftill more particular-^ 
 lyyXiot fo much as to lend an Ear to hear, 
 nor a Tongue to difcourfe with thofe in- 
 chanting Syrens ; be afraid of their Teem- 
 ing Favours,whofe Errand is Deceit, and 
 under the pretence of Kindnefs and Re- 
 fped:, will wound you to the very Heart. 
 Look not upon the pompous Ceremonies 
 and coftly Ornaments of that Religion 
 wherein all things are outwardly glori- 
 ous and pleafant to the Eye ; but keep 
 clofe to innocentTruth,and let your Soul 
 be always deeply afleded with that Wor- 
 fhip whofe Majefty is in the Heart, not 
 in the Face, which we profefs (with the 
 greateft comfort and fatisfadion, and 
 H may 
 
p8 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 may we ever do fo) in the Communion 
 of the beft of Churches. ^ 
 
 Thus we have feen;^at length)that the 
 Errors and Superflitions of the Church of 
 Rome wherein they differ from Us, are 
 Fundamental Points both of Faith and 
 Worfhip : Therefore have no communi- 
 cation with thofe of that Way, unlefsit. 
 be where civil Relations^ and Ojfices of 
 Humanity and Charity require your 
 compliance. 
 
 Now, to conclude this Point, all the 
 Members of the Church oi England atQ 
 called Proteftants ; a Name common to 
 Us with our Brethren of the Reformed 
 Churches beyond Sea, and fo indeed we 
 are : * For we do folemnly proteft againft 
 *the PopifhUniverfal Hierarchy,Infalli- 
 
 * ble Judgment, Difpenfations with the 
 •Laws of God and Sins of Men, Oral 
 
 * Traditions and other Sacriledges,difpo- 
 
 * fing of Kingdoms, depofingand Mur- 
 *dering of Princes, the Merit of Good 
 
 * Works in our Converfion, the Priefts 
 ^ pretended Power of tranfubftantiating 
 •Bread and Wine into the Body and 
 
 * Blood of Chrift, the Sacrifice of the 
 
 •Maft, 
 
of Religion. ^p 
 
 *Mafs, ^doration of the Hoflie, Images, 
 
 * Relicks, Prayers to Saints and Angels, 
 
 * Power of Indulgences, Dodtrin of Pur- 
 •gatory, necellity of Auricular Confeffi- 
 •on, Prohibition of Priefts Marriages, 
 
 * Pilgrimages, Prayers in an unknown 
 
 * Tongue, multitude of Sacraments, Pe» 
 
 * nances, Miracles and hdian Wonders, 
 
 * and pretences of curing theDeaf^Dumb^ 
 *Blind,Lame,and raifing the Dead,Equi- 
 
 * vocations, mental Refervations, pious 
 
 * FraudSjlegendary Fables,devilifh Incan- 
 
 * tations, facred, yet diabolical Magick, 
 *and all their other Delufions and Fop- 
 
 * peries, as damnable and anti-chriflian^ 
 You'l be pleafed(^Sir)to join with me in 
 this Proteflation, (the very naming 
 whereof.tho I cannot now infift upon all 
 the Particulars,might almoll induce you 
 to itj^and let all true hearted and reform- 
 ed Protefiants^ both here and every 
 where, fay, Awen. 
 
 There are alfo feveral other Religious 
 Seils (or rather Hereticks,) which do 
 err from the Foundation and the true 
 Faith : Such are the Anti-Trinitarians^ 
 ArianSy Socinians^ &cc. who deny the 
 H z Doiirin 
 
I oo Advice to a Gent km an^ 
 
 Dofirin of the Holy Trinity y the Divini^ 
 ty of Chrifl and the Holy Ghofi^^nd our 
 Saviours Satis fatUon : All which being 
 excommunicated by Us, you muft avoid 
 t^hem as thePefts, and Enemies of our 
 Religion, and have no Intercourfe nor 
 Communion with them. 
 
 There's another filly Sefl called Qua- 
 kers^ a People fo far fallen from Chnfti^ 
 anity^ that they do fcarce retain any one 
 Article of the true Faitb^ flight and re- 
 jedl all the Ordinances of the G of pel ; and 
 extol the Light within them above the 
 Holy Scriptures^ as the only fufficient 
 Rule they are obliged to walk by. I on- 
 ly tell you in ihort, what Quaker ifm is, 
 and fliall need to fay no more of it, be- 
 ing there's fo little Temptation to that 
 Opinion. Thus much by way of Digreffi- 
 on. My method leads me. 
 
 Thirdly, To confider thofe Pretenft^ 
 onsy Reafons and Arguments ^ which our 
 Brethren of the Nonconformity have urg- 
 ed in defence of their Separation from 
 Us. But to do them all the "fuflice ima- 
 ginable, I muft note to you in the firft 
 place, That thofe called Antinomians^ 
 
 Anahap^ 
 
Of Religion. loi 
 
 Anahapttfls^ Independants^ and Preshy^ 
 terians^ do hold the Foundation, tho 
 they differ from Us in feme Opinions 
 not efTentiai to Salvation ; and notwith- 
 ftanding their uncharitablenefs to Us, 
 we account them Chriflians^ and Bre-- 
 thren^ as holding the EJJentials ofchri' 
 flianity, tho they build upon a weak 
 Foundation. 
 
 And feeing Frovidence has led you 
 into thofe Countries for the pfefcnr, 
 where you cannot worlhip God accord- 
 ing to your own Way ; the Church of 
 England ^boi\\ in her Judgment and Prac- 
 ttce^ allows you to communicate with 
 thofe Sifter-Churches of the Reformatio 
 on^ to whom we have always given tlie 
 right Hand of Fellowship, tho there be 
 fome circumftantial Differences be- 
 tween Them and \3s. But, 
 
 You'l probably meet with fome ia 
 your Travels^ as well as in our own Nis/- 
 tion^ who will be very forward to find 
 Faults with, and ccnfure our Liturgy and 
 Difcipline^ (as we have many of that ca- 
 pricious Humour amongft Us,^tho they 
 fcarce underftand it. Therefore for the 
 H I further 
 
10 2 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 further Confirmation and Eftablifhment 
 ofycmr own Judgment herein, and that 
 you may be better fortified with Reafons 
 and Arguments to vmdxc^t^ our Churchy 
 and clear thofe Ohje^ions which may be 
 urged againft her. We fliall confider, 
 
 Firft, The moft material Ohje^lions^ 
 which have been formed againft our Zi- 
 turgy and Church PolitiCy both at home 
 and abroad. 
 
 Secondly, We fliall draw fome ratio- 
 ndXInferences from l\iok Anfwers and So- 
 lutions ^{ox your further fatisfaftion. And, 
 
 Thirdly, Lay down fome Rules by 
 VJ2iy oi cautiony which I hope may fe- 
 cure you, and by your Influence, many 
 others from a groundlefs Separation. Of 
 thefediftindly: And, 
 
 Firft, All the Scruples of our Non-- 
 ^ conforming Brethren^ againft our Difci-^ 
 pline and Set Form of Worjhipy are re- 
 ducible to, and comprehended under 
 thefe two Ohje^ions. And, 
 
 I. They charge Us with Popery^ 
 (which we abhor as much, if not more 
 than they do,) becaufe (fay they) our 
 Form of Common Prayer by Law efta- 
 
 bliflit, 
 
Of Religion. 103 
 
 blilht, is taken out of the Popijh Mafs^ 
 Booky that they are Popijh Prayers j and 
 much of our Difcipline^ and many of 
 our Ceremonies are now ufed in the 
 Church of Rome. Which Ohjetlion at the 
 firft appearance, feems to be very harfh ; 
 and has fo affrighted fome weak, yet 
 well-meaning Chrifiians^ that they dare 
 fcarce come near Us, but hold off^ and fe- 
 parate from our Communion. To which I 
 Anfwer. This Ohje^ion is fo far from 
 being of any force againft Us,that it do's 
 very much approve and juftifie the An- 
 gular Moderation of the Church oi Eng- 
 land^ as mod willing and defirous to 
 communicate with the Papijls in all 
 Things wherein we can do it lawfully, 
 and with a fafe Confcience.BefideSjthofe 
 Divines who compiled our Liturgy^wcre 
 all Men of extraordinary Parts, Piety 
 and Learning, and feveral ot them died 
 Martyrs for our Religion, Nor have our 
 dijfenting Brethren the leaft colour of 
 Reafon to brand our ChurchService with 
 favouring too much of Popery^ feeing 
 the Papijls always have, and ever had 
 our Worjhip in the greateft deteftation 
 H 4 and 
 
104 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 and abhorrence ; becaufe they know 'tis 
 impoffible that Popery fliould ever return 
 upon Us, or be eftabliflit again in Eng-^ 
 landy while our Common-Prayer-Book is 
 kept unaltered. 
 
 For, the whole Form of our Worjhip 
 is point blank contrary to Image- Wor^ 
 Jhip, praying to Angels and Saints^ Pro- 
 pitiatory Sacrifice^Do^lrin of their-S'^crj- 
 tnents^ Tranfuhjlantiationj &c And this 
 is the true Reafon why they do fo mor- 
 tally hate both Vs and our Religion. And 
 again, thofe Prayers in our Liturgy 
 which were taken out of the Mafs-Book^ 
 are many of them the CoUe^s and Devo- 
 tions of the Antient Fathers ;^\\ic:\i were 
 in ufe before ever Popery was known in 
 the World ; which being purged from 
 the Popijh Superftition by our Reform- 
 ersj are now lawfully ufed by the Church 
 of England^ according to their Original 
 Infiitution : Infomuch, that thofe who 
 cavil at our Service,becaufe fome part of 
 it is ufcd by thQ Papijls^ may as well find 
 fault with the Epijlles and Gofpels^ 
 Pfalms^ChapterSyCreedSy Commandments^ 
 Lords Prayer^ 6lc. thefe being alfo in 
 
 the 
 
Of Religion. 105 
 
 the Papifts Mafs-Book. Having fully 
 
 cleared this firft Ohje^ion^ we pafs to the 
 
 2. And they charge Us again with 
 
 many Corruptions^ Additions^ De^^ 
 
 feflsj and circumftantial Errors in our 
 
 Set Form of Wor(hip and Difcip/ine^ (for 
 
 they have no Objections againft our 
 
 Doftrin and Fundamentals ; ) and for 
 
 thofe feeming RcafonSjthey think thenfi- 
 
 felves obliged to withdraw and feparate 
 
 from our Communion. 
 
 Anfmr. This may feem to be a weigh- 
 ty 0^;V^/(?« at the firft fight^and the moft 
 plead it (being joined with the former, 
 which we have anfwered to the full,) as 
 the Caufe, why they think and fpeak fo 
 hardly of our Church, and defert our 
 Communion : But they might be per- 
 fuaded to altertheir Opinion, if (laying 
 afide all Prejudice, ^^ they would butferi- 
 oufly and impartially confider thefe few 
 Things. And, 
 
 I. 'Tis a true and undoubted Maxim^ 
 that all Perfons are obliged to hold Com^ 
 ntunion with the National and Eftablilh'd 
 Church where they live, and muft by no 
 means feparate from it j tho there be 
 
 fome 
 
10^ Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 fome circumftantial Additions^ Errors 
 and Defe^Sj in its external Worjhip^ Po- 
 litie or Difcipline. For 'tis plain, that the 
 Prophets zndPeople o^God^ did not fcpa- 
 rate from,but heldCommunion with the 
 Jews in their Puhlick Worfhip^ tho there 
 were very many and great Defeds and 
 Corruptions, ^c both in their DoStrm 
 and Practice. This is clear in many In-^ 
 fiances : For the folemn Ordinances of 
 Godj as Circumcifion and the Paffbver^ 
 were for a long timea-wanting;iind fuch 
 Monuments of Idolatry wereTet up, as 
 not only the People thereby became fu- 
 perftitious and immoral, but even the 
 Priefts alfo (as Elts two Sons, ©*<:.) 
 brought a Scandal upon their Religion. 
 Were not thefe greater Faults than any 
 of our fierceft Adverfaries can charge up- 
 on us ? And yet for all that, we find not 
 one Prefident of fo much as any fingle 
 Perfon that departed from their Com- 
 munion. 
 
 z. At the time of our ^.Saviours coming 
 into the World, the Jewijh Worjhip was 
 exceedingly corrupted with th^ Leaven 
 ofthQPharifees & the/7^r^^of the Sad- 
 
 duceSf 
 
Of Religion. 107 
 
 duc€$;^ho denied the Immortality of the 
 Soul and the Refurreftion of the Body. 
 Befides, the whole Service of God was 
 intolerably prophaned, the Temple pol- 
 luted, Religion fubverted, Judgment and 
 the Love of Gt?^ trampled upon and neg- 
 ledled, many needlefs and fiiperflitious 
 Ceremonies interlarded with their Wor- 
 fhip^ the Teople addifted to all manner 
 oiWickednefs^zw^ even the Priefis them- 
 felves very heterodox and diflblute both 
 in their Faith and Manners : And yet at 
 that time, we find feveral religious Per- 
 fons, both Men and Women, with great 
 Zeal and Devotion, worfliiping God in 
 theTempIe,as Zacharj and Simeon^Han^ 
 fiah and Elizabeth^ &cc. And our Blefled 
 Saviour himfelf was Cby his pious Pa- 
 rents)prefented in theTemple according 
 to the Cuftom and Law of Mofes. He af- 
 terwards kept the Pafover^ and all the 
 Fefiivals of thQjewi/hChurch^frcquQntQd 
 and taught daily in th^TempleSi in their 
 Sjnagogues^gavQ Honour and Reverence^ 
 and paid Tribute to thdx Ruler s^ nor did 
 he ever defert their Communion, till he 
 was forced to retire to lave his own Life: 
 
 So 
 
to8 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 So that he thought it neceflary (andfo 
 did thofe otherVotaries) to join in Gods 
 Puhlick Worfhip^ notwithftanding thofe 
 gKzX.Errors andD^/^^?j,which thanks be 
 to God,are not chargeable upon Us. But, 
 ^. Tliere were many Errors and De- 
 feats, both in the Do^rin and Practice of 
 the then flourifliing Churches of Corinth, 
 Galatia^ &cc. and yet the ApoUkS.Paul 
 was fo far from encouraging a Scb/fm in, 
 and Separation from the Communion of 
 thofe Churches; that he threatens thofe 
 Perfons with the fevereft Punifliments, 
 who were the Inftruments in fomenting 
 and promoting thokAnimoJities and £>/- 
 vifions. Nor is there any one Infiance or 
 Trefident in the whole Scripture ^to war- 
 rant our departure from any Church that 
 is Sound and Orthodox in her Principles^ 
 however erroneous and corrupt in the 
 Politie and Circumfiantials of Divine 
 Worjhip. We might hereunto add, 
 
 4. The concurrent jf^^g?^^;//^ and O- 
 pintons of the mod: Eminent and Re- 
 formed Divines beyond Sea ; who have 
 unanimoufly declared their Diflike of a 
 Separation trom om Communion; as Cal- 
 
 vin^ 
 
Of Religion. lop 
 
 vifty Butiinger^ Bucer^ and many others^ 
 And tho they difTented from Us in lefler 
 Things, yet held Communion and Cor- 
 refpondence with our Church & Church- 
 men^ as may appear by their feveral Let* 
 terstoQwt Reformers; and would have 
 been glad if their Circumftances would 
 have allowed our Form of Church Fo* 
 litie; and defervedly preferred it to any 
 Church Government in the World. But 
 to argue yet more clofely ; 
 
 J. If any willrefufe ont Commmtion^ 
 and fcparate from Us, becaufe there are 
 fome pretended Errors in the Difcipline 
 and Circumjiantials of our Worjhip^ 
 (which yet none have ever been able to 
 prove againft Us,) they '1 be obliged up- 
 on the lame fcore, to withdraw their 
 Communion from all the Churches in Chri- 
 fiendom : For what Church Government 
 ihall they be ever able to aflign, that's fo 
 pure and fmcere, as to be wholly exemp* 
 ted from Circumjiantial Errors and De* 
 feils ? And were there not more Faults 
 in theWorfhipof theFriw/Z^ix'e' Churches 
 for the five firft Centuries^ than are at 
 prefcnt in Ours ? Are there no Errors in 
 
 the 
 
1 10 Advice to a Gentleman, 
 
 the JVor/hip^ ConJiitutionSy and Ecclejia^ 
 ft teal Government of Geneva and Amfter^ 
 dam > Tra fure many of their Learned 
 Divines have ingenuoully acknowledged 
 that all things were not according to 
 their Defire, and yet did not think it 
 Prudence td alter the Government for 
 the fake of fome fmall Errors. 
 
 In fliort, our Diffenting Brethren muft 
 either difclaim thefe Conceits^ or turn 
 Hermits and Anchorets^ live in a Cell or 
 Wildernefsy and even depart from them- 
 felves ; who(as Icould eafily fhew them) 
 are guilty of as many, if not more, and 
 greater Faults and Errors in their little 
 Aflemblies, than can be ;uftly charged 
 upon Vs^ or t\\QJLiturgyzn^ Government 
 ot the Church oiEngland. Whither would 
 not thefe wild and extravagant Fancies 
 carry any Man that fhallgive way to 
 them? So that they muft either prove 
 their own Churches to be infallible in 
 point of Worjhip and Difcipliney which 
 I think the moft of them difclaim, or for 
 ever quit their Pretenfons for a Separa^ 
 tion from Us, becaufe of the little Er- 
 rors which they have difcovered in our 
 Admint a rations. Having 
 
of Religion. iii 
 
 Having thus fully anfwer'd the chief 
 Ohjeiiions of our Brethren for their un* 
 warrantable Separation from the Church 
 oi England, which I know will fully fa- 
 tisfie you. We (hall proceed, 
 
 Secondly, To draw fome clear and un* 
 deniable Inferences from the Premifes^ 
 for the prevention of all further iScrAr^/fi 
 in this Cafe. And, 
 
 I . It would be a ftrange Delufion,and 
 no lefs than zhfolixtc Prophanene/s to caft 
 off all the Puhlick Ordinances^ or negleft 
 the Sacred and Solemn JVor/hip of 6od^ 
 becaufe fome things may be difliked, or 
 excepted againft in thQir Admini/lrations 
 
 2. The greateft Honour we can afcribe 
 to God, is to worlhip folemnly and de* 
 voutly in the Puhlick Ajfemhlies of the 
 Church: And therefore it murt be the 
 mod heinous Crime to make a Schifm 
 andRent in any particular C/7«rc^,where 
 Chrift is effectually prefent by his Grace 
 and Spirit. Nor can any one have a fuf- 
 ficient Plea^ to withdraw from the Puh'^ 
 lick Ordinances in any Nation^ till Chrifi 
 has deferted them j which no Man can 
 object againft the Pure and ApoftoUcal 
 
 Church 
 
112 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 church of England: Wherein (as before) 
 the whole World will acknowledge,that 
 th^ War do^ God is purely preach'd, and 
 the Sacraments duly adminiftred in that 
 admirable Order and Vniformtty^ which 
 is fcarce to be paralleFd in any iJational 
 Church upon Earth. 
 
 Befides, thofe who are fo ftrait laced 
 as to require abfolute Perfedtion in the 
 Adminiftration of Divine Offices and 
 Church Government y muft be guilty of 
 that Tofijh Errory in confining the 
 Churchy with all its Priviledges and Im- 
 munities y to their own Se^ and Party ; 
 and fo caft offa confiderable Part of the 
 Catholick Churchy (as the Church of Eng-^ 
 land is at this Day,) which profeffes and 
 praftifes all the EJfentials of Faith and 
 Worjhip. Hence we alfo infer, 
 
 ^. That many great and unavoidable 
 Mi/chiefs do always attend a wilful and 
 unlawful Separation : For a Sciffure in 
 and departure from a True Church, (as 
 the Church oi England island none of our 
 fevereft Adverfaries can deny,) is mod 
 diflionourable and difpteafing to God^ a 
 fcandal to Religion^ hinders the Succefs 
 
 of 
 
of Religion. ti^ 
 
 of the GofpelpTpGtis a wide Gap to At he /fm 
 and P rophanenefs^Herefie and Popery. tand 
 is a difmal Prefage of the removing of our 
 Candlefikky Mat. 1 2 ij. Why then fhould 
 any Perfons withdraw and feparate them- 
 felves from the Communion of our Church 
 for the fake of a few Ceremonies^ and fet 
 up Altar againft Altar^ and hereby put 
 an Opportunity into the Adverfaries 
 handSjto ruin both us and themfelves?But, 
 4^ Tho all Perfons in this Nation are 
 obliged to hold Communion with the 
 Church of England^ (feeing thofe pretend- 
 ed DefecSls in her are only modal and cir- 
 cumftantiai,which noChurchln t\\^World 
 can be free from in this State of Tryal 
 and Probation,} yet we are forbidden to 
 communicate with any Church in Sin : 
 And this is the true reafon and ground of 
 forfaking the Chkrch ofRomSy becaufe heir 
 Errors are Fundamental, (as we have feen 
 already, } and the Conditions oi Communi- 
 on with her luch, a3 we cannot comply 
 with^unlefs we offer Violence to our own 
 ^Reafon and Confcience. And we do always 
 folemnly declare, that if their New Art/*- 
 cles of Faith and unchriftian Pra^iices 
 did not hinder \J$, we (liould moll freely 
 
 I and 
 
114 Advice to a Gentlemafi^ 
 
 and chearfully communicate withfherj 
 nor do we further depart from her/ than 
 Ihc departs from Chriji and her Self, as 
 to her antient Faith and Worfhip. 
 
 And again, we have fo much Love and 
 Charity tor our moelern Diffenters in E^g- 
 land^ that if any one has a truly tender 
 Confcience, fo as after a diligent and 
 faithful ufe of all convenient and necefTa- 
 xy Means and Methods for his Convidtion, 
 (as earned Prayer to God, reading of 
 good Books, confultation with his Parifb- 
 Minifler, or fome other Pious and Learn- 
 ed Divine of the Church of England^ he 
 ftill remains fcrupulous and unfatisfied j 
 yet rather than finagainft his own Con- 
 fcience,we do not blame, but pity him, if 
 he modeftly withdraws from our Com* 
 munion. But I am afraid there are fome 
 who have not pradifed thefe Methods, 
 altho I have the Charity to believe that 
 very many have ; and that moft of thofe 
 who have feparated from our Communion^ 
 have not done it through a wilful Obfti- 
 nacy, but meerly upon the account of 
 Confcience. 
 
 J. Our Brethren of the Non-conformi- 
 ty might do well to confider alfo, that 
 
 none 
 
Of ReligiofL 115 
 
 none gains any thing by a groundlefs 
 Schifm andSeparation^but that fort of Men 
 whofe chief Maxim to promote their 
 own Ends, hath always been, Divide & 
 impera : For 'tis very obfervable.that the 
 Intcreil of the Reformed Religion is daily 
 weakened by our unchriftianandinteftine 
 Divifions. And 'tis very certain, that we 
 cannot do our Enemies greater Service 
 nor more precipitate our own Ruine,than 
 by crumbhng our felves into Sciis and 
 Parties : Infomuch, that I am afraid, that 
 thofe who now feparate from Us, and \n 
 this jundure) fbrfake our Communion, 
 will one day find and feel to their great 
 coft(not to mention the ^xd^ntMifchiefs^, 
 that it were a thoufand times better to 
 fwallow an innocent Ceremony than rend 
 a Church; feeing the greateft Sins fhall 
 have a lighter Punilhment th^nScbifm and 
 Separation. For the Eye that mocketb his 
 Father^ and defpifeth the Garment of his 
 Mother ^t he Ravens of the Valley fhall pluck 
 it outy and the young Eailes devour it. See 
 further upon the Mifchiefs of Schifm^ 
 Dr. Falkners Libert as Ecclef. from the be- 
 ginning. Which brings me to the. 
 Third and laft thing, Which will be to 
 I 2 lay 
 
11^ Advice to a Geiiilemaii^ 
 
 lay down fome Rules by way oi Caution 
 zx\A Advice^ which may fecure you, and 
 by your Influence^ many others from a 
 groundlefs Separation, And, 
 
 !• We muft be fubjed" to every Orclt" 
 nance di Man for the Lor di fake : For t bey 
 are Gods Minifters,and the fupreme Ma- 
 giftrate of thefe Kingdoms is inverted' 
 with Sovereign Povvcr and Authority to 
 order and adminifter the Affairs of Go- 
 vernment, for the peace and benefit of 
 Mens Souls, as well as their Bodies and 
 Eftates : Nor can this feem flrange to a- 
 ny one,who either underftands the Scrip- 
 tHtes or Ecclefiafiical Hifiory : For his 
 plain^that the religious Kings o^Judah & 
 Ifrael^ as King David^ Solomon^ Afa.Jeho' 
 fhaphat^Hezekiah^ &c. and all the ChrifH" 
 an Ewperors^ as Confiantine the Great and 
 his Succeffors^ (till the Biffiop of Rome's 
 Ufurpation,) were as much concerned in 
 ordering of the Affairs of the Church, as 
 the Adminiflration of Civil Government, 
 And mdeed, unlels this Power and Sove* 
 raignty were allowed to the Supreme Ma- 
 giftrate, he fliould be unable to provide 
 for the benefit of his Sub;e61:s ; nor could 
 there be any fuch thing as Order and Vni^ 
 
 forniity 
 
of Religion. 117 
 
 formity in the Churches of Chnfi;thQ Ec- 
 clefiaJiicalLaws being only Bratafuimina 
 without the concurrence and enforcement 
 of the Civil Power : So that from hence it 
 muft needs follo\y, that a cheerful Obedi- 
 ence to and a hearty Compliance with all 
 the Laws and Conllitutions of our admi- 
 rable Government, both in Church and 
 State, is abfolutely necelTary, not only for 
 our own fakes, bur the Peace and Prefer- 
 varion of the whole Body, 
 
 2. 'Tis a {Iran^e Miftake then which 
 
 o 
 
 fome have run upon,that nothing is to be 
 admitted in our Publick iVor/h/p^and £c- 
 clejiaft'ical Dijcipline and PcUt'ie of our 
 Churchy but what \s plainly exprefltn the 
 Holy Scriptures \ hereby excluding all hu- 
 man Laws and Conftitutions in Matters 
 and Things indifferent. Which wild //v- 
 pothefn has been the Original of all thoft 
 untenable Opinions now on foot ; and the 
 very moft of our unchriftian Divtfions^ 
 which have almofl: torn in pic^ ^ ^r 
 Church, arcovvingto thisuiirci 
 and groundlefsC(?^y>/?«/'e':Whereasan the 
 contrary ,the Writers ot the greateil Note 
 and Eminence ^mongfl: our Brethren of 
 the Non-conformity, are forced to ac- 
 I I know led i!,e, 
 
1 1 8 Advice to a Gentleman, 
 
 knowledge, that there are many Circum^ 
 fiances in the PuhlicService ofGod^^nA the 
 Government of the Churchy which muft be 
 regulated and ordered according to the 
 Light of Nature, and ^avos of Chriflian 
 Trudence ; as the holy Apoftle directs in 
 thofe general Rules, Let all things be done 
 decently. in or der^ and for Edification, And 
 do alfo confefs, that even in their own hi- 
 femblies (and we know it to be true and 
 certain,) there are many fuch Ciramfian-- 
 r^j,for which they have no exprefsRule in 
 Scripture; but do ufe t\\tm prudent ially for 
 the Honour and Intereft of Religion^ and 
 theOrder & Uniformity oiGocisWorfhip. 
 Befides, 'tis obfervable that the Holy i 
 Scriptures treat chiefly ohh^Efentiah of 
 Faith and Worfhip^ and only mention the 
 Governours and Government oi the Churchy 
 with fome general Rules (as before) for 
 the ordering of its Politie znd Difcipline : 
 lnfomuch,that many Perfons of great Lear^ 
 ningand Judgment are of opinion, that 
 there's no ont Set-Form of Government for 
 the Chrifiian Church to be found in the 
 whole Bihle^ but muft be left to our Go- 
 vernours to order and appoint according 
 to the Rules and Dictates of found Judg- 
 ment 
 
of Religio7i. up 
 
 ment and Difcretion : Which the Learn- 
 ed and Judicious Hooker gives a mod ad- 
 mirablex\ccount ot in XmEccleJiaJL Tolit. 
 Nor can this ;n the lead impeach (as 
 fome have vaink objefted) the Sufficien- 
 cy of the Holy Scriptures^ or the Fidelity 
 of Chr'ijl in not leaving a perfect Model o^ 
 Church Government behind him : For we 
 havefeen already, that the Holj Scrips 
 tures were primarily intended to inftrud: 
 us in the Fundamentals o^ Faith and Chri" 
 Jlian Morality^ and fpeak only overtly of 
 church Difcipline and Government. And, 
 for the Fidelity of Chrill herein, 'tis plain 
 that the Church in our Saviours Time 
 was in her Minority^ which muft after- 
 wards :^by degrees) grow up to a ftate of 
 greater Liberty and Perfection. What o- 
 thers have urged from the Form oi Church 
 Government under the Jewifh Oeconomie 
 concludes nothing : For the fews lived all 
 under one Politie and in one Nation ; 
 whereas Chriftianity is difperfed all over 
 the World,undcr many different Civil Go- 
 vernments ; and therefore the Circumjian- 
 ces of Religious Worfhip and Church Difci- 
 pline,muii be fuited to the State and Con- 
 dition of different People within their fe- 
 I 4 veral 
 
1 20 Advice to a Gentleman, 
 
 veral Jurifdidtions, as may appear moft 
 juft and reafonable to the Judgments and 
 Difcretion of their lawful Governours. 
 Therefore, 
 
 J. Tho every Perfon 1^ obliged to hate 
 and file from Idolatry, Flerefie, ©c, yet 
 none fliduld be affrighted from his Duty 
 with meer Buggs and Scar-crows, or the 
 empty Appearances of £rr(?r without fuf- 
 ficient Grounds, For tho our Liturgy and 
 Set' Forms oiWorJhip have been extream- 
 ly cavird at by fome of our Adverfaries, 
 yet 'tis evident that neither the Prophets 
 of old, nor our Saviour and his Apoftles^ 
 nor the Primitive Fathers^ did ever find 
 fault with the Stated Methods and Forms 
 of Prayer,but did pra£tifc and appoint 'em 
 themfelves, and highly encourag'd them 
 in others. For there are many Set-Forms 
 of Prayer, Benedi^ioHS and Thank fgivings, 
 in the Writings of the Prophet s^ our Savi- 
 our compofed a Form of Prayer to be ufed 
 by his Apojiles and Followers^ (tho they 
 were doubtlefs as able to pray by the Spi- 
 rit as the moil Seraphick Enthufia(i^ 
 which Method 2X^0 was obferved by John 
 t\i^BaptiflSox the diredion and affiftance 
 of his Difciples in God's tVorJhip. All 
 
 which 
 
Of Religio7i. i 2 1 
 
 which Stated Forms became Patterns and 
 Prefidents to the Churches oichrijl in af- 
 ter Ages, who had all their feveral Litur* 
 gies as we have ; nor is there any thing m 
 our Service Bcok which is contrary to,but: 
 mofl: exaftly conformable to thofe Rules. 
 4. Let not the bare Pretence then of 
 fome fmail Errors in and about the Cir- 
 cumftances of Puhlkk Worjhip^ prevail 
 with any Man to feparate from the Com- 
 munion of bis National Churchy feeing 
 there have been,and are as many^and pro- 
 bably greater Errors in p.li the Churches 
 oichriji in all Ages of the GofpeJ : For 
 tho our BlefTed Saviour promised, that 
 the Gates of Hell Jhould mt prevail againfi 
 the Vniverfal Church ^t hat he mil be with 
 her to the end of the Wot Ld^ fend his Spirit 
 to lead her into all Truths and abide with 
 her for ever; yet thefe Promifes do only 
 refpedt the Fundamental Dod:rins of the 
 Catholic and Univerfai Church oiChrifi^ 
 or a People profeffing the Truth, how- 
 ever they may err (as all of them do) in 
 Opinions not effential to Religion. And 
 ieeing every particular Church may be 
 guilty of fome Errors and Miftakes in out- 
 ward Circumftances of Religion, there- 
 fore. 
 
122 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 fore he that will feparate upon this Ac- 
 count, can fcarce hold Communion with 
 any National Church upon Earth. And 
 thofe fickle and fanciful Perfons might 
 haive had the fame Plea^o have feparated 
 from theChriftian Church in the time of 
 the Apoftles that they have now from 
 Us.- Nor is there any one that under- 
 (lands the State of our Church, but will 
 readily acknowledge, that our Orders of 
 BiJhops.PrieJh ^{idDe aeons y^nd Set Form 
 oflVorJh/p andDi/ri/^//;^^,are (^if not of A- 
 poftoiical,) yet of Primitive Inftitution. 
 y. No meer Inconveniences,or circum- 
 ftantial Errors or Defefts ( and thofe only 
 alledged,not proved againft Us,^can jufti- 
 fieor excufea Departure from Us, fince 
 I have made it fully evident that our 
 Church holds and maintains all the£^»- 
 tials both of Faith and of IVor/h/p, For, 
 we have feen already, that all Men are 
 oblig'd to conform themfelvcs to the 
 ConlVitutions of their National Church, 
 tho fome of the external Modes 6f Forms 
 be inconvenient, diforderly and defedive, 
 rather than not be of any Church at all: 
 And what they cannot reform (without 
 diuurbing the Peace of the Churcb^^ *tis 
 
 their 
 
Of Religion. 125 
 
 their Duty to tolerate, feeing there's no Na- 
 tional ana Particular Churcli in theWorld^ 
 (as we have already obferved) whofe Con- 
 iHtutions and Government are abfolutely 
 perfed. Therefore, 
 
 6. Thofe Perfons are extreamly to blame 
 that require greater Vurity in Gods ?uhl'tc Worr 
 fljipj than the Holy Scriptures have command- 
 ed, or our Bktkd Savteur and his Jpofiks^ or 
 the Primitive Orthodox Fathers have re- 
 commended to Pofterity. And tho there 
 v^ere fome things amifs in the outward Rules 
 and LaTUs odVorJlap^ud Government : Yet 'tis 
 not the Province^ncr in the power of private 
 Men to reform Religion \ this being wholly 
 left to the prudent management of thofe Go- 
 vernours^ whom the divine Providence has 
 conftituted and appointed to rule over Us. 
 Wherefore that precipitant and T2i{hZeal 
 (which fome mif callPifr7)will moredifturb 
 the Peace of their ownConfciences,and pre- 
 judice the Intereft of the Church, than their 
 charitable and peaceable Compliance with 
 thofe fceming Errors and Defcds, which 
 they fo much cavil at and complain of. 
 
 7. 'Tis the greatcft Argument then of Im- 
 prudence and Indifcrction,to run upon ma- 
 nifcfl: and real Evils, upon thofe Fears and 
 Jealouiies(which are meerly ^roundlefs)and 
 only imagined to be fo. Will any Man of 
 Reafon 3,nd Religion dare to forfake Gods pub- 
 lick Ordinances, and make a Schifm in the 
 Church of C^r//, bccaufe perhaps there may 
 
 be 
 
f 24 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 be fome probable Defers in her Commumott^ 
 For Gods Commands to attend his Pubhck 
 Worlhip^ and endeavour the Peace of the 
 Churchy are plain and poiitive^ whereas the. 
 Errors objefted again ft us are dubious and dif- - 
 putable : And noW3 to caft the Scaks^thc (zic 
 greater number of piouS)learned &: judicious 
 Men are on our ftde'^{o;d\zx. far any thing they 
 know^ they may be miftaken. But granting 
 'em that we do err, let our Govermars fee to 
 it^ we have a fufficient Rule for our Obedi- 
 cnce^ (nor dare we fubftraft it for the fake 
 of an Inconvenience only, if their Commands 
 be not finful) but they have none for their 
 Difobedience. And therefore feeing they have 
 no lawful Authority to reform the leaft Er- 
 ror or Miftake in Government^ it would be 
 the greaterPrudcnce^and moreChriftian like 
 to pray Sc mourn in fecret for what they ap- 
 prehend amifs, than to difobey and exafpe- 
 rate theirGovernours^ftir upDivifions in the 
 Church^Sc run upon the dangerous Haz,z.ards 
 of a licentious and unwarrantable Separation. 
 8. We fliould be always more concern'd 
 for promoting the Intereft of the Gofpel3.nd 
 our own National Churchy than the gratifying 
 of our own perfonaland private Fancies and 
 Opinions. For it has been a great fault in mofi: 
 of our Brethren of the Non-conformit}^^ 
 who have been fo wedded to their own pri- 
 vate Humours andConceits, that they have 
 almoft quite forgot the Teace of the Church, 
 and the true Interejf oilhc Trotejtant Reformed 
 
 Religion. 
 
Of Ueligion. 125 
 
 Religion. Hence have fpriing thofe Herefies 
 and Schiftni^dXiA thu At heijm and Vrofhanenefs^ 
 which have fo ftrangely ovcr-fpread the 
 whole Nation, to the great fcandal of our 
 J<.eh*gion and Government •, and have done 
 what in their pov/er lies to yield up them- 
 felvcs and us a Prey to our cruel and merci- 
 lefs Enemies. Whereas^if they had the leaft 
 fenfe of their Duty and Intereft, they would 
 keep clofe (at this Time efpecially) to our 
 Cowmunion-^wbich under God would be their 
 chief Refuge^ and yield in fome fmail Mat-- 
 tcrSjtho Icis agreeable to their own prirate 
 Sentiments and Opinions3 for the greater 
 Benefit of thcPublick. 
 
 9. No Prejudice fhould prevail with any 
 Man fo far, as to make him unwilling to re- 
 cant and difclaim his Errors upon a through 
 Conviftionyind return to the ways of Truth 
 and Peace,from which he has formerly er- 
 red. And therefore 'tis.a great Fault in many 
 who are unwilling to rctraft thofe Errors 
 which they have efpoufcd, left they {hould 
 be ccnfured by their Party as Reneg^aJoes and 
 Apcftates from their Reltgton : Whereas, if 
 they would but fcrioully confider ir^ 'cwill 
 be their greatcft Honour as well as incercft, 
 and a fpecial Evidence of their liucgrityjto 
 ackuowledg &c recant i\\dxErrors9)CMtfiakei \ 
 nor need any Man be aftiam'd or afraid 
 to confcli he has erred. St.yi«^.v/rit a whole 
 Book cARetraiiatwns.ioT which he was defer- 
 vedly as much efteem'd^ as for any of his o- 
 
 thcr 
 
126 Advice to a Gentleman^ 
 
 ther Works : Nor can any Man come under 
 the vile imputation and fcandal of an Ap- 
 fiatCy who cnanges only fome miftaken Er- 
 rors andOpinionSj nothis Religion. And 
 
 Laftly^ Others have been extreamly to 
 blame in fetting uj) their own private (jlof- 
 fes and Interpretations of the Holy Scriptures^ 
 as infallible Maxims TinA neceffary Conclufions, 
 infomuch that they'l rather difturb the Veace 
 of the Community p\2Ln be perfuaded to recede 
 from them : For being ignorant of the fcope 
 and meaning of thofe facred and lively Ora- 
 clesj they prefently fancy without the leaft 
 true ground . that every Pajfage founding that 
 Way^muft be a ftrong and tordhkArgument 
 to prove and confirm thckOpinion.Thc Scrip- 
 tures indeed be allowed ^and are of important 
 and neceffary ufe for the Condud of their 
 taith and Manners in the ways of Religion : 
 But then fhall QycvyMechanick prefume to be 
 an Interpreter andjudge (and think himfelf 
 as infalliole as the Pope in Cathedra)oiz\\ the 
 abftrufe and difficult Paffages in Holy Writ ? 
 
 Now^ what can it be but meer Enthnfiafm 
 and Delufton in any one to pretend to inter- 
 pret the dark Points of Scripture-, (which nei- 
 ,ther concern Mens Faith nor Manners) with- 
 out the ufe of thofe Means which are out of 
 the reach of the Vulgar'? They'l readily grant^ 
 that in all other Profeffions^ Arts and Sciences,^ 
 a Man muft be a coniiderable time^and take 
 great pains to gain Experience ere he can be ca- 
 pable of managingjand muft be an approved 
 
 Art iff 
 
OfReligio?!. 127 
 
 'Artifi before any one will entruft him with 
 Bufmels in his way of Dealings in the World. 
 Shall every Novice then v/ho can fcarcercad 
 a Chapter diftinftly in the fi;/'/f,prefumc to 
 have as much Skill in Divinity and the Holy 
 Scriptures ^2iS he that has been trained up all his 
 life in the Schools of the Prophets •, has the ad- 
 vantage of all ufeful Books ^ underftands the 
 Languages wherein the Scriptures were origs-^ 
 naUy written^ and makes this Study his whole 
 Bufinejs and Trofeffion ? Thefe are fuch wild 
 and extravagant Conceits^ as one would think 
 that no Man of common Reafon and Pru- 
 dence (hould once pretend to : And yet there 
 are feveral illiterate country Hohs^ and con- 
 ceited Tradefmen in Market-Towns (and ot 
 my acauaintance, as there arc in mofl: pla- 
 ces of this Kingdom5)who1 undertake to in- 
 terpret the Scrtpture^ and preach (according 
 to their way •, and yet) with more boldneis 
 and confidence than the grcateft Dolors of 
 the Chair. But we leave Tuch to their own 
 Fancies and Delufions, which cart neither 
 concern you nor m.e more at prefent^rhan to 
 pity and pray for them^that they may come 
 in due time to a true fenfe of their unaccoun- 
 table Errors-,and(whilfl: unrctrafted) unpar- 
 donable Midakcs. 
 
 Thefe 1 am pcrfuadcd are fuch Reafons^ as 
 will puzzle our DtJfentingBrethren to anfwer^ 
 and obviate all their Tleas and Pretences to a 
 warrantable Separation from the Church of 
 England : However (Sir) liich as they arc, arc 
 
 humbly 
 
128 Advice ta a Gentleman ficc. 
 humbly oflfcr'd to yom ferious Perufal ^ and 
 probably they may be ufeful to you in your 
 prefent Cirqumftances^ having calculated 
 them primarily for that Meridian, Yet let 
 not thefe or any other fo bind you up^ as to 
 negle6t greater and better of your own : For 
 it will be your great Intereft and Advantage 
 to weigh and meafure the Drift and Defign 
 of all Comfels, by the Diftates of your own 
 Reafon and Judgment. 
 
 I doubt I have wearied your Patience with 
 atediousE/?//?/^ , the SubjeSs being fo copious 
 have drawn k out to an undue Proportion.Yct, 
 when you have ferioully conjfider'd the Scope 
 and De^gff of it in its full Latitude and Im- 
 portance^ I hope you'l candidly excufe not 
 only the Lengthy but all other Mifiakes and 
 jyefeBs in it without any further Apology. 
 Whatever hMfiretiom I have been guilty of 
 either in the Undertaking, or management 
 andcompofilreofthis Dtfcourfe, zvc wholly 
 imputable to my S^//^ none of your Relati- 
 ons or Friends being yet acquainted with it : 
 For all which I do moft earneftly and hum- 
 bly beg your Pardon. Now, that God Al- 
 mighty may ever blefs,preferve3fucceedj and 
 profper you in your Progrefs and Return ; 
 and that all your Endeavours may be accept 
 table to Him, well-pleafingtoyour Friends, 
 and a comfort and benefit to your Self^ fliali 
 be the moft earneft-, hearty, and conftanc 
 Prayer of, Honoured SIR, 
 
 March 6th. Stj^h Tour htmtbk devoted ServanK 
 
 yetsre id8|; 
 
m