notwithstanding the various fentiments of christians, they are all perfectly agreed, and unanimous, with refpect to all the most important doctrines of natural religion, concerning which unbelievers in revelation have never been able to arrive at any certainty, or uniformity of opinion; fo that men who think at all are very far from getting rid of any real difficulty by abandoning revelation. Nay, the difficulties which we fhall find upon this fubject among chriftians, though I fhall not fail to ftate them with the greatest fairness, fuppreffing nothing that can contribute to their ftrength, are by no means fo embarraffing to the mind of man, as thofe which occur in the contemplation of nature.

If any perfon, discouraged by these difficulties, fhould think to relieve himself by rejecting all religion, natural and revealed, he will find, if he reflect at all, that he has miferably deceived himfelf, and that he is involved in greater perplexity than ever; the scheme he has adopted not only filling his mind with great darkness and distress, but being contrary to fome of the plaincft appearances

appearances in nature, and therefore manifeftly irrational and abfurd. In this cafe, therefore, true philofophy will lead a man to acquiefce in that scheme of principles which is attended with the fewest difficulties, without expecting to meet with any that is quite free from them; and a good man will be drawn by a ftrong propenfity to embrace that fyftem, the contemplation and influence of which will tend to make him, and his brethren of mankind, moft virtuous and happy. This important circumftance will always operate as an evidence for the truth of natural and revealed religion, on minds which are not perverted by fophiftry, or vice.

In the latter part of thefe Inftitutes, which relates to the duty and final expectations of mankind, it will be feen that I have made great ufe of Dr. Hartley's obfervations on man. To this writer I think myfelf happy in having any fair opportunity of making my acknowledgements; and I fhall think that a very valuable end will be gained, if, by this or any other means, a greater

upon

greater degree of attention could be drawn that most excellent performance, fo as to make it more generally read, and ftudied, by those who are qualified to do it. I do not know any thing that is better adapted to make an impreffion upon truly philofophical minds than the fketch that he has given of the evidences of chriftianity, in his fecond volume; and for this reafon I fhould be exceedingly glad to fee that part of his work published feparately.

VOL. I.

b

AN

AN ESSAY ON THE BEST METHOD OF

COMMUNICATING

RELIGIOUS KNOW

LEDGE TO THE MEMBERS OF CHRIS

TIAN SOCIETIES.

THE

HE fuperficial knowledge, or rather the extreme ignorance of the generality of youth in the prefent age, with refpect to religion, is the fubject of great and just complaint; and for want of being well established in the principles of rational religion, many of them are daily falling a prey to enthufiafm on one hand, and infidelity on the other. In this life we must not expect any good without fome attendant evil. The circumftance of which we now complain has been, in part, the natural effect of the moderation of the prefent times, in which no perfon is even queftioned about his religion. For, as the fubject is never canvaffed, nor fo much as started in polite company, no perfon thinks it worth his b 2 while