SECT. II. Of Reading Controversies. WHEN we take a book into our hands, wherein any doctrine or opinion is printed in a way of argument, we are too often satisfied and determined beforehand whether it be right or wrong; and if we are on the writer's side, we are generally tempted to take his arguments for solid and substantial; and thus our own former sentiment is established more powerfully, without a sincere search after truth. If we are on the other side of the question, we then take it for granted that there is nothing of force in these arguments, and we are satisfied with a short survey of the book, and are soon persuaded to pronounce mistake, weakness, and insufficiency concerning it. Multitudes of common readers, who are fallen into any error, when they are directed and advised to read a treatise that would set them right, read it with a sort of disgust which they have before entertained; they skim lightly over the arguments, they neglect or despise the force of them, and keep their own conclusion firm in their assent, and thus they maintain their error in the midst of light, and grow incapable of conviction. But if we would indeed act like sincere searchers for the truth, we should survey every argument with a careful and unbiassed sions, and which generally does him much more service, in the judgement of wise and sensible men, than any poignancy of satire with which he might be able to animate his productions; and as this always appears amiable, so is it peculiarly charming, when the opponent shews that pertness and petulancy which is so very common on such occasions. When a writer, instead of pursuing with eager resentment the antagonist that has given such provocation, calmly attends to the main question in debate, with a noble negligence of those little advantages which ill-nature and illmanners always give, he acquires a glory far superior to any trophies which wit can raise. And it is highly probable that the solid instruction his pages may contain will give a continuance to his writings far beyond what tracts of peevish controversy are to expect, of which the much greater part are borne away into oblivion by the wind they raise, or burnt in their own flames. unbiassed mind, whether it agree with our former opinion or not we should give every reasoning its full force, and weigh it in our sedatest judgement. Now the best way to try what force there is in the arguments which are brought against our own opinions is, to sit down and endeavour to give a solid answer, one by one, to every argument that the author brings to support his own doctrine: and in this attempt, if we find there some arguments which we are not able to answer fairly to our own minds, we should then begin to bethink ourselves, whether we have not been hitherto in a mistake, and whether the defender of the contrary sentiments may not be in the right. Such a method as this will effectually forbid us to pronounce at once against those doctrines, and those writers, which are contrary to our sentiments; and we shall endeavour to find solid arguments to refute their positions, before we entirely establish ourselves in a contrary opinion. Volatilis had given himself up to the conversation of the free-thinkers of our age upon all subjects; and being pleased with the wit and appearance of argument, in some of our modern Deists, had too easily deserted the Christian faith, and gone over to the camp of the infidels. Among other books which were recommended to him, to reduce him to the faith of the gospel, he had Mr John Reynolds's three Letters to a Deist put into his hands, and was particularly desired to peruse the third of them with the utmost care, as being an unanswerable defence of the truth of Christianity. He took it in hand, and after having given it a short survey, he told his friend he saw nothing in it but the common arguments which we all use to support the religion in which we have been educated, but they wrought no conviction in him; nor did he see sufficient reason to believe that the gospel of Christ was not a piece of enthusiasm, or a mere imposture. Upon this the friend, who recommended Mr Reynolds's three Letters to his study, being confident of the force of truth which lay there, entreated of Volatilis that he would set set himself down with diligence, and try to answer Mr Reynolds's third letter in vindication of the gospel; and that he would shew, under every head, how the several steps which were taken in the propagation of the Christian religion, might be the natural effects of imposture or enthusiasm; and consequently that it deserves no credit among men. Volatilis undertook the work, and after he had entered a little way into it, found himself so bewildered, and his arguments to prove the apostles either enthusiasts or impostors so muddled, so perplexed, and so inconclusive, that, by a diligent review of this letter to the Deist, at last he acknowledged himself fully convinced that the religion of Jesus was divine; for that Christian author had made it appear it was impossible that doctrine should have been propagated in the world by simplicity or folly, by fraud or falsehood; and accordingly resigned his soul up to the gospel of the blessed Jesus. I fear there have been multitudes of such unbelievers as Volatilis; and he himself has confessed to me, that even his most rational friends would be constrained to yield to the evidence of the Christian doctrine, if they would honestly try the same method. |