their Information; in the other, their Conviction. Accordingly, the predominant quality of the former is, Perspicuity; of the latter, Argument. By that, we are made to know; by this, to believe*.

"Be it recollected, then, that pure Logic regards only the subject; which is examined solely for the sake of Information. Truth, as such, is the proper aim of the examiner; who must lay aside, as it were, in this research, his Imagination and his Passions, for the more impartial and unbiassed exercise of his Reason and Judgment. And, to this end, in all explanatory discussions, there is a certain preciseness of manner, which ought to pervade the whole, and which, though not in the form of argument, is not the less satisfactory, since it carries internal Evidence along with it."

*The writer is nevertheless attached to what has been called, "that noble Enthusiasm for Religion, without which, Reason has no Guide, Imagination no Object; without which, in fine, Virtue herself is without charms, and Sensibility without a source."

There may indeed be moments, in which I may betray a degree of warmth, inconsistent with that cool Demonstration for which I plead. That, I beg, may be attributed to my not giving any credit to the innocence of Error. All Error, in my judgment, has a direct tendency to Vice and Misery; and all Truth, to Virtue and Good. In proportion to the Loveliness of the latter, must be the Odiousness of the former: and, to use the words of a sagacious Moralist, "it must be owned that, in most countries, a considerable part of what is called Religion deserves no other name than that of Absurdity made sacred: but, it were strange indeed, should false Religion produce that uprightness of Heart, that perfection of Morals, which is the genuine effect of Truth."

It is anticipated, that the Sentiments here enforced will have to combat, not only with the most surprising Ignorance and multiform Error, but with " Prejudice the most inveterate; arising both from

contrary Sentiments early imbibed, and from an excessive deference to Names and Authorities. In that case, however, the simplest way, and generally that which best promotes the discovery of Truth, is, to give as distinct and methodical a delineation as possible of one's own ideas, together with the grounds on which they are supported, and then to leave the impartial Reader to judge for himself."

Not that these occasional Strictures on the inutility of Eloquence in matters of logical Demonstration, or in the establishment of Truth, have any design to lessen the value of elegant composition in our esteem. In their proper place, let the Harmony of numbers, the Luxuriance of fancy, and the Energy of expression, be cultivated to the utmost extent: only let them observe their proper place; especially in their application to sacred Verity; lest they unhappily expose the cause they affect to serve; of which the examples are sufficiently numerous. For, without as

suming the insolent air of imposing an opinion, were I permitted the privilege of giving one, I should not hesitate to affirm, that TRUTH is Eloquence, as well as Reason and Philosophy, in whatever garb she may appear.

Incalculable is the mischief, which the Christian Cause has suffered, by our deviation from a maxim, from which there should be no departure; that, sacred Truth must always be viewed in its own light*. If you bring it before the light of what has been called Reason and Philosophy, the medium through which it is surveyed is a false one; and the beautiful and illustrious object becomes immediately disfigured and deformed. It is no longer itself.

* Its divine simplicity has been so much disfigured of late by severe, fastidious, and perverting Criticism, that, if this mode of process against it be not arrested, original Christianity will, in a short period, be entirely unknown. It were no difficult undertaking to demonstrate this from most of our modern publications on the subject; in which all its principal features are either totally effaced, or wretchedly disguised.

Thus, the character of one, who has been handed down to us as a philosopher almost divine, when presented to a lewd multitude, by the scandalous buffoonery, or wit, of an Aristophanes, was rendered contemptible: even Wisdom was mistaken for Folly; and Virtue, for Vice. We should say to sacred Truth, what Agrippa, when personating the sublime character of Justice, once said, with unaffected dignity and grace, to St. Paul, "Thou art permitted to speak for thyself." An indulgence she is very seldom granted *.

1 beg leave to submit it too, to minds of calm and unbiassed consideration, who have the success of our Religion seriously

*Should the question be, An Rationis in investigando Scripturæ sensu magnus usus sit? It must be replied, Ratio humana, si pro Facultate sumatur, uti nunc sunt homines, in nemine mortalium recta, sed multùm cæca, vitiosa, et ad errorem proclivis est; sic ut facilius plerumque malè quam benè arbitretur. Maximè ea Rationis nostræ corruptio se ostendit circa res divinas; circa quas est cæca, 2 Cor. iv. 4. obscurata, Eph. iv. 18. tenbræ, Eph. v. 8. & duvatai yuvai, 1 Cor. ii. 14. Imo et avontos est, Tit. iii. 3. et arvveros. Rom. i. 21, 23. I Cor. 8. 19, 20. et ii. 8.