210 Ail APOLOGY, &e,. ken grounds ? Or how can we expect they should be able to defend every smaller cireámstance of their practiceby just rea- sonings ? If I were to recapitulate these things in short; T would draw up my charitable conclusion thus : Since our first apostacy from God has so perverted and spoiled our rationalpowers, and enslaved our minds to so many prejudices and passions; since the impressions of education and custom are unavoidable and neces- sary, deep and strong ; since the affairs of the world that is un- der a divine curse, are so justlyand unhappily ill constituted ; since capacity, leisure application, humility, and prayer, are all found together but in very few persons ; and since the divine oracles, in matters less necessary, have so much obscurity in themselves, and so much thicker darkness cast upon them by contending parties, why should we be so much amazed or so angry, to see so many different sentiments and practices amongst men of honest piety, and desirous of truth ? Farewell, thou dear companion of my studies, and if your light and knowledge should be so far improvedby your further inquiries, as to lead you away from that communion, and those methods of worship wherein wehaveso often and so delightfully joined ; yet I hopethat upon the review of this letter, you will mahttain a very charitable opinion of Your unenlightened friend, &c.
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