II. Secondly, with regard to RELIGIOUS TRUTH. 1. Mistaken conftancy, or more tenacious ZEAI., make fome men prejudiced in favour of lefs allowed Opinions: And the obliquer affections of avarice or ambition make others declare for fuch as are eftablished. OPPOSITION likewife will too much dispose Both, to support what they may even fufpect to be false, and to fecrete what they know to be true. This draws them ftill further from the road of TRUTH; while all they feek is to be at diftance from one another's Parties and Opinions.

2. Inveterate errors, long fince fanctified by Time and Authority, concerning the nature and end of SCRIPTURE, are another occafion of the disgraces to which Revelation is become fubject.

GOD'S WRITTEN WORD is fo commonly and so justly honoured with the name of THE TRUTH; and holy Writ in general fo frequently recommended for its virtue in leading us into all Truth, that fimple, wellmeaning men have been apt to regard it as a Treasury of Science; and to apply to it

for

for all the principles of human knowledge. How wretchedly, for inftance, hath the Mofaic account of the Creation been dishonoured, by the wild and fanciful expofitions of men befotted by this or that Sect of heathen PHILOSOPHY, or of Christian MYSTICISM! Platonifts, Materialists, Cartefians, Chemifts, Cabalifts, and all the impure Fry of Phyfical, Philological, and Spiritual Enthufiafts, have found each his own whimfies realised in the first and fecond chapters of the Book of Genesis.

Again, how impiously have the JEWISH LAW and the GOSPEL OF JESUS been abused by Slaves and Sycophants, to find, in one, the DIVINE RIGHT of KINGS; and, in the other, the SUPREME DOMINION OF THE CHURCH.

But amidst all this folly and mischief, arifing from a perverfion of the BIBLE, to fupport human Syftems of Philosophy and Politics, had men only reflected, that though the Bible tells us, it was written to make men wife—it addeth-unto falvation *,

they would have fought for the Principles of natural and civil knowledge amongst their proper Profeffors; and have ftudied Scripture only to inveftigate that WISDOM which is from above, and is first PURE, then PEACEABLE *. A wisdom which, at the fame time that it rectifies the understanding, purifies the heart; and fo removes all ground of contention raised by a perplexed head or a heated temper.

The first Propagators of our holy FAITH, under the immediate Commiffion of their Mafter, were, in this, as in all other parts. of their conduct, truly admirable. What' they chiefly proposed to the People at large, was the BELIEF of a few clear and fimple propofitions, as necessary to Salvation: When they addreffed themselves to those chofen Particulars, who were fitly qualified and rightly difpofed, they as warmly recommend EXAMINATION :-to Search the Scriptures, and to try all things.

Yet the only use a late Writer ‡ could find in fo fage and generous a conduct, was to abuse it, in a prophane piece of drollery, 樂 James iii. 17. + John v. 39. ↑ Dodwell.

under the form of a ferious queftion, Whether Christianity was founded in Argument or in Faith? which, however defigned for Wit, was just as wife as, Whether St. Paul's Clock was conftructed on MECHANISM or on MOTION? Since, if the Clock was feen to have motion, we could not but conclude that the motion arose from mechanifm. So, if the vital principle of Chriftianity be FAITH, it can be no other than fuch a Faith as ftands upon Reafon, and is fupported by Argument. A wild Indian, perhaps, might fancy that St. Paul's Clock was animated, and put in motion by a Spirit: And an Enthufiaft, ftill wilder than the Savage, may fay that Faith is but the Seal of a fupernatural impreffion. Yet fure. ly, none but a Fool of the old stamp, or a Fanatic of the new, would be willing to difcard REASON, in purfuit of his future happiness, when he has already found IT fo useful in procuring his prefent. For both present and future Good are, alike, acquired by the proper adaption of means to ends. An operation which, all must confefs, the Aid of REASON Only

can

can effectually perform.

Nor hath this

faithful Guide of life ever afforded caufe of complaint or jealousy. When men, who profefs to be under HER guidance, find themselves bewildered, they should fufpect, not HER, but themselves. And, on a fair examination, I fuppofe, they will always find, that they have been directing REASON when they fhould have been directed by HER. But the wayward Affections which occafion her difcredit, go on in their illufions to excite our diftruft.

II.

Thus much for SCEPTICISM, that bane of human Science, which, while it boafts to be the NERVES OF THE MIND *, deprives. it of all its force and vigor. I now proceed to confider the temper and difpofition neceffary to be acquired by us, before we can fafely and profitably employ the AIDS OF REASON to explain the TRUTHS OF RE

VELATION.

ἄρθρα ταῦτα τῶν φρενών. Epicharmus.

C 2

The