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on of the Principle, and the Confequences of the Tranfgreffion, equally affect a great as well as a small Number, and condemn whole Nations of Chriftians as much, and as effectually, as fingle Men. But these Gentlemen fhould confider, that they are the Multitudes, and great Numbers, that will be condemned at the Day of Judgment. Furthermore, Sir, you know, what indifpenfible Obligations lie upon all Chriftians, and Chriftian Nations, to profefs the Faith once delivered to the Saints, and to contend earnestly for it; and accordingly, how carefully it was guarded, and how zealously contended for against all Hereticks, who (from the Beginning) oppos'd it, or any Part of it. And therefore, if we must believe, and contend for Divine Revelations, which have always been oppos'd; why fhould we not as zealously obferve, and contend for that Divine Inftitution, which was never oppos'd for 1500 Years? I mean, that Form of Government which all Chriftianity receiv'd and practis'd for fo many Ages, as that only Ecclefiaftical Polity, which was appointed by Chrift to continue unto the End of the World.'

Sir, I have taken Occafion from your Affertion to fay thus much in Behalf of Epifcopaty, as a Receiv'd Principle of Chritianity; and from thence to fhew, how it

concerns

concerns all our Divines, especially of the Epifcopal Order, to fet the Dangerous Confequences of Rejecting it, before the Foreign Churches; and thereupon to invite, encourage and exhort, nay, to conjure them in the Name of Chrift, to join the Apoftolical Government to the Apoftolical Faith of the Church; that thereby they may be come wholly Pure and Primitive, and not only in Part, but in Whole, as we are, and all Chriftian Nations ought to be. This,' furely, would better become the Men of Higher Stations and Characters in the Church; than, in finful Complaisance to Foreign Churches, to condemn Books of moft Excellent Inftruction for the Younger Sort at School; because they teach them, that Bishops were Succeffors to the Apoftles in the Church; and only have Power to Ordain, and fend forth Labourers into God's Vineyard. Thefe Gentlemen furely forget, That as the Nature of the Church, as a Sect, confifts in Doctrines; fo, as fhe is a Society, it confifts in that Frame of Polity which God hath Ordained for the Government thereof. Wherefore, inftead of Condemning, they should rather Recommend all fuch Books, as inftruct the Laity (Young or Old) in Primitive Christianity; and encourage them to read all fuch Tracts and Difcourfes, in their own or any other

I

Tongue,

Tongue, as will give them true Views of the State of the Primitive Church in the Beft and Pureft Ages, and of the Manners of the Primitive Chriftians in them. And were this diligently done by the Clergy, the Church would foon find great Benefit, and God receive much Glory by it; and the Stray-Sheep of our Countries, after your Example, would return in Flocks to her Folds.

Your Enquiring Genius, and the Provi dence of God, led you to read fuch Books; and his Bleffing upon Reading of them, made you fee, and correct your Error. And tho' you have an Advantage above moft others of the Laity, in Understanding Latin; yet there is already a great deal written in English, to let Pious and Inqui fitive Perfons into the Knowledge of the Primitive Church, and Primitive Chriftianity: Such as Dr Cave's Primitive Chriftianity; and his Learned and Elaborate Lives of the Fathers; Fleury, Of the Manners and Behaviour of the Primitive Chriftians, turn'd into English; The Ecclefiaftical Hiftorians, in a Noble New Edition, illu ftrated with Maps by the Learned Dr. Wells; The Genuine Epiftles of the Apoftolical Fathers, by the Learned Bishop Wake; which is come forth in a Second Edition: The Learned Mr. Bingham's Origines Ec

clefiaftica,

tlefiaftica, or Antiquities of the Chriftian Church; worthy to be read by all Men: The Second Part of the Clergyman's Vade Mecum, commended above: Mr. Reeves's Apologies of the Antient Chriftians; for which he well deferves the Thanks and Praise of all Lovers of Primitive Chriftianity; who cannot but delight to hear them fpeak in our Language the fame Things, with the fame United Force of Wit and Reason, and with the fame Charms of Eloquence that they did in their own. To these let me add the Sermons and other Tracts of the late Bishop Beveridge, wherein much of Primitive Chriftian Antiquity may be learned; as alfo the Sermons of the late Bishop Bull, (which will e're long fee the Light) and in which likewife many Primitive Chriftian Doctrines are taught. There are other Excellent Pens at Work in Books of the like Nature with these; and I cannot but hope, that God hath excited the Spirit of Cultivating the more Early Ecclefiaftical Antiquities, in Mercy to his Church. I could name * feveral other English Tracts upon feveral Subjects, full of Primitive Christian Divinity, were such a Bibliotheque fit for this Place. And be fides those which are written in English, there are many Excellent Pieces of the

As the Principles of the Cyprianick Age, and the Defence of it, worthy to be read by all Learned Men.

fame

fame Kinds written in French: As Du Pin's Nouvelle Bibliotheque des Auteurs Ecclefiaftiques, tranflated into English: Tillemont's Memoires, Pour fervir à l Hiftoire Ecclefi aftique, which also deserves to be tranflated: The Works of St. Cyprian, in French; which I cannot but wish that all Englishmen, who are not verfed in Latin, but understand that Language, would carefully read. Were our People exercised in fuch Writings as these, and their Minds feafon'd with the Antient Doctrines and Principles which are in them, we fhould foon fee the Spitit of Primitive Christianity begin to revive among them, in the Soundness and Orthodoxy of their Faith, in the Piety of their Practice, in their Zeal for the Divine Inftitutions, in their Love and Reverence of the Clergy, and in their Prayers and Endeavours, for fupplying whatever is wanting to make the Church of England (in the Sanctity of her Clergy and People, and in the Strictness of her Difcipline, and every other thing) as Pure, and Perfect, and Venerable, as the Primitive Church.

Sir, Your Book, had I Time to write them, would furnish me with Matter for more Ufeful Reflections and Obfervations; but thefe are fufficient to fhew you, with how much Diligence and Delight it hath been read over by

Tour Friend, and Servant,

GEO. HICKES.

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