upon, by ftill ftronger obligations, to let our light fo Shine before men, that they may glorify our Father, who is in heaven, Do we fee by a lively faith, the one fupreme God, in his real character, as a Being of all poffible perfection, more especially juftice, mercy, love, goodness, and every valuable excellence that can attract a reasonable affection? We are then certainly required to love this glorious and amiable. Being, with all our heart, with all our mind, and with all our strength; to prefer his favour, before every intereft of this mortal state, as being really better than life itself; to raise our minds above every corrupt appetite and paffion; and, to take all poffible pains to adorn our lives and actions, with the excellent qualifications of piety, righteousness, charity, fobriety, patience, purity and holiness, which Chrift and his apostles have folemnly inculcated, as the neceffary terms and conditions of gaining eternal life. On the other hand; very fevere threatenings, namely, exclufion from the kingdom of a heaven, and a state of great and lafting misery, are denounced against all wilful finners, who continue fuch without fincere amendment and reformation, demonstrated by an uniform courfe of univerfal righteousness, to the end of their lives.

ATHANASIAN. My good friend, though you are very zealous in this important caufe, yet your zeal is conducted by reafon and knowledge. Partyzealots, in the midst of their folicitous concern to

fettle

fettle opinions and religious practices, are too apt to forget, or difregard the chriftian obligations to universal charity and holiness of life. I am really convinced, that what you have said, highly deferves the ferious confideration of all those who profess theinfelves difciples of Jefus Chrift, and, in earnest, believe the divine authority of the holy scriptures. I hope to make a proper use of this religious conference, and to act fuch a part, in consequence of it, as will be accepted at that folemn time, when God shall judge the fecrets of men by Jesus Christ.

UNITARIAN. I fincerely rejoice, my dear chrif tian friend, that you are become a Bcrean, an inquirer for yourself, and refolved to fearch the fcripture with an unprejudiced mind; which excellent temper will, I make no doubt, lead you to a rational fatiffaction upon this, and other religious fubjects. And may the bleffings of the one fupreme God, and Father of all, attend your fincere difquifitions.

A SECOND

FRIENDLY DIALOGUE

BETWEEN

EUGENIUS AND THEOPHILUS.

EUGENIUS. It is now, my dear friend, fome few years fince we held that conference which was occafioned by your difrespectful behaviour, as I then conceived of it, during some parts of the public fervice of the established church. The good temper which we preferved in that converfation, and the earnest defire after truth, which equally prevailed in both of us, have been the occafion, fince that time, of many pleafing reflections. And as I fhall, I truft, never ceafe to intereft myfelf in the happinefs of my fellowcreatures; I will never cease to pray to almighty God, that the fame love of truth, and the fame candid and charitable temper, may univerfally prevail among all the different denominations of chriftians; being fully perfuaded that until we can agree toi entertain different opinions upon religious fubjects, with perfect harmony and love, we fhall never difcover the truth, or be capable of receiving it.

THEOPHILUS.

THEOPHILUS. These fentiments, with which our converfation is now renewed, and which have preferved the recollection of our former conference with fo much pleasure in your memory, are no lefs the fentiments of my heart, than they are of yours. My affection for you, as my friend, never fuffered the least diminution on account of the differences of opinion which, at any time fubfifted between us. The progress of our judgment is gradual; and the measure of our conviction cannot be foreknown by us. Serious inquiry into ferious fubjects, is our duty; but the refult of fuch inquiries is not within our command.

EUGENIUS. The controverfy in which we were before engaged, began in the different opinions we entertained of the perfon of Chrift. The fyftem which I supported was very properly difcriminated. by the name of " athanafian," by which appellation I was then diftinguished. Our debate, as you well know, concluded, on my part, with fome very ample conceffions refpecting the obligation and, neceffity of religious inquiry, and with my hearty and voluntary promise to read, think, and determine for myself. Thus far, your arguments had all the effect you defired; for till that time, from early prejudice, from a blind deference to the judgment of many good and learned men, from a false reverence for the doctrines eftablished by the laws of my country, and from an unmanly fear of exercifing

my