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to teach what they believe true to others.

3. Whoever defires that truth fhould take place, should be wellpleas'd to have all men of learning, penetration, and integrity, publish their opinions. For fuch men are the most capable of finding out truth themselves, and of fetting it in a due light before others. Would not every man of understanding and honefty be glad to know the most intimate thoughts of such men, as HOOKER, HALES, CHILLINGWORTH, MEDE, WILKINS, WHITCHCOT, MORE,CUdWORTH, SPENCER, TILLOTSON, BACON, FALKLAND, SELDEN, MILTON, MARSHAM, BOYLE, TEMPLE, and LOCKE, (for example) and be forry, that fuch like men ever have been, or are, under any restraints from speaking their minds; and wish, that they might speak their minds on all important queftions in philofophy and theology, like Mr. WHISTON; who has not many fuperiors

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in learning and penetration, and feems fuperior himself to most in integrity? Is it not ridiculous, that men of the greatest integrity and capacity fhould be under any discouragement from making inquiries after truth, and under any difficulties for publishing writings in confequence of their inquiries; and that none can fafely fspeak in matters of fpeculation, but the blind followers of the blind, or the interested followers of the interested ?

4. Not to permit and encourage ingenious, learned, and honeft men to profess and defend their opinions, when different from ours, is to distrust the truth of our own opinions, and to fear the light. Such conduct muft, in a country of fenfe and learning, increase the number of unbelievers, already fo greatly complain'd of; who when they fee matters of opinion not allow'd to be profefs'd and impartially debated, juftly think they have foul play, and therefore

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reject many things as false and illgrounded, which otherwise they might receive as truths. And it must do fo especially, when it is consider'd, what a numerous clergy we have; who are all bred scholars, and have literature chiefly in their hands, and are many of them men of great parts, learning, and leifure; who underftand, and practise all the arts of perfwafion, and have the common people (I mean the common people as to understanding) devoted to them; who can never want able men among themselves (to fay nothing of their followers and dependants), either in the way of banter or ferioufnefs, poetry or profe, dialogue or discourse, declamation or argument,to answer and expofe whatever can be alledg'd in behalf of falshood by men, who cannot pretend to match them, without truth on their fide; and who have the fole privilege of fpeaking frequently to the people from

from the (c) pulpit, where, as Mr. Whiston obferves, they may dogmatically affert, and earnestly press what they would hardly venture at all to justify elsewhere, in any learned converfation, or as BOILEAU expreffes it, C'est là que bien ou mal on a droit de tout dire. (cc)

5. The grand principle of men confider'd as having a relation to the Deity and under an obligation to be religious, is that they ought to confult their reafon; and of Chriftians, and Proteftants, that they ought to confult the fcriptures as the rule of their faith and practife. But how can thefe, which are practical principles, be duly put in practise; unless we be at liberty, at all times and in all points, to confider and debate with others, (as well as with ourfelves) what reafon and fcripture fay, and to profefs and act openly, according to what we are convinc'd they

fay?

(c) Papers relating to Mr. Whiffon's cause, &c. p. 170. (cc) Sat. 1. v. 149.

fay? How can we be better inform'd than by using the best means of information; which confifts in confulting reafon and fcripture, and calling in the aid of others? Of what use is it to confult reafon and fcripture at all, as any means of information, if we are not, upon conviction, to follow their dictates? And what principles of religion are men to profefs (which all lay muft be) openly, and act upon, but thofe, whereof they are convinc'd?

6. Clergymen, by being devoted to the service of truth, and to preach the gospel of truth, are under a particular obligation to inquire into the mind of God, and to impart the difcoveries they make to the world, and, as fucceffors of the apostles, to go and teach all nations. And they cannot act more effectually against the defign of their own profeffion, than either by being filent as to the difcoveries they make, or by preaching and writing contrary to their own light;

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