1 Cor. 14. 18, 19.

standing, that he might catechise others also, (so it is in the original,) than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

But the main difficulty will be in getting such schools for the children and servants of the rich, as well as poor (for whom there are charity-schools already in some places), set up in all parishes that have occasion for them, besides the grammar and other schools, if there be any, where the masters ought to instruct their scholars in the Church Catechism, as well as in any other science, art, or language. In many such parishes the maintenance of the Minister is so small, that it cannot be expected that he should do it himself: where it is otherwise, I doubt not but that he who is intrusted with the care of all the souls in the parish will do what he can towards it, as many do already. But as the case now stands with us, I do not see how it can be universally practised, as it ought to be, without the liberal contribution of pious and well-disposed Christians.

But, praised be God for it, we have still some among us, who, out of a deep sense of their duty, and pure zeal for the honour of Almighty God, are as forward and free to any pious and good work, as if they could merit by it and such can never express their piety and charity both together any other way better, if so well as this, which hath an immediate tendency both to the glory of the Most High God, our Maker and Most Merciful Redeemer, and likewise to the Salvation of so many thousand souls, as well as to the benefit of the Church and kingdom in which they live; and that too not only for the present, but for all future ages.

PRIVATE THOUGHTS

UPON

RELIGION,

DIGESTED INTO

TWELVE ARTICLES,

WITH

PRACTICAL RESOLUTIONS FORMED THEREUPON.

PART I.

PRIVATE THOUGHTS

ON

RELIGION,

&c. &c.

WHEN, in my serious thoughts and more retired meditations, I am got into the closet of my heart, and there begin to look within myself, and consider what I am, I presently find myself to be a reasonable creature; for was I not so, it would be impossible for me thus to reason and reflect. But am I a reasonable creature? Why then I am sure, within this veil of flesh there dwells a soul, and that of a higher nature than either plants or brutes are endowed with; for they have souls indeed, but yet they know it not; and that because their souls or material forms (as the philosophers term them) are not any thing really and essentially distinct from the very matter of their bodies, which being not capable of a reflective act, though they are they know it not, and though they act they know it not; it being not possible for them to look within themselves, or to reflect upon their own existences and actions. But it is not so with me; I not only know I have a soul, but that I have such a soul which can consider of itself, and deliberate of every particular action that issues from it. Nay, I can consider that I am now considering of my own actions, and can reflect upon myself reflecting; insomuch, that had I nothing else to do, I could spin out one reflection upon another to infinity. And, indeed, was there never another argument in the world to convince me of the spiritual nature of my soul, this alone would be sufficient to wrest

the belief and confession of it from me: for, what below a spirit can thus reflect upon itself? or, what below a spirit can put forth itself into such actions, as I find I can exercise myself in? My soul can, in a moment, mount from earth to Heaven, fly from pole to pole, and view all the courses and motions of the celestial bodies, the sun, moon, and stars; and then, the next moment, returning to myself again, I can consider where I have been, what glorious objects have been presented to my view, and wonder at the nimbleness and activity of my soul, that can run over so many millions of miles, and finish so great a work in so small a space of time. And are suchlike acts as these the effects of drossy earth, or impenetrable matter? Can any thing below a spirit raise itself so much beyond the reach of material actions?

But stay a little; what is this soul of mine, that I am now speaking of, that it is so nimble in its actions, and so spiritual in its nature? Why, it is that which actuates and informs the several organs and members of my body, and enables me not only to perform the natural actions of life and sense, but likewise to understand, consult, argue, and conclude, to will and nill, hope and despair, desire and abhor, joy and grieve, love and hate, to be angry now, and again appeased. It is that by which, at this very time, my head is inditing, my hand is writing, and my heart resolving what to believe and how to practise. In a word, my soul is myself; and therefore when I speak of my soul, I speak of no other person but myself. Not as if I totally excluded this earthly substance of my body from being a part of myself; I know it is. But I think it most proper and reasonable to denominate myself from my better part: for, alas! take away my soul, and my body falls, in course, into its primitive corruption, and moulders into the dust from [Isa. 40.6.] whence it was first taken: "All flesh is grass," says the [1 Pet. 1. prophet, "and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of 24.] the field." And this is no metaphorical expression, but a real truth; for what is that which I feed upon, but merely grass, digested into corn, flesh, and the like, which, by a second digestion, is transfused and converted into the substance of my body. And hence it is, that my body is but