conceived myself to be a rational believer: but, having lately been induced to institute a new and serious inquiry, the confequence is, I find myself constrained to become a Sceptic.

This is certainly what I did not wish for. My prejudices feem to have lain on the fide of revealed religion; and (with such ability as I had) I have endeavoured to fupport it. Indeed, when fome perfons remember me fo zealous an advocate for that cause as to render my prudence queftionable, they may poffibly fufpect me of levity. In fo doing, however, they would wrong me. That which I formerly venerated as a christian, I continue ftill to venerate. But, whereas I formerly imagined the doctrines of christianity (without giving their express fanction) were in very good accord with thofe ideas of a benevolent providence, furnished by my philosophy, and I rejoiced to have my expectations of future existence confirmed

confirmed by the chriftian revelation-it now appears evident that the difference is irreconcileable between thofe doctrines and my philofophical ideas and prospects. These last are so happily and forcibly represented by Dr. Priestley, in his dedication of the Treatife on Neceffity to the late Dr. Jebb, that I fhall borrow what here follows. "You and I, Sir (fays Dr. P.),

rejoice in the belief that the whole hu"man race are under the fame wholesome

difcipline, and that they will all certainly "derive the most valuable advantages "from it, though in different degrees, in "different ways, and at different periods; "that even the perfecutors are only giving "the precedence to the perfecuted, and "advancing them to a much higher de

gree of perfection and happiness; and "that they must themselves for the fame "benevolent purpofe undergo a more se"vere discipline than that which they are "the means of adminiftering to others."

"With this perfuafion, we cannot but "confider every being and every thing in

a favourable light. Every person with " whom we have any connection is a friend, " and every event in life a benefit; while "God is equally the father and the friend "of the whole creation."

Such appeared to me to be the present condition, and fuch the future destiny, of human kind: and fuch they ftill appear. I mean to fay, that, in my opinion, this is the most reasonable mode of explaining the phænomena of human nature, and human affairs. But, if the fcriptures are to determine us, we must abandon, as altogether vifionary, our delightful ideas and joyful expectations derived from fuch a benevolent conftitution of things, however worthy we may deem fuch a conftitution tob e of Him who is the first, the greatest, and the beft of all. In reality, what is represented in the New Teftament as the future and final

deftination

deftination of mankind forms a contrast with it moft melancholy and diftreffing.-Let us appeal to what we find there, and efpecially to what are said to be the words of Chrift himself.

In the 5th chapter of Matthew, verfes 29th and 30th, the words of Jesus Christ are thus recorded: "If thy right eye of“fend thee, pluck it out and cast it from "thee: for it is profitable for thee that "one of thy members fhould perish, and

not that thy whole body should be caft "into hell. And if thy right hand offend "thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for "it is profitable for thee that one of thy "members fhould perish, and not that thy "whole body fhould be cast into hell.”

Now, in cafe we should not understand what is meant by the phrase cast into bell, we may find the matter more fully exprefsed in the 18th chapter, and the 9th verfe, where the phrafe ufed is everlafing fire.

He

He is likewife faid by Mark to have been still more explicit on the fame fubject. It will answer my purpose to transcribe the paffage.

"If thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it "is better for thee to enter into life maim

ed, than, having two hands, to go into "hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than, having two feet, to be caft into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not "quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, "pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter "the kingdom of God with one eye, than, "having two eyes, to be caft into hell-fire: "where their worm dieth not, and the fire " is not quenched. For every one fhall be "falted with fire."