on; without either loading our memories, or
making us even sensible of the change. And particularly I have observed
in preaching, that no men succeed better than those who trust entirely
to the stock or fund of their own reason, advanced indeed, but not
overlaid by commerce with books. Whoever only reads in order to
transcribe wise and shining remarks, without entering into the genius
and spirit of the author, as it is probable he will make no very
judicious extract, so he will be apt to trust to that collection in all
his compositions, and be misled out of the regular way of thinking, in
order to introduce those materials, which he has been at the pains to
gather and the product of all this will be found a manifest incoherent
piece of patchwork.

[Footnote 9: Thus in first edition. Scott and Hawkesworth have: "though
he never heard of Aristotle or Plato." [T.S.]]

Some gentlemen abounding in their university erudition, are apt to fill
their sermons with philosophical terms and notions of the metaphysical
or abstracted kind, which generally have one advantage, to be equally
understood by the wise, the vulgar, and the preacher himself. I have
been better entertained, and more informed by a chapter[10] in the
"Pilgrim's Progress," than by a long discourse upon the will and the
intellect, and simple or complex ideas. Others again, are fond of
dilating on matter and motion, talk of the fortuitous concourse of
atoms, of theories, and phenomena, directly against the advice of St
Paul, who yet appears to have been conversant enough in those kinds of
studies.

[Footnote 10: Thus in first edition. Scott and Hawkesworth have "a few
pages" instead of "a chapter" [T. S ]]

I do not find that you are anywhere directed in the canons or articles,
to attempt explaining the mysteries of the Christian religion. And
indeed since Providence intended there should be mysteries, I do not see
how it can be agreeable to piety, orthodoxy or good sense, to go about
such a work. For, to me there seems to be a manifest dilemma in the case
if you explain them, they are mysteries no longer, if you fail, you have
laboured to no purpose. What I should think most reasonable and safe for
you to do upon this occasion is, upon solemn days to deliver the
doctrine as the Church holds it, and confirm it by Scripture. For my
part, having considered the matter impartially, I can see no great
reason which those gentlemen you call the freethinkers can have fo