1.

SERM.like VIRTUE, is nothing but a NAME. What is this TRUTH, fay they, of which the world has heard fo much talk, and hath received fo little information? You boast of it, as the Guide of life, yet ftill its refidence remains unknown. Which would tempt one to fufpect, that either there is no fuch thing; a thing effentially different from falfehood; or that its nature is too fine and fubtile for the groffer intellect of man to comprehend. But above all, what is that GOSPEL TRUTH, which its Minifters, in their very attempts to recommend, are wont fo much to difcredit and abuse? We do not mean that dim Specter or Phantafm of it, which hath fo long haunted and poffeffed the Schools; but, that which you call, it's brightest Substance, as it fits inthroned in the hearts of the Faithful. How miferably is this fhaken, not only by the diffentions of its Friends, but by every the flighteft effort of its Enemies! And while objections to Religion lye plain and level to the capacities of the vulgar; the folution of them requires the utmoft ftretch of parts and learning to excogitate; and equal application and atten

1.

tion to comprehend. From all this (fay SER M. they) we are naturally led to conclude, That the Gospel-doctrines are no truths; or at least truths of no general concern; fince they are neither uniformly held by those who are employed to teach them; nor subject to the examination of fuch as are enjoined to receive them."

Something like this, I apprehend, may be the private fentiment of those who have more decently difcarded all care and concern about the things of religion.

And as it cannot be denied but that men's acquired paffions and appetites have concurred with the constitutional weakness of human nature to form thefe conclufions against Truth; and especially that best part of truth, Religion; Charity feems to call upon us to detect and lay open the general causes which have given birth to men's prejudices against both.

I. And first, with regard to Truth in the abstract; the various hindrances to its discovery; and men's backwardness to acquiefce in it, when found.

The principal and fureft step towards the poffeffion of the Good we feek, is our B 4

love

SERM.

love and affection for the object.

This quickens our industry, and sharpens our Wattention. So that the LOVE OF TRUTH

I.

hath been always recommended by the Masters of wisdom as the beft means of fucceeding in the pursuit of it. There is hardly any one who fufpects he wants this LOVE and yet, How few are there whom their confidence does not deceive! We mistake the love of our Opinions for the love of Truth, because we fuppofe our own opinions true and yet, for the most part, they have been received upon credit; and confequently are much more likely to be false. Hence, this imaginary love of Truth proves, in fact, little better than the love of Error: And the affections, being now misplaced, they are a greater impediment to us in the purfuit of Truth than if we had no affections at all concerning it.

How then fhall we know when we have this love? for ftill it is neceffary we fhould have it, if we would follow Truth to any good purpose. It is difficult to describe what every man must feel for himself; and yet as dangerous to trust only to our feelings, when the object is fo eafily mistaken.

I.

mistaken. However, When we fet out SER M. in fearch of Truth as of a ftranger, and not in fearch of arguments to fupport our familiar opinions; when we poffefs our felves in a perfect indifference for every thing but known and attefled Truth; totally regardless of the place from whence it comes, or of that to which it feems to tend; when the mind, I fay, is in this fituation, no one, I think, can fairly dispute the reality of its attachment.

1. But our appetites rarely fuffer us to observe this strict and rigid conduct. We seek the gratification of our humour even in the laws which fhould correct it. Hence fo many various SYSTEMS OF MORALITY, to fuit every man's proper frame of mind, and bent of conftitution. The indolent, the active, the fanguine, the flegmatic, and saturnine, have all their correspondent Theories. Now, inquirers of this turn, must needs be admirably qualified for the dif covery of Truth! While juft as one or or other of the complexions carries him, the man is drawn by a strong, though hidden impulse, into the very centre of his congenial fyftem. And what will be the

iffue?

I.

1

SER M. iffue? His concern, from henceforth, is not the tryal, but the fupport of his opinions; which can be no otherwife provided for than by keeping the arguments in favour of them always in view, and by ftriving to forget whatever feems to have a lefs indulgent aspect.

2. Prejudices mislead the inquirer no less than his paffions. He venerates the Notions he received from his forefathers He refts in them, upon the authority of. fuch whofe judgment he efteems; or, at leaft, wishes them well, for the fake of the honours and profits he fees attached to the profeffion of them. Nay, he can perfuade himself to patronize what he has once chosen, for reafons ftill more remote from the conclufions of common fenfe. He likes them because they are old; because they are new; for being plain and fimple; for being fublime and mysterious; for being followed by the Few; for being followed by the Many; in a word, on a thousand other accounts, with which Truth hath no manner of concern. But this muft never be forgotten, that, let Prejudice drive from what quarter it will, it