preffing the Chriftian Religion in its first rife, as to make ufe at any time of this (Bart'lemewfair) method: But he is perfuaded of this, that had the truth of the Gospel been any way furmountable, they would have bid much fairer for the filencing it, if they had chose to bring our primitive founders upon the stage in a pleasanter way than that of bear skins and pitch barrels and he is apt to think, that if the Jews had tried their wit and malice this way against our Saviour and his Apoftles, they might poffibly have done our Religion more harm than by all their other ways of Jeverity.

This it feems is allowed to be the most probable way of doing mischief to Religion, but the trial of it is recommended, because Truth will in the end be fuperior to it. And whether any other wicked method of abufing or fuppreffing Truth may not be defended upon, the fame principle, That great is Truth and will prevail, I may leave to any man's confideration. However, that we may not wrong this Author, it must be owned, that he fometimes fpeaks of treating Religion with good manners, and tells us, he writes in de

E 4

Elay on the Freedom of wit and humour, p. 75, 76.

fence

fence only of that fort of freedom which is taken among gentlemen and friends, who know one another perfectly well; and though as to what paffes in Jelect company, where friends meet knowingly, and with that very design of exercifing their wit and looking freely into all fubjects, be fees no pretence for any one to be offended at the way of raillery and humour, which is the very life of fuch converfation; yet he owns that to start questions, or manage debates which offend the publick ear, is to be wanting in that respect which is due to common fociety, and that fuch fubjects should either not be treated at all in publick, or in fuch a manner as to occafion no fcandal or disturbance; that the publick is not on any account to be laughed at, to its face, and that the lovers of mankind respect and honour conventions and focieties of men, more than this comes to.

Now it would be some happiness, if these witty Gentlemen would be perfuaded to contain themselves within fuch bounds. But that I am afraid will be very difficult, fince if the plea before mentioned, in defence of Ridicule, have any weight in it, it will certainly carry them much farther. And indeed, we seldom find any of those, who think they have abun

dance

dance of wit, fit to be exercised on all fubjects, but they are very impatient of having it confined to so narrow a compafs. It would be almost as easy to perfuade some men, that they want wit, as to prescribe them fuch limits in the use of it, The truth is, though one would think it but a very reasonable request, that men should forbear making a jest of any ferious argument, especially in matters of great moment, till they have by fair reasoning fhewn it to be abfurd or ridiculous; yet generally speaking, these bold fort of Jefters take the contrary method; they make use of scoffing and ridicule as a crutch to fupply their defect of true arguments, or as a cover to keep their false ones from being seriously examined. But to conclude this matter, if men would really act according to the principles of reason, or the rules of decency, or a juft concern even for their own reputation among confiderate men, they would not venture to treat the principles of Religion in a manner fo unbecoming the nature of the thing, and fo highly offenfive to all that believe it; and above all, for any thing they can know to the contrary, fo infinitely dangerous to themselves in the iffue, if it be really true. And fuch I

hope

hope it will appear to all impartial enquirers after truth, when it comes to be fairly examined.

And thus I have gone through those several confiderations which I propofed at first, not as a proof of the truth and certainty of the principles of Religion, but as a preparative towards the fincere and impartial weighing and examining of them. For I am fully perfuaded, if this could but be obtained, infidelity might foon be convinced of its own weakness, fince the ftrength of it lies not fo much in real argument as in unreasonable prejudice.

The fum therefore of what I would earneftly recommend, to all thofe who defire to find the truth in matters of Religion, is Sincerity of heart. Let them seriously and honeftly examine their own hearts in the first place, before they offer to judge of the evidence; whether there be not in them any latent prejudice against Religion, any secret wish or defire that it may not be true, because of its croffing fome favourite paffion or vitious inclination, which they would willingly pursue without controul; whether there

be

be nothing of inward pride or felf-conceit, which makes them affect an opinion, because it is fingular or new, or reject one because it is old or vulgar; and whether they have not taken unreasonable offence at all Religion, because of the abuses that have been made of it, and to avoid one extreme, have without confideration run into another: Because any of these, or the like prejudices, will certainly indifpofe them towards the fincere search of truth; and will make both the arguments and objections appear very different from what they really are.

Purity of heart is the furest way to fee God, even in this fenfe of feeing him.

And that there may not be found in any of us an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God, may that Supreme Being grant

unto us All

SERMON