Indeed, great and indefatigable as his labors were for few ever labored more-the end of them was always the salvation of souls. And as that spirit of piety which runs through all his writings, together with his plain, unaffected, familiar, and yet most solid way of argument and persuasion, are both admirably adapted to this great end; (to say nothing of all his other daily and unwearied pains in the ministry while living) so, through God's great blessing upon his endeavours, they were then, and have been since, crowned with great success; and it is the hopes and prayers of all good men, that they may continue so to be to the end of the world, and daily add ́ to our holiness and his happiness.

And with respect to that good which, it is piously hoped, this great prelate's works have done since his death and may continue to do daily, it has been observed by some devout persons, that since the publication of them, our churches have been generally fuller than they used to be; to which, as nothing would contribute more, than that spirit of devotion and true piety which in all his practical writings this holy man both expresses himself and labors to create in others, so, if after all these pious endeavours to cultivate and promote it in the world, we are sensible of the least growth of it, I know not why we may not ascribe so good an effect to the blessing of God upon so probable a cause.

However if the piety of some among us, which we hope increaseth, be not a sufficient argument of a probable increase of true religion to be expected from the influence of this great man's works, yet, I am sorry to say, that the wickedness of others does abundantly make up

that defect; I mean the restless endeavours of all the enemies of God and religion to discredit and defame them, if by any means they could be able to ward off such a blow to the kingdom of darkness, as they seem to apprehend from his pious labors. And what wonder if those who mock God, and would bring religion itself into contempt, use their utmost endeavours to blast the reputation of an author, whose writings are so eminently serviceable to religion, and tend so much to advance the glory of God? All their attempts of this nature are so many arguments of the excellency of what they would decry. They are the testimonies even of enemies, in behalf of those admirable books which they pretend to ridicule ; and all the scorn and contempt they express upon this occasion, reflects more honor upon Bishop Beveridge and his works I had almost said, even than the approbation and esteem of all his and religion's friends. So much good does God in his infinite wisdom and mercy produce out of the greatest evil, by turning all the wit and malice of these reprobates against themselves, and making them, even against their own wills, instruments of sounding forth the praises of this excellent writer, at the same time and by the very same means, that they vainly attempt to dishonor and reproach him; as the devils themselves were forced to own our blessed Saviour, though they knew he came on purpose to destroy them. It were only to be wished, that in this, as in most other instances, those children of this world were not in their generation so much wiser than the children of light. It is true, we may as well fear that dogs should bark out the moon, as that the utmost malice of these enemies to truth shall ever be able to sully a reputation, that has

long shined with so much brightness among all learned and good men, both at home and abroad; insomuch, that when this illustrious prelate was dying, one of the chief of his order deservedly said of him, "There goes one of the greatest and of the best men that ever England bred." No, we have seen that all their attempts against him do but add lustre to his fame. However, it cannot be less the interest of religion to promote the works of so able a divine, than it is that of atheism and irreligion to oppose them; and if all good men would show as much zeal in the defence of them and their great author, and be as industrious to recommend both his writings and example, as atheists and libertines are to obstruct the influences of both, this would still be another addition to the glory of so great a name; and the good effects we might hope for, on the lives of men, from such excellent books, dispersed into many hands, would be at once the best attestation that could be given to the wondrous benefit and usefulness of them, and also the most effectual means to stop the mouths of gainsayers, by lessening the number of them daily, and bringing them over from infidelity and atheism to the cause of God and religion.

And I cannot close this preface better, than with earnest prayers to God, that this and all the other works of Bishop Beveridge may have that blessed effect; and that in return for all the malice of those, who seem to envy us the great good we may hope for from such pious and instructive discourses, they may, by degrees, instil even into their breasts some of that spirit of piety diffused through every page; and of atheists and libertines, make them sober men and Christians.

PRIVATE THOUGHTS

ON A

CHRISTIAN LIFE.

ON CHRISTIAN EDUCATION.

IF the principles of the Christian religion were well rooted in the hearts of all mankind, what excellent fruit would they produce! The earth would put on another face, bearing some resemblance of heaven itself: idolatry, with all sorts of wickedness and vice, would be every where discountenanced and suppressed, for all would worship the one living and true God, and him only: there would be no more wars nor rumors of wars; kingdom would not rise up against kingdom nor nation against nation, but all princes would be at peace with their neighbours, and their subjects at unity among themselves, striving about nothing but which should serve God best, and do most good in the world. Then piety, and justice, and charity, would revive and florish again all the world over, and particularly in the church and kingdom to which we belong. Then the prayers would be read twice a day in every parish, as the law requires, and all people would heartily join together in offering them up to the almighty Creator of the world. Then all that are of riper years would, at least every Lord's-day, celebrate the memory of the death of Christ, by which their sins are expiated, and the most high God reconciled to them, and become their God and Father: and as all sorts of people would thus continually worship God in

his own house, so wheresoever they are, they would do all they could to serve and honor him. Whether they eat or drink, or whatsoever they do, they would do all to his glory. And as for their fellow-servants, they would all love as brethren, and every one seek another's good as well as their own. Whatsoever they would that men should do to them, they would do the same to all other men. In short, all would then deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, and so walk hand in hand together in the narrow way that leadeth to everlasting life. This would be the happy state of all mankind, if they were but well grounded in that religion which the eternal Son of God hath planted upon earth.

But not to speak of other people, we of this nation rarely find any such effect of this religion among ourselves. Though it be as generally professed and as clearly taught among us, as ever it was in any nation, there are but few that are ever the better for it; the most being here also as bad, both in their principles and practices, as they which live in the darkest corners of the earth, where the light of the gospel never yet shined. Though the kingdom in general be Christian, there are many heathens in it; people that were never christened; many that were once christened, and are now turned heathens again, living as without God in the world; many that would still be thought Christians, and yet have apostatized so far, as to lay aside both the sacraments which Christ ordained and every thing else that can show them to be so; many that privily bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and so bring upon themselves swift destruction; many that follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth is evil spoken of, and through covetousness with feigned works made merchandize of men, as St. Peter foretold; many who will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts, heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears, and so fulfil the prophecy of St. Paul, 2 Tim. iv. 3. And of those who still continue in the communion of the church and in the outward profession of the true Christian faith, there are many who although