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write or converfe at all. What then? do SER M. we abfolutely condemn thofe who differ from us in thefe Points? No. The Medium between these two Extremes is, that leaving a Latitude of Thinking in Points lefs ufeful, and laying the main Stress upon Effentials, we even, as to the laft, abstract Men's Persons from their Opinions; and while we condemn the latter as pernicious, treat the former with Tendernefs. Fundamentals abftractedly from Perfons, as relating to the Scheme of Christianity, may be fixed by a certain and determined Standard, and they are plainly those, that are so intimately interwoven with Christianity, that It and They must stand or fall together. But Fundamentals in a relative View, as respecting the Salvation of particular Perfons, cannot be precifely defined and adjusted by any fixed and unchanging Measure. They muft vary, according to the Variety of Men's Apprehenfions, Circumftances, and Opportunities. And it is

impoffible to fettle thofe Points, the Belief of which fhall be neceffary to Salvation abfolutely, and univerfally; to all Men without any Distinction; in all Cafes, under fuch an endless Difparity of Capacities, Means of Inftruction, and Situation in Life, Who can tell what determined Proportion of Faith (neither lefs nor more) will carry a Man to Heaven? That Quantity of

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SER M. Faith, which may be infufficient in itself to V. make a Man a compleat Chriftian, may be fufficient for that Man, who, humanly speaking, has done the best He could in His Circumftances.

may

We cannot therefore, we do not, peremptorily and without any Exception, prefume to pass a decifive Sentence on Men erring fundamentally. To their Maker they ftand or fall, who alone views the hidden Springs and Caufes of Men's Perfuafions, and Actions, before whose righteous Tribunal we, as well as they, muft appear. His unerring Wisdom can only form a true Judgment of Men's Hearts and Heads; whether the former be deeply tinctured with incurable Prepoffeffions, and the latter irremediably want a Clearness of Conception and His Goodness may make favourable Allowances in fuch Cafes. We cannot decide how far His Mercy may extend to Enthufiafts, or those that make near Approaches to Enthusiasm by a conftitutional Impetuofity of Temper. Nay, fome Men, who, in all other Points, have spoke the Words of Truth, Reafon, and Sobernefs, have in one Particular, and only in one Particular, betrayed evident Marks of a disturbed Mind. Some very great Men have mistaken an arbitrary Affociation of Ideas for a juft Connection of them: and hence, I suppose, it has come to pass, that some Philo

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Philofophers of Eminence have advanced as S ER m. extravagant and abfurd Opinions, as the moft vulgar Reception has countenanced.

It is no difficult Matter to find by what Means Great Men have been misled into an Error. Suppose, for Inftance, a Man has, by a long Habit of Thinking, joined together the Ideas of Neceffity, of Existence, and that of one Perfon only in the Godhead: fo that, His Thoughts having run for a confiderable Time in a wrong Channel, He cannot disjoin, or put them afunder: tho' others cannot perceive what necessary, that is, immutable and unprecarious Exiflence has to do with Unity of Perfon. The two Ideas do not imply or infer one another. They want fome intermediate Term to bring them to a friendly Correspondence. Some have fo infeparably affociated the Idea of Succeffion with Duration, and of Extenfion with Prefence, that they afcribe them to the eternal Duration, and univerfal Prefence of God. And these Men, who, in Confequence of fuch Notions, do maintain an infinite Number, a Number that is neither equal nor unequal, a last Number; have fometimes levelled their Artillery against Myfteries; that is, after having fwallowed a Camel, they have trained at a Gnat.

It may fomewhat extenuate the Guilt of a fundamental Error, that thofe, who abet

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SER M. it, may not perhaps fee, that it is fubverfive of Christianity. The Confequences, which flow from it, may be very fhocking; but they may not, difcern thofe Confequences : Nay, it may be fometimes charitably prefumed, that they would have rejected their Tenets with Abhorrence, if they had perceived that fuch Deductions neceffarily refulted from them. Whatever Confequences we may charge upon the Doctrine, we ought not therefore to charge them upon the Men, especially if they be remote Confequences, and ftand at a great Distance from the Principles which they efpouse.

Again, we cannot determine how far the Judgment may be under the Tyranny of an Imagination, which has an uncommon Vivacity, especially if it comes near to Madness, and has been long indulged in it's defpotic Sway. When the Imagination has great Beauty, and irrefiftible Charms, it will get and maintain an Afcendant over that which was defigned to rule over it. Several stamp the Characters of Divinity on an Idol which the Fancy has fet up, and wonder that all Mankind do not fall down and worship it. Every flight Argument, that countenances it, is Demonftration and every one that opposes it is a palpable Fallacy They fee it in every Text of Scripture, and are furprized at the unaccountable Blindness of other People, that

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they do not fee it too. The great Difpute S & R M. between Truth and Error, between Religion and Irreligion, seems to be only, what ought to be no Difpute at all, a perpetual Contention between Reafon and Imagination, which should have the Preference. Reason can prove, that unless it's Comprehenfion were the full Measure of Truth, feveral Things may be true which it cannot comprehend: that therefore the Incomprehenfibility of a Thing is no Objection to the Truth of it: and what is no Objection to the Truth of a Propofition, can be none to the Credibility or Belief of it: Reafon can fee well enough, that what may appear absurd upon our partial and imperfect Views, might have quite a different Afpect, if our Ideas were commenfurate to the whole Extent of the Subject. But a proud rebellious Imagination refuses to admit what it cannot bring down to it's own Level, and of the Manner of which it can form no Idea.

There is fometimes an Inability to go out of that Track of Thinking, to which we have been accuftomed from our Infancy. Our Bleffed Saviour, who could with Eafe difpoffefs Men of Evil Spirits, found it a much harder Tafk, notwithstanding His Miracles, to difpoffefs them of inveterate Prejudices, and rivetted Errors.