the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. Who Christ himself is, personally considered, is not, of itself, of any consequence, but only whether he be sufficiently authorized by the God of truth to teach what he did teach in his name: If such doctrines be taught concerning Christ, personally considered, as men of sense will not readily believe, if it be insisted on that he is almighty God, the maker of the world, or any thing else that will seem to be either impossible or highly improbable (by which many persons may be indisposed to receive christianity, and especially the great bodies of Jews and Maho metans, who keep strictly to that most important doctrine of the unity of God) every rational christian ought on that account, as well as others, to exert himself to refute such notions, and to prevent the spread of them. But still we ought to bear in mind, that any man is intitled to the appellation of a christian who believes that Christ (whether he was himself God, or man, or something between God or man) had a commission from God, that he died and rose again; and who, in consequence of it, expects a general resurrection and a life of retri bution to come.

But should free inquiry lead to the destruction of christianity itself, it ought not on that account to A. a 3

be

be discontinued. For we can only wish for the

prevalence of christianity on the supposition of its being true; and if it fall before the influence of free inquiry, it can only do so in consequence of its not being true. But every man who is himself a serious believer in christianity, must have the most perfect confidence in its truth. He can have no doubt of its being able to stand the test of the most rigorous examination, and consequently he can have no motive to be unwilling to submit it to that test. None can well be enemies to free inquiry but those who, not believing christianity,. or at least strongly suspecting that it may not be true, yet wish to support it for some private and interested considerations; like those who lived by the trade of making shrines for the goddess Divna,. who were interested in the support of her worship at all events, whether they themselves believed in her divinity or not, because by that craft they got their wealth. But this is an argument that cannot much affect any besides members of civil establishments of religion. You, my brethren, have no interest whatever in the support of christianity, if it be false; and your ministers very little. We, therefore, as dissenters, shall be absolutely inexcusable if we be not friends to free inquiry in its ut

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most extent, and if we do not give the most unbounded scope to the use of our reason in matters of religion. It is the great principle on which our cause rests, and without which it can never be worth supporting at all.

By all means, then, be so far consistent, as christians, as protestants, and as dissenters as to give the greatest encouragement to free inquiry in matters of religion. Do you, who have leisure and capacity, study the subject of religion, the nature of its evidences, and every circumstance relating to it. No subjects of inquiry or speculation, within the reach of the human faculties, are so great and interesting as those which, in the most distant manner, relate to the revelation of the will of God to men, respecting our conduct here, and our expectations hereafter. The ultimate object of the whole scheme gives a dignity to comparatively little things belonging to it; and no studies, are in their nature, capable of becoming more pleasing. and satisfying to the mind than those of theology. For this I may venture to appeal to the experience of all those who, in consequence of having a taste for these studies, as well as others, and of having made real proficiency in both, are the only competent judges in the case. Their being the chosen studies.

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studies of Newton and Locke, for the greater and more valuable part of their lives, clearly shews that they considered them as superior to those of mathematics and natural philosophy in the one case, and of metaphysicks, and various other liberal pursuits, in the other. Compared with this testimony, so emphatically given, by the actual employment of their time, how contemptible is the opinion of men whose studies have been confined to polite literature, natural science, or that of men of the world, who cannot pretend to any knowledge of the subject on which they pass their hasty censures. You who have fortune, but little leisure, or capacity, for such inquiries yourselves, at least encourage them in others. Give assistance to their labours, and you will have a better right to enjoy the fruits of them, though you may not be qualified, in any other respect, to contribute to their success.

Do you, in general, who are private members of christian societies be, at least, so far the friends of free inquiry, as to throw no obstructions in the way of it. Allow your ministers the liberty that you take yourselves, and take no umbrage if, in consequence of giving more attention to matters of theology than you have leisure, for, they should

entertain

entertain opinions different from yours, provided. that your agreement on the whole be such, as that their services are useful and edifying to you. Af ter a laborious and perhaps hazardous course of inquiry, of the difficulties of which you can hardly, be aware, it is no great hardship upon you to give them at least a dispassionate and attentive hearing. They cannot force any opinions upon you. You will still have the power of judging for yourselves; and without hearing you cannot have even the means of forming a right judgment. And where an agreement cannot be had (and few persons who really think for themselves will agree in all things) you may exercise that mutual candour, which is of more value than any agreement in speculation.

If your ministers be men of sense, and have any knowledge of human nature, they will not trouble you, from such a place, as this, with speculations into which you cannot enter, or the discussion of questions that are not of some importance to our common christianity. But you may easily sup. pose, that, giving more attention to speculative religion than you have leisure to do, they may see the importance of certain articles in a stronger light than you will at first be aware of; and that will justify them to themselves, and ought to jus