coming at it. Either they will not pay it the attention it demands, or they will not lay down for it their prejudices, or their paffions. But,

I.

First of all, without attention there can be no perfect knowledge. For though truth be congenial with the human foul, as light is with the eye; yet unless we determine as well our ideas as our views to fome certain object, we fhall no more think than fee to any good purpose. This is confeffedly fo with respect to mechanical arts, and the common business of the world; ignorance and error are infeparable from a diffipated mind. Nor can it hold lefs true in regard to matters of Religion; which however require more of our attention, but where we are least of all inclined to bestow it. Our fpirits, naturally averse to recollection, are ever pleafed with roving from one object to another; and VOL. II. above

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above all things evade any fettled communication with immaterial and invifi

ble fubjects. Hence it is that the divine nature and attributes, the moral government of the universe, the interests of the human foul, the final judgment, the eternal state of rewards and punishments, those momentous points, have but a weak influence on the manners of men, because fo imperfectly believed : And whence this defect of belief in them, but because they are fo little attended to and confidered?

Befides, it is reasonable to fuppofe that our fpiritual Adverfary, well knowing the importance of religious contemplation to strengthen faith, and the efficacy of faith to fhake his kingdom, founded only upon diftraction and inadvertency, is particularly vigilant to divert men from the ftudy of the truth by innumerable temptations: Hurrying

them

them through uninterrupted scenes of vanity, into a forgetfulness of the one thing needful.

Whofoever therefore is in good earneft a difciple of truth, willing to know God and his duty, what he is to believe and what to practise, let him in the first place pay it that deference of attention, and application of fpirit, which it fo justly deserves.

2. The next thing mentioned, as requifite to the attainment of Truth, was, to submit our prejudices to it's dictates.

I have before obferved that men are defirous of knowledge, but averfe to the pains of investigating it. Now prejudice, or the entertaining a hafty and unadvised judgment of things, is the effect of these two difpofitions: The former of which is hereby gratified in an imaginary poffeffion

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feffion of truth; and the latter, in a conceit of being poffeffed of it without the fatigue of thinking. But in reality there is not a greater enemy to the knowledge of the truth than prejudice; feeing it shuts up beforehand thofe very avenues, by which truth fhould find admittance to the mind. "Seeft thou a man wife in his own conceit ? there is more hope of a fool than of him.” And it will ever be found in fact an eafier task to inftil knowledge of any kind into the most ignorant and illiterate perfon, if he be but honest and attentive, than to drain off erroneous conceits, those evil humours of the mind, from one opinionatively learned. A heart ready to fubmit every notion, how flattering foever, to the touchstone of Reason, and the teftimony of Revelation, is that good ground upon which the feed fown brings forth abundantly.

Let

Let me add too, that this poifon of prejudice requires the more powerful antidote, because usually imbibed in tender years; and therefore oftentimes found operating in certain instances upon minds otherwife well difpofed. "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth ?" was the reflection of an Ifraelite indeed in whom there was no guile. And who but fees daily the malicious effects of unadvised and intemperate zeal, from men in other respects valuable and Christian?

If then we would make any progress in the investigation and attainment of truth, it is moreover indifpenfably neceffary that we come to it without partiality and prejudice.

(2). The last condition propofed was, the facrificing our Paffions to the Truth.

"The luft of the flesh, the luft of the eyes, the pride of life," i. e. Senfuality, avarice,

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