notwithstanding thofe infinite divifions caus'd by the intereft of the Priests and the ignorance of the People, ALL WISE MEN ARE OF THE SAME RELIGION: wherupon a Lady in the room, who seem'd to mind her needle more than their discourse, demanded with fome concern what that Religion was? to whom the Lord SHAFTESBURY ftrait reply'd,Madam, wife men never tell. And indeed, confidering how dangerous it is made to tell the truth, tis difficult to know when any man declares his real fentiments of things. I have often, I confess, read of defires to fome, and defiances to others (not tolerated by the Laws) to produce their arguments: but this was, in other words, defiring them to get themselves difgrac'd or punish'd, depriv'd or excommunicated. Nay, I have read of invitations to Heretics, Deifts, and Atheists, to speak above-board; and heard it much lamented, that the books of fuch were formerly deftroy'd, or that they are not fuffer'd now to write: because Truth wou'd therby triumph the more, and these unfortunate men be the more eafily reclaim'd. Many of those who expreft fuch defires, having been very good men,, wou'd be not a little forry if the others had comply'd; when they found they had drawn them into a fnare, out of which they cou'd not extricate them: and as for those whole invitations tend to decoy and trepan, they must be left to the conscience of their own bafe defigns; as the perfons deluded by them, ought to fuffer unpity'd for their folly. Now if it be a defirable thing to have the Truth told without difguize, there's but one method to procure fuch a bleffing. Let all men freely Speak what they think, without being ever branded or punish'd but for wicked practifes, and leaving their fpeculative opinions to be confuted or approv'd by whoever pleases: then you are fure to hear the whole truth, and

till

till then but very scantily, or obfcurely, if at allTill then, I fay, Tranfubftantiation will in one country be profeft, by fuch who believe it as little, as many do the Athanafian Creed in another country. But what do I talk of this or that country, when examples in all countries are numberlefs? nor will the laft in our own be that of a certain Doctor, who wrote Difficulties Efoterically, and Exoterically preach'd a Sermon. In this ftate of things, while liberty in its full extent is more to be with'd than expected, and that thro human weakness people will preferr their repofe, fame, or preferments, before speaking of Truth; there is nevertheless one obfervation left us, wherby to make a probable judgement of the fincerity of others in declaring their opinions. Tis this. When a man maintains what's commonly believ'd, or profelfes what's publicly injoin'd, it is not always a fure rule that he speaks what he thinks: but when he ferioufly maintains the contrary of what's by law esta blifh'd, and openly declares for what most others oppofe, then there's a strong prefumtion that he utters his mind. Yet even this obfervation may be found to fail, unless.full and impartial Liberty obtains; which I cou'd fhow, were this a place for it, to be very confiftent with national Establishments. But to give in one perfon an example of liberty and referve, of external and internal doctrines, an ample profeffion of speaking what he thinks, and an abfolute uncertainty whether he does fo or not, I fhall bring SYNESIUS here on the ftage. He was a man of high quality and bright parts, who, from a Heathen Philofopher of the Platonict fect, became Bishop of Ptolemais in the beginning of the fifth century. By that time Bishops were come to be minifters of ftate, rather than overfeers of their flocks; which made the Epifcopate a place of great honor and authority, but fubject

to

to much fatigue and envy. Nor is it to be for-
got, that, the better to carry on the Chriftian
caufe, which needed no fuch arts, men of efta-
blish'd reputation were not onely courted to be
Clergymen, but accepted upon very eafy terms,
as to their Chriftianity it felf. Among these SY-
NESIUS is not the leaft remarkable. He was
by nature averse to bufinefs, and by Philofophy
much addicted to contemplation: yet he was con-
fecrated a Bishop whether he wou'd or not, about
the Year 410, a thing he frequently deplores. In
how many of his Letters does he lament, that, Epist. 11,
being made a Bishop, he was involv'd in fecular 13.57,67,
affairs? how pathetically does he fet forth, what So, 105,
a hard thing it was, to perfuade him to enter in-
to Orders? how boldly does he own, that he wifh'd
for death, fooner than to change his Philofophi-
cal for an Epifcopal life? how often, how ear-
neftly, does he beg to be difcharg'd from his of
fice? with what ingenuity does he declare, that be-
ing by education a Heathen, and by profeffion a
Philofopher; every thing went wrong with him,
fince he prefum'd to ferve at the Altar? Particu-
larly, in a Letter to his Friend OLYMPIUS, he Epist. 95
affures him, that if the Epifcopate fhou'd prove
any hindrance to his Philofophy, he wou'd quit
his Diocese, abjure his Orders, and remove into
Greece. All this, fome will fay, fhows his in-
dolence or his humility; but is nothing to your
fubject, of the Exoteric and Efoteric Philofophy.
Thefe Gentlemen will change their note, when
they learn that SYNESIUS was made a Bishop,
tho he was not a Chriftian, and fo muft needs
preach what he did not believe. This nevertheless
is literally true, unless a man be deem'd a Chri-
ftian, who disbelieves the immediate creation of the
foul, the End of the world, and the Refurrection
of the dead. In a long Letter to his brother, he Epift. 105,
expreffes

H

expreffes his averfion, to the Crofier on diverse accounts, being led by inclination rather to continue in the modefty of Philofophy, than to be elevated to the grandeur of Episcopacy; and fearing left the latter fhou'd fpoil the former, by Ibid. making him proud and arrogant. He appears moft loath to quit his wife, which he protests he will not do; but wishes to have many children by her, as two or three he had. But this is not Ibid. all. Tis difficult, fays he, or rather abfolutely impoffible, to unfettle thofe doctrines, which, by the means of knowledge, are rooted in the foul to a demonftration. But you know, continues he, that Philofophy is diametrically oppofite to the common doctrines. Well what were thofe doctrines he cou'd not digeft? Verily, fays he, I shall never be He Believ'd perfuaded,that the Soul had no being before the body; Preexiftence. I fhall not profefs, that the World, and all its parts

fhall perish together; the threadbare doctrine of the Refurrection I conceive to denote fomthing facred and fecret, but am very farr from approving the prejudices of the vulgar. They are not, you fee, trivial or indifferent points at which he boggles: and fince the Refurrection of the dead, was one of the articles effentially requir'd to be believ'd by those that were baptiz'd; how was it poffible he cou'd be reckon'd a Christian, however he might, as things went then, be a very God. 26. good Bifhop? His memory fail'd PHOTIUS,

Ibid.

when he writes it was in an Epiftle to THEOPHILUS, that SYNESIUS deny'd the Refurrection, wheras it was in this to his brother: or perhaps he did it alfo in a Letter to that Patriarch of Alexandria, which is fince loft. The fame PHOTIUS plainly afferts, that, tho perfifting in his denial of the Refurrection, they ordain'd S YNESIUS Bishop; not doubting but fo good a man, endow'd with fuch uncommon vertues, wou'd fooner

This is like

fooner or later believe this doctrine. thofe matches concluded by covetous parents, between young people who do not greatly care for each other; fecuring a good fortune firft, and not doubting but love will come after. They are however commonly mistaken in their politics. But PHOTIUS, feveral hundred years pofterior Ibid. to SYNESIUS, averrs that he cafily came into the belief of the Refurrection, after he was made a Bishop. The fame things are also reported by EVAGRIUS. It may well be that he did fo, and Lib. 1.cap. it may as well be that he did not for, in the 15. fore-cited Letter to his brother, he roundly de- Epift. 105. clares, that it may fomtimes be expedient to ly, in order to do good; exact philofophical truth not being neceffary for the vulgar, who may receive hurt from their knowlege. Wherfore, fays Ibid. he, if this method be confiftent with the rights of the Epifcopal dignity, I may be confecrated. Ifhall freely philofophize at home, and tell fables abroad; neither teaching nor unteaching, but fuffering people to live in their prejudices. He repeats this rule over and over. Notwithstanding this allow'd liberty among Philofophers, he calls God and men to witnefs, that, if his Epifcopal charge requires otherwife, he will not falfly reprefent doctrines. So farr, fo good. This refolution likewife he more than once repeats in the ftrongest terms, if fwearing by GOD be fo. His reluctance to quit Ibid. his arms, his horfes, and his deareft dogs, I pafs over as trifles, in refpect of his other objections. But why, fome may fay, will you not acquiefce in his last resolution? I anfwer, because he teaches me to do otherwife: for in all his works, as well those he wrote after he was made Bishop as before, he inculcates, explains, and praises the diftinction of the Exoteric and Efoteric doctrine. This, I fay, he does every where: and especially where