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and state of mind through which men may have been led to form them) will neceffarily exclude them from the favour of God, be particularly careful, with respect to the premises from which they draw fo alarming a conclufion. Of all the tenets that can be the fubject of debate, this has the most dreadful practical confequences. This belief lays fuch hold of the mind, and is apt to excite fuch a horror of the reprobated opinions, as, in the frail state of humanity, is with difficulty brought to be confiftent with any esteem or love of the perfons who hold them; and, from the affinity of our paffions, is, in too many minds, capable of degenerating into abfolute hatred, rancour, and the diabolical spirit of perfecution. Such perfons are apt to be fo tranfported with zeal, that they will even do evil that good may come, and destroy the bodies of fome, to promote, as they fancy, the good of the fouls of others. Indeed, no other opinions than fuch as thefe can, with the leaft plaufibility, be alledged in favour of perfecution; and we find, in fact, that those have ever been the most violent perfecutors, who have thought falvation and the favour of God appropriated to themfelves. Where, therefore, fuch an opinion as this has unhappily been formed, we must guard ourselves against the effects of it, as we would against thofe of abfolute infanity in the perfons. we converfed with; and fhould use every method

we

we can think of to bring them from fo fatal a turn of thinking, to a fober state of mind.

On the contrary, if we can be fo happy as to believe, that there are no errors, but what men may be fo circumftanced, as to be innocently betrayed into; that any miftake of the head is very confiftent with rectitude of heart; and that all differences in modes of worship may be only the different methods, by which different men (who are equally the offspring of God) are endeavouring to honour and obey their common parent; our differences of opinion would have no tendency to leffen our mutual love and efteem. In this ftate of mind, most of our differences would be in a fair way of being terminated; and all that could remain would do no more than furnish an eafy and agreeable exercife for the christian virtues of candour and moderation. Different parties in religion would then only afford room for a generous and friendly emulation, which of them thould most advance the caufe of truth, and recommend their feveral profeffions, by the most benevolent and exemplary conduct. Every man would speak or write with more or lefs warmth, in proportion to the apprehended importance of his fubject; but this could never be fo great, as to afford the least colour or pretence for the violence of thofe, who imagine that they are oppofing damnable herefies; and could hardly ever betray them into any indecency or intemperance of language. Their

anger

anger would be moft in danger of getting the better of their meekness and their pity, when they were attacked with the pride and fury, that is peculiar to those who fancy themselves to be the only favourites of heaven, and all the reft of the world to be reprobate from God and goodness.

Those perfons who think that their falvation depends upon holding their prefent opinions, muft neceffarily entertain the greatest dread of free inquiry. They must think it to be a hazarding of their eternal welfare to listen to any arguments, or read any books that favour of herefy. It must appear to them in the fame light as listening to any other temptation, whereby they should be in danger of being feduced to their everlasting destruction. And this temper of mind cannot but be a foundation for the most deplorable bigotry, obftinacy, and ignorance. Whereas those perfons who have not that idea of the importance of their prefent fentiments, preserve a state of mind proper for the difcuffion of them. If they be wrong, as their minds are under no strong bias, they are within the reach of conviction, and thus are in the way to grow wifer and better as long as they live.

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SECTION II.

UCH has been faid concerning the prac tical tendency of particular opinions in religion; but, in general, this has been done. with little accuracy, whereas it is a fubject that deferves the niceft attention of philofophers and divines; requiring an intimate knowledge of the human paffions and affections, and of the various influences to which men are expofed in life. As to what Mr. Venn has thought proper to call a proof of the incomparable excellence of the orthodox fystem confidered in a practical view, I do not fo much as pretend to examine it at all; and he or his friends may, if they please, confider this, as a confeffion, that I am not able to refute what he has advanced upon that fubject. I shall only, in this place, suggest a few general obfervations; and may poffibly, upon fome other occafion, enter into a more particular difcuffion of this truly curious and ufeful fubject of inquiry.

All that can be done to influence men's moral conduct is, in the first place, to prefent to their minds fufficient motives of hope or fear; and, in the next place, in order to make that course of actions, to which these motives lead, pleafing and eafy, fo as to form a habit, and engage the heart and affections; we must give them fuch

ideas

ideas of the Divine Being, of their fellow creatures, of themselves, &c. (that is, of all the beings and things with whom they have any connection, and whom their duty refpects) as will make them appear to be the proper objects of thofe difpofitions and affections, which we are required to exercise towards them.

The great objects of hope and fear, which christianity presents to mankind, are the joys and torments of a future life. It is the conviction of the infufficiency and instability of every thing on this fide the grave; it is a regard to a treasure in heaven, which neither moth nor rust can corrupt, and which thieves cannot break through and fteal; it is the firm belief and expectation of the great recompence of reward, that awaits our perfeverance in well-doing, at the refurrection of the just; thefe, I fay, are the confiderations that raife the hearts of men above this world, and place them beyond the influence of its pleasures or pains; so that they can neither be feduced by the one, nor deterred by the other, from keeping the commandments of God. Thefe great and leading motives to virtue, these confiderations, whereby we become habitually to look upon ourselves as citizens of heaven, and only pilgrims and strangers on earth, muft be nearly the fame in all the forms of the chriftian religion; and, in proportion to the degree in which we give our attention to them, and thereby ftrengthen our faith in them, they muft influence us all alike..

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