I Do not wonder, that a great Soul, like yours, should enquire, What aspect Religion, and particularly that of Christians, has upon Greatness of Mind: But, I confess, I somewhat marvel, that you should be put upon the Enquiry, by the Suggestions of such a Libertine as Mr. N. N.’s confidently pretending, that his Atheistical and Sensual Principles are much more friendly, than the Doctrines of Christianity, to a noble Frame of Mind. Wherefore I dare not permit the Sense I have of my own Weakness, how great and just soever, to keep me from presenting you with my Thoughts; and the rather, because I presume you are not indisposed to receive a Satisfaction in this Point, since you seem to expect it from a Pen that is no better than mine; which, you well know, must not be, on this occasion, assisted by the Arguments and Ornaments, that the fine Sentences of the Fathers, and other Divines and Humanists, might afford to a Person that were at leisure, and furnished with a Library. Yet I shall not much, either excuse, or deplore, my being so ill accommodated for the Task you impose upon me; because as you seem to desire but my own Thoughts, so I know not, whether common Place-books would afford me any great Assistance on so uncommon a Theme; and, I confess, that, when the Matter will bear it, I, as well as you, do less care for Authorities, especially taken from Discourses, designed rather to Persuade than Prove, in comparison of those Arguments, that are suggested by a due Consideration of the Nature of the Thing. But yet, I presume, you will readily give me leave to do that frequently enough, which your Friend, perhaps, will call Preaching. For besides that, your Desires, and my Haste, confine me to the Bible and my own Thoughts; the frequent Citation of Texts of Holy Scripture is exacted by the Nature of the Question I am to handle: it being necessary, for the evincing of the Doctrines of Christianity, not to be inconsistent with Greatness of Mind, that we as well consider, What those Doctrines are, which sure will be best declared by the Scriptural Texts that contain them, as What are the Attributes of Greatness of Mind.
← Reflections upon a Theological Distinction That Some Articles of Faith Are · Contents · Greatness of Mind, Chapter 1 →