fresh Discoveries, or impartial Search, and cramps all Improvements and Progress in any kind of Knowledge. Befides, that it endangers Mens running into the contrary Extreme: For when once Men come to fee themselves in an Error, and find they were blinded and deceived in a favourite Opinion, and what they were taught to think important; they will be very likely to run to the Other Extreme, or diftruft every thing for the Future. So that Bigotry in Philofophy as naturally leads to Scepticism, as Bigotry in Religion does to Profaneness, or in the State to Violence and Confufion.

And this brings to mind another ill Property of it; that 'tis Impolitick and injurious to the publick Peace. 'Tis a great Enemy to Charity, and to Civil as well as Chriftian Friendship It leads Men to Jealoufy, Envy, and Animofity; and fometimes to open Violence and Perfecution. Yea, Wars and Tumults commonly fpring from blind Prejudice and a heated Zeal. A Bigot, affifted by Wit, dictates, and domineers; but fupported by Power, perfecutes, and destroys all about Him. Suppofe fuch a thing as a Kingdom of Bigots, or any leffer Body and Society of Men, made up wholly of Perfons of fuch a Character, and it would render War to be indeed the State of Nature, and neceffarily infer 'perpetual Quarrel and Contention. For, as Men were never of one Sentiment of Mind, any more than of one Size and Form of Body; every Man's eager and obftinate perfifting in his own Way, muft needs banish mutual Friendship and Confidence, and introduce Hatred and Vio

lence

lence to the End of the World. So that in reality it has been one main Source of all the Mischief in the Church, and in the World, in every Age.

But is there no way to ftop the fpreading Infection? Is there no Relief in fo dangerous a Cafe? It is much more eafy to point out the Remedy, than periwade Men to use it: And One may rather with than hope for a Redrefs among the Generality. The thing were certainly easy, if Men were at all difpofed to it, and would give themselves leave to reflect a little upon the plaineft Things, evident in Reafon as well as Experience. For Inftance, that there is a natural Fallibility, or Liablenefs to Mistake, common to our Nature: Humanum eft Errare: Infallibility is above the Condition of a Creature, and proper to infinite Wif dom. That we have often made actual Miflakes, through Weakness or Inadvertence, by the falfe Lights in which we are apt to put things, or the artful Reprefentations of Others. One would think a fingle Inftance or two of plain Mistake, after a long Poffeffion, and a great Affurance of Right, fhould make a Man cautious and modeft ever after; and always ready to make the Suppofition, That 'tis poffible I may be wrong. Free Converfation with Men of different Sorts, and not confining one's Friendship and Confidence to thofe of any Party; but converfing freely with Men of Capacity and Integrity in the feveral Perfuafions among Us; would mightily open and enlarge the Mind, deliver Us from Abundance of Prejudice, and difpofe to large and generous Thoughts. I have known iome Gentlemen

C

bred

bred in a Corner, immured in the Walls of a College, and confin'd all their Days to one Set of Men, come abroad in the World with a ftingy Narrowness, and intemperate Heat: When a more free and promifcuous Converfation for a little while, has given another Turn of Mind, and other Notions of many Things: Hath made them fee reason to lay lefs Weight upon fome Things, wherein perhaps they were in the Right; and to fee that other Men had more to fay for themfelves, in what they may yet think Wrong. But what is above all, and the Foundation of all the reft, is a Natural Probity and Love of Truth; an Honesty and Impartiality of Mind to the greater Evidence, and greater Importance of Things, with out the Colours of Prejudice, or Biafs of worldly Interest.

To remove any Prejudice which may yet re main; when a Judgment is deliberately formed, we are not obliged to alter and give it up, upon any other Confideration than Evidence of a Miftake. 'Tis a noble Obftinacy becoming every honest Man, not to part with the leaft Truth,but upon farther Light; or even a probable Truth, but upon greater Appearance of Probability. If what appears an important Truth fhould, in its Confequences, bear hard upon Others; I can no more help That, than alter the Nature of things. Yea, if it fhould prove otherwife, 'tis not Uncharitableness, but Miftake, while I judge by the best Light I have, and am ready to receive farther Information. And when a Man thinks Himfelf in the Right, He is not to blame for endeavouring to bring others into the fame Sentiment. To be perfectly inindiffe

different what other Men think or act in Matters which I apprehend of Confequence to the prefent Good of Mankind, or their everlasting Welfare, is inconfiftent with the Love we owe to God and our Neighbour: 'Tis a laudable Zeal and true Charity, to endeavour their Conviction by all fair and proper Methods; by the greatest Power of Reason, and reprefening in the most lively Manner, the dangerous Tendency of their Principles, or Ways of Acting.

But it degenerates into Bigotry, when We have not only Warmth enough to excite our own Activity, but are angry with those who differ from Us; and ready to question their Honefty, because they are not of our Mind: when we would deny them the Rights of common Humanity, filence them if it were in our Power; and propagate what we call the Truth, in the way of the Alcoran, and not of the Gofpel: Betaking our felves to the unmanly and unhallowed Ways of ill Ufage, Detraction, and Violence. This, to ufe a facred Expreffion, is a bitter Zeal, and is earthly, fenfual, devilish; and an open Defiance of that noble Maxim, of doing the fame to Others, which we would have done to us..

Let us new turn the End of the Perfpective, and view the oppofite Character in a few Lines and Features of Refemblance. How beauti ful is a free and generous Mind, which lies open to Evidence, and dares own the Truth! is willing to fee the Reafon of Things, and judge by the Merits of a Caufe, without the Prepoffeffion of Prejudice, Force of Intereft, or Shackles of Authority: A Mind that makes

all

8

all reafonable Allowance to other Men of a different Make, and another Way; endeavours to fet them Right, whom He apprehends in the Wrong, with the fame Sincerity with which he is ready to receive Light, and fubmit to the Power of Truth, Himfelf: He hears with Patience, what can be faid against a darling Sentiment, and is affected towards it but in Proportion to its Weight: He treats them who differ from him with Kindness, and thinks not the worfe of another Man, becaufe he is not in all Things of his Opinion; excepting only what nearly affects the greatest Principles of Religion, or Foundations of the Civil Peace He would hurt no Man, if it were in his Power, for mere Difference of Sentiment ; and would do all the Good he can to any other; and rather to one of another Opinion, if he apprehend him more wife aud vertuous, than One exactly of his own Mind: He is commonly well with others, but always eafy to himself: Willing to learn as long as he lives, and growing up to a Perfe ction of Mind.

Such a Man is the Glory of Humane Nature: An Ornament to Chriftianity: The Darling of the wife and generous World: The trueft Friend of the Publick Peace, and beft Support of the State where he lives. In one Word; He bears the nearest Resemblance of the Best of Beings, who is infinitely Wife and Good; and partakes moft of the Temper of Heaven, which is perfe& Light and Peace.

FINI S.