IxXViii. PROLEGOMENA. ' 



induced to look further into their lives ; if he 

 does so, he will be struck, not only with the 

 abundance of miracles performed at their prayers, 

 but with the narration of more extraordinary 

 austerities practised by them, than any which I 

 have related here ; and will perhaps ask to what 

 such severe practices of self denial tend ? and why 

 we cannot get to Heaven as easily in luxury and 

 pleasure ? I am not aware how better to answer 

 this question to a metaphysical philosoi)her, who 

 may not be contented with the express decla- 

 rations of Christ, than by saying, that this life 

 is a state of trial in which the mind, or in- 

 dividualized capacity for sensation, is to qualify 

 itself, by necessary exercises of a j)articular kind, 

 for an eternal state of existence, and that these 

 exercises include the abnegation of selfish passions. 

 The christian religion in this respect is strictly 

 conformable to the profoundest metaphysical 

 philosophy ; but as every philosopher's mind has 

 something peculiar, in superaddition to that which 

 all minds have in common ; so it will be impossible 

 to enter on such enquiries as these with safety? 

 for another person. The method I propose for 

 every thinking mind capable of abstraction, is to 

 abstain from beginning these enquiries where 

 they ought to end, asDes Cartes and others have 

 done ; and instead thereof to begin them at the 

 fountain head, the word of God, tried by the 



