LET. III. I LETTER III. T may ftill perhaps be asked, Dear Sir, how it fhould happen, that when Mr. H-'s principles were fo bad, his practices fhould be no worfe? Let me offer the folution given of fuch a phænomenon in the intellectual world, by a very ingenious and fagacious writer, who had not only studied mankind in general, but, as it fhould feem, had bestowed fome pains upon the very cafe now before us. "This fact hath been regarded as "unaccountable: that fober men, of "morals apparently unblameable, fhould re III. "should madly unhinge the great LET. "principles of religion and fociety, "without any visible motive or advantage. But by looking a little "farther into human nature, we shall eafily refolve this feeming paradox. "Thefe writers are generally men of speculation and induftry; and there"fore, though they give themselves up to the dictates of their ruling 'paffion, yet that ruling paffion com monly leads to the tract of abfte "mious manners. That defire of dif“tinction and superiority, so natural "to man, breaks out into a thousand " various and fantastic fhapes; and in "each of thefe, according as it is di"rected, becomes a virtue or a vice. In times of luxury and diffipation, "therefore, when every tenet of irreligion is greedily embraced, what LET. "road to prefent applause can lie fo cc open and fecure, as that of dif "gracing religious belief? Efpecially "if the writer help forward the vices "of the times, by relaxing morals, as "well as destroying principle. Such a "writer can have little elfe to do, but "to new model the paradoxes of an"cient fcepticism, in order to figure "it in the world, and be regarded, (6 by the smatterers in literature, and adepts in folly, as a prodigy of parts and learning. Thus his va nity becomes deeply criminal, and "is execrated by the wife and good; "because it is gratified at the ex66 pence of his country's welfare. But "the confolation which degenerate 66 manners receive from his fatal tenets, is repaid by eager praise: and "vice impatiently drinks in and applauds 86 "plauds his hoarse and boding voice, "while, like a raven, he fits croak"ing univerfal death, defpair, and "annihilation to the human kind." But taking the account of Mr. H's manners as his friends have given it, to fay "that few of the "profeffors of Christianity ever equal"led him in morality, humanity, and "the government of their paffions," is certainly going a great deal too far. Thousands, in the first ages of the Gofpel, gave all their goods to feed the poor; renounced, in deed as well as word, the world and the flesh, and joyfully met death in it's moft horrid forms, for the love of their Redeemer. On the fame principle, unnumbered multitudes, in every fucceeding age, have manfully fuftained the heaviest calamities of human life, and with faith C 3 LET. III. III. LET. faith unfeigned, and hope that maketh not ashamed, yielded up their fouls into the hands of their Creator. Scenes of this kind are daily and hourly paffing in the chambers of the fick and dying, as they, whofe office it is to vifit those chambers, well know. To others they must remain unknown, for want of biographers to record them. Every Chriftian who lives in piety and charity, does not favour the public with HIS OWN LIFE. Every Chriftian, who expires in peace and hope, has not the happinefs of a Dr. Smith to pen the story of his death Full many a gem of pureft ray ferene, Far |