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this time, to move the Bookfeller to publish them together in a distinct Volume; in hopes, that the Politeness and Beauty peculiar to Mr. Addifon's Writings would make their way to perfons of a fuperior Character and a more liberal Education; and, that as they come from the hands of a Layman, they may be the more readily receiv'd and confider'd by young Gentlemen, as a proper Manual of Religion.

Our modern Sceptics and Infidels are great Pretenders to Reason and Philofophy, and are willing to have it thought that none who are really poffefs'd of thofe Talents, can eafily affent to the Truth of Chriftianity. But it falls out very unfortunately for them and their Caufe, that thofe perfons within our own memory who are: confefs'd to have been the most perfect Reafoners and Philofophers of their time, are alfo known to have been firm Believers, and they; Laymen; I mean Mr. BOYLE, Mr. Lock, Sir ISAAC NEWTON,

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NEWTON, and Mr. ADDISON: who, modeftly speaking, were as good Thinkers and Reafoners, as the best among the Sceptics and Infidels at this day. Some of them might have their particular Opinions about this or that point in Chriftianity, which will be the cafe as long as men are men; but the thing here infifted on, is, That they were accurate Reafoners and at the fame time firm Believers.

Mr. BOYLE, the most exact Searcher into the Works of Nature that any Age has known, and who faw Atheism and Infidelity beginning to fhew themfelves in the loose and voluptuous reign of King Charles the Second, purfu'd his Philofophical Inquiries with Religious Views, to establish the minds of men in a firm belief and thorow fenfe of the infinite Power and Wifdom of the great Creator.

This account we have from Dr.Burnet. one who was intimately ac

quainted with him, and preach'd his

A 3

funeral

funeral Sermon: It appear'd to thofe 'who convers'd with him in his

Life, P. 22.

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Inquiries into Nature, that his main defign in that (on which as ' he had his own eye moft conftantly, fo he took care to put others. often in mind of it) was to raise in himself and others, vafter thoughts. of the Greatnefs and Glory, and of < the Wisdom and Goodness of God. This was fo deep in his thoughts, 'that he concludes the Article of his Will, which relates to that Illuftrious Body, the Royal Society, in thefe Words: wishing them a happy fuccefs in their laudable Attempts, to difcover the true nature of the Works of God; and praying that they and all other Searchers into Phyfical Truths, may cordially refer their At•tainments to the Glory of the great. Author of Nature, and to the Comfort of Mankind.' The fame perfon alfo fpeaks thus of him, He had the profoundest Veneration for the great God of Heaven and Earth, • that

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• that ever I obferv'd in any person. The very name of GOD was never • mention'd by him without a Pause and a vifible Stop in his Discourse. And, of the strictness and exempla riness of the whole course of his life, he fays, I might here challenge Ibid. the whole Tribe of Libertines, P. 9. to come and view the Ufefulness, as well as the Excellence of the Chriftian Religion, in a Life that was intirely dedicated to it.

Against the Atheists, he wrote his Free Enquiry into the receiv'd Notion: of Nature (to confute the pernicious Principle of afcribing Effects to Nature, which are only produced by the infinite Power and Wifdom of God;) and alfo his Effay about final Causes of things Natural, to fhew that all things in nature were made and contriv'd with great order, and every thing for its proper End and Use, by an all-wife Creator.

Against the Deifts, he wrote a Treatife of Things above Reafon; in which

he makes it appear that feveral things which we judge to be contrary to Reafon, because above the reach of our Understanding, are not therefore to be thought unreafonable, because we cannot comprehend them, fince they may be apparently reasonable to a greater and more comprehenfive Understanding. And he wrote another Treatise, to fhow the Poffibility of the Refur rection of the fame Body.

The Veneration he had for the Holy Scriptures, appears not only from his ftudying them with great Exactnefs, and exhorting others to do the fare; but more particularly from a diftinct Treatife which he wrote, on purpose to defend the Scripture-Stile, and to answer all the objections which Profane and Irreligious perfons have made against it. And fpeaking of Morality confider'd as a Rule of Life, Life, he says, 'I have formerly taken P. 17. pains to perufe Books of Morality; yet fince they have only a power to perfuade, but not to com

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