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nity, zeal and fuccefs of the great Apostle of the Gentiles. He, I fay, was not to be diverted, from what he knew to be his indispensable duty; by the enor mities with which he had to firuggle, or by the careleffness, ignorance, laziness, debauchery, pride and ambition of the then unpreaching Prelates and Clergy; who were very numerous in the Courts of Henry and Edward, as they, it is greatly to be feared, have been in moft Courts of Kings ever fince.

No lefs was his care and concern for the prefervation of the civil, than the religious liberties of his Country. We find him attacking the Vices of King Henry, and his train of flaves, flatterers, liars and oppreffors, with amazing boldness: We fee him directing the fleps of the young and religious King Edward, informing him what a set of base, profligate and wicked men were like to bear the fway in go

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verning his Perfon. That God was in their mouths, and the devil in their hearts. Always boafting and vaunting of their Loyalty, and yet were the vileft traitors to their Mafter on Earth: "Thefe fellows, the good Bishop obferves, have the King, the King for ever in their mouths, when it tends to their purpose; but betray him, or his concerns, the moment it avails themselves and their abandoned affociates."

Yet

Yet fhould a King be but tolerably good, or only well inclined to redress the grievances of his People, and prevent their being farther oppressed, and relieve their wrongs; what must be done with these men of high posts and importance? "Why, fays our good Bishop, "If a Judge was to ask me the direct way to hell, let him be a covetous man, let his heart be poisoned with covetousness, let him take bribes and pervert Judgment. Let him have his reward, a Tyburn tippet to take with him, if it were the Judge of the King's-Bench, my Lord Chief Judge of England; yea, if it were my Lord Chancellor himfelf, to Tyburn with him." Befides these salutary examples, he farther fays, "Good Judges were rare in old time, and that we have no reason to think the devil has been afleep ever fince. The common manner of wicked Judges, is not to fear God or Man.”

From these excellent and spirited examples, and terrible inftances of the wrath of heaven on wicked Bishops, Statefmen, and Lawyers, the good Bishop wrought great fervice to the undefiled religion of, Jefus Chrift, and worthily fupported the almost finking liberties of his country. As fuch great success attended his Preaching, it could not be doubted but a like benefit and blessing would attend his labours when printed. This task was undertaken by his Secretary

When a certain great Perfon expreffed his Inclination that thefe Sermons should be reprinted, he was alfo defirous it might be obferved that our Statef men at this period were all honeft, difinterested, and religious; our Lawyers were uncorrupt, and no Bribe-takers, fcorning a paltry fee, and pleading the caufe of the widow and fatherless for nothing; our Bishops equal in piety and affiduous in preaching with thofe of the apoftolic ages, and ever refident in their feveral diocefes; the Clergy, going from houfe to house, vifiting the fick, cloathing the naked, feeding the hungry, and Pluralities almost unknown amongst them; and yet with all thefe advantages, should any of the above great perfonages, though out of curiofity only, be induced, as it is imagined they may, to read these excellent Difcourfes, they will find ample matter well worthy their particular notice, and in fome inftances not unworthy their general imitation.

In respect to those who are commonly called Inferiors. It is fufficient to say, perhaps, that in proportion as the learning of their fuperiors declined, theirs has been equally extended.—That, in matters of Fact and Reason, they are known to be competent Judges also with the best of their imagined betters. And, as their hearts are more properly formed for religious inftruction by the very na

ture

So, no doubt, the

ture of their feveral callings. following Difcourfes will rivet in their minds that Senfe of Faith which only their fmall leifure to attend the offices of the church (from their hours of bufinefs) occafions to be infirm, and which thefe difcourfes, in private, when they are fo unhappily prevented, will, if carefully read over, render fixt and immoveable.

THE

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