iSSAY tic. 2dEi dice to fair reasoning asantiquity`; though perhaps not sounivérd sally prevailing. And there is many a giddy and headstrong youth that has hastily embraced maxims and practices contrary to those of his parents, to shew how bravelyhe has broke all the fetters of education, and to make it appear that he thinks'freely. When we push the boat off from the shorewhere it has long stuck in the mud, it is hard to prevent its being stranded on the ad- verse side. It is exceeding difficult to keep the mind in this me- dium of suspense till right reason determine it ; it is very troublesome to maintain the judgment in a poise till someweigh- ty and solid argument sink mie of the scales downward, and equitably decide the dependingstrife of opinions ; there is need of continual caution-and wary motions of thought: A doubting spi- rit is in pain, and willing to be released. We are very desirous to believe somewhat though upon slight grounds, that our souls may at ease and fall to practice. Fifthly, But suppose men should have leisure, and books and other advantages, joined with resolution and patience enough to endure the pain of dubitation, and the long fatigue of deep study and thoughtfulness ; yet how small is the number ofthose that are capable to distinguish betwixt real and apparent reason especiallyin subjects where the differences are of so nice and in- tricate a kind ? How fewunderstandings are so acute, how few judgments so solid andjust, so well formed and well improved, as to determine controversies so long and so much darkened ? 'Who can see through all the false shows and pretences of argu- ment, and discern the true gold from that which only glisters ? Turn you eyes inward, my friend, and behold a soul there that has more knowledge and judgment than hundreds ofthe animals that are round about you, and that youare forced to converse with ; and yet after all your unbiassed searches and labours, and earnest prayers, how hard a thing you find it to resolve thepoint, whether you ought to remain in the communion of a dissenting church, or become a separatist from them, and unite yourselves to the church of England. Now, if all your leisure, your ad- vatages, and your application, cannot fix your assent and prac- tice, infer then how vain a thing it is to expect that reason and argument shouldconstantlydetermine and govern a blind, a rash, a ruined and a wretchedworld. I confess, in things of greater importance, and necessity to salvation, our directions lie so plain, as to lead the most stupid souls that are honest and sincere, to the knowledge of truth and duty, unless it be here and there a man who violently breaks through the very language of scripture, and runs into great er- rors or irregularity of practice : But in things of less moment, how impossible is it that the generality of mortals should build every lesser opinion of theirs upon solid fbugdations awl ansha -.
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