is ever pruning in his vineyard or his field;
not unseasonably, indeed, not unskilfully, but
lightly; he findeth ever somewhat to do

I pray God to inspire the bishops with a
fervent love and care of the people; and that
they may not so much urge things in contro-
versy, as things out of controversy, which all
men confess to be gracious and good

3. UNBROTHERLY PROCEEDINGS.

1. By the possessors of church government

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Their urging of subscription to their own articles, is but" lacessere, et irritare morbos Ecclesiæ," which otherwise would spend and exercise themselves. "Non consensum quærit sed dissidium, qui, quod factis præstatur, in verbis exigit." He seeketh not unity, but division, which exacteth that in words, which men are content to yield in action.

I know restrained governments are better than remiss; and I am of his mind that said, Better is it to live where nothing is lawful, than where all things are lawful. I dislike that laws should not be continued, or disturbers be unpunished: but laws are likened to the grape, that being too much pressed yields an hard and unwholesome wine.

2. The opposers of church government,

1. Supposition of exclusive perfection

2. Their manner of preaching

3. In not acting equally in liberty or restraint

4. Indiscriminate statements

5. Mode of handling Scripture

6. Great reliance on trifles

4. IMPROPER PUBLICATIONS

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The press and pulpit should be freed and discharged of these contentions; neither promotion on the one side, nor glory and heat on the other side, ought to continue those challenges and cartels at the cross.

THE CHARACTERS OF A BELIEVING CHRISTIAN IN PARADOXES AND SEEMING CONTRADICTIONS. (m)

This tract, published as it seems in the year 1645, was in 1648 inserted in the Remains, and in 1730 in Blackburn's edition of Lord Bacon's works. (a) Its authenticity seems to be very doubtful. It was inserted in Blackburn's edition, after the following notice :-" The following fragments were never acknowledged by Dr. Rawley, among the genuine writings of the Lord Bacon; nor dare I say that they come up to the spirit of penetration of our noble author. However, as they are vouched to be authentic in an edition of the Remains of the Lord Verulam, printed 1648; and as Archbishop Sancroft has reflected some credit on them by a careful review, having in very many instances corrected and prepared them for the press, among the other unquestioned writing of his lordship; for these reasons I have assigned them this place, and left every reader to form his own judgment about their importance:" and in a letter from Dr. Parr to his legatee and biographer, E. H. Barker, the doctor says, "it is, however, well known, that some of his fragments were not acknowledged by Dr. Rawley to be genuine, though vouched to be

(a) In Dr. Parr's annexed letter, it appears to have been published in 1645; and in Vol. I. of Blackburn's edition, he says, speaking of Archbishop Sancroft, to the characters of a believing Christian in paradoxes, &c. compared with the other copy, printed in 1645, I have not been able to see a copy of the tract published in 1645.-B. M.

authentic in an edition of the Remains of Lord Verulam, printed in 1648, and though examined, corrected, and prepared for the press by Archbishop Sancroft among the other unquestionable writings of Bacon. Among those fragments are the Characters of a believing Christian, in paradoxes and seeming contradictions, compared with the copy printed Lond. 1645. The paradoxes are thirty-four; but it is sufficient for my purpose to quote the 2d and 3d. After frequent and most attentive perusal, I am convinced that these Fragments were written. by Bacon, and intended only for a trial of his skill in putting together propositions, which appear irreconcileable, and that we ought to be very wary drawing from such a work any positive conclusions upon the real and settled faith of Lord Bacon. Bacon perhaps was sincere, when he said, I had rather believe all the fables in the Legend, and the Talmud, and the Alcoran, than that this universal frame is without a mind.' But to many parts of the paradoxes we may apply his remark upon the fool, who said in his heart, but did not think There is. no God.' He rather said these things for a trial of skill, as the fool talked by rote, than that he really: believed them, or was persuaded of them. (a)

(a) See Bacon's Essay on Atheism, vol. 1, p. 53.

in

Dr. Parr does not speak with as much confidence in a letter to Mr. C. Butler, published in the second volume of Butler's Reminiscences, page 233, where he says, "But now comes a real difficulty. What shall we say to the Character of a believing Christian in paradoxes and seeming contradictions?' Here I'

I subjoin the evidence, external and internal, which I have been able to discover in favour and in opposition to their authenticity.

The following are the external reasons against their authenticity-1st, Soon after Lord Bacon's death there were various spurious works ascribed to him, with which the Remains abound (b).-2dly, This

am quite at a loss to determine. If an ingenious man means to deride the belief of Christianity, could he have done it more effectually than in the work just now alluded to? Mr. Hume would say-No. There is some uncertainty as to the authenticity of this little tract. I suspect that Bacon meant to try his strength, and then to return quietly to the habitual conviction of his mind, that Christianity is true."

(b) In Rawley's Epistle to the Reader in the Resuscitatio, he says, "For some of the pieces, herein contained, his Lordship did not aim at the publication of them, but at the preservation only, and prohibiting them from perishing, so as to have been reposed in some private shrine, or library: but now, for that, through the loose keeping of his Lordship's papers, whilst he lived, divers surreptitious copies have been taken; which have since employed the press with sundry corrupt and mangled editions; whereby nothing hath been more difficult than to find the Lord Saint Alban in the Lord Saint Alban; and which have presented (some of them) rather a fardle of nonsense, than any true expressions of his Lordship's happy vein; I thought myself in a sort tied to vindicate these injuries and wrongs done to the monuments of his Lordship's pen; and at once, by setting forth the true and genuine writings themselves, to prevent the like invasions for the time to come." And Archbishop Tenison says, "This general acceptance of his works has exposed him to that ill and unjust usage which is common to eminent writers. For on such are fathered, sometimes spurious treatises; sometimes most corrupt copies of good originals; sometimes their essays and first thoughts upon good subjects, though laid aside

Tract is not recognised by Dr. Rawley, who in his address to the Reader in his Resuscitatio, does not mention it amongst the theological works which he enumerates, although he says, "I have compiled in one whatsoever bears the true stamp of his Lordship's excellent genius, and hath hitherto slept, and been suppressed, in this present volume, not leaving any thing to a future hand, which I found to be of

by them unprosecuted and uncorrected; and sometimes the very toys of their youth, written by them in trivial or loose arguments, before they had arrived either at ripeness of judgment, or sobriety of temper. The veriest straws (like that of Father Garnet) are shewn to the world as admirable reliques, if the least strokes of the image of a celebrated author, does but seem to be upon them. The press hath been injurious in this kind. to the memory of Bishop Andrews, to whom it owed a deep and solemn reverence. In such an unbecoming manner it hath dealt, long ago, with the very learned and ingenious author of the Vulgar Errors. Neither hath the Lord Bacon gone without his share in this injustice from the press. He hath been ill dealt with in the letters printed in the Cabala, and Scrinia, under his name for Dr. Rawley professed, that though they were not wholly false, yet they were very corrupt and embased copies. This I believe the rather, having lately compared some original letters with the copies in that collection, and found them imperfect. And to make a particular instance; in comparing the letter of Sir Walter Raleigh to Sir Robert Car, of whom a fame had gone that he had begged his estate; I found no fewer than forty different, of which some were of moment. Our author hath been still worse dealt with, in a pamphlet in octavo, concerning the trial of the Earl and Countess of Somerset: and likewise in one in quarto, which beareth the title of Bacon's Remains, though there cannot be spied in it, so much as the ruins of his beautiful genius."