principles and morals of our common people, and, to fay the truth, to the great as well as the fmall vulgar.

The certain confequence of referring mankind to a law of nature or virtue written upon their bearts, is, their having recourse to their own fenfe of things on all occafions, which being, in a great majority, no better than family superstition, party prejudice, or felf-interested artifice (perhaps a compound of all) will be too apt to over-rule the plain, generous, felf-denying and humble precepts of the gospel, after all that can be faid to difgrace them; and much more when they pass for the diɛates of natural religion, and people are told into the bargain (which, I am afraid, is too often the case) that these dictates differ no otherwise from those of the gospel, than as the latter are enforced by more explicit promises, and positive authority.

If therefore natural religion (be it what you will as to its intrinfic merit) is liable to be thus miftaken, it is high time to have done with it in the pulpit; very few of our common people are philofophers, or can see far enough into the nature of things to analyse virtue into its component parts; and if they are once led into a miftake fo favourable to their own conceits and prepoffeffions, no fubfequent explanations will ferve to fet them right: For, having fent them VOL. IV. H

to

to their own heads and hearts for a rule of life, you will be greatly difappointed if you expect they will allow you to manage it for them.

Upon this account, my lord, I would have religion proved, defended, and taught by the christian minister from the BIBLE only; and I would have every fuch minifter plainly and honeftly tell his people that he has no other proof of its original, its truth, its obligations, its prefent benefits, or its future rewards, to lay before them, than what is contained in the Scriptures; which I would also have him to exhort them to fearch and study for themselves with the utmost diligence and application; and then he may fafely let the rest be at their own peril.

And here I cannot but take notice, before I make an end, of my fingular misfortune in differing from one of your lordship's distinguished merit, and eminent flation, in two fo confiderable articles, as, A law of virtue written upon our hearts, and The importance of external religion, which, indeed, it is not common to find among the favourite opinions of one and the same man.

Perhaps it may be as uncommon to find them in difgrate with one and the fame man: But fo it happens I have had a long, and, as I am verily perfuaded, a reasonable quarrel to them

3

both,

both, as well on account of the unfriendly contraft between the theories on which they are feverally fupported, and the genuine grounds of the christian difpenfation, as for the incredible mischief they have done to practical religion being adopted as principles by infinite numbers of our people who neither know the meaning of the one, nor the ufes of the other, and to whom they have been, in different ways, inftruments to mislead them from the wholfome and living waters of the gospel, to the broken and muddy cifterns of human fufficiency and human authority. To the first we owe the flourishing state of infidelity and its legitimate progeny, a profligate corruption of manners, among all ranks and degrees of our people; to the latter we are beholden for the progrefs and advancement of popery ‹ (the bafest and most shameless of all superstitions) to the manifest hazard of our civil and religious liberty, which will be no longer fafe than our gracious and righteous fovereign, and his proteftant defcendants, are fecure from the inceffant and diabolical machinations of Romish emiffaries; from which may God's good providence continue to protect them; in which prayer, notwithstanding my opinion of the tendency of your lordship's doctrine, I am perfectly affured, your lordship will join with,

My Lord, (once more)

Your Lordship's, &c;

..

THE

COMPLAINT

OF THE

CHILDREN of ISRAEL,

REPRESENTING

Their GRIEVANCES under the

PENAL LAWS;

And praying,

That if the TESTS are repealed, the Jews may have the benefit of this indulgence in common with all the other fubjects of England.

IN

A LETTER to a Reverend High Priest of the Church by Law established.

From the EIGHTH EDITION.

By SOLOMON ABRABANEL, of the House of D AVID.

Firft Printed in the Year 1736.