an Infolent kind of language which the Gathari in the primitive times did not more exactly tranfcribe, than many Sects of differing denominatiBut 'tis to be remembred,

ons have done in ours.

that while the Pharifee lookt fo faftidiously on the poor Publican, he renoune'd communion in prayers much more acceptable than his own; and thofe refined Zealots who fear'd contagion from the approach of their more innocent Brethren, could boldly venture on the pollutions of the most deteftable Idolatries: And God knows the note has too ready an application in both inftances. In the mean time 'tis a fad contemplation, that so much of that zeal which makes fuch a gliftering in the World, fhall when brought to the Touch, be found adulterate, that the tranfcendent purity men boast of, fhould prove but a more fublimated wickedness, and their pretence to fpirituality be verified only in fpiritual pride. Alas, is not the whole circuit of Secular things wide enough to contain this fwelling humour? Are there not Pomps and Vanities of the world enough to entertain this one Luft, but muft this Moabite be brought into the Sanctuary? Can we not be elevated enough unless we trample upon all that is holy, and make Religion Factor for our Ambition? We find some very confidently point out Antichrift upon the ftrength of this one prædicted circumstance, that he was to fit in the Temple of God. But what need we travel beyond the Alps to find out that, which every where prefents its felf? Our Pride does too unhappily anfwer the defcription; and though

there

there is no inftance wherein it can cease to be Antichriftian, yet furely it is more eminently fo, when it thus ufurps Gods feat, and rules in Sacred things. Would God the pains and animofity which has been spent in difcovering and reviling other Antichrifts, had been diverted to the pulling down of this, the labour would have been more effectual even to the immediate end of the Defigners, for were this Pride Eradicated, the Foundation of all Spiritual ufurpations were undermin'd. But alas, thofe who exclaim the most loudly against all foreign Tyranny on their Confciences, do obfequioufly bow to this inteftine Ufurper, make an entire dedition of themselves, and fubmit to the fevereft and ignobleft vaffallage. They have invested it with fo abfolute and foveraign a Power, that (as Samuel warns the Ifraelites of their King, I Sam, 8.) they are not to call any thing their own when it is ufeful to its fervice: All their powers, all their interests are devoted to it, and that not only to adorn its pomp, but to fight its battels. Men quarrel and contend till not only themselves, but even Christianity its felfexpire in the conteft. But if it be indeed certain that every War is fo far unjustifiable, as are the causes of it, 'twill furely be a competent prejudice against our contentions, that our Pride is fo much concern'd in them, which is fo unchristian a motive, as all the holy-water wherewith men have fprinkled it, can never baptize into a cleanness; all the borrowed dreffes of Zeal and Sanctity, however they may disguise, can never legitimate

legitimate it. Those Arts of concealment may indeed add a new guilt, that of Hypocrifie, but can never expiate, no nor extenuate the old: And how Saint-like a form foever our Vain-glory puts on, it does but the more own its derivation from him, who can transform himself into an Angel of light, whose aspirings have first fubverted himself, and now go on to propagate both his Crime and Ruine to us; nor has he ever manag'd that design with more Art or Succefs, than by thus making our Pride a partition wall to divide us from one another, and confequently from God too; who being, as our Church styles him, the author of Peace and lover of Concord, can never joyn himself with the difturbers of both, but muft neceffarily be disobliged by our Diffentions and Schifnis.

CHAP. XIV.

A Survey of the Causes of Difputes; Secondly, Curiofity.

I

F now we proceed farther in our enquiry we fhall find, that another grand incendiary of our Difputes is Guriofity: A vice which though in fome refpects it may be reckoned a fpeties of the former, that of Pride, yet in others it admits a diftinct confideration. This is that baneful weed which the Devil made a fhift to steal even into Paradife, and which has ever fince af

fected

fected the richest foils, the most pregnant and polite Wits; nor did it only eject man from thence, but it has improved the original curfe, and multiplied thofe briers and thorns among which he was caft, yea, tranfplanted them from the Earth, where they could only raze the skin, into the Brain, where they pierce and torture the intelleAtual and immortal Part of Man. Nay farther, even that sweat of his brows, which was to extirpate them from the ground, ferves but to water and cherish them in his mind; his very industry being in this cafe the extremeft ill-husbandry, and the more pains he takes, the farther he removes himself from all real advantages of his toil.

THERE are fome parts of Knowledge which God has thought fit to feclude from us, to fence them not only as he did the interdicted Tree, by Precept and Commination, but with Difficulties and Impoffibilities; made it not only our fin and danger, but our Folly and madness to attempt them. Of this kind are the Myfterious parts of our Religion, which he fhews us as it were a-far off to exercise our faith and reverence, but stoops them not to our fenfe and difquifition. These he has placed like the Sun, where they may influence, not annoy; warm, not fcorch us. would we still permit them to remain at that safe and wholfome diftance, we fhould find none but benigne effects; but fo importunate are the inftigations of Curiofity, that no bounds will keep us from the Mount: We will needs break through into the thick darkness, how dreadful foever the

e

And

thunders

thunders and lightnings are in the way. Like bold Phaetons we defpife all benefits wherewith the Father of light and us can court us; unless we may guide his Chariot; and we moralize the Fable as well in the tragicalnefs of the event, as the infolence of the undertaking; this unhappy Curiofity having not only ruin'd many of the inquifitors, but. fet the whole world alfo in a conflagration. Nor is this temerity more fatal in its Succefs, than impious in its Foundation: For befides that, it is a direct invafion of Gods peculiar, and violation of his Command, it does evidently imply a diftruft, either of his Wifdom or his Goodness; fuppofes him either fo ignorant of the ftrength of thofe faculties himself has made, that he has affigned them unproportionable objects, and fo they must have new work cut out for them by our felves; or elfe prefumes his Eye evil towards his own Creatures; that as the Devil once fuggefted to our firft Parents, he fears the rivalry of poor mortals, and by an envious detention of fome parts of felicity, like one that had been Bountiful only upon furprize and incogitancy, illiberally retracts and contradicts his original defign of making Man completely happy. Nay, indeed this represents him unkind, not only to us his created Images, but even to that Eternal and exprefs image of his Perfon, the Son of his bofom, who may well be thought to have been, as defpifed in his Eyes, as he was once in ours, Efay 53.3. if he have fo cheaply expos'd him for their fakes, to whom he denies any of thofe intellectual advantages, which

difference