this diftance, that fhocks and overwhelms the imagination, it is too big for the grafp of the human intellect: Eftates, Provinces, and Kingdoms vanish at its prefence. It were to be wifhed a certain Prince, who hath encouraged the study of it in his fubjects, had been himfelf a proficient in Aftronomy. This might have fhewn him how mean an ambition that was, which terminated in a fmall part of what is itself but a point, in refpect of that part of the universe which lies within our view.

י.

But the Chriftian Religion enobleth and enlargeth the mind beyond any other profeffion or fcience whatfoever. Upon that scheme, while the earth, and the tranfient enjoyments of this life, fhrink in the narroweft dimenfions, and are accounted as the dust of a balance, the drop of a bucket, yea less than nothing, the intellectual world opens wider to our view: The perfections of the Deity, the nature and excellence of virtue, the dignity of the human foul, are displayed in the largest characters. The mind of man seems to adapt itself to the different nature of its objects; it is contracted and debased by being converfant in little and

low

low things, and feels a proportionable enlargement arifing from the contemplation of these great and fublime ideas.

The greatness of things is comparative; and this does not only hold, in refpect of extenfion, but likewife in respect of dignity, duration, and all kinds of perfection. Aftronomy opens the mind, and alters our judgment, with regard to the magnitude of extended Beings; but Christianity produceth an univerfal greatnefs of Soul Philofophy increaseth our yiews in every refpect, but Chriftianity extends them to a degree beyond the light

of nature.

How mean muft the most exalted Potentate upon earth appear to that eye which takes in innumerable orders of bleffed Spirits, differing in glory and perfection? How little muft the amusements of fenfe, and the ordinary occupations of mortal men, seem to one who is engaged in fo noble a purfuit, as the affimulation of himfelf to the Deity, which is the proper employment of every Christian!

And the improvement which grows from habituating the mind to the comprehenfive views of religion must not be thought wholly to regard the under

standing.

ftanding. Nothing is of greater force to fubdue the inordinate motions of the heart, and to regulate the will. Whether a man be actuated by his paffions or his reason, these are first wrought upon by fome object, which ftirs the foul in proportion to its apparent dimenfions. Hence irreligious men whofe fhort profpects are filled with earth, and sense, and mortal life, are invited, by these mean ideas, to actions proportionably little and low. But a mind, whofe views are enlightened and extended by Religion, is animated to nobler pursuits by more fublime and remote objects.

There is not any inftance of weakness in the Free-thinkers that raises my indig nation more, than their pretending to ridicule the Christians, as men of narrow understandings, and to pafs themfelves upon the world for perfons of fuperior fenfe, and more enlarged views. But I leave it to any impartial man to judge which hath the nobler fentiments, which the greater views; he whofe notions are stinted to a few miferable inlets of fenfe, or he whofe fentiments are raised above the common tafte by the anticipation of thofe delights which will fatiate the foul, when the

whole

whole capacity of her nature is branched out into new faculties? He who looks for nothing beyond this fhort fpan of duration, or he whofe aims are, co-extended with the endless length of Eternity? He who derives his Spirit from the elements, or he who thinks it was inspired by the Almighty?

SIR,

SING

INCE you have not refused to infert matters of a Theological nature in thofe excellent papers, with which you daily both inftruct and divert us, I earnestly defire you to print the following paper. The notions therein advanced are, for ought I know, new to the English Reader, and if they are true, will afford room for many useful infe

rences.

No man that reads the Evangelifts, • but must observe that our bleffed Sa'viour does upon every occafion bend all his force and zeal to rebuke and correct the hypocrify of the Pharifees: Upon that fubject he fhews a warmth which one meets with in no other part

cf

• because it was wholly founded upon his • Refurrection.

Accordingly therefore when Peter and John had cured the lame man at the 'beautiful gate of the Temple, and had thereby raised a wonderful expectation of themselves among the people, the • Priefts and Sadducees, Acts iv. clapt them, up, and fent them away for the first ⚫ time with a fevere reprimand. Quickly after when the deaths of Ananias and Saphira, and the many miracles wrought after those severe inftances of the apoftolical power had alarmed the Priests, who looked upon the Templeworship, and confequently their Bread, to be ftruck at, thefe Priefts, and all they that were with them, who were • of the fect of the Sadducees, imprisoned the Apostles, intending intending to examine them in the great Council the next day. Where, when the Council met, and the Priests and Sadducees propofed to proceed with great Rigor againft them, we find that Gamaliel a very emi'nent Pharifee, St. Paul's mafter, a man of great Authority among the people, many of whofe determinations we have

• ftill