by which this Diligence was rendered fruitlefs; to Incapacity, to unavoidable Prejudice, and perhaps not seldom to a mistaken Deference for Authority. Many more are the Caufes of Error; but a free and impartial Inquiry is not the Caufe of it. And therefore, whatever Merit there may be in fuch an Inquiry, the Errors themselves can have no Title to it.-Let me just add, that a rational Search is not only naturally productive of Knowlege; but, in fome degree, always produces it. Let other Circumftances be fuppofed equal, and I appeal to the warmest Adverfary, whether a careful Inquirer will not be universally pofsessed of more found Knowledge, than a Man who forbears to inquire at all, or a negligent and partial Inquirer ?-If this be evident, I hope I may be allowed to affirm, that a diligent Search after Truth is the Source of Knowlege, not of Error; and, by confequence, I am freed from the Abfurdity of fuppofing Error to be a moral Virtue.

How far this Notion of a rational Faith is agreeable to the Accounts contained in Scripture, will be more conveniently confidered afterwards. It will first be requifite to explain more diftinctly thofe Grounds and Caufes, from which I would derive it's moral Excellence. And if it appear, upon a fair Inquiry, to be, as I have juppofed, the Offspring of Virtue; I prefume we may fafely join in

it's Praifes, without incurring the leaft Sufpicion of yielding a Tribute which cannot reasonably be demanded. At least the Objection now brought can be no Bar to fuch a Claim: nor do we discover any fufficient Reason, why in this, as well as in other Inftances, the Excellence of the Caufe may not be transferred to the Effect.

KNOWLEGE in general may be fought and obtained on various and different Motives. Not only a Love for Truth; an honeft Intention to regulate our own Conduct; or a Difpofition to be useful to Mankind: but also an Oftentation of Parts and Learning; a Defire of qualifying ourselves for lucrative Employments or poffibly of circumventing other Men by the Force of fuperior Difcernment and Cunning. We are not therefore to wonder, that a Quality of fuch doubtful Origin, however laboriously acquired, is not ufually esteemed virtuous. I fay not ufually; for the best Moralifts among the Heathens have judged otherwife; attending perhaps to the Excellence of the Means, or the Goodness of the Effects, rather than the Uprightness of the Motives.-But however this fhall be determined; that Part of Knowlege which we are now confidering is liable to no fuch Objection. No Man, I believe, ever examined into the Doctrines and Precepts of Religion, with folemn Care, and ftrict Impartiality, on fuch Principles

Principles as are here fuppofed: partly be cause all the Views of Honour and Interest are generally to be answered at a much cheaper Rate; and partly because every Step he took in the Difquifition itself, would either difcourage him from proceeding further, or induce him to proceed upon better Motives.But if a few Exceptions are to be allowed (and many, I think, cannot be demanded;) thefe, I prefume, are fufficiently provided for, by a Conceffion already made, That Faith purely accidental can have no Merit at all.

ACCORDING to the natural Progress of Things, the Motive for feeking religious Knowlege is a confcientious Defire of discharging our Duty: the Means of obtaining it are Humility, Impartiality, Probity, Diligence. The Motive can hardly fubfift, but in a fincere and honeft Mind: the Means can never be put into Execution, without a fteady Adherence to Virtue, in Oppofition to the strongeft Temptations. Every Degree therefore of religious Knowlege implies a proportionable Degree of Moral Goodness.- -If an honeft Heart have a natural Tendency to lead Men into a right Understanding; the latter, whereever it is obferved, may fairly be confidered as an Effect and Indication of the former.

BUT the Qualifications above-mentioned, for the Acquifition of religious Knowlege, require to be a little unfolded; that their ConC 2 nection

pear.

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nection with Faith may more distinctly apBy Humility I would at present understand a juft Senfe of our own Weakness; either the Weaknefs of Human Understanding in general, or of our own in particular : a conftant Reflection how liable we all are to be deceived and impofed on, how frequently we ourselves have been led into Error, and how little Reafon we have to maintain with Confidence any Opinions whatsoever; those only excepted, which are founded on demonfrative Evidence, and which are improperly called Opinions. With whatever Degree of Probability Things may appear, the Man who is truly humble will always bear about him this Reflection, that it is poffible he may be mistaken. And, when he confiders the many Inftances, in which he has been strongly perfuaded upon weak and erroneous Principles; he will learn to fufpect his own Decisions, and to distrust his own Judgment in all Cafes that come before him.I prefume it will be needless to prove, that Humility, thus underflood, implies in it the Exercife of Virtue. That it naturally leads to the Discovery of Truth, and efpecially of religious Truth, will eafily appear; if it be confidered, that the contrary Difpofition fteels the Mind against Conviction. He who is not accustomed to doubt of his own Abilities, will come with an invincible Prejudice to the Hearing of new

Doctrines.

Doctrines. He will have no Thoughts of informing himself; but bend all his Pains and Skill to the Confutation of others: and he who hears with a Refolution of confuting, will find it no difficult Matter to confute any Thing. But a cautious and fufpicious Temper of Mind, fufpicious I mean of itself, and it's own Sufficiency, naturally puts a Man upon his Guard; teaches him to affert without Confidence, and to liften without Prejudice, It gives him a juft and proper Deference for the Sentiments of others; and makes him at all Times ready to receive Truth, from whomfoever it may come. This is more remarkably true, when applied to religious Opinions; because these, of all others, are generally embraced upon the flightest Grounds, and retained with the greatest Obftinacy. The Ufefulness therefore of Humility is here more clearly difcerned; because it is more evidently, and more frequently wanted.

A MAN is faid to inquire impartially, when he comes to the Inquiry, without any preconceived Opinions on either Side of the Queftion. Strictly fpeaking, this is a Qualification not to be expected; but, I prefume, it will not be denied, that for a Man to approach as near to it as he can, is a right and virtuous Conduct.—Is it not equally manifeft that fuch a Conduct is in fome Degree neceffary for the Attainment of Knowlege? Do

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not