earest Relations oftentimes are hardly brought to look upon her after
such a dishonour done by her to their Family; whilst the Fault of her
more guilty Brother finds but a very moderate reproof from them; and
in a little while, it may be, becomes the Subject of their Mirth and
Raillery. And why still is this wrong plac'd distinction made, but
because there are measures of living establish'd by Men themselves
according to a conformity, or disconformity with which, and not with
the Precepts of Jesus Christ, their Actions are measur'd, & judg'd of?
A thing which would be unaccountable if Men were indeed heartily
perswaded of the Divine Revelation of our Saviours Doctrine; and did
not profess to believe this but because it is the Fashion of their
Country so to do; and that their Parents have done so before them;
or, at most, that possibly they may have receiv'd from their Education
some impressions which will not permit them to reject the Christian
Religion, any more than firmly induce their Assent to the Truth of it.

That Men who have any Vertue, or Sobriety, and who are not intirely
destitute of good Sense, can suffer in themselves such an uncertainty
about what is of so great moment to them as the Truths of the
Christian Religion, is indeed strange; but as the slightest Arguments
against any Truth have some weight to those who know not the Evidence
of that Truth, so also such as have never been accustom'd, whilst
Young, to exercise themselves in any Rational Inquiry, do usually in a
more advanc'd Age look upon the easiest Labour of this kind as
painful: And thence (for the most part) do either lazily think it
best to acquiesce, as well as they can, in such Mens Sentiments as
they have imagin'd the best to understand this matter; or else are
readily inclin'd from the disagreement, and contrariety of Peoples
thoughts about it, to take a Resolution of not troubling themselves at
all concerning it; as being a thing wherein there is no certainty to
be found, and probably therefore but little Truth: An Opinion which
the too commonly avow'd Scepticism of the Age helps much to confirm
unthinking People in; and that the more, because to doubt of what the
most believe (tho' few have any other Reason for so doubting but that
others do not doubt) has very much prevail'd in our Days to intitle
Men to the Reputation of more than ordinary Wit and Sagacity. But the
Scepticism among us has truly been so far from being the effect of
unco