BEing one of those who are heartily Desirous that Chri­stian Knowledge be propageted in the Plantations, and have in my small proportion, contributed thereto; I suppose my self to come within the compass of the Doctor's Direction, and as such, have some kind of Right to Read and Consider his Letter, and also to Reply to it, upon finding him either Mistaken or Partial; and I cannot avoid thinking he is both. Partial, in attemptiug to break the common Li­berty of the people of Maryland, for the private Advantage of a few Clergy-men: Mistaken, not only in calling his Attempt by the glorious Title of Promoting Christian Knowledge, but also, in the Way and Means to effect it; and therefore have given my self the trouble of the following Papers, to contribute yet farther, if it may be, to undeceive any who may be mis­led by the Doctor's Letter, which I shall consider chiefly under two General Heads.

• First, With respect to the Design.
• Secondly, The Method by him proposed to carry on and effect the Design.

First, The Design it self; The Doctor, p. 1. and in his first Paragraph, says, is for the Destruction of the Powers of Darkness, and the Enlargement of Christ's Kingdom in his Majesty's Planta­tions.

This Design, when real, and not pretended only, is a Design so Noble, Just and Honourable, that it is worthy the hearty Encouragement of all Faithful Christians; and all such can­not but think themselves engaged to Contribute, according to their several Capacities, for the effecting of it; because, that in the Progress of this Work, it makes Governours and Government Secure and Easie; it makes Families Sober and Industrious; it makes Societies Pleasant and Profitable; in fine, it makes all Happy; by taking from the several Orders of Men, that irregular Passion, which is the ground both of Sin and Strife. But as best things, when corrupted, prove the worse, by adding Malignity to their Degeneracy; so the noblest of Designs may be pretended to cover very con­trary Intentions: Thus the Doctor, under the specious Pretence of the Destruction of the Powers of Darkness, hath plainly en­deavoured the Destruction of the Power of Christian Liberty; and under the pretence of Enlarging Christ's Kingdom, hath shewn his zealous endeavour for the Enlarging Anti-scriptural Hie­rarchy, and Secular Power, in the Person of the Priest; not barely to the prejudice of Christian Knowledge, but positively against the end and design of the Gospel of Peace, which Jesus Christ is the Author of, and which the Apostles preach­ed: And therefore it cannot be unacceptable to every Con­tributer, to the Advancement of Christian Knowledge, to see the Fallacy of the Pretence detected; by shewing, that in­stead of that Excellent Design, the bottom is, as the Apostle has it, to seek their own, and not the things which are Jesus Christ's. Phil. 2. 21.

As to the first of these, viz. the Destruction of the Power of Christian Liberty, the Doctor has plainly shewn his Endeavour and Aim, in these words, ‘Now that the Quakers are openly, and the Papists more covertly, making their utmost Efforts Letter, p. 1. Art. 3. against the Establishment of our Church, by false Representations at home, of the Numbers and Riches of their Party; and by insinuating, that to Impose upon them an established Mainte­nance for the Clergy, would be prejudicial to the Interest of the Province, by obliging so many weathly Traders to re­move from thence: the Falsity of which, they (the Clergy) thought me best able to make appear.’

The Apostles, when they established Churches in the Faith, they tell us, They delivered them the Decrees for to keep, that Acts 16. 4. were ordained of the Apostles and Elders which were at Jeru­salem.

These Decrees were few and short; and among them there is no mention of imposing a Maintenance: I will recite them. It seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you Acts 16. 28, 19. no greater Burthen than these necessary things: That ye abstain from Meats offered to Idols, and from Blood, and from things Strangled, and from Fornication: From which if you keep your selves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well

And if the Doctor had sought the Establishment of his Church, by the delivering of these Decrees, and pressing with the great­est Earnestness, the necessity of a Holy Life he might rest him­self most firmly assured, that the Quakers never did, nor will ever oppose such an Apostolick Establishment: But if the Esta­blishment of his Church, must be upon the Ruine of the Temporal Estates of those, who agree not with him in Worship, in re­moving that Security, which the Priviledges of their first Set­tlements, and the Sanction of a Law, hath given them: He ought not to take it ill, that we openly oppose that.

As for any Covert Opposition, or any Opposition at all made, by Papists, to the Doctor's Establishment, I known of none, nor cannot at present find a reason why they should disagree; un­less it were upon the Question, Who shall be the Receivers of the Maintenance? But with this I care not now farther to trou­ble my self; but shall proceed to shew, that this Christian Liberty, which the Doctor would now destroy, was very earlily provided for, by a Law made in that Province, and confirmed by the Government here, and bears date the 6th of August, 1650. which Law is entituled, A Law of Maryland for Reli­gion: In which, among other things, it is said, ‘And where­as the inforcing the Conscience, in matters of Religion, hath frequently fallen out to be of dangerous Consequence, in those Commonwealths where it hath been practised; and for the more quiet and peaceable Government of this Pro­vince, and the better to preserve mutual Love and Unity amongst the Inhabitants here: Be it therefore also, by the Lord Proprietary, with the Advice and Assent of this As­sembly, Ordained and Enacted, except as in this present [Page 6] Act is before declared and for forth, that no Person or Persons, within this Province, or the Islands, Ports, Har­bours, Creeks, or Havens, thereunto belonging, professing to believe in Jesus Christ, shall not, from henceforth, be any ways troubled, molested, or discountenanced, for, or in respect, of his or her Religion, nor in the free Exercise thereof, within this Province, or the Islands thereunto be­longing; nor any way compell'd to the Belief or Exercise of any other Religion, against his or her Consent.’ And af­ter a Clause, for the Security of the Civil Government, it goes on, ‘And that all, and every Person and Person, that shall presume, contrary to this Act, and the true Intent and Meaning thereof, directly or indirectly, either in Person or Estate, wilfully to Wrong, Disturb, Trouble or Molest, any Person or Persons whatsoever, within this Province, pro­fessing to belive in Jesus Christ, for or in respect of his or her Religion, or the free Exercise thereof, within this Province, otherwise than is provided for in this Act, that such Person or Persons, so offending, shall be com­pell'd to pay treble Damages to the Party so Wronged or Molested; &c.’

Whosoever, that is not strangely bigotted to Persecution and Imposing, must, upon reading of this Law, agree with the Doctor in his Character of the People of Maryland: ‘They are, says he, generally observed to be a People of quick Letter p. 2. Parts, and good Intellectuals.’ I am sure, to me, this is an Argument that they are so. For in this Law, they secured a Scirpture Belief, and preserv'd a Liberty, which the Apostle hints at, when he says, Who art thou that judgest another Man's Servant? To his own Master be standeth or falleth: Yea, he shall be Rom 14. 4. holden up: For God is able to make him stand.

In this they did very prudently: For hereby all Professors of Christianity stood upon the same foot of Advantage; none, as Christian, had Power of Imposing a Maintenance from others, each were free to establish Churches, and maintain Ministers (if they would) for themselves. And if those, who Labour in the Word and Doctrine, Labour in a Gospel Spirit, and Live according, they need never fear but the People they Labour amongst will chearfully supply their Ne­cessities; for which they have the Promise of Jesus Christ, [Page 7] if they have Faith enough to depend upon it. But to pro­ceed. This Legal Security, and some other Previous Advan­tages, was both Incouragement and Protection for some early Planters, to settle in that Province; among which, with the Doctor's leave, some, not of the Latest, nor most Inconsider­able, were Quakers; whose Christian Sobriety, and Rational Diligence, has been of no small Advantage to the publick Ad­vantage of that Province, as well as the increasing Revenue of this Crown: The first, their Ingenuous Neighbours will ac­knowledge; and of the last, there are some Witnesses here, who also are much better Judges than the Doctor, what Pre­judice, both to the Revenue of this Crown, and the Good of that Province, their removal would be.

But that I may, if posible, open the Doctor's Eyes in this Question, I will set before them a short Scheme and Estimate of that Violation, which has repeatedly been offered to the Priviledges of the Law before-mentioned, and which has been as often refused to be Confirm'd by the Government here. In order to which, I must first acquaint my Reader, That the Law of Maryland, for Religion, before-mentioned, did continue to be the Peoples common Land-mark of Li­berty, from the date of its Confirmation, till Anno 1692. at which time some, either not liking their common Free­dom of Religion, with the rest of the Inhabitants; or else not willing to Maintain singly their own Chargeable Clergy, did, with the hepl of the then Governour Coply, get an Act, to Impose upon all others to Maintain them; and was enti­tuled, An Act for the Service of Almighty God, and Establishment of the Protestant Religion, &c. This was sent over hither for to be confirmed, but when tender'd to the King and Con­cil for that end, (which was five Years after it was brought over, but was kept Dormant, because that till it was dis­allowed, it had the Force of a Law, and accordingly they made Distraints by Vertue of it) it was disallowed, as con­trary to the Law of Religion above cited, and the Repeal sent over, This did not discourage that Party, but that they procur'd another Act, of the same Title, and to the same purpose, and sent it over to be Confirm'd This also the King in Council disallowed, Anno. 1699.

At the time when this Repeal and Disallowance was sent over, Doctor Bray also went, and did so effectually bestir him­self, that with the Assistance of the Clergy, &c. they, in Con­tradiction to the repeated Disallowance of the King and Coun­cil, to their Law, have again renewed the said Act in Sub­stance, and have made the Title yet narrower than the two former: They were for the Establishment of the Protestant Reli­gion; but this is for the Establishment of Religion in this Province, according to the Church of England. The first, it's true, was the most Charitable Title, but yet it serv'd to the same purpose, and was expounded as the last.

In this Law, among other things (after their former Pat­terns) it is enacted, ‘That for the Incouragement of faithful and able Ministers, labouring in the Work of the Gospel, to come and reside in this Province, instead of such Tythes usually in England, as aforesaid, a Tax or Assessment of 40 l. of To­bacco per Poll, be Yearly, and every Year successively, levied upon every Taxable Person, within each respective Parish, within this Province.’

By Taxable Persons, is understood, all Males of sixteen Years, and upwards, to sixty; of white Persons, and all, both Men and Women, Blacks of the like Ages.

Now for the drawing of the Scheme and Estimate, which I promised, I shall suppose (for with respect to Number, I can do no more, unless I had the Assistance of the Doctor's Tabula Prima, &c. of which more anon) that the Heads of Families, who differ in Worship from Episcopacy, their Children and Servants, both White and Black, which are Taxable, may be in Number 6000. (and I think I am not much mistaken in this Supputation, because the Doctor, in his Circular Letter to the Clergy of Maryland, at the end of his piece entituled, Apostolick Charity, printed this Year 1700. hath these words, Especially the Papists and Quakers, which I understand are numer­ous amongst you; which intimate, there are others who differ from them, though these named may be most numerous) the Yearly Assessment of these, at 40 l. of Tabacco per Poll, valuing the Tabacco, communibus annis, at a Penny a Pound, (tho' some Years since 1692. it has been double that Price) it amouts to One Thousand Pound Sterling a Year: Which is no inconsiderable Sum, to be taken and distrained Annually, [Page 9] for eight Years, as this has been, on pretence for the Service of Almighty God, by colour of Laws disallowed by Authority.

But as the Assessments above-mentioned, of 40 l. of Tobacco per Poll, hath been gathered by Laws disallowed, so it is some degree of Injustice, to constrain, even those who owned their Ministry, to give them such a cer­tain Portion; which Assessments being added to the for­mer, will make up, according to the Information I have, a Sum three times the former; the whole Number of Tax­able Persons being supposed to be about 24000. by which Computation, 4000 Pounds Sterling a Year, has been ta­ken or distrained, for 8 Years, for the Clergy of that Pro­vince. The Total of which Sum is, 32000 Pounds; and the Doctor tells us, there is but 16 Ministers, and the Churches but lately built, and that to the great Charge of the Governour Ni­cholson, and the Country.

Reader, Is not this a notable Burthen to Intail upon a Country, and a ready way to Cramp the Industry of its Inhabitants; and thereby prejudice the Revenue of the Crown?

Now Doctor, as our King is the common Father of his People, and hath carefully excuted his distributive Justice, How is it consistent with that, and with the established Pri­viledge of that Province, to seek to draw his Authority to colour the Violence of a few, who in their desire, shew them­selves more bent on the Spoil of their Neighbours, and the enslaving of the People, than either the Glory and Service of Al­mighty God, or the common Good of that Province?

Having shewn briefly, that the Doctor's Design of Imposing, is quite contrary to the Settlement of that Province, to the [Page 10] Will of this Government, as appears in the Disallowances be­fore-mentioned, and to the common Good of the People there.

I must bestow a few Lines, to shew the Inconsistency of that Design, of Imposing, with the Design of Christianity; and which I cannot better begin, than with the Account of our Saviour, who it is said, In the last Day, that great Day of the Feast, stood, and cried, saying, If any Man thirst, let him come Iohn 7. 37. unto me and drink: But he did not Impose it upon any; and as Himself did not Impose upon any, so the Precepts which he gave his Apostles were agreeable; for in great Simplicity and Poverty he sent them forth Matth. 10. 1. Mar. 6. 7. to Preach the Gospel; and does particularly observe to them, that he Matth. 10. 16. sent them forth as Sheep in the midst of Wolves. But when Men, who pretend to be their Successors, shall by Force Impose upon the People to Maintain them, it is proper to read; They are sent forth as Wolves in the midst of Sheep; and then, who sent them is no difficult thing to know. But, as our Saviour Jesus Christ did not Impose himself upon any, neither his Disciples, so they left no Precept that any of their Followers should; and their Examples was of so much force in Primitive Times, that at a Synod held in Ireland, about the Years 450, or 456. it was ordained, Conci­lia, &c. Hen. Spel­man, tom. 1. p. 52. Can. 11, 12. ‘That neither the Alms of Christians Ex­communicated, nor which the Gentiles gave, should be received into the Church.’ And in times acknowledged to be yet Grosser, and more Dark, viz. about the Year 600, they had yet retained so much of true Christianity in pra­ctice, if at least we may credit our Historian, Beda lib. 1. c. 25. That Au­stine, and those that came with him, began (it had been well if they, and all their Successors, had continued) to imi­tate the Apostolick Life of the Primitive Church. And he parti­cularly mentions their great Constancy and Self-denial, shew­ing forth in their Lives, the excellency of their Doctrine, that they received necessary Food, only from those whom they Taught.

These few Instances are sufficient to shew the Inconsisten­cy of the Doctor's Pretence to Apostolick Charity, with Impo­sing a Maintenance; and that his Design of so doing, is contrary to the Gospel of Christ: It was in free Love, and without the expectation or possibility of Reward, that our Saviour hath [Page 11] put us into a Capacity of Salvation, and it is freely and with­out expectation of Reward from Man: that his Ministers are the Messengers of that Glad tidings: And all those whose Commissions are of the same Tenure with the * Apostles, on Acts 26. 18. 1 Cor. 9. 16. such a necessity is laid, yea, Wo is unto them if they Preach not the Gospel; they skill not, in selling the Gifts of the Ho­ly Ghost, no more than Peter did.

Thus far, with respect to the Doctor's Design; and next, to the other General Head, which I proposed, viz. The Me­thod by him proposed to carry on and effect that Design; which will fall under a two-fold consideration; 1 st, As it respects the People of the Province: 2dly, As it respects his Clergy there.

And first, for the Doctor's Method to Propagate Christian Knowledge, as it respects the People, which I will give in his Letter p. 1. par. 3. own words, ‘By the returns given in (says he) upon my Tabula prima Parochialium inquirendorum, by which, when they shall be all sent in, I shall be inabled to give an account of the Names of all Heads of Families, and of the Religion and Mo­rals of every individual Man, Woman and Child, Freeman and Slave, White and Black, throughout Maryland. ’

This is, it seems, the Doctor's Method and Undertaking, and a very remarkable one it is; but I cannot forbear asking him, Whence the Pattern of this his Tabula prima? All the Acts of the Apostles has nothing like it; they, Holy Men, were not so solicitous of the Names and Numbers of the People in a Province, as they were, that those who had given up their Names for to be Followers of Christ, might in all things Adorn the Gospel. They planted the Faith in godly Sincerity, and not in the cunning Craftiness of Men. It's true, the Doctor may have an occasion for such a Scrutiny, which the Apostles had not; for if he should leave any of their Names out of his Number, it may be the loss of 40 l. of Tobacco per Poll; and therefore it is not unlikely, but he will endeavour that his Tabula be compleat, as to both their Names and Numbers; but with respect to their Morals, it is much if his Tables are not often false.

But further, this Tabula prima Parochialium Inquirendorum, of the Doctor's, or (to make it once speak English) First Table of Parish Inquiries, seems to have some affinity with the Inqui­sitionem [Page 12] of the Romanists, and to be a Branch of their Anti­christian Politicks, drawn from the Writ by Meursius, and printed 1635. Decreta Societatis Jesu, by which to draw the People under his Girdle; and that this is not bare Guess and Surmise only, the Doctor's follow­ing words do shew. ‘Because I find (says he) there comes un­der my Cognizance, several very important Cases to be tried speedily, with Relation to the Clergy and Laity. To deter­mine several of which being of so high a Nature, as Eorgc­ry of Holy Orders, Polygamy and Incest, I want Instructions as to the Manner and Forms of Proceedings; and as it ap­pears to me, have no Power, by my Commission, to give such Sentences as the Nature of the Crimes will require,’

Upon which, I cannot but tell the Doctor, that whatsoever Person, holding Christian Society, does by wicked and unclean Actions (of which, these are some of the chief) give occasion of Scandal and Offence, to the Society he pretends to hold Church-Membership with; that Society hath no farther Power warranted in the New Testament, than to give Admonition, Reproof or Rebuke, upon the Offender; which, if not followed, by the A­mendment of the Offender, then to cast out and refuse such an one their Communion. This is all the Process which the Church can make, it being all that our Saviour directed, and what the Apostles did practise.

Now I make no doubt, but the Doctor's Commission was full as extensive as that; but if, through the mistake of the Clerk who drew it, it had been more narrowly worded, yet Holy Writ, without a Bishop's Commission, is both suffici­ent Warrant and Precedent, for all that relates to Church-Membership, and a Separation from it: So that had the Doctor design'd to govern himself in his pretended Spiritual Function, and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, by that Rule, he could not want any necessary Instruction, relating to the manner of Pro­ceedings against Sinners of his Communion. But it seems it is something more that he wants, viz. To give such Sentences as the Nature of Polygamy and Incest do require. The Doctor does well to tread softly here, and see that his Power be full before he ex­ercise the office of the Civil Magistrate, and venture to give such Sentences as the Nature of these Crimes require, lest he incur a Premunire; for who knows not that these Crimes are in their Nature justly deemed Capital, and the Sentences, which our [Page 13] Laws have provided for them, are according. Here the Do­ctor's Commission was short, he might Excommunicate, but not Hang the wicked, and it is like it will be no short while before the Government put into his hands such a branch of the Civil Power.

What I have yet said, has not been with respect to Forgery of Holy Orders, which the Doctor says, does also come under his Cognizance; therefore now a word or two of that, and then I have done with these great Crimes of some of the Do­ctor's Communicants. It is nothing strange, that the Doctor should want Instruction in this matter, because it is a thing not named in all the New Testament; and therefore he can have no light, as to the manner of Proceeding, or Sentence from thence against it: The nearest Parallel which the Do­ctor can urge from thence, is, where the Apostle tells of some that were false Apostles; and the mark by which he judged 2 Cor. 11. 13. them to be so, was, they were Deceitful workers: Now if the Doctor will make this the Line and Rule of his Judgment, it is too likely he will find no small part of his few Clergy there to be guilty.

But now, the deceitful Works, by which false Apostles were known, cou'd not be the forging of any Writing or Warrant un­der the Hand and Seal of a Bishop, to Use and Practise as a Minister in the Church of Christ: Because we read not, that any of the Ministers of Christ had any such thing; so much the contrary, that one of the most Eminent says, I neither received it of Man, neither was I taught it, but by the Revelation Gal. 1. 12. of Jesus Christ. This was Holy Orders, properly and truly speaking. And I deny the Doctor to prove by any War­rant or Authority from Christ or his Apostles, that That manner of Ordination and Mission is now ceased; and that it is now meerly Humane and Political, according to the ge­neral Practise of Christendom. This brings me to the 2d Consideration of the Doctor's Method, as it respects his Clergy there: In the Choice of which, that are now to be sent over, the Doctor seems to be very careful, when he says, He would have them to be of a true publick disinterested, Letter. p. 2. Par. 6. in one word, of a missionary Spirit. These will indeed be ex­cellent Qualifications; because the Man who is truly of a Missionary Spirit, will find like pressing necessity to Preach the [Page 14] Gospel, as the Apostle says he had. And if the Doctor will take only such, instead of Thirty, which he says he shall 1 Cor. 9. 16. at least want, I wou'd be glad, with my whole Heart, if the number were much increased; nor wou'd the People be in any danger from them, because such would in Truth and Sincerity say, We seek not yours, but you: And therein give full proof, that they were both publick Spirited, and Disinterested to wordly Things.

But alas, the Provision which the Doctor has so carefully began to make, of Glebes and Parsonage-Houses, and Yearly Assessments for Tithes, are plain Indications to the con­trary of his pretence of Disinterestedness, and speak this no less loudly, than the Bleating of the Sheep, and the Lowing 1 Sam. 15. 14. of the Oxen, did Saul's Disobedience.

That this may appear yet a little plainer, if possible, I shall observe, that the Doctor, in his General view of the En­glish Colonies (which is at the beginning of his Piece, Apo­stolick Charity, &c. printed this Year 1700.) says, There are 16 Ministers in Maryland; and in his Letter, as above-quoted, he says, He shall want at least Thirty, so that these will make Forty Six in Number, which will be a pretty charge­able Company to the Province, by that time they are fur­nish'd to the Doctor's Mind; for he says, ‘Fifty Pounds worth of Books being the least that can be supposed re­quisite Apost. Cha. P. 7. to enable a Minister to discharge the Duties of his Function.’ Here the Doctor has taken a Method to spend Two Thousand Three Hundred Pounds, of the Peoples Mo­ney, only to help qualifie the Priests: Is not that very hard upon the People? Who must be obliged to lay out their Money to Teach the Priest gratis? Yet, when he has learn'd, he will not Teach the People gratis, but make them pay for what he takes out of Books which they gave him. If the Doctor can reconcile this to the practise of the Primitive Preachers, recorded in the New Testament, then we may say, He has turn'd over them leaves to some purpose. But not to insist long on this, I will shew how the Doctor does further ex­plain himself in his Proposals for the Encouragement and Promo­ting of Religion, &c. printed in his Apostolick Charity, before-quoted; ‘The Clergy (says he) that are already in the [Page 15] Plantations, as well as those who are to be sent thither, cannot (Humanely Speaking) be so capable of Informing themselves, and of Instructing others, in the Design of Chri­stianity, in the Nature of the Covenant of Grace, in the Meanings and Importance of the Articles of our most Holy Faith, and in the Nature and Extent of all Christian Duties, without the assistance of some good Commentators upon the Holy Scripture.’

I must not omit here, to observe to the Doctor, that if the Clergy which are already in the Plantations, and those who are to be sent thither, are truly of a Missionary Spirit, having a Zeal for God's Glory, and the Salvation of Mens Souls, it is impossible they should be Ignorant of any Essential Part of the Christian Religion: And therefore, if they recur to Humane Means, to make themselves Gospel-Ministers, they will yet want a Gospel Spirit; and then wonder not, if they succeed not in bringing Souls to God: For the turning People from Darkness to Light, and from the Power of Satan to the Power of God, is only to be done by such, who have first known something of the Power of God, to turn them from Satan's Power, by which these are both Ministers and Witnesses of those things, in which the Power of Christ hath appeared; and these will more effectually know the Design of Christi­anity, in the Nature of the Covenant of Grace, as it hath wrought in them, than any Commentator whatsoever can teach them. But since the Doctor does place so eminent a part of his Clergy's Qualifications, in their Acquaintance with good Commentators, it may not be amiss a little to examine the Pretence, and which might have been done with more certainty, had the Doctor named those good Commentators he intends; but it will, however, be no very difficult matter to judge, which may be some that are ranked in that Number: For when Persons are distinguished by the Epithers of Fa­thers and Holy, there can be no doubt, but these, if they have writ Commentaries, they obtain the first place; and of such there are very many: Yet that I may not tire my Reader, with too great Variety of them, I will choose to Instance, particularly, Hierom, of whom it is said, He was Daile's vse of the Fa­thers, lib. 1. p. 112. the greatest Critick of them all; and who, by often exercising the [Page 16] Strength of his admirable Wit, both by himself, and with others, hath observed more, touching the Stile, Method, natural Disposition and Opinions of the Fathers, than any other.

This Man, in an Apology which he writ, saith, ‘This is the usual manner of Commentaries, and the Rule that Apol. ad­vers. Ruff. Daile lib. 1. p. 101. Commentators go by; to set down in their Expositions, the several Opinions they have met withal; and to deliver both what their own, and what the Judgment of others is upon the place. And this is the Practice, not only of In­terpreters of the Scriptures, but of the Expositors also, of all kind of Secular Learning, as well in the Greek, as in the Latin Tongue.’

Now Doctor, with what certainty, Humanely Speaking, can any of thy Clergy learn, from such an undistinguished Mixture of Opinions, the Design of Christianity in the Nature of the Covenant of Grace? But to carry the difficulty, or rather impossibility, to its proper length, let us hear the same Hie­rom, in an Epistle which he writ, where, after having named the Writings of Origen, Didymus, Apollinaris, Theodorus, Heraolas, Eusebius Emissenus, Alexander the Heretick, with others, he says, ‘That I may therefore plainly tell the Truth, I confess, Hierom ep. ad August. qu. e est 89. Daile lib. 1. p. 104, 105. that I have read all these Authors, and collecting together as much as I could in my Memory, I presently called for a Scribe, to whom I dictated either my own Conceptions, or those of other Men, without remembring either the Or­der, or the Words sometimes, or the Sense.’

See here what great Uncertainty the Man is brought into, who seeks to them for Information in the Design of Christianity; while he is reading, as he thinks, Hierom, or others of the Fathers (as they are called) it may not be the Opinion of the Man, under whose it is found; and how should the Reader know this, unless he takes the Advice which Hierom gives to Augustine? Saying, ‘If therefore thou lightedest upon any thing in my Exposition, which was worthy of Repre­hension, it would have stood better with thy Learning to have consulted the Greek Authors themselves, and to have seen whether what I have written be to be found in them, or not; and if not, then to have condemned it as my own private Opinion.’ See Doctor, where Commentaries lead; [Page 17] for, according to this Advice, each of the Clergy Men ought to have all the Greek Authors; and possibly, according to another Man's Advice, they ought to have all the Latine's; by which time the Libraries for thy 46 Clergy-men will cost near half so many Thousand Pounds: And after all the Expense, are not such Comments excellent means to Teach the Clergy, that are to Teach the People? And yet such is the Assistance that is to be expected from them; for if some others have Daile's vse of the Fa­thers, lib. 1. P. 104. not spoke out so much, they have done no less; witness Hi­lary, Ambrose, and others, who Robbing poor Origen with­out any Mercy, do not yet do him the Honour, so much as to name him scarcely.

What I have said, does only respect their Manner of wri­ting Commentaries; for as to the Matter of them, it falls under a distinct Consideration, wherein, in very great varie­ty of Instances it might be shewn, that their Opinions are as odd and extravagant, as the manner of Collecting them was precarious, which I desire not now to trouble my Rea­der with.

What I have said, as to the manner of Writing Commenta­ries, may serve to shew, that, Humanely Speaking, they are not proper Assistances to Teach a Man, the Design of Christi­anity, in the Nature of the Covenant of Grace. But indeed, why should any Man go to look for that in Commentaries, which he may much more plainly, and with infinite more certain­ty, find in Holy Writ, if he bring with him but a fitting Disposition to receive Information, I mean, Sincerity and Humility. Christian Religion, is a plain Religion, its Design is the Salvation of Men; and there being very many, whose Capacities and Understandings are not fitted to apprehend nice Subtilties, whose Souls are still in the same Capacity of Salvation with the Wisest: God, in his Justice, has not with­held, even from these, a possibility of knowing certainly their Duty, and sufficient Assistance, whereby they may be enabled to do it; For the Grace of God has appeared unto all Men, to teach them both their negative and positive Duty, what to leave undone, and what to do; and why any should refuse this, and depend on them who pore upon Commen­taries, and neglect this certain Teacher, I see not a Reason.

I have now done with the Doctor's Method of propaga­ting Christian Knowledge, for the present, and come to an Assertion of his; ‘At Philadelphia in Pensibvania, the Congre­gation of Church people, which amounted but to Twen­ty Letter p. 3. Par. Last. or Thirty, at most, not two Years ago, through the Blessing of God, upon the endeavours of a late Missio­nary, is now increased, chiefty from Quaker-Converts, to upwards of Seven Hundred.’

The Doctor was either foully imposed upon, or did wil­lingly mistake the State of the Communicants of his Church in Pensilvania, when he ventured to assert as above; and I do tell him, that if his Tables of Parish Inquiries are made with no greater exactness, they will not be fit to be de­pended upon: For he is very much out both in the Rela­tion he has given of what the Number of them was, and is; but to me that is not material; for if they were many-fold what he says they are, I should by no means be offended, while they were good Christians, walking answerable to that Holy profession: But when he Insults and says, That they are now upwards of Seven Hundred, chiefly from Quaker-Converts: I must put him to rights so far, as to tell him, That there is not Twenty Quaker-Converts among them; and even of them, I suppose, he will neither care to give the World a true Account of their Names nor Morals.

I shall now come to the Conclusion, and take leave of the Doctor for this time, when I have taken a little notice of his Liberality, in bestowing upon G. K. the Epithet, Ex­cellent, and the occasion of it, when he says, The Feild is there, and the neighbouring Parts, so happily Sown by the Excellent Mr. Keith.

And first, for the occasion of it, viz. The Field's being Sown by him: Prithee Doctor, What is the Seed, Tares or Wheat? I am inform'd it is not, nay, I am sure it cannot be the last, if at least he hath Sown the same, he is Sowing up and down this Kingdom, since his being denied by us, such as Uncharitablencss, Strife, Contention, Division, and the like; from the Sowing whereof, there can Spring no good Crop: Nor will he prove more than a weak and short Sup­port to them that depend upon him.

But since the Doctor seems to be a Stranger to all this, and therein unacquainted with the true Character of his Ex­cellent Mr. Keith, I will present him with his short Descrip­tion, in the following Abstract.

G. K. is a Man of an unstable Mind, neither consistent long with himself, agreeing with others; by which natural Disposition, and the help of his Eleemosynary Learning, he accustoms his Pen to Scribbling; in which he Perverts Mens Words, Misrepresents their Principles, and then draws false and odious Consequences from them; and charges them on those, whose Principles, fairly stated, do not admit of such undue Conclusions. He hath traduced both the Li­ving and the Dead, and by what he writes, he hath shewn, that to gratifie his Revenge, he regards not what he says, nor what he writes, if he can but expose them to Contempt and Reproach, with whom he is Angry. He is one of the greatest Instances of Inconstancy, Contradiction and Censo­riousness, which this Age has produced. In a word, He is the Compound of Abuse and Slander; He is at present an Itinerant Preacher, but gaping after something better than that Fatigue; which advance, if he miss of, Caveat Hierar­chia.

Doctor, This is thy Excellent Mr. Keith, in whom, it seems, thou art not less mistaken, than in the foregoing parts of thy Letter; all which may'st thou amend in thy next, by endeavouring to propagate Christian Knowledge, in a Christian Spirit, and by Christian Means,