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appear to know more than other Men, is ready to contradict the Senfe and Reason of all Men; for the fame Caufe that he who is defirous to be thought to have more Courage than others is ready to quarrel with every Man he meets. And this is a Temptation to which many daily facrifice the Innocence and Integrity of their Minds, whilst they mean little else by the Singularity of their Opinions, than to recommend themfelves to the World as Perfons of more than ordinary Discernment. That this is no unfair Account of the Conduct of fome Unbelievers, will appear by obferving the very different, but equally natural, Workings of the Mind in these two different States of it; whilft it feeks real Knowledge and Truth, and whilst it aims only at the Credit and Reputation of Wisdom: And this will help us likewise in examining ourselves, and in judging whether we act with those impartial Views and Regard to Truth, that all rational Men ought to do.

He who fits down to examine Truth, and search after real Knowledge, will equally fift all his Opinions; will reject none, that he has been long poffeffed of, without good Reafon; will admit no new ones without fufficient

fufficient Authority and Weight of Argument to fupport them. Wherever he discovers Truth, he gains the Satisfaction he aimed at: His Mind acquiefces in it: Nor is he disappointed in the Event of his Labour and Study, when he finds himself at laft in the fame Opinion with the reft of the World; with this only Difference, that his Perfuafion is the Effect of Reason, theirs perhaps of Prejudice and Custom; which is a Difference that affords much inward Satiffaction and Peace of Mind, but little or no outward Glory, or Credit of Wisdom and Understanding.

In the other Cafe, when Men aim at being thought wifer and more knowing than others, and labour only to poffefs the World with an Opinion of their Sagacity, they can have no Satisfaction in discovering the Truth and Reasonableness of any Opinion that is commonly received in the World: For how will they appear wifer than other Men by profeffing to believe what other Men believe as well as they? They can no otherwife fatisfy their Ambition, than by differing from the common Senfe and Reafon of Mankind; and the whole Bent of their Mind is to fupport

fuch

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 such vain Creatures should so far lose fight of the End they propose, 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 fuch 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 feen in; it is a Dress their Vanity cannot submit

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 small Part of Mankind; and to triumph

over their Errors is at beft but a limited Glory: Whereas, Religion being the general Perfuafion of the World, to conquer in this Cause 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 pafs, 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 lose the Credit of differing from the rest of the World.

Confider this Cafe well, and judge of it from your own Experience and Obfervation. If the Inftances 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 fo 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 expose his facred Truths, ask yourself this ferious Question, Whether you did not betray your Religion

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in compliment to yourself, to gain the Credit of being a very discerning Man, or set forth your own Ability? If you did, remember,

before it is too late, that for all these Things offended God will call you into Judg

your

ment.

There is one Sort of Temptation more which I shall mention, and that but briefly : It is a kind of false Shame, which often, in young People especially, prevails over the Fear of God and the Sense of Religion. When they find what Honour is often done to Unbelievers, and how well they are received, whilst Religion suffers 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 Disregard 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 Inflructors which caufe to err from the Words of Knowledge. How much it concerns you to guard

against

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