Private thoughts : in two parts complete ...

Part I. Upon

RELIGION,

DIGESTED INTO

TWELVE ARTICLES;

WITH

PRACTICAL RESOLUTIONS,

FORMED THEREUPON.

Part II. Upon A

CHRISTIAN LIFE;

OR, NECESSARY

DIRECTIONS

FOR ITS BEGINNING AND PROGRESS UPON IN ORDER TO ITS FINAL PERFECTION IN THE

BEATIFIC VISION.

BY THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD,

WILLIAM BEVERIDGE, D. D.

Late Lord Bishop of St. Asaph.

A NEW EDITION,

TO WHICH IS PREFIXED, THE

LIFE AND CHARACTER OF THE AUTHOR.

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THE

LIFE AND CHARACTER

OF THE

AUTHOR.

KYS HIS excellent Prelate, who, by his learning and piety •*- was one of the brightest ornaments to the church of England in his time, was born at Barrow, in Leicestershire in the year 1 63 8 — he w r as educated at St. John's college, Cambridge, where he applied with great assiduity to the study of the oriental languages, and made such proficiency in this part of learning, that at eighteen years of age he wrote a treatise of the Excellency and Use of the Oriental Tongues, especially the Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriac, Arabic, and Samaritan, with a Syriac Grammar. The 3d of January, 1 660-1, he was ordained Deacon by Robert, Bishop of Lincoln, and Priest the 31st of that month, and about the same time was presented to the vicarage of Ealing in Middlesex, which he resigned about a year after, upon his being chosen Rector of St. Peter's, Cornhill, by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London. He apv plied himself to the discharge of his ministry, with the utmost zeal and assiduity. He was highly instructive in his discourses from the pulpit ; and his labours were crowned with such success that he was styled the great reviver and restorer of primitive piety. Bishop Hinchman, his diocesan, having conceived a great esteem for him, collated him to the prebend of Chiswick, in the cathedral of St. Paul's.on the 22 d of December, 1674 : and this bishop's successor, Dr. Compton, conferred upon him the archdeaconry of Colchester, on the 3d of November, 1681. November the 5th, 1684, he was installed prebendary of Canterbury, and about the same time was appointed chap-

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* LlFfc OF THE AUTHOR;

lain to king William and queen Mary. In 1691 he was offered, but refused to accept of, the see of Bath and Wells, vacant by the deprivation of Dr. Kenn, for not taking the oaths to king William and queen Mary. But some time after he accepted of that of St. Asaph, and was consecrated July 16, 1704. Upon his advancement to the episcopal chair, he wrote a most pathetic letter to the clergy of his diocese, recommending to them <e The duty of cate- " chizing and instructing the people committed to their " charge, in the principles of the Christian religion, to t( the end they might know what they were to believe, " and do, in order to salvation." And, to enable them to do this the more effectually, he sent them a plain exposition upon the church catechism. This good Prelate did not enjoy his episcopal station above three years and some months, for he died March the 5th, 1707, in the 71st year of his age, and was buried in St. Paul's cathedral. He left the greatest part of his estate to the societies for propagating Christian knowledge. To the curacy of Mount Sorrel, and vicarage of Barrow, in the county of Leicester, he bequeathed twenty pounds a-year, on condition that prayers be read morning and evening every day, according to the liturgy of the church of England, in the chapel and parish church aforesaid ; with the sum of forty shillings yearly to be divided equally upon Christmas-eve, among eight poor house-keepers of Barrow, as the minister and church- war dens should agree.

Bishop Beveridge has had a high character given him by several Writers. The author of a letter published in the Guardian, having made an extract out of the bishop's first sermon in the second volume relating to the Deity, tells us, that it may for acuteness of judgment, ornament of speech, and true sublime, compare with any of the choicest writings of the ancient fathers, or doctors of the church, who lived nearest to the apostles' times. Dr. Henry Felton, in his dissertation oh reading the classics and forming a just style, written in the year 1709, &C. tells us, " That our learned and venerable Bishop hath delivered « himself with those ornaments alone, which his subject 2

LIFE -OF THE AUTHOR.

€C suggested to him, and hath written in that plainness " and solemnity of style, that gravity and simplicity, which " give authority to the sacred truths he teacheth, and un- ' " answerable evidence to the doctrines he defendeth ; that " there is something so great, primitive, and apostolical " in his writings, that it creates an awe and veneration in " our mind. That the importance of his subjects is above " the decoration of words, and what is great and majestic " in itself, looketh most like itself, the less it is adorned." The true sublime in the great articles of our faith is lodged in the plainest words. The divine revelations are best expressed in the language they were revealed in ; and, as I observed before of the Scriptures, they will suffer no ornament nor amendment. Thus Dr. Felton.

Another writer gives this character qf our excellent Bishop. " This great and good Bishop had very early ad- " dieted himself to piety and a religious course of life, of " which his Private Thoughts upon Religion will be a last- " ing evidence. They were written in his younger years - £i &nd he must a considerable time before this, have de- " voted himself to such practices, otherwise he could neu ver have drawn up so judicious and sound a declaration " of his faith, nor have formed such excellent resolutions " so agreeable to the Christian life in all its parts. These sc things shew him to be acquainted with the life and power " of religion long before, and that even from a child lie hum " the Holy Scriptures. And as his piety was early, so it " was very eminent and conspicuous, in all the parts and " stations of his life. As he had formed such good resolu- * tions, he made suitable improvements upon them ; and " they, at length, grew up into such settled habits, that (i all his actions savoured of nothing but piety and relf- " gion. His hoiy example was a yery great ornament to " our church ; and he honoured his profession and funcu tion by zealously discharging all the duties thereof, " How remarkable was his piety towards God ! What an " awful sense of the divine Majesty did he always express ! " How did he delight in his worship and service and freu quent his house of prayer ! How great was his charity to

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LIFE OF THE AUTHOR.

* men ; how earnestly was lie concerned for their welfare, " as his pathetic addresses to them in his discourses plain- " \y discover ! How did the Christian spirit run through all " his actions, and what a wonderful pattern was he of " primitive purity, holiness, and devotion ! Ashe was re- " markable for his great piety and zeal for religion, so he " was highly to be esteemed for his learning, which he " wholly applied to promote the interest of his great Mas- (( ter. He was one of extensive and almost universal read- J* ing ; he was well skilled in the oriental languages, and " the Jewish learning, as may appear from many of his " sermons ; and, indeed, he was furnished to a very emi- " nent degree with all useful knowledge. He was very u much to be admired for his readiness in the scriptures : " he had made it his business to acquaint himself tho- " roughly with those sacred oracles, whereby he was jT?/r- " nished unto all good works : he was able to produce suit- " able passages from them on all occasions, and was very " happy in explaining them to others. Thus he improved " his time and his abilities in serving God, and doing " good, till he arrived at a good old age, when it pleased " his great Master to give him rest from his labours, and " to assign him a place in those mansions of bliss, where " he had always laid up his treasure, and to which his " heart had been all along devoted through the whole " course of his life and actions. He was so highly esteem- " ed among all learned and good men, that when he was " dying, one of the chief of his order deservedly said of " him, There goes one of the greatest, and one of the best " men, that ever England bred."

Notwithstanding these just and candid opinions, it must not be concealed, that the enemies of the truths, which this good Bishop maintained, or rather which the church of England maintains in her articles and homilies (for the Bishop held no other) made a virulent attack upon his writings soon after his decease. At that time, as well as at this, there were people, who could pretend to subscribe the articles ex animo for preferment, without believing a word of them ; and, not satisfied with his duplicity, could

LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 7

have the effrontery likewise to be very angry with those, who conscientiously did believe and honestly professed them. The Bishop has been charged with absurdities upon the doctrine of the Trinity, with downright Calvanism, &c.-*--but, let it be remembered, it was by Antitrinitarians, Pelagians, Socinians, &c. who it must be owned, are «- not very fair judges upon the case. His Private Thoughts, than which we have very few more excellent books, have been a particular object of their animadversion. One hundredth part of this good man's piety, in his adversaries, would have led them to different conclusions, and have caused at least a silent reverence for a character, which very few men of any order are over-disposed to excel. If such men as Whiston, and Collins his admirer, were to dictate the rules of orthodoxy ; we can easily guess what would become of all the confessions and formularies of faith, which are supported by divine authority and by divine grace witnessing their truth in men's hearts and lives; and, what sort of respect might be shewn, in a very little time afterwards, to the Bible itself: for the humour of impeaching divine, as well as political, positions knows no end, but subversion and anarchy. However, we have „ reason to be thankful lor that gracious promise, that ike^ gates of hell shall not prevail against the church or truths of God, to the end of the world ; and, therefore, we need not be more deeply concerned, than in charity we ought to be for the self-deluding innovators themselves, concerning a matter, which has the wisdom of God to conduct, and the power of God to support it at all times.

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8 W LIFE OF THE AUTHOR.

Church Catechism explained for the Use of the Diocese of St. Asaph, London, 1704, Mo" reprinted several times since in a small volume. Besides the above-mentioned works of this Prelate, we have the following published after his death. VI. Private Thoughts upon Religion, digested into Twelve Articles, with Practical Resolutions formed thereupon ; written in his younger years (when he was but twenty-three years old) for the settling of his principles and conduct of life, London, 1709. VII. Private Thoughts upon a Christian Life ; or Necessary Directions for its Beginning and Progress upon Earth, in order to its Final Perfection in the Beatific Vision, London 1709. VIII. The Great Necessity and Advantage of Public Prayer and Frequent Communion. Designed to revive Primitive Piety ; with Meditations, Ejaculations ; and Prayers, before, at, and after the Sacrament, London, 1710. These have been reprinted several times in 4to. and 12mo. IX. One Hundred and Fifty Sermons and Discourses on Several Subjects, London, 1708, &c. in 12 vols. 8vo. Reprinted at London, 1719, in 2 vols. fol. X. Thesaurus Theologicus ; or, a Complete System of Divinity, summed up in Brief Notes upon Select Parts of the Old and New Testaments ; wherein the Sacred Text is reduced under Proper Heads, Explained and Illustrated with the Opinions and Authorities of the Ancient Fathers, Councils, &c. London, 1711, 4 vols. 8vo. XI. A Defence of the Book of Psalms, Collected into English Metre, by Thomas Sternhold, John Hopkins, and others, with Critical Observations on the New Version compared with the Old, London, 1710, 8vo. In this book he gives the Old Version the preference to the New. XII. Exposition of the Thirty-Nine Articles, London, 1710,

Preface

AFTER so great a name as that of Bishop Beveridge in the title,, it was as superfluous to attempt any farther recommendation of these papers, as it would be impossible to effect it. If any thing can add to the esteem they must every where meet with, upon the account of so great an author, it must be a serious perusal and application of them.

Those that read them with the same spirit of candour, with which this great man always read the works of others, and. with the same spirit of piety, with which he wrote his own; will undoubtedly discover hi them such a lively idea of the great genius of the author, and so sensibly experience the good influence of them upon their minds, as will more effectually engage their approbation, than the highest encomiums from another hand.

The great misfortune is, that those who have most need to be instructed and reformed, have no true taste or relish for books of this nature : their eyes are dazzled with the glittering appearances of the objects of sense, and their hearts enslaved to the works of darkness ; so that the beams of divine light are but troublesome and offensive to them : every point of faith is a contradiction to their prin^ ciples, and every precept enjoined a reproach to their morals. And therefore, in order to stave off those self-condemning thoughts, that naturally arise from the serious perusal of such sort of treatises ; they scoff at, and despise them, as dull and insipid ; not worth the consideration of men of more refined parts and deeper penetration, who are too wise to be guided by the rule of God's word, and too obstinate to be persuaded to walk, in any other path, but that which the devil has chalked out for them, the path which leads to destruction.

But these men would do well to consider, before they are wholly under the power of delusion, that this is not really owing to any flaws or defects in such performances, but to their own reprobate minds and depraved judgments^ which tarnish the beauty, cast a mist before the truth frustrate their influence, and pervert the design of them * like a vitiated palate, which nauseates the most delicioi s tastes ; or a foul or disordered stomach, that turns tl e most wholesome food into poison and corruption. So that A 5 they must first divest themselves of their lust and pride, their prejudice and partiality, before they can ever expect to reap any benefit or advantage by this, or any other discourses, that tend to the promoting of piety and religion.

Having thus opened the way to the reading of this book, it may not be improper, in order to set it in its true light, and do justice to the author of it, to say something more particularly concerning both; and to advertise the reader, that the following sheets were wrote by the bishop in his younger years, upon Ins first entrance into holy orders. And though they may not perhaps, be so perfect and correct, as if he himself had lived to give the finishing stroke to them, and fit them for the press with his own hand ; yet as the roughness of a jewel doth not lessen the worth and value of it, when the brightness of its natural lustre, even under that disadvantage, outshines that of others, which are polished and refined by art ; so it is to be hoped, the candid and judicious reader will, in this well designed piece, however unfinished, discover such singular beauties and graces, as few others, even at the highest pitch of their attainments, and with the utmost care and diligence, are able to come up to.

As to the author's design in writing these papers, it is sufficiently set forth in the title of them. He considered, that truth of doctrine, and innocency of life, were both absolutely necessary to the due exercise of the sacred function which he had the honour and happiness to be admitted into. He knew the power of example to prevail even beyond that of precept, and was very solicitous, with the blessed apostle, to make his own calling and election sure, lest that by any means, when he had preached to others, he himself should be a cast-away. To the end, therefore, that he might both save himself, and them that heard him, that both by his life and doctrine he might set forth the glory of God, and set forward the salvation of men. He drew up these articles, to settle his principles in point of faith, and formed these resolutions upon them, to regulate his actions with regard to practice.

What great things might not the church promise herself from a foundation so well laid ! from principles settled with so much learning and judgment, and resolutions formed upon such strict rules of piety and religion ? What glorious expectations in an age of that degeneracy of faith and manners, wherein he then lived, might not be justly raised from hence, for the future reformation of both ?

And, indeed, this excellent person did even more than satisfy ail these extraordinary hopes which the early and ample specimens he gave of his virtue and knowledge had made the world conceive of him. For having taken this prudent and^ effectual care to ground and determine his own faith and practice ; and being ever mindful of the injunction laid upon him, when he was ordained priest, " To consider the end of his ministry towards the children ec of God, towards the spouse and body of Christ ; he ne- " ver ceased his labour, care and diligence, until he had " done all that in him lay (as our holy church does most " admirably express the duty of that order) to bring all ' e such as were committed to Tiis charge unto that agree* " ment in the faith and knowledge of God, and to that " ripeness and perfectness of age in Christ, that there should " be no place left among them for error in religion, or for " viciousness in life."

While his care of souls was chiefly confined to the bounds of a single parish, with what labour and zeal did he apply himself to the discharge of his ministry, in the several parts and offices of it ! how powerful and instructive was he in his discourses from the pulpit ! how warm * and affectionate in his private exhortations ! hpw orthodox in his doctrine ! how regular and uniform in the public worship of the church ! in a word, so zealous was he, and heavenly-minded, in all the spiritual exercises of his pa* rochial function, and his labours were so remarkably crowned with blessing and success, that as he himself was Justly styled the great reviver and restorer of primitive piety ; so his parish was deservedly proposed, as the best model and pattern for the rest of its neighbours to copy after.

Nor was the Archdeacon, or the Bishop, less vigilant than the Parish-priest: his care and diligence increased as his power in the church was enlarged ; and as he had before discharged the duty of a faithful pastor over his single fold, so when his authority was extended to larger dis* tricts, he still pursued the same pious and laborious me? thods of advancing the honour and interest of religion, by watching over both clergy and laity, and giving them all necessary direction and assistance for the effectual per* formance of their respective duties.

Accordingly, he was no sooner advanced to the episco-? pal chair, but, in a most pathetic and obliging letter to the clergy of Ins diocese, he recommended to them, " th#

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' ' duty of catechising and instructing the people commitw ted to their charge in the principles of the Christian re- <( ligion, to the end that they might know what they " were to believe, and do, in order to salvation ;" and told them, " He thought necessaiy to begin with that, u without which whatever else he, or they, should. do, " would turn to little or no account, as to the main end of " the ministry." And to enable them to do this, the more effectually, he sent them a plain and easy exposition upon the church catechism ; of which I need say nothing more, and can say nothing greater, than that it was drawn up by himself; in a method, which, in the opinion of so great a judge, seemed, of all others, the most proper to instruct the people.

Thus endeavouring to make himself and others every day wiser and better, labouring to establish sound principles, and settle good manners wherever he came, as it was the foundation which this holy man laid in these articles and resolutions ; so we see it was the great work of his life to build upon it ; as might easily be made appear, from a faithful and particular relation of the several stages and passages of it during the course of his ministry ; the bare enumeration of which would swell this preface into a book. That fair portrait will, I hope, be drawn down by some abler pen.

In the mean time, there is yet another instance of his great concern and unwearied endeavours for the establishing of sound doctrine, which I must not omit the mentioning of, because it is a work of so much affinity with these articles, and what the reader may, with great advantage, have recourse to for farther satisfaction upon these general heads of divinity, which he has here given us only in abridgment; it is his learned Exposition upon the Thirty-nine Articles ; which is promised, in a short time, to be committed to the press ; and which is the more earnestly desired and expected, as being a performance, which the church, at this time, so much wants, and which he, beyond others, was in such an extraordinary manner, qualified for.

Such discourses as these, the one giving a true exposition of the doctrine of our church, the other endeavouring to establish it by an orthodox faith, and an unspotted life, were never more seasonable than in this age ; when the very being of the church is called in question, under a pretence of maintaining her rights ; and the principles of

PREFACE. IS

Christianity are no longer secretly undermined, but openly attacked ; when books are published against all revealed religion, and Deism insults and triumphs bare-faced, without restraint, without reproach. In a word, when we are arrived to that dissoluteness of manners, as well as principles, that persons of the highest quality and station are addressed to in print, as patrons of Libertinism ; and that which has, in all ages, been called, and esteemed, the greatest wisdom, is scored at by false wit ; and Christianity, under the notion of enthusiasm, exposed to the contempt of the meanest capacities, and hooted out of the world by the very dregs of the people.

In so general an inundation of profaneness, and licentiousness, Providence seemed indeed to have raised up this great and good man to stand in the gap, and stem the tide against it : but where the torrent is so impetuous, and the forces, that should unite in striving to divert it, so weak and pusillanimous, there is more danger the very opposers should be borne down the stream, than there are hopes of making good the opposition. But, however, the doctrine and discipline of our church may be represented, exploded and despised, and our holy religion become only a name, which is almost every where spoken against ; this good Bishop will nevertheless have the honour as he already enjoys the reward, not only of bearing testimony against the growing ill, but of having done all that he could (and who could do more than he !) to restrain and subdue it.

It may, perhaps, be thought a bad omen to our church to have lost so" able a champion, when she seems to stand so much in need of him. But blessed be God, we have not altogether lost him : he has left us behind him, in these excellent papers, (to say nothing of his sermons, and other incomparable writings) such clear reasoning and convincing arguments for the grounding of our principles ; and such useful rules and directions for the government of our conversation, that we may yet hope for a happy reformation in both, if we are not wanting to ourselves in the use and application of them.

Would the clergy, the younger sort especially, take this method, upon their first admission into holy orders, (and it ought to be no hard matter to persuade them to it, since it is the very end and design of their ministry) it could not fail, by the blessing of God, of producing very admirable effects. Their principles, thus prudently settled, would stand the shock even of a fiery trial ; and then* resolutions, thus maturely formed, would undauntedly bear up against the most powerful temptation.

This, if any thing, would raise the dignity of the priesthood to its first institution, silence all the loud clamours, as well as malicious whispers, that, like echoes, are redoubled and reverberated upon them, and gain them such an interest and reputation among the people, and such an honour and authority in the discharge of their function, and from reverencing the person, and commending the pattern, they would insensibly proceed to the imitation of it ; till, by degrees, the flock too, as well as the shepherd, would become wise to salvation,- would devoutly sanctify the Lord God in their hearts, and not only so, but be ready always to give an answer to every ona. that should ask them a reason of the hope that is in them.

And were both clergy and laity thus rightly principled, and firmly resolved ; the enemies of our Zion would have both less encouragement to attack, and less power to hurt us : our national church might then despise all the wicked attempts and designs that are daily made and formed against her, and assume to herself that comfortable promise and assurance, that our Saviour himself has given, that even the gates of hell shall never prevail against her.

All that jrtiave farther to say, is only to apologize for having said so much upon a subject that so little needs it ; and to close the whole with my hearty prayers to the throne of grace, that this pious and excellent book may meet with that desired effect and success, which the author aimed at in the composing of it, and may be as useful to others, as it was to himself.

PART FIRST. Page

Article I. I believe there is one God, the Being of

all beings 2S

Art. II. I believe that whatsoever the most high God would have me to believe or do, in order to his glory, and my happiness, he hath revealed to me in

his holy Scriptures 31

Art. III. I believe that as there is one God, so this one God is three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost 49

Art. IV. I believe, that I was conceived in sin, and brought forth in iniquity ; and that, ever since, I have been continually conceiving mischief, and bringing forth vanity 51

Art. V. I believe the Son of God became the Son of man, that I, the son of man* might become the SonofGod „ 50

Art. VI. I believe, that Christ lived to God, and died for sin, that I might die to sin, and live with God 57

Art. VII. I believe that Christ rose from the grave, that I might rise from sin, and that he is ascended into heaven, that I might come unto him , .. 59

Art. VIII. I believe that my person is only justified by the merit of Christ imputed to me ; and that my nature is only sanctified by the Spirit of Christ implanted in me .,,... Qi

Art. IX. I believe God entered into a double covenant with man, the covenant of works made with first, and the covenant of grace made in the second Adam 71

Art. X. I believe that as God entered into a covenant of grace with us, so hath he signed his covenant to us by a double seal, baptism and the Lord's supper 77

Art. XI. I believe, that, after a short separation, my soul and body shall be united together again, in " > order to appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, and be finally sentenced according to my deserts ... 84