444 LOGIC: OR, THE RIGHT USE OF REASON. aerations among absurdities and thick darkness, and a hundred useful inventions for the happiness of human life had never been known. Thus it is in maiters of philosophy and science. But you will say shall not our own ancestors determine our judgment in matters of civil or religious concernment ? If they must, then the child of a heathen must believe that heathenism is truth; the son of a Papist must assent to all the absurdities of Popery r the posterity of the Jews and Socinians must for ever be Socini- ans and Jews: and a man whose father was of republican prin- ciples, must make a succession of republicans in his family to the end of the world. If we ought always to believe whatsoever our parents, or our priests, or our princes believe, the inhabi- tants of China ought to worship their own idols, and the savages of Africa ought to believe all the nonsense, and practise the idolatry of their negro fathers and kings. The British nation, when it was heathen, could never have become christian ; and when it was a slave to Rome, it could never have been reformed. Besides, let us consider, that the great God, our common Maker, has never given one man's understanding a legal and rightful sovereignty to determine truths for others, at least after they are past the state of childhood or minority. No single per- sons, how learned and wise, and great soever, or whatsoever natural, or civil, or ecclesiastical relation he may have to us, can claim this dominion over our faith. St. Paul the Apostle, in his private capacity, would not do it; nor bath an inspired than any such authority, until he makes his divine commission appear. Our Saviour himself tells the Jews, that q' he had not done such wondrous works among them they had not sinned in disbelieving bis doctrines, and refusing him for the Messiah. , No bishop, or presbyter, no synod, or council, no church or assembly of men, since the (lays of inspiration, bath power derived to them from God, to make creeds or articles of faith for us, and impose them upon our understandings. We must all act according to the best of our own light, and the judgment of our own consciences, using the best advantages which Providence bath given us, with an honest and impartial diligence to enquire and search out the tsuth : for every one of us must give an account of himself to God. To believe as the church, or the court believes, is but a sorry and a dangerous faith : this principle would make more heathens than Christians, and more Papists than Protestants ; and perhaps lead more souls to hell than to heaven ; for our Sa viour himself has plainly told us, that if the blind will be led by the blind they must botl, fall into the ditch. Though there may be so much danger of error arising from the three prejudices last mentioned, yet before I dismiss this head, I think it proper to take notice, that as-education, custom,
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