from types to anti-types, from things carnal to things fpiritual, from earth to heaven. We may behold Chrift crucified, that stumbling-block to the Jews, and foolishness to the Greeks, putting a final period to the temple worship of the one, and idolatry of the other, and that ftone, which was cut out of the mountain without hands, and brake in pieces all other kingdoms, become itself a great mountain.

XXXII. If a due reflexion on these things be not sufficient to beget a reverence for the christian faith in the minds of men, I fhould rather impute it to any other cause, than a wise and cautious incredulity: When I fee their eafiness of faith in the common concerns of life, where there is no prejudice or appetite to bias or disturb their natural judgment: When I see those very men that, in religion, will not stir a step without evidence, and at every turn expect demonftration, truft their health to a physician, and their lives to a failor, with an implicit faith, I cannot think they deferve the honor of being thought more incredulous than other men: Or that they are more accustomed to know, and for this reafon lefs inclied to believe. On the contrary, one is tempted to fufpect, that ignorance hath a greater share than science in our modern infidelity: And that it proceeds more from a wrong head, or an irregular will, than from deep researches.

Lys.--We do not, it must be owned, think that learning, or deep researches, are neceffary to pass a right judgment upon things. I fometimes fufpect that learning is apt to produce and justify whims, and fincerely believe we should do better without it. Our fect are divided on this point, but much the greater part think with me. I have heard more than once, very observing men remark, that learning was the true human means which preserved religion in the world: And that, if we had it in our power to prefer blockheads in the church, all would foon be right.

S s

CRI.-Men must be ftrangely in love with their opin ions, to put out their eyes rather than part with them. But it has been often remarked by observing men, that there are no greater bigots than infidels.

LYS.-What! A free-thinker, and a bigot, impoffible! CRI. Not fo impoffible neither, that an infidel should be bigoted to his infidelity. Methinks I fee a bigot, wherever I fee a man over-bearing, and pofitive without knowing why, laying the greatest ftrefs on points of smallest moment, hafty to judge of the conscience, thoughts, and inward views of other men, impatient of reasoning against his own opinions, and choofing them with inclination rather than judgment, an enemy to learning, and attached to mean authorities. How far our modern infidels agree with this defcription, I leave to be confidered by those who really confider and think for themselves.

Lys. We are no bigots, we are men that discover difficulties in religion, that tie knots and raise fcruples, which difturb the repofe, and interrupt the golden dreams of bigots, who therefore cannot endure us.

CRI. They who caft about for difficulties, will be fure to find, or make them upon every fubject: But he that would, upon the foot of reason, erect himself into a judge, in order to make a wife judgment on a subje& of that nature, will not only confider the doubtful and difficult parts of it, but take a comprehenfive view of the whole, confider it in all its parts and relations, trace it to its original, examine its principles, effects, and tendencies, its proofs internal and external: he will distinguish between the clear points and the obfcure, the certain and uncertain, the effential and the circumftantial, between what is genuine and what foreign. He will confider the different forts of proof, that belong to different things: where evidence is to be expected: Where probability may fuffice: And where it is reasonable to suppose there should

be doubts and scruples. He will proportion his pains and exactness to the importance of the inquiry, and check that disposition of his mind to conclude all those notions, groundless prejudices, with which it was imbued before it knew the reafon of them. He will filence his paffions, and liften to truth. He will endeavor to untie knots as well as to tie them, and dwell rather on the light parts of things, than the obscure. He will balance the force of his understanding with the difficulty of the subject, and to render his judgment impartial, hear evidence on all fides, and so far as he is led by authority, choose to follow that of the honefteft and wifeft men. Now it is my fincere opinion, the chriftian religion may well ftand the test of such an inquiry.

Lys. But fuch an inquiry would coft too much pains and time. We have thought of another method, the bringing religion to the test of wit and humour: This we find a much fhorter, eafier, and more effectual way. And, as all enemies are at liberty to choose their weapons, we make choice of those we are most expert at: And we are the better pleased with this choice, having obferved that of all things, a folid divine hates a jest.

EUPH.-To confider the whole of the subject, to read and think on all fides, to object plainly, and answer directly, upon the foot of dry reason and argument, would be a very tedious and troublesome affair. Befides it is attacking pedants at their own weapons. How much more

delicate and artful is it, to give a hint to cover one's self, with an ænigma, to drop a double entendre, to keep it in one's power to recover, and flip afide, and leave his antagonist beating the air?

LYS. This hath been practifed with great fuccefs, and I believe it the top method to gain profelytes, and confound pedants.

CRI.-I have feen feveral things written in this way, which, I suppose, were copied from the behavior of a fly sort of scorners, one may fometimes meet with. Suppose a conceited man that would pass for witty, tipping the wink upon one, thrufting out his tongue at another; one while waggishly smiling, another with a grave mouth and ludicrous eyes; often affecting the countenance of one who smothered a jest, and sometimes bursting out in a horfe-laugh: What a figure would this be, I will not fay in the fenate or council, but in a private vifit among well-bred men? And yet this is the figure that certain great authors, who in this age, would pass for models, and do pass for models, make in their polite and elaborate writings on the most weighty points.

ALC.-I, who profess myself an admirer, an adorer of reason, am nevertheless obliged to own, that in some cafes, the sharpness of ridicule can do more than the strength of argument. But if we exert ourselves in the use of mirth and humor, it is not for want of other weapons. It shall never be said, that a free-thinker was afraid of reasoning. No Crito, we have reafons in ftore: The best are yet to come: And if we can find an hour for another conference before we set out to-morrow morning, I'll undertake you shall be plied with reafons, as clear, and home, and close to the point as you could wish.