culations, may not be requir'd of them inftead of those they perform and believe? And how can they be fure that they believe rightly any unintelligible Speculations? Here is a foundation laid for nothing but endless Scruples, Doubts, and Fears. Wherefore I conclude, that every one, out of regard to his own Tranquillity of Mind, which must be disturb'd as long as he has any Seeds of Superftition, is oblig'd to think freely on Matters of Religion.

4thly. THE infinite number of Pretenders in all Ages to Revelations from Heaven, fupported by Miracles, containing new Notions of the Deity, new Doctrines, new Commands, new Ceremonys, and new Modes of Worship, make thinking on the foregoing Heads abfolutely neceffary, if a Man be under an obligation to liften to any Revelation at all. For how fhall any Man diftinguish between the true Meffenger from Heaven and the Impoftor, but by confidering the Evidence produc'd by the one, as freely as of the other? Nay, a Reverend Divine of our Church not only contends for Free-Thinking in this cafe, but goes further, and fays, Men are ever to be fufpected, when they make extraordinary Pretences. For, adds he, when Men pretend to work Miracles, and

* Claget's Perfuafive to an ingenuous Trial of Opinions,

P. 19.

talk

talk of immediate Revelations, of knowing the Truth by Inspiration, and of more than ordinary Illumination; we ought not to be frighted with those big words from looking what is under them, nor to be afraid of calling those things into question, which are set off with fuch highflown Pretences. From hence it has come to pass, that Superftition and Idolatry, Enthufiafms and Impoftures, bave fo much prevail'd in the World. It is somewhat strange, that we should believe Men the more, for that very reafon upon which we should believe them the lefs.

5thly. WE have here in England a Society fupported by the Encouragement of her moft Excellent Majefty, and the Contributions of many Divines and Ladys of our Establish'd Church, in effect for the Propagation of FreeThinking in matters of Religion throughout the World; and whofe Design fuppofes that it is all Mens Duty to think freely about matters of Religion. For how can the Society for propagating the Gospel in foreign Parts hope to have any effect on Infidel Nations, without firft acquainting them that it is their duty to think freely both on the Notions of God and Religion, which they have receiv'd from their Ancestors, or which are eftablish'd by Law among them, and on those new Notions of God and Religion brought to them by the Miffionarys of the Church of England? Can it be fuppos'd, that our

Millionarys

Miffionarys would begin with telling 'em, that they ought not to think freely of their own, or our Religion; or that after they have by the means of Free-Thinking embrac'd our Religion, they ought then to ceafe from Free-Thinking? This were to proceed very inconfiftently in the Work of Converfion, while no other Arms but Reafon and Evidence were made use of to convert. Оп the contrary, every Miffionary muft as a first Principle infift on the Duty of Free-Thinking, in order to be hearken'd to by them. Nay, fhould the King of Siam (or any other infidel Prince) in return for the Favour of our Endeavours to convert him and his Kingdom to our Religion, defire to fend us a parcel of his Talapoins (fo the Priests of Siam are call'd) to convert us to the Religion by Law eft ablifh'd in Siam; I cannot fee but that our Society for propagating the Gospel, and all the Contributors and Well-wishers to it, muft acknowledg the King's Request to be highly reafonable, and perfectly of a-piece with their own Project; and particularly must allow to the King of Siam, that it is as much the Duty of the Members of the Church of England to think freely on what the Miffionary Talapoins fhall propofe to them, as it is the Duty of the Members of the Church of Siam to think freely on what shall be propos'd by the Miffionary Priests of EngLand: And therefore no doubt all they who fincerely defir'd the Conviction of the Siamese,

would

would give their Missionarys the fame Encouragement here, which we expect for ours in Siam. The Inftitution therefore of this Society supposes Free-Thinking in matters of Religion to be the Duty of all Men on the face of the Earth. And upon that account I cannot fufficiently commend the Project.

as our S

AND Oh! that the proper Perfons were, but employ'd for the Execution of fo glorious a Defign! That fuch zealous Divines -Ls, our AT————Y S, AT-~ our SM- GES, our ST-B s's, our HIGGINS's, our MRNS, and our Sw--FTS, were drawn out annually, as our military Miffionarys are, to be fent into foreign Parts to propagate the Gofpel! (a Service in which fuch confcientious Men must rejoice, fince preaching the Gospel to infidel Nations is no doubt contain'd in Chrift's Commiffion, whatever haranguing upon a Text among Chriftians, falfly call'd preaching the Gospel, may be) we might then hope to fee bleffed Days, the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England triumph throughout the World, and Faction ceafe at home; as by the means of the others our Arms triumph abroad, and we fecurely take our reft at night, and travel by day unmolested.

AND no doubt likewife, but it would be as beneficial to the Kingdom of Siam, to

have a felect number annually taken out of their vaft Body of Talapoins.

6thly. AS there can be no reasonable Change of Opinions among Men, no quitting of any old Religion, no Reception of any new Religion, nor believing any Religion at all, but by means of Free-Thinking; To the Holy Scriptures agreeably to Reason, and to the Defign of our Blessed Saviour of eftablishing his Religion throughout the whole Universe, imply every where and prefs in many places the Duty of FreeThinking.

THE Defign of the Gospel was, by preaching, to fet all Men upon Free-Thinking, that they might think themselves out of those Notions of God and Religion which were every where eftablish'd by Law, and receive an unknown God and an unknown Religion on the Evidence the Apostles, or firft Meflengers, produc'd to convince them. And accordingly the Apoftles requir'd nothing to be receiv'd on their Authority, without an antecedent Proof given of their Authority. St, PAUL even in his Epiftles, which are all written to Men who were already Christians, offers many Arguments for their Confirmation in the true Faith, with respect to all the parts of the Chriftian Religion. Whereby he made them, and all his Readers for ever Judges of their Force:

for