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and ox, and fignify fuch as have an immediate relation to us, or dependance upon us) " he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel," 1 Tim. v. 8. An heavy charge, but a true one! for infidels always walked by this rule, and ac cording as men ftood more or lefs nearly related to them, by natural or political ties, made them more or lefs the objects of their compaffion and bounty. And thus, therefore, fpeaks a wife heathen; Optime focietas bominum conjun&tioque fervabitur, fi, ut quifque erit conjunétiffimus. ita in eum Benignitatis plurimum conferetur. There is a mixture of charity and juftice, in this proceeding; and the one of thefe ferves to heighten and beautify the other.

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The abundance of many of thofe, before whom I ftand, is, Idoubt not, owing to the church; Ido not mean to the revenues of it; (for the inftances of great fortunes raised from thence, fince the reformation, are but few; and God forbid there fhould be many !) but to the pious care, that their good fathers, more nearly fenfible of their obli gations in this refpect than common parents, took of their education; and to the religious, thriving principles, which they inftilled into them; and, perhaps, to the immediate bleffing of God, upon their honeft industry and labour, on the acccount of the very stock from which they came. Into that church, therefore, fhould their abundance, when it flows over, regularly empty itself, and refresh the bowels of fome of their poor brethren. All the rivers (fays Solomon) run into

Cic. de Off. lib. ii. § 16.

the

the fea: unto the place from whence the rivers came, thither they return aguin, Ecclef. i. 7 Let us govern our charitable diftributions by this pattern, which nature hath set us, and maintain, in like manner, a mutual circulation of Benefits and returns!

So will this excellent charity make larger and quicker advances, than it hath hitherto done; fo will it recommend itself to others, who are not of our body, and who, how well foever disposed they may be towards the order, do not think they are concerned to take more care of us, than we take of ourselves; fo will the only plaufible objec= tion of the church of Rome against a married clergy, in due time, vanish, when another generation of men fhall fee this charity, in conjunction with the royal bounty, extending itself to the wants of as many as have need of it.

Which that it may do, God of his infinite mercy grant, through Je/us Chrift our Saviour. To whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be rendred all might, majefty, and dominion, now and for ever.

CONCIO

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Reverendis in Chrifto Fratribus:

SIONENSIS COLLEGII

SOCI I

CIIS,

AT QUE

Ecclefiarum Londinenfium

PASTORIBUS,

COLL

OLLEGII noftri fundatori hoe erat propo fitum, quod et fupremis tabulis teftatum reliquit, ut, celebratis frequentius cleri conventibus, permiftifque confiliis, et "Evangelicæ doc"trinæ veritati, et mutuo inter fratres amori "optime" confuleretur. Huic inftituto ut fatisfieret, a me quidem hac concione tentatum eft; a vobis autem effectum, cum quam ego, hauftam e facris literis de regum jure in fubditos fententiam defendendam fufceperim, eidem et vos, fraternis animis ufquequaque confentientes habuerim. Retulit enim mihi, qui tum cœtui nostro præfidebat, vir integerrimus, traditam a me e fuggefto doctrinam et comprobaffe vos, et, ut in publicum exiret, uno ore poftulaviffe: Quorum alterum cum, ecclefiæ noftræ et reipublicæ caufa, mihi effet gratiffimum, alteri certe non erat repugnandum.

Habete

Habete itaque, Viri præftantiffimi, quam expetiviftis, concionem; eâ parte etiam quâ prius manca erat, auctam atque abfolutam : Quæ enim, a pagina 335 ufque ad 363, Uncis includuntur, cum orationi, intra horæ unius fpatium contrahendæ, inseri non poffent, ut jam editæ accederent, curavi. Hæc autem, tanquam judicio ve. ftro atque teftimonio munita, lectori minime exhibeo: Eodem tamen filo, quo ea quæ audiviftis, contexta cum fint iifdem plane fundamentis fubnixa; cætera qui probaverint, ne hæc improbent non eft magnopere extimefcendum.

Faxit Deus, que afferuntur a nobis, ut stabiliendæ Pauli doctrinæ, ut tuendæ regum dignitati, Pacique publicæ confervandæ,ut denique tollendis iis, quæ, in re omnium exploratiffima, non abfque Christiani nominis labe, nunc glifcunt, controverfiis aliquatenus inferviant! Ad iftiufmodi certe lites fedandas veftra omnium, fratres, confenfio, ac communis follicitudo, et valuit femper, et valebit plurimum: Præfertim cum venerandi admodum in Christo patris noftri, Epifcopi Londinenfis, curis, atque confiliis refpondeat. Quæ cum ita fint, hortatio non eft neceffaria; gratulatione magis utendum eft. Liceat itaque mihi verbis ignatianis vos affari—Το γαρ αξιονόμασον υμών Πρεσε Ευλέριον, του Θεου άξιον, ουτως συνηρμόςι τω Επισκοπώ, ως χυδαι κιθαρα δια τουτο, εν τη ομόνοια υμών, και συμφωνω αγαπη Χριςος αδελοι.

Ut ita femper in rebus ad deum pertinentibus fentiatis, ita Chriftianam veritatem tueamini coneordiam foveatis, precatur

Confervus vefter in Domini noftro,

Chrifto Jefu,

Cc 2

FR. ATTERBURY.

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