diciously remarks, That a little Philofo phy inclineth mens Minds to Atheism, but Depth in Philofophy bringeth mens Minds about to Religion. And his Obfervation is confirm'd by Experience. For in ignorant Popish Countrys, where Free-Thinking paffes for a Crime, Atheism most abounds; for Free-Thinking being banish'd, it remains. only for Men to take up their Religion upon truft from the Prieft: which being fuch a Jeft upon all things facred, by making the Truths of God to depend on the various and contradictory Whimfys of interested and fallible Men; half-witted and unthinking People, who can eafily fee through this, conclude all alike the Prieft fays. So that Ignorance is the foundation of Atheism, and Free-Thinking the Cure of it. And thus tho it fhould be allow'd, that fome Men by Free-Thinking may become Atheists, yet they will ever be fewer in number if Free-Thinking were permitted, than if it were reftrain'd.

3. BUT fuppofing that Free-Thinking will produce a great number of Atheists; yet it is certain they can never be fo numerous where Free-Thinking is allow'd, as the Superftitious and Enthusiasts will be, it FreeThinking were reftrain'd. And if these latter are equally or more mifchievous to So

* Effays, p. 99.

ciety than the former, then it is better to allow of Free-Thinking, tho it fhould increase the number of Atheists, than by a Restraint of Free-Thinking to increase the number of fuperftitious People and Enthufrafts. Now that Enthufiafts and fuperftitious People are more mischievous to Society, I will prove to you in the judicious Remarks of two Men of great Authority.

*

MY Lord BACON fays, Atheism leaves a Man to Senfe, to Philofophy, to natural Piety, to Laws, to Reputation; all which may be Guides to an outward moral Vertue, tho Religion were not: But Superftition dismounts all these, and erecteth an abfolute Monarchy in the Minds of Men. Therefore Atheism did never perturb States; for it maketh Men wary of themselves, as looking no further: and we fee the Times inclin'd to Atheism (as the Times of AUGUSTUS CESAR) were civil Times. But Superftition hath been the Confufion of many States; and bringeth in a new Primum Mobile that ravisbeth all the Spheres of Go

vernment.

Dr. HICKES fays, If the Atheist does Evil because he believes not, the Enthusiast will upon a thousand occafions believe he may do Evil. If the one sticks at no means, tho never fo

*Effays, p. 96.

+ Difc. on Tillotson and Burnet, p. 24.

wicked

wicked, the other thinks the Goodness of the End will fanctify the most wicked Means. In a word, they both make a Cloke of Religion for Covetousness, Ambition and Cruelty: They will both lye, murder, rob, and rebel for holy Church and Religion; and there never yet was Any Holy League, Covenant, or Affociation, to begin or carry on Rebellion, under the holy Pretence of Religion, wherein the Ringleaders were not Atheists or Enthufiafts: and of the two it is hard to tell which hath done most mischief in any Kingdom. But the Enthusiast makes the more taking and plaufible Hypocrite of the two; he can fooner melt into Tears, and more natu rally counterfeit the Spiritual Man among the People, and transform himself with a better grace into an Angel of Light.

4thly. IT is objected, That the Priests are fet apart to think freely for the Laity, and are to be rely'd on, as Lawyers, Phyficians, &c. are in their feveral Facultys. To this I answer,

1. THAT no Man is excluded from ftudying Law or Phyfick, because there are feveral of thofe Profeffions, nor from following his own Judgment when he is fick or in Law; nor is there any reason why a Man, who is not a Doctor in Phyfick or a Serjeant at Law, may not understand as much Law and Phyfick as either of them. In like manner, the fetting Men apart for the Study of Divinity, does not exclude

1

others

(

others from the Study of Divinity, nor from following their Judgment about a Point in Divinity, nor from knowing as much Divinity as any Doctor in Divinity. And by confequence there is no neceffity to rely on any Man's Judgment, either in Law, Phyfick, or Divinity. And this puts me in mind of a Paffage in Mr. LE CLERC'S late Bibliotheque Choifie, Tom. 25. p. 130, A Gentleman ask'd a Proprietor of New-Jersey in America (where there are few Inhabitants befides Quakers) Whether they had any Lawyers among them? Then, Whether they bad any Phyficians? And lastly, Whether they bad any Priefts? To all which the Proprietor anfwer'd in order, No. O happy Country! replies the Gentleman, That must be a Paradife !

2. BUT fuppofing that the Bulk of Mankind are oblig'd in matters of Law and Phyfick to rely on fome one in those Profeffions, the Parallel will not hold from Law and Phyfick to Divinity, and the Cases are different in these following refpects.

(1) WHEN I thro Unskilfulness in Law or Phyfick rely on fome Lawyer or Phyfician, I am by no means under an Obligation implicitly to believe the Principles or Opinions upon which the one prescribes or the other acts, or fo much as to know any thing in nature about them, The Physician

may

may cure me of a Diftemper, and the Lawyer may get me my Right, let my Ignorance in either Profeffion be ever fo great: These are matters which can be tranfacted by a Deputy. Whereas in matters of Divinity I am oblig'd to believe certain Opinions my felf, and can depute no Man to believe for me; nor will any Man's Belief fave me, except my own. So that it is my Duty to think for my felf in matters of Religion, and I am at liberty whether I will ftudy Law or Phyfick.

(2.) PRIESTS have no intereft to lead me to true Opinions, but only to the Opinions they have lifted themselves to profess, and for the most part into miftaken Opinions : For it is manifeft that all Priefts, except the Orthodox, are hir'd to lead Men into Mif takes. Whereas there are no Lawyers nor Physicians fet apart and hir'd to defend miftaken Opinions in thofe Profeffions. And their Intereft, as to Succefs, is the fame with their Clients and Patients; but the Priests Intereft is moftly different from that of the Laity. A Layman wants to know the Truth, and the Prieft defires to have him of his Opinion.

(3) PRIESTS are not fet apart to ftudy Divinity, as Lawyers and Physicians are to ftudy Law and Phyfick. The Priefts do not study Divinity properly fo call'd,

but