BY this time, Sir, I have said as much as I think fit (and therefore, I hope, more than upon your single account was necessary) to manifest, that Physeophilus had no just cause to undervalue the study of Divinity, nor our Friend the Doctor, for addicting himself to it. I hope you have not forgotten what I expressly enough declar’d at the beginning of this Letter, That both your Friend and you admitting the holy Scriptures, I knew my self thereby to be warranted to draw Proofs from their Authority. And if I need not remind you of this, perhaps I need not tell you by way of Apology, that I am not so unacquainted with the Laws of Discoursing, but that, if I had been to argue with Atheists or Scepticks, I should have forborn to make use of divers of the Arguments I have imploy’d, as fetch’d from unconceded Topicks, and substituted others for such as yet I think it very allowable for me to urge, when I deal with a Person, that, as your Friend does onely undervalue the study of the Scriptures, not reject their Authority. And if the prolixity I have been guilty of already did forbid me to increase it by Apologies not absolutely necessary, I should perchance rather think my self obliged to excuse the plainness of the Style of this Discourse; which both upon the Subject’s score, and yours, may seem to challenge a richer Dress. But the matter is very serious, and you are a Philosopher, and when the things we treat of are highly important, I think Truths clearly made out to be the most perswasive pieces of Oratory. And a Discourse of this Nature is more likely to prove Effectual on Intelligent Perusers, by having the Reasons it presents perspicuously propos’d, and unprejudic’dly entertain’d, than by their being pathetically urg’d, or curiously adorn’d. And I have the rather forborn expressions that might seem more proper to move than to convince; because I foresee, I may very shortly have occasion to employ some of the former sort in another Letter to a Friend of yours and mine, who will, I doubt, make you a sharer in the trouble of reading it. But writing this for you and Physeophilus, I was far more sollicitous to give the Arguments I imploy a good temper, than a bright gloss. For even when we would excite Devotion, if it be in rational men, the most effectual pieces of Oratory are those, which like Burning-glasses inflame by nothing but numerous and united Beams of Light. If this Letter prove so happy as to give you any satisfaction, it will thereby bring me a great one. For prizing you as I do, I cannot but wish to see you Esteem those things now, which I am confident we shall always have cause to esteem; and then most, when the Light of Glory shall have made us better Judges of the true worth of things. And it would extremely trouble me to see you a Disesteemer of those Divine things, which as long as a man undervalues, the Possession of Heaven it self would not make him happy. And therefore, if the Blessing of Him whose Glory is aim’d at in it, make the Success of this Paper answerable to the Wishes, the Importance of the Subject, will make the Service done you by it suitable to the Desires of,
SIR, Your most Faithful, most Affectionate, and most Humble Servant.
← Part 2, Section 5 · Contents · Of the Excellency and Grounds of the Corpuscular or Mechanical Philosophy →