fuch their Difference with plaufible Reason and Argument. This indeed carries with it a great Appearance of Wisdom; for to fhew all the World to be in an Error is not the Work of every Day, or of every Man. And how can you expect that fuch vain Creatures should so far lose fight of the End they propofe, as to give their Consent to any well-received Truth, when the very Paffion which has Poffeffion of their Soul makes it neceffary for them to treat all such Truths with Difdain and Contempt? Why would you have them fo abfurd, as to examine the Reasonableness of any known Opinion, when to find it reasonable would be the Ruin and Destruction of all their Glory, and fet them only upon a Level with the reft of Mankind? Give them any thing that looks like a new Discovery, and they will ftruggle hard with their Reason, but they will find something to say in defence of it: But threadbare Truth they hate to be seen in; it is a Dress their Vanity cannot fubmit

to.

This fort of Vanity it is, which has furnished the World with Sceptics in every Science, and in Religion above all others. Other Sciences are the Attainments of but a fmall Part of Mankind; and to triumph

over their Errors is at best but a limited Glory: Whereas, Religion being the general Perfuafion of the World, to conquer in this Caufe looks like univerfal Monarchy, and seems to be the very Empire of Wisdom and Knowledge, rifing out of the Ruins of univerfal Ignorance and Superftition. And thus it comes to pass, that weak and vain Men often make profeffion of greater Infidelity than in truth they are guilty of, and are content to give the lye to their own Reason, as well as that of all Mankind, rather than to lofe the Credit of differing from the reft of the World.

Confider this Cafe well, and judge of it from your own Experience and Observation. If the Instances which meet you every Day do not bear witness to the Truth of what I fay, believe me not: But, if they do, let the Folly of others teach you so much Wisdom, as not to give up your Reason and Understanding, your Hopes here and for ever, to a senseless, unprofitable Vanity. Try your own Heart by this Rule; and, if ever you have offended against the Majesty of Heaven by endeavouring to expofe his facred Truths, ask yourself this ferious Question, Whether you did not betray your Religion

in compliment to yourself, to gain the Credit of being a very difcerning Man, or set forth your own Ability? If you did, remember, before it is too late, that for all these Things your offended God will call you into Judg

ment.

There is one Sort of Temptation more which I shall mention, and that but briefly : It is a kind of falfe Shame, which often, in young People especially, prevails over the Fear of God and the Senfe of Religion. When they find what Honour is often done to Unbelievers, and how well they are received, whilft Religion fuffers under the hard Names of Ignorance and Superftition, they grow afhamed of their Profeffion; and, if not really, yet affectedly they put on the fashionable Air of Difregard to every thing that is ferious. By degrees they harden, till, from being ashamed to own God, they grow bold enough to deny him, encouraged by Example and by Precept to brave his utmost Vengeance.

These are the most common Temptations which betray Men into the Company and Friendship of Unbelievers, thofe Inftructors which caufe to err from the Words of Knowledge. How much it concerns you to guard against

against these Temptations will appear, in the Second Place, when we consider the Danger there is in listening to these Instructors.

And here I can only speak to such as have not yet made fhipwreck of Reason and Confcience: For, though the hardened Unbelievers are in the greatest Danger, yet they are farthest removed from the Power of Conviction: Nor will they perceive what Miseries they lay up in store for themselves, till they come to take poffeffion of their fad Inheritance; and then they will have but too much Time, and too many Calls, to reflect upon the wretched Choice they made. But, as for you, who have not yet renounced your God and your Redeemer; you efpecially, whofe eafy Fortunes, or flourishing Years, expofe you to the Temptations of crafty Sinners; give me leave to expoftulate this Cafe with all the Serioufnefs the Subject requires: And furely this is a ferious Matter, and deferves your cooleft Thoughts and Reflections. It is an unpardonable Folly and inexcufable Perverfenefs for Men to forfake Religion out of Vanity and Oftentation; as if Irreligion were a Mark of Honour, and a noble Diftinction from the reft of Mankind. To fear, where there is

true

true Cause of Fear, where our Souls and our eternal Happiness are at stake, is not below the Dignity of a Man. To out-brave God and his Juftice is a fad Instance of Courage: And Men, who fin through such ridiculous Vanity, may value themselves for their Bravery in defpifing the Fears, and their Wisdom in deriding the Weakness of Religion, and exposing the Faith and Credulity of Men; but perhaps a little Time, a very little Time, may fhew them what learned Pains they take to dispute themfelves into Hell. We must answer for the Vanity of our Reafoning, as well as for the Vanity of our Actions: And, if we take Pains to invent vain Reasoning to oppose to the plain Evidences that God has afforded us of his Being and Power, and to undermine the Proofs and Authorities upon which Religion ftands, we may be fure we shall not go unpunished for fo notable an Abuse of fo rich a Talent entrusted with us by God: Much more, if we debafe Reason, which was given us to be the governing Principle of our Lives, and force it to fubmit and follow our unruly Paffions and Affections, much more shall we be liable to the Vengeance of Heaven.