TO THE REV. ROBERT GORDON, MINISTER OF THe gospel, Edinburgh. MY WORTHY FRIEND, THE design of the following Argument, which with all affection and esteem I dedicate to you, is to recover the great subject of Judgment to Come from poetical visionaries on the one hand, and from religious rhapsodists on the other; and to place it upon the foundation of divine revelation, of human understanding, and the common good. To which wholesome ends I bring forward the revelation of God upon the subject, and endeavour to show that it commends itself to every noble sentiment of the human breast, and to every worthy interest of human life. For it seems to me that upon religion we are growing wiser than our fathers, who were content with a train of human authorities, and that this age requireth religious truth to be justified, like other truth, by showing its benefits to the mind itself, and to society at large. The poets and the economists are quite alive to this advancement of the public mind, and alteration of the public taste, of whom the former address our imagination and our heart, the latter our interests;-bases upon which they have reared by far the most rival influences to religion-the school of Sentiment, which holds of the former; and the school of Politics, which holds of the latter. Now being convinced that besides à Creed, there is in our religion the most elevated sentiment, and the greatest advantage both public and private, I see not but we should fight and overthrow these rivals with their own weapons, by addressing their disciples upon that side on which their ear is open. For their ear is shut, and I hope the ear of all men is for ever shut, to the authority of names; and it is vain now to quote the opinions of saints, or reformers, or councils, or assemblies, in support of any truth. They even hold cheap our venerable theological language, though it can boast of great antiquity, and they insist upon its being translated into common phrases, that they may understand its meaning. And the misery is, they will not listen unless we gratify them in this reasonable request, but allow |