p,Q LIBERTY OF JREASONI^Q 



that of ten tlioufand — even of thofe clafTes of . mankind, 

 whofe Hate and condition in common life require a 

 considerable degree ,of rational aptitude — there could 

 be fcarcely one who had not rather implicitly believe 

 whatever .was required of him, than endeavour to con- 

 vince himfelf by fo painful a method. But in fact 

 this new -broached mode of conviction was nothing but 

 fallacy throughout : for, it was not only fo framed, 

 as that, inftead of producing conviction in really think- 

 ing minds, it rather raifed doubt upon doubt, and led 

 them, whether they would or no, y to new opinions, contra- 

 dictory to. thofe that were in vogue : but it was like- 

 wife previo.uily determined, that every inveftigation 

 of an article of belief or dogma which fhoukl produce 

 another refult than this dogma, was already in itfelf 

 erroneous, reprobate and damnable, i. e. obnoxious 

 Both to elementary and hellifh fire. Woe to him, who, 

 in thofe unhappy centuries, fhould offer to rnake ufe of 

 his reafon in the trial of what was propofed to his belief, 

 and lubmit the oracular decrees of a priefthood who. 

 had ufurped an arbitrary and unlimited empire over 

 the human intellect, nay, over the very fenfes of man- 

 kind, to the neceffary and natural laws prescribed to 

 the mind of man \ All examination ceafes where every 

 doubt is pronounced to be a fuggeftion of the devil, 

 which can only be combated by fafting and prayer, by 

 the mortification of theilefh, and a total fufpenlion of 

 thought; and reafon is turned into a ufelefs inftrument- 

 fo foon as its free employment leads to the gloomy 

 dungeons of the inquifition, and from thence to the 

 ftake or the fcaffold. 



I con- 



