rentlys weasonable stoi aogreater and more comprehenfive understanding." Andthewwróteft another treatise, Ato show the poffibility of the Refurrection of the fame Body! to noit efThe generationo heqihad qforothe Holy Scriptures appears not only fromthis ftudying them with great exactnefs, and alexhortings others to do the fame; but more particularly from audiftinct extreatisels whichwhe wrote son purpofe too defend the Scripture ftyle, and to anfweb all the objections whichsprofane and irreligious perfons have made against it. And; fpeaking of Morality, confidefedsas aurulesoft life,she faysd, idI have formerly taken pains to peruse books of Morality yet, fince they have only a power to perfuade, but ' not to command, and fin and death

I

d Life, p. 17.

do

'do not neceffarily attend the difo'bedience of them, they have the lefs influence; for fince we may 'take the liberty to queftion human writers, I find that the methods

'they take to impofe their writings

upon us may ferve to countenance ' either truth or falfehood.'

His zeal to propagate Chriftianity in the world appears by many and large benefactions to that end, which are enumerated in his Funeral Sermon. He was at the charge of 'the tranflation and impreffion of 'the New Teftament into the Ma'layan language, which he fent over

6e

all the Eaft Indies. He gave a no'ble reward to him that translated 'Grotius's incomparable book of the Truth of the Chriftian Religion" into Arabic, and was at the

66

e Life, p. 36, 37.

charge

charge of a whole impreffion, which 'he took care to order to be diftributed in all the countries where that language is understood. He was refolved to have carried on the 'impreffion of the New Teftament in the Turkish language; but the Company thought it became them 'to be the doers of it, and fo fuffered him only to give a large share towards it. He was at feven hundred pounds charge in the edition of the Irish Bible, which he ordered to be 'diftributed in Ireland, and he con

tributed largely both to the impref"fions of the Welsh Bible, and of the Irish Bible in Scotland. He gave

during his life three hundred pounds to advance the defign of propagating the Chriftian Religion in America; and as foon as he heard that the Eaft India Company 'were entertaining propofitions for

• the

C

"the like design in the Eaft, he prefently fent an hundred pounds for "a beginning, and "an example, but "intended to carry it much further, when it thould be fet on foot to purpose. He had defigned, though fome 'accident's did, upon great * confiderations, divert him from fettling it during his life, but not from ordering it by his will, that a liberal provifion should be made for one, who should, in a very few well digefted Sermons, every year, fet forth the Truth of the Christian *Religion in general, without defcending to the fubdivisions amongst Christiansand who should be changed every third year that fo this noble ftudy and employment might pafs through many hands, by which means many might be 'come mafters of the argument.' In his younger years he had thoughts

thoughts of entering into holy, Orders, and one reafon that determined him against it was, that he believed he might in fome refpects, be more Serviceable to Religion by continuing a Layman his having no interefts, with relation to Religion, befides thofe of faving his own fofoul, gaye him, as he thought, more unfufpected authority in Swriting or acting on that fide. He odHe knew the profane crew fortified themselves against all that was faid by men of our profeffion, with this, sthat it was their trade, and that f they were paid for it: he hoped, therefore, that, he might have the more influence, the lefs he fhared frin the patrimony of the Church,' ebM LOCKE, whofe accurate talent ind reafoning is for much celebrated