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rubbing, they must be discarded as no genuine principles of truth, but only counterfeits of it.

And as reafon and feripture muft difcover our prejudices to us, fo they only can help us to get rid of them. By thefe are we to rectify, and to these are we to conform all our opinions and fentiments in religion, as our only ftandard, exclufive of all other rules, light, or authority whatfoever.

And care muft further be taken that we do not make fcripture and reafon bend and buckle to our notions, which will rather confirm our prejudices than cure them. For whatever cannot evidently be made out, without the help of overstrained metaphors, and the arts of fophiftry, is much to be fufpected; which used to make Archbishop Tillotfon fay, Non amo argutias in theologia, "I do not love fub"tilties in divinity." But,

(2.) The human mind is very apt to be prejudiced either for or against certain perfons, as well as certain fentiments. And as prejudice will lead a man to talk very unreasonably with regard to the latter, fo it will lead him to act very unreasonably with regard to the former."

What is the reafon, for inftance, that

we

we cannot help having a more hearty affection for fome perfons than others? Is it from a fimilarity of tafte and temper ? or fomething in their addrefs, that flatters our vanity? or fomething in their humour, that hits our fancy? or fomething in their converfation, that improves our underftanding? or a certain sweetness of dispofition, and agreeablenefs of manner, that is naturally engaging or from benefits. received or expected from them? or from fome eminent and diftinguished excellency in them? or from none of thefe, but fomething elfe, we cannot tell what? Such fort of inquiries will fhow us whether our esteem and affections be rightly placed, or flow from mere inftinct, blind prejudice, or fomething worse.

And fo, on the other hand, with regard to our diffaffection towards any one, or the disgust we have taken against him; if we would know ourselves, we must examine into the bottom of this, and fee not only what is the pretended, but true caufe of it; whether it be a juftifiable one, and our refentments duly proportioned to it. Is his manner of thinking, talking, and acting, quite different from mine, and therefore what I cannot approve? or have I received fome real affront or injury from

him? Be it fo; my continued refentment against him, on either of thefe accounts, may be owing, notwithstanding, more to fome unreasonable prejudice in me, than any real fault in him.

For as to the former, his way of thinking, talking, and acting, may poffibly be juster than my own; which the mere force of cuftom and habit only makes me prefer to his. However, be his ever fo wrong, he may not have had the fame advantage of improving his understanding, address, and conduct, as I have had, and therefore his defects herein are more excufable. And he may have many other kind of excellencies which I have not."But he is not only ignorant and un"mannered, but unfufferably vain, con"ceited, and overbearing at the fame "time." Why, that perhaps he cannot help; it is the fault of his nature. He is the object of pity rather than refentment. And had I fuch a temper by nature, I fhould perhaps, with all my felf-improvement, find it a difficult thing to manage: and therefore, though I can never choofe fuch a one for an agreeable companion, vet I ought not to harbour a dislike to im, but love, and pity, and pray for him, a perfon under a great misfortune, and 3

be

be thankful that I am not under the fame. -"But he is quite blind to this fault of "his temper, and does not appear to be "in the leaft fenfible of it." Why, that " is a greater misfortune ftill, and he ought to be the more pitied.

And as to the other pretended ground of prejudice," He hath often offended and " injured me," let me confider, 1. Whether any offence was really intended; whether I do not impute that to ill-nature, which was only owing to ill manners; or that to defign, which proceeded only from ignorance. Do I not take offence before it is given? If fo, the fault is mine, and not his and the refentment I have conceived against him, I ought to turn upon myself *.-Again, 2. Did I not provoke him to it, when I knew his temper? The fault is ftill my own. I did or might know the pride, paffion, or perverseness of his nature; why then did I exafperate him? A man that will needlessly rouse a lion, must not expect always to come off fo favourably as the hero of La Mancha. -But

* For every trifle fcorn to take offence;
That always hows great pride, or little fenfe.
Good nature and good fenfe must always join;
To err is human, to forgive divine.

Pope

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--But, 3. Suppose I were not the aggreffor, yet, how came 1 into his company? who led me into the temptation? He hath acted according to his nature in what he hath done; but I have not acted according to my reafon, in laying myself fo open to him. I knew him; why did I not fhun him, as I would any other dangerous animal that does mifchief by inftinct? If I muft needs put my finger into a wafp's neft, why should I blame them for ftinging me?-Or, 4. If I could not avoid his company, why did I not arm myself? Why did I venture defencelefs into fo much danger? Or, 5. Suppofe he hath done me a real and undeserved injury, without my fault or provocation, yet, does not my prefent difcontent greatly aggravate it? Does it not appear greater to me than it does to any body else? or than it will to me, after the prefent ferment is over?-And, laftly, After all, muft I never forgive? How fhall I be able to repeat the Lord's prayer, or read our Saviour's comment upon it, Matth. vi. 14, 15. with an unforgiving temper? Do I not hope to be forgiven ten thousand talents; and cannot I forgive my fellow-fervant thirty pence? when I know not but he hath repented, and God hath forgiven him; whofe forgiveness I want

infinitely

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