But I now find you running into all the topics
of the greatest libertines and infidels, and betraying that holy
cause which you seemingly espoused. Are you secretly, then, a
more dangerous enemy than C/LEANTHES\ himself?
And are you so late in perceiving it? replied C/LEANTHES\.
Believe me, D/EMEA\, your friend P/HILO\, from the beginning, has
been amusing himself at both our expense; and it must be
confessed, that the injudicious reasoning of our vulgar theology
has given him but too just a handle of ridicule. The total
infirmity of human reason, the absolute incomprehensibility of
the Divine Nature, the great and universal misery, and still
greater wickedness of men; these are strange topics, surely, to
be so fondly cherished by orthodox divines and doctors. In ages
of stupidity and ignorance, indeed, these principles may safely
be espoused; and perhaps no views of things are more proper to
promote superstition, than such as encourage the blind amazement,
the diffidence, and melancholy of mankind. But at present....
Blame not so much, interposed P/HILO\, the ignorance of
these reverend gentlemen. They know how to change their style
with the times. Formerly it was a most popular theological topic
to maintain, that human life was vanity and misery, and to
exaggerate all the ills and pains which are incident to men. But
of late years, divines, we find, begin to retract this position;
and maintain, though still with some hesitation, that there are
more goods than evils, more pleasures than pains, even in this
life.
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