feen the Proteftant Religion, and whole Conftitution, reduced to the laft Extremity, in fayour of a darling Maxim, and under the Pretence of a Divine Right.

A fervile Adherence to other Mens Judg ments, without ufing our own Reafon, or judging for our felves, is avery prevailing but perni cious Inftance of Bigotry: Giving our felves up Blindfold to the Conduct of Others, and following them right or wrong; fuppofing them to fee farther, and fitter to judge for us; not confidering that we are reasonable Creatures our felves, and muft give our own Account at last, The Reverence of great and admired Names has drawn in Multitudes to the fame Opinion, and difcouraged any free Enquiries, in fome very plain and important Inftances of Truth. Some Men fwallow down Opinions as filly People do Emprick's Pills, without knowing what they are made of, or how they will work; or as common Soldiers follow their Leader, without examining the Caufe for which they contend.

Men often read only on one Side of a Controverfy; magnify the Wisdom and Learning of their Own Writers; while they difparage thofe of the other Side, or fuffer themfelves to be ignorant of them. I have fometimes known fome of the principal Writers, or beft Books, in a Controverfy, managed with Sufficiency and Affurance, and even with Challenge and Triumph, never read or feen, by the Parties concern'd, in many Years together.

Or They wrest every thing to their preconceived Opinion; bending the ftrait Line of Truth to the powerful Prejudices of their own В 2

Mind,

Mind, and preffing every thing into the Service of their own Caufe. Every thing looks of the fame Colour with the Glafs, through, which they fee it. A noted Interpreter of our own*, has wrested a great Part of the New Teftament in Favour of two or three darling Notions, which he fancies He meets with almost every where. It may feem to little Purpose to write against Bigotry, because they who moft need it are leaft likely to regard it.

Bigotry is not confin'd to Religion, how much foever it reigns there, but is evident in Civil Life, or what relates to the State. How often do we see Men fall in with others,, without ever confidering their Opinions, and go the Lengths of a Party, without entring into their Views, or being able to give any Reason for it. Artful and defigning Men manage the Wires behind the Scenes, and play the Puppits upon the Stage; they give out the Cry, and the fequacious Multitude follow in the Dark. The unthinking Herd like a Flock of Sheep always follow the Bell.

We have a fresh Instance of this before Us: Religion, which fhould infpire Men with a Zeal of doing Good, has inflamed them with a Thirft of Mischief. The Cry of the Church, in the Mouths of weak or defigning Bigots, has been made a Pretence to disturb the Quiet of the State, and a fuccessful Engine almoft to overturn Religion it self, and all Order and Honefty, good Sense and Government among Us. Men have been perfuaded under the Power of this Delufion, to receive the most open Falf

* Dr. Hammond.

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hoods, and digeft the groffeft Abfurdity. To believe the Church in Danger, when in a fafe and flourishing Circumftance, in the full Poffeffion of all its Rights and Revenues, and under the Favour and Protection of a Prote ftant Prince; and that the only way to fecure it, is to fet a Papift at the Head of it, difpos'd by Nature, and oblig'd by Principle, to deftroy it as foon as he is able.

Yea, which may feem ftrange, there is a Bigotry even for Deifm; for pretended Free-Thinking, and the Contempt of every Thing built on Divine Revelation: Which however it may be imagined ferviceable to the State, muft neceffarily fap the Foundation of all Government.. Take away the Authority of the Scriptures, and what they are moft fit to infpire Men with, the Fear of God, and I'll bid Defiance to the beft managed humane Authority long to stand its Ground.

There is Bigotry among the feveral Sects of Those who fet up for Religion among Us. The many violent and narrow-fpirited Prote ftants of the feveral Denominations, are so many Bigots; and contribute confiderably to obftru& the Exercife of General Kindness, the great Bond of all Society. But tho these are not thought confiderable enough at prefent to spend much Time in addreffing to; yet I cannot but fay, the Part they have unanimoufly acted in the prefent Conjuncture, would be enough to bribe One into an Eafinefs of Temper towards them, and make One think they ought at least to be let alone in their feveral Peculiarities, who have behayed themfelves fo well, under all their Difadvantage, in the common Interest.

There

There are other Inftances of Bigotry in common Life; in the feveral Oddities and Humours that diftinguish Mens particular Conduct, which it would be endlefs to reckon up, and of less Importance.

The Reader will be eafily able to difcern by fuch numerous Inftances, how common and fpreading an Evil it is; but perhaps the Mifchief of it is not rightly understood, or duly confider'd by the Moft. Bigotry is a Weed which must be rooted up, or it will quickly ruin all good Productions of the Soil where it grows. It will eat out the Heart of Religion, and the Heart of our Country too, if it ben't timely check'd and deftroy'd. 'Tis vicious in its whole Nature, and in all its Caufes and Confequences. It's Unmanly: For Men fhut their Eyes against the Light, and follow others in the Dark: They neglect the nobleft Gift of God and the beft Power of their Nature, what is most effential and diftinguifhing to a reafonable Creature; to think for Himfelf, and fee with his own Eyes, and judge according to the best Light he can get of the true Merits of a Caufe.

'Tis Ungenteel: For a Bigot is always pofitive, and apt to be froward, and foon grows rude and troublesome. Upon the Principle of ftiff Adherence to a Man's own Sentiments right or wrong, 'tis impoffible to keep up mutual Civility, or preferve a juft Decorum. For One Man has the fame Right to infift with Another; and Neither, upon this Suppofition, muft ever yield or fubmit. The Confequence is, that Men muft needs be led to endless Wrangle, and become Uneafy to One Another.

We

We can't eafily imagine any thing lefs friendly to the Exercife of that Humanity which belongs to a reasonable Creature; or that Good Nature which is proper to our Country; or that Complaifance which becomes good Breeding and a liberal Education.

Nor is it lefs Unchriftian: For nothing is more Oppofite to the Spirit of the Gospel, which is all Kind and Good; proper to infpire the most generous Sentiments of Mind, and promote the Good of Others. It allows Us to prove all Things. It requires Us to honour all Men; to love our Neighbour as Our Selves; to Look every Man on the Things of another; to forbear and prefer one another in Love; and in Lowlinefs of Mind, efteem others better than our Selves. Bigotry is the exact Tranfcript of a Pharifee, who lays a Strefs upon Little Things, and bears hard upon Others; and is the moft obnoxious and hated Character in all the Sacred Writings. And it cannot but be prejudical to Christianity, as well as Unworthy of it: For where-ever this Humour prevails, there is commonly a great Defect of Zeal for more important Things. It draws all the Spirits to it Self; as the many little Suckers about the Body of a Tree, drain the Life and Sap from the Root, and make it languish and wither. It weakens a due Regard to the greatest Things, by dividing among a great many little Ones; as the Cutting a River into many Channels,weakens its Force,and makes it run fhallow.

it

'Tis Unphilofophical, and a great Enemy fo Truth: For it huts our Eyes against further Light, and fhuts us up in prefent Attainments. Tis a strong Prejudice in our Minds to any

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