the whole of our time about objects which merely affect the fenfes: confcious too of the weakness of our beft refolutions, we fhall naturally be led to offer up continually our earnest prayers for the divine bleffing and support, in this as in every other particular of our duty, which we may thus humbly hope to obtain.

AND as this principle of action, thus ftrengthened, will promote in us inquiry and labour; fo it will most faithfully conduct us in our researches, and be the best prefervative from error. If a man's first aim be to advance his worldly interefts, he will be fubject, whatever care he takes, and without any wilful deviation, to an undue bias in favour of thofe opinions which find the readiest acceptance with the great and powerful. He, whofe grand endeavour is to raise admiration, will frequently find himfelf tempted to fhut his eyes against truth, when

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the fatigues of continued thought, and the perplexities of attentive difquifition? The differénce of right and wrong, with a due sense of the obligation of the former and of our own imperfection, will lead the mind a step yet higher, and teach it to refer this, as every thing elfe, ultimately to his will who implanted this fenfe in us, and is ever attentive to the regard we pay it. And as we cannot but fee, that it is consistent with justice, that he should expect returns according to what he hath conferred upon us; we must know, that according to the abilities and opportunities which we have, he requires of us application and labour. To this a constant sense of every moment of our time being obferved by him will powerfully and uniformly excite us. Since, when once his prefence is duly impressed upon our minds, we shall no more think it allowable to pass our retired hours in the futility of diffipated thought, than to spend

the

4

the whole of our time about objects which merely affect the fenfes: confcious too of the weakness of our beft refolutions, we fhall naturally be led to offer up continually our earnest prayers for the divine bleffing and fupport, in this as in every other particular of our duty, which we may thus humbly hope to obtain.

AND as this principle of action, thus ftrengthened, will promote in us inquiry and labour; fo it will most faithfully conduct us in our researches, and be the best prefervative from error. If a man's firft aim be to advance his worldly interefts, he will be fubject, whatever care he takes, and without any wilful deviation, to an undue bias in favour of thofe opinions which find the readieft acceptance with the great and powerful. He, whofe grand endeavour is ́to raise admiration, will frequently find himfelf tempted to fhut his eyes against truth, when

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when she appears in the homely* dress of general opinion, and to turn aside for a more unusual and friking appearance. To agree with the rest of the world, and endeavour to elucidate received opinions, is too circumfcribed a path for vanity; which will ever be urging on the mind to fome uncommon pursuit, in which the rest of the world have no fhare, and of courfe can lay claim to no part of the praise. What a fource of error this must be, it requires no pains to prove; but, if duly confidered, it will perhaps account for many extraordinary appearances among the learned, which move the pity of every perfon of candour and feeling.

IN fhort, intereft will be likely to bias us too much one way in favour of received opinions, whatever they are; and vanity to prejudice

* See Sherlock's Discourses, vol. 3, ser. 3, page 10, 11, and 12.

prejudice us too much the other way against them. Now the perfon who enters upon inquiry under a continual fenfe of God's prefence; and of being accountable to him, who fees the origin and progrefs of every thought, for his fairness and impartiality, is not in danger of either of thefe extremes; his great intereft is to difcover the truth, and therefore, with a due refpect, becoming his age and abilities, to the opinions of others, he dares to think for himself. If he differs from them, fhould it be in important points, confcious of his own integrity, his chief concern is for their mistakes; and on the other hand, he is not difcontented or unhappy, when he finds himself, after the whole of his pains, of the fame fentiments with the reft of the world.

THUS neeeffary and powerful then will the principle of acting from a fenfe of duty

*See Sherlock.