religion, because there are none under which men rest so satisfied. Under the practice of any immorality they are uneasy, and that uneasiness may lead to a cure; for the light of natural conscience is sufficiently strong to show, that sin and peace cannot dwell together. But prejudice effectually keeps a man from inquiring after truth, because he conceives that he is in full possession of it, and that he is following it up in the very error which keeps him so wide of it. Or if, with the Roman governor, he ask, what is truth;' like him, he turns away for fear of an answer The strongest light cannot penetrate eyes that are closed against it; while to the humble, who desire illumination, God gives not only the object, but the faculty of discerning it.

the anointed of God, yet exhibited eminent Yet, though it may incidentally be attachinstances of placability in his conduct to-ed to a good man, there are few errors more wards his own personal enemies, especially calculated to estrange the heart from vital in the case of Saul. But, perhaps, the duty, after all, was not so fully made out, so clearly defined, so positively enjoined, nor was the frame of mind so evidently seen in 'them of old time.' We have many instances under that dispensation, of saints and prophets laying down their lives for their religion, but it was reserved for the first New Testament martyr, when expiring under a shower of stones from his enemies, to say, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.' The reason is obvious. It being expected, that our notions and practices should be adapted to the revelation under which we live, this sublime species of charity should necesssarily rise in proportion to the clearness and dignity of that dispensation. It is congruous, therefore, that our forgiveness of injuries should be exercised in far higher perfection under the Gospel, the professed object of which was to make a full and perfect revelation of the pardon of sin by the blood of a Redeemer. And we can only be said to have a conformity to his image, in proportion as we practise this grace. Let us, however, remember, to borrow the thought of an eminent divine, that our for-jects of the other's passion; the blindness giving others will not alone procure forgiveness for ourselves, while our not forgiving others is a plain proof, that we ourselves are not forgiven.'

CHAP X.
On Prejudice.

THERE is not a more curious subject of speculation, than to observe the vanity of colours with which opinion tinges truth: the bias which prejudice lends to facts, when it cannot deny them: the perversion it gives to the motive, when it cannot invalidate the circumstance; the warp and twist it gives to actions, which it dares not openly condemo; the disingenuousness into which it slides, even though it does not intend to maintain a falsehood; the bright rays with which it gilds, perhaps unconsciously, its own side of a question; the dark cloud by which it casts that of an adversary into the shade. Prejudice, if not altogether invincible, is, perhaps the most difficult of all errors to be eradicated from the human mind. By dis guising itself under the respectable name of firmness, it is of infinitely slower extirpation than actual vice. For vice, though persisted in through the perverseness of the will, never sets itself up for virtue; a vicious man knows what is right, though his appetites deter him from following it; but a prejudice, being perhaps more frequently a fault of the judgment than of the heart, is sometimes persisted in upon principle. No man will defend a sin as such, but even good men defend a prejudice, though every one else sees that it is producing all the effects of a sin, promoting hatred, souring the temper, and exciting evil passions.

As it is mental, rather than moral prajudice, which is the present subject of consideration, we shall say little of those prejudices of which the passions and appetites are the cause. Interest and sensuality see the objects which absorb them through their own dense medium, while the vision of either is probably clear enough in judging of the ob

being partial, and confined, like the lunacy of some disordered patients, to the single object to which the disease has a reference. Even probity itself is not of sufficient force to guide our conduct; we see men of sound integrity and of good judgment on subjects where prejudice does not intervene, acting, where it does, below the standard of ordinary men, governed by a name, carried away by a sound. It makes lovers of truth unjust, and converts wisdom into fatuity. It must, therefore, be an enlightened probity, or we may be injuring our fellow creatures, when we persuade ourselves we are doing God service. Paul does not appear to have been a profligate, but to have been correct, zealous, and moral, and to have earned a high reputation among his own narrow and prejudiced sect. His error was in his judgment. The error of Peter was in his affections. A sudden touch of self-love in this vacillating, but warm-hearted disciple, made him dread to share in his master's disgrace. But in this case, a single penetrating glance melted his very soul, brought him back to contrition, repentance, and love. To cure the prejudices of Paul, a miracle was necessary.

While the powerful arguments of our Lord put even the Sadducees, the infidels of the day, to silence,' they produce no such effect on the professing Pharisees; instead of rejoicing to hear their great doctrine of the resurrection so fully vindicated, they redoubled their prejudices against him, at the very moment in which he had obtained such a triumph in their cause. The first thing they endeavoured, was to seek to entangle, by their casuistry, him who had just defeated the common enemy.

But, let us judge even the prejudiced without prejudice. Prejudice, to a certain

degree, is not so much the fault of the indi- circumstance of voting on the same side of vidual, as of our common nature. And that sober tincture of it, which is inseparable from habits and attachments, is a fair and honest prepossession :-for instance whoever reprobated, as a censurable prejudice, that generous feeling,

For which our country is a name so dear? But, after all, prejudice of some kind or other, is a natural inborn error, attached to that blindness, which is an incurable part of our constitution.

ten stand instead of the best qualities, in recommending one man to the good opinion of another? With this unfounded partiality is naturally connected a dislike to better men, on the mere ground of their taking the opposite side; for party, which takes such a large permission to think and act for itself, takes care never to allow to others the lib

erty which it so broadly and uniformly assumes.

He who drinks deep into the spirit of party, minutely pencils all the shades of misrepDisagreement of opinion, therefore, if it resentation; his prejudice blackening, his be an evil inseparable from our present state partiality whitening; the one deforming of being, ought not to excite antipathy; what is fair, the other beautifying what is complete unanimity of heart and sentiment foul; the one defacing temples, the other being reserved as a part of the happiness of garnishing sepulchres. Providence, in_the that more perfect state, where the effulgence mean time, working its own way by these of truth will dissipate all the error and mis- perverse instruments; the worst designers apprehension which cloud our judgment being sometimes surprised into doing more here. good than they intended, by a wish to anticiPeople commonly intend to judge fair- pate the good projected by the opposite parly; and, when they fail, it is as often an error ty, and so to throw an odium upon them, for of the understanding as of the heart. They not having been able to effect the same, form their opinion of some particular subject though they had perhaps planned it, and from what they see of it. But though they though adverse circumstances alone had insee only a part, they frequently form their terrupted the scheme, or the want of a suitopinion of that which remains unseen, more able occasion had delayed its accomplishperemptorily than those who see the whole; ment. Thus good is effected, the public is for a large and clear view by affording a just- benefitted, all are pleased. The conscienness of conception, commonly induces hu- tious rejoice that it is done at any rate; the mility. Perhaps, on their ignorance of those prejudiced, that their party have the credit very parts of a question which they do not of doing it. see, they form their decision on the whole; while the unseen points are precisely those which only could enable them to determine fairly on the general proposition.

There are among the exhaustless mancuvres of a party-champion, if I may so speak, gestures and signs of disapprobation, which are of equal efficacy with language itself. There are also artifices in writing, that resemble intonation and accent in a skilful speaker, which, by a turn of the voice, or a clause in a parenthesis, throw in a shade of distinction, lend an emphasis which makes mystery intelligible, and helps out the apprehension of the reader. There is such a thing as an intellectual shrug of the shoulders, a mental shake of the head, an implication that has more meaning than an assertion, a hint which can effectually detract from the commendation which prudence has extorted, and which serves to awaken suspicion more than a direct charge. Whatever is omitted, is sure to be more than supplied; whatever is dexterously left open by the writer, never fails to be over-charged by the reader, who always values himself on his ingenuity in filling up an hiatus. There is a way of setting out with general praise, in order to make the meditated charge more effectual. A practised reader will see through the artful circumlocutory preface, which is gradually preparing to introduce the little, though effectually disparaging particle but. These artifices raise up the ghost of some unknown evil in the character to be injured, and excite, at the same time, the idea of prudence and moderation in the censure. It is a mys

We should not, however, very severely censure any for the mere opinion they form, this being a matter of the judgment rather than of the will; the true object of censure is their conduct under this false impression; in acting as hostilely as if their opinion was founded on the best ascertained facts. If we are all more or less prejudiced, it does not follow, that the conscientious act upon the feelings which the prejudice has excited. The harsh and the intolerant, indeed, let loose upon their adversaries all the bad passions which this disposition to prejudge opinions has stirred up; while the mild spirit in which Christianity governs, will conduct itself with the same general kindness as if no diversity of opinion subsisted. Though all prepossession arises from some cloudiness in the mind, it is a fair trial of the Christian temper, when the man who suffers by it, continues to exercise the same tolerant and indulgent spirit towards the prejudiced party, as if there were a mutual concurrence of sentiment. If he have no other ground of objection to the person from whom he differs, there is something of a large and liberal spirit in acting with him, and speaking of him, on other occasions, as if the matter in debate did not exist. How endless and intricate are the mislead-terious giving out, and assumed regret at ings of political prejudice! It is as detailed being compelled to speak, a hypocritical conand minute in its operations, as it is broad scientiousness, a reluctance of communication and extensive in its compass. Will not the which, after it has told much more than all

it knows, tenderly affects to have kept back the worst.

One evil which commonly arises from the perusal of a work of a systematic opposition, whether the object be public or private, is, that it has a tendency to bias the more liberal reader, who took it up in the most impartial state of mind, with as undue a prejudice in favour of the party attacked, as the assailant laboured to establish in favour of his own; so that, if any injustice be excited, it is on the contrary side to that which the author intended. Generally speaking, however, people do not sit down with a pure design to read impartially any thing, which, from the title of the work, or the name of the author, they foresee or suspect is likely to contradict their creed, whether previously adopted from conviction or prepossession.

faults for them, are we not too much disposed to take comfort in those they have; to cherish unkind reports of them, to give them a welcome hearing and a wide circulation? Nay, self-estimation and rooted prejudice may lead us entirely to mistake the character of him we call our enemy. A man is not necessarily wicked because he does not admire us. He may dislike some of our notions without hating our persons; or, after all, his prejudices may not be entirely illfounded; and if we will examine ourselves on the ground of his charge in some particu. lar instance, we may find, that we have been wrong in a way which we might not have discovered without him. If his detection of our error lead us to correct it, we should not reckon that man among our worst enemies : or, if we should happen to be right, there is a great advantage in being assisted by the mode of attack, to know how to collect materials for our defence.

We must also learn sometimes to endure censure for things right in themselves, and, under existing circumstances, necessary, which yet may not appear right to others, because it may not be prudent to disclose those secret springs of action, which, if revealed, would convince others that we have not acted wrong. Instead of spending our spirits in invective, or spoiling our temper by hatred; instead of liking our faults the

But, to confine our observations to the prejudices which embitter common life: when we fancy we have been injured by some unfounded evil report, let us avoid considering the character of the reporter, or our own supposed injury, under the immediate impression of the intelligence, but try to divert our thoughts to some other subject, till our heated spirits have time to cool. We shall otherwise, too probably, feel and utter many things which exceed the bounds of strict justice. When the resentment has, in some measure subsided, let us endeavour to collect and to retain only the simple and ex-better, or adhering to them the more, beact truth; what the enemy really said, and cause pointed out by those we dislike; not what he suspected he might say Let us would it not be wiser to inquire, if our opinretrench all that is imaginary, all that is ions may not be prejudices, as well as theirs? merely suspicion; let us cut off all the ag- For it does not inevitably follow, that even gravations of conjecture, all the inventions the dislike of bad men is any certain proof of passion, all the additions of revenge, all of our goodness; though our natural prothat belongs to unsubstantiated report-pensity to think our own conduct and opinwhen these due retrenchments are made, we shall often see that the injury is not so great. It is no wonder if the object we saw through a mist was enlarged; a clear medium reduces it to its natural size.

ions right, disposes us to think them more right in proportion to the opposition which is made to either. We are blind to our own singularities, even though those singularities may be errors; and a spirit of resentment But, supposing the worst to be true; reli- or resistance makes that blindness often gion, operating on observation, will at length more obstinate. On the other hand, may we teach us to set these metaphysical evils, not be too much disposed to think our centhese afflictions of the imagination, this an- surers, whom we call wicked, more wicked guish of wounded pride or irritated self-love, than they are; or, though there may be erover against the real, deep, substantial mis-rors in their conduct, this does not take from eries of body and mind, under which thousands of our fellow-creatures, nay many of our friends, are at the moment sinking; and we shall blush at our own irritability; we shall bless God for the lightness of our own lot; we shall even be thankful for that evil which exists only in the opinion, or the report of a fallible creature, and which makes no part of our real self.

But, above all, let us never revenge the injury by opposing our injustice to that by which we suffer, by acting against our opponents with the same spirit with which we accuse them of acting against us. Retaliation, which is the justice of a vulgar mind, is of the very essence of an unchristian spirit. Where this is indulged, all the virtues of the adversary are rooted out by our resentment, and it is well, if we do not plant vices in their room. Or if we do not invent Vor. II.

22

them the capacity of judging of ours. Even though their hearts are wrong, their judg ment, as far as relates to others, may not be totally perverted. It is no infallible proof of their bad judgment, that they think meanly of ours.

·

But allowing that their judgment is as incorrect as their practice, and that their dislike proceeds from the strong antipathy of bad to good,' yet we may turn this dislike to profit. That hostility to religion, of which the Scripture so frequently speaks, is not intended to give the Christian a bigh notion of his own piety, but to encourage him against the fear and dejection which that hostility might create. If he meet with opposition, he must not fly for refuge to his own goodness, as contrasted with the faults of his op ponents; nor must he be depressed, as if some strange thing had happened to him :'

much less must he convert the opposition he meets with, into an evidence, that he is in all instances right. In the consolations which the Gospel holds out to the sufferer for righteousness' sake, it was intended to inspire him with courage, not vanity; with confidence in God, not in himself. He must not, therefore, so much value himself because he has enemies, as suspect that he may have enemies, because he has deserved them. Or perhaps, there is something wrong in us which we have not yet discovered, for which God permits us to have enemies. This suspicion may serve to render us circumspect, and quicken our endeavours to remove the ground of their censure. This, even if it do not reconcile them to us, will still make us gainers by their enmity; so that, in any case, the Apostle's interrogation, And who is he that shall harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? loses nothing of its force.

Who can forbear to lament, when he sees such a litigious spirit pervade superior minds, such airy nothings conjured into difficulties, sufficient to clog the wheels of the noblest undertakings; an effect resulting merely from the partiality with which even wise men sometimes cleave to their own prepossessions, added to a reluctance to examine what may possibly be wrong on their own side, or right on the other?

eral end. But, alas! do we not sometimes see Christians more forward in attacking and exposing each other, than in buckling on their arms to make war on the common enemy? Are they not more ready to wage that war against a pious brother, who does not view some one opinion exactly in the same light with themselves, though equally zealous in the promotion of general truth, than against those who have no religion at all? What a church triumphant would our's be in one sense, though still militant in another, if there was a union of real Christians joining in one firm band to assail the strong holds of vice and immorality, instead of laying open each other's errors and mistakes, and thus exposing the great cause itself to the derision of the unbeliever.

We cannot dispute ourselves into beaven, but we may lose our way thither, while we are litigating unimportant topics-things which a man may not be much the better if he hold, and which, if he hold them unrighteously, he might be better if he held them not. The enemies of religion cannot injure it so much as its own divisions about itself.

He who is zealously running after a favourite opinion, is in danger, in order to establish his point, of losing his moderation by the way, and over-stepping truth at the end : and, what is worse, of converting the sober defence of his own system into a hostile attack of that of another; for a hot disputant seldom wages defensive war The point under discussion so heats his temper, as to make him lose sight of its real importance. Every consideration gives way in support of that opinion which has now the predominance in his mind. And this opinion is not seldom contended for with an eagerness proportioned to its real want of solidity; since great and important objects are seen by their own light, and require not the false fire of pride or passion to blazon their worth. Often does the hot controvertist assert that to be of the very essence of religion, which is but a mere adjunct; and often he seems to wonder how men can bestow so much time and thought on any other topic, while his grand concern is under consideration.

It would be comparatively a small evil, if prejudices were only fostered on occasions in which religion has no concern. If we could hope to see such a general proficiency in true piety, that, where the sentiments of men concurred on all essential points, each side would sacrifice something on points that were indifferent, it would be a sort of realization of the communion of Saints. But if it be called an act of Omnipotence to make men of one mind in a house, what would it be to make them of one mind in a town or a kingdom? If we could witness a cordial agreement between those who profess to have the interests of the same religion at heart, such a concurrence in the wish to promote its great practical objects, as would render them willing to concede their own theories, or their own judgment. in things It is because these rooted and unexamined that do not affect any of the vitals of reli- prejudices involve human affairs in so much gion, with such noble materials worked up perplexity, that the rectification of our judginto action, what a glorious world might this ment is one of the most important objects of become! This combination of Christian our concern. The opinion which others enfeeling would extinguish all unkind debate, tertain of us, though it may hurt our fortune all malice, and anger, and clamour. and or our fame, yet it cannot injure our more evil speaking.' This peace-offering would essential interests. Their judgment of us oblige no one to renounce his principles; can neither wound our conscience nor shake yet, by the extinction of petty differences, our integrity. The false judgment we form by such a confederacy of honest hearts and of them may do both, especially if we act upcandid spirits uniting for some great public on the opinion we have formed, if we speak object, this wilderness would almost be con- injuriously of those of whom we think unverted into the garden of God. Nor would kindly; if, by following a blind prejudice or an inferior portion of the benefit be derived precipitate judgment, we decide upon their to the minds of those by whom, for a cause characters, without possessing those grounds of general importance, the inconsiderable for determining which we insist are indispensacrifice was made; so far from it, it would sable in the opinion they form of us. Jealbe hard to say which made up the largest ag- cusy, resentment, envy, often darken our gregate of good, the private exercise of in- perception, and are secretly operating on our dividual virtue, or the promotion of the gen-minds, while we persuade others, and too

another.

probably ourselves, that we are promoting was pre-determined that no argument should the interests of truth and justice, in exposing shake him, the adversary sat down with, the the faults, or counteracting the schemes of same liberal resolution. Nay, the probability is, that he will declare his former opinion is more immoveably settled by the very reasons the opposer has suggested, so that he feels he is furnished with fresh arms by the antagonist himself.

Controversies will be for ever carried on, though converts are not made: for I do not remember, that of the ancient sects of philosophers, any went over to their opponents. Among the professors of the old school divinity, it does not appear that the disciples ever changed their master that the advocates of the angelical Doctor ever adopted the cause of the irrefragable;* and it is evident that the followers of Jansenius and Loyala died with the same mutual hostility in which they

had lived.

But though neutrality is not a state of mind to be desired, moderation is. Even these polemical Christians, if each would look calmly and kindly on the other, might discover in his opponent a striking likeness of his own features, if not an entire similarity of complexion; a likeness sufficient to prove that they are both of the same family, all As truth, however, will be asaulted, it children of one common Father, though they must be defended. Controversial discus do not carry the exact resemblance in some sions, therefore, are not only harmless, but minutenesses in which parity is not necessauseful, provided truth be the inspiring motive, ry to prove affinity. The general familyand charity the medium of conducting them. likeness should, however, operate as an inTruth is frequently beaten out by conflicting ducement to treat each other with brotherly blows, when it might have contracted rust kindness, even if they were not assured, and impurity by lying quiet uninquired into which they all profess to be, that the common and unassailed. We are in danger of grow-Father will be the common Judge.

ing negligent about a truth which is never attacked, or of surrounding it with our own fancies, and appending to it our own excrescencies; while the assailant teaches even the friendly examiner to clear the principal of all foreign mixtures, and, by giving it more purity, to give it wider circulation.

CHAP. XI.

Particular Prejudices.

It is no inconsiderable part of our duty in But, as we before observed, a thorough our necessary connexions with that motley partisan in religion, as well as in politics, mass of characters of which mankind is seldom takes up a book of controversy with composed, to conquer certain prejudices an unbiassed mind. He has a pre-determin which are too apt to arise, especially in peration which seldom gives way to argument. sons of fastidious temper and delicate taste, He does not see, that the supporter of his against those, who, though essentially valown cause may be maintaining it in a wrong uable in their general character, have sometemper; that, while he is fighting for ortho- thing about them which is positively disadoxy, he may be aiming his side blows at a greeable; or who do not fall in with some personal antagonist, or giving the death's of our ideas, or whose manners are not conwound to charity. He does not perceive, genial to our feeling. To wait before we that he may be injuring the interests of prac- love our fellow creatures, till their character tical religion, while he is labouring to pro- be perfect, is to wait till we meet in heaven; mote such as are doctrinal, that he may be and not to serve them till the feeling be reinflaming the temper, while he is informing ciprocal, is to act on the religion of the pubthe understanding. Yet a controversy is lican, and not of the Christian. We should sometimes so managed, that, though truth love people for what we see in them of the may be vindicated, the minds of plain Chris-image of their maker, though it be marred tians may be little informed. Such readers and disfigured. hat piety which makes do not understand the logician's terms, them amiable in His sight. should prevent which, though they may have the effect of their being disgusting in ours. If we consilencing the opponent, do but little towards sulted our principles more, and our taste less, enlightening the mind or strengthening the it would cure us of this sharp inquest into faith. Controversies, therefore, in religion their infirmities. or politics often do little good, in comparison of the labour they cost, and the evil tempers they excite. They are seldom read by those to whom, if temperately conducted, they might be of the most service-the unprejudiced. The perusal is commonly confined to two classes, friends and enemies. Now the friends and enemies of a writer form but a small proportion of the world of readers. Of these, the one flies to the book to get his prepossessions strengthened, the other, to get his antipathies confirmed. The partisan

Scotus, Aquinas, and the other school divines, were distinguished by these and similar epithets.

Yet on the other hand, if religious but coarsely-mannered persons, however safe they may be as to their own state, could be aware how much injury their want of delicacy and prudence is doing to the minds of the polished and discriminating--who, though they may admire Christianity in the abstract, do not love it so cordially as to bear with the grossness of some of its professors; nor understand it so intimately, as to distinguish what is genuine from what is extrinsic- If they could conceive what mischief they do to religion, by the associations which they teach the refinded to combine with it,so as to lead them inseparably to connect piety with