For my own part, I am perfuaded, that the vulgar notion of eternal torments has been productive, not of virtue and happiness, but of wickedness and misery in the world, where it has been moft seriously and fteddily believed. However, confequences are not the fubject of our enquiry, but the truth of the doctrine. The proper question is, what is the doctrine of our Saviour?-When that is determined; if any man, after allowing the doctrine to be his, yet shall impute ill effects to it, or assert that it ought not to be preached, or published; he pretends to be wifer than our Saviour, and is guilty of an arrogance inconfiftent with his christian profeffion.

That you bear a more free and noble mind than to be influenced by vulgar prejudices, or infected with an itch of popularity, or biaffed by any mean confiderations; I am most willing to believe. And therefore hope, that you will favour myself and others, with a public explanation of your fentiments; and, if you think proper to take pen in hand, cannot eafily doubt of your doing ample juftice to fo impor tant and interesting a subject.

I am, with fincere efteem,
Your's, &c.

SAMUEL BOURN,

THE

Merciful Judgments

OF

High-Church Triumphant

On offending

CLERGY MEN,

And others

In the REIGN OF CHARLES I.

Better it were there were no reveal'd religion, and that human nature were left to the conduct of its own principles and inclinations, which are much more mild and merciful, much more for the peace and happiness of human fociety; than to be acted by a religion that infpires men with fo vile a fury, and prompts them to commit fuch outrages. Tillotfon's Serm. Vol. 3. p. 19.

1

The Merciful Judgments of High-Church Triumphant, &c.

T

HE High-church clergy, ever fince one of their brethren * has been under a parliamentary profecution for his feditious fermons, talk in a very unusual ftrain for liberty of fpeech, and of the injustice of punishing men for their opinions; and cry, if they are not permitted to discharge their confciences in the pulpit, and to tell the people without any restraint their duty, especially in matters of the highest confequence, the great ufe of preaching will be loft: for who will regard what they fay, when they dare not speak their thoughts, but must be forced to fuit their doctrine to the humours, paffions, prejudices, or defigns of great men? Nay, the boldeft among 'em don't fcruple to furmife, that if the power of preaching what they judge to be the truth, be derived to 'em from a divine commiffion, they can't fee how they are

Dr. Sacheverel,

VOL. III.

M

accountable