warning to keep a stedfast eye upon our chief enemy, and not suffer ourselves to be diverted from the consideration and regard of our greatest danger, by the petty provocations of our friends; so I choose to eall those who dissent from us in lesser matters, because I would fain have them so, and they ought in all reason to be so: but, however they behave themselves, we ought not much to mind those who only fling dirt at us whilst we are sure there are others who fly at our throats, and strike at our very hearts.

Let us learn this wisdom of our enemies, who, though they have many great differences among themselves, yet they have made a shift at this time to unite together to destroy us: and shall not we de as much to save ourselves?

-fas est et ab hoste doceri.

It was a principle among the ancient Romans, a brave and a wise people, donare inimicitias reipublicæ, to give up and sacrifice their private enmities and quarrels to the public good, and the safety of the commonwealth. And is it not to every considerate man as clear as the sun at noon-day, that nothing can maintain and support the Protestant religion amongst us, and found our church upon a rock; so that when the rain falls, and the winds blow, and the floods

beat upon it, it shall stand firm and unshaken: that nothing can be a bulwark of sufficient force to resist all the arts and attempts of popery, but an established national religion, firmly united and compacted in all the parts of it? Is it not plain to every eye, that little sects and separate congregations can never do it? but will be like a foundation of sand to a weighty building, which, whatever shew it may make, cannot stand long, because it wants union at the foundation, and for that reason must necessarily want strength, and firmness.

It is not fit for private persons to undertake in matters of public concernment; but I think we have no cause to doubt but the governors of our church, (notwithstanding all the advantages of authority, and we think of reason too on our side) are persons of that piety and prudence, that for peace sake, and in order to a firm union among Protestants, they would be content, if that would do it, not to insist upon little things; but to yield them up, whether to the infirmity or importunity, or perhaps in some very few things, to the plausible exceptions of those who differ from us.

But then surely, on the other side, men ought to bring along with them a peaceable disposition, and a mind ready to comply with the church in which they were born and baptised, in all reasonable and

lawful things; and desirous upon any terms that are tolerable, to return to the communion of it; a mind free from passion and prejudice, from peevish exceptions, and groundless and endless scruples; not apt to insist upon little cavils and objections, to which the very best things, and the greatest and the clearest truths in the world, are and always will be liable: and whatever they have been heretofore, to be henceforth no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness of those who lie in wait to deceive.

And if we were thus affected on all hands, we might yet be a happy church and nation. If we would govern ourselves by these rules, and walk according to them, peace would be upon us, and mercy, and on the Israel of God.

Tillotson was very eminent as a preacher in his day, and his sermons have been deservedly proposed to divines and other writers, as models of correct and elegant composition. They were the only property he left his family; but the prodigious sum obtained for them, gives us occasion to wonder at the

high price of sermons in those days. The copy-right was sold for two thousand five hundred guineas-equal at least to three times the sum in modern money,

BURNET (THOMAS,)

WAS born at Croft in Yorkshire, though in what particular year is unknown. After receiving the rudiments of his education at North Alveston in that county, he was admitted, in 1651, to Clare Hall, Cambridge, under the tuition of Mr. John Tillotson, afterwards archbishop of Canterbury; but subsequently he removed to Christ College, of which house he became fellow in 1657. In 1685, he was elected master of the Charter-House in London, and soon after took orders. After the revolution, he was appointed chaplain in ordinary to king William. It is said, that he was proposed as successor to Dr. Tillotson in the see of Canterbury; but was thrown out, on a plea of the bishops, that his writings were too sceptical. His death happened in 1715.