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ly Intereft, or Income, out of the Monies which fhall arife by Sale of the faid Eftates which are in Scotland, towards erecting and maintaining Schools in the Highlands, &c.' And in the A&t (6to Georgii) for laying a Duty on wrought Plate, there is a Provifo, That nothing therein fhall invalidate the said Provision for Schools in the Highlands, &c.' But not- A withstanding this charitable Provifion of the Legiflature, 'tis much to be lamented, that neither that Country, nor this Society, ever reaped any Benefit by it, the Produce of the faid Eftates having been applied to other Purposes; whereby the Reforming and Civilizing of that B Country is left to depend very much on private Contribution.

I must not forget to obferve to you, That the
Society's Charter extends to Popifh and Infidel
Countries beyond the Seas, and that four Mif-
fionaries are maintained for converting the native
Indians in America to the Chriftian Faith; three
of which are ftationed on the Frontiers of New
England, between our Settlements and those of
French Canada, by which means the Indians
in thofe Parts will more easily be kept in Sub-
The Charge of
jection to our Government.
thefe three is, in a great measure, defrayed out of
an Eftate left to the Society by a late worthy
Clergyman in England for that purpose. The
other ionary is entirely fupported at the So-
ciety's Charge in the new Colony of Georgia;
where feveral of the poorer People are gone to
refide

And to render this Defign more fully a natio-
an earnest
nal Benefit, his prefent Majefty, from
defire to promote the Good of his Subjects in all
Parts of bis Dominions, was graciously pleased in
the Year 1738. to grant his Royal additional
Charter, to caufe fuch Children as they should
find proper, to be inftructed in Hufbandry, Houfe-
wifry, and Manufactures. The Society is taking
all proper measures for erecting Working-Schools;
and have good Encouragement to hope that the
landed Gentlemen in the Highlands and Iles
will not fuffer themselves to be out-done by their
Proteftant Neighbours in Ireland, who took the
firft hint from their Defign; but will, like
them, let out and make Grants of fmall Parcels
of Ground to build their Schools on, and for
Kitchen-Gardens and Agriculture and for the
raifing of Hemp and Flax for the Linnen Manu-
facture, which is now fo greatly improved in that
Country. This is the diftinct State of the
Cafe, in all the Circumstances and Steps of it.

been in a great measure ufelefs, and in fome Cir.
cumftances very hurtful to it; 'tis apprehend.
ed, That the wealthy and well-difpofed, who
have an hearty Zeal for the Honour of God, and
the Good of the Souls of Men, a true Love for
their Country and the publick Welfare, or a due
Concern for the Proteftant Religion, and the
any Inftance of Usefulness more likely to turn to
prefent happy Establishment, cannot eafily find
Account, or capable of answering more noble
and extenfive Purposes of Good.
PHILO-BRITANNUS

Yours,

P. S. The Society has several correfponding Members in the City of London, where about 100 Gentlemen of Credit and Distinction have lately accepted Commiffions from Edinburgh. They meet every Quarter at Scots-Hall, in Black Fryers, and have chofen Mr Drummond, Banker at Charing-Crofs, their Treasurer, and Mr Ane derfon, at Clerkenwell Green, their Secretary, who are appointed to receive Subfcriptions and Donations, c. which will be thankfully acknowledged by a Letter from the Society. PrinCted Accounts of the Society with their Charter, &c. may be had gratis at the Treasurer's and Secretary's, at Mr Davidson's, and Mr Of wald's Bookfellers in the Poultry; and at Mr Millar's against St Clements Church in the Strand.

D

E

F

I know, the Mifmanagement of Money, and
applying it to other Purpofes than was propofed,
is a great Hindrance to publick Charities; but if G
we confider how many Perfons of diftinguished
Characters, of all Denominations of Proteftants
among us, are concerned in this; the difintereft-
ed Zeal for the Publick Good, with which they
act; and that all their Proceedings lie open to the
View of every one; I think it is morally im-
poffible that any Mifmanagement of Confequence
benen And as this Undertaking

not the

H

EXTRACT from four Sermons on Ecclef. vii. 16, entitled, The Nature, Filly, Sin and Danger of being righteous over. much. By JOSEPH TRAPP, D. D.

·I.

O

I. To be righteous over much, strictly,
and properly fpeaking, is impof
fible; the Meaning is, 'Be not exceffive in
any Thing, tho' never fo good: Becaufe
the Excels of it is Evil. Thus, for in-
ftance, Almf-giving is very excellent; but
to bestow fo much upon the Poor, as not
to make fufficient Provifion for one's own
to the Neglect of other Dutjes. Wholly
Family, is a great Sin. So is even Prayer,
innocent in themfelves, as forbidden, and
abstaining from Things indifferent, and
unlawful, is a fignal Inftance of being
righteous over-much: And fo, on the other
hand, is making Things indifferent to be
neceffary, and Matters of Duty. To
impofe them upon others as neceflary, and
to deter them from the contrary, as un-
lawful, is greatly and grievously finful.
ments of Men.
It is teaching for Doctrines the Command-

In fhort; to be righteous over-much, is
to place much Religion (where there is
really nose, but the Contrary) in Extra-
ordinaries, in new Inventions, and strik.
this Nature, I doubt not, proceed from
ing out into Bye-paths. Some Things of
a good Defign; tho', I think, not from a
Let all Men practife all

on to

:

The Folly of being over-wife or righteous.

A

as their neceffary Business will permit them; and upon Sundays, attend Divine Service from the Beginning to the End, Morning, and Afternoon, doing every Thing which our Church prefcribes in her publick Offices; then go home, and employ a good Part of the Remainder of the Day (for it is not neceffary they should fo employ it all) in Reading, Meditating, and Praying, partly in private, partly with their Families Whatever religious Exercife goes beyond this, were, I think, better let alone; I fay, I think: For I do not prefume directly to cenfure, much less condemn it, but only speak my own Opini. B on. Yet for Laymen to officiate in reading Prayers to any Affembly, except their own Families, is an Encroachment upon the Office of those who are ordain'd to holy Functions; and I fear takes off from the Reverence and Refpect due to them. And for unletter'd Laics to take upon them to expound or interpret the Scriptures is neither laudable, nor juftifiable; it tends to the Confirmation, not the Removal of Ignorance; and lays a Temptation in their Way to think more highly of themselves, than they ought to think.

289

on common Decency, and common Sense the Height of Prelumption, Confidence, and Self-Sufficiency; fo ridiculous as to create the greatest Laughter, were it not fo deplorable and deteftable, as to create fpecially; if vaft Multitudes are fo fottish, the greatest Grief and Abhorrence? Eand wicked too, as in a tumultuous manner to run madding after him? Surely it is fhocking, and prodigious, for fo young a Son of Levi to take fo much upon him.

II. These Doctrines and Practices are fo far from being the Perfection of Chriwell as to Reafon. Thefe Men tell us, tianity, that they are repugnant to it, as that according to the Spirit and Genius of the Chriftian Religion, we muft abfolutely renounce all the Poffeffions and Enjoyments of the World, and have nothing at all to do with them; That not only the this World, but even its moft lawful and Vices, the Wickedness, and Vanity of 'allow'd Concerns, render Men unable to enter, and unworthy to be receiv'd into the true State of Chriftianity.

That

the Wisdom from above condemns all Labour, as equally fruitless, but that which labours after everlasting Life.' So Trades, and fecular Concerns whatsoever. here's an utter Condemnation of all According to the fame Divinity, 'tis a Sin to be rich; a Chriftian ought not to leave is obliged to fell all he has, and give it to an Eftate behind him, when he dies; but unlawful, even on the defenfive Side; fo the Poor. Going to Law is abfolutely E that if a Man fues you for your Houle or Land, without the leaft pretence of Right, you are bound to recede from your Right, and let him have it, rather than defend it. That no ort of Gayery or Expenfiveness in Drefs is permitted to any Perfons whatfoever: No Sort of Recreation Mortification, and Self-denial: No Pleaor Divertion; nothing but an univerfal fure, but from Religion only; fo that to. talle an agreeable Fruit, or smell to a Rofe must be unlawful; The bodily Appetites must not be in the leaft Degree gratify'd, any farther than is abfolutely and Markind in Being: No Allowances neceflary to keep Body and Soul together, are to be made for Melancholy, Misformust be read, but Books of Pkty: Even tunes, or human Infirmity: No Books the noble Writings of the ancient Greeks and Romans are unfit to be perus'd by a Christian; who ought to renounce huChrift, and Hisn crucify'd. Now, Is it man Learning, and know rething but Jefus not a fufficient Confutation of a This, to *Mr Law's Chyllian

F

Which naturally leads to the other Expreffion of the Text, neither be thou over. D wife, i. e. (as Solomon and St Paul (peak) be not wife in thine own Eyes, or in thine own Conceit. Prov. iii. 7. Rom. xii. 16. And Connection between being righteous over-much, and being over wife, i. e. vain and felf-conceited, is very evident both from Reason and Experience. When once a Perfon has taken it into his Fancy that he is more than ordinarily holy, he of courfe imagines that he is more than ordinarily wife; for what (fays he) is Holinefs, but the trueft Wisdom? And befides; one of his tranfcendent Advances in Piery must needs be allifted with exrraordinary Illuminations to improve his Understanding: And fo he goes on, mifapplying thofe Words of the Pfalmist, I have more Understanding than my Teachers; for thy Testimonies are my Study: I am wifer than the Aged, because I keep thy Commandments. Suppole a raw Novice, very lately initiated into holy Orders,fhall, upon the Principle of being righteous over much, take upon him, at his fift fetting out, to execute, as it were, the. Office of an Apole, to be a Teacher, not only of all the Lalry, in all Parts of the Kingdom, but of the Teachers themfelves, the learned Clergy; to reflect up. on, and cenfure them as if they did not know their Duty, or would not do it without being intructed, and reprov'd by Him; what is This but an Ortlage, ug

G

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appeal to common Senfe; and ask every
Chriftian, Whether what is inconfiftent
with That, can be confiftent with Chri-
ffianity? The Apoftie bids us prefent our
Badies to God; but thefe Men talk as if A
we had no Bodies at all. The true and
judicious Profeffors of our Religion fay
of Reafon and Chriftianity, what St Paul
fays of the Law and Faith, Do we then
make void Reafon through Chriftianity?
God forbid, yea we establish Reafon.

But Texts of Scripture are urg'd to prove thefe their Doctrines. Our Saviour declares, that whofoever for fakes not all hat he has cannot be his Difciple. And

H III. Thefe Extraordinarys, and Excelfes do infinite Mifchief to Religion, and

more common: But ftill This is pernicious be objected, that thofe, of whom we are too: And becaufe not fo much obferv'd, fpeaking, are fo far from being proud, is carefully to be guarded against. It de that they are the poorest in Spirit, the jects and perplexes Perfons truly and fin- meekeft, the most humble, and mortify'd cerely religious, making them think they of Mankind. There is a mighty diffedo not their Duty, when they really do: rence between Appearance and Reality; On the other Hand, it hardens the Wick- A Pharifaical Olfentation, and outward A ed, and Profane; making them explode Show of Piety, Praying, or Singing the Chriftian Religion, as being imprac- Pfalms in the Corners of the Streets, to be ticable, and by confequence irrational: feen of Men, is one undoubted Sign of Thefe righteous over-much, therefore, and Pride, and the worst fort, Spiritual Pride. ver-wife, give great occafion to the Enc- Again; he is proud, who exercises himself mies of the Lord to blafpheme: They bring in great Matters which are too high for up an evil Report upon the true genuine him, who pretends to be more than ordiChriftianity; as the Spies from the Camp B narily knowing in things which he knows of the Ifraelites did upon the good Land nothing of; who peremptorily cenfures' they were fent to fearch: Only with this his Betters, and takes upon him to teach Difference; They had feen, and were ac- his Teachers. Thefe, and fuch like, quainted with the good Land which they Symptoms are certain Indications of Pride, mifreprefented, and traduced; whereas or it not of Pride, of a Folly that apThefe are not acquainted with the true proaches very near to Madness. What is Spirit, and Genius of Chriftianity. They it but calling Evil Good, and Good Evil, even give Countenance and Encourage. &c. putting Bitter for Sweet, and Sweet ment (however undefignedly) to Thofe for Bitter? Ifa. v. Exceffes and Extremes, who are vicious in the other Extreme, to which are always Vices, being extolled the Leud and Debauch'd, the Irreligious, and recommended as the Perfection of and Profane. For when they fee the Virtue? And the most dangerous Circum higheft Profeffors of Religion teaching fuch ftance is. that fuch Perfons are of all the ablard Doctrines, and feconding them most difficult to be reclaim'd. They think with fuch abfurd Practices; they flatter D themselves the greateft Saints, when in themselves (tho' indeed very foolishly) truth, and for that very Reafon, the that Religion itself is an abfurd Thing, grand Enemy (it is to be feared) has the and that there is no Truth, or folid Rea fafteft hold of them; they are under ftrong fon in it: And fo are harden'd, and con- Delufion, in the Gall of Bitterness, and in firmed in their Libertinifm, and diffolute the Bond of Iniquity. Courfe of Living, in their Profanenefs, and Infidelity. Why therefore shouldst thou defroy thyself, Thou righteous over much, by deftroying others, in cafting fo much Scandal, and Reproach upon Religion?

E

Ε

F

But to come more clofely and directly to the Perfons themselves. Seeft thou a Man wife in his own Conceit? There is more hope of a Fool, than of him, Pro. xxvi. And to be wife in one's own conceit, and righteous over much are join'd together. True Wisdom is always modeft, diffident, and humble: But real Ignorance is apt to be confident, pragmatical, and prefump. tuous. For this Reason those who run into the Follies of which we are fpeaking, are for the most part young People; who G are prone to be forward, and affuming : Thefe more especially are apt to be overwife, or wife in their own conceits: To this Reflection of the Wife Man, we may add his Advice. Be not wife in thine own Eyes: Fear the Lord, and depart from Evil; intimating that those who are wife in their own conceit, have n t the true Fear of God, and do not depart from Evil. The fame infpired Writer fays alf, Pride goes before Deftruction. But it may

H

As to be thus righteous over-much is in itfelf very dangerous and pernicions; fo there is great danger of People's falling into it, tho' the other Extreme be more common: Torun from, or be in, one Extreme to another, is the weak Side of human Nature. The Generality of the People are injudicious, and eafy to be im pofed upon. They are wonderfully truck with every Thing new and unusual, (another Weakness of human Nature) never confidering, that Truth is the oldeft Thing in the World; and that in Religion and Morality whatever is really new, is cer tainly false.

The two great Hindrances of Salvation are Prefumption in the one Extreme, and Defperation in the other. Now this over-much Righteousness, or Righteousness falfely so called, is apt to produce both thefe; Prefumption in fome, Defpair in others. For a Man to conceit himself tranfcendently virtuous and holy, when he is not fo at all; to think himself cer tain of Salvation, when he is in great Danger of Damnation, is manifeftly the higheft Prefumption imaginable. Another, on the contrary, being perfuad

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A

that it is his Duty to do thofe extraordi.
nary Works above fpecified, with many
fuch like; and finding that he neither
does, nor is able to do them, is tempted
to defpair of his Salvation, as fome of
late, we are told, have actually done.
They have been made stark mad, and re-
ceived into Bedlam, as fuch. And was
the Religion of Jefus Chrift, that reafon.
able Service, as St Paul ftyles it, intended
to made People mad? Is this for the Ho-
nour of Chriftianity? Others, we are
told, by immoderate Abftinence, have
flarv'd themfeives to Death. To thefe
the Text is applicable in the stricteft Senfe, B
Be not righteous over-much; why shouldst
thou DESTROY THYSELF?

[To be concluded in our next.]

EXTRACT of a Pamphlet intitled,
The Conduct and Doctrine of the Revd
Mr Whitefield vindicated from the C
Afperfions, and malicious Invectives of
his Enemies.

WE

TE feem to have in our Day a renew'd Testimony, that when God has more than ordinary Work to do, he will raife up thofe who fhall be equal to his Purpofe; and able to execute all his Pleafure; at the Head of these allow us to place the much misreprefented Mr Whitefield; the following Account of whom, which we may defy the most malicious of his Adverfaries to invalidate, we offer to the World for Truth, in every, even the minuteft Circumstance.

D

If ever a Minifter of the Gospel en-
deavour'd to make Chrift Jefus his great
Example, and tread in the Steps of his
immediate Followers, this excellent Per-
fon, if we may judge by the whole of his
Life and Converfation, is the Man: In
Learning not Exceli'd, if Equall'd by any;
of Superior Abilities to molt of his Age, F
and for a ferious Vein of unaffected Piety
which accompanies whatever he fays or
does, he feems to ftand alone: God only
knows the Heart; but if the Tree is to
be known by its Fruit; the humble, the
holy, the devout Chriftian is fure to be
feen, whenever he is prefent; he difco- G
vers, upon all Occafions, a thorough
Knowledge of, and a large Experience in

his Views feems wholly directed to these ;
to advance both to his utmost is his Study
and Endeavour Night and Day; 'twould
be doing him great Injuftice, at the fame
Time to deny, that he does not take the
utmoft Pleasure in Ads of Beneficence
and Mercy; in contributing to tha Relief
of the Poor, according to his own Abili-
ty; and in procuring them the Aid of o-
thers under their Neceflities: In a Word,
his whole Life may truely be faid, to be
one laborious Act of Kindness, on the Be-
half of the human Nature: To promote
the best, the Eternal Intereft of Man-
kind, and honour his God and Redeemer,
he wholly devotes his Time and his Stu-
dies, himself, and the Interest he has
with others: If this is not primitive, pure
Christianity, if here is not a real Minister
of the Gospel, and true Follower of Jesus
for, or find either? This is the traduced,
Chrift, where in the World shall we look
the much abufed Mr Whitefield, who,
perhaps, has done more towards reform-
ing a diffolute, vicious Age; and towards
bringing the People over, wherever he
has come, from their finful, wicked
Courfes, to Sobriety and Righteousness of
Life, and to the Practice of Religion and
Virtue; than, perhaps, half the Clergy
of the Kingdom have been able to effect,
in ten times the Number of Years.

He never meddles with Parties, or party Opinions; but preaches Jefus Chrift and him crucify'd; he preaches like one having Authority, and not as the Scribes, thofe dull Expofitors, whofe unfavory, formal Difcourfes touch the Ear, but not the Heart; whilft his ftrike with irrefiftible Force, and by the Assistance of the Spirit of God, as they come from the Heart, go to the Heart; awaken the Confciences of the Guilty; and rouze the Dead in Trefpaffes and Sins, from the Death of Sin, to a Life of Righteoufnels.

[To be concluded in our next.]

An Answer to the Queries fent to the Rev.
Mr Whitefield, from the Rev. Mr T-ck-r,
Minifter of All Saints, Bristol; in a Let-
ter to the Ducrift.

SIR,

AD not the Briftol Queries been

fpiritual Things, to a Degree much bee H faid to be written by the Revd Mr

yond what could be expected from one
twice his Yeats; and, with a meft heaven-
ly Difpofition of Mind, difcovers the most
ardent Affection for Virtue, as well as
Beligion. He appears animated by an un.
2 and

T-ckr, I should have imagin'd, they had come from one, who had no manner of Notion of Divine Revelation, but as you are a Reverend Minifter, I must fuppofe you to be a Chriftian, tho' you have given great room to think, that you believe nothe Holy Spirit,