palm to religion: and, whilst he reflects on the benefits which others receive from his labors, he proceeds with unremitted ardor, little concerned about the success of any reasonable expectations he may have formed for himself in the present life, but well assured, that his main hope, which is fixed on a life to come, can never fail.

SUMMARY OF CHARGE III.

PRELIMINARY observations on the complaint made against the clergy, that they refuse to receive, in the system of Christianity, improvements corresponding to those which the present enlightened age has made in every other science. If this complaint has any foundation, all should unite to remove it; if none, it may be proper to inquire whence the mistake has arisen. The best answer to the whole objection, would be to collect a scheme of Christian knowlege from the ablest modern writers, and, comparing it with the doctrines of former ages, observe the gradual improvements it has received. But it will be sufficient to show that in one part of our studies we have taken the full benefit of the advanced state of philosophy, and that in the other parts no benefit is to be expected from it.

The English divines do not extravagantly disclaim the use of reason in religious inquiries, and substitute in its room faith uninformed this dilated on: manner in which they use the assistance of philosophy in the study of religion uses which they forbear to make of it: this point farther considered,

I. Philosophical notions can never lead us to the true meaning, or right interpretation of the Holy Scriptures: this point enlarged on and illustrated.

II. But if philosophers have had little success in searching for recondite senses of Scripture, their mistakes are still more shameful and dangerous, when they presume to judge of the divine economy; when they determine a revealed dispensation to be credible or not, from preconceived notions of fitness and propriety, of justice and impartiality, which they boldly apply to the government of the Supreme Being: this subject dilated

on.

How little we can advance in this part of our studies, by mere abstract reasoning, shown in one particular instance, the doctrine of the atonement: plausible arguments of philosophising divines on this point stated. These objections acknowleged to have in them some truths, but mixed with many things that want proof, and more that are evidently false: this enlarged on. Concluding observations on the weakness and danger of all our reasoning, when it would correct the doctrines of revelation; and on the injustice of the censure cast on the English clergy, for not making use of the present improved state of science, &c.

CHARGE III.

ON THE USE AND ABUSE OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE STUDY OF RELIGION.

REVEREND Brethren,

Ir may be justly reckoned among the happy circumstances of the times in which we live, that, having had few occasions to engage in or attend to controversies about curious and specula tive questions, we have been usually at liberty to inculcate such doctrines only as might inform the understanding and influence the conduct of our hearers, without turning their thoughts or our own to those disputed points, which, if not placed quite beyond the reach of human faculties, are yet far removed from life and manuers: but this happiness seems at present to be in some degree interrupted. Errors, which we thought buried in oblivion, are now again called forth; and, though relating only to some nice and difficult subjects, which require the utmost attention of the learned and contemplative, are industriously spread in small treatises among the common people whilst we, the clergy, are urged to examine anew matters which we have long considered as certain; and are told, that our system of Christianity, transmitted to us, it seems, from ages of ignorance and bigotry, may and ought to receive improvements corresponding to those which the present enlightened age has made in every other science. The reputation of modern philosophers is turned to the disgrace of modern divines, as neither emulating the example, nor accepting the assistance which the discoveries of those strict reasoners might afford them.

If this complaint against us has any foundation, we should all unite our endeavors to remove it; if none, yet it may be proper to inquire whence the mistake has arisen. Were we to collect a scheme of Christian knowlege from the ablest modern

writers, to compare it with the doctrines of former ages, and to observe the gradual improvements it has received, the review would furnish us with a direct answer to the whole objection : but so extensive an undertaking is not at all suited to the present occasion; and it will be sufficient to remove the principal grounds of the complaint, if we can show that in one part of our studies we have taken the full benefit of the advanced state of philosophy, and that in the other parts no benefit is to be expected from it.

The English divines cannot be justly reproached with the extravagant zeal of those who, disclaiming the use of reason in religious inquiries, would substitute in its room faith uninformed. They own, indeed, the sovereignty of religion, but are sensible that her throne can no where be fixed securely except in the understanding: they have never spared any pains to establish it on this firm basis; and when new discoveries in philosophy have offered it any new supports, they have not failed to apply them. This could hardly be otherwise; since the same men, who have gained our admiration by a fertile invention or clear judgment in the various kinds of human learning, have been many of them equally eminent for their proficiency in sacred science: but when in the study of religion they used the assistance of philosophy, they used it with great caution, well knowing, that though its guidance may be safely trusted, while it has full light, and keeps within its own territories; yet when it ventures to conduct us in the dark, or wanders beyond its proper limits, it will often mislead us more fatally than ignorance itself; for there is a chain which connects the different branches of error as well as of truth. Yet this just and necessary caution seems to have given occasion to the complaint before-mentioned; no other grounds for it have ever been pretended. It was never objected to us, that the evidences for religion are not fully stated, or that any kind of fair reasoning is neglected which might serve to enforce them: on the contrary, it is universally acknowleged, that more rational, more truly philosophical defences of Christianity, have appeared, within a century, in our language, than were ever produced in any other age or country. In these defences, whatever aid could be borrowed from morals, or physic, or na