Nor is this expectation an unpleafing one. We admit our dependance indeed, and the pride of fome may be hurt at the conceffion; but the far greater portion of mankind will derive from this very circumftance fuch conclufions as must prove highly gratifying to them. For though they might be flattered in believing that they had discovered religious truths by means of their own exertions; they would be far better pleased in having it supposed that they were the highly favoured of God, to whom he had fhewn the fecrets of his wifdomb; to whom he had revealed himself, as to his fervants of old, in dreams and in vifions of the night c.

pectation of a promised Saviour; for when Alcibiades says, Ποτε ουν παρεται ὁ χρόνος οὗτος, ω Σωκρατες ; και τις ὁ παιδεύσων ; ήδισα γαρ αν μοι δοκω ιδειν τουτον τον άνθρωπον τις εστιν Socrates replies, Οὗτος εσιν Q ΜΕΛΕΙ ΠΕΡΙ ΣΟΥ. vol. v. p. 100. An expreffion which forcibly reminds us of the words of the Apostle,

Cafting all your care on bim, for He careth for you.” ArtQ ΜΕΛΕΙ ΠΕΡΙ ΥΜΩΝ. I Pet. v. 7.

b Job xi. 6.

• Genefis xlvi. 2. There cannot be a ftronger proof of the anxiety with which the mind defires fupernatural communication, in points of religious difficulty, than in the inftance of Lord Herbert of Cherbury. He had written his favourite book, De Veritate, but doubted the propriety of printing it. In this uncertainty he prayed that he might be inftructed by fome fign from heaven, whether it were for the honour of God to fupprefs, or publish it. A fign was granted, as he

afferts,

We conclude then, upon reasonable grounds, that it is either an exceffive pride and vanity, too curiously feeking to be wife beyond what is written; or else an unfanctified ambition, anxiously wishing for fpiritual preeminence, which creates the first tendency towards Enthufiasm; and, when indulged, by gradually corrupting the will, matures it.

Of this we need no other proof than the very nature of the effect produced. For when the licentious and fanguinary leader of the Anabaptifts afferted, that it was revealed to him that he fhould be king in Sion: or when his artful fucceffor maintained, that he

afferts, which authorized him to print the work. See the circumstances related at large, with the prayer, in Lord Herbert's Life, p. 172, and Leland's View of Deistical Writers, vol. i. p. 25. ed. 1798. Leland very juftly remarks, that were a perfon to allege, that he had received the fame divine permiffion to publish a work in defence of Christianity, which is here claimed for a work that has a tendency to fubvert it, he would be ridiculed as an Enthusiast.

d John Bokelfon, or Boccold, more ufually called John of Leyden. The impieties and enormities of which this man was guilty; his reign as king of Sion in Munfter; and his tragical end, may be found in Brandt's Hiftory of the Reformation, vol. i. p. 64. Mofheim's Ecclefiaftical Hift. vol. ii. p. 232.

e David George, who, upon the difperfal of the Anabaptists, after the taking of Munfter, collected the remainder of the fect. He was a dark, mysterious, and artful Enthusiast. Some of his tenets were, that his doctrines rendered thofe of

the

alone was worthy to be worshipped as the redeemer of the houfe of Ifrael: or finally, when the founder of another fect expressly declared, that she did not read the Scriptures, because they contained nothing but what she previously knew f; it must be evident, that their feveral pretenfions were founded on the belief, that they poffeffed fome fuperior holiness, which, raising them above their fellowcreatures, made them worthy to receive these

the Old and New Teftament useless; that he was the real Meffiah; that he was to reftore the house of Ifrael. See Brandt's Hift. of the Reformation, vol. i. p. 75. and Rofs's View of all Religions.

"

f Antonia Bourignon. For the impious affertion alluded to, see the preface to Leflie's Snake in the Grafs, vol. ii. of his works, p. 10. "I have fometimes," the fays, "transiently "read the New Teftament; but as foon as I began to read, I perceived in what I read, all my fentiments explained; fo "that if I were to write the fentiments which I carry within me, I should compofe a book like that of the New Testa"ment: and it seeming to me that it would be useless to read "what I did fo fenfibly poffefs, I left off to read." After this, could it be thought poffible that one of her doctrines should be, That there is no fatisfaction made for the fins of men, by the death and sufferings of Chrift? Leslie, ut fup. p. 8. The manner in which the defcribes the firft Adam, whom the faid the Almighty revealed to her, is as grofsly indecent as it is impioufly profane (fee Broughton's Dia. of all Religions, article Bourignonifts,) and yet the dared to affert, "I know I can"not but speak the truth; and also they who do not follow it, "refift it." Leslie, as. before, p. 10.

great

great diftinctions. Had any other conviction influenced their conduct, they must have perceived that the very nature of their affertions proved their abfurdity.

But it is the peculiar character of pride that it knoweth no bounds. To use the figurative language of the Prophet, it enlargeth its defires as bell; fo that the heart of man, when fully under its dominion, will often become credulous as to the probability of attaining preeminence, in proportion to the greatness of that preeminence which is made the object of his defire.

And here, left the cause affigned should be thought inadequate to the effect, it may be proper to remark, that certainly there is no paffion, that influences human conduct more powerfully than pride. 'Tis true, that language cannot even duly describe the infignificance of the creature, when compared with

"Yea alfo, he is a proud man, neither keepeth he at home, "(i. e. within bis proper bounds); he enlargeth his defire as hell, "and is as death, and cannot be satisfied." Habakkuk ii. 5. It is a remarkable inftance of the unmeafurable folly, as well as daringness of pride, that Vanini used to say of himself, Aut Deus loquitur, aut Vanini. And yet this man was burnt for openly profeffing and teaching, that there was no God. See his life and blafpheming death, Bayle's Dict. Art. Vanini.

the

the majefty of the Creator: but it is alfo true, that whatever, oppofition has been made to his will, or whatever shape that oppofition has affumed, still pride has been the principle from which it has proceeded. Was it not pride, that caused the difobedience of Angels? was it not pride, that occafioned the fall of Man? was it not pride, that stimulated Cain to flay his righteous brother? was it not pride, that fcattered abroad the nations over the face of the earth1? and, finally, was it not pride, that made the incredulous Jew reject, to his own destruction, the humble appearing of his great God and Saviour?

Pride is indeed that paffion, which is not only the most universal, but the most deeply rooted in the mind of man: it is that paffion, which is the fooneft excited, and the laft fubdued; that paffion, which perhaps is never

h Isaiah xiv. 12, 13. Jude 6. "It was the fin of pride, as "divines generally believe, that ruined a multitude of the An"gelic Hoft. Thofe once moft glorious fpirits, walking upon "the battlements of Heaven, grew dizzy with their own greatness, and fell down into a state of utter darkness, and "extreme mifery." Bp. Bull's Sermons, vol. i. p. 210.

ch.

i Gen. iii. 5,6. See Bp. Bull's Sermons, vol. iii. p. 1086.et feq. * Genefis iv. 4 5. See Raleigh's Hift. of the World, Book I.

1 Genefis xi. 4.

eradi