"Cralys Senn: On Nature of X. Kingdom 2. Snapes Letter to the B on au- thereof. 3. Mp. Hoadlys Answer thereto. 4 Snapers 2 . Letter to the Bishop 5D′′Whitby reply to P. Letter. 6 Bittonnieres Ansiert to Shape, Presse'd by Spo Bangor.

;

7. An Appendix to the I. Imower . 8. Hoadlys Considerations, to B. of Rector= 9. A Reply thereto .

10. Answer to a Letter sent to

Letter sont to.D. Sherlock

1. Declaration of Imith to Benjamin

Coadly. By a Mimisting Trives,

The NATURE of the KINGDOM, or CHURCH of CHRIST.

A

SERMON

Preach'd before the

KING,

AT THE

Royal Chapel at St. James's,

ON

Sunday March 31,1717.

By the Right Reverend Father in GOD BENJAMIN Lord Bishop of Bangor.

Published by His Majefty's Special Command.

LONDON:

Printed and Sold by the Bookfellers of London and Weftminster.

Price One Penny.

Jesus answered, my Kingdom is not of this

World.

NE of thofe great Effects, which length of Time is feen to bring along with it, is the Alteration of the Meaning annexed to certain Sounds. The Signification of a Word, well known and underftood by Those who first made ufe of it, is very in enfibly varied, by paffing thro' many Mouths, and by being taken and given by Multitudes, in Cominon Difcourfe till it often comes to ftand for a Complication of Notions, as diftant from the original Intention ofit, as Dar nefs is to Light. The Ignorance and Weakness of Some, and the Paffions and Bad Defigns of Others, are the great Inftruments of this Evil: which, even when it feems to affect only indifferent Matters, ought in reason to be opposed, asit tends in it's nature to confound Men's Notions in weightier Points; but, when it hath once invaded the moftSacred and Important Subjects, ought, in Duty, to be refifted with a more open and undisguised Zeal, as what toucheth the very Vitals of all that is good, and is juft going to take from Men's Eyes the Boundaries of Right and Wrong.

The Only Cure for this Evil, in Cafes of fo great Concern, is to have recourfe to the Originals of Things: to the Law of Reason in those Points which can be traced back thither; and to the Declarations of Jefus Chrift, and his immediate Followers, in fuch Matters, as took Rife folely from thofe Declarations. For the Cafe

OXFORD

ART

Cafe is plainly this, that Words and Sounds have had fuch an Effect, (not upon the Nature of Things, which is unmoveable, but) upon the Minds of Men in thinking of them that the very fame Word remaining, (which at first truly reprefented One certain Thing,) by having Multitudes of New inconfiftent Ideas, in every Age, and every Year, added to i, becomes it felf the grea eft Hindrance to the true understanding of the Nature of the Thing firft intended by it.

For Inftance, Religion, in St. James's Days, was Virtue and Integrety, as to our felves, and Charity and Beneficence to others; before God, even the Father. Ja. i. 27. By Degrees, it is come to fignify, in moft of theCountries throughout the whole World, the Performance of every thing almoft, except Virtue and Charity; and particularly, a punctual Exactnefs in a Regard to particular Times, Places, Forins, and Modes, diverfified according to the various Humours of Men; recommended and practifed under the avowed Name of External Religion: Two Words, which, in the Senfe fix d upon them by many Chriftians, God hath put afunder; and which therefore, no Man fhould join together. And accordingly, the Notion of a Religious Man differs in every Country, juft as much as Tim s, Places, Ceremonies, Imaginary Aufterities, and all other Outward Circumfances, a e different and various. Whereas in truth, tho a Man Truly Reli gious in other Refpects, may ma e ufe of fuch Things; yet, they cannot be the leaft part of his Religion, properly fo call'd, any more than his Food, or his Raiment, or any other Circumftance of his Life.

Thus likewife, the Worship of Go!, to be paid

by