feeing the deformity of fuch an odious vice might avoid it; fo may we not hope, that placing examples of fhocking barbarities in the reader's view will be a means of exciting a deteftation against cruelty in general, and religious cruelty in particular?

Archbishop Tillotson was of opinion, that “tranfubftantiation is like a mill-ftone hung "about the neck of popery, which will fink it at "the laft" But is not perfecution, so notoriously the principle and practice of this religion, like a fill heavier mill-ftone, which muft inevitably produce that most defirable effect? For tho' all men cannot fee the abfurdity of falfe doctrines, yet furely every man, especially every good-natured and bumane man, must see that a religion which teaches and exercises cruelty, can be no other than a cruel and a wicked religion.

Should any afk,why fo much is faid concerning perfecution in a country where it is not at prefent in ufe, the anfwer is,in order that it never may come into use again; and more efpecially to beget the utmost averfion to a religion which is an affront to the Deity, deftructive of morality, a contradiction to common sense, and a fcandal to human nature.

If in thefe Effays the reader fhould find fome opinions treated with freedom, which he has been accustomed to regard with reverence, he is intreated

⚫ Sermon the 26th, vol. I of his works, fol. edition.

treated not to grow angry, nor pass too hafty a judgment: for paffion often prevents us from forming a right judgment, and a hafly decifion is feldom a just one.

As the doctrine of Everlasting Punishments is undoubtedly a fpecies of religious cruelty, and appears to be as falfe and pernicious as fhocking and dreadful, as derogatory to the honour of God as deftructive to the peace of mankind, an attempt is therefore made to fet fo deteftable an opinion in a clear light, and anfwer the chief arguments commonly used to defend it. And furely this attempt is the more neceffary, as a be hef that the Almighty would give exiftence to any creature fo much as liable to be eternally miferable, might tend to raise doubts concerning his wisdom, his knowledge, and his goodness.

Faith and Divine Revelation having a near connection with several of the foregoing fubje&ts, they are alfo treated of.

No attempts will be made in the following Effays to milead or deceive by art or fubtilty, nor to impofe by authorities: the author is indeed of opinion, that authority ferves many times to confirm and perpetuate falsehood, and that if men made lefs ufe of fubtilty and more of common fenfe, and appealed feldomer to authority and more frequently to reafon, they would be much lefs liable to error, and much more likely to dif coper truth,

Neither

Neither does he pretend to impose his fentiments magifterially on others: he is fully fenfible. he hath no right fo to do: as he expects and ̧ claims a liberty of judging for himself, he is fincerely defirous that every man should enjoy the fame, and as fincerely wishes to receive information from any person who will give it with good temper and good manners: nay, he would most willingly profit by it tho' void of both.

Notwithstanding it is the indifpenfible duty of all men freely to examine, according to the best of their capacities, every article of religion which they are required to believe, yet thofe who do this themselves, and advife others to do the like, are very frequently, and oftentimes very falfely, reprefented as immoral in their lives and licentious in their principles. But were this the cafe, might not fuch perfons give good advice, and expofe the abfurdity of falfe doctrines? 'Tis indeed moft earnestly to be wished, that all men lived foberly, righteously, and piously; and it more efpecially behoves thofe who take upon them to treat on points of religion or morality fo to live. Befides, it is freely acknowledged, that bad men have rarely either the inclination or power to do much good. Nevertheless, if immoral perfons tell us the truth, we ought to receive it for its own fake. Should we difbelieve the truth of religion, or be difgufted against it, because of the vicious lives of fome who are the teachers of it,

We

we should certainly act contrary to reafon and with great imprudence.

If free-thinking did fignify, or properly Speaking include immorality or licentioufnefs, it ought certainly to be detefted: but nothing can be more manifeft than that ufing this term in fuch a fenfe is a moft flagrant abufe of words. It is true, Jome who have called themfelves free-thinkers bave been immoral and profligate perfons: and have not many, who pretended to the greatest zeal for religion, been fome of the most deceitful and hypocritical wretches that ever appeared in the world? Yet for thefe reafons to denominate freethinking immorality and licentiousness, or religion deceit and hypocrify, would be equally abfurd and unjust. As religion properly fignifies the performance of our duty to God, fo by free-thinking is meant a free inquiry into all fubjects fuited to our capacities, and more especially those relating to religion, in order to a reasonable service of our Creator, and a right conduct towards mankind.

There is a practice too common among most difputants, of entering into perfonal altercations; and the first means made use of by many writers to convince fuch whom they think in the wrong is to abuse them. Certain divines have been very remarkable for this conduct towards those they call free-thinkers: when any of the former order have behaved like gentlemen, and treated the lat

ter civilly, they have been reproached with affecting the fame of moderation, or the higher ambition of the good word of those whofe opinions they oppofed.

Doubtless, moderation is looked upon as a vice by fome perfons; their writings and behaviour evidently prove their averfion to it; and fuch are apt to defpife the good word of those they pretend to reclaim from error: but others may think moderation a moft amiable virtue, and that conciliating the good will of those they would convince of a mistake, is oftentimes very ferviceable towards fetting them right.

Men of extreme choleric or fplenetic complections frequently appear mighty zealous for what they call religion: but when we plainly fee that as much zeal appears on other fubjects, especially in defence of strange paradoxes, which fome of thefe zealots are most immoderately and ridiculoufly fond of; and that they behave to all who prefume to diffent from them, tho' perhaps only on fome trivial points of literature, with exceffive haughtiness, and are in the highest degree impatient of contradiction; can we fuppofe any other, unless fome fmall allowance be made for hypocrify on account of certain worldly emoluments, than that all this flaming zeal proceeds entirely from an over-beated and diftempered brain, which produces pride, arrogance, and violence of temper?