from the pulpit, it is evident, that nothing can contribute more to excite and keep alive a due fenfe of Religion in the minds of the common people, than fupplying them conftantly with a variety of well-compofed and well-chofen religious treatifes, each of them judiciously adapted to their respective neceflities. It fupplies, in fome degree, the want of that moft useful branch of minifterial duty which has, I fear, of late years, grown but too much into difufe, perfonal conference with our parishioners; for which, unless we have fome Such fubftitute as this, we shall find, probably, that our public inftructions will produce much less effect than they naturally ought.

There is another argument for the distribu tion of fmall religious tracts among the common people, which has, I think, confiderable weight. It appears, that this is the very mode made use of by the adverfaries of our Religion, in order to undermine and deftroy it. They confider final tracts of infidelity, as the best and moft effectual method of diffeminating irreligion among their readers and admirers ; and, accordingly, have employed all their ta

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lents in compofing, and all their industry in difperfing them over the world *.

Let us, then, endeavour to foil our enemies. at their own weapons, which will furely prove more powerful, and more fuccessful, in the hands of truth, than in thofe of error; and let us, with that view, give all poffible encouragement to a Society, which is inftituted for the very purpose of furnishing us with a conftant supply of the best helps towards counteracting the pernicious designs of those who “fet "themselves against us," who make use of every artifice to deprive us of all Religion, or to introduce a corrupt one.

Inconfiderable and trivial as the little treatifes difperfed by the Society may feem, yet it is by the repeated efforts of fuch small inftruments as these, that the greatest effects are often produced. Their numbers, their plainness, and their cheapness, will give them a force and efficacy, and extent of circulation,

* It is certain, that M. Voltaire, in particular, has written innumerable little pieces against Revelation; that he prided himfelf greatly in having found out this method of enlightening the world: and that he was highly applauded by Mr. D'Alembert and others, for the wisdom and prudence of his conduct in this respect.

VOL. II.

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which

which much more voluminous and more laboured compofitions may not be able to acquire; just as we fee that the lowest and humbleft, and most numerous bodies of men, not the opulent and fplendid few, are thofe that conftitute the real ftrength and wealth of the community.

It has been frequently afferted, that it is philofophy, modern philofophy, which has enlightened and improved mankind. But whom has it enlightened and improved? A small knot, perhaps, of wits and philofophers, and learned men; but how have the multitude, the bulk of the people, those who really conftitute the world, been enlightened and improveed? Do they read the works of Bolingbroke, of D'Alembert, of Hume, or of Raynal? Thanks be to God thofe elaborate and bulky compofitions are equally beyond their understandings to comprehend, their leisure to perufe, and their ability to purchase. And even the smaller pieces above-mentioned of Voltaire and others, are not calculated for the lowest claffes of mankind, but for men of fome education and fome talents. And their object is not to inform, but to perplex and mislead; not to

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convince

convince by argument, but to entertain with ftrokes of wit and buffoonery. Most fortunately for mankind, the mischief of fuch writings is confined (comparatively speaking) to a very narrow circle, which their admirers, however, are pleased to dignify with the name of the world. The vulgar, the vile populace, so far are those great philofophers from defiring to instruct and reform, that they think them utterly unworthy of a reasonable religion. This the most eminent of their fraternity has declared in exprefs terms *. On the other hand, the Author of our Religion declares, that he came "to preach the Gospel to the poor.” Here, then, you fee oppofed to each other the fpirit of CHRISTIANITY and the spirit of PHILOSOPHY. Judge ye, for yourselves, which is moft worthy of God and beneficial to man, and make your choice accordingly. If you take

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Mr. Voltaire, fpeaking of certain fuperftitious fects in China, has these very remarkable words: "Ces fectes font tolerées a la Chine pour l'usage du Vulgaire, comme des alimens groffiers faits pour le nourrir; tandis que les magi«ftrats & les lettrés, feparés en tout du peuple, fe nouriffent d'une fubftance plus pure. Il femble en effet que la populace ne "merite pas une religion raisonnable." Effai fur l'Hiftoire Generale, tom. i. p. 33, 34.

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PHILOSOPHY

PHILOSOPHY for your guide, you will defpife the humble employment of diffufing religious knowledge among the common people; but if you chufe CHRIST for you mafter, you will give a proof of it this day, by patronizing a Society that forms itself on his model, and profeffes to carry on the great work of reformation which He begun, in the very way which he pointed out, "by preaching the Gospel to "the poor."

SERMON