Yet furely, the world in judging of characters, or a church court in judging of the conduct of its members, will pay no regard to the poor and fhameful evafion. Can we then think of this audaous attempt at the present juncture, without applying to ourselves the words of Ifaiah," And "in that day did the Lord God of hofts call to "weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, "and to girding with fackloth, and behold joy

and gladness, flaying oxen and killing fheep, "eating flesh and drinking wine; let us eat and "drink, for to-morrow we die. And it was re"vealed in mine ears by the Lord of hofts, furely this iniquity fhall not be purged from you till you die, faith the Lord of hofts," Ifa. xxii. 12, 13, 14.

ECCLE

Ecclefiaftical Characteristics:

OR, THE

ARCANA of CHURCH POLICY.

BEING AN

HUMBLE ATTEMPT

TO OPEN THE

MYSTERY of MODERATION.

WHEREIN IS SHEWN,

A plain and easy way of attaining to the CHARACTER of a MODERATE MAN, as at present in repute in the CHURCH of SCOTLAND.

THE SIXTH EDITION.

Uring a great part of the time I fpent in compofing the following treatife, I was fully refolved to have fent it abroad by itself, and not to have dedicated it to any perfon in the world; and indeed, in a confined fense of the word WORLD, you fee I have ftill kept my refolution. The reafon of this my intended purpose was, that I find the Right Honourable the Earl of Shaftsbury, in an advertisement, or ticket, prefixed to his works, hath expreffed a contempt and dif

dain

dain of all dedications, prefaces, or other difcourfes, by way of forerunners to a book. This he feems to think a mean and cowardly way in an author, of creeping into the world, and begging the reception which he dares not claim.

Being fatisfied, therefore, of the juftnefs of this obfervation, and being alfo fomewhat confident (as his Lordship feems to have been) of the intrinfic worth of my performance, I intended to have come forth in this masterly manner.

But, upon more mature deliberation, I discovered, that the only objections against dedications were the felf-diffidence just now mentioned, and the fufpicion of flattery for felfish ends, which is fo contrary to difinterested benevolence; fo that if I could frame a dedication which fhould be quite beyond the imputation of any of thefe two purposes, I fhould then wholly escape his Lordship's cenfure. This aim, I think, I have fallen nothing fhort of, when I have dedicated this book to you, moft illuftrious SHADE! as my moft malignant enemies cannot but grant, that I could have no expectation of your encouraging me, either

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