Chriftian Religion was not form'd after fuch a manner, but was divinely revealed from Heaven. Thefe three Subjects I handle in as many Books; whereof, as 1 faid before, the fol lowing Difcourfe is the firft.

Before I finish, I must take notice of thofe Gentlemen who love to call Names in Religion for what are all Party-Diftinctions, but, according to them, fo many forts of Hereticks, or Schifmaticks, or worse? But I affure them, that I am neither of Paul, nor of Cephas, nor of Apollos, but of the Lord Jefus Chrift alone, who is the Author and Finifher of my Faith. I have much Right to have others call'd af ter my Name, as they to give me a Denomination, and that is no Right at all. I fay not this to prevent being invidiously reprefented, according to a very common Artifice, under the No

2

as

tion of any Sect in the World that is justly or unjustly hated by others. This would be a poor Confideration indeed! but it is my fettl'd Judgment, that the thing is unlawful in it felf to a good Christian. Leaving others nevertheless their Liberty in this Point, it must, at least, be granted inconvenient for if you go under the Name of a Lutheran, for instance, tho Comyou agree with thofe of your munion but in the main Articles, yet their Adverfaries will not fail, upon accafion, to charge you with those other Matters where you diffent: And fhould you then declare your Judg ment, the rest of the Lutherans will not only be much offended, but be apt alfo to call your Sincerity in queftion about every thing befides; which is the known Temper of moft Sects. The only religious Title therefore that 1 fhall ever own, for my part, is

f

that

that most glorious one of being a Chriftian.

A Word or two more I must add in anfwer to the Malice or Miftake of fome, who will needs have it that I'm a declar'd Enemy to all Churchmen, and confequently (fay they) to all Religion, because I make 'em the fole Contrivers of thofe inconceivable or myfterious Doctrines, which I alfo maintain are as advantageous to themselves, as they are prejudicial to the Laity. Indeed there are thofe, who,eafily overlooking all Contempt of the true Religion, are very ready to treat 'em as pernicious Hereticks, or unfufferable Atheists, that shew the leaft Dislike of what are acknowledg'd Additions to Chriftianity, whatever Convenience or Neceffity may be pretended for their Eftablishment. If any such understand by Religion the myfterious Part of it, then truly it

will be no hard matter to prove me as little favourable to this Religion, as I'm far from making any Apologies for my felf to the Profeffors of it.

As for charging Church-men with being the Authors and Introducers of the Chriftian Myfteries, they must be my Enemies for telling the Truth, who are difpleas'd at it for there is no matter of Fact more evident from every Page both of the Civil, and Ecclefiaftick Hiftories. Nor had the Laity ever any hand in that Bufinefs, otherwife than as confirming by Legal Sanctions what they were firft perSwaded to by the preaching of their Priefts; as they do now fometimes, at their Sollicitation, imprison excommunicated, and profecute erroneous Perfons, after the Excommunication is first pronounc'd, and the Herely decreed or declard by the Clergy. Now as all Church-men are not

in their Opinions for thefe Practices, fo I fee no better Reason they have to be angry with any Body for writing against them that are, than a good Prince can pretend for punishing the Hiftorian of a Tyrant's Vices, only because the Tyrant had been likewife a Prince.

To all corrupt Clergy-men therefore, who make a meer Trade of Religion, and build an unjust Authority upon the abus'd Confciences of the Laity, I'm a profeft Adverfary; as I hope every good and wife Man already is or will be. But as I fhall always remain a hearty Friend to pure and ge nuine Religion, fo I shall preferve the highest Veneration for the fincert Teachers thereof, than whom there is not a more ufeful Order of Men, and without whom there could not be any happy Society of well conftituted Government in this World, to

Speak

nothing