Page:Terræ-filius- or, the Secret History of the University of Oxford.djvu/43

 chimeras and impoitions which have no foundation.

I always thought it the great buines of leaning and philoophy to enquire after, and to dicover that inetimable jewel (as it ued to be called) as far as frail nature will allow us. This is what the greatet med of all ages have profes'd to be their enquiry, and the ultimate end of all their tudies: they were o far from believing that was hurful to mankind, that, on the contrary, they thought it the greatet ervice to their fellow-creatures to purue it with indefatigable application, and to publih it unreervedly amongt them.

Nay, even in this nation, and in this age, whilt we call it inful and imprudent to peak the truth, how often do we hear it inited upon from the pulpit, of what an eternal and divine nature is; that it is unalterable, and varies not with times and eaons? If o, methinks uch a dinine bleing ought to be made as popular and diffuive as it can be, for the preent and future welfare of mankind.

Our religion, God be praied, is of o excellent and apotolical a contitution, that it needs no craft, nor diguies, to upport it; it fears no examination, but demands of all its profeors; it is built upon the rock of, and why hould the trength and glory of its foundation be kept a ecret?

And yet how often do we hear men blamed for blabbing the truth? Nay, how often do we hear ome men openly maintain, that, in many points, the common people ought to be deluded, and kept in the dark, for the preervation of government and religion?

Epecially, amongt the Clergy; if any one of that function, out of a crupulous concience, or a