not Prejudices naturally and unavoidably throw a Mift upon the Understanding? Do they not wonderfully illuftrate the Arguments on one Side; and make us lofe Sight of the contrary Arguments?-Let it only be confidered that to judge rightly, we must first have taken a View of the whole Cafe; that fuch a View is not to be had, if we turn our Eyes only one Way; and that all preconceived Opinions are fure to take off our Attention from Reafons which, we are already determined, neither have, nor can have any Weight. UnJefs thefe Reasons could operate upon the Mind without being perceived and understood; it would be abfurd to expect that such an Inquiry fhould ever turn to any good Account. -But this Impartiality is peculiarly needful in our religious Inquiries. And the Reafon is obvious. For here Prejudices are carefully infufed into us from our very Nativity; and fo, taking Root in young and tender Minds, are never afterwards to be plucked up, without great Care and extraordinary Prudence. Hence it is that in all Ages and Nations the religious. Opinions of Parents are handed down to their Children; and perhaps not one in ten Thousand has the Wisdom or the Courage to reject them; however abfurd and erroneous.-This I say makes it abfolutely neceffary for every fincere Inquirer, to exert himfelf with the utmost Vigilance, in weeding out of his Mind

all

all Principles, which he has derived from any other Source than the Ufe and Application of his own Reason.*

BY Probity I intend a Difregard to Motives of private Paffion, or fecular Intereft.That it is reasonable to exclude all Thoughts of this Nature from our religious Deliberations, no Man, I believe, ever denied. Nor fhall I need to use many Words to make it. appear that fuch an Exclufion is quite requifite for the Attainment of religious Knowlege. In most other Parts of Learning it has indeed no Place but here it is of the laft Importance.Whoever fits down to chufe his Religion under the Influence of fome prevailing Paffion, or with a Profpect of fecular Advantage full

I am fenfible the Method here recommended of a cautious Examination into established Doctrines will not fuit the Tafle of those Perfons, who have formed their Notions by Fashion, rather than Reafon. A pertinacious Adherence to received Opinions has been too often thought the most effential Part of Religion, and the high Road to Perfection. But Experience and Reflection have in fome Measure opened our Eves; and taught us that, in order to believe rightly, we must in the firft Place purify our Hearts: I mean, that we must purge away thofe Prejudices, which, above all Things, defeat our Studies and difappoint our Inquiries; that we must throw off, as much as poffible, all Attachment either to our Superiors or our Ancestors; and endeavour, for a Time, at leaft, to forget that we are Members of the best Church upon Earth. Without this neceffary Precaution, we may indeed be zealous in her Defence; but the Zeal of an Indian for his favourite Idol will be equally rational, and equally meritorious. He only is a true Friend to this, or any other, Eftablishment; whofe Friendship is the Effect of Conviction, and whofe Conviction has been drawn from him merely by the Weight of Evidence.

in his View; has no Chance for seeing any Evidence, which would interfere with the Accomplishment of his Defires. Facilè omnes credimus quod volumus is a Maxim attested by univerfal Experience. It is therefore an indifpenfible Means of Knowlege to shut our Eyes, as much as poffible, against these Objects; and not fuffer them to come in our Way, whenever we are feeking after fuch Truths, as may happen to be inconfiftent with the Poffeffion of them.

WHAT I mean by Diligence needs no Explanation. All Knowlege requires Labour: and Labour, directed to a right End, is Virtue. If any Perfon imagine religious Knowlege is to be had at a cheaper Rate, I prefume he is greatly mistaken. Other Circumstances being fuppofed equal, a Man's Improvements cannot but bear an exact Proportion to his Endeavours,-We may therefore conclude that a clear and extenfive Knowlege of Divine Things, fupported by firm and rational Proof, is rarely to be acquired without great Virtue and that every Degree of fuch Knowlege infers a proportionable Degree of Care, both in the Conduct of the Underftanding itself, and in the Ufe and Application of all fit Means for it's continual Improvement and Information.

I FEAR it will be thought that, in this Inquiry, I have long fince loft Sight of my Subject.

Subject. Let us therefore try, before we proceed any farther, how thefe Things tend to the Support and Establishment of the main Point. I undertook to fhew that the Faith of a Chriftian is defervedly reprefented to us, in Scripture, under the Notion of a Moral Virtue. I have fhewn, in Fact, that this Appellation may justly be given to all religious Knowlege; on account of the Excellence of those Causes, by which it is naturally and generally produced. But now this univerfal Conclufion manifeftly includes the particular Propofition, in the Proof of which I was engaged. It does fo on Suppofition of the * Truth of Chriftianity; and I am not now arguing, nor difpofed to argue, on any other Suppofition. It may therefore be already concluded that Reason and Scripture are so far perfectly agreed.

BUT I mean not to rely wholly on these general Reflections. It will certainly be requifite, on many Accounts, to make a more diftin&t

It cannot furely be expected that I should prove the Reafonableness of believing a falfe Religion. It the Evidences of Christianity are infufficient, certainly the Faith of a Christian deserves no Praise. What I am concerned to maintain is only this; that fuppofing thofe Evidences to be otherwise unexceptionable, the Commendations beftowed on Faith will not diminish their Weight: will not afford any Objection against a Religion well fupported by folid and rational Proof.-But I fhall freely own that we cannot be more certain of the Moras Excellence of Faith, than we are of the Truth of our Religion jtfelf.

diftinct Application of thefe Principles to the Faith of a Chriftian in particular. And here it is obvious to remark that, if religious Doctrines, of whatever Kind, deferve and require a careful Examination; it must be of the utmoft Importance to inform ourselves rightly concerning Revealed Religion: that in fearching diligently after this Information there will be fresh Room, and greater Scope, for the Exercife of those Moral Virtues, which have been already enumerated: and that, if the Merit of our religious Knowlege be either measured by it's Extent or it's Certainty, a rational Belief of the Doctrines of Chriftianity will be in an eminent Degree praife-worthy.

In order to conceive more clearly the Force and Truth of this Obfervation, and the better to prevent Mifconftruction; it may be proper to distinguish, in this Place, between a general and previous Belief of the Divine Origin of our Religion, and a fubfequent Belief of it's particular Doctrines. Thefe Cafes being, in a very material Point, effentially different.

THAT Jefus Chrift was a true Prophet, commiffioned by God to declare bis Will to Mankind, is a Doctrine we are taught from our very Childhood. Education and Interest confpire to fix it in our Minds; and scarce fuffer the Generality of Chriftians to entertain the leaft Doubt or Scruple about it. Indeed the present Age has been more fruitful of Ex

amples