THE

PREFACE.

RATITUDE obligeth me to acknowledge the kind reception which the world hath given to the follow'ing generous effort, for the honor of our church. This fhows, either that panegyric is by no means fo unacceptable to mankind in general, as fome ill-natured authors infinuate; or that this of mine hath been executed with very uncommon fkill. If this laft fhould be the true folution, it would give me a double fatisfaction. However, as the love of detraction, in fome perfons, is incurable, and as many have fuch ulcerated minds, that there is no poffibility of applying to them, even in the foftest and most friendly manner, without offending them; to prevent the spreading of any fuch baleful influence, I think it proper to add a few things upon the ftructure of this performance; part of which should have accompanied the first edition, if it had not pleased the publisher to print it without any communication with the author.

From the beginning I forefaw it would occur as an objection, that I have not properly denominated that party in the church which I have chofen to celebrate by the words moderation and moderate men. It is alledged that, for these two or three years past, they have made little use of these words, and having chofen rather to represent themselves as fupporters of the constitution, as acting upon conftitutional principles, as lovers of order, and enemies to confufion, &c. while at the very fame time, the oppofite party have taken up the title of mode. ration and pretend to be acting upon moderate principles. It is also hinted, that the just severities which the times render neceffary, require a different phrafeology.

In answer to this I obferve, that my treatife has really been a work of time (as, I hope, appears from its maturity) the most part of it having been compofed above two years ago, and before this change of language was introduced. It was originally intended only to exhibit a general view of the different parties in religion and learning among us; though it hath now admitted a very particular account of the lateft and most recent differences in the church, chiefly becaufe the present feems likely to be an era of fome confequence, and to be big with fome very great events, as well as perfons. Befides, I confider, that this name of moderate men was much longer the defignation of my friends, than thofe lately invented; and as they do not even at present allow the claim of their enemies to that character, it is probable they intend to take it up again, as foon as the defigns now upon the anvil fhall be completely executed. As to the name of moderation being inconfiftent with a proper vigor, in fupport of their own measures, and wholefome feverities againft their enemies, it is an objection altogether frivolous, as appears from the following examples: A certain minifter being asked the character of a friend of his, who had come up to the affembly, and particularly whether or not he was a moderate man? answered, O yes, fierce for moderation!

I think it proper to inform the reader, that one great reafon of the uncommon choice of a patron to this work was, an opinion I had long entertained, and in fupport of which I could alledge very ftrong arguments, from the fayings of fome great men and philofophers, as well as the practice of a famous ancient nation, with regard to their kings; that the true and proper time of afcertaining and fixing a man's character is when he has done his whole work; and that pofterity hath as good a right to the poffeffion and ufe of his fame after death, as his contemporaries to his abilities during his life. At the fame time, though the author had a particular hero in view, yet he chofe to publish it without mentioning his name, or place of abode, or indeed any circumftance fo reign to the character which might diftinguish the per

fon. The defign of acting in this manner was, that in cafe the world should univerfally agree to afcribe it to the fame perfon he had in his eye, it might be fuch a juftification of the truth of the character, as very few modern dedications can boast of.

This invention I challenge as wholly my own; and do hereby allow and recommend the use of it to all future authors, hoping it will change the fashion among writers of character and self-esteem, from ufing no dedications at all, to forming them upon a plan entirely new. Let them each keep his patron in his eye, draw his character as exactly and graphically as poffible, and publifh it without a name, or with this infcription Detur dignissimos then if the world do univerfally afcribe it to the perfon intended, let his name be prefixed to the fecond edition; and it will be more true, and fterling, and acceptable praise, than any hitherto found in that clafs of panegyrics. But if, on the contrary, the world fhall afcribe it to a different perfon, let the author acquiefce in that determination, rejoice in fo good an expedient for preventing a blunder, and make his court to his new patron, who will hardly refufe to admit him after fo refined and delicate a compliment. I dare not recommend any thing like this method, with refpect to the books already printed, because it would occafion fo violent a controverfy about the propriety of many dedications, as could not be ended but by the fword; they being most of them addreffed to great men, who having agreed upon this me thod of revenging grofs affronts, and terminating, in the laft refort, all important difputes. Should any afk, why I have not followed my own rule, by now prefixing the name of my patron? They are to understand, that, for reasons known to my felf, I intend to defer it till the nineteenth or twentieth edition.

If any fhall think fit to blame me, for writing in fo bold and affuming a way, through the whole of my book, I anfwer, I have chofen it on purpose, as being the latest and moft modern way of writing; and the fuccefs it has already met with, is a demonstration of its propriety and beauty. The fame thing alfo, to my great fatisfaction, is

a proof of the juftice of a late author's fcheme of Moral Philofophy, who has expelled mortification, self-denial, humility, and silence, from among the number of the virtues, and transferred them, as he expreffeth himself, to the oppofite column; that is to fay, the column of VICES. This fcheme, I dare fay, will ftand its ground; and, as a critic, I observe, that it was probably the fingle circumftance juft now mentioned, that brought upon the author an adversary who, though poffeffed of many truly good qualities, had the misfortune to be always eminent for modefty, and other baftard virtues of the fame clafs."

There are fome, I find, of opinion, that it was neither neceflary nor useful for me, to give fo many examples of the conduct of the moderate, in the illuftration of the feveral maxims; and thefe eminent perfons themselves feem to feel fome pain, from the expofing of their virtues. to the public view. But is it not an established truth, that example teaches better than precept? Is there any thing more ufual in moral writings, than to illuftrate them by extracts from the lives of the philofophers, and other heroes, of ancient times? and fince the advantage of example is commonly faid to be, that it is a living law, or that it puts life into the precept, furely the best of all examples must be those of perfons really and literally alive neither fhould fuch perfons themselves be offended with this conduct; fince, as has been hinted above, mortification and self-denial, are no more to be reckoned among the virtues, but the vices.

However, I have the comfort to reflect, that from the oppofite opinions of those who have paffed their judgment on this performance, I am in the middle, and confequently in the right for there have been tranfmitted to me many noble inftances of moderation, in expectation, no doubt, that they fhould be added to my collection. I thankfully acknowledge my obligations to these kind contributors, but cannot make any ufe of their contributions at prefent; for it would, at leaft, double the bulk of the treatise, and thereby render it less commodious for pocket carriage. Further, I do affure them, it was not through want of materials that a greater number of examples was not produced, but from having duly weigh

ed the proper proportion for a work of this extent; and to what hath been affixed with fo much deliberation, I am refolved ftedfaftly to adhere.

It were indeed to be wished, that every man was left to himself, and allowed, in peace and quietnefs to finish his own work his own way: for I have feldom obferved these things called hints and suggestions, to have any other effect than to perplex and mislead. An author's fituation, when perfecuted with them, feems to me to refemble that of a gentleman building a house, or planning out a garden, who, if he hearkens to the advice, or attempts to gratify the tafle, of every vifitor, will, in all probability, produce, upon the whole, a collection of inconfiftencies, a fyftem of deformity.

I am very forry to be obliged thus to speak in obfcuri-' ty, by returning a public answer to private obfervations; but cannot omit taking notice, that it has been much wondered at, that a certain very eminent perfon has been loft in the crowd of heroes, without any particular or diflinguishing compliment paid to himself. Now, this did not by any means flow from a want of refpect and efteem, but from a diftruft of my own abilities, and a despair of being able to do justice to fo illuftrious a character. Neither indeed was there any great neceffity (excepting mere compliment) of fpreading his fame, which hath already gone both far and wide. Befides, that his many and remarkable exploits, however ftrong and pregnant proofs they may be of benevolence and focial affection, have fome circumftances attending them, which render them more proper fubjects of difcourfe than writing. The glare would be rather too great for even the ftrong eye-fight of this generation to endure, when brought very near them. The fun is the most glorious of all objects in the firmament; and yet, though it were in the power of a painter to draw him in all his luftre, there would hardly be found a proper place for him in the largest palace in Great-Britain.

The only other objection I fhall take notice of, is, that in one respect, I may be faid to have drawn the picture larger than the life, in as much as I feem to fuppofe, that all moderate men do, in fact, poffefs every one of the vir