c "/-^d LIBRARY OF THE Theological Seminary PRINCETON, N. J. Case, .^(Z:..^. .P^^'S'"'^ Snelf, Jy^U Seci' T> 1 No, Book, ; -^^-v-c CHRISTIANITY AS OLD AS THE CREATION : OR THE GOSPEL, A REPUBLICATION OF THE RELIGION OF NATURE. BY MATTHEW^^'INDAL, L. L. D. rUE GENTILES, WHICH HAVE NOT THE LAW, DO BY NATURE THE THINGS CONTAINED IN THE LAW. — -ROM. II. I4 GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS ; BUT IN. EVERV NATION. HE THAT FEARETH HIM, AND WORKETH RIGHTEOUSNESS, IS ACCEPTED WITH HIM ACTS X. 34,35. The religion of the gofpcl, is the true original religion of reafon nnJ nature — And its precepts declarative of that original religion, whiili was as old as the creation Dr. Sherlock. God docs nothing in the government of the world by mere will and arbitrari- nefs — The will of God always dotcrmines itfelf to acl acrcording to the eternal reafon of things — All rational creatures are obliged to govern thenifclvcs in all their adions by the fame eternal rule of reafor. Dr. S. Clark. NEWBURGH : PRINTED AND SOLD BY DAi'ID DENNISTON—M,DCC.XCVnl SHORT SKETCH O F T II E AUTHOR, AND OF HIS WRITINGS. \TRACTED FROM THE BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY. IVIaTTHEW TINDAL, a inoa celebrated En- glifh writer, was the fonofa clergyman of Beer-Ferres, in Devonfliire, and born about 1657. He becanrie a commoner of Lincoln College, Oxford, in 1672, where he had the well knowA Dr. Hickes for his tutor, and thence removed to Exeter College. In 1676, he took the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and was after- wards elected fellow of All- Souls College. In 1679 he took Baclielor of Laws degree; and in July 1685 became a Do61or in that faculty. In the reign of James II. he delarcd liimfelf a Roman Catholic, but afterwards renounced that religion, He was greatly diftinguifhcd in his time by two very extraordinary books which he publifhed, one came out in 1706, under the title of " The Rights of the Chriftian Church afferted, againfl the Romifli and all other Priefts who claim an independent power over it ; with a ( 4 ) Preface concerning the Government of the Church of England, as by law eftablifhed." The other came out at London, 1730, under the title of " Chriftianity as Old as the Creation : or, the Gofpel, a Republication of the Religion of Nature/' Befides thefe two important works, he wrote a great number of fmaller pieces or pamphlets in defence of Ci- vil an(i Religious Liberty. He died at London, in Au- guft 1733, Fellow of AU-Souls-CoUege, and it appears that the facdlties'of his mind wore well ; for, although he was about feventy-ihree when he publifhed his " Chrillianity as Old as the Creation," yet he left a fe- coh'd volume of' that v/or.k. in manufcript, by w-ay of general- reply to all his anfwer&;. the publication of whi^h was prevented by Giblon, bifliop of London. He was indifputably a man of great rcafoning powers, Qrvd itefy ftifficient learnfng- and Churchmen mighj- have wiJhed with reafon,"ihat he had been one of them„ THE CONTENTS, C II H P. I. THAT God, at all time s^ has given mankind fuffici- cnt means, of knowing whatever he requires of thc}}i J and what thoje means are. Page 9. CHAP. II. That the religion ej nature -conjijls m ohferving thofe things, which our reafon, by conjtdering the nature of God and man., and the relation we fiand in to him, and one another^ demonflrates to be our duty; and that thofe things are plain ; and likcwife what they are. p. 18. C H A P. III. That the perJeBion, and happinefs of all rational beings, fuprtme, as vjell as fubordijiate, conjifls in living up to the dictates of their nature. p. '25. C H A P. IV. That not only the matter of all God's la-cos, but the ^pcnal- fies annexed to them, arc for ihc good of mankind ; even thofe zv ho fajf'cr Jcr ihc breach of them. p. 3?. CONTENTS. CHAP. V. That God requires nothing for his own fake ; no, not the worJJiip we are to render him, nor the faith we are to have in him. p. 4^, CHAP. VI. That the religion of nature is an ahfoltdely perfeEl religi- on ; and that external revelation can neither add to, nor take from its perfeBion\ and that true religion^ -whether internally, or externally revealed, mufl he the fame. 'p. 54. C H A P. VII. That natural and revealed religion having the fame end, their precepts mufl he the fame. P- 63. CHAP. VIII. That the not adhering to those notions reason ditlates, con- cerning the nature of God, has been the occafion of all stiper/lition, and those iunumerahle mischiefs, that man- kind on the account of religion, have done either to themselves, or one another. p. y6^ C H A P. IX. . Human happiness being the ultimate defign, and end of all traditional, as well as original revelation, they mujl both prescribe the same mean?. ; fince those means, which, at one time,promots human happiness, equally promote It at all ti?nc<. p. 92 CONTENTS. VII CHAP. X. God does noi ad arbitrarily, or interpose unnectjjarily ; hut leaves those things, that can only be covfidered as means (and as such, are in their own nature mutable ;) to human discretion ; to determine as it thinks most conducing to those things, ivhich are in their own na- ture obligatory, p. 101. CHAP. XI. The suppojing things merely pojitive, to be made the in- gredients of religion, is inconfijlent with the good oj mankind, as well as the honour of Qod. p, 123. CHAP. XII. That they, who, to magnify revelation, -weaken the force of the religion of reafon and nature, flrike at all reli- gion ; and that there cannot be two independent rules for the government of human aUions. p. 154. CHAP. XIII. The bulk of mankind, by their reafon, mii/tbe able to dif- tinguifli between religion and fuperfUion ; otherwife they can never extricate thevifelves from that fuperjli- tion they chance to be educated in. p. 199. CHAP. XIV. Dr. Clarke's difcourfe oj the unchangeable obligation vj natural religion, and the truth, and certainty of the chriflian revelation ; confidered. And from thence is /Iiewn, how inconfijlent foever with the defign of that difcourfe, that nothing can be a part of religion, but what is founded on the nature, and reafon of things. CHRISTIANITY, AS OLD AS TUB C R E A T I N, ^c. CHAPTER I. That God, at all times^ has given mankind fufficunt means of knowing what he requires oj them ; and ■what thofe means are. A. nPH IS early vifit, Sir, gives me hopes it will Jl not be a (hort one. B. I come to talk with you on a fubjeft which may, perhaps, keep m'' 1 )nger than you dcfirc. A. Your unco nmon tern ler and candor, in debating even the moft impor ant points, will always make your convcrlation agreeable, though ever fo long : but pray what is to be the f :bjett of our morning's dilcourle ? B. I was yefterday in company wi h a great many clergymen, it being our bifhop's p ima y vifnation ; where the complaint was general, of the coldn h and indifference, with which people received the fpeculative points of chriflianity, and all its holy rites ; for which forme' ly they had fhcwn fo great a zeal. This coldivls they chiefly imputed to thole low churchmen, who lay the main (Ircfs on natural religion ; and withal fo mag- nify the dotlrinc of fincerity, as «n eft'ert to pi. ice all re- ligions on a level, where the profeffors are alike fir.cere. P. 10 CHRISTIANITY AS The promoters ofthcfc notions, as well as ihefe notions themfelves, were cxpofed with warmrh, how jiiftly, I will not determirie, until we have talked the matter over with our ui'uA freedom : for which teafon I have made you this early vifit, and would be glad to know the fentiments of fo good a judge, on thefe two important points ; viz. Sincerity and Natural Religion. A. I thfnk you for this favour, and fhall freely tell you, I fo little agree with thofe gentlemen in relation to fincerity, that I think a fincere examination into religi- ous matters cannot he too much prefled ; this being the only way to difcover true Chriftianity. The Apoflles thought themfelves obliged, in making profelytes, tore- commend an impartial fearch ; they both defired and required men to judge for themfelves, to prove all things, &c. this they thought necefi'ary, in order to re- nounce a religion, which the force of education had im- prefled on their minds, and embrace another dire6lly contrary to the notions and prejudices they had imbib- ed. Nay, even thofe very men, who molt ridicule the dofctrine of finceritv, never fail on other oceafions to affert, that infidelity is owing to the want of a fincere ex- amination, and that whoioever impartially confiders Chriftianity, muft be convinced of its truth. And I might add, that could we fiippofe, a fincere examination would not always produce this effe6t, yet muft it always make men acceptable to God ; fince that is all God can require, all that it is in their pov^er to do for the difco-^ very of his will. Thefe, in fliort, are my fentiments as (o this point ; and as to the other, I think, too great a ft; efs cannot be laid on natural religion ; which, as I take it, differs not from revealed, but in the manner of its being communicated: the one being the internal, and the other the external revelation of the fame unchange- able will of a being, whc^ is alike at all times infinitely wife and good. B. Surely, Sir, this muft be extremely heterodox. Can you believe, that natural and revealed religion dif- OLD a:. 1 in t ...... i i o;. . 11 fcr in nothing, but the inannoror their being conreyctl to us ? A. As heterodox as ! may r.x»ni at prcftnt, I doubt not. but by aflcing you a Few qiKilioiis, to Icf vou i'rv. I advance nothing in either of" thele points without rca fon ; and in order to it, I defirc to be informed, ^vhe thcr Cod lias not, (Vom the bc'Tiiuun{T, given foinc rule, or law for their conduft ? and wliether the obiervin;; that, did not make them acceptable to him ? B. There can be no doubt, but the obfer\ ing luch a law, mult have anlwered the end for which it was given ; and made men acceptable to God. A. What more can any external revelation do, than render men acceptable to God ? Again, If God, then, from the beginning, gave men a icli- gion ; I afl;, was that religion impeiTef:t or pcrfed ? B. Moft perfcB, without doubt ; finee no religion can come from a being of infinite vifdom and perfec- tion, but what is abfolutcly pcrfetL A. Can, therefore, a religion abfolutely perfeft, admit of any alteration ; or be capable of addition, or diminution; and not be as immutable as the author of it ? Can revelation, I fay, add any thing to a refolution (bus abfolutcly perfect, univerfal, and immutable ? Be fides, if God has given mankind a law, he mufl have given ihcm likcwife iufficient means of knowincr jt • he would, otherwife, have defeated his own intent in giv- ing it; finee a law, as far as it is unintelligible, ccal'cs to be a law. Shall we fay, that God, who had the forming of human underftanding, as well as his own laws, did not know how to adjufl the one to the other ? If God at all times was willing all men fliould come to tiie knowledge of his truth, could not his infinite wildom and power, at all times, find fuflicient means, for making mankind, capable of knowing, what his in- finite goodnefs defigned they fhould know ? B. I grant you, that God was always v.'illing that all ^nen fhould come to the knowledge of true religion ; a'ld we fay, that the Chriftian religion being the only 12 CHRISTIANITY AS true, and abfolutely perfe6l religion, w^s what God, from the beginning, defigned for all mankind. A. If fo, it follows, that the Chriftian R.ligion has exifted from the beginning, and that God, both then, and ever fince, has continued to give all mankind fuffi- cient means to know it ; and that it is their duty to know, believe, profefs, and praftife it ; fo that Chriflianity, though the name is of a later date, muft be as old, and as extenfiveas human natur - ; and, as the law of our crea- tion, muft have been then implanted in us by God himfelf. B. It would be too prefuming in us poor mortals, to pretend to account for the methods providence takes, "an relation to the difcovery of its will ; and therefore, a perfon of lefs moderation might condemn your quef- tions, as captious, prefumptuous, and founded in hete- rodoxy. A. If God never intended mankind*{houldat anytime be without religion, or have falle religions; and there be but one true religion, which all have been e\ er bound to believe and profefs; I cannot fee any hetero- doxy in affirming, that the means to effect this end of infinite wifdom, mult be as extenfive and univerfal as the end itfelf ; or that all men, at all times, mufl have had fufficent means to difcover whatever God defigned the" fliould know and praBice, I do not mean by this that al (hould have equal knowledge ; but that all ihould have what is fufficient for the circumftances they arc in. E. Since you have aflied me queflions, let me, in my turn, demand of you, w iat are your fentiments in this amatter ? Particularly, what areth<>fe means, which, you iuppofe, God has, at all times, given to the whole race of mankind, to enable them to dilcover what he wills them to know, believe, profefs and praQife ? A. I aflc'd you thefe few qucflions at prefent, not to di'termine the point, but only to let you lee you had no yeafon to be furpnfed at my faying, natural and revealed religion only differ as to the manner of their being com- OLDASTHECREATIOS. I3 iniinicnted. I fh^ll now readily anfwer your qurflions : and. as I think it mv duty never lo difow i my teliojous fentitnents, fo I freely declare, that the ule of" thole fa- culties, by which men are diltinnuifhed from brutes, is the only means they have to dilcern, whether (here is a God ; and whether be con ems himfelf wi'h human af- fairs, or has given them any laws ; and what thoic laws are ? and is men have no other faculties to judge with, fo fheir ufing thefe after the befl; manner they can, mult anfw r ihc end for which God gave them, and juflify their conduM. For, If God will judge mankind as they are acrountahle, that is, as they are rational ; the judgment muf> hold an cxaft proportion to the ufc they mike of their reafon. And it would be in vain to ufc it, if the ui'c of it would not ju points, you will ent rely clear my doubts ; but I plvroft defpair '>f your doing it, fmce you feem to me t advance a nevv hypoth- fis. A. Hear he evidence, and then judge. But before I produce it, left the fuppofed novelty of the opinion may prejudice y(Hi. I fna.I put you in mind of what Archbifhop Laiid fays upon alike occsfion : "That wnen errors are grown by age and continuance to f^rength ; they who Ipeak for the truth, though hi older, are ordinarily challenged for bringing in new opinions ; a-^d there is no greater ab urdiiy ftirring this day in Chriftendom." Now, By pvittingme to prove, that there is a law of natiire, you, I fuppofe, have a mind to hear what I can fay on this fubjett. Since none then that believe there i^ a God, who governs mankind, but believe he has given them a law for the governing their aftions ; this being implied in the very notion of governor and governed ; and fmce the law b'. which he governs men. and his govcrnme t mi ft commence together, and extend alike 'to all h s fubjer s , '^ Is it not. as bifhop Ttllotfon ob- ferves^ a great miitake, to think that the obligation of moral duties does folely depend upon the revela;ion of God's will made to us in the hoi) fcriptures.? Ts it not p?ain, that mankind was always under a law, even be- fore God made ar external or extraordinary revelation ? Wfe, how could God judge the world ? How fhuuld OLD AS THS CREATION. I7 they, to whom the v^ord of Ood nf'vcr ca-^e, be ac- qui'tcd or condemned at ihe laR cl,w ? for where ihtreis IV) liiw, there can neither be obedience nur iranfgrcf- If ihcn, it is abfurd to fuppofc, that men, though ih y lived ever (o impioufly and immorally, did nothing which God had forbid them ; or if ever (o pioufly and virtiioufly, noihinj; that God had co.-nmandcd them ; mnfl there not always have been an univerfal law, fo fully promul^dicd to mankind, that they could have no juft plea from their ignorance, not to be tried by ir. And could any ihin<; lefs than its being foimdcd on the nature ol thin^^s and the relati )n men fla .d in to God, and one another, vifible at all times to a)l, make it thus univerfally pro:iiul^-Jted. But further to illudraie this matter ; can it be imagined, that if God has been Ui good to a I other animals, as to give ihem, not in one coun- try only, but in all places whatfoever fufTiciiL-nt means to afci for their own prefervaiion ; that he has bad Icfskind- nefs for the immoral fouls of thofe made after his owii image, and has n t given them, at one lime as well as another, and at one place as well as another, fufhcient means to provide ft)r their eternal happincfs ? Or, Cart It ir. be fnppofed, an infinitely good and gracious being, who gives men notice, by their fenfes, what does good (.r hurt to their bodies ; has had lefs regard for tlieir immortal pa. ts, and has not given :hem, at all lim-s, by the light of their unJerHanding, fufficient means to difcover\vhat makes for the good of their fouls ; but has necefTitatcd them, or any of them, to continiie fron age to age, in deltruBive ignorance or error ? To prefs this matter further, let me afl^ you, whether there is not a cK^ar and diflintl tight, that' enlightens all aen ; and which, the moment they attend to it. makes them per- ceive thofe eternal truths which are the foun:!aiion of all our knowledge ? And is it not God himfclf who il- ' Pief.rc t.o \V!lk.:a» of N-tural Rclijj'.on. CHRISTIANITY AS luir.inales them ? What otber reafon car. ou a/Tign, why infinite wifdom fhoulci aftthus; but • %\\'c mankind ftandiiig rules to diftin^uifli, truth inm falftvood, efpe- cially in mailers of the highefl confequ.nce to their e- iernal as well as temjH>ral happin^fs ? There has, no doubt, been a great number of tradi- tional eiigions uccccdincT one another ; and as far as we know, there i•~^ no (rnditionai religion, which has, except in name, continued the I'ame lor any long time; and though there are a great number of fe6\s, who :, o under t e huw coipinon denomination, yet thev a e abnoft a^ much divided among themfelvc.^, as if they owned dif- ferent religions, and accordingly charge one another with err ng funda ^ entally ; yet all thefe agree in acknow- ledging a law of nature, and that tiiey are indifpenfably obliged to obey its diftates : So that this light of nature, like that of the fun. is univerf?! ; and would, did not men fhut the eyes of their underdanding, or fuffer others to blind them, foon dilperfe all thofe mills and fogs, which ar.fe eiiher from falfe traditions, or falfe interpre- tations of the true tradition. CHAP. II. Thaijhe religion of nature conji/ls in obferving thofe things, which our reafon., by confidering the nature of Gcd and man, and. the relation we Jland in to him and one' another, demonfiyates to be our duty ; and that thcfe things are plain ; and likewife what they are. 'HAT we may the better konw whether the law, or religion of nauire is univerfa , and the go'pel a republication of it, and not anew rel gion ; Ide-- fire you will give a definition of the religion of n 'tare. / A. B natural religion, I underfland the belief of the exidence of a God, and the fenfe and practice of thofe duties which rehiU fiom the knowledge we, by ^iir reafon, have of him ana his peiTefUans ; hnd of the relation we Hand in 10 him ar.d c-ur Ifllov. treaiuresj^ fo ihat 'the religion of naure takes in every thing ihat is founded on the reafon wild nature ofihiiii^s. Hence Grotius dc'fities 'hr law of nature 10 be diflutum rcclcr.o^ j^ ratinnis, indicaju aBui al'cm, ex ejxtsconveni.entiaaut~/'^i difconve.nientia cum tpfa natura 7-aticnali^ ir.ejje^ moralem/c *-** turpituduuvi^ out, nccrljnattrii r:Gi\ilrm^ ac confcqiienter'*- ^ ah au^ore natura: ^Jjco ta. ~ru7>i aut vetari aut prcccipi. I fuppofe you will iillov;, that it ii evident by the light of nature, that there is a God ; or in other words a lk-ingabf(*jiufely pcrfeft, and infinitely bappy in him- feif, who is the fourcc of all other beings ; untj that what pev'fettions foever the creaiuies have, they are wholly derived from him. jB. Thi<;, no {ioubr, has been demonftrated over and over ; and I muft own, that I cannot be more certain of niy own t'-xiiience, thiin of the exiileuce of fuch a being. . _ . A. Since then it is denionftrable there is fuch a being it iv equally cenionft'ablj, that the creatures can neither add to, nor take from the happinefs of thai being ; and that he could hive no rhotive in fiaming hi* crea ures, or in giving laws to fuch of them as he rr.rtde capable of kn'>wing his will, but their own good. To inriagine he created them firll for his own fake, and has fince required things of i hem for that reafon, is. to fu jpoie he was not perfe6\ly happy in hinifclf before the creation ; and that the creatures, by either bbferving or not obferving the rules prefcribed them, ''could add to, or !a!;efroni his happinefs. If then a being infinitely happy in himfelf, auild not comnand his creatures any thing for his own good ; noi an ail-wife being things to no end or purpofe ; nor all alUgood being any thing but for their good ; Ii-nnavoid- ably follow?, nothing can be a part of the divine law, but what lends to promote tho co'nuKm inteie't, aticl 20. • ' CHRJSTlAN^l'TvY Ai miitml happinefs of his rational creatures ; and every thing that does To, muit be a part of it. As God can reqiire nothing oF us, but what makes for Gilt happinefs; fo he, who cannot envy us any hap- pinefs our nature is capable of, can forbid us thofe things only, which tend to our hurt ; and this we arc as certain of, as that there is a God infinitely happy in himfelf, infinitely good and wife; and as God can de- fign nothing by his laws but ourgood. fo by being infi- nitely powerful, he can bring every thing to pafi which hedefigis for that end. From the confideration of thefe perfeQions, we can- not but have the highe I ven'='ration5 nay, the greateft adoration and love for this fupreme being; who, that vJc may not fail to be as happv as podib'.e for (uch creatures to b^, has made our atling for our preTent, to be the orily means of obtaining our future happinefs ; fo that we cannot finagain!l hi'n, but by a£ling againll ourfelves, that is, our realbnable naiures : thcfe reflec- tions, which occur to every one who in the leaft confi- ders, mufl gi -e us a wonderful and furprifing fenfj of the divine goodriefs, fill U5 wi'h admiiation, tranfport and extacy ; (of which we daily fee among contempla- tive perfons, remarkable inftances) : and not only force us to exprcfs a never-failing gratitude in raptures of the nigheft praife and ihankfgiving, but make us ftrive to imitate him in ourextenfive love to our fellow-ceatures, and thus copying the divine original, and taking God himfelf for our precedent, muft conform us to his im- age, who is all perfeBion and all happinels ; and who mull; have an inexhauftable love fo.- all, who thus en- deavor to imitate him. And here. The difference between the fuprems being, infinitely ^lappy in himfelf, and the creatures who are not fo, is, that all his aflions, in relation to his creatures, flow from a pure difinterelled love ; whereas the fpring of all the a6}ions of the creatures i^ their own good : We love God, becaufe he fird loved us ; and confequent- ly, our lo.e to him wili'be in proportion to our lenfe OLD AS THE CREATION'. fit of his goodncfs to u^. Nor can we in the leaf! vary from th:)('e fcntiments, which the confidcr.iiion of thi: divine atiribiiies implant in us but we mu'l in propor- tion take off from the goodnefs of God, and from ihufe motives we have to love him as we oui^ht. Our reafon, which gives us a dcmonflration of the divine perfedions, affords us the fame concerning the nature ofthofe duties God requires; not on'y with rcr- laiion to himfelf, but toourfelvcs, and o-ic another : thefe wc cannot but fee, if we look into ourfclves, con- fidiT our own natures, and the ci;C(im!Uaces God has placed us in with relation to our fellow-cre.ifures, and v!iat conduces to our mutual happinefs : our fcmfes, our reafon, the experience of others as well as our own, caniiot fall to give us fu hcient information. With relation to ourfelvcs, wc cannot but know how we are to a£l ; if we confirier,that God his endowed man with fuch a nature, as makes him n;fccfl'arilv (iefne his own good ; and thert'fjre, may be lure, that God, who has beHowfd this nature on him, cou'd not require any thing of him in prejudice of it ; hut on the contr-iry, that he fhonid do every thing which tends to pnnn >ie the good of it. The health nf the body, and the vi- gor of tlie mind, be.ng highly conducive to our good, we m ift bfc ferifiblc we offen i our maker, if we indulge our fenfes to th • pr jtidice of ih.^fe ; and hecaul'tf noc only all irregular pafiions, all unfriendly affcdit)ns car- ry their own torment with them, and endleTs incoveni- cnces attend theexccfs of fcrif'nal delights ; and all im- moderate defircs (hum in natu!e being able to bear but a certain proportion) diforder both mind and body; we cannot but know we ought to ufe great moderation with relation to our palfions, or in other words, govern nil our aflions by reafon ; that and our true intcrelt being infeparablc. y\,nd in a word, whoever fo regu- lates his n itural appetites, as will conduce mofi to imc cxercife of his reafon, the health of his body, and tlic picafure of his (cnles, taken and confidcrcd logeth^^r (fince h.rein his happinefs conlifts) may be certain he-' 22 CH.jf-IS r lAiV ITY Ab can^ never offend his maker ; who, as he governs all thing;; according to their natures, cannot but expetl'his rational creatures fliould acl according to their natures. As to what God ex|3e8:s from man with relation to each other ; every one mufi; know his duty, who coHii- ders that the common paretu'of manki^^d has the whole fpecies alike under his pro e6lion, and wiliequaily pun- iih himforinjuringothers.ashe would others for injuring him ; and confequenrly, that jt is dutyto ded vvith them as he expefts they fhould deal wiiH him in the like circumtances. How much this tshis duty, every one mull perceive, who coiifiders himfelf as a weak' creature, not able to fubfi'l without the alliflance of other5,.who have it in their power to retaliate the ufage he gives them : and that he may expeft, if he breaks thofe rules which are neceffary for mens mutual happinels, to be treated like a common enemy, not only by the perfons iujured, but by all others; who, by the common ties of nature, are obliged to defend. and a'fiiteach other. And not only a mans own p:irti:ular irjterelt, but; that of his children, his iattiily, Und alf that is de ir to him^ obliges him to promote the common happinefs, and to endea- vour to convey the fame to po{ler!iy. All moralijis-dp'^t^ thatiiuman nirure is f» conftitu- ted, diat men cAnnot live without focietv arid mutual affiftance ; and that God ha? end -)wed them with rea'fon, fpeech, and other faculties, evidentiv^fitted to enabi6 them to ailifl: each other iaall the concerns of life ; that; therefore, it is the v;ill of God who gives them this na- iUre, and 'endotvs them wi'th thofe faculties, that they fliould eii^.ploy theA fdr their common benefit and mu- tual allifla^ice. Ahd-'the philofopJisrs^ who faw that all focietv would be dilf M.ved, and men foon become deRi- tute even of the necelfaries of life, and be a prey to one ahothsr, if each man wasdniy to mind hiiiifelf, and'hi^ own finglb intereft ; «nd that evey thing pointed Out the nvjcelfuy of mutual benevolence among mankind ; did therefore rightly jndgt;, thit minwere by their na- ture fra:n::;d io_ be ufcfui to one another ; ai i'fndds codj^:roj/'yJyjfQ'.is honuizzi h'jniiiizv.i n-ztiini ''T". f'.-"; Cicero. OLD. AS THE CRK ATION. 23 Tbcrf fore, every man, for the fake ofother? as well as hinifcif, is not to difablc his body or mind by fuch iiTcgulariiics, as make him Icfs fcrviteablc lo thi'm. In fhort, confidcrin^T ibc varicfy of circumftanccs men are under and thefc continually changing, as well as being f(ir the mofl part unforefeen ; it is jjupoHiMp to have rules laid down by any external revelation for ^ -^^tn* every particular cafe ; and therefore, thtre mufl be fome ftanding rule, difcoverable by the light of nature, to diretl us in all fuch cafes. And we cannot be more certain, that it is the will of God, that ihofc effc61s which flow fiom natural; caufes fhould fo flow ; than wc are, that it is the will of God, that men fliould obferve, whatever the nat(jrc of things, and the re ation they have to one another, make fit to be obfcrved ; or in o- ter words, /we caimot but know, if we in the Icafl coiThN fidcr, that, w a»ever circumdances men are plaeed in, by the univerfal caufc of all things ; that it is his eternal and immutable will, bv his placing them in thfTo cir- cumftanccs, th t they aft as thefe requiie. |1t is itbfurd to imagine we arc obliged to att thus in fome cafes, and not in others ; when the reafon for a6iing thus in all is _-y^j..>*i^ the lame.-|This confidcration alone will direct a maa^^ ^e^-i^ how loatl in all conditions of life, whether father, fon, >if ^..t**- hiifbnid, fervant, fubjccl, matter, king, &c.jThuswe /^-n^/^-^'''^ fee how the reafon of things, or the relation they have 'd'^^^-^^'^* to each other, teaches us our duty in all cafes whatfoe- 4^ et^uM^ ver. , And I may add, that the better to caufe men to -«" '^f't^^^. oblerve thofe riil(.s, whicli make for their mutual bene- i-Cic K •! fit, infinite goodnefs has fown in their hearts feeds of ' piiy, humanity and tendcrnefs, which, without much difhculty, cannot be er.'.dicafcd ; but nothing opcratC5 more flrongly than that defirc nun have of being in cf- tcem, credit, and reputation with their fellow crii-aturci, not to be obtained without acting on the principles of natural jidlice, er,uity, benevolcnc;:, fpecies ; the grafifvin^ of which, indoingaftsof benevolence, com- paflion and t;ood will, produces a ple^ Pure that never i-Miates; as, cu the conirary, aBions of ill-nature, en- w, malice, &c. nevtT fail to produce fliame, and ever- loiting ffff reproach. And now let a'iy»one fay, how it is poTihle God could more fullv make known his will to ail intelligent crea'ures, than by makingevery thmo within, and with- out them a declaration of it, and an argument for ob- icrving it. Having thus difcovered our duty, we may be fure j' wifl always be the fame ; fince inconftancy, as it ar- jiues a defect either of wifdoni or power, cannot belong loa being infinitely wife and powerful; what nnejring ■wifdom has once inftitut-d, can have no defefls ; and 2s God is entirely free from all partiality , his laws muft alike extend to all times and places. From thefe premi fes, I think, we may boldly draw this conclufion, that if religion confifts in the pra6hce of thofe duties, that refult from the relation we Hand in to G(k1 and man, our religion mud always be the fame. If God is unchangeable, our duty to him muft be fo too; if human naiure continues the fame, and rnen at all tiines Hand in relation to one another, the duties which refult from thence too, muft always be the fame: and conlequently our duty both (o God and man muft, from the beginning of the world to the end remain un- slierable ; be alvj^ays cibke plain and perfpicunus ; nei- ther changed in whole, or part : which demonftrates that no perfon, if he comes from God, can teach us any ohcr religion, or give us any precepts but what are frunded on ihofe relations. Heaven and earth fliall fooner pafs away, than one tittle of this eternal law fhall either be abrogated or altered. 'j'o fum up all in few words; as nature teaches men to uni e for their mutual defence and happinefs, and government was inihtuied foLly for tl.is end ; (o to OLD AS TlIE CR EA TION. 25 make this more cfFe8ual, wn^ religion, which reaches the thoughts, \vholly ordaiti'd ; it heirnT impolfihlc for God, in govcrniniT the Wf)vld, to propofe 10 hinifclf an- other end than the good of the governed; and confe- quendy, whoever does h ix hpfl for the good of his fel low creatures, does all djat God or man requires. Thu? from the confidcrotion of cuir own imperfctlions, which v;e coniinually feel ; and t!ie pcrFcttions of our creator, which wc conftantiv find in all his works; we may ar- rive at the kno\Jcdgc of our duty, both to our creator and fellow-creatures. Hence. I iliii'^^ 've may define true religif)n to rci\f}ft jfffi^ C^ftttfiiffof^^iofX ^ f mind 10 do all the _<7' '..■I .v<> r ' ... M,..\irv' render onr- felves acceptable to Gofl in anfwering the end of his « / crcatic^n. i^c^y^, CHAT. III. Tii.ii ii'it ■ijerjccllon and ha.Opinrfs ef oil rniioval beinf^s^ Jupreme as zuell as fubordinatc^ tcnjifts in living iip to the didatcs of their nature. TO make this, (fincc ail our happinefs depends oti it) if polfihle, more plain: The principle fro;-;! which ail human anions flow, is die defire ofhappinels ; and God, who dors nothing in vain, would in vain have implanted t!iis principle, this only innate princi- ple in mankind, if he Iiad not given rhem reafon to dif- cern what anions make for, and againfl: iheir happineP. 1j. Wherein do v^u take the happinefs of ration?! creatures to confift ? Wiihoui: knowing that, this con- troverfy cannot be determined ; and when it is known, n,:r difptue niufl foon be ended. yj. ^ he happincfs of all beings whatcvfr confius ii ^ the perfeflion.s of their nature ; and the nature of a ra- tional being i'^' •■•. • '; ^'^ it governs all it:; atlions hvihe rules D 26 CHRISTIAN IT"i' AS of light reafbn ; for then it arrives at the rnoft pcrfcS, and confequcnily the happiell Hate a rational nature can iifpire to : and every deviation from the rules of right rcafon, being an imperfeftion, muft carry with it a pro- portionable unhappinefs; and a man's happinefs and duty nuift coi.fili in the fame things, fmce no one can be obliged to do any thing that does not fome way or other contribute to his happinefs; and confequenily, ac- cording to the fenfe men have of their own happinefs, and of the means which will naturally procure it, they may alfuredly attain the knowledge of their refpe6Uve duties. ,,^ .. ntAWfif. *'»' -'-'^ B. If we know wherein the happinefs of God, who is neccfiarily happy, confifls, we might judge wherein confifts the happinefs of man made after God's own im- age; and Vv'heiher happinefs, or mifery, are the necef- fary confequence of his aBions. A. Becaufc this is a point of the higheft confequence, I Ihall fpcak tny fentjments (that they may the better pafs with you) in the words of the judicious Dr. Scott, who fays, " That which renders God fo infinitely hap- py in h'mfclf, is not fo much the almighty power he has to defend himfelf from foreign hurts or injuries, as the exa6\ agreement of all his actions, with the all com- prehending reafon cf his own mind. God loves not bimfelf merely bfcanfe he is himfelf, but becaufe he is in all rerpe8.> n^.orally good, and his will and pov,-er perfeflly compliant with the infalible diBates of his own reafon : Hence arifes his infinite complacency in himfelf, that there is nothing in him but what his own ■ cafon pcrfettly approves; no inclinations in his will or .■ature, but what are exa6lly agreeable to the fairelt - Jeas of his own mind.'' If the perfcBicn, and conlequently the happinefs of (;od, confifts in the purity and rcfciitude of his nature, we, as far as we can arrive to a like purity and retli- tude, muft be fo far ncccifarily happy; fince by living according to the rules of right reafon, we more and more implant in us the moral pcrfcBions of God, from OLD AS THE CREATION'. 1J v.hich his happincfs is infeparablc. Wc then, if I mav fo fav live the life oj God ; thai in, wc, in our place and (lation, live after the fame maniK-r, and by the lame rules as he docs in his; and wc do what God himrdf would do was he in our place ; and there would be no other difference between his life and ours, but what arifcs from our different dates and relations; fince the fame rules would determine our wills as determine his will ; and by our repeated a8s of virtue, we fhould be continually making nearer and nearer approaches to the mod pcrfetl and the moll happy being. By this con- du61, wc, as the fcriptures afturc us, ffiould be made partakers of the divine nature, be born of God, and be pcrfetl as our heavenly father is pcrfe6i ; and can that be without being as happy as wc are pcrfefi? Hence we may contemplate the great dignity of our rational nature, fince our reafon for kind, though not for de- gree, is of the fame nature as that of God's; nay, it i.-? our reafon which makes us the image of God himfelf, and is the common bond which unites Heaven and Earth; the creatures and creator; and if our happinefs is limited, it is becaufe our icafon is fo : It is God a- lone, who has an unlimited reafon and happinefs. The excellent author jult now mentioned, lays, " The beft thing we can receive from God is himftlf, and him- felf we do receive in our ftri6t compliance with the eter- nal laws of goodnefs ; which laws being tranfcribcd from tijc nature of God, from his eternal rightcoufnefs and goodnefs, we do, by obeying them, derive God's nature into our own; fo that while we write after the copy of his laws, we write out the perfeFiions of his being ; and his laws being the feal on which he has en- graven his nature, wc, in obeying them, take im- prefTion from them, and ftamp his blefled nature on «uir own." Which, certainly, niufl make us ncccflarily happy, as a contrary condu6l would make us unhappy. And, I think, I may venture to fay, that could wc fuppofe God himfelf to ai-l othcrwifc, he would ihen be as unhappy as he now is happy ; and his omnipo- 28 CHRISTIANITY AS tcncy could not hinder him from being coniinually e.\ pofed to the reproach of his own infallib e reafon. From ther:f premifcs, I think, we may conclude, that nun, according as ihey do, or do not partake of the nature of God, mufi: unavoidably be either happy or miferable: And herein appears the great wifdom of God, in making men's mifery and happinefs the necef- fary and infeparable confequsnce of their ci6tions ; and that rational a61ions carry with thi-m their own reward, and irrational their own punifhinent: This, I think, can not be denied, as long as the|r are fome aftions natural- ly beneficial to us, and others as hurtful ; and that there is no virtue, 'l^ut what has fome good infeparablv annexed to it; and no vice, but what as neceflarily carries with it fome evil : and if our rational nature is to be the fame in the next life, as it is in this, our ac- tions muft produce effefls of the fivme kind, and that too in a much higher degree. In this life, it is true, we cannot be perfeBly happy ; as lubjeft to difeafes and difaders : We aie imperfect ourlelves, and have none to converfe with but imper- fect creatures; and yet if we act according to the dic- tates of right reafon, we fhall receive, even here, true inward comfort and fatisfaction ; and her(?after, when "we are freed from thofe imperfeQions, complete happi- nefs: on the contrary, the man who abandons his rea- fon, behdes the mifery of all forts of irrational condufl "will bring on him, muft feel in his mind, pain and an- guifli even in (his life; and in the life to come, when there are no fejifnal things to divert his thoughtSjinfup- portable grief and miferv. Though human law-givers are forced to have rccourfe to punifhmenis, which are not conneQed with the things they forbid; yet a being of infinite power is uot thus ftraitened, but may make one thei^cctflarv coniequcncc of the other; And, indeed, how can it I'C odicrwife, £nce good and evil have their fcmndation in the clfen- tial difference of things, and their nature is fixed and immoveable : And cord'equenily, our happinefs de- OLD AS THE CRtATION. 29 pcnds on the intiinfic nature bf the one, and our mifery on the intrinlic naiuicofihc other. As Ood, Nvhofe inlinile wifdoin ftls him above being deceived, or iiilluenced by any wrong affetlions, a6ls in coiill.mt coiiforinity to the rcafon and nature of things; and it is a coniraditlion to his nature for him to di) any fhing that is not fit and reafonable ; fo he u'ould have framed our nature in contradiftion to his own, if he liad obliged us to at\ oiherwife. No, God can never give us commands repugnant to his own na- ture, or require us to do \vh:U he himfelf abhors to do. '1 he end lor which God has given us reafon, is to com- pare things, and the relation they (land in to each other; and from thence to judge of the fityefs and unfitncfs of. aBiotis ; and could not our reafon judge foundly in all fuch matters, it could not have anfwcred the end for vhich infinite wifdom and goodnefs heftowed that ex- cellent Gif: ; and f )r which we cannot adore enough the goodnefs of God. Had God, from time to time, fpohe to all mankind in their feveral languages, and Iiis words had miracu- louflv conveyed the fame ideas to all perlons; yet he could not f|)eak more plainly than he has done by the things ihcmfelves, and the relaiion which reaion fhews there is between thern : Nay, fmce it is impoHible in any book, or books, that a particular rule could be given for every cafe, we muft even then have had re- courfe to ih.e liglit of nature to teach us our duty in molt cafes ; efpecially confidering the numberlefs cir- cumftances which attend us, and which, perpetually varying, and make the fame adions, according as men ■ differently affected bv them, cither good or bad. ...id I may add, that molt of the particular rules laid . down in the gofpel for our direction, are fpokcn after fuch a figurative maimer, that except we judge for their ' meaning, not merely by ilie letter, but what the law of Ji.iiure antecedently declares to be our duty, they are apt to lead us wrong ; And if precepts relating to moral- i'Y arc delivered after :■" -'•:)• vriner. when ihey 30 CHRISTIANITY AS might have been delivered otherwife; what rcafon can you affign for its being fo, but that infinite wifdom meant to refer us to that law, for the explaning them? Sufficient inftances of this nature I (hall give you here- after; though I mufl; own, I cannot carry this point fo far as a learned divine, who reprefcnts the fcriptures more obfcure (which one would think impoffible) than even the Fathers. He tells us, '• That a certain author (viz. Flaccus Illyricusj has furnifhed us with one and fifty reafoas for theobfcurity of the fcriptures;" adding, *' I think, I may truly fay that the writings of the pro- phets and apoftles abound with tropes and metaphors, types and allegories, parables and dark fpeeches; and are as much, nay, much more unintelligible in manv places, thajn the wrftings of the ancients." It is well this author, who talks of people being fl:ark.^2^/ ind for the fame rcafon preferves us in being: nor can o kind and tender a parent play the tyrant, rfnd impofe -rommands on us, which do not flow from the relaiions ve ftand in to him, and to one another. If we corifider what our reafon informs us of the nature of our great creator and governor, we cannot ^ail of knowing our duty; for as Dr. Scott juflly nb- ferves, "Ir you will ferve the great king of the world in fuch ways as are pleafing and acceptable to him, yoti mnW ftudy his nature, and inform your felves wh;ch might at the fame time have a fccret will oppoiite to his' revealed will ; or have different wills for every differ- ent perfon ; or might reveal his arbitrary commands fo obfcurely, as to caufe the utmofl; confufion; hut if God only commands what the nature of things fliew to be fvt, it is fcarcc pofiible, that men (though now end- OLD AS THE CREATION. 33 lefsly divided upon the account of their different tradf- lionsj fliould midake the duty ; fince a mind that is attentive can as eafily diflinguifh fit from u: fit, ,,$ the C) e can beauty frcnn defornniy, or the ear harmony from difcord: and if no commands can alter the na- ture of things, or make that fit which is in itfelf unfit, external revelation mu^^ attend the nature ;iiid rela- tion of things, and can only fpcuk what thole fpeak. As for iiirtance, it is not in our power, though ever fo often commanded, to love the Deity, while we con- ceive him an arbitrary being a61ing out of humor and caprice; nor could any commands fuppofing fach pof- fible, oblige us not to Une him, while wc believe him a kind and benifi^ent being; fo that as long as we have rig'u notions of God, we cannot but love, and adore him as we ought. Thus, I tliink, I have fully proved from the nature of God and man, and the relations we ftand in to him and one another, (hat the divine precepts cannot vary; and that th-^fe relations, which are the permanent voice of God, by which he fpeaks to all mankind, do at all times infallihly point out to us our duty in all its vari- ous circumllances of life. Should revelation require lefs than thofe relations re- quire, would it not be an imperfe6l rule? And if it en- joins more, would it not argue the author of it to be of a tyrannical nature, impofing on his fnbjcCfs, and under moft fevcre penalties, unnccefTiry thitjgs; and likewife fliew a defign, not of being beloved, but hated and dreaded ; And therefore, tho e who fee the confe- quences of things, dcicribe the chriftian religion as i*e- quiring fuch things only, as confidering the relations we itand in to God and one another, are apparently for our good. The mod accurate Dr. Barrow gives this charafler of the chriflian religion, '• That its precepts are no o- ther than fuch as phvficians piefcnbe for the health of our bodies; as politicians would allow to be needful forihe peace of the ftatc ; as Epicurian philofophers re- 1 3;^ CHRISTIANITY AS commend for the tranquility of our minds, and ptea- i'ures of our lives; fuch as reafon ditiates, and daily fhevvs conducive to our welfare in all refpe6ts; which confequcntly, were there no law enacting them, we fhould in wifdom choofe to obferve, and voluntarily impofe them on our felves; confeffing them to be fit matters of law, as mofh advantageous and requifite to the good, general and particular, of mankind." That great and good man Dr. Tillotfon fays, " That all the precepts of chriftianity are rcafonable and wife, requiring fuch duties as arc fuitable to the light of na- ture, and do approve themfelves to the belt reafon of mankind; fuch as have their foundation in the nature of God, and arc an imitation of the divine excellencies; fuch as tend to the perfe8ion of human nature, and to raife the minds of men to the higheft pilch of good- nefs and virtue, They command nothing that is unneceffarv, they omit nothing that may lend to thT glory of God, or the welfare of men, nor do they re- Itrain us in any thing, but what is contrary to the re- gular inclinations of nature, or to our reafon, and true iniercit ; they forbid us nothing but what is bafe and un- vorthv to ferve our humors and paffions, lo make our- felves fools and beafls. In a word, nothing but what tends to our private barm, or prejudice, or to public diforder and confufion." The late Dean of Canterbury, in a fermon preached in defence of chriftianity, fays, " What can be more powerful incentive to obedience, than for a rational creature clearly to difcern the equity, the necefTiiy, the benefit, the decency and beauty of every afction he ir. called to do, and thence to be duly fenfible how graci- ous a mafler he ferves ; one that is fo far from loading him with fruielefs, arbitrary, and tyrannical impofitions, that each command abllraftcd from his command who iffues it, is able to lecommend itfeif; and nothing re- quired but what every wife man would choofe of his own accord; and cannot without being his own enemy, wifh to be exemnted from." And this charafter of OLD AS Tll£ CREATION. 35 chriftianit^ he makes to be cirential to its being from God, and therefore nui(t make it the fame with natural religion, which has this charatler impreflcd on it. " There was none of the dodrines of our faviour ffays the late archbi(hop of York] calculated for the gratification of mens idle curiofities, the bufying and amufing them with airy and ulelels fpeculations ; much lefs were thcv intended for an excrcile of our crcduliiv, or a trial how lar we could brini» our reafon to fubmit to our faith : But as on the one hand they were plain and fnnplc. and fuch as bv their agreeahlencfs to the rational faculties o? mankind, did highly recommend themfelves to our belief; lo on the other hand they had an immediate relation to prattice, ai^d were the genuine principles and foundation, upon which all human and divine virtues were naturally to be fuperflrutled." Does not every one fee, that if the religion of nature had been put indead of chriRianity, thele defcriptions would have exactly agreed with it? The judicious Dr. Scott affirms, *' God never im- pofes laws on us pro imperic, as arbitrary teds and tri- als, of our obedierrce. —The great defign of them, fays he, is to do us good, and dircd our actions to our own intereft. — This, if v;e firmly believe, will infinite- ly encourage our obedience; for when I am fure God commands me nothing but what my own health, cafe, and happinefs requires; and that every law of his is both a necefl'ary aud fovercign prefcription again (t the difeafes of my nature, and he could not prefcribe lefs than he has, without being defeftive in his care of my recovery and happinefs ; with what prUdence and mo- derty can I grudge to obey him ?" Xay, the mo(i confiderable men, even among the Papills, do not fcruple to maintain there is nothing in religion but what is moral. The divines of Port-Royal for in Ranee fay, '• All the precepts, and all the mylle- ries that are expreffcd in lb many different ways in the holy volumes, do all center in this one commandment, of loving God with all our heart, and in loving our g6 CHRISTIANITY AS neighbors as Ourfelves : For the fcripture (it is St. Auf- tin "uho fays it) forbids but one only thing, which is concupifence, or the love of the creature ; as it com- mands buc one only thing, which is, charity, and the lo^'e of God : Upon this double precept is founded the whole fyflem of the Chriftian religion; and it is unto this, fay they, according to the expreflion of Jefus Chrift, that all the ancient law and prophets have reference ; and we may add alfo, all the myfte- ries, and all the precepts of the new law : For love, fays St. Paul, is the fulfilling of the law." And thefe divines likewife cite a remarkable paffage of St. Auftin on this fubjeft ; viz. " He that knows how to love God, and to regulate his life by that love, knows all that the fcripture propounds to be known." They alfo have quoted a known faying of his father, Omnia feccaia funt in univerfum contra rationem £f? natures le- gem. And I mi^nt add the authority of a greater man, and a Papift too, who fays, " Religion adds nothing to natural probity, but the confolation of doing that for love and obedience to our heavenly Father, which reafon itfelf requires us to do in favor of virtue." And the famous Pert Ouefnelle fays orr AHs 2- 21. Le vrai culte n'ejl plus attache a nh peuple ; le Chrijiianifmc ejl tine religion umverfelle. J5. Do divines always give this charafter of chrifli- anity, do they never diftinguifh it from the religion of nature, by fuppofmg it contains certain arbitrary pre- cepts ? A. When they confider how repugnant it is to the nature of God to give any arbitrary commands, then indeed the force of truth obliges them to declare there is nothing in religion but what tends to the good of mankind ; but if at any time they talk otherwife, it is for the fake of fuch things as either dire^lly or indi- reftly farve their intereft. But to remove all fcruples, 1 fliall more fully prove. OLD AS THE CREATIOM. 37 CHAP. IV. V That not only the matter of all God's laws, hut the penaU ties annexed to them, are for the good of mankind; even for thofe who fujfcr Jor the breach cfthcm. .^^ B. QHOULD I allow you, that the natural know- ^B O ledge wc have of Gc)cl is the foundation of all religion, and tha^ arguing from the divine attributes is a uiofl certain way of reafoning, yet is not God's glory one of his divine attributes ? And does not the wifefl of men fay, tl)at God made all things for him- felf, and the wicked for the day of evil ;* :ind con- lequently God's glory, rather than the good of man, occafioned the almighty to create man, and to give him laws ? A. As to this text, I fhall anfwer you from archbi- fhop Tillollon ; that *' If by God's making all things for himfeif, be meant, that he aimed at and intended the manifeilation of his wifdom, power, and good- nels in the creation of the world, it is mod true, that in this fenfe he made all things for himfclf ; but if we underfiand ic fo, as if the goodncfs of his nature did not moce him thereto, but that he had fome defign to ferve, ends and nereffities of his own, upon his crea- tures, this is far from him; but it is very probable, that neither of thefe are the meaning of the text, which may be rendered with much better fenfe, and nearer to the Hebrew thus; God hath ordained every thing to that which is fit for it, and the wicked hath he or- ' dained for tlie day of evil ; that is, the wifdom of God haih fitted one tiling to another; punilhment to (in, the evil day to the evil doers." This is the fenfe that Grotius, and moft of the befl commentators \vAt on the text. And here let: mc add, that if there nre in- • Prov. 16 4. 58 CHRISTIANITY AS numerable places as capable of different interprela- tions, even with relation to God and his attributes, this, fure, will be no argument not to adhere to what the light of nature teaches us in this matter; fmce where texts may be taken in different fenfes, things are as much left to be determined by our reafon, as if there were no fuch texts. And when we meet with expreffions of God's doing any thing for his own glo- ry, they can only mean, that fuch is the tranfcendent excellency of his nature, fuch the inexpreffible marks of his wifdom and power in all his works, that he could not have given greater, had he defigned nothing but his own glory. And when we impute the glory of all we do to him, we thereby lignify, that we have no power, but what we derive from him ; and that we dcfire to acknowledge him the author of whatever is 2:)raife-worthy in us. B. Though it be allowed, that God framed his laws, and confequently, the fandions that make them laws, for the good of man ; yet a due regard to his own ho- nor, the dignity of his laws and government, w^ill o- blige him to punifh thofe, who violate his laws, as for an injury done to himfclf, diflinfcl; from the harm that bv the breach of them accrues to his creatures. A. As no man breaks the divine laws out of con- tempt to his maker, or imagines he can do God an in- yny ; fo God does not make laws for one end, and re- quire the obferving them for another; that being in- confiftent with the dignity of the divine legiflator, his iaws and government! But as it was for the fake of man that he gave him laws, fo he executes them pure- ly for the fame reafon; fince upon his own account, ne cannot be in the leaft affe£led, whether his laws ue, or be notobferved; and confequently in punifh- ng, no more than rewarding, does he a6i: as a party, nuch lefs an injured party, who wants {atisfa6lion, or ..'paration of honor. And indeed, to luppofe it, is highly to difhonor hi'm, fmce God, as he never can be injured, lo he can never want reparation ; and he who 0LD AS THE CREATl0^i. 39 is infinitely fatisfied in himfelf, can aain no additioi of fatisladion by his creatures obl'crving his laws ; noi can he, by their not oblerving them, be reduced to a condition of wanting fatisfaftion, or reparation of ho- nor, or any of thofo things, which, depending on the opinion of others, are main ingredients in ht\- man happinefs : and yet even among men, none ought to be punifhcd, (fince what is pad cannot be helped) but to prevent a future breach of the law ; and all laws being defigned for the good ol" the governed. '' Tiie grcatell monarch is not to punifli the breach of his laws any otherwife, than the moll petty flate :" And though all own, it would be tyranny in an earthly governor to multiply punifhments, on pretence of vindicating the honor of the legiflator; oras the breach of law is an injury done to him, and inch like; yc: fome are not alhamed to impute fuch tyranny to God, and thereby take off from that elleem and love men mud have for him, did they believe he only puniftied when, and no further than their good required. Do not we bring Cod down to ourfelves, when we fuppofe he a£ls like us poor indigent creatures, in feek- ing worfhip and honor for his own lake ; way do wq not cloath him, who has neither parts nor paflions, with the worft of our infirmities, if we leprefent him as an ambitious, fufpicious, wrathful, and revengeful being ? If wc dare eonfult our reafon, it will tell us that jealoufy in point of honor and power, love of fame and glory can only belong to limited creatures ; but are as ueceifarily excluded from unlimited, abiolutelv pevfeft being, as anger, revenge, and luch like pal- iions ; which would make the Deity reiemble the weak, womanilh, and impotent part of our nature, rather than the manly, noble and generous. Could God, ftriftly fpeaking, be made angry, pro- voked, or grieved by the conduQ of us wretched mor- tals, he would not enjoy a moment's quiet; b'lt mufl: be mucii more miferablc than the moft unhappy of his creatures. Or, 40 CHRISTIANITY A* Had God any comfort or fatisfa^ion to gain from the thoughts and a6l ons of his creatures, he would never have been without an infinity of them jointly contribut- ing to this end. If religion in general, and every part of it was not llfeful to mankind, there would be no reafon why they ihould know it more than other animals; who though they have wonderful talents (in many of which they ex- ceed men) given them by God forpreferving themfelves and their fpecies, yet are utter ftrangers to religion, as a thing wholly ulelefs to them. The fum of Vt^hat I have been faying is fully exprelT- cd by Job in thefe words; If thou hnneft, what doft thou againft him? Or if thy tranfgreffion be multiplied, what doft thou unto him ? If thou be righteous, what giveft thou him ; Or what receivcth he at thy hands ? Thy wickednefs may hurt a man as thou art, and thy righteoufnefs profit the fon of man.* Or, as Efdras fays, What is man that thou fhouldft take difpleafure at him ? Or what is a corruptible generation, that thou Ihouldft be fo bitter towards it.t Our greated felicity confilts in having fuch an im- pirtial and difinterefted judge as well as legiflator, that whether he punifhes, or rewards, he a6ls alike for out good; that being the end of all his laws, and confe- quently of the penalties as well as rewards which make them laws: whereas your common fyftems of divinity reprefent him full of wrath and fury, ready to glut himfelf with revenge for the injuries he has fufFered by the breach of his laws. B. Is not God's juftice as well as his mercy a divine attribute, and will not that as much oblige him to pun- ifh the breakers of his laws, as if he had been, as he is fometimes reprefented, full of anger, wraih and re- venge ? A. Though juftice and mercy cannot at the fame time be exercifed in one and the fame inflance on the fame fubjeft; yet your fyftem-writers., left they fhould * Chap. 35. 6. fa Efdras 8. 34. miVj AS THE CREATIOM. 4I limit thefe two aMribures in God, extend them alike to all pcrlbns, which i> making him neither juft, nor nur- ciful ; hecaiile ihelc atirihiites drawing contrary wav^, nr.ifl hinder each others efteft. B. I mii't confeTs I do not fise how the Time aft ca\i be ail atl both of jiiftice and me cy in relation to ihe fame perfon : or how it can be laid that God does juf- ticc to a finner, when he fhcws mercy to him; and \et we mult ruppolc ihcjulliccas well as mercy of God to be infinite. A. Thejuflice by which I'iod is ri*»hteovis in all his a6lions, and ihc mercy by whicii he is -ood o benefi- cent, are infinite, and eternally inherent in thedi,ine nature ; but ihefe ohli^ ■ not God either to i uiiifh or pardon any further dian his infinite wildom fees fit ; and fuch punifhmjT and pardoning arc tranfient afcfs the ef- fcds (dT his will, not properties belonging to his nature. Julticeand mercy among men relate to different fubjefts: when the magiltrate punifhes acriminal, it is an act of juf- tice to the j)u!ilic . and w'len he pardons him, it is an aft of mercy to the criminal, though an aft of injufticti to the public ; except in fuch circumftances, where he has ground to believe that pardoning hmi may be nodif- advaniage to the public, whole intereft it is not to Icle a ufeful member. The greateft difference in this cafe between God and man is, that the mod p werful monarch on earth is of the fame nature with his fiibjefts, and his good involved in the good of the whole, and by the breach of his laws may be injure d ; atid as a party injured, may exact re- paration and latisfaclion : But diis without blafphemy cannot be laid of God. whok; nature is infinitely hap y in himfelF before there was any crca'ure fo adore him, or be obedietit to his will ; fo he muft flill be fucli, though none of them did obey hislaws, or acknov ledge his being; and thcrefoie, in doing afts of jufiice he catmot, like the monarchs of this world, propofe any fecurity to himfelf, but afts purely for the good of his creatures, and the clfefts oP his jultiee (ihey never cx- E 42 CHRISTIANITY AS lending to annihilation) rauft not be only for the good of others, but even of the perfons puniflied; becaufe God, whoTe love infinitely exceeds that of mortal pa- rents, chaftifes his children (and all mankind are alike his offspring] becaufe he loves them, and defigns their amendment: And the reafon why God in fcripture is faid to be love, muft be becaufe all his a8s, by what name foever you call them, are a£ts of pure, impartial, and difinerefled love. All punifhment for punifhment's fake is mere cruelty and malice, v;hich can never be in God- n^i can he hate any thing that is made, or be fubjed to fuch weak- dqCs or impotence as to aft arbitrarily, or out of fpiie,. wrath,, revenge, or any felf intereti ; and confequently^ whatever puniibment he inflifts, muft be a mark of his love, in not fuffering his creatures to remain in that m ferable Rate, v/hich is infeparable from fin and wick- ednefs. As God's infinite goodnefs appears in the fanftions aa well as matter of his laws, fo his infinite wiidom knows bow to adjud the punifhment to the offence ; that it may he exactly fitted to produce th-e defired amendment. B. Does not your fuppofing that God has no other motive in executing his laws, than he had in making them ; viz. the good of his creatures; and that all pun- ifhtnent mud bear an exaft proportion to the offence it is defigned to amend, flrike at the abfolute eternity of hell-torments? Since there is no proportion betwen temporary injuries done to all men, and eternal mifery of but one man; nor can everlafting torment work a- mendmenf. A, I fliall at prefent refer you to Dr. Burnet dc Statu Mortuorum^ and only fay with archbifliop Tillotfon, " The right that God hath in his creatures is founded in the benefits he hath conferred on them and the obliga- tion they have to him on that account. Now there i* none, who becaufe he has done a benefit, can have, by virtue of that, a right to do a greater evil than the good he has done amounts to; and I think it next to madnefs OLD AS THE CRKATIONT. 4^ ) doubt, ^vhether extreme, and eternal mifery be not ,; greater evil than fimple being is a good." But at a proper time I fhall conlider what may be faid from fcrip- lure as well as realbn, for the dotlrincof the abfolute eternity o( torments; and what will be the condition of thofc, who die before they are capable of undergoing a trial ; or knowing any thing of religion. A fubjcd, which, I think, has icarce been confidered by any one. CHAP. V. That God requires nothing for his own fake ; iin^ not the worjliip we are to render him, nor the faith we are to have in him. .CVTOUR arguing from the nature of God, that e- X very thmg, coniequently faith in him, and even the worfhip and fervice we render U) him. is wholly for our own fake, will hardly go down with the bulk of mankind, who imagine, they by tho(e afls do him fomc real fervice. A. If they think fo, it is a fign they have not been well inftrufted; the mofl eminent of our divines would teach them, that prayer iti'elf, God knowing befo e hand what we will afk, chiefly becomes a duty, as it raifes in us a due contemplation of the divine attributes, and an acknowledgement of his great and conRant goodnefs, and ferves to keep up a conflant fenfe of our depend- ence on him ; and as it difpofcs us to imitate thofe per- fe6lions we adore in him, in being kind and beneficent to one another. There are few fo grofs as to imagine, we can dire8. infinite wifdom in the difpenlation of pro- vidence, or pcrfuadc him to alter thofe laws he contriv- ed before the foundation of the world for putting things in a regular courfe. " It is, fays archbifliop Tilloifon, a great condcfccn. tion and goodnefs in him, to accept our imperfcd piaif- 44 CHRISTIANITY AS es, and ignorant admiration of him; and were lie not as \vronh'.ly good, as he is gre t and glorious, he would not fuffer us to fully his great and glorious name by taking it in our mouths ; and were it not for our advan- tage and happinefs to own and acknowledge his benefits, for any real happinefs and glory that comes to hmi by it, he couid veil enough be without it, and difpenfc "With us for ever entertaining one thought of him ; and were it not for his goodnefs, might defpife the praifes of his creatures, with infinitely more reafon ihan wife men da the applaufe of fools." " To imagine, as Dr. Scott obfe^ ves, that God needs ©ur fcrvices, and requires them to ferve his own inte- reit, is to blafpheme his all-fufficiency. and fuppofehim a poor indigent being, who for want of perfect fatisfac- tion within himfelf, is forced to roam abroad, and raife taxes on his creatures, to enrich and fupply himfelf: So that whatlbever fome high flown enthufiafts may pre- tend, that it is fordid and mercenary to lerve God for our good, I am fure, to ferve him for his good, is pro- fane and blafphemous." As able a div ne as this, or perhaps any other age has produced, Le Clerk, obferves, that " nothing can he more falfe, or contrary to the nature of the gofpel, th purpolej for the f^ke of urn, to raile and keep m their minds the contemplation of an infinitely (rood be- ing, and of his laws, all f*uindcd an a difintereQed love to the whole race of nia-ikind. To imi^me the wor- ih.p of G'td is f)rdained(>n any other account, not only de Iroys one of the t^rcatelt motives of mens doing good to one another ; but (iipoof s (}()d not (a^ficient for, or infinite^ happy in Inmlblf: hot kihjcd to the [)airions of .unhitioiiN and vain glorion.s mortals. The generaliiy of Chridiaiis not only believe, that in worfhipping God th y do hi n real fervicr, but thini: he is extremely ^lncaf^^ if public woifhip is not per- formed in lurh a manner, and ^iih fuch rites and cere- monies ; and being endlefsly divided about thelc trifles, ihink they make their court to heaven, and hi.;hlv o- fclige an omnipotent being, in dcdroying thofc formida- ble enemies of God, who prefume, without their leave, !o worfliip him aficr that manner they judge agreeable to his will. And, There are no meaftres, though e -cr fo deflruRive, Inn what they, who do not confider the end of God's laws, may be brought into; as all hiilory fufficienily proves. The Jews not only ihoughi that doing the greateft good on their fahhath, was prrifaning the dav ; but were fuperl^irious as to think, thai all-lelf defence was tken unlawful ; and thcrefbre dur(t not lift up their bands againd their enemies, who butchered them as th v pleafed ; And many of the p;imiiivc fathers iho't the gofpel forbid all felf-defence ; and herein thev arc followed by a modern fed, who arc their flrid iii;itat!)r'« in moll things. It is no wonder, if fomc ccclefiadics havo not been very forward to teach people, that what worfhip (U^d requires of ihcm, is for iheir own fakes; lince then 46 CHRISTIANITY AS they could not, on pretence of that worlhipi have claimed fuch powers and privileges, as are inconfiHent with the cominon good ; and people might then think it their duty fo to regulate matters, as that their priefts, upon the whole, confidering the charge of niaintaiuing them, and other incidents, (hould do more good than hurt: Which can never happen, till men are taught it is their duty to do good to all, notwithftanding their \vide(t differences as to worfhip, or any other matter of meer religion; and it is to the honor of our clergy at prefent, that fo many of them now endeavor to infiife fuch. humane and benevolent principles into a people, who, not long fince, thought they fliewed a fufficient zeal for religion, in haling thofe dieir priefts hated, 'without know.ng wherefo e ; and, fired by their pulpit inveBives, thought it their duty to pull down houfes of religious v\;or{hip, and were ready at the direftion of their impious leaders, to have perpetrated worfe crimes. B. There is one difficulty, which to me feems infup- erable, how to make the faith reqaired by the religrion of nature and of the gofpel, to have the fame views, and tend to the fame end. A. If faith in God hirafelf, no more than la any o- iher a6l of religion, is not required for God's fake, but our own; can faith in one fent by God be required for any other end ? Efpecially confidering, that no perfon is ever the more known to pofleriiy, becaule his name is tranfmitted to them. When we fay, Cscfar conquered Pompey, we have no idea of either, can only mean, fome-body conquered fome-body ; and have we more dillin6l ideas of Jefus and Pilate? And though we had a perfonal idea ot the former, he could receive no ad- vantage, or difad vantage by what we thought of him. And if faith in him was required for a caufe antecedent to his being fo fent, founded in his and our nature, and the relation we always flood in to him ; would not the eternal reafon of things have made it tnanifeft ? That which concerned all, muR: be knowable by all, for which reafon the apoftle fays, That which may be OLD AS THE CRKATIOM. 47 known oFGad (and none can know that which may not be knovs'n) vas manifcll in the gcniilcs. yVnd, The end of ChriR's coming fccms not to teach men new duties, but (repentance being the firQ thing preach- ed by him and his apoftles bodi to Jews and Gentiles) to repent of the breach of known duties. And Jefus does not fay, He was fent to all Ifrael, but to the loft fliccp ofihe houfe of Ifrael;* and that the Son of man is come to fave that which was loft :t And his parable about the loft ftieep, fuppofcd all were not loft.J And when it was objecled to him, t!;ar he kept company with fniners, he owns ihc charge, and fays, The whole need no phylician, but they that are fick;^ which would have been an improper anfwer, if he thought that all ftood in need of him, and his fpiritual phyfic. And to conOm this, he adds, I am not come to call the righ- teous, but Tinners to repentance: and that there is more joy in Heaven for one (inner that repents, than ninety- nine jud perfons that need no repentance. j| Which is dividing mankind into two parts, the whole or righte- ous, and the Tick or Tinners; and that his bufincfs was intirely with the latter. The not obferving this diftinc- tion, has been the occafion of many uncharitable and groTs mi (takes ; and it is Tomewhat ftrange, that JeTus, who beft knew how far his commiftjon extended, fliould not be credited in this matter; efpecially conTidering that in religion there are no noftrujns, or fecrets, but ail- may know what God requires of all ; and there is bur. one univcrfal remedy for all fick perfons, repentance and amendment. And if God, who is no refpe61er oF perfons, will judge the world in righteoufnefs; and they that in every nation fear him, and work righteoufnefs. fhall be accepted of him; they certainly, are whole, and need no phyhcian, who do of themfelves what wiU make them acceptable to him; living as thofe whom Chrift came to reform were taught to live : Is it not ab- furd to fuppoTe, that till then none had fufficient means • Matt. 15. 24. t I'). I?,. IT. H-"kc 15. 7. § Matt. 9. it. H lb. ij. ^8 CHRISTIANITY AS given them to anfwer the end for which all were cre^ at«-d ? The Catholic epiftleof St. Barnahas will inform you of the fentimenis of the ancients on this head. This gr^-at apoflle fas'tranfl-Med hy Dr. Wake) fays, " That Jefns, when he chofe hii apoftles, which were after- wards to I ubiifh the gofpel. took men who had bceit ver\ s^reai finners; that therebv he might plainly fhcw^ that He came not to call the riuhteous, but finners to repentance '* The w'ords are fuller in the Orioinal^ ONTAS HUPER PAS AN HAMARTIAN A N O M O T E R O U :i. JB. This may be a f^rg d paffage. A. Origen ownt^ i to be p>enuine, for when Celfas (I will give you 'v.s- own words in the lat in iraiiflation] fays, Jefum ajcitis drcevt nndecimve. fawnji hommibtis^ publicanis nautifque neqijfinus^ cum his ultra citjoqiiefu- gitojje^ corroganiern cibosjordide ac turpiter. Origen fays, extat fane in Barnabx caiholica tpijlola Jcriptum^ ad apojiolicam JunBinnf'm ehgijje homrne^ omni iniquitat: iniqiaores. And it may be faid in fupport of St. Bar- nabas, that the apodles firil: became Jefus's difciples upon temporal motives; and the belief of Chrift's tem- poral kingdom was lo firmly rooted in tlism, that [efus neither during his life, nor even after his refurreCtion was able to remove it. At the lad fuppc2r iljere was a ftrife amongft them, Who fliould be accoumed the greateftPt *' The ineaneit (as bifliop Parker expreffes h) hoped at leaft to have been made Lord Mayor of Capernaum." And even at his affention the only quef- tion his difciples afi^ed was. Lord, wih thou at this time reftore again the kingdom to Ilrael ?^ But to take away all fubterfuges, what can be more required than fuch qualifications as will make Jefus in the laft day declare, Come ye bleffed of my father, in- herit the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world? And what are thofe qualifications, but living up to the law of reafon, in exercifing a6ts of be- * Matt. 9. 13. f Luke Z2. 24. } Ads i. 6. OLD AS THJt CREATION. 49 Tievolencc, goodnerj, Szc. ? That this was thett/iMw 7ic- cc/faritim is plain from his anfwer, depart from m:-, ye that work iniquity, made to ihofe who had omitted ilicfe things; though they pleaded, they had prophcficd in his name, and in his name cafl out devils, and done many wonderful works * St. Paul, in his firft chapter to the Romans, flicws, that the Gentiles could not plead ignorance of their duty, cither to God or man, and as finnmi^ a;»ainft knowledge, were iiiexculahle ; and pur- fuinj; the fame fubjeft in the fecond, he fays, that God ■who is no refpetler of pcrfons will deal with every one both Jew and Gentile according to their deeds ; and ihofe by which they are to be judged are either moral or immoral : and had there been any thing elfe required by the written law, it could not be faid that the Gentiles, , who were ignorant of their duty cither to God or man, did by nature the things contained in the law. And does not St. Paul, in another place, put our fu- ture ftate on the fame foot, in fuppofing we fhall be I dealt with at the laft day according to what ^ve have done ( in the body, whether good or bad.t In fliort, if the tree is to be known by its fruit, and it brings forth good fruit, the means by which this good fruit is to be pro- duced are not material ; but if it does not, no means whatever can hinder it from being hewn down and ca(t inio the fire.t *• The grand deciding quellion (fays Dr. Southj at the laft day, will be not w hat you have (aid, or what you have believed : but what you have done moic than orhers. God is plcafed to vouchfafe the bed he can give, only to the beft we can do." But to go on to the bottom of this matter : Faith confidered in itlclf can neither be a virtue, or a vice; becaufe men can no othcrwife believe than as things appear to them : nay, can there be an higher af- front to God than to I'uppole, he requires men lo judge otherwife than the faculties he has gi\enthem enable them to do ? Or what can be more abiurd than to im- agine, that God will fhew his favor to one for believing • M:.:t. 7, ai, 13. f 1 Cor. j i> \ Matt. 7 19. F 50 CHRISTIANITY AS what he could not but believe; and his difpleafure to another for not believing what he could not believe? And therefore, faith is only to be efteemed by the works it produces ; for the frrongeft faith may be worfe than no faith at all. The devils themfclves (who are held the mod wicked being*? in the univerfe) believe, and tremble. Happy had it been for Chriftendom. if zeal for what the prevailing parlies called, the orthodox faith, had made none but themfeUes to tremble ! Dr. Whitby expreffey himfelf very accurately on this point: "Belief, or difbelief, can neither be a vir- tue, or a crime in any one, who ufes the bell means in his power of being informed. If a proportion is evident, we cannot avoid believing it; and where is the merit or piety of a necefifary affent ? If it is not evident we cannot help rejefling it, or doubting of it : And where is the crime of not performing impoffibilities, or not believing what does not appear to us to be true ?" What worfe opinion can we have of the divine goodnefs than to imagine a mean denial of our reafon, or a wretched affeftation of believing any point too hard for our underftanding, can entitle us to the favor of God. If charity, which comprehends doing all poffible good to our fellow creatures, is to be deftroyed for the fiike of faith; or if incapacities, fines, imprifonments, I'ods, gibbets, racks and fire, are ••narks of charity, the Chriftian world has outdone all mankind in afts of cha- rity : but the defcription St. Paul gives of charity, is fo far from requiring us to make others fuffer, that itfelf fuffers long, feeks not her own, bears all things, endures all things ;* and (iriftly injoins us fo to do. Here is the praftice of the Christian world on the fide of faith, facrificing charity, and all that is valuable to it -. and on the other fide, Chri^^ a d his apoftles pre- ferring char-ty b fore it. ' St. Paul, fpeakingof hi nfelf, fays, iho I have the gift of prophecy, and underftand all my'lerics, nndall knowledge; and though I have all faithj and could remove mountains, and have no chari- ^' 1 Cor. 13. OLDASTIIECREATIO><. ri ty, I am nothing ; or ihouprh I give my body to be burnt, (which fhcws the highcfl att of faith) and have not charity, it proCteth nothing.* And in another place he fays, above all things put on charity, which is the bond (;f pcrfefhicfs.t And again ; the end of the com- mandment is charity; and love is the fulfilling of the law. 4! Y\nd, if any provide not for his own, cfpccial- ]y tliofc of his own houfe (which is but one fp? cies of charity] he has denied the f^ith, and is worfethan an in- fidel. ^ And St. Peter likewile (peaks as highly of it in faying, above all things, have fervent charity among yourfclves, for charity fhall cover a multitude of fins ;j| xvhich cannot be faid of faith, becaufe that without charity profiteth nothing; in notanfwering the end for which it was given. And St. James calls love the roy- al law. H And St. John fays, if any man' fays I Jo^'C God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar.** And is not he likcwife a liar, who fhews all the marks of ha'red to his brother, and yet pretends to love him, and makes ihofe very marks an argument of his love. In Jefus Chrift, fays the apoftle Paul, neither circumcifion, nor uncircumcifion availeth any thing, but faith which work- eth by love.tf — For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even this, thou fiiak love thy neighbor as thyfclf+J And Chrift, in faying, by this fhall all men know ye arc my difciples, if ye love one another ;§§ fuppoCi^s the love of men one to another fo eflential to Chriftianity, as by that token alone all men may know who are his difci- ples ; and if they who thus love one another areof courfe his difciples, whole dilciples then are they, who as all men know, make people hate andharrals one another ; and pretend Chrifl's commifFion for fo doing ? Origen, fpeaking of the faith of Chriltians, could not (was there any thing peculiar in their fjii.h) have faid, " It is the conformity of our faith with the com- mon innate notions of all mankind, that has given it en- * 1 Cor. 13. + Col. 3. 14. ^ I Tim, 1. ,5. Rom. 13. 10. 1 Tim. 5. 8. || 1 Pet. 4. 8. 5 James 2. 8. *** 1 John 4. flo. • t Gal. .5. 6. +X Ver. i.j. jy John 13. 35. 52 CHRISTIANITY AS trance into the minds of candid and ingenuous hearers." Our divines ffince the liberty they enjoy has enabled them to think, and fpeak their thoughts more freely than formerly) when they write in defence of Chriftianity, en- d«"av(yur to ihew that the faith the fcripture requires, is conformable to what Origen calls, the common and in- nate notions of mankind. I do not find, that the Dean of Sarum is cenfured for affirming in defence of chrif- tiiruy, that, " the (cripture notion of faith is very "p'iHin and obvious, viz. not a fpeculative and philofo- phical, but a religious and praBical faith ; and it is built on this principle, that God is, and that he is a rewarder of hcin that diligently feek him ; that religious faith is a full conviftion of mind, that an eternal, immenfe be- ing, infinitely wife, juft, and good, not only aBually €xi(h, but is the governor of the world; prefcribes laws to the confciences, and to the actions of men ; takes notice of their compliance with, or tranfgreffion of them ; and will certainly reward or punifli them, according as their works have been. To live under this fcnfe and expe8ation, is to live a life of faith, and is co-incident "with a life of virtue. All the fpecies, or particular in- ftances of faith may be reduced to this, as fo many- branches fpringing from it ; and to explain them in any other fenfe, as if faith and reafbn were oppofed to each other, and religion and virtue two different things, is to bind thef underftanding of men, and confound the plain- eft, and moft numerous texts of fcripture." Another learned divine, in defence of the chriftian religion, fays ; "if it fhould happen, that we cannot fo fatisfaflovily evince the certainty of the fcripture-hif- tory agaiinft fcrupulous, nice, and fceptical wits, yet "we find ourfelvcs obliged to the belief and praBice of "what is really the Chriftian religion ; becaufe it is no- thing elfe, as to the faith and morals of it, but natural religion.'* The great Grctius, in a difcourfe owned to be the bcft that was ever wrote in defence of Chriftianity, lays it down as a maxim, that " it is abfolutcly repugnant OLD AS THE CREATION. 53 to the jToodnefs of God, thatthofc, who without rcfpcft to worldly advantage, feck after the way which leads to eternal happincfs : imploring withal the divine afTiftance, and ("iihmitting themfelvcs entirely to his providence, , fhould^be able to find it." And if this is too evident to be denied, can there be any thing either in relation to faith or manners in the way that leads to eternal happi- ncfs, but may be found at all times and places of ev- crv one, who dilij;enily fearches after it. And an ermncnl di vine, who is not looked on to have altogether fo extenfivc a charity as Grotius, yet fayy, " I ^hink we may pronounce fafeiy in this matter, that the goodnefs and mercy of God is fuch, that he never deferts a linccre perfon, nor fuffers any one that fhall live (even according to thcfe meafures of fincerity) up to what he knows, to perifh lor want of any knowledge neceflary ; and what is more, fufTicient to fave him." Which fuppoles no faith, or knowledge neceffary to falvation, hut what all are capable of acquirinjr by vir- tue of that light, which lighteih every man that cometh into the world.* And our (avior himfelf fa\'s, feek, and you (hall find.t By this you may fee what faith is rc- juired, and for what end. If man, as our divines maintain againfl Hobbs, is a focial creature, who naturally loves his own fpecies, and is full of pity, tendernefs and benevolence; and if reafon, which is the y)roper nature of man, can never lead men to any thing butuniverfal love and kindnefs, and there be no part of natural religion, or any faith it requires, but higiily tends to improve this kind and be- nign temper; how conies it to pafs, that whac is taught for religion in fo many places of Ch.riltendom, has transformed this mild and gentle creature into fierce and cruel ; and made him aft with rage and fiyy againfl thofe who never did, or intended him the lead harm ? Is not This chiefly owing to fuch a faith as works not by love ; ;ind fuch a zeal as, not lacing according to knowledge, has dcllroyed all good works ; and is uuerly inconfilt- * John 1. o ^ M.itt. 7. 7. ^4 CHRISTIANITY AS ent with the end of all religion ? But no wonder, if men, who moll unchariiably d.,mn one another for fuch matters of faith as they dare not truft reafoif to judge of, fliould hate and perfecute each other on the fame account. The Epicureans, though they had exalted notions of their gods, yet becaufe they afleried ii beneath their dig- nity to concern themfelves with human affairs, were at all times ccnfured as atheifts ; which fhews that it was accounted much the fame to believe no ^ods, as to be- lieve them ufelefs to mankind : but certainly, believing the deity to be indolent, cannot be fo bad as believing him lo cruel, as to oblige Chriftians to perfecute, ruin, and deltroy even their brethren, for things too, no ways contributing to the good of mankind ; fince this is downright demonifm : And yet in what age of the church could not thofe confcientious people, that chanced to be undermoft, have thought themfelves happy, if the men in power had not had a worfe notion of the deity, than that of indolence. CHAP. vr. That the religion of nature is an ahjolutely perJtB, religion; and that external revelation can neither add to^ nor take from its perfeBion ; and that true religion^ whe- ther internally or externally revealed^ muji he the fame. HAVING proved, that God requires nothing for his own fake ; I fhall now, the way being thus pre- pared, fhew you, that the religion of nauve is abfolute- ly perfeft ; and that external revelation can neither add to nor take from its pe-feftion : and in order to it, let me afk you, why you believe the gofpel a law of abfolute perfeftion, incapable of any addition, diminution, or alteration ? J5. Becaufe it is the laftlaw of God's giving. OLD AS THE CREATION. ^5 A. Was it not fuch in itfelf, that could not make it fo ; fince the law given to the Jews was for many agei ihc only external law ; and yet, I ruppofc, you grant that this abrogated law was far from deferving (uch a charafcter j but were there any thing in this argument, it makes wholly for the law of nature, fince that is not only thefird, but th.- la(i law of God's giving ; if that can be faid to be laft, which is eternal : a lav^', by which God governs his own aciions ; and by which he expcfts all the rational world fhould govern theirs. And there- fore, notwithftanding the promulgation of the gofpel, he continues daily to implant it in the minds of all men Chrillians as well as others ; and confequenlly, it is as neceflary for them as for others ; as neccfTary fince, as before the coming of Chrift : And I may add too, not only neccfTary to be ooferved in this world, and ten thoufand more, were there fb many, but in heaven ilfelf, and that too forever. B. Should I grant, that my argument, from the gof- pel's being the laR law of God's giving, does not fully prove its abfolute perfe6lion; yet it will undeniably fol- low from the great agreement there is between that and the law of nature; it neither forbidding what that re- quires, nor requiring what that forbids ; and in a word, containing nothing in it unworthy, but every thing wor- thy, of an abfolutely-perfeft Law-giver. A. In faying this, you own the law of nature to be the flandard of perfe8ion ; and that by it we mud judge, antecedently to any traditional religion, what is, or is not a lawabfolutely perfect, and worthy of fuch a being for its legiHator. B. Indeed it mufl be owned, that divines as well as others, make the fame conceffions in relation to natural religion, which Dr. Pridcaux does in his celebrated let- ter to the Deifts, at the end of Mahomet's Life : '• Let what is written in all the books of the New Teflament be tried by that which is the touchflonc of all religions ; I mean, that religion of nature and rcafon, which God has Nvritlen in the hearts of every one of us from the firlt ^6 CHRISTIANITY AS Creation ; and if it varies from it in any one particular, if it prefcribes any one thing which may in the minuteft circumflances thereof be contrary to its righteoufnefs, I "will then acknowledge this to be an argument againft us, ftrong enough to overthrow the whole caufe, and make all things elfe that can be faid for it totally inef- feflual for its fupport." A. I defire no more than to be allowed, that there is a religion of nature and reafon, written in the hearts of every one of us from the firft creation ; by which all mankind muft judge of the truth of any inftituted religi- on whatever; and if it varies from the religion of na- ture and reafon in any one particular, nay in the minut- eft circumftance, that alone is an argument which makes ;:)' things elfe that can be laid for its fupport totally in- '-ifeflual. If fo, muft not natural religion and external revelation, like two tallies, exaftly anfwer one another, ■vithout any other difference between them, but as to the manner of their being delivered ? And how can it be fUherwife ? Can laws be imperfeft, where a legiflaior is abfolutely perfeft? Can time dilcover any thing to him, which he did not forefee from eternity ? And as his wif- dom is always the fame, fo is his goodnels ; and confe- quently, from the confideration of both thcfe, his laws muft always be the fame. — Is it not from the infinite wif- dom and goodnefs of God, that you fuppofe the gofpcl a moft perfeft law, incapable of being repealed, or al- tered, or of having additions ; and muft not you owu the law of nature as perfetl a law, except you will fay, that God did not arrive to the perfection of wifdom and goodnefs till about feventeen hundred years fince ? To plead', that the gofpel is incapable of any addi- tions, becaufe the will of God is immutable, and his laws too perfefct to need them, is an argument, was Chriftianity anew religion, which deftroys itfelf ; fince from the time it commenced, you muft own God is mu- table ; and that fuch additions have been made to the •all-perfeft laws of infinite wifdom, as conftitute a new- religion. The reafon why the law of nature is immuta- OLV AS f >- / t>le, t»f l^ecaufe it is foimdt'd on m'^le realoti of things; but if God is an •' ..lii;, and can coimnaiid ihings men ly fro;. .iplealure; Ionic things to-day, and others to-morrow ; there is nothii ^ either in (he nature of God, or in the things ihrmfeh > -, to hinder him from perpetually changing his mind. If he once commanded things without reafon, there cat: be no reafon why he aiay not endlefsly change fuch com- mands. J thi ik, no man has more fully done jidtice to the law of nature, than a divine of that church which re- quires io many things contrary to that law ; I mean the celebrated Ciiarron, in his rreatife of wildom, who'c authority is certainly not the lefs for being trandated by the late Djan of CanterDury : he Tiys, " The law of na- \ ture, by which I mean univerfal realbn and equity, is I the candle of our maker, lighted up in every b eaft. to ' guide, and fliine perpetually. This is the dictate of Godhimfelf, he is the king, and this is the fundamental law of the univerfe; a ray and beam of the divme na- ture, which flows from, and has a neceffary connedion and dependence upon that eternal and immutable law, which the Almighty prefcribes to his own a6ions. A man, who proceeds on this principle, is his own rule ; for he aQs in agreement with the nobleft, and moil va- luable part of his nature : the honeily of this man is ef- feniidl to, and infeparable from him, not precarious and uncertain, and owing merely to chance and occa- fion ; for this light and law is born with, and bred in US; a pece of our frame and conniiution ; and from thence obtains the name of nature, and the law of nature : fuch a man, by confequeme, will be a good man con- flanily, and at ail times his virtue will be uniform, and every place, every em.Tge.icy will find hi:n the fame; for this law of nature is perpetual, the obli- gation of it is lalting and inviolable; the equity Jiid realon of it are eternal, written in large and inedible characlers, no accidcn. can deface them, no Ifnoili of lime walte or wear them out. — Tliele firll principles, G ^3 CHRISTIANITY AS which are the ground of all moral inftitutions, admit of no change, no increafe, no abatement, no fits, no ftarts, no ebbiiigs and flowings. — Why then, vain man, doft thou trouble thvfelf to feek abroad for lome law or rule to mankind ? What can books or mailers t' 11 thee, which thou mighteft not tell thyfelf ? What can ftudy or travel fliew, which, without being at the expence of fo much pains, thou mighteft not fee at home, by defcending in- to thy own confcience, and hearkening attentively to its own admonitions ? " To what purpofe /s all this labor and coft ? The toilfome tumbling over of codes and inftitutes ? — The two tables of Moles, the twelve tables of the Greeks, the law written in the hearts of thofe who had no law ; and in fhort, all the rules of equity and good laws, that haveany where been enafted, and ob ained in the world, are nothing but copies and tranfcripts produced in open court, and publifhed from that original, which ihou keepeft clofe within thee, and yet all the while pretend- eft to know nothing of the matter, ftifling and luppref- fing as much as in thee lieth the brightnefs of that light, which fliines within thee. As this invifible fountain within is more exuberant and plenteous, fo it is more lively, pure, and ftrong, than any oi the ftreams derived from it J o-f which we need but this fingle teftimony, that when any difputes arife about the rig'.t meaning of any pofrtive law, the conftant, and beft method of un- derftaiiding the equity and trueintent ofit, isby running back to its head and obferving what ismoft agreeable to the law of nature : this is the teft and touch, this is the level, and the truth, by which the reft are to be judged." And in tiuth all laws, whether the law of nations, or thofe of particular countries, are only the law of nature adjufted, and accommodated to circumftances, nor can religion, even in relation to the worfliip of God, as it is a reafonable fervice, be any thing, but v^hat neceflarily^ flows from the confideration of God, and the creatures^ and this made the gre t Mr. Selden fay, in an expreftion fomewhai homelv, '* that men look after religion, as the OLD AS THE CREATION. 59 l)iitcherdicl after his knife, when he liad it in his mouth." The religion of nature is fo entirely calculated for the good of human fot ieiy, that thouc»!) a man, hurried uith the violence of his pallions, breaks it himlcif, yet he would have all others molt llridiy obferve it ; and ac- cordingly all leCTJflators punif]! the breach of it : wherj- a^ no min rejetls any pofiii e inftituiion himfelf, but is willing that all others fliould do fo too ; which plai.-ly ihews men d,'> not apprehend it to be for the general g>»od of mankind. And the contending parties in re|i. •gion with equal confidence cry, " That if our religion be not true, God mult be wanting to mankind, in what concerns their eternal happinefs ; he mull be wanting to himfeir, and to his own attril)utes of goodnefs, jiiltice and truth : it is repugnant to the very notion of a God, to let men be ignorant in a matter of fuch importance without anv help or remedy." This reafoning, if true, necedarily infers fome univerfal law, knowable at dl times ; and cannot be applied to any particular religion unknown to the world for many ages ; and, as not being difc(nerabJe by reafoii, fliil unknown to the greateft part of it. In a word, if the highef} internal excellrnce, the greaielt plainnefs and fiinplicity, unanimity, univerfali- ty, antiquity, nay, eternity, can recommend a law ; all thefe, it is owned, do, in an eminent degree, belong to the law of nature. A law, which does not depend on the uncertain meaning ot words and phrafes in di.:ad lan- guages, much lels on types, metaphors allegories, pa- rables, or on the flcill or honclty of weak or dcfigning tranfcribers (not to m.'^ntion tranflntorsj for many ages together, but on the immutable relation of things e^ ft* vifible to the whole world : and thcrefo-e Dr. Scott juft- ly fays, " Moral obligations are not founded likepofi live ones upon mutable ciicumllances (which fuppc;{e .-^cn are ihc fame with relation to God and man , for the more he honors God, the more zealous will he be to a6l the patriot ; and the more he does that, the more he honors God ; becaule the happier men are, the more reafon they have to honor that God who made them fo. The way lo glorify your J alher which is in heaven, is to let your light fo Jhine. bejore men, that they may fee your good works.* And herein is viy father glorified, that ye hear much fruit A And indeed, nothing can be plainer from fcripturc, than that thcfe two great duiies of the love of God and t)ur neij;hbor, include each other. If fays the apollle, a man fay, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar."^ And, if zue love one another^ G'hI dwelkth in us ; and the love of God is pcrfeEed in us.^ Again, let us love one another ; every one that lov- cth, is born of God^ and knowcth God. He that loves not, knowftk not God.\\^ But whofo hath this world's goods, and feeth his brother have need, and Jhutteth vp, his bowels of ccmpaffion from him, how dwdlelh the lovit- of God in him ? lL And it was this confideration, that made that great emperor and philofopher Marcus Anto- nius fay," Thou wilt never do any thing purely human in a right manner, unlcfs thou know eft the relation it bears tothin;Ts divine ; nor any thing divine, unlefs thou knoweft all the tics it bar. to things human." In a word, as man is by nature qualified to anfwer all the purpofes o[ a focial life, and to aft'* a pari agree- able to jeafon, {o in doing this he gives glory to his maker, by fulfilling the end of his creation; but if he goes contrary to the light of nature, in afting an unfo- ciable and hurtful par:, he rcfletts d>flionor on his cre- ator, by defeating, as far as in him lies, the defign of God, in making him a focial creature. But, H • Mat. 5. i6. t John. ij. 8. \l John 4. 20. ^ lb. iz, l| lb. 7. 8. ^ John 3 17 66 CHRISTIANITY AS Becaufe bigots reprefent tliefe two grand oblijrations as f.eq-ientlv^ clafhing ; and oppofe things which are for the good of man, on pretence that the honor of God will either Jirc6lly or indireftly fufiPer by it ; and on this pretence h.ive frequently done fuch mKchiefs to their fellow-creaiures, as to give occafion ;o that proverbial faying, J7i nomine Domini incipit omne maluvi : ^i\ e me leave to fay, that we can no olherwife honor God, < fince that confrlts in having the nnoft exalted ideas of : him, than by fuppofing him benevolent in the moll iini- verfal and impartial manner; and confequently, to im- agine he can command any thing inconfiftent with this univerfal benevolence, is highly to diflionor him 3 it is to dellroy his impartial goodnefs, and make bis power ^and wifdom degenerate into crueUy and craft. Though we have received onr all from God, we can give him nothing, nor do him the lead kindnefs, much lefs return kindnefs for kmdnefs ; and therefore, the only way we have to fhew our real gratitude to our great creator and benefaBor, i,: to be as ufeful as we can to his creatures, whom we ought to love as ourfelves, and if there can now be a fin againll the holy ghofl:, I \ ihould not fcruple to fay, it is making religion the means of deftroyinjT the end of all religion, and rendering the creature miierable, on pretence of doing honor to the | creator; who, as he has imprefiTcd on bodies, in order ■' to prefefve the natural word, a tendency to each other, fo he has implanted in minds, the betier to fupport the J moral world, a tendency to be kind and beneficent to one another. And fodeep is the impreflion of benevo- le ice, that we cannot but applaud the perfon who does : brave and generous anions, even though we luffer by them ; and as much condemn him who a8s bafely and i treacheroufly, Hough we are ever fo great gainers. *•' Is there then (fiys a noble author) a natural beauty of ,igures; and is there nor as natural one of a8ions ? N ■ fooner the eye opens upon figures, the ear to founds, than 'Iraighr the beautiful refults, and grace and harmo- ny are known and acknowledged. No fooner are ac- OLD AS THE CREATIOM. 67 tions viewed, no fooner the huiii.in afefiio-is and pajT- fions difccrncd fand ihey ar mofloffhem as Icon (df- cerned as fcl) than (lraijj;}u an 'nward ey; difHngiiiflics, the fair and fhjpely, the amiaMc and adaiira.lq aj^ari from the deformed, the f m', the fulioiis or the defpi ca- ble." How is It pofllhle therefore not to own, " I'hat as the dfitinCtions have iheir foundation in nature, tht; dif crnment irfelf isnatunl, .Tnd fro n nanirc alop;;." B. Tlli^. I own, i.s a beaii'ifnl dercript"orj of i uman nature, and a ftrong evidence of the jroodncfs ofiii au- thor ; hut do men aft as if they had fu^h an innate love for n.turc, or_fuch a benevolent d(ri)ori!io;i ? A. An execrable fuperdition has in nany chriOian countries, in a manner, cxiing iihed thcfe kiii|d feriti- nients, and eveti all humanity and piiy ; infn.iuth that the tender fex can rej(Mce to hear the (bricks, ai>d fee th^ agonies of men expi.ing un^lcr the moft cr^cl tor- ments ; find there is fcarce any pi icc, fo much docs this curfod bigotry prevail, where we do not almofl. daily fee too much reafon to cry, Tcintum rcligio, potuit^ fuadere malorum. Tbc noble author now quoted juftly obfervn to the whole, or not. For, if unhappily there be no mind ; we may comfort ourfelves, however, rhat nafuri- has no malice: If there be really a mind, we may rell fatisficd, that it is the heft natured one in the world. The lafl cafe, one would imagine, fhould be mod comfortable; and the notion of a com- mon p;irent lefs frightful than that of forlorn nature, and a falh' rlefs world. Though, as religion Hands amongll us, there are many good people who would have Icfs fear in being thus expofed ; and would be cafier, per- haps, in their minds, if ihcy were affured they had on- ly mere chance to truft to. For no body ircmblrs to think there fhould be no God, but rather, that" there Ihould be one. This, however, would be otherwife, if Deity were thought as kindly of as humanity ; and we could be perfuadcd to believe, that if there leally was 'a God, the higheft goodnefs niuft of necell ty belong »o him, without any of thofe dele^ls of pa'" otJ. thofe meannefTes .md imperfc61ions whi< h wc acknow f dge fuch in ourfelves; which aj> good men, wc endeavor all 7 2 CHRISTIANITY AS we can to be Piiperior to, and which, we find, we every day conquer as we grow betier." In recapitulating what ! have faid of ihe agreement of natural and revealed religion. I cannot do it more fully than in the words or Dr. Sherlock (now bifhop of BangOT)who in a ferrnon for propagating the i^of; el (where we may exped every thing which recommends it) fays, that " The religion of the gofpel is the true o- riginal rcligion^f reafon and nature. — Xhat the dodrine of repentance, with which the gofpel fet out m d^e world, had reference to the law of reafon and ^nature, againll which men had every where offended: And fince re- pentance infers the neceffity of a future reformation, and a return to that duty and obedience, from which, by tranfgreilion, we are fallen; the confcquence is mani- feftly this, that the gofpel was a republication of the law of nature, and its precepts declaradve of that ori- ginal religion, which was as old as ihe creation. " This," continues he, "will appear, by considering .he nature of the thing itfelf. The noiions of good and evil are eternally and unalterably the fame; which no- tions are the rules and mcafures of all moral anions, and are confequcntly neceflary, and conflituie parts of religion. And therefore, if the religion of nature, in her primitive ftate, was pure and uncorrupt, which will not, I prefume, be denied, though there was fufficient reaf(m for a republication of it becaufe of the great ignorance and fuperftition which had grown upon the worid j yet there could be no reafon for any alteration of^**: For though the world was the worfe for ahufing th^r: ir'.;i>r/vf nature, and might want to be reformed !' ; divjne ini i lur; yet the religion of nature was not the worfe foB-v -^t)^ aoufed, but ftill retained ilsfirft purity and fimpli*. . The duties of religion, confi- dered a.s the rules ol '::Uon, flow from the relation we bear ro God, and to or- -snoiher ; and religion muft e- ver be the (ame, as long i'.c■^ thefe relations con inue un- altered. If our fir'l parent was the creature of God, lb are we; and whatever fervice and duty he owed in vir- OLD AS THE CREATIOM. 73 •s (lie of this (fepeiidance, the fame is due from us ; nor tan this relatiortybe ever made the ground of different duties in his cafe and ours. If therefore nature rightly intruded him at Hrfl how to fervc his maker; our ob- ligations being the l^me with his, bur rule muft be the fame alfo. The cafe is the fame with refpeft.to the du- ties owing from man to man. And it would be as rea- fonable lo fuppofe, that the three angles of a triangle fhould be equal to two right ones in one age, and une- qual m another, as to fuppofe, that the duties of religi- on fliould differ in one age from what they were in ano- ther; the habitudes and relations from which they flow continuing always the fame. '• Thai the cafe is in fa6l what I have reprefented it to be, might be fhewn from the particular laws of the gofpel, and their depcndance on the maxims and princi- ples of natural religion. — I will content myfelf with one general proof, which reaches to every part of the Chridian doftrine. — If the law and the prophets hang on thefe two great commandments, viz. The love of God, and the love of our neighbor; then the doctrine of our faviour, which is the perfection of the law and the prophets, mud hang on ihem likewife. Now, if you will allow, that the love cf God, and the love of our neighbor, are fundamentals in the law of reafonand nature (as undoubtedly they are) you mull alio allow, that whatever may be deduced from them by rational confequence, mull be a precept of the \d\v of nature: Whatever therefore hangs on ihefe two commandments, muft neceffarily be a part of natural religion; and that all the law and the prophets do fo hang, and confe- quenily the doftrine'of the gofpel, which is the perfec- ^ tion of them, you have had our faviour's exprcfs teffi- mony. Since then it appears (as I think) that the reli- gion of the gofpel is the true original religion of realon aifd nature; That it has, as fuch, a claim to be received independent of thofe miracles which were wrought for its confirmation; will be admitted by all who allow the force and obligation of natural reli- I 74 CHRISTIANITY AS g '^n ; and can be denied by none who know or under- ft:^ id themselves. The principles of religion arc-inter- \v ven wiih the very frame and make of our minds, asid we m-iy as well ran from ourfelves, as from the fenle of the obligations we are under." B. Bill does not this right reverend prelate in this fermon affirm, that there are doBrines in Chriftianity, which, though not different, yet are diftin^l from the principles of reafon and natuie? A. There is nothing more common with learned au- thors, than diflinftions without any difference; yet the bifhop very cnutioufly words what he fays, " That the doBrinps of Chnftianity, though not different, are dif- tinB: from the principles of reafon and nature :" but he dies not fay they are didinti from thofe doftrines which flo^vfrom the principles of reafonand nature. And what he immediately adds, that " Our faviour came into rhe world to fupply the defects, not of religion, which con- tinued in its purity and perfe6lion, but of nature," plainly mews, that he thinks nothing could be added by our faviour to a law that had no defe6is; and the defctis of nature could only be (upplied by obliging people to live up to this natural law of unchangeable purity and perfeBion. This 15 doing juflice to revealed as M'ell as natural religion, and fhews the author of both to beat all times equally wife, good and beneficient ; and the bifhop ought to h»: valued for fpeaking thus plairjy : Ji Jic ovinia dixijfet ! A id to this right reverend father, I may add the au- thority of the I'ae mofl reverend archbifhop Sharp, who /■fajs, '■ That religion (taking that word as it fignifiies ^ that uni erfal duty we owe to God, and by which we are lo recommend ourfelves to his favor) is not fo varia- ble, uncertain and arbitrary a matter, as fome men do perhaps fappofe it ; but is a conftant, fixed, permanent, immutcib'e thing. The fame now that it was in the days of fhe old law ; and the, fame then that it was in thedavs before the law was given ; and the fame both then and OLD AS THi: CUtATION. 7^ -w (bat it fliall be a thoufand years licncc, if ibc world ! )uld laO. fo long. True religion, uud ihat which is o n God, was, and is, and ever will be the fame in ibflance in all countries, and in all nations, and anumg jli forts and conditions ofnicn whatfoever; and the fuin of it is, To love the Lord cur God with all our hearts^ . and with all our minds^ and zoith atl cur jlrength ; and / next to that, to love our neighbor as ourfdvcs. This was the religion that the patriarchs, and all ihe pious men of old lived in, and by which they obt;)incd the favor and acceptance of God ; when as }ci there was no reveled inflituted religion in the world. — That this is the fnin f thechriRian religion, no man can in t!)e leafl doubt, that has ever read the new lellament. In our favioru'^ in- ftitution there is hardly any one thing recommerided to us, that doth not directly relate to this maner ; that is not cither an inflance wherein wc are to exprefs our love to Ood, and our neighbor ; or a means wherthy "we may- be furihereu in the prafiifing oFihofe duii .s ; or an ar- gument, and motive, and encouragement t(; excite us to the practifing of them. It is the defign of ;ill his doctrines, to give u;> riglrt notions of God. i>i:d ..ur neighbor; to teach us how excellent, how good G"d is in himfelf. and how kind, how gracious u^ us; and therefore what infinite rcafon we have to love and fervc all mankind (who are our neighb(>ursj for his fake. " We have an eafy, a!id a Jrue notion of that vfli- gion which isirorn God; and wc can never be at a lofs to find out in what it doth confift. It is not a thing to be alter'd atpleafure; both the law of nature, and the law of God; both the natural difpcnfation under which all men are born, and the reveald Difpenfation a« we. havc either in the Old or New l>flament ; do f ffi i- cntly inflructus in the main heads of it. '^^y I dare be bold to fay, fo long as mankind do retriin ihcir nature, and'aTiiol iransf^rtned into another fcMt of (rr.ii.ics than what God made thenv at firll ; i* in impolfiblc .hat jG CHRISTIANITY AS there fliould be any true religion, but what may be fummed up in thefe two things ; to love God, and our neighbor." CHAP. VI. That the not adhering to thefe notions reafon dilates con- cering the nature of God, has been the occajion of all fiiperjlition, and all thofe innumerable mi/chiefs, thai mankind, on account of religion, have done either to themfelves, or one another. HAVING in general fhewn the abfurdity of not be- ing governed by the reafon of things in all matters of religion, 1 fhall now in particular, fliew the fatal con- fequences of not adhering to thofe notions reafon dictates concerning the nature of God. Charron, tho' a pried of that church which abounds with fuperftiiion, the moft pernicious as well as abfurd, feems to have a right notion of fuperflition as well as juftly to abhor it, in faying, that " fuperflition, and moft other errors and defers in religion, are, generally fpeaking, owing chiefly to want of becoming and right apprehenfions of God : we debafe and bring him down (o us; we compare, and judge him by ourfelves ; we cloafh him with our infirmities, and then proportion and fit our fancy accordingly. — What horrid prophanation and blafphemy is this !" It is to this abfurdity of debafing God, and cloathing him with our infirmities, and judging of him by ourfelves, that the mediatory Gods amongft the heathen owe their rife. Had they believed a fupreme being was every Vherc, and at all times knew their thoughts, they could never have taken fuch a round-about way ofaddrefling him ; who not only knew what they defired, but their VU.I> Ai 1 liE CRi-. ATIOX, '] "J realwants, and what would relieve them, betlcr than any mediatory bein;^s whatever. B. They addreilcd to mediatory beings, to flle\^^ their greater refped to the lupieme being, and their own nnworthinefs to approach hiiij. A. This Ihews wha6 unworthy notions they had of the fupreme being ; fincc it would be an affront even to a temporal prince, if he was prcfent, and heard ev- ery thin^z vouiaid, not to addrefs to liim, but to arw- ther, to let the prince know what you wanted from him. The heathen muQ; think, if they thought at all, that thole mediatory Gods could either fuggefl: to the lu- preme God fon>e rcafons he was before ignprant of ; or that by their importunities they could prevail on his weakncfs, to do what otherwife he was not willing to do. This heathen notion, as it fuppofed the fupreme God either ignorant or weak ; fo it made the media- tory Gods to have a greater kindnefs for, and readinefs to do good to mankind ; and that their folicitations made him better natured than otherwife he would be ; this ofcourfe took off their love from the fupreme, and placed it on thofe mediatory Gods, upon whofe pow- erful interceflions they fo much depended. However, thefe heathens, allowing one, and but one iTiofl: high God, did not fo far derogate from the honor of the one true God, as to pretend that the mod didinguinied a- mong their feveral mediators was equal to him ; equa- lity and mediation being as inconfiflent as equality and lupremacy ; and they would have made their religion Tin arrant jumble, if they had worfliippcd thcfe Gods fometimes as mediators only, fomctimcs as fovereign difpofers of things ; and fomctimcs as both together. Had the heathen believed God to have been a purc- ly-fpiritual, invifible being, they could never have fuppofed him vifible to mortals, or have thought that an unlimited being could appear imder the limited form of a man, or other animal ; or that an omnipie- y§ CRHISTIANITY AS fent being could any more be prefent in one place, or creature, than another ; or that fuch a being could be confined to a fmall fpot of earth, while another equally omniprefent was in heaven,. and a third defcendiniT from thence, &c. Or that one God could be (em oua the errand of another God, after the manner that God Mercury was by God Jupiter; though there was no- thing too abfurd for the heathen to believe, after they haH deftroyed the uniry of God ; except ^it was, that Jupiter and Mercury, the fender and the fent, were the iarne God. The primitive fathers bitterly inveighed againil thefe beatheniih notions : Juftin Martyr, forinftance, fays, *' None, who have the leaft fenfe. xvil! dare to affirm, that the maker and father of the univerfe did appear in ; a fmall fpot of the earth ; the God of the univeife can ■neither alcend, nordefoend, nor come into any place." Tertullian fays, ^' he would not believe the fovereign God defcendcd in:o he womb of a woman, though e- [ ven the fcripture itfelf fhouid fay it." '^ It is imnofii- ble," fays Eufebius, " that the eyes of mort^ils fliould ever fee the fupreme God ; viz. Him, who is above ail I things, and whofe effence is unbe^ottcn and immu^a ble." A'j'd'in, " it is abfurd. and contrary to ail rea- fon, that the unbegotten and immutable nature of the almighty God (liould take the form of a man ; or that the fcripture Ihould forge fuch-like falfities." Minu- tius Felix in his apology fays, that " the deity cannot die, nor can any thing which is born be a God : that ■only is divine, which has neither beginning nor end ; if the Gods get children, they would get them immor- tal : we mull conclude tliofe Gc'ds to be men, of whofe birth and burial we are fully faiisfied." Thus the fa- thers expofed the pagan polytheilm. A great deal more, as y^u may well imagine, might be laid on this head ; but now i fliall briefly confider v/hat pernicious effects the having wrong gnd unnatural conceptions of the deity, has occafioned among m.en with relation to thcmfclvesl and one another. OLD AS THE CREATION. 79 If vsretake a general view of thofe mifchiefs m:\nkind have at all times praftifed on a roli:^ious account, ei- ther upon rhemlelves or others ; uc fhall find them owinj to their entertaining fuch notions of God, as are entirely inconfiftenr with his nature ; and contrary to what their realon, if attended to, would inform them of the defign and end of the hiws of God. Had not nu'Tibers in all a:^es thought, that God de- lighted in the pain and iViilery of liis creatures ; they could never have imagined, that the befl way to render them acceptable to him, was by ^ormenrin::^ themfelves, with immoderate wivtcliings, fadings, penances, and mortifications of all forts; and the greater the more p'eafing : and even at prefent there are amon^r clirif- tians, mahometans, and pagans, numbers of men who devote themfelves to exercifes full of pain and corporal fulFcrin^js. and cither wound or mmtile their own perfons, or find other ways of tormenting themfelves ; and indeed, the fuperftitious every where think, the lefs mercy they fhjw to their bodies, the more mercy God will (hew to their fouls. Many of the primitive chriflians, inftead of flying, as the gofpel directs,* not only ran voluntarily to exe- cution, but provoked their judges to do them that fa- vor. And under Trajan, all the chriflians in a city ia Afia came in a body to the proconful, and offered fcliemfelvcs to the (laughter, which tiiade him cry, O! ye unhappy people, if ye have a mind to die, have ye not halters and precipices enough to end your live^ ; but ye mufl come here for executioners ? And this was a general pradice under the Antonini ; and Marcus Antonius feverely rcflefts on the obllinacy of the chrif- tians, in thus running headlong to death. And St. Cyprian labors to comfort thofe who might be fo un- happv, by the ccafing of the then perfecution, to mifs the crown of martyrdom ; though one would think I there were but few who wanted tiiis confolation ; fince he fnvs, many of the clergy, and tlie far greater part of the laity apoilatized. But wlun by the empire's 8o CHRISTIANITY A3 "becoming chnftian, the crown of martyrdom was no longer to be obtained by the prevailing party of chrif- tians, then exercifing cruelties on themlelves was ef- teemed the next bed thing ; and many devotees put monftrous hardfhips on themfelves, while others chofe poverty, rags, and naftinefs, or elfe retired to caves, defarts, and other folitary places, to figh away their miferable lives ; and ecclefiaflical hiftory is full of mi- racles done by fuch madmen as Simeon Stylites, who had no other dwelling than a pillar, on which he fpent the beft part of his life ; and it was owing to thefe fu- perflitious notions that inch numbers of monarteries and nunneries were foon founded, to the great opprei- fion and depopulation of the chriflan world ; not but that the impudent forgeries of Athanafms, and other fuch-like faints about miracles done by monks helped to increafe this fuperllition ; whilft the prelates, tho' they encouraged thofe feverities on others, were far from praftifmg any on themfelves. Had inch notions been adhered to concerning the divine goodnefs, as the light of nature dictates, the a Egyptians, and fome other pagan nations could never have thought that cutting off the forefivin (not to be per- formed without great pain and hazard) could have been efteemed a religious duty, acceptable to a good and gra- cious God, who makes nothing in vain, much lefs what requires the cutting off, even with extreme danger aa well as anguifh. Had nature required fuch an ope- ^ ration, nature, being always the fame, would ftiii have required it. Thisinftitution, as is proved by Marfliam and others, feems to be owing to the Egyptians, who thought all to be prophane who ufed it not; and it was after, Abra- ham had been in Egypt, that circumcifion wasinltituted, in order, it is likely, to recommend his pofterity to the Egyptians, on whom they were for fome ages to depend. And what makes this the more probable, is, that it was not till after the Lord had ordered Mofcs into Egypt, that the Lord met him by the way in the inn, and fought OLD AS THE CREATION. 8l to kill him,* for not circunicifing his Ton : and up- on [ofhaa's circuincifing the IlVaeliles (circumcifion not being obfervcd during their Hay in ihc wildcrncfs, when they had no communication with Epvpt) the I,c)rcl himfelf fays, this day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from oft" vou.t The heathen world muft have very grofs conceptions not only of their inferior Gods, but of the father of Gods and men ; when they imagine him of fo cruel a nature as to be delighted butchering of innocent animals ; and that the Itench of burnt ilefh (liould be a fweet fmeiling favour in his nodrils, as to aitone for the wickednefs of men; and wicked, no doubt, they were, when they had fuch an attonement at hand. So that the harmlefs were burnt to fave the hurtful ; and men the Icfs inno- cent they grew, the more they deftroyed the innocent bcafts. Non bove maHato calcflia numina guadent ; Scd^ quce prxjlanda ejl^ (3 fine Tejle^ Fide. Ovid. Epilt. p. 89. Ep. 20. V. i8i. If the Pagans believed beaRs were not given then^ I'or food, why did they eat them ? Or if they thought they were, why did they ungratefully throw back the gifts of God on the donor? Or, why did they not drown, or bury them, rather than make fuch a llcnch in burning them, as many times, by the number of fa- crificcs, might infcH the very air ? It is probable, that the heathen priefts who fhared with their Gods, and referved the bed bits for them- felves, had the chief hand in this as well as in all other gainful fuperftitioni ; while the deluded people, who many times Tuffered by the fcarcity of provifions, cauf- ed by the great number of facriHces, were at vaft ex- pence ill maintaining thefe holy butchers, whofe very trade infpired them with cruelty. K * Exo.i'.is 4. 24. + JoHiua ,5. 2 — 9. SZ CHRISTIANITY A3 And it is probable, this abfurd notion prevailed like all other abfurdities by degrees, and at flrft facrifices were only religious feafts, either in commemoration of j fome national benefit ; where after God, their great be- nefactor, was celebrated, they commemorated their par- ticular benefaclors ; or elfe feafts were made on a pri- vate account by the mailer of the family, upon (hear- ing his fheep, gathering in the fruits of the earth, &c» where thofe that aflifted him were entertained, and joy- fully joined in giving thanks to the author of thofe blef- iings, without dsftroying, or burning any part of the •creature given for their ufe ; and the mailer of the fa- mily was no doubt, mafter of the ceremonies at his own feafh But this fimple method not pleafing certain per- fons, who were refolved to have the beft (hare in all thofe religious feafts, they perfuaded the people that it was neceffary fome part of the flefh of animals was to be burnt to feed the hungary noftrils of the Deity, de- lighted with the fweet favour of burnt flefli ; and the better part to be referved unburnt for themfelves, to whom the flaying of the animals, and the offering them tip was appropriated. It is then no wonder the number of the Gods multiplied, fince the more Gods the more facrifices, s^nd the priefts had better fare; and that they might not want plentiful feaftings, the people were made to believe, that they could learn their fortunes from the intrails of the beafts they facrificed; and this method contmues to this day in thofe places, where they have not found cut an eafier and better way of cheating the people. B. You feem to be of the fentiments of the poet, who fays, Natural rdigion were eafyfirPt, and plain ; Tales made it my/lery, offerings made it gain: Sacrifices and fJiews ruere at length prepared, j The priejls eat roaji-meat, and the people Jlar'd. 'j Thx Pagans (iicrincing of beafts was not lo bad in it- OLD AS illi. *.i^lATlO^•. 83 ic'if, as what it fooi) occafioncd, human facrificcs ; "which men, being of greater value than heads, were believed to be more acceptable ; and parents, (tifling all natural Tedious, offered up their own children, as the jnoft J .'ccjous gifts they could beltow on the God; except offering up their own lives, and facrificina thcmfelves: And as this facrifice was thought mod meritorious, fo the more excellent the perfons, the more agreeable the facrificc ; and there are even at this day, a number of i fiiperllitious people in TrKlia, who out of great devotion throw thcmfelves under the wheels of thofe heavy cha- riots, which carry the images of their Gods, and are crufhed to death ; and others, out of the fame miftaken zeal, cut of their flefli, and mangle their limbs till they fall dov/n dead : which makes the people rejoice at their fufferings, and reverence them as moft holy martyrs ; concluding that nothing but the truth of their leligion could enable them to fhew fuch terrible marks of zeal on thcmfelves, and become voluntary martyrs. B. I pit)' thofe deluded people, and wonder how men can perfuade themfclvcs, that the mercy of heaven can be purchaied by fuch barbarities, as human nature left to itfelf would itart at. A. That the pricfts were every where for human fa- crifices, is no wonder; fiiice they had the appointing the men, whom the God- did the great honor to accept for buriu-offerings : and indeed, after people once gave thcmfelves up to believe in their pricHs, there was no- thing too abfurd to be received as divine. "When (he Ethiopians, for inftance, were once perfuaded that iheir priefls were intimately acq-.tainted with the will of the Gods, it was too late to difpute any orders they pretend- ed to bring from them ; and therefore, their kings, as well as private perfons, well knowing that ihc commands of the immortal Gods were not to be difputed by mor- tals, moft leligioufly executed thcmfelves as foon as the plcafure of the Gods were fignified to them by thofe fa- crcd melTengers of their will ; and this blind devotion CHRISTIAN ITY AS micrhthave continued till now, had not an infidel prince-, bred up in the prophane philofophy of the Greeks, put a flop to it by i'urprifing, and deftroying at once all thofe holy impoftors. We learn from Bernier and others, that it has been an immemorial cuftom in Indoftan, for the women (To great a power has fuperftition even over that fearful fexj to burn themfelves with their dead hufbands, adorned "with all the incombuftible riches they could procure on their own account, or that the folly of others would fend by them to their dead friends: Thele their priefts fecure to themfelves by telling the credulous people that the aflies of the dead, and all burnt with them, are too fa- cred to be touched by any but themfelves. B. Though human facrifices obtained among the hea- then, yet fure the Levitical law did not approve, or countenance any fuch praBices. A. Authors are divided and they who maintain the' affirmative fay, that the Levitical Law diftinguifhes' between ordinary vows, and thofe vows where any thing' is devoted to the Lord ; and this they pretend is plain- from Leviticus 27. where after many furprifing things about common vows, by which the things themfelves, or money in liew of them, were to be given to the priefts ;, at verfe 28. it comes to things devoted, and fays, notr; withftanding. no devoted thing that a man fhall devote unto the Lord, of all that he haih, both of men and beafts, and of the field of his poffeflion, fiiall be fold or redeemed ; every thing devoted is moft holy unto the Lord. And what is meant by being moft holy unto the Lord, is explained in the next verfe, none devoted, which fhall be devoted, of man, fh dl be redeemed, but iliall furely be put to death. And they fay it was before declared, that whatever was the Lord's, as the firft born of man and beaft, was to be flain, if God did not order its redemption. The firfl-born of man was to be re- deemed;* and that of an afs, if not redeemed by a lamb, was to have its neck broke ; and the captives taken in: * Lxod, 30. 12, 13, & 34. 10, 20. OLD AS THE CRKATION. 85 •war, which fell to the Lord's nvirc, there being no or- der for redcemitj^, were, as is o^vned by all, to be (lain. The prophet Micah recko^is the putting; every devot- ed thing to death among the Jcwifli indiiutions, in fay- jng, wherewith fhall I c<>me bt-fure the Lord, and bow inyfelf before the high G)d? ihall I come before hi;n with burnt-ottering, with calves of a year old ? will the Lord be plealed with thoufands of rams, or with ten thoufands of rivers of oil ? Shall I give my fird-borri lor my tranrgrefiion; the fruit of my body for the fin of my foul ? he hath (liewed thee, O man, what is good ; luid what doih the Lord require of thee ; but todojuft- ly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God P* Here the facrificing of a man's own children is men- tioned equally' with the facrificing of beads, which is allowed to be a jewifli inlUuition ; how abfiirdly mull the prophet be luppofed to have argued, after he had prelerred jullice and mercy to a thing commanded by God, if he fhould go on to prefer it before a thing ab- horred bv God f Ifthere could beany doubt in this matter, [cptha's vow would clear it up for this Jewiili hero made the vow when the Ipirit of the Lord came upon him, and after making it he wrought a great deliverance for IlVael : the words of the vow are, whatfoever (or rather wholoc- ver) cometh fi)rth of the doors ot my houfe to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, Ihall furcly be the Lord's ; and I will offer it up to him for a burnt-offering. A vow made by fiich an extraor- dinary j)erfon, and upon fuch an extraorn'nary occa- fion, looks as though fomething extraoidiuary pleafing !o God, was defigned by that vow ; which, though do- nieftic animals might have been facrificcd, mult relate to perfons capable of afting with defign; vz. of coming out of his houfe to meet him after the viMory; whicii to his great grief his onh' child did. Had tlure been * Mic.6. 0, to 8. 86 CHRISTIANITY AS any way of difpenfing with this folemn vow, be, fmcc he had two months time to confider, would no doubt have found it out; but he fays, I have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and I cannot go back ; and he did with her according to his vow. And his daughter, ^worthy of a better fate, was willing her father flioulcl execute his cruel vow, only regretting that fhe died without being a mother in Ifrael ; for that reafon flie was yearly mourned by the daughters of Ifrael. St. Jerome; as well as the author of the Qiiejlions to the Orthodox^ thinks that Jeptha's piety in facnftcing his daughter, was the reafon of St Paul's numbering him among thcjufl: perfons. And Bifhop Smalridge, in his fermon about Jeptha's vow, fays, " that all the fathers, as well as our own homilies, own that he facrificed his daughter." The Jews could not think it abfblutely unlawful for a father to facrifice an innocent child, fince Abraham was highly extolled for being ready to facrifice his only fon, and that too without the lead expoflulation ; though he was importunate with God to fave an inhofpitable, idola- trous, and inceftuous city. No wondjr that a fingle perfon in the power of ano- ther might be devoted to God, fince free and independ- ent nations v/e:e fo devoted ; and was by virtue of fuch a vow, which Ifrael vowed unto the Lord, that the Canaanites, who had never done Ifrael the leaft injury, ♦ men, woT.en and children were to be utterly def- troyed.* Had the author of the epiltle to the Hebrews, who reckons Jeptha among the Jewilh heroes, though the Jews abhorred all human facrifices, he would not, at lea'^'^ without fome apology for the lawfulnefs of human facrifices, have declared one fuch facrifice, where the fame perfon was both facrificer and facrifice, to have been of infinite value; in fiying, that Chrifl ofifered uphimfelf;t and that he put away fin by the facrifice of himfelf;+ and endeavors to fhew the Hebrews, that * Numb. 2 i. 2, 3. Ch.ip-i1.32. \ Hzh.y.2j — |' 9. 26. OLD AS THE CREATION. 87 the blood of the bcafls that were facrificed, was oF no value ill co-nparifon of the blood of Chrid, who, thro* the eternal Ipirit, offered himfclf up without fpot to God.* B. Admitting the Jewifli law allowed human facrijfices, yet the Chrillian rciiiiioii, fare, forbids ((incc Chrilt, according to the apollle, facrificed himfelfj all human facrificcs. A. If putting innocent and confciencious men to death i on account of religion, may be called facrificing them, i there have been more humjn facrilices than ever were I before in the world ; and thofe too not offered up to I God, but to the devil, bv burning their bodies, and I lentencing their fouls to hell ; and even at this day the I papifls, to perfuade the fpeBators that thofe they con- , demn to the flames immediately go to hell, drcfs them t up in a San-Benito, or a coat painted all over with flames and devils, and then take their leave of each fuf- fercr, with this charitable cxpreflion : Jain animam tuam tradimus Diabolo. B. I mufl own, this bigotry, which has had fuch ter- rible effeQs among Chriflians, was little felt, or known in the pagan world. A. Is not this curfed bigotry owing to the moff un- worthy notions bigots have entertained of the divine pcrfeftions ; imagining they do fervice to the creator, by hurting and deflroying his creatures ? The fiery zeal of fuch wretches is capable of any mifchicf: mofl other men, though ever fo wicked, have fbme remains of pity jand humanity, fome checks of confciencc, and thougli ever lo much provoked, time will affuagc their anger; f)ut the bigot feels not the leaft remorfe, nor can time abate his fury ; and he is fo far from having any pity, that he glories in the cruclefl actions, and thinks the more hellifh facls he commits the more he merits heav- icn ; and very often gets the reputation of a faint, forag- ing the part of a devil. So that his notions of God and, 1 '^ — X ' 8S CHRIST1ANIT?A$ religion, ferve only to make him infinitely a worfe rnahV than if he had been without any belief ; for then he could have no motives from the next world for doing milchief ; nor would his difbelief ftrip him of his hu- manity, or hinder hrm, if he judged rightly of his own interelt, from afcling fo by his fellow-creatures, as, tak- ing in the whole of his life, was beft for him to do. B. You reprefent bigotry more odious than it is, in making it worfe than athcifm itfelf. A. As bigotry is the word fort of fuperftrtion, fo you know the philofophers in general fuppofe fuperfliiion to be worfe than atheifm itfelf. Plutarch in particular, makes it his bufinefs in his traft of deifidemony, or fu- perftition, to prove that athcifm, though an opinion falfe, and even ftupid, yet it is far lefs hurtful to men than fuperftition, and refleBs lefs diflionor on the deity itO.lf ; for he interprets deifidemony to be the continu- al dread of a deity no lefs mifchievous than powerful ; ■which is the moft odious chara6er that can belong to any intelleclual being, and has given birth to thofe fhocking notions and difmal rites in divine worfhip, that have ci- ther run men into atheifm, and expofed religion itfelf to ridicule and contempt ; or made mankind the dupe of defigning knaves, and taught fierce bigots to exercife and then fanQify the moft inhuman barbarities. " The aiheift," fays he, " knows no God at all ; the fuperftitious none but what is monOrous and terrible ; miftaking for dreadful, what is moil kind and beneficent ; for tyrannical, what is truly paternal ; for mifchievoufly inclmcd, what is full of providential care; na) , for a being brutally favage and fierce, what is mere goodnefs itielf. Shall then the atheift be accounted impious, and not this fuperditious perlon much more fo ? I, for myJ part, had rather men fhould fay there is no fuch perfoi as Plutarch, than that he is a man inconftant, fickle^ prone to anger, readv to revenge himfelf upon the fight- eft occafion, and full of indignation for mere trifles, &c. and yet this is no more than what the fupcrftitious think of the deity ; whom of confequence they muft as OLD AS THE CREATION. 8g veil hate as fear ; they worfhip, indeed, and adore him; and f<> do men even thofe very tyrants ihey -.vould be i^Iad ofan opporiiiniiv to del'roy. The atheilt cornri- butcs not in the halt to fupcrltition ; but rupcrfiiticjti havinj; given out lb hideous an idea of the deity, Tome have been frighted into the uuer difbeLef of any fucli being ; becaulc they tliink it much better, nay, more reafonable, that there (hould be no deity, than one whom thev fee more realon to hate, and abominate, than to love, honor, and reverence. Thus inconfiderate men, (hocked at the deformity of fuperftition, run di- rectly into its oppofite extreme, atheifm, heedlefily Ikipping over true pieiy, that is, the golden mean be- tween both." So much for thi^ philofopher of the Gen- tiles, I (hall now (jiiote a noble chriftian philofopher ; who fays, " Atheifm leaves a man to fenfe, to philof )- phy, to -natural pity, to laws, to reputation ; all which may be guides to an outward moral virtue, though reli- gion were not : but fuperllilion dilmounts all thele, and erecleth an abfolute monarchy in the minds of men. Tiierefore atheifm did never perturb (fates; for it makes men weary of themfeKes, as looking no further : And we (ee the times inclining to athufm (as the time of \uguiU)s Caefar) were civil times. But fuperflition hath been the confulion of many dates, and bringeih in a new primum mobile, that raviiheth all the fpheres of govcrnrncnt." I grant that next to a real bigot, an atheift in mafquer- ade tnay do moft milchief ; but then it ii by hidmg the atheifl, and perfonating the bigof ; and under color of -promoting religion, advancing pried-craft. And there rue no fmall number of thefe atheills, if what the famous Scaligcr fays is true ; Qiiicumquc^ Jtfuucc vtl Ecclifi- ki/lici Romcc in honoj ibus viviinl, athei jiint. And men jmult have a great deal of charity to think better of any Iptotiltant, whole pretended zeal carries him, contrary jto the principles of his religion, inu> perlecuting mea- sures. Had the heathen ^iftiuguiflicd thcml"^lvQsby creeds, r go CHRISTIANITY AS made out of fpite to one- another, and mutually perfe- cuted each other about the worfhip of their Gods, they would foon have made the number of their votaries as few as the Gods they worfliipped ; but we do net find (except in Eg\ pt, that moiher-land of fuperftition) they ever quarrelled about their Gods, tho' their Gods fome- tiines quarrelled, and fought about their votaries : no, it was a maxim with them, Deorum injuries^ Diis curce. By the univerfal liWty that was allowed amongft the ancient's "Matters" (as a noble audior obfervesj " were fo ballanced that reafon had fair play ; learning and fci- ence flourilhed ; wonderful was the harmony and tem- per which arofe from thcfe contrarieties. Thus fuper- ftition and enthufiafm were mildly treated; and being let alone, they never raged to that degree as to occafioii bio )d(hed, wars, perfecutions, and devafl; rions ; but a new fort of policy, has made us leap the bounds of natural humanity, and out of a fupernatural charity, has taught us the way of plaguing one another mod de- voutly. It has ra-fed an antipathy, that no temporal in- terefl could ever do, and entailed on us a mutual hatred to all eternity. And favage zeal, with meek and pious femblancc, woj^ks dreadful maffacre ; and for heaven's fake (horrid pretence !) makes defolate the earth." And as this noble author obferves "the Zeus Zeni- OS (or the Jupiter of flrangers) was among the ancientSaj one of the lolemn charafters of divinity, the peculiar at-^ tribute of the fupreme deity; benign to mankind, am recommending univerfal love, mutual kindnefs, and be Tiignity between the remoteft, and moft unlike of humai rare. Such v;as the ancient heathen clurity, and pioi duty towards the whole of mankind; both thofe of dil ferent nations and different worfhip." But, good God! how different a chara8er do bigot give us of the deity, making him an unjuft, cruel, and inconfiftent being ; requiring all men to judge for thei felves, and acl according to their confciences ; and yc authorifing feme among them to judge for others, ar to punifh tiiem for nota6).ing acording to the confcienceJ OLD AS TIIL CRLATlON. 9* 'f thofc judges, though ever fo much agairifl their own. Thcfc bigots though; they were authoriljd to pu'>ifh all thofe that difler from them in their religious woiflim, . >^ the enemies through ;^ll the rules of doing as tluy Ijwould be done iinto, in order to fet themfelves up for Iftandards of truth tor God as well ns mnn ? do not thofc limpiou,^ vsretrhes fuppoi'e, that God is not able to judge forhimrd.' ft. not able to execute his own iudg- ment ? ' '..r,.. j,^^ has recou fe, forfooih, to their • i'Ower; and ihey are to re- venge hts r;j.'M.-, mmk ijiu his enemies, and rcflorc his jloft hiP- ' 'ouj;!! v.;th the dcllrudion of the better part o' :'i ' !c ;)!opagalors of thefe blafphemous notions jc '. V do not throw this load of fcandal on the law oi , e, or fo much as pretend from thence to au- ihorile thcircxecrable principles; but endeavor to fup- port them bv traditional religion, efpecially by mifin- terprcted texts from the old tellutrient; and thereby make f'.OL only natural and revealed religion, but the old and new teflament (the latter of which requires doing good both to Jews and Geniilesj contradift each other. But to return : If what the light of nature teaches us concerning the divine perfc6hons, wiien duly attended to, is not only lufhcient to hinder us fro n falling into fupcrOition of any kind whatever; but as I have already fhewn, de- mondratcs what God, from his infinite wifdom and 92 CHRISTIANITY AS goodnefs, can or cannot command ; how is it poffible that the law of nature and gr.\ce can diff.r ? How can it te conceived,that the laws of God, whether internally or externally revealed, are not at all times the fame, when the amhor of them is, and has been, immutably the fame for ever ? CHAP. IX. Human kappinefs being the ultimate deji.gn and end of all ■ traditicnal as well as original revelation^ they mvjl loth prefcribe the fame means ; fince theft merns^ which at one time promote human happincfs^ equally prcmctc it at all ti7ncs. B. OHOULD I grant you, that natural and revealed O rcligon, as they ha^ e the iame author, mull have the fame ends; and that the ultimate end of all God's laws, and confequently of all religion, is human happi- nefs ; yet there are fevcral things to be corfidered as iub- ordinate ends : and here may not original and iiadiiicnal religion differ ? fince it i^ allowed by all, that how im- mutable foever thefe fubordinate ends are, yet the means to promote thefe ends are various and mutable. A. Your allowitigihefe means to be various and muia- "ble, fuppofes no uch means foprefcribed in the gofpel; but that, agreeably lo the law of nature, they are to be Taried as be ft fuits that end for vhich they were ordain- ed. To imagine the contrary is to make things, depend- ent oncircumftances. irdepcr.denf; things that arc proper only under fome circumftancCvS, nccclfary under all cir- cumfiances ; nay, to make ends mutable, and means immutable ; and that thefe are to continue the fame, though by change (^fcircumlianccs they become prejudi- cial ; nay, deftri;ftivc to the end for which alone tley were ordained. The more ncceffary any end is, there OLO as the CREATION', 93 i^tlie the more rcafon for people to be left at lIHcrtv re to alter one's conduct, as ciicumllancv^s alter, is oi only an a6t of the gieaieO pr\idcnce andjudgmjnC, t'ut is confident with the greatvili lleadinefs. As far as divine wildom excels hum m: fo far the divine laws mufl excel human laws in clearncls and peripicui'y; as well as other perfe£l ions. Wiiatevei is confused and perplexed, cim never come fro.n the clear foun'ain otaii knowledge, nor that whicii is ob- fcure, from the faiher of inexhaufl;ab!e light ; and as far as you iuppolc God's la,ws are not plain to any p >rt of mankind, fo far you derogate frOiU the p Mti"j. tions of tliofe laws, and the wifdom. and the gooduefs of the divine legiflator ; who. fince he 'as ih?. framing of the underllandin:!, of thoie to whom h.^ diet res his laws, cannot but ad -.pt one to the other, W i: how can we lay. that infinite wifdom fpe iks p'5l, that the divine legiflator will, from time to time make any change in his laws, and coinmunicare them to all nations in the languages they underiland ; nor can there beany judges with a power to oblige people by their determinations ; becaufe fuch a power being without any appeal, is the Hime as a power to make di- vine laws; and confequently the only tribunal God has erected hereon earth, diftinft from that he has medi- ately appointed by men for their mutual defence, is eveiy man's own confcience ; which as it cannot but tell him. that God is the author of all things, fo it mufl inform him, chat whatever he finds himfelf obliged to^ | do hy the circumriances he is in, he is obliged by God- himfelf, who has difpofed things in that order, andi.,jj placed him in thofe circumftances, li is for want of obferving this rule, that the divine writings are render-' ed io obfcure ; and the infinity of iermons, notes, comments and paraphrafes, which pretend to Ipeak i plainer than God himfelf, have increafed this obfcurity. , ;^ If whatever tends to the honor of God, and good of man, is evident from the light of nature, whence coracs^^j all this uncertainty, perplexity, doubts and difficulties ? Is it not chiefly owing to the denying people that li- berty, which God, out of his infinite goodnefs, has allowed them by^the law of nature ; and hindering them from judging for themfelves, of the means whicl OLO AS THE CREATION. n tend to promote this end ; and impofing on them the terrors of temporal and eternal punifhmcnt, luch uccdlei's {peculations and ufclels oblervances, as cannot beconlidcred eitlier as means or ends ? B. You know that divines, though ilicy cannot do- j,iv what you fay to be true in general ; yet they th- '- there is an exception as to church-matters, and that h'jre Mien are not permitted to ufe (iich n cans r.s they thcmlelves think bed ; but fuch only as thofe, who kt up to be their ipiritual governors, fhall appoint. A. Nothing can be more abfurd, than to fuppofe God hath taktn (his power from the people, who have an intered to prclerve religion in its purity, every de- viation from it bting to their prejudice, and placed it uncontroulably in the hands of men, who, having an interefl in corrupting it, do, generally fpcaking, fo manage matters, as if religion was the means, and their power the end for which it was indituted. We do not find, that the Mahometan clergy caufe any confufion or diforder among the Mulfelmen ; and the pagan priefts are fcarce taken notii e of in ftory, fo little mif- chief did they do ; while ail church hiftory is full of the vilcd and mod pernicious things perpetrated by chridian prieds. Thfe chridian morals, you mud own, are too pure and plain to caufe this difference ; what then can it be imputed to, but that independent pow- er ^vhich thofe prieds ufurped; which, though they claimed it as derived from heaven for promoting godly difcipline, has occafioned general diforder and confufion? endlefs have been the quarrels ambitious prieds have had with princes upon the account of this power, to the dopping of ju dice, and fubverfion of almod all civil policy ; nor have the ecclefiadics been Icfs embroiled among thcmfelves, each let flriving to engrofs a power which can belong to no mortal, And the bifnops, when they had no others to conted with, have ever contended among themfclvcs about faperio- rity, the right of their fees, and the limits of their* ju- rifdidion ; and when their choice depended on the ^6 ]CHHISTI ANITY AS people, fhey fVequenily, eTpeciAlly in their contention* about the greater Ices, lun filings on to blood and flau-h:er; and 1 appeal to their own hiPiori ms, whe- ther theecc'efiaftics ever icrupJed any method to obtain this power : and whenever they got it whether an infiipportab'e tyranny over body and mind, with the utter ruin ot reli.^ion, was not the conlequence ? and whether it had not. where exeiciled to the height, more fata! elTetts than all the iuperftition of the Gentiles ? look the world round, you fliall every where find men more or Icis vn'fer ;b' i, as they have been more or lefs debarred the ri,:^hts of adin.i^ according to the befi; of their under nandin>' in matters relatin?^ to religion. VV.iile every church, or congre';^ation of chriftianK, as in the apoRolical days, chofe and maintained their own rninillers. and ordered among tbemfelves what required a fpecial determination, no inconvenience j happened ; but as foon as this limple and natural me- thod \vas broke, and the clergy were formed into a clofefy-united bod^', with that fubordination and de- pendance they had to one another, the chrillian world was enilaved, and reLgton forced to give way: to def- trutHve fuperftition. Which could never have happened ; if the Chrif- tians had obferved thefe general rules, obligatory by the light of nature, as well as the gotpel ; and which are alike given to every chriflian, and oblige one as well as another ; fuch as '• doing all things for the ho- nor of God, for edification, for order, for decency ; for fleeing fa^fe teachers, feducers, deceivers ; for 'd,- voidmg tcandal, and ofFending weak brethren, &.C." And here fmce every one mall judg^ for himlelf, and cannot make over this right to any other, mud not all church-ma; ters be be ^anaged by common content ? In a woid, if we confider the infinite variety of cir- lamftances, the different manners and cufloms that j '^evail in difre»-ent p'aces; the prejudices of the weak, ig.iorant. and (uperili'ious ; and the defigns of ambi- tious men ; there is nothing of a mutable nature, if OLD AS THE CREATION. 9^ onceefteemed immutably fixed by God. but muft fom6- lim'^s become prejudicial lo the end ii was to promote ; ef'pccially in a religion dcfigned ro extend over the v'holc world, as well as to laft to the end oi it. There are but two ways oFavoiding this inconvenience ; cither to fuppore die founds of this relinion will from lime to time, himfclf ordain fuch alterations in thing.^ ofa muta- bic nature, as thofe circumftauces, which are dilT rent in did'erent p'aces, do require ; or elfe, he has left the parties concerned, to afl in all places according to dif- crciion in fuch mutable matters. B. You labor this point ; but there are few of youi fentimcnt. A. If you mean ecclefiaftics, perhaps, you are in the right ; though I am fure , I havie the church of England on my fide, if judicious Hooker may be allowed to un- derfland its confliiution, as well as the nature of the ec- clefiaftical polity. He, in the tenth (eflion of his third book, maintains this propofition, that "neither Gorl be- ing the author of laws, nor his committing them to {fcripture, nor the continuance of the end for which they were inftituted, is reafon fuHicient to prove they are un- changable:" Where he admiarbly well dillinguil"hes be- tween things ill their own nature immut ible, and ma't is of outward order and polity, which 1^ fuppofe . daily changeable ; and fays, " the nature of every huv mull be judged by ihc end for which it was made ; and by the apt- ncfs of the thing therein prefcribed to the fame end. — When a thing does ceafe to be available to the end which gave it being, the continuance of it mud appear luperllu- us. — That which the ncccffity of fome fpecial truth d;)'h ciuife to be enjoined, binds no longer than that time: but ufoes afterwards become free. Law, though both ordain- d of God himfelf, and the ends for which they were or- dained continuing, may notwithflanding ceafe, if by al- cration of time, or perfons, they aic found inlufficient o attain to that end. In which refpett why may wc lot prefumc, that God doih even call for fuch a change 3r akcra'ion. as the vcrv nature of the things ihemfclves M g8 cHRisTi an'ity as doth make neceffary ? God never ordained any thing^ which could be bettered, yet many things he hath, that have been changed, and that for the better ; that which ibcceedeiii as better now, when change is required had been worfe, when that which is now changed was ioftitu- ted. In this cafe, men do not prefume to change the ordinance of God, but yield thereunto, requiring itfeif to be changed." And he applies this reafon honeftlyin faying, " the bed way for us were to hold, even as they do, that in the fcripture there muft needs be found fome particular form of church polity, which God hasinftitu- ted, and which for that very caufe belongeth to all chur- ches, to all limes ; but with any fuch partial eye to re- fpeCl ourfclves, and by cunning to make thofe things feera the truert, which are the fitted to ferve our purpofe, is a thing we neither like, nor mean to follow." And let mc add, that moft, if not all our divines from the re- iormation till the time of the Laudean fatlion, were in tlie lame fsntiments ; and from the mutability of fuch things as are means to an end, proved, there could be no Darticular fornrj of church-polity eftablifhed by divine authority : and they argued from the example of good king Hezekiah, who, without regard to the falutiferou« virtue the brazen ferpent ohce had, broke it to pieces when perverted to fuperditious ufe. And, All, who believe means in their own nature are mu{ table, mud, IF confident with themfelves, agree with Mrl Hooker : This is fo very apparent, that nothing but ii tered can make any one talk' otherwife ; therefore, fhall only quote the late Dean of Canterbury, who in fermon preached before the univerfity of Cambridge and publidied at their requed, fays, " that the verj temper, and compofition of the fcripture is fuch, as ne ceffarily refers us to fome other rule ; for this is a fyder of mixed and very different duties, lome of eternal and univerfal obligation ; others occafional and particular, limitted to times and circumdances ; and when ihefe occafions and circumdances ceafed, the matter of the command was lod ; and the whole rcafon and fcr^if^ oFit OLD AS THE GREAT 1()>J. gg 'funk of courfe : Now tliofc things l)eing ofieiuimes de- livered promifcuoufly. and in general terms, nv^n nui'r of neceffity have recourfeto fome other rule, lodidinguifh and guide them in making the jiill difference bciween the one, and the other fort." And what other rule is there, by which we can diftin- ^aiHi rightly in this important matter, but what aril'es from the things themfclves ; thofe wliich have an innate worth and goodncfs, are of an eternal and univcrfal ob- ligation ; others, which have no fuch worth,- can be confidered only as means occafionally accommodated to particuia. times, places, perlbns and circumltances ; which, of courfe, mult ceafe to oblige, when they ceaie to conduce to tlie end for which they were appointed ; or others become more cmducivc : and this will more fully anoear, iF we cotlfider, as the above-mentioned au- thor obicrves, that " the circamrtanccs of human life are infinic, and depend on a multitude of a(-lions not to be forefecn ; and conlequently not to be provided againih Heiicc laws mult run in general terms, and fomcti.nes the intent of the law is belt fulHIled by running contra- ry 'o :he letter ; and therefore, reafon and honelty mufl guide us to the fitnefs of the thing, and a great fcope limit be left to equity and difcretion." And furely, we mult not fuppofe that reafon, honefty, equity and difcre- tion will teach us one thing, and the traditional law ano- ther ; eipecially confidcring that in all God's laws, it is the reafon of the law that makes it law. B. By the reafoning of fuch divines, I cannot per- ceive the uie of any occafiotial comniands, fince they fuppofe ihefc cannot oblige people longer than they judge it fit to obferve them ; oiherwife there could be no difference between occafiojial and eternal precepts ; and what they judge fit.and proper to be done, they are o- bliged todo without any occafional commands ; fo that according to them, whether there are, or are not any oc- cafional commands, humxn difcretion is left at liberty to judge what is fit, or not fit to be obferved ; which, I think, is fuppofingtUl fuch commanik necdlefs : yet the 100 CHRISTIANITY AS authors you quote fuppofe, contrary to your hypothefis, there have been fuch commands ; particularly in relati- on to the Jewifh ftate. A. The Jews, taking the ftory to be literally true, being upon iheir coming otlt of Egypt a free people, had a right by the law of nature to choofe what government and governor they pleafed ; and God would not aO: fo inconfiflent a part, as to deprive them of any of ihefe rights he had given them by the law of nature ; and therefore did not take upon him the civil adminliration of their affairs, rill he had obtained their exprefs confent; fo that here he a8ed not as governor of the univerfe, but by a power derived from the people by virtue of the Horeb covenant ; and the prefumption is, that where there is no fuch contraft, God will not exercife fuch a power ; efp<"cially confidering that though the Jews reje8ed God himfelf from reigning over them, and were for choofing a new king, yet he bids Samuel thrice in the fame chapter to hearken to the voice of the people; but oftliis, and all other arguments of this na- ture, more fiilly hereafter. £. The reafrns you have given do not fully fatisfy me, but that fome things may be required by God as go- vernor o[ the univerfe, which are merely pofitive; nay, tb?t rights, and ceremonies, figns, or fymbols might be arbi'rarily enjoined, and fo intermixed with matters of n^oraliiy, as lo bind the confciences of all ?nen at all times ; and therefore, if you pleafe, we will review this point. A. AVith all my heart ; for this alone is the point that muff decide the queftion, whether natural and re- vealed religion do really differ ? As for natural religion that, as you well know, takes in all thofe duties which flow from the rcafon and nature of tilings, and ihe rela- tions we ffand in ro God and our fellow creatures; and conlequently, was there an inftiiuted religion that differs from that of nature, its precepts muff be arbitrary, as not founded on the nature and reafon of things, but depend- ing on mere will and pleafure ; otherwifc it would be OLD AS THE CREATION. lOi the lame ^vith natural religion : and though it is difficult- to prove a negative, yet 1 think, 1 can fully fliew you, by adding other rcafons to ihofe already mentioned, ihat God, the great governor of ihe univerfe, cannot give mankind any fuch precepts ; and confcqiicnily, that na- tural and revealed religion only differ in the manner of their being delivered. CHAP. X. ^od does not aH arhiirarily. or interpofe imnccc/J'ai-ih ; but leaves thofe things, that can orily he tonfidercd as means (and fuch arc in their own nature mutable) to human difcretion, to determine as it thinks inojt condu- cing to tkofc things^ xohich are in, their own nature obligatory. IX order tofelle this point, it is neceflary to fee how far this natural la'.v extends ; it not only commands that evil doers (hould be puniflied, but that men accor- ding to the difierent circunift;inccs tliey arc under, fhould take the mod proper methods for doing it, and varv as exigencies may require ; {o it not only requires that jufticc fhould be done men as to iheir claim.'., but that the readicft and moll cdctUial way of doing it fliould be taken; and the fame may be faid of all other inftanccs of this nature. If GoA inrerpcjies further, and pre- Icribes a particular way of doing thefe things, from which men at no time, or upon no account ought to \a- ry ; he not only iritcrpoics unnccelTarily. but to the }Me- judicc of the end for which he thus interpoles. y\Md as matters relating to the worfhip of God, it is the voice of nature that God fhouid he pubiiclv worfliippcd ; and that men (Jiowld do this in the mod convenient way, by appoiiuin^ amongft themfclves time. pL;cc. perfon^, n.id ali oihcr tilings Avhich require fpecial determination: 102 CHRISTIANITY AS and certainly, there is as much reafon that things of this nature fhould be left to human difcretion, as any other whatever; cqnfidering the different conditions and cir- cumftances which chriftians may be under, and the han- dle defigning men might otherwife take, to impofe upon \ weak perfons what they pleaCe, on pretence of divine right. This being premifed, the fole queftion is, Whether God, who, for many ages, did not command, or forbid any thing, but what was moral and immoral ; nor yet does fo to the greateft part of mankind, has, in fome I places and in fome cafes, broke into the rule of his own I conduQ, and ifTued out certain commands which have no foundation in reafon; by obliging men to obferve fuch things, as v;ould not oblige were they not impofed ; or if the impofition was taken off, would immediately .1 return to their primitive indifference ? To fuppofe, then, fuch commands, is it not to fup- pofe God a6ls arbitrarily, and commands for command- ing-fake ; and that too under the fevereft penalties ? Can fuch commands be the effe6ls of infiniie wifdom and goodnefs ? Or, if there be no reafon, why a thing Ihould be done at all ; or if to be done, why it fhould be done rather this way than that way; or why men fhould not vary means, as they judge mofl condufive to the end, for whofe fake alone they were defigncd : Can there be any caufc, why a being, which never atts unne- ceffarily, and whofe commands are all the effefts of in- finite wifwifdom, fhould interpofe ? It is fo far from be- ing ne ceffary for God to interpcfe in fuch cafes as thcfe, that it only ferves for a handle to inhuman impofition ; for there is nothing fo indifferent, but may, if believed to have divinity ftamped upon it, be perverted by de- figning men to ihe vileff purpofes;. and m truth, there is nothing of this nature introduced into religion, but what, I am afraid, has been fome time or other fo per- verted. One would think it a thing wholly indifferent, who fprinkled an infant, or from whole hands we received OLDASTHECREATION. IO3 the facramental bread and wine, as long as the rules of decency and order were oblerved ; yet has there not been a fet of men, who, on a pretence of a divine right to do thofe things, have made the Chriftian world be- lieve, they have a difcretionary power to bellow, or wiih-hold the means of falvation ; and, by virtue of this claim, have over-awed them into flavifh obedience, and a blind fubmiffion. There is no good or hurt in drawing two lines crofs one another, and yet what have priells made the poor people believe they could do by virtue of it; as curing difeafes, driving away devils, and doing an infinity of other miracles ? And in fhort, they have made it one of their chief engines of their craft, for the better carrying on of which, they perfuaded the people to adore the crofs, miraculoufly founded after it had been buried about three hundred years; and the wood of it has fince fo wonderfully encrcaled, as to be able to make innu- merable erodes, whereof each bit contained the virtue of the whole. ConfefTion of fins to honed and judicious perfons might be of fervice by the prudent advice they gave how to avoid the like fins for the future; but the Popifh priefts claiming a power by divine right to ablblvc peo- ple upon confeflion, have been let into the fecrets of all perfons, and by virtue of it have aoverned all things; and have made the fins of the people, not to be pardon- ed but on their terms, the harvefl of the priefts. Among the jews, the anointing with oil was looked on as very medicinal, and generally ufed in ficknefs; they prayed, and anointed the fick in hopes of a recovery : But though the anointing in colder climate? is thought of no ufe in ficknefs, yet the papifts have built a mod fuperflitious pra8ice on it, which, for the greater reve- rence, they call the lacrament of extreme unBion ; aixi which their priefls are not to adminifter as long as there is hopes of recovery. What can be more indifferent, or harmlefs, confider- cd in ihemlelves, than the ceremonies of oiling the heads 104 CHRISTIANITY AS of kings, and laying hands on the heads of elders or prcfbyters; and yet vhat abfurd pretences have not priefts, who have the art of turning the molt indifferent things to a fuperftitions ufe, drawn from thence to the prejudice of both church and flate ? It was an ancient cuftom arnoijg the Hebrews, when they prayed for a bleihng on any perfon, to lay hands on him : Thus Jacob laid his hands on the fons of fo- feph, and Mofes on Jcfiiua. And among the primi- tive chridians, when any congregation cholb their min- ifter, they prayed that he might duly execute thfjt office, to which they had ordained him; and in praying, he that was the mouth of the congregation fthe whole aflembly not being able conveniently to do it) laid his hands on him. ; This gave a rile to the clergy to pretend, that their layi-wg on of hands upon a man, was neceffary to quali- fy him for the miniftry; they by that a6i having given him the Holy Ghoft, and an indelible character with certain fpiriiual powers; fo that the people mufl: either be without minifters, or take one they had thus ordain- ed, however unqualified they might think him. It is a thing indifferent in itfelf, w.heiher men meet to pray in this, or that place; but the Chriflians oat of a fuperfiitious reverence to the reliques of the martyrs, ufually praying at their tombs, came by degrees, as their reverence for them increafed, to offer their pray- ers to them; which was a great change from their pray- ing for them among the other dead, as M'as in the firft ages a general praftice; and which, fome of our high- church priefls are zealous for refloring, and pre/end we have belter proof for its being a catholic doBrine, than for the author of feveral books of fcripture. The primitive chriflians frequently confuiting their clergy in relation to marriages, gave them a handle to fet up forjudges by divine light in all matrimonial cauf- es; and many prohibited degrees as well as fpiritual re- lations, fuch as god-fathers and god-mothers, Sec. were introduced^ to give the clergy frcquem opportuniues OLD AS THE CREATION'. 1 O5 to grant at tlicir own price, difpcnfations ; by which means the fucccfTioii and inheritance not only of private cftafcs, but of principalities and kingdoms, in a great meafiire depended on tlicm : And as an appendix lo this fpiritual nlurpation, they hooked in the cognizance of all carnal canfes, incontinence in finglc as xvell as marri- ed perfons. Thus you lee, how cafily mankind m ' be abufcd, where it is believed, that religion cai ;■: quire any thing inconfiflent with the rights ?nd liberues Gcd has allowed ihcm by the law of nature; and how dangerous it is to truft any thing with men, who pretenfi a divine right to whatever ihey can lay hands on. To give an inflance how feverely this divine right was ex- erted by the pope, as head of the church: •• Robert, king of France, having married a lady of the houfc of Burgundy, a march very advantageous to the (late, and though he had the content of his bifhops, yet he, and the whole kingdom were excommunicated by the pope, . hecaufe his lady was in the fourth degree of confangui- nii)-, and the king had bccn-god-father to the child by a former hufband; which fo diOreficd the the poor king, that all his fervants, except three or four, dercned hiin; and no one would touch the vi8uals which came (rou) his tabic, which were, therefore, thrown to the dogs." I fhall nive one inftancc more: Men arc oblic'fd to avoid as much as conveniently they can the infectious converfation of im.moral perfons ; and it was, no doubt, at firft a dutv in a fpecial manner, for Chridians, cojn- pafTed round with Pagans, to obferve this rule in rela- tion to their own body, and agree to fhun any fuch pcr- ion as one who had his father's wife; and though this is no mrtrc than what is dailv done in private focietics, and was cafilv praclifcd among^l Chridians when they were '^'!t few; yet becaufe the miniOcr might collcft the );es, and declare the opinion of theaflembly, the cler- gy bv degrees not only excluded the congregation from this their natural right; but claimed, .?s given them 'jy Heaven, a power to excommunicate whom they p/eafe, • ru thrir own fo' ereign ; and that too for things rclal- v 106 CHRISTIANITY AS ing to their Qwn intcreft: And they forbid not only their own congregations, but all Chriftians, on peril of their falvation, to avoid all commerce with the excommuni- cated, and ordaineey are; and for the fame reafon that he commands things which are good, and forbids thofe which are evil, he leaves men at liberty m all things indifferent ;and it is in thefe only, that our liberty of ading as we pleafe confiffs. Things, which are of no value in themfelves, can be no motives to an all-wife being to punifh us ; or to clog our happinefs with any fuch needlels obfervanccs : And confequcntly, men, as far as they affert our future Jiap- pinefs, or any part of it, to depend on fuch things, do io far derogate from the vifdom and goodncfs of God; and from thofe motives we have to love, and honor him. The arbitrary commands of a tyrant may be o- beyed out of fear, but jufl; and rational laws alone can move the affee^ion of rational creatures. Is it reafonable to believe, an all-wife and gracious hcin;T is {'o fond of indifferent things, that he fubjefls his children to fuffer even in this life on their account? .\nd )'et you mufl own, if he has made thefe the fubjeft of his commands, they ought to fuffer every thing ra- tiier tiian not obfervc them; but if God will not have men punifhed in this world, and nuich iefs in the next, upon the account of things indifferent; they can never h'.: the fubje8 of his command.^. Though a judicious author fuppofes a form of divine worfhip, in itfelf indifferent, may be rcpuired by God for the fake of peace and unity; yet at the fame time he contends, that '• God does not expert we ffiould comply with that form, if it brings mifery to ourfelves, or confufion to the public; becaufe that would be pre- ferring a thing in iifelf indiffcTcnt to the happinefs of our lives, and the peace of the public ; and that to fup- pofe the contrary, would be breaking in upon the fpOjj 108 CHRISTIANITY AS lefs charaQer of our heavenly father, by rcprefenting him not as a wife and good, but a peevifh and ill-natur- ed being; who takes an unrealonable refentment at the prudent condu6l of his children." But will not this as ftfongly infer, that God could not command the obferv- ing fuch things, which, if obferved, would delU'oy his moral ch-aradler; and which, inflead of preferving peace and unity; would bring mifery on private perfons, and confufion on the public ? Whereas thefe bledings of peace and unity can never be obtained by a forced con- formity, or by any other method than allowing people their natural liberty in all fuch matters. And, If religion confiftsin imitating the perfe8ions of God, what perfe61ion of God do the fuperftitious imitate, when they contend, as pro aris & focis, for forms, rites and ceremonies ? If in Heaven there is no room for arbitrary precepts, to incumber that moral goodnefs which is the lole bu- finefs of the bleffed above; what could hinder us, did we but make that too our only concern here, from en- joying a fort of Heaven on earth, free from all tyranni- cal iinpofitions, and endlefs quarrels about indifferent things ? In a- word, if there is nothing in a religion which comes ft-om God, but what is mod excellent; what room can there be for indifferent things ? Can fuch things as ..ave no worth or excellency, contribute to the worth, or excellency of religion ? If they could, the more they abounded, the more excellent would religion be; which yet is fo far from being true, even in the opin- on of thofe who cont-end for fuch things, that e\en they, when they are to fhew the excellency of the Chriflian religion, recommend it for having' but few of thofe things; which is fuppofing it lofcs of its excellency in proportion to what it has of this nature; and that they have a higher and more honorable conception of it, who believe it has no fuch mixture to fpoil its beaiuy, and dcftroy its fimplicity ; but that like its author, it is whol- ly fpiritual, and as fuch, worthy its divine original. >>i.u /j Tin. tjKf.A 1 IDS', lOy One would think thcfc men mud appear ridiculous to .hv-M-nfclvcs, who, though they recommend the Chridiaa religion, as purely fpiritual, in oppofltion to the carnal religion of the Jews; yet at the lame time contend it 'las fomc ordinance., as litrle fpiriiual as any of" the jews id ; and put a g'oiier Itrefs upyn them, than ever the Jews did on an\' ! t' eirs. If the worl: , ' 'iod fliew infinite wifdorn, there is no reafon to im.':. ii : but his laws do the fame ; but then they mull be liMi.tl laws, for thefe alone can {jjeak. his wildom as plainly to all mankind as his works do : 'Yhcv both alike have the charafter of infinite wifdorn impreff- ed on them, and both alike difcover iheir divine origi- nal. If all the laws oi' God are of a piece, mud they not I be built on the eternal reafon of things? Nay, if that be fufficient to determine him in one cafe, it mult be fo in all. But on the contrary, if God aCls arbitrary in any one inftanfje, he mull, or at lead may, do I'o in all; iince no foreign caufe, nothing but his nature, coidd make him a6t fo. But God forbid we fhould imagine, that any of his laws have not impreflt'd on them the iame characlcr of the hiiihed wifdom and goodaefs, that is imprefled on the whole frame of nature, and on t\'c- ry part of it. h is impoffible men fhould have any jud idea of the pcrfctlions of God, who think that the ditlates of iiifi- nite wifdom do not carry their own evidence with them ; or are not by their own iimate worth dilcoverablc to all mankind. \\''erc it nor fo, how could they be didin- guiflied from the uncertain opinions of weak v.v.d falli- ble men; not to fay the whimfics and reveries of crack- brained enlhufiads? How fhocking is it to hear divines cry, that, '• certain things, were they not to be adored as myderics, ought to be exploded as ibiuidities !" If we l\jppofe any arbitrary commands in the go(#. !, we place Chridians in a worfe condition than thcie nn- derno law but that of nature, which requires noih-in-; but what is moral ; and confequeatly the gYeaied part of no CRHISTIANITY AS mankind, who arc to be judged by the law they know, and not by the law they do not know, are, on this fup- pofition, in a better condition as to the next world than Chriftians ; becaufe they do not hazard the favor of God by any miftakes, or orniflions in fuch matters. To fijppofe fome men, who though they exaQly o- bey the law of nature, may yet be punifhed, even eter- nally, for not obeying another law beiides ; would be; to make God to deal infinitely lefs mercifully with them,! than with thofe that have no other law ; and yet in. this miferable cafe are all chriftians involved, if the gofpel requires fuch things as the law of nature does not ; and that too under the fevereft penaliies. And I may add that even as to temporal happincfs, thofe who think ori- ginal and traditional religion do not differ, are in the better flate ; fince they take delight in their duty, as having noching required of them, but what they muft evi- dendy perform for their good ; and confequently free (in temporal happinefsj from all panic fear : but thofc who believe there are things mentioned in religion, of v;hich reafon affords no light how they are to be per- formed, or even what they are, muft lie under endlefs doubts and fears ; and according to the meafure of their fuperftition, be wrought upon by defigning men to hate, damn, and perfecute one another about fuch obferv- ances, as we fee is aBually done every where by the different fefts ; v;ho arc fo abfurd as to believe a God of infinite wifdoni and goodnefs can give his creatures arbi- trary commands. When n)en are atalofsto know from the nature and reafon of things, what to believe, and what to pra8ife, and fee every where endlefs divifions; they mud be in continual dread of fuch an arbitrary being, as their un- manly and irrational fears repiefent God to be. Plutarch makes this diflerence between the atheiftand fuperftitious; *' One believes no deity, the other wifhes there was none; if he believes, it isagaind his will ; miflruft he dares not, or call his thoughts in queftion ; but could he, with fecurity, at once throw off that opprefllve fear. Ol.n AS THE CREATION. Ill Vliich, like the rock of Tantalus, impends and prefTes over him, he would with equal joy (purn his enflaving thought, and embrace the aiheift's ftatc and opinion, as the liappieft deliverance. Atheills are free of fuperfti- tion, but the fuperftitious are in will and inclination atheids, though impotent in thought, and unable to be- i lieve of the divine being as they willingly would." And I am afraid, this now is the cafe with moft of thefe fu- perftitious perfons, who reprefent God as a moft cruel being, damning men to eternity, even for their bare o- pinions ; or about fuch things too, as have no foundation in rcafon. And perhaps the defire to drown all thoughts of fuch a tyrannical deity, is no fmall occafion of that grofs abfurdity which docs every where prevail, and which muft prevail where fuperftition aboufids. It is mens not being governed by the reafon of things, which makes them divide about trifles; and lay the ut- moft ftrefs on fuch things as wife men would be afliamcd of. It is on the account of ihefe, that the different fccts fet the higheft value on themfelves, and think they arc the peculiar favorites of Heaven, while they condemn all others for opinions and practices not more fenfelefs, than thofe themlelvcs look on as eftentials. And were it not in fo lerious a matter, it would be diverting to fee how they damn one another, for placing religion in whimfical notions, and fantaftical rights and ceremonies, without making the Icaft rcflcQion on what they them- felves are doing. What reafon has a Papift, for inftance, to laugh at an Indian, who thinks, it contributes to his future hap- pinefs to die with a cow's tail in his hands, while he lays as great a ftrefs on rubbing a dying man with oil ? Has not the Indian as much right to moralize this aBion of his, and flicw its fignificancy ; as the Papift any of his myftic riles, or hocus pocus iricksi? which have as little foundation in the nature or rcafon of things. Suppoic one came from the furthermoll: parts of the cnrth, vouching it as a divine revelation, that the n:iils of our children arc, at a certain timr, to be pacd by 112 CHRISTIANITY AS certain perfons with certain ceremonies, in order to make them capable of falvation ; and that fuch as died before their nails were thus paired, remained for ever in a very wretched ftate; would not every one here, without ex- amining into this man's miffion, or without regard to thofe fpirituai things fignified under paring of nails, re- jed this belief as unworthy of having God for its au- thor? And yet, as abfurd as this may appear to us, the fuperftitious A4ahometans think they'are obliged to have their nails paired during their ficknefs, if they appre- hend it to be mortal. They mull be very little acquainted with the nature of a fpirituai religion, who think it can any v/ays confift in not going to reft when men are fleepv; not eating when they are hungry; or abftaining from, or ufm^ certain meats and drinks at ftated times; and in wafh- ings, fprinklings, and luftrations by blood or water ■»-nd yet, thefe things were in fo high a repute with mod of the pagans, that they thought they would atone for the greateft immoralities. Ah nimium faciles^ qui trijlia crimina ccsdis Fhcminea, tolli pojfe putet is aqua. The Taurobolia^ or the bedaubing a man in a pit, all over with the blood of a bull, which fell on him through holes made in the plank on which the beaft was (lain, was believed to wafh away all hi-s fins, and he, happy man, regenerated to eternity ; provided that once in twenty years he renewed this myftical regeneration : and not only great perfons, but whole cities might perform this religious ceremony by deputation, and receive the benefit. A fhort account of this, you meet with in Fotenelle's hiftory of oracles, taken from Prudentius. Though the heathen priefts made the people be1ie\T they couJd be clean from their fins by facrifices, and o- ther external things, yet it was as themfelves had the ap- plication of them; they were the perfons to whom the Gods had comn>itted the religious rubbing bruflies : OLD AS THF. CREATION. II3 ■ riUgh (he men of fe.n(z amongd the pagans were not His to be impofed on ; which nnade Tully fay, Animi labes nee diuturnitate evanefcere, nee amnihui lillis elui potejl. Latlantiiis feems to be of anoilicr opinion, in (aying, '• give us one that is unjiid, foolifli and a finncr; and in/>nc inrtant he fliall be jnit, prudeju and innoccut.-, \vith one laver all his wickednefs fliall be wafliedaway." lu a word, while priefts of what denominaiion foevci 1 pretend authority to abfolvc Tinners, and the people are \o void of lenfe as to rely on their abfolution ; natural religion, which puts the whole Itrcfs on internal peni tence and true virtue in the foul, will be delpifed ; as allowin'^ no fuccedaneum, no commuting or compound ing with heaven. And indeed all Inch commuting, or compounding powers, where they are fuppofcd to be lodged, Icrvc as a bank of credit for the Iran Igreffors ; and arc mightv incitements to all manner of villany : and in former days, the great men, after having opprefled and plundered people, thought to compound with hea- ven, by letting the clergy fliare in the fpoil ; and it is on this notion fo many abbies and monaftries have been four.ded ; and the lupcrUitious, as long as they are perfuaded there is any virtue in externals, will, as we fee by conllant experience, chiefly depend on luch things. And I may add, This doBritt^, that one man may not only merit for himfelf by doing more than God requires of him ; but that the merit of fuch actions may be transferred to ano- ther, who has done lefs than God requires of him, has i;een a great incitement tct wickednefs : and ihofe who have a6ted a moll immoral part during their whole lives, have believed thev might comfortably rely on it ; no- thing being thought too hard for niL^rit and mediation. There are none, I think, now To ahfurd, as in word?) t<» inaini^in, that there is the lead variablencfs in God, nviQh. I'Ts that he is an arbitrary being, commanding C) f .114 CHRISTIANITY AS things for commanding fake ; yet arc not they, who aiTert there are merely pofitive things in the chriftian religion,- guilty of this abfurdiiy ; in fuppofing that God who had the goodnefs for a long time, not lo confine mankind to any indifferent things ; yet at length changed his mind, and repented of his great goodnefs ; and arbitrarily depri- ved, they Will not fay, all mankind bnt no (mall number of this liberty; and required of them the belief of certain ufelefs fpeculations, and the praftice of certain indi{fe- rent things on the feverell penalties. And when they lament that the chriflian world, even from the earlieit: days has been in perpetual broils about fuch things, do they not Iiippofe that God can give arbitrary commands, and that thofe commands are involved in great obfcurity? A'Vhcreas, if merely pofnive things were required, thofe, not being like matters of morality, difcoverable by their own light, would be made as plain as infinite wifdom could render them ; and to prevent their being perverted to ferve ill purpofes, wc (liould have been pun8ually told when, how, and by whom, thofe arbitrary things (honld be applyed, as well as that they were to be obligatory for ever. B. If God has revealed any thing in a way liable to be miftaken, he cannot be difpleafed with fincere peopli^- for miltaking if. A. That is very true, but certainly, the end of God'.s giviryg any precepts, was not to deliver them fo obfcuiely that people might be faulilcfs if thev miflook ; but make them fo plain that they could not well miitake : and this is agreeable to infinite wifdom dircfted by infinite good- nefs, which, certainly, will give us equal degrees of evi- dence for religious truths, which fo niucli concern us, a? It has done for truihs of kfs importance. For my part, I cannot help being of the fentiments of a learned divine, who after having proved at large, that morality incapable ofdemonfiration, concludes by faying, * " I fhallonly here repeat,' that man being a reafonable agent, rcafon is the law and rule of his afctions; there is no iruih inthemaihcmatics more clear, andincontc.'liblc th.an (JLU A^ THE CXEATIOK. 11.^ this. Now it is cafy for him, when he examines his anions by this niie, to Ice whellicr ihcy agree together, as lo know when two lines arc compared, whctlicr thc}' are of the fame, or a clifTerent length. — A\Miy fhoiild demonllraiion be confined only to numbers and fig- ures ? — Na)', if" we argue from the importance of moral- ity, it will be found much more agrceabe to the goodnefs of God, who gave ns our intclleolual f.iculties, that thc truths which arc of the grcaieft concern to us, fiiould, H we make a due nle of thofe faculties, admit of the the greaicfl evidence." I think, I need only add, that was there any thing hut morality neceffary to conPtitute true religion ; we might be certain thaL the goodncis of God would give us a demondration for it, equal to thaL he has given us for morality. But, If there are now things which are not moral in religi- on, does not tiiai fuppofe a change of mind in God, and then, where will ycni (lop ? for if changeablencfs was not a perfe6lion, it would not be in him ; and if all his per- re6lionsare infiniic, mufl not this be lb too ? and is it not as rcalbnahle to fuppofe, he may commmand fome indif ferent things to day, and others to-morrow; or fome in this part of the world, or forne in another ; as at firfl: lo commtind moral, and then Superadd indifiercnt things? IfJafifFerent things can contribute tothc perfe8ionof reve- lation, there may be endlefs revelations ; and the lafi; al- ways moll perfcB, as having new indifferent things. — It was not about things of a moral nature, that there were fuch divifions in the primitive times, a))d that mon- tanifm fprcad iifelf over a great part of thc chriflian world; the follov;ers of Montanus, as Kufebius writes, boalLing that he was the Paraclete, and that prifcilla and Maximilla his companions were his prophefeffes ? And Tertullian, as is owned by the tranflator of I'lis apology, fays, '• that the law, and the prophets were to be looked on a ; the infancy ; and thc gofpel, as it were the youth ; but that there was.no compleai perfeQion to be found, but ill thf^ indrutlion of the IIol)- Gholf, who fpake by Montanus." Btjt to make fonic apology lor h.is lapfcd 11 6 CHRISTIAKITY AS father, he fays, ^i the arch heretic. Montanus fupported the charter of the moft holy, mortified, and extr-aordi- nary perfon for a confiderable time ; the world rung with vilions and prophefies of him, and his two damfels ; and the face of feverity and faintfhip confecrated their reve- ries, and made real pofleflfion pafs for infpiration. — The churches of Phrygia, and afterwards other churches, di- vided upon the account of thefe new revelations ; and even the very bifhop of Rome himfelf for forne time ef- poufed the vanity, and made much of the impoRor." And had he continued fo to do, it might, perhaps, have ob- tained J fince we find the chriftians in the primitive times came intirely into a more grofs impofture, and had faith for the moft palpable forgery of the Sybilline oracles being writ by real propheteffes under divine infpiration. And the whole chriflian world for more than the twofirft centuries believed the millenarian herefy, as it is now called ; for which, indeed, they pretended other proofs than the divine authority of the Sybils. And there has fcarce been an age fince, but where fome fuch attempt has been made, and that of popery, which is the grofleft ' attem.pt on the credulity of mankind fucceeded ; though the monks in the twelfth century were not fatished even with that ; and therefore endeavoured to introduce a new gofpel, called evangelium externum, or the gofpel of the Holy Ghoft : and aHirmed that this gofpel of the fpirit excelled that of Chrifts, as much as the light of the Sun does that of the Moon. In fliort, to this belief, that there may be things u. religion not founded on nature and reafon, aud thai thefe may be referved for this, or that period of time, are ow- ing all the vifions and reveries among the papills, and other ecclefiaRic chriftians ; and upon this abhiid noti- on is founded the moft fpreading religion of Mahomet, who pretended to be the paraclete promifed by Jefus to comp'eat, and perfect all things : and, In a word, to this belief are owm.^- all the fallc re- velarions ; that ever were in the uorld ; and except w<' allow there are certain tcfts ilowim,{ from the nature o.^ O 1. D A S T I ; K C R E A T I O ■'f . 1 1 y thiti'JS, whereby the meanefh capacities mav difli»;aifli truth from fallhood, we Ihall for eveu be liable to be impored on by inad-nien; as well as inipodors. If God can command fome things arbitrarily wo Lcinnot be ccrtairi, but that he may command all things fo ; for though lomc commands Ihould relate to thing, in their own nature good, yet how can we know that an arbitrary being commands them for this rcalon ; and, confequcntly, fince an arbitrary will may chang(^ each moment, wc can never be certain oi ihc will or fuch a being. And, To luppoie that God by thr law of naUire leaver men at liberty in all indilfercnt things, and yet by a pofitive law reilrains this liberty in certain parts anJ ages of the world ; is to iuppole God detennins on.: way by immediate and another by mediate revelation , both laws too fubfilling at the fame time. B. We fav that the law of nature, however iminii- table as to good and evil has enjoined nothing in re - 'Ttion to indifferent things ; fo that there is a large ficM 1 which all iegiOators, human as well as divine, niav .:ert their power. A. It is true, the law of nature leaves tnen at libcrt'-'- to aft as they pleafein all indifferent matters ; and if any traditional law abridges this liberty, fo far it is contrary to that of nature, and invades thofe ri;>hri which nature audits author has given mankind. Hunum legiflators are fo far from having aright to deprive their fubjctts of this liberty, tliat their main end in iubmitting to government is, to be protcftcd in afling as they think fit in all fuch cafes where no ono is injured ; and herein the whole of human libcrt/ cmrills, the contrary being a (tate of mere -.airalagc ; land men are more or lel.s milerable, accoiding as^ thcv are more or lefs deprived of this liberrv ; elpeciallj,' in matters of mere ve'r^ion, wh^rri''. (hr-,- ou.dit to bj n)oU free. • To InppoIeGod Im.s iiithrjc. til- r ..■.;: talltd in fcripturc. dcpiivcd .uiy p. - ^'i Il8 CHRISTIANITY AS that liberty v/hich before was granLed to ali, would be to make him aft unrealbnabl}' ; fince all thole rea- fons which obliged him to command good or forbid evil things, mull wholly ceafe in itlation to a fubjeft, which by being indifferent j3artakes of neither; and was there any reafon to deprive men of their liber- ty in indifferent things, they would then ceaie to be mdifferenr. On the contrary the fame reafons v/hich oblige hiui tointerpole in things, whofe nature is ei- ther good or evil, forbids it m indifferent things^ ; iiDce mens happifiels depends on their liberty, in all fuch things. Whatever is luireafonable for God to do, is contrary to the eternal law of his nature ; and conlequenlly, to deprive men in any of thefe cafes, is to make the diSates of his nature, and his revealed will to clafh. In fhort. (lie lau- of nature either is, (U' is not, a per- ieO. law ; if the lirll, it is not capable of additions ; jfthe laft does it not argue the want of wildom in the icgiflator. in firfl enacting fuch an imperfect iav/, and then in letting it continue thus imperfect from c'ge to age ; and at laR thinking to make it abfolutely perfect by adding fou)e merely pofitiveand arbitrary precepts. To what end does God continually iniprefs on cbridi- ans as well as others this law of nature ; fince that Tv'as needlefs Iiad they another inove perlecc, and more plainly revealed. If men have been at ail times obliged to avoid fu- perftitionj and embrace true religion, there mull have becji at ali times, fufficient marks of diilinction ; which could not arife from their having different objects, fince God is the cjbjcct of both: but from the having dif- lerent no ions of him and his conduct : nay, allowing that the light of nature was sufficient to teach men, that true relisiion conhfls in cntertainin? fuch notions of God as are wortliy of him ; and fupcrRition in fucli as are unworthy of him : yet that alone would not ena- ble men, Vv'hen they cam^e to particulars, to diltingaih one from the other : and. [hcrcfoie. the fame light ol OLD A 9 THE CREA'rtk>N. II9 nature muft leach them what notions are worthy, and what iinv/orthy of having Ciod for their author. Hut how can there be fuch marks flowing troni the niiture of rehgion and fuperflition, if what is fiiperflilinn by (he light of nature ran notwithllanding theic marks, be made a part of religion by revelation ? If he who refcmbles God moll, is like to underftand him bed, is it not, as bifhop Tillotlon fays, " becatifc he linds thefe perfeftions in Ibme meafure in himfelf, which he contemplates in the divine nature ; and no- thing gives a man fo fure a notion of things as prac- tice and experience ; every good man is in lomc degree partaker of the divine nature, and feels that in him- felf, which he conceives to be in God ; fo that this man does experience what others do but tulk ol ; he fees the image of God in himfelf, and is able to dil- courfeof him from an inward it^nie and leeling of his excellency." But this would not be jull arguing, if God was an arbitrary bein<:, and could command his creatures things which carried no perfedion or good- nei's with them. In a word, if the elTence of religion confifls in be^ lieving and praclif.ng fuch things, as have a real worth and excellency in them, tending to the honor of God and the good of men ; the clfence of fuperftuion, which is its oppofite, mufl confifl in imagining to pro- pitiate an all- wife and gracious being by fucli things as have no worth or excellency in them ; Inch as may not be done, as done ; or as well done this, as tha? way. SuperRiiion is defined by Dr. H. Mom-: (and ail' our divines fpeak to the fame purpofc) to be that' im- piety, by wliich a man conliders God to be lb light or p.iHionate, as with trivial things, cither to bj? appeafed. or elfe moved to wrath. Can anv thing be more trivia! tlian nlelefs fpecnlations and unnecelfary ohfervaiicns ; I low ntmierous foever cliriiiians may be, thou;-;b they are hut \^\v in comparifonof the reft of mankmd. yet the church of Chrift, bv the ronfcfl'.on of all par- ii(>'; i\ a vr-rr fTn;;!! liorl-.- (\f n-.-ri .-v^n tV.T ;: m i '« 12C CHRISTIANITY AS tliey complain of one itnother's uncbiiiitableneis. ye!*, thev excluding all other feels, either as fcbifmatics or heretics, couhne falvation to their own church. Dr. Scott fays, '-While men behold the ftate ofre!i;^ion thus mUerably broken and divided, and the profelfors of it crumbled into fo many fefls and parties, and each party fpitting fire and damnation at its adverfary ; fo that if all fay true, or indeed any two of them in five hundred fefts, which there are in the world (and for ought I know there may be five thoufand) it is live hundred to one, but that every one is damned ; be- caufe every one damns all but itfelf ; and itfelf isr damned by four hundred and ninety nine :" how. I fay, can thefe differences be avoided, as long as men take into their religion, nay, make unneceffary thitigs neceffary parts of it ? and if many of our divmes have got rid of thefe abiurd notions, is it not becanfe thev are. what in contempt they are called, rationaliils ? The pious bifhop Taylor fays, " He could not ex- peB, but that God would fomc way or other pu?ii{h Chriftians, by reafon of their pertinacious difputing of things unneceffary, undeterminable and unprofitable ; and for their hating and perfecuting their brethren (which IhoLild be as dear ,to them as their own lives) for not confenting to one another's follies and fenfelefs vani- ties." But, is there any certain way of judging what are ne- ccffary or unprofitable things, but by the rules here laid dov/n, of judging of things from their nature and tend- ency ? Without obferving this rule, there is nothing fo trifling, or fenfelefs, but people may be perfuaded to place religion in, and be in continual broils about it. If a dilpute between two preachers, whether the firfl words in the Lord's prayer fhould be tranfiatcd father our, or our father, could caufefuch difturbances, as it lately did at Hamburgh; what is there fo indifferent, if once believed to belong to religion, but may have per- nicious effeQs .'^ And there are a number of inftances in all ages, where things as trifling have occafioned ftrange diforders. O L D A S Tli li C R K AT I o N . 121 n ; thejT .ind the primiiive times were not free from them ; the iMemorabic Mr. ILi'cs gives thi.-; acct-)unt of the then quarrel a'oout the lime of keeping Kaftcr: " It bein-^," favs he, " upon error tak.cn for ne^effary, th u an Ka- fter muil be kept; and upon worfe than eriv>r, if I mn' fo fpeak, (Tor it was no lefs t!un a point of Jad:i- ihn lorceil upon the church) thou^hc furiher neceir.iry, that the groun 1 for the timi! of our kccpiuf^ that fcali, mull be the rule left bv Mofcs to the Jl'VS; there arofe a ItoutquefUon, whether we v'crc to celebrate it with the jews on the fourteenth mo-^n, or on the Sunday f >1- lowing ? This matter, though moH; unneccdary, mod A'ain,yet caufed as great a combudion as ever was in the cluirch ; the wcfl feparatinf^ froin the caft for many years together. In this fantailical hurry, I cannot lee but all the world were fchifmatics, neither can any thing ex- cufe them from that imputation, excepting only this, tiiat we charitably fuppofe that all parlies, out of con- confcience did what they did. A thing which befel them, throuj'h the ignorance of their "uides; and bacaufe thro' (lotli and blind obedience men examined not the things they were taught ; but like beads of burthen patiently couciu'd down, and indifrcrenily underwent whatever their fuperiors laid upon tijem."' •• And can wc," fays Dr. Burnet, •• think without ado- uiihment, that fuch matters, as giving the facramcnt in leavened or unleavened bread ; or an explication of the procelTion of the holy ghod, wheiher it was from the fa- ther and the Ion, or from the father by the (on ; could have rent the Greek and Latin civarches fo violently one from another, that the Latins rather than aflld the other, looked on till they were delhoycd by the Ottoman fam- ily? And otlier itidancfs he gives oi fatal didurbances from difputes about trifles; as the removing the pictures of certain bifliops out of a church occafioned image- worfliip ; for th(^fe who oppofed their removal, went i'o far as to maintain, that pit'lures ought not only to be fet ':p, but worfhinped; whicii caudd not (ml\- great ditor- P > 122 CHRISTIANITY AS ders in the ealt, but made Italy to revolt at the pope's inftigalion, This conteft too begat another, whether the lacrament was only the image, or the very fubftance of Cbrift ? I might add, that the difptite between the Lutherans and Calvinifts about the lacrament, though it has created fuch fierce animofities, is merely verbal fince both fides areagainft any change in the elements, and both fides maintain a real prefcnce of the body of Chrift. I need not have gone to diftant times and places for inftances, our own late divifionsand perfecuticns about fuch trifling things, as rites and ceremonies, nay, habits and poilures, -would in all likelihood have ended in the utter ruin both of church and Rate, had not the bleffed revolution interpofed. B. I Vv'ould not have you treat what you call poftures fo irreverently; ought not people to kneel at their de- votions ? A. The whole chriftian world for many ages thought not ; and the Anti- Nicene hih&rs^ as well as the council of Nice forbad kneeling on all Sundays, and all other days between Eafter and Whitfunday. In a word, if tbofe fcntiments muft be true, which tend moft to make men love and honor God, by giving the brighteft and nobleO; ideas of his wifdom and good- iiefs; and which free him from the imputation of change and inconllancy, and from impofing from time to time arbitrary commands ; and from partiality and refpeft of perfons ; what I have laid down muft be true ; and the contrary, not only falle but impious. But however, fince this is a point of the utmoii confequence, I fiiail proceed to other arguments, and (hew how inconfillent it is with the good of mankind, to fuppofe any merely pofuive things to be part of the ingredients which confti- tute true religion. OLD A55 THE CREATION'. 123 CHAP. XI. Thefuppojing things meyely pofitive to be made the ingre- dients of rcligion\ is inconfijhnt zoith the good of man- kind as xvell as the honor oj God. THE bappincFs of human fociv-^ty, and of every par- ticular memberj^confifling in the due obfervatioii and pratt-icc of morality; whatever diverts, or difcou- rages that, mud be highly injurious : now it is certain, that the mind may be over-loaded as well as the body ; and il.c more it is taken up with the obfervaiion of ihinors, which arc not of a moral nature, the lc(s it will be able to attend to thofc that are ; which requirinc; the application of tlie whole man, can never be rightly per- formed, wliile the mind, by laying ftrefs on other things, h diverted from attending on them; efpecially if it be confidered, that fupcrftition, if once fnfFered to mix with religion, will always be gaining ground. If religion is to be heard, no unneccITary things will be admitted; but if it be not, where fliall wc ftop ? If people are once brought to believe fuch things arc good for any thing, they will be apt to believe they are good for all things; at leaft, pretences will never be wanting for a thoiifand things of this nature; and there is nothing of this kind that men will not come into, if they are made to believe they carry any merit with them : Thefc they will be p'in8unl in obfcrvini;, in hopes to atone fur in- du!:^ing ihenjfelves in their darling vices; which they, not knowing how to leave, and yet willing to fecure th.cir future hnppinefs, hope by the help of fuch expe- dients to compound with Heaven : and then vainly i- manjnc, thov cannot have too manv things of this na- turc ; or fiiew too great a 7cal fut if we iiear at firit that he has honefl moral principles, and is a man of natural jullice and gor>d temper, wc feldoni think of the oihcr qucftioii, Whether he be religious and devout." It is a general obfcrvaiion in h.idorv, that where any tiling has had the appearance only c;f *i)icty, and migiil be oblerved without any virtue in tTic foul, it eafily found erHertainment among fiiperftinous nations. Hence 'J'acitus {'ay>s, *• Men extremely liable to luperftiiion, are at the {mwq. time as violently averfe to religion." Le Clerc not oidy makes the fame remark, but fays, •' Thofe who had a confufed notion of Chriflian piety, believed it could not maintain i;fclf without the help of outwaid objects; and I know not what heathenifii pomp, which at lad extinguiflied the fpirit of the gofpel, and fublti- tuted paganifm in its room." Whatever appearance it might h^ive of piciv, what \irtne did it require in the praQice, to make war with the Saracens for the holy land; (though confidering the impieties committed there, it might be called tmholy ;) yet [o highly meritorious was this projcB for fevcral a- ges thought to be, that \ all fhnals of bigots for its fake have frequcnih' gone from the W'f ft to fight men in the f!aft, who never did ihem any harm; and thefe bigots, prcfuming on the merits of t!iis facrcd expedition, .were ipcfl cuor.i^.ouliv (lagitions. 120 CRlilSTI AX'ITY AS B. If this was fuperftition, it was built on a notion' which had long before prevailed, of believing it a piece of piety to vifit Jerufalem, and the holy places there. The great St. Jerome fays, Cej'te adcrajfe uhi Jleturunt pedes domini. pars fidri eft. Sec. " That it was un- doubtedly a part of faith, to go, and worfiiip in thofe places, where the feet of our faviour had once flood; and to have a fight of the tracks, which at this day con- tinue frefli, both of his nativity, crofs and pafTion." A. I believe St Jerome, when he fays. We ought to worOiip where the feet of our Lord ftood, chiefly in- tended his laft footfteps when he mounted up to Hea- ven ; the print of which, fays, Sulpicious Severus, re- main to this day. Qucecunque applicabantur, infoUns humana fufcipcre terra rejpueret, excujjis m ora apponen- iium Jccpc rtiarmorihihs. Et cum quotidie conjluen- imm fides certatim domino calcat adiripiaf., damnum ta- men arena non fentiat : & cadem adhuc fui fpeciem, ve- ht imprejjis fignaia vcfigiis, terra cvjlodit. And Pau- liniis fays the fame. A flri£l obfervance of fuch things as require no vir- iue in the prafticc. and may with great eafe be pun6lu- ally obferved, makes the fuperflitious liable to be every where cheated by your TartuiTs, or Mackw — ths; while men who put their whole flrefs on morality, are repre- fcnted not only as enemies to religion, but even as en- couragers of immorality, and mere libertines, becaufe they are for liberty in thinking; though this cannot fail to make men fee the folly of Jicentioufnefs in afcling. A.nd indeed, we (hall generally find ihofe ccclefiafi- i.cs, who inveigh mofl againft free thinking, are the real encouragcrs of immoralitv ; by fcreening, not only the mofl immoral of their own order on pretence of pre- ferving the honor of the church, though to the diflionor of religion; but alfo by laying the mofl moral, if they differ from them in fpeculative points, under conllant fijfFerings, to enforce them to play the hypocrites Vvith God and man : And who is it that the currupt part of the clergy fliew more inveteracy againPf, than the very OLD AS THE CR K .\^' U^ N' . \ U.1 bed men of their own order, for not approving ibefe jiicihodsP fit is worth while to remark, how differently men are treated for civil and ecclcfiaftical oHbnrcs : " In civil rafes," as a right reverend and excellent author ob- ivcs, the offender, if his crime be not capital, fuffers a temporary punifliment, proportioned to the fault be i\is committed; and when he has undergone that, noth- ing further is required of him, except in Ibme cafes to find fecurity for his good behaviour for the future. But in cafes of herefy, there is no regard to the degree of the offence, in the punilhment inflifted : Nor is there any end of it. It is not enough to have luffered the leverefl punifhment, though for the hnailelt offence; it i is not enough to give fecurity of not offending for the future: The innocent offender mull declare (what it is oftentimes impoffible he Ihould declare) that he has changed his fentiments, and is become orthodox ; and thih, ihough perhaps no methods of convi8ion have been ufed, except that of punifliment be one. This is the miferable condition of a conviQ-herctick : The. punifhment which fell on him for exprefling thoughts heretical, he muft continue to eudure for barely think- ing; which is a thing not in his own power, but depends on the evidence that appears to him: He mult for ever (cruel juftice!) for ever fuffcr for his private thought^, (ihough they go not beyond his own heart] the punifli- ment of this overt-a6l has once drawn upon him. Tu punifli totits quoties^ as often as thefe ovcrt-a6ls are re- peated, will not faiisfy the holy office. If an offend- er cannot be convifled of herefy, he may however be conviBed of writing, or fpcaking againlt the eftablifhcd doBrine of the church ; and that will draw on him all the fame confeijuenccs, that herefy would do. — Well 6,oc<> this author advilb, whatever you do, be orihodo:c : Or- thodoxy will cover a nmltitude of fins, but a cloud of virrucs cannot cover the want of the minuieft particle of orthodoxy. It may, I doubt not, be demonitratcd with t!ie greateil evidence, that all chriftun churcho. 128 CHRISTIAN IT Y AS have fufFered more by their zeal for orthodoxy, and by (he violent methods taken fo promote it; than from the utmoft efforts of their greaicft enemies. But for all that. the world will ftill ;hink the fame methods nccen"ary." . 'A man, who has, or preiends to liave a blmd zeal for thofe things, which difcviminate his i'cR,, though he be ever fo immoral, too often finds countenance and credit from them; and though thought a devil bv oth- ers, pafles for a faint wiih his own party : So that ihe {\i- perllitious lie under temptati_-p ;o' be vicious, and the vicious to atf fuperftitioufly. Nay, '• The v^'ay that men are apt to take to pacify God, is" as archbifhop 'i illotit)n otifervcs, *' by forne exicr nal piece of religion. Such as were facrifices among the Jews and Heathens. — The jews pitched upon thofe which were mod pompous and folemn; the richeft, and the mofl; coiily ; fo they might but keep their {\ns, thcv were well enough content to olTer up any thing elfe to God ; they thought nothing too good for him, provided he would not oblige them to become better. '♦ And thus it is among ourfeives, when we appre- hend God is dilpleafed with us. We are content to do any thing, but to learn righteoulnefs. *• As to the church of Rome," he fays, " they (a^ they pretend) are the moO; flvilful people in the world to pacify God. 1 do not wrong them by reprefenting them enquiring after this manner: Shall I go before a crucifix, and bow rayfelf to it, as to the high God? — To which of the famts and angels ihall I go to mediate for me, and intercede on my behalf? Will the Lord be pleafed with thoufands of ■pater-nojln'S^ or with ten thousands of Av^-Maries? Shall the hofl travel in pof- feffion, or myfeif undertake a tedious pilgrimage? Or fhall I liR myfelF a foldier for the holy war? Shall I give my eftate to a convent ? Or chaftife, and punifli my body for the fin of my foul ?" The heathen prieils, knov.'pg what could render them acceptable to the people, made the chief part of their religion to confift in gaudy fliews, pompous ceremo- OLD AS THE CREATION. •»9 nics; and fuch other tricks as ferved to amufe, and di- vert thern, who, provided they entertained (uch notions as created a reverence for their priells, and believed they could difcover to them the will of their God^; nn'ght be as leud, and wicked as their Gods themfelvcs : " Are the Gods angry ? Muft we repent of our crinies, and re-enter into the paths of natural juftice to divert their thunder ? Not at all ; only take a calfof fucha colour, calved at {"uch a tinnc, and let his throat be cut by a religious butcher, in a fuch drefs,with a confecratcd knife; and the Gods, as you will find by the entrails, will be ftrait appealed.' The mahometans make the going a pilgrimage to Mecca, the highefl aO. of religion ; and there, out of deep devotion, play many monkey-tricks; and then, they return cleanfcd from all impurity. As to the Jew-- ifh priefts, and the Dotlors, who depended on them, we learn from our iaviour, how they made the moral law void by their vain traditions ; and that the temple then, as the chur.ch in after-times, was made the grand pretence. And what vile things has not the abuled name of the church patronized ? Nay, even in the beft con- llituted church, have we not lately had numbers of men fond of the name of high-church, whofe religion chief- ly confided in drinking for the church; curfing, fwear- ing, and lying for the church ; raifing riots, tumults, and fedition, in favor of a popifh pretender, and all for the fecurity of the proteftant church of England ; and in having a profound veneration for black gowns, no matter what the wearers are ; and a great contempt for men in black cloaks, how dcferving loevcr ; and in firmly believing, that ihofe who go to places with ftec- ples can never be in the wrong; and that ihofe who go to places without them, can never be in the right; with- out knowing what cither hold, or fo much as what is the true meaning of even the word church? What advantage have not the Popilh priefls gained by their arts of reconciling the praftice of vice with the profpctl of Heaven. The Jcfuits, the' the young- O T^O CHIRSTIANITY AS eft order, yet flourifh moft, being the mod expert in this artifice; as may be feen in Mr. Pafcal's Provincial Letter-s. But all the Popifh priefts agree, in defending their fuperflition by fire and faggot; while their church- es are open fanOuaries for the moft flagicious ; which fhews how fenfible they are, that fuperftition and immo- rality fupport each other. And perhaps, it is but rca- fonable, that the places where they learn vile things, fhould proteft. them when they have commitedthe vileft. It is by thefe means that holy church gets a terrible par- ty, who cannot refufe to maim or murder, as their fpirit- ual proteQors dire8, for fear of being delivered up to civil juftice ; and not only your mean rogues, but even the greateft, have been frequently fcreened this way. The fuppofing indifferent things equally commanded with matters of morality, tends to make men believe they are alike neceffary: Nay, the former will, by de- grees, get the better with the fuperftitious j and acquire fuch a veneration by age, and to make men have re- courfe to them upon all occafions, though ever fo un- feafonable. If people can be fo far impofed on, as to admit fuch things into their religion, they will as eafily be perfuaded to put a greater ftrels on things, though of fome ufc in religion, than their nature will bear to the confounding things of the greateft moment with thofe of the fmalleft : and if this is reckoned fuperfti- tion, much more ought the other to be thought fo. The not diftinguifhing means from ends, has been the occafion of endlefs fuperftition ; and there have been numbers, in all ages, efpecially of the female fcx, who have thought themfelves very religious, if they, though to the negle£l of their family-concerns, went from church to chapel, from chapel to church, and were punftual in obferving all church ceremonies, with- out regarding the end for which alone they could be in- ftituied; fo that inflead of being humble, affable, and good, they have proved big with the wortt of pride, fpiritual pride; cenfuring and defpiling their neighbors, though ever fo good, if they we^re not as punciual ^s OLD AS THE CREATION. 181 tlienifelves in obfcrving thofc things; and the conceit they had their own godlincfs, has made thcni as iroii- blcfome at home as ahroad, as had wives as neighbors. Upon the whole, nothing can be of woiTc confcqucnce, than thus to depreciate morality, by mixing things oT an indifferent nature with it; becaufe, as experience fhews, men are more or lefs virtuous according to the value they put on virtue ; and can a man, who afts contrary to rcafon, not be an enemy to religion founded onreafon? The precepts of natural religion, and the rules of right reafon, cannot but make ftrong impref- fions on rational creatures; what is fixed on the minds of men,and wrought in as it were with their very confli- tuiion, cannot eahly be broke through ; human nature is apt to dart, and recoil at any (uch attempt: And yet fome have found a mod edeftual way to break through it, by teaching men, that the mod moral anions, with- out a right notion, forfooih, in certain things of another nature, are to be looked on, 3iS fpUndida pcccata, and partaking of the nature of fin. It is the chief bufincfs of preachers, to diew the rea- fonablencfs of the doBrines they teach, as the mod ef- feftiial way of operating on rational creatures; and all the laws of natural religion being built on their own rea- fonablcnefs, they, who attend to the dilates of their rea- fon, can fcarce fail to-pay a ready and chearful obedi- ence to ail its laws ; but when men take things merely on authority, and would have taken the contrary on the fame authoity ; rcafon is dilcardcd, and rational motives ceafe to operate : nor can men any longer perform mo- ra! duties with a free and cheerful miiid ; but davidily obey, out of fear, the fuppofed arbitrary commands of a being too mighty to be contended with ; and that only with a view to atone for immoralities. As long as men believe the good of the fociety is the fupremc law, they will think it thcii duty to be governed by that law ; the belicbing God recjuircs nothing of them but what is for the good ol" mankind, will place the whole of their religion inbeuevolent anions, and to the utmod 132 CHRISTIANITY AS of their abilities copy after the divine original ; but if they are made to believe there are things which have no relation to this good, neceflary to falvation ; they muft fuppofe it their duty, to ufe fuch means as will mofl. ef- feftually ferve thispurpofe; and that God, in requiring the end, requires all thofe means as will beft fecure and propagate it. And, It is t« this principle we owe the mod cruel perfecu- tions, inquifitions, cruiades and maflacres; and that princes have endeavored, not only to deftroy their fub- jeds, but to difinherit their own iflue, and to make room for fuppofititious children. And, It is to this principle we alfo owe innumerable tu- mults, feditions, and rebellions, even againft the beft of princes; as well as endlefs feuds and animofities in private families, and among the neareft relations : They "whom this principle governs cannot be good men, good fubjefts, good citizens, or good neighbors; no ties of friendfliip or gratitude, no vows or oaths can bind them, when the intereft of fuch things, as they think, they are obliged to promote, on pain of God's difplea- pleafure, requires the contrary conduB. They Jews, as they were moft fuperftitious, fo were ihey moft cruel ; and as the Papifts have, beyond all other Chriflians, introduced into religion things which are far from contributing to the good of mankind ; fo they have exercifed a matchlels cruelty for the fupport of them : And no wonder, fince their priefts gain by the fuperftition of the people, and confequently, in- fpire them with a proportionate hatred againft all who will not comply with it. And, Among Proteftants, of what denomination foever, they who lay the greateft ftrefs on ufelefs [peculations, modes and ceremonies; are for the moft part four ill- natured perfons, ready to come into any perfccuting. meafures for their fake. But nothing has done fo much mifchief as that moft monftrous opinion of Impcrium in Imperio. Thofc, who pretended to a fpiritual empire, claimed, as well they might, a divine right to judge of OLD AS THE CREATION. I33 ihe extent of that empire, and to do all thry judged ne- ceflary for its fiipport; and conlcqucntly, that they had a right, fince temporal things mufl give place to fpiriiu- al, to depofe the governors of the flate, whenever they judged it ncccflbry for the fafciy of the church. It is from hence there h^ve hcen fo many tumults, feditions, infurref^ions, rebellions, civil wars, murders and maf- facres upon the pretence of religion; and which at lafl ended ip the enilaving of the Chriftian world to the pope, as head of tlie church ; whofe power of depofing heretical princes was for many ages univerf^lly allowed ; no nation, no univerfity ucclaring againll it; nor fo much as one divine, civilian, or cafiiift. Nor were things mended, when, by reafon of the great fchifms about the popedom, councils pretended to govern the church : They then carried their power to fuch a height, as diipofed princes to enter into agreements with the popes, to whom they yielded a great deal, to be pro- te6led in what they had referved to themfelves. They, therefore, who maintain, that people may forfeit their properties, by fchifm, herefy, infidelity, &c. play the hypocrites, when they pretend the power of princes is, more facred than the properties of the people, for whofc^ fake they have all their power. And therefore we mav juflly conclude, that they who are for foliciting kings and magidrates to affift the church in punifhing mifbc- lievers, are equally enemies to the power of kings, as well as to the rights of the people; and they have never failed to fhew it, whenever they have found it their in- tereft. And though at fir ft thofe princes were idolized, who were the inftruments of their cruelty ; yet when by their means, the people were entirely at the devotion of the clergy, they too were foon forced to fubmit ; and had juft caufc to curfe their own predeceffors bigotry, which enabled the ecclefiaflics to infult them as they pleafcd. And what difturbances have not your Beckets, Lauds, &c. created here, when they got into power, and be- came then as infolcnt as b<2fore they were fubmiftlvc? 134 CHRISTIAWITY AS .«» Father Paul, no ftranger to our conftitution, in one oF his letters, writ in the reign of king James I. fays thus: " As for the Englifh, I am in fear; the great power the Bifhops have though under a king, ma'kes me very jea- lous; for fliould they have an eafy prince or an archbi- Ihop of a high fpirit, the kingly power muft fink by the bifhops afpiring to an abfolute dominion." I believe you will allow, that in the late times men were as much in earneft about religion as ever; and yet hy their mixing feveral things, not of a moral nature, with it, and thinking all means proper to promote them lawful; impofture and zeal, bigotry and hypocrify were lirangely blended together. And as we are afTured by an eminent hiftorian, it was the opinion of Cromwell, that " the moral laws were only binding in ordinary cafes; but that upon extraordinary ones ihefe might be fuperceded , he, and that fet of men. juftifying their ill aftions from the pra6lice of Ehud and Jael, Sampfon and David."* Here, indeed, they were no hypocrites; but frankly confeffed what at the bottom influences all thofe, who, though they have not the grace to own it, make things, not of a moral nature, neceffary ingredients of religi- on, and thereby give too juft occafion for this remark of archbifhop Tillotfon's, " That it will be hard to de- termine, how many degrees of innocence and good- na- ture, or of coldnefs and indifference in religion, are neceffary to overbalance the fury of a blind zeal; fince feveral zealots had been excellent men, if their religion had not hindered them ; if the do8rines and principles of their church had not fpoiled their difpofition." What can be a greater fatyr on any religion, than that it is able to fpoil the befl difpofition; and that, if it does not make men arrant devils, it is only becaufe nature is too hard for principles. B. Thefe fure are uncommon principles. A. Not fo uncommon, as you may imagine, finceali religion inclines men to imitate what they worfhip; and "■ Bp. Burnet's fum of aflfdirs belore the reliorat. p. 46 — 79. OLD AJ THI CREATION. I35 they who believe that Gud will damn men for things not moral, mud believe, that in order to prevent dam- nable opinions frbm fpreading, and to flicw themfelves holy, as their heavenly father is holy, they cannot fhcw too mnch enmity to thofc, againft whom God declares an eternal enmity; or plague them enough in this life, upon whom in the life to come God will pour down the plagues of eternal vengeance. Hence it is, that animo- fity, enmity and hatred, have over-run the Chridiaii world ; and men, for the fake of thefe notions, have exercifcd the uimon: cruelties on one another; the moft curfing and damning churches having always proved the mod perfecuting. The Papifls, though they declare it to be their duty to love their own enemies, yet looking on all proteftants as the enemies of God, think it meri- torious to! murder them ; and proteftants had no fooner renounced thofe perfecuting principles of popery, but they too fliamefully praflifed the fame themfelves, for the fupport of fuch trifling notions as the public had not the lead interefl in. And before the happy revolu- tion, the fpirit of perfecution was fo outrageous, that proteflants ruined proteflants upon the account of rites, ceremonies, habits, Sec. to the great joy of the com- mon enemy. And, Though there may be, even now, fome who will not forgive their being debared the exercife of their former tyranny, and would be glad, at any rate, to deftroy that hated liberty we are now blefifed with; yet I may ven- ture to fay, that all who have fo juft an opinion of reli- gion, as to think it requires nothing but what is for the good of mankind, are to a man zealous for the prcfent government, eftabliflied on the principles of civil and reh'gious liberty. To preferve which, the legiflaturc has not only ex- cluded all Papifts, as men of perfecuting principles, from the crown; but by affording prote6tion to diffen- ler^, has fet the differing churches in South and North Britain on a level, well knowing, that neither civil nor ecdefiadical liberty can be prefervcd on any other 136 CHRISTIANITY AS foot. Had they gone a ftep farther, and excluded, on the flriftefl; tefts, men of perfecuting principles from iriferior polls, as well as the perfecuting Papiils from the higheft, they had afted up to thofe principles of proteftantifm upon which the revolution is founded. And all, who are in earneil about religion, would have been highly pleafed to have it an eftablifhed maxim, that no man ought to fuffer in his perfon, his proper- ty, or reputation, for bis opinion in matters of mere religion. They, who think force lawful, for the fupport of fuch opinions as cannot be fupported by reafon, (as what church, when it has power, does not ?) cannot but think fraud fo too ; efpecially when it is ufed not only for men's eternal but temporal good, and to pre- vent fuch feverities, as otherwife would be thought wholefome and neceffary. How can men of thefe principles think any untruth not lawful, when it is neceffary to guard fundamental truths ? Nay, muft they not think it much more their duty to deceive men, for the fake of their eternal good, than to de- ceive children or fick people for an infinitely lefs good ; efpecially when the temporal intereft of the deceivers is joined with the fpiritual intereft of the deceived ; who, happy men, have the good luck to be cheated into paradife ; and by the ilratagem of a pious fraud to obtain an heavenly crown ? If it be lawful to de- ceive melancholy perlons, who defign to poifon them- felve^, and put a remedy in the place of the poifon, can any think fuch an artifice unlawful, when he be- believes it is to hinder millions from imbibing fuch notions, as arc rank poifon to their immortal fouls ? It is with an ill grace that thofe proteftants, who are for reftraining the liberty of the prefs, or fuffering nothing to be printed, but what has undergone their fpunges, rail at the papilts for their index expiirgatori- us : Thefe men may, indeed, plead authority ; fmce, as Daille obferves, " This opinion has always been in the world ; that to fettle a certain and affured eftima- OLD AS THE CREATION. »37 tion upon that which is good and true, (ihat is to fay ;) upon what we account to be fuch ; it is ncccdary to re- move out of the way whaifoever may be a hindrance to it: Neither ought we to wonder, that even thofe of the honcll, innocent, primitive times made ufe ofthere deceits, Ceeifig for a good end they made no fcruple to forge wiiole books. I'hey, indeed (and (uch there arc, to the honor of the prclent time, not a f'ew] who think finccrity will carry men to Heaven, lie under no temptation to ufc pious frauds; but for men of other principles, though they go under the name of fatliers and faints, there is no de- pending on them; fince a defire to deceive people into their opiniont;, will hold in proportion to the zeal they have for propagalitig thole opinions. If iholli men, in whofe hands the facred books from lime to time have been chiefly depofired, did allow that every man was to judge for himlelf of their meaning, in order to make him acceptable to God; thertf could be no danger of their being dcfignedly corrupted : But if they believed, that a certain let of opinions was neceffa- ry to falvation, then they mull have thought ihemfelvcs in, charily obliged to take the mofl proper methods to bring men to enibrace them ; and con'icquently muft have believed it their duty to fubftitute fome words of their own, which would beft exprcfs thofe opinions, on v.'hich the falvation of men depended, in the room of others, whicl) were apt to lead them into fatal errors ; fince by thus changing of founds, they might fave mil- lions of fouls, who they 'Acre confident would other- wife everlaftingly perifli. Mufl not the fame principle that obliged them to impofe their own works, inflead of the word* of God, in their creeds and articles, on pain of damnation,, equally oblige thcin to aft the fame part in relation to the fcripture ? And if men h.ave fluck fo clofe to this principle, that they have (whenever .they had a convenient opporti:niiy) left out, added to, or al- tered all r)thcr books of religion whatever, which have fallen into their hands ; there can be no rcafon to thin|t of Conllan- tine, relating to the power of bilhops, ong before vc- pel led- The farther back »vc <;o, the greater was tiie recouiTc to pious frauds. Scahi;er, ipeading or ChriPrians, favs. omnia^ qu(r pulaban conduccre.) bibliis intcrfrrucrunt. And as he hippoles, nothini; certain o!" l)\c church till the hmes of Piiny, fo he favs. fpeakin.^ ofiij^- fccond century, Acho vcr- hum Dei inejjicax ejje ccnfuerunt ut j-egtum Chriftifinz vundacio — ■ — promoveri poffe difiderunt^ ut qui utmavi illiprimimtntiri cccpijfi'nt. And Caflaubon la\s. Jlhid, me vehcvientcr movit^ quod vid cam primly ccclefiie tempo - roribus qitavi plurimos extitij/'e, qui /acinus palmar mm ni- dicabant, cozlrjlem veritatcvi Jigmentis fuis. irc adyjtii ■:. ; que Jacilim nova ilia doHrina gcntmm fapirntibus admit- teretiir. And the learned lilondel {^ys. " That the fecond centurv of chrillianity. whether you confid^r the immoderate impudence of impoflors, or the de- plorable crcdulirv of believers, was the tnofl iraferable lime, and exceeded all others in holy cheats ; audthaf, to the difgracc of Chriflianily. there was a greater n- vcifioa to lying, more fidelity, and a greater fimplici- ty not to depart from the truth, to be found in profane authors, thnn the Chriflian writers." Our mod learned bifhop Stillingflect, fays. " Tlint antiquity is niofl defe6tive where it is moll ufeful ; namely, in the times immediately after the apolllcs : And that the fathers were often deceived with pious frauds, but then it was when they made for the Clirif- tians." And the pious bifliop Fell docs not fpe;.!- quite fo tenderly in faying, Tanta fv.it primi.s fcculis Jingendi licentia. tarn prona in credendo facihtas, ut re- rum gef.arvin fides (xindc gravitcr Ichnrnverit ; nee or- his tantum tcrrarvm^^ fed (3 Dei ceclrfia de temporibui fuis myjiicis mcrito querrdur. How unh nip\' •'vere w-; '»r the ]^vv had wc no' th^ 142 CHRISTIANITY AS realon and na:ure of things (which no priefts can alter) to depend on , bat were intirely obliged to take our ieligious fentiifients from men, who as far as we have i:ny account of things, have, even from the eariieflt timer,, not fcrupled to forge, not only whole paffages, but whole bocks ; and left nothing entire on wh'ch they they could lay their foul hands : W;uch, as that s^reat and hon?ll critic Ddille obferves, " has rendered the writmgs and venerable monuments of antiquity fo imbroiled, and| perplexed, that it will be the hardeP. matter in tlie w|orld for any man to make out any c!e«ir or perfect difcoji/ery of thofe things, which fo many leveral artills nave endeavored to conceal from us." As to this impo|[ing temper of the ecclefiaftics, I {hall only fay, that it is plain from hiftory, that tiie. ambi- tious, domineering part of the clergy, the impofers of creeds, canons tmd conftitutions have proved the com- mon plagues ot ; mankind ; and the true authors and fomenters of the imoll general and moft fatal calami- ties, which havel befallen the Chriftian world. What the confequence was of impohng creeds, may be learnt from an eminent father, who flourifhed when the trade of creed-making was at its height. '•' It is," fays St. Hilary. '"' a thin^r equally deplorable and dangerous, • that there are at prefent as many creeds, as there are opinions among ^men. — We m^ke creeds arbitrarily, and explain them as arbitrarily, — We cannot be igno- rant, that iince ilis council of Nice," (there it feems ihe fatal mifchief began) '' we have done nothing but make creeds.- -We make creeds every year, nay, ev- ery uioon ; we repent o: whit we have done ; we de- fend thofe that repent ; we anitiiematize thofe we have defended; v/e condemn the doflrine of others in our- felves, or our own that of others ; and reciprocally tearing one another in pieces, we have been the caule of one another's rain." Thus you fee, how fraud and force are anwoid-ible, vvhen it is believed things, hiving no foundation in nature ani rcalbn, iire neccifary pirts of religion ; and OLD AS THE CRfcATlON. I43 ecclellaflical hiftory contains a continued fcene of vil- lainy, for the fupport of fuch notions : And that the more good fcnle. piety, and virtue any man was en- dowed with, the more, if he did not come mto thofe notions, was he haled, and perfecuted, as a mofl dan- gerous enemy. But, Before I leave this melancholy fubjeft, I mufl ob- ferve, iheie men have done their bell tojuftify are- mark of Uriel Acofta, who, in his Exemplar Vitoc hu- mance, fays, *' That when men depart ever fo little from natural religion, it is the occafion of great ftrifei; and divifions; but if they recede nmch fioni it, who can declare the calamities which enfue ?" And can men more depart from it, than by imposing upon their brethren, cither by fraud, or force, things no ways tending to the the good of mankind ? Though we cry up the great advantage we have a- bove all other animals, in being capable ol religion, yet thofe animals, we defpife for want of it, lierdmore focially together; except luch carnivorous creatures which necellity feparates. The ants, notwithflanding they have (lings, are crouded in vafl numbers in the fame hillock; and, having all things in common, fecm to have no other contention among them but who ftiall be mofl aftive in carrying on the common intc- reft of their fmall republic. And much the fame may be faid concerning the bees and other animals ; yet men though they cannot lublill but in fociety, and have hands, fpeech, and reafon to qualify ihem for the blcfhngs of it above all othci animals ; nay, wiiat is more, have religion, defigncd to unite them in ihc firm books of love and friendfhip, and to enaaixe tlicui to vie with one another in all good oflfices ; and the good natured laity too have, at a vafl expence, hired perlbns to inculcate thefe generous notions ; yet alas * Ml fpite ol ihele of all helps awd motives, religion has been made by thefe very perfons, a pretence to render menunfociable, fierce and rruel; and to act every thing deftvuclive to (heir common wclfnre : And the jneatc: 144 CHPvISTIANITY AS the number of the(e religious, and the more expence people have been at in maintaining them, the more of thefe mifchiefs"have they moil ungratefully occafioned to their generous benefaftors. B. Granting that a deluge of e\ery thing that is ill has overflowed Chriftendom, and does fo Itill in moft places ; and that religion has been made a handle for fuch barbarities, as human nature, left to itfelF, would ftartle at ; ye": hoiv is this to be remedied ? A. Education is juftly efteemed a fecond nature, and its force (o ftrong, that few can wholly fhake off its prejudices, even in things unreafonable and unnatural : and mult it not have the greatcft efficacy in things agree- able to reafon, and fuitable to human nature ? Let thofc, iherefore, who have the education of youth, recorn- iTiend morality as the end of all religion ; and let every thing, not tending to promote the honor of Cod and the good of man, be accounted fuperftition ; let the youth be taught to join the ideas of virtue with the ideas of beauty, pleaiure, and happinefs ; and the ideas of vice with tbofe of deformity, grief, and mifery : there would then be little room for fo odious a thing as vice to take poffeffion of the minds of the people, andjuftle out vir- tue fo firmly rooted. For thefe ideas, thus early afifo- ciated, would by degrees become infeparable; efpecial- ly if men, as they grew up, were frequently fhewn the ijeceffaiy connexion between thefe ideas; and how ef- fential virtue is to the felicity of nations, families, and private perlbns ; and on the contrary, how miferable vice mud render men in every Ration of life. It was after this manner, that the heroes of old, thofe benefaflors to mankind, were educated ; and the dif- courfes of the philofophers, who had the inrtru8ing them, were full of the intrinfick lovelinefs of virtue and the deformity of vice; and taught them to direct all their aQrons to the common good, as to a common centre ; and that their future as well as prcfent happi- nefs depended on it. But afterwards the education of vonth being corrm^f'ed to men of another ftamp, devot- OLD AS THE CREATION. I45 cd to the intcreft of their own order; they, inOead of infufing thcfc noble (entiments into ihem, perfuaded them that their feparatc inlereft, with the ihinps on which it depended, which they called the good of the chinch, was to be their chief aim : And fo little regard have fome men had to rhe common good, that they have indullri- oufly dreffed up vice in fuch lovely, and virtiie in luch odious colours, as to maiutain, that bating the confe- quenccs of a future ftate, they would a6t like fools, who did not indulge themfelves in a vicious courfe. And I believe, men of fuch prmciples cannot boaft of much more virtue, than a late prelate of uncommon parts and learning, who from the pulpit endeavored to prove, that '•' in this life the virtuous man is moft mifer- ablc}"* and who, by all his aftions, efpecially, by his late monllrous pra6Hces, fhewed how firmly he had be- lieved his own dotlrine; and how refolved he was, that virtue fhou d not make his prefent life miferablc. £. I grant you, it is of the utmoft confcquence to the common-wealth, that youth fhould be rightly inflrutlcd in all (uch principles as promote the common good ; but can you imagine pagan philofophers could infufe more generous fentiments into them, than Chriftian cler- gy-men ? A. I do not think fo, when they are fuch clergy-men C/t-^-^ as thofe who have at prefent the inltruBing our youth ; otherwifc I cannot help giving into the fentiments of a noble author, who, fpeaking of the education of youth, vvhen inftrutled by philofophers, fays, "It. tended to make them as ufcful to the Ibciety the lived in as poffi- ble. There they were trained up to exercife and labor, to accuftom themft-Kes to r.n active life; no vice was more infamous than (loth, nor any man more contempt- ible, than he who was too lazy to do all the good he could. The le6ures of their philofophers (erved to quicken ihesn up to this; (hey recommended above ail things the duty to their country, the prelervation of the 'aws and public liberty; fubfervient to which they •> ,«, ..o.| .,,. '• I,;,, fermon oi\ Mi. Boimcf. 146 CHPvISTI ANITY AS preached up moral virtues, Cuch as fortitude, temper- ance, jqftice, a contempt of death, &c. They taught their youth how, and when to fpeak pertinently; how to a6l like men, to fubdue their paflions, to be public- fpiritcd ; to defpife death, torments and reproaches, rich- es, and the fmilcs of princes as well as their frowns, if they flood between tl.em and their duty. This manner of education produced men of o! another Pamp than ap- pears now upon the theatre of the world, fuch as we are fcarce worthy to mention, and mufi: never think to imi- tate, till the like manner of inftitution grows again into reputation : Which in enflaved countries it is never like to do, as long as the ecclefiallics, who harve an oppofite intereft, keep not only the education of youth, b«t the confciences of old men in their hands." B. This, I. confefs, is the right way to prevent im- morality j but if every thing, as you contend, ought to be looked on as fuperftitious which is not of a moral nature, fuperO.ition has fprcad itlelf over the face of (he earth, and prevailed more or lefs to all times and piace5. A. This is no more than what hath been owned long ago by a very good judge, Vv?ho fays, fuperjlitio fiifaper o^tntes^ opp'vcjfit omnium Jere anmios, atque hominum oc^ Gupavit imbeciUUat:m. And the univerfality of fuperfli- ?ion is in efiPeft owned by every fe8, in affirming thai ibperftition is crept into ail {cB.^-, and that it is the chief hufinefs of their refpeBive teachers (o promote it : And is it poffible to be otherwife, as long as men are tau.^ht to build their religion on a narrower foundation, than that on which the univerfal being has univerfdlly laid It? It is the obfervation o^ the naturalifts, that there is no fpecies of creatures, but what have fome innate weak- nefs, which makes them an eafy prey to other animals, that know how to make the advantage of it : Now the peculiar foible of mankind is fuperftition, which at a;} times has made them liable to be pvaclifed on, not by creatures of different fpecies, but by thofe of their ov,-n ; ^.vho. by a confident pretence of 'niowipg more thaa OLD AS THE CRli ATI ON'. I47 luC! rr ighbors, have firft circaniveiued ihe many, the crc^^ik!us a»rl unwai)'; and iifterwards forced ihc free- thinking few into an oijtw^aid compliance: And as far as we hive an account of things, wc (hall find that moft of the prevailing rupnllitioiis have been ere61cd on this foundation, and to it ov\»e their whole fupport. And whoever knows any thing of France and Italy, not t(y niention other countries, cannot but know that the bet- ter fort are ienfible of the prevailing abfurdities ; but, overawed by the priefts and mob, are forced to fub- mif. And, The more fuperOition the people have, the cafier they may be impoied on by befieging ecclefiaftics ; and the Ids religion the clergy have, the more unanimous they will be carrying on their common intereft ; and when i!», clergy are without religion, and the people abound in ruperilition, the church, you may be lure, js in a flourifhing cojidition ; but in great danger, when incii place ihcir religion in morality : For then all indif- ferciu things are looked on as they are in their own na- ture, indifferent; then the people have no fuperfti- tious veneration for tbe pcrfons of men, and the clergy are ellocmed only in proportion to the good they do; and every evil they conunit is reckoned a breach of truft, they being maintained by the people chiefly to fet them good examples: But this method of gaining all that re- verence and authority they pretend to, has, it fecms, been too laborious and fcrvile. They have (I mean, where popery prevails) as mailers of the religious cere- monies, molt elfeBually gained their end, by introduc- itjg fuch things inro religion, as have promoted a fuper- fiitious veneration to themfclves ; and made people be- lieve, ihit the ciiicf means to obtain their eternal hap- pinefs, were of a diiiercnt nature from ihofe, which can led (heir temporal happinefs ; and only to be dif- penfed by them, in order to get the fole management of fpiriiu.'.ls to themfelves ; and confcquently, (fince there cannot be at the fame time two fupreme powers) of tem- porals alfo : And fo well kavc they fucceeded, that, i" 148 CHRISTIANITY AS m tncrft places, the temporal intereft of the clergy paffes for the fpiritual of the laity. There are two ways which never fail to make fuper- ftition prevail ; myfteries to aniufe the cnthufiafts, efpe- cially the pretenders to deep learning, and all that ad- mire what they do not underftarid ; and gaudy fhew, and pompous ceremonies, to bewitch the vulgar: And the popifti church, whofe conduft Ihews how well they un- derftand their intereft may vie with the old Egyptian church for myfteries; and Pagan Rome muft yield to Chriftian Rome in fuch fiiews, rites, and ceremonies, as dazzle the eyes of the people, and infenfibly gain their hearts ; and the more there are of thefe in any church, the more the clergy, the holy difpenfers of them are re- verenced ; not to fay adored by the unthinking multi- tude ; as they are in the church of Rome. " That church has," as archbifhop Tilloifon obferves, " weak- ened the force of Chriftianity upon the hearts and lives of men, by amufing them with external rites, which they have multiplied to that exceflive degree, as to make the yoke of Chnft really heavier than that of Mofes; and the Chriftian religion a more external and carnal com- mandment than that of the law; and have diverted the minds of men from the main defign of Chriftianity. They have had no leifure to think of being good men, and to mind the great and fubftaniial duties of the Chrif- tian life. The fimplicity of the Chriftian worfhip they have incumbered with fo many frivolous rites and obfervances, as not only render it more burdenfom-e, but lefs apt to make men inwardly and fabftantially good, than Judaifm itfelf " This great man obferves, that " ihofe tilings which are agreeable to our nature, our reafon, and our inte- reft, are the great things which our religion requires of us. And that mankind might have no pretence left to excufe them from thefe, the Chriftian religion has fet free from thofe many outward pofative obfervances, that the Jewifh religion was incumbered wi.hal; that we might be wholly intent on thefe great duties, and / OLD AS THE CREATION. I49 mind nothing in compaiifon of the real, and fubflantial virtues of a good life." If fo, can wc fuppofe the Chrif- ( tian religion has fupcraddcd an^pjitwJard4?£)lLii-i:e things /c!«'4l. »- of its own. to hinder us from being vholly intent on; ^ thcfe duties ? The popifli priefls are fo Far from giving iliC people anv jufl; idea of God, that ihcy rcprrleni him as an arbi- trary and tyrannical being, impnfing, on the higheft pain, the pra6ticc of ridiculous ceremonies, iand the be- lief of abfurd doftrines; as a faniaftical being, angry without cfiufe, and pleafed without reafon ; as a vain- glorious being, fond of having his niinilters and fdvor- ites, that is, themfelvcs, live in pomp, fplendor, and luxury, to the miferabie oppreflion of the people. But it is no wonder, that tViey are made to believe, that God requires the obferving indifferent things on the fe- vered penalties ; fince their priefts claim the fame pow- er, in making fuch things necefl'ary to the communicat- ing in their holy church ; out of which, they affirm, fal- vation is not to be had. I wifh I could fay, the popifh priefts only were guilty of this horrid impiety ; and that fome others had not been as xealous for impofing fuch things, by making them neceffary terms of communion, and damning thofe thatdurft not comply with them ; and who feem to be of the fpirit with the famous bifhop Gunning, who, when the prefbyterians urged thai lights, holy water, and fuch like, might as well be impofed as the crofs and lurplice ; replied, the more the better. But if e-xternal rites, as archbifhop Tillotfon obfcrves, have eat out the heart of religion in the church of Rome; by parity of reafon, rehgion flKuiM feem to have made the deepell impreflTion on the Quakers, who are the moft averfe to things of this nature ; and are therefore hated by the formalifts of all churches. B. Senfible things make a deeper impredion on the minds of the common people than words; and there- fore, the ufing fyrnholical reprefeniafions being for the advantage of religion, why mav they ncn be ordiunedof God ? T50 CHIRSTIANITY AS A. If you mufl; have recourfe to words, to explain the fignification of fuch fymbols, are they not arbitrary marks, whofe meaning cannot be known, but from words; and, not being capable of expreiTing things more fully than words, wholly needlefs as to that pur- pofe? Nay, words themfelves being but arbitrary figns, to multiply fuch figns needlefsly would be very abfurd. As to fenfible things making a deeper impreffion on the common people, that, I prefuvne is a juft reafon a- gainft their ufe in religon ; becaufe the vulgar, who ge- nerally look no farther than externals, do not ufe them barely, as they do words, to exprefs their meaning; but conceive in them, I know not what internal holinefs; and think fuch fymboiical rsprefentations as neceffary as the things rcprefented by them; nay, by degrees, for- getting the reafon of their inftitution, come to idolize them, as the Ifraelites did the brazen ferpcnt : And this ihc people have always done in all religions whatever, xvhere thefe fymbolical rep re fen tations have been uTed. The chief caufe of the Egyptians falling into groffer idolatries than od)er lefs knowing nationi^, no doubt, owing to the ufe of hieroglyphics in their religious wor- fliip: An 0X5 that laborious and ufeful animal, was at firfl only a fymbolical reprefentation; the meaning of which, the people in time forgetting, fell to down- right adoring the bead; ant^ perhaps, it was for the fi-ime reafon that leeks and onions, and other garden-fluff came likewifeto to be worfiiipped. But without look- ing into the Pagan world, and Ihewing by what degrees rhcy ca;ne to worfliip thofe fenfible reprefentations, fta- tues and images; whoever refle61s on the ufe the Pa- piPts have made of fuch things, mufl fee how fatal it i.s to bring then into religion : The images and pi£lures of faints, and crofTes were firft introduced, on pretence, that being fenfible reprefentations, they might ferve to excite people's devotion; but that end was foon forgot- ten, and the fuperflitious vulgar worlhipped the very i- inages, pittures, and crofTes. I need not tell you what iranfubltantialion, confubftantiation, real orefence, and OLU AS THE CUE Ml ON. i^t Other abfurditics of that nature are owing to ; and what mifchicfs they have occafioned : But fuppofing fuch fymbolical rcprcfentaiions might be occafionally ufed ;is ii not, for the reafons already given, incum!)ent on the parlies concerned, to appoint, alter, and very them as occafion requires? B. If God has delegated to the clergy a power tvO con- fccraie perfons and things; can any, whether prince or people, dilpenfe with this power, and fubfttiute thingg unconlecratcd ? A. As God alone is abfolutely holy, fo men may be faid to be more or lefs holy, according as they imitate him; and as his holinefs confifLs in a good and pious dirpofition of mind ; f > ihc aflions of men are no other- wile holy, but as they flow from, and arc figns of a holy difpofition. Inanimate things can only be faid to have a relative holinefs, as made ufe of in atlions, by which men cxi)refs that holy difpofition ofmind, and can la(t no 'ongcr than they are thus employed. What holinefs, either rciil or relative, would the ark now have? Tho' it once had fuch a legal holinefs, that more than fifiy ih niCand reapers were deflroyed for peeping into it.* Nay, perfons who want all real holinefs, may yet have a relative holinefs, as miniflcrs employed by the con^ gtegntion nbout holy things; but this can be no more than a derivative holinefs, and can lalt no longer than the holy aftion they arc about; and belortgs equally to thofe from whom it is derived. Thus all the relative holinefs which concerns public v.'orfhip, whether as to perfons, places, or things, mufl be derived from the congregation; and nothing lure can be more abfiird^ rhan to imagine the clergy, by at.y form of word,>, cm beftow any permanent holinefj, whether real or relative, of timber, (tone, &c. And therd'ore the method ufed by archbifhop Laud, in confocraling a church, was ge- nerally cried out on as profane, and tending to juiiify thofe cDnfecrations ufed in the Greek and Latin church- es, whereby ihey cheat the people o? immcnf? f'jns 152 CHRISTIANITY AS But It is no wonder, if they who claim this power in re- lation to inanimate things, (hould pretend to convey men, though ever fo wicked, a real inherent, nay, inde- lible holy chara6ler; though v.'herein that con fi (Is, they themfelves cannot tell. But, "What the prieRs aim at, by this cant, is to make peo- ple believe their prayers are of greater efficacy than thofe of rhe unfanQified laity; very well knowing, that if the people were To weak as to believe it, they would be thought neccfiary on all occafions efpecialiy to perfons on their death beds. What advantages they have made by being then thought thus neceffary, no one can be ig- norant of. I do not wonder, (hat fo loofe an haranouer as St. Chryfoftom fhould fay, " The prayers of the peo- ple, which are weak in themfelves, laying hold on the more prevailing prayers of the prieRs, may, by them, be conveyed to Heaven." But I admire, that the judicious bifhop Poiter, the king's profeffor of divinity at Oxford, iliould maintain the fame pofition, and think to fupport it by his father's authority : But this is modeft in com,- parifon of what Hi ekes, Brett, and others of that ftamp, affign to prielts ; in fuppofing they have fuch iranfcend- ent privileges by virtue of their indelible charafler, that they can bltfs or curfe authoritatively; nay, that their very prayers to God himfelf are authoritative prayers. B. Though fome have had too little regard for natu- ral religion, as being too ftubborn toyield to any felfifli views"; yet that will notjuftify you for levelling your arguments againft the divine omnipotency. Are we not the creatures of God; and may not our creator give us "what arbitrary commands he pleafes? A. Not to repeat what I have feid already, I fhall on- lyaflcyou, Why may not God deceive us ? Tell us one fihing, and aft the contrary? Is not his power abfolute? and his will who can rehlt ? Would you not reply, that God, as he is infinitely good and happy, can have no motive to deceive us ? And that he could do whatever he thought lit for the good of his creatures, wiihoJU having recourfe to fuch mean fliiQs ? And will not thi., OLD AS THE C K £ A X 1 O M . 153 Teafon equally hinder him from burdening us wlrh arbi- trarv commands? Is not one as much as the other, in- confiflcnt with his wifdom and goodnefs, by which his power is aIv\^,iysdircQed ? And oF the two it fliould fccrn lefs abfurd, that God might deceive for thrir good, than impole arbitrary things on them for their hurt; by annexing levcre penalties on non-obfervance. B. May not God give us arbitrary commands to try our obedience ? A. A man, who knows not the hearts of others, nor forefees how they will aft, may think it prudent to try people in things of little or no moment, before he truds them in greater; but God, who fore knows what men will do on all occafions, can need no fuch trial. If earthly kings, who may be deceived, and for the molt part are fo, would be juflly efleemed tyrants, if they require things of their fubjeds merely to try their obe- dience ; how can we think this of the Omnifcient, infi- nftclv glorious king of kings? Though was a trial ne- ccflary, moral and immoral things would be the mofl proper I'ubjefts for it; becaufe we cannot praftice one, or refrain from the other, without fubduing our lufls and pafTions : But what fpeculative articles will not an ill man profefs? Or what indifferent things will lie not praftife, to be indulj^ed in any one darling vice? And now do not you think we may jullly conclude, that whatfoever God requires us to believe, orpraclife, is purely for our good; and confcqucntly, that no be- lief, or praftice, which does not contribute to that good, can come from God ; and therefore, as lone; as we adhere to what realon reveals to us concerning the goodnefs of God, by admitting every thing in religion which makes for the the good of man, and nothing (hat dops not, we cannot miflake our duty either to God or man. ;\.nd therefore I fliall conclude this head with a quo- tation from a noble author: "To believe, tJiat every thing is eov-crncd, ordered, or rcgulaied for the belf, T H|N 154 CKHI3T i A;V IT V A a by a deligning principle, or mind, ncccflarily good and permanent, is to be a perfcfl Theifl. " To believe no one fupreme defigning principle, or mind, but rather two, three, or more, (though in their nature good] is to be a Polylbcifi. " To believe the governing rr.ind, or minds, not ab- folutely and neceirarily good, nor confined to what is belt, buL capable gf" a61ing according to mere will or fancy, is to be a Dasmonift."'* CHAP. XII 'Thai they, who, to magnify revelation, weaken the force of the religion of reafon and nature, frike at all religi- on ; and there can7iot hetzvo independent rules for the governnieni of human aBions. B. TN my opinion you lay too great a flrefs on fallible A reafon, and too little on infallible revelation ; and therefore I muft needs fav, your arguing wholly from leafon would make fome of lefs candor than rnyfelf,tal(e you for an errant free-thinker. A. Whatever is true by reafon, can never be falfe by revelation ;. and if God csnnot be deceived himfclf, tH-be willing, to deceive men, the light he hath given to Jillinguifh between religious truth and faliehood, can- not, if duly attended to, deceive them in things offo great moment. They who do not allow reafon to judge in matters oi opinion or fpeculation, are guihyofas great abfurdity as the papifts, who will not allow the fenfes to be judges in the caieof tranfubflantianon, though a matter dire8y under their cognizance; nay the abfurdity, I think, r> * Charaftcril ,iVol. c o. 15. oLi> A<^. iTn-, crkatio>: *5i j.itci in the firft cafe, becaufe rcafon is to jiulae whe- ther our (cnfcs arc d^rccivcd : Aru] if DO texts ouoht to be admitted as a proof in a matter cot)trary to feiiiL', they ought certainly as litdc to be adtniitcd in any point con- trary to rcafon. In a word, to fuppofe any thing in revelation incon- iiftcnt with rcafon, atid, at the fame lime, pretend it to be the will of God, is not only to dcfiroy that proof, on which we conclude it to be ihe will of God, but e- veu the proof of the being of a God; fince if our rea- foning faculiics duly attended to can deceive us, we can- not be furc of the truth ol any one propo{i:ion ; but ev- (;iy thing would be alike uncertain, and we (liould for ever fliicluatc in a date of univerfal fcepticifm : Which {hews how ahlurdly ihcy aB, who, on pretence of mag- nifying tjjidilioUj endeavor to weaken the force of rca-~ fon, (though to be fure they always except their own ;) and ther-cby foolidily fap the foundation to fupport the lupcrftruBure; but as long as reafon is againft men, they will be againfl reafon. Wc muft not, therefore, be furprized, to fee fome endeavor to reafon men out of their reafon ; though the very attempt to deftroy rea- fon by reafon, is a dcmonllration men have nothing but rcafon to trud to. And to fuppofe any thing can be true by revelation, which is falfe by reafou, is not to fupport that thing, but to undermine revelation ; becaufe nothing unreafon- able, nay, what is not highly realonable, can come from a God of unlimited, univerfal, and eternal reafon. As evident as this truth is, yet that fhall not hinder me from examining in a proper place, whatever you can urge from revelation. And give' me leave to add, that I fliall not be furprized, if for fo laudable an attempt, as reconciling rcafon and revelation, which have been fo long fet at variance, I fhouid be cenfured as a free- thinker; a title, that, however invidious it may feem, I am far from being afhamed of; fince one may as well fuppofe a man can rcafon without thinking at all, as rea- ion Well witho'it thinking fre<.']v. But, 156 CHRISTIANITY A5 The irreconcilable enemies of reason feeing it too grofs, in this reafoning age, to attack reafon openly, do it covertly under the name of free-thinking; not dcfpair- ing, but that the time may come again, when the laity fliall ftifle every thought riling in their minds, though with ever fo much appearance of truth, as a fuggeftion of fatan, if it claflies with the real, or pretended opin- ions gf their priefts. B. Though you talk fo much about reafon, you have not defined what you mean by that word. A. When we attribute any operation to it, as diftin- guiftiing between truth and falfehood, &c. we mean by it the rational faculties ; but when we afcribe no fuch o- peration to it, as when we give a reafon for a thing, &c. ' we then underfland by it, any medium, hy which our rational faculties judge of the agreement or difa^reement of the terms of any propofition; and if an author writes intelligibly, we may eafily difcern in which of ihefe two fenfes he takes the word. But to go to the bottom of this matter; It will be lequifite to give a more diftinfl account of reafon in both thefe fenfes. By the rational facul- ties then, we mean the natural ability a man has to ap- prehend, judge, and infer : The immediate objefts of which faculties are, not the the things themfelves, but the ideas the mind conceives of them. While our ideas remain fingle, they fall under the apprehenfion, and are exprelTed by fingle terms ; when joined, under the judgment, and exprelfed by propofitions ; when fo joined as to need the intervention of fome othei^ idea to compare them with, in order to form a iud^menl, they become by that intervention, the fubjcclof inter ence, or argumentation ; ;md this is termed, lyliogifmj or argument. It mull be obfcrved too, that all the] ideas we have, or can have, are either by fenfatiou orj refleftion ; by the firll, we have our ideas of what pai- fes, or exifts without ; by the fecond, ot what paifcs,! or exifts within the mind : And in the vicv/, or con-'j emplation of thefe cor.ffis all cur Irncwlicgc; tha: OLD AS T1U-. CR RATIO*!. 15^ being nothing but the perception oi tlic agicemcnr, or dilagricmeiit of our ideas. And any two of theft., 'hen joined togetlier, fo as to be alfirmcd or denied of each oiher, make what we call a propolilion ; wl-.en confidered apart, what we call the terms of that piopo- fition ; the a^jrc-Cinent, or difagrecment of which terms being expreifed by the rightly allirming, or denying them of each other, is what wc call truth ; the percep- tion of their agrcemcntor difagrccmqnt, is what we term knowlcdLie : This knowlcdf(c accruea either im- f> ..." mediately on the bare intuition of thcfe two idcus, or terms fo joined, aijd is therefore flylcd intuitive knowledge; or felf-evident truth; Or by the interven- tion of fomc other idea, or ideas, as a conimoinin conveyance topofterity; much Icfs that this, or that, has been conveyed intire to diftant times and places ; cfpecially, if the -fcvelation be of any bulk; and which may have gone through the hands of men, who, no' only in the dark ages of the church, but even in the be- ginning, if we judge by the number of corrupted paiTa- ges, and even forged books, vere capable of any pious fraud. Nay, the very nature of probability is fuch, that were it only left to time itfelf, even that would wear it quit-e out ; at lead if it be true what r nathematic ians pretend to demonftrate, viz. that the probability of fafts depending on human teflimony, muft gradually leffen in proportion to the diftance of the time when ihcy were done. And we have a reverend divine^ who has pub'^ lifhed, as he thinks, a demonflraiion of this, with rela- tion to fafts recorded in fcripture ; and has gone fo far as to fix the precife time, when all probability of the truth of the hiitory of Chrift, will be entirely fpent, and exhaufted, Archbifhop Laud fays, thai *^ the aflent %ve yield to this main point of divinity, that the fcripture is the word of God, is grounded on no compelling or demonllrative ratiocination, but relies on tine ftrength of faith more than any one principle whatever." And by the confef- fion of the befl: proteftant writers, the internal excellen- cy of the Ctiriftian dofhrines is the main proof of their coming from God; and therefore, Mr. Chillingworth fays, " For my part, I profefs, if the doftrine of the fcripture was not as good, and as fit to come from God, the fountain of goodnefs, as the miracles, by which it was confirmed, were great; I fliould want one main pillar of my faith : And for want of ir, I fear, flioulcl be much ftaggered in it." OLD AS THE CRF.ATION. l6l Thi$» I think, may be fufficicnt to fhcw, what a fol- ly they arc guilty of, who, in order to advance the cre- dit of revelation, endeavor to weaken the force of rea- fon. B. I do not think we ought to have the famfe regard for rcafori as men had formerly ; when that was the folc rule God had given them for the government of their aftions; fince now we ChrilHans have two fuprcme, in- dependent rules, reafon and revelation; and both re- quire an abfolute obedience. A. I cannot fee how that is pofTible; for if you are to be governed by the latter, i haXJ^^pcife.s yau. muft ixryr^Mn take every think on triin:; or merely becaufe it is faid by thofe, for whole diftates you are to have an implicit faith : For to examine into the truth of what they fay, is renouncing their authority; as on the contrary, if men are to be governed by their reafon, they are not to admit any thing farther than as they Ice it rcafbnabie. To fuppofe both confiflcnt, is to fuppofeit confiilent to lake, and not to take, things on truft. To receive religion on the account of authority fup- pofes, that if the authority promulgated a different reli- gion, we fliould be obliged to receive it; and indeed, it is an odd jumble, to prove the truth of a book bv the dotlrines it contains, and at the fame time conclude thofe do61rines to be true, becaule contained in that book; and yet this is a jumble every one makes, who contends for men's being abfolutely governed both bv reafon and authority. What can be a fuller evidence of the fovereignity of reafon, than that all men, when there is any thing in their traditional religion, which in its literal fenfe can- not be defended by reafon, have recourfe to any mc- tiiod of interpretation, though ever fo forced, in order to make it appear reafonable. And do not all parties, when preffed, as they are all in their turns, lay with Tevtullian, " We ought to interpret fcripture, not by the found^of words, but by the nature of things ?" Malo ''.'• ad fcnfam '>-(i, qvam, ad fonum vocalndi cxerccas. Em \: lOs CHRISTIANITY AS fomelimcs the letter of the fcripture is fuch an authority, as cannot be parted with without facrilegc ; and fomc- times it is a letter which killeih. In a word, when men, in defending their own, or attacking other traditionary religions, have recourfe to the nature or reafon of things ; does not that fhew, they .. believe the truth of all traditionary religions is to be tried by it; as being that, which muft tell them what is true or faHe in religion ? And were there not fome truths relating to religion of ihemfelves fo evident, as that all muft agree in them, nothing relating to religion could be proved, every thing would want a farther proof ; and if there are fuch evident truths, muft not all others be tried by their agreement with them ? And are not thefe the tefts, by which we are to diftinguifti the only true religion from the many falfe ones ? And do not all par- ties alike own, there are fuch (efts drawn from the na- ture of things, each crying their religion contains every things worthy, and nothing unworthy of having God for its author; thereby confeffing that reafon enables them to tell what is worthy of having God for hs Author. And if reafon tells them this, does it not tell them eve- ry thing that God can be fuppoled to require? In fhort, nothing can be more certain, than that there are fome things in their own nature good, fome evil ; and others neither good nor evil ; and for the fame rea- fon God commands the good, and forbids the evil, he leaves men at liberty in things indifferent; it being in- confiftent with his wifdom to reward the obfervance of fuch things ; and with his goodnefs to punifti for not obferVing them. And as he could have no end in cre- ating mankind, bat their common good ; fo they anfwer the end of their creation, v/no do all the good they can; And to enable men to do this, God has given them reafon to diftinguifii good from evil, ufeful from ufclefs things t or in other words, has made them moral agents, capable of difcerning the relations they ftand in to God and one another; and the duties lefulr- ing from ihefe relations, fo necelfary to their commo:^ OLO AS THE CREATION. 1&3 good : And confcqucntly, religion, thus founded on thefe immutable relations, muft at all limes, and in all places, be alike immutable; fince external revelation, not being able to make any change in thefe relations, the duties tliat neccilarily reluli from them, can only rev commend, and inculcate thefe duties; except wc fup- pofe, that Cod at lad aftcd the tyrant, and impofed fuch commands, as the relations we Itand in to him, and one another, no ways require. To imagine any external revelation not to depend on the rcalon of things, is to make things give place to words ; and implies, that from the time this rule com menced, wc are forbid to aft as moral agents, in judg ing what is good or evil ; fit, or unfit; and that we ar" to make no other ufe of our rcafon, than to fee what h the literal meaning of the texts; and to admit that onl- to be the will of Godjthough ever fo inconfiflentwith the light of nature, and the eternal reafon of things. Is no this to infer, there is nothing good or evil in itfelJ, but that all depends on the will of an arbitrary being; -which, though it may change every moment, is to be unalterably found in fuch a book? And, All divines, I think, now agree in owning, that there is a law of reafon, antecedent to any externaJ revela- tion, that God cannot difpenfe, either with his crea- tures or himfelf, for not obferving; and that no exter- nal revelation can be true, that in the leaft circumftancc, or minuted point, is inconfident with it. If fo, how can we affirm any one thing in revelation to be true, un- til we perceive, by that underftanding, which God hath given us to difcern the truth of things ; whether it agrees with this immutable law, or not? If we cannot believe otherwifc than as things appear to our underdandings, to luppofe God requires us to give up our underdandings (a matter we cannot know but by ufing our underdanding) to any authority what- ever, is to fuppofe he requires impoffibilities. And our felf-cvident notions being the foundation of all certain- ty, we can only judge of things, as they are found to t64 CHRISTIANITY AS be more or lefs agreeable to them ; to deny this on any pretence whatever, can ferve only to introduce an uni- verfal fcepticifm. And tberefore,bifhop Taylor obferves, " It is reafon that is the judge; and fathers, councils, tradition and fcripture the evidence." And if reafon be the judge, can it form a right judgment, without exa- mining into every thing which offers itfelf for evidence? .Vnd would it not examine in vain, if it had not certain vefts, by which it could try all evidences relating to re- Jigious matters. B. Though reafon may be the judge ; yet the fcrip- ture, we fay, is the rule, by which reafon mull judge of the truth of things. A. If it be fuch a rule, muft it not have all the qua- lifications neceffary to make it fo ? But if reafon mud tell us what thofe qualifications are, and whether they are to be found in fcripture; and if one of thofe quali- fications is, that the fcripture muft be agreeable to the nature of things; does not that fuppofe the nature of things to be the ftanding rule, by which we muft judge of the truth of all thofe doQrines contained in the I'crip- tures ? So that the fcripture can only be a fecondarv rule, as far as it is found agreeable to the nature of things; or to thofe felf-evident Boiions, which are the foundation of all knowledge and certainty. In fhort, no man can any more difcern the obje8s of his own underftanding, and their relations, by the faculties of another, than he can fee with the eyes of an- other; or that one fliip can be guided by the helm of another: And therefore, he, who demands the aft'ent oi a man to any thing, without conveying into his mind fuch reafons as may produce a fenfe of the truth of it; erefcts a tyranny over his underftanding, and demands an impoffible tribute. No opinion, though ever fo cer- tain to one man, can be infuled into another as certain, by any method, but by opening his underftanding. fo that he may find the reafonablenefs of it in his own mind : and confequently, the only criterion, by which he tries h}s own rcafonings, muft be the internal evidence he OLD AS THE CRIATTON. ifir, : A already of certain truths, and the agrceablenefs of ni> inferences to thenr). And, To fuppofc a creature to have reafon to direfcl Mm, and that he is not to be dirc6ed by it, isa contradi^ion; and if ^ve are religious as we are rational, can religion oblige us not to be governed by reafon, though but for a moment? Nay, what is the religion of all rational be- ings, but what the ("cripturc terms it, a reafcmahle fcr- vice? Or, their reafon employed on luch fubje61s. as conduce to the dignity of the rational nature? So that religion and reafon were not only given for the fame end, the good of mankind ; but they arc, as far as fuch fubje61s extend, the fame, and commence together. And if God can no othcrwife appl ;- to men. but by ap- plying to (heir reafon, (which he is continually doing bv the light of nature) does he not by that bid ihcm ufe tlieir reafon ? And can God at the fame time forbid it, bv re- quiring an implicit faith in any perfon whatever ? If you allow, that men by their reafoning faculties arc made alike unto God, and framed after his inia from the marks we difcern in the laws of the univerfe, and its government, that we can demondrate ii to be governed by a God of infinite wifdom and goodncfs ; He, whofc reafon does not enable him to do thi>, can neither dilcern the wifdom, goodncfs, or even the be- ing of a God. They only anfwer the end for which their reafon wav< given them, who judge of the will cf God, by the rea- fonablencfs and goodncfs of dotlrincs; and think his j66 chirstianity a& laws, like his works, carry in them the marks of divirs- ity ; and they likewife do the greatcft honor to the (crip, ture, who fuppofe it deals with men a« with rational creatures; and therefore admit not of any its doftrines without a ftrift examination : And thofe who take a con- trary method, would, if they lived in Turky, embrace Mahometanifm, and believe in the Alcoran. And indeed, a blind fubmiffion is fo far from doing credit to true religion, that it puts all religion on the fame foot; for without judging of a religion by its inter- nal marks, there is nothing but miracles to plead; and miracles true or falfe, if they arc believed (and where are they not ?) will have the fame effe6l : Nay, if mira- cles can be performed by evil, as well as by good be- ings, the worft religion may have the moft miracles, as needing them moft. And it was a proverbial faying a- jncng the philofophers of Greece, Thaumana morois miraclesfor fools, and reafons for wife men. The Baeo- fians were remarkable for their ftupidity, and the num- ber of their oracles ; and if they look no further than the chriftian world, you will find, that ignorance, and the belief of daily miracles go hand in hand; and that their is nothing too abfurd for the people's belief. And if the moft learned Huetius gives us a true account of thingSj there are no miracles recorded in the bible, but many of the like nature are to be found in Pagan hiftories. Would not Chriftians themfelves, think it a fufficient proof of a religion's not coming from God, if it wanted any of thofe internal marks, by which the truth of reli- gion is to be tried, without inquiring into its miracles, or any other its external proofs ? and confequently, wherever thefe internal marks are found, are not exter- nal marks needlefs ? But, How can we maintain, that the fcripture carries with it all thofe internal marks of truth, which are infepara- ble from the laws of God ; and at the fame time affirm, it requires an implicit faith, and blind obedience to all its dictates? If it does fo, how could we have imagined whether it had thofe internal marks ? Or can we fay, we OLD AS THE CRKAXrON. 167 cannot know without the fcriplure, what are the inter- nal marks of truth ; and at the fame time fuppofe, we muft by our rcafon know what are thofe marks, before we can tell whether they are to be found in the fcrip- ture ? If our nature is a rational nature, and our religion a reafonable fervicc, there muft be fuch a ncceffary, and clofe connexion between them, as to leave no room for any thing that is arbitrary to intervene : And confc- quently, the religion of all rational beings muft confift, in ufing fuch a condu6\ to God, and their fellow-crea- tures, as reafon, whatever circumftance they are in, does direft. We find St. Paul himfelf faying, that though we, (the apo(lles) or an angel from Heaven, preach any a- iher gofpel, let him be accurfed :* And is not laying the whole ftrefs on its internal marks? Since there is noth- ing in the nature of fuch things as have not thofe marks, to hinder them from being changed every moment. And as to thofe who dcprefs realon, in order to exalt revelation, I would afk them ; what greater proof the fcripture can give us of the reflitude of human under- ftanding in religious matters, than calling it the infpira- tion of the aimighty ;t or than God's frequently appeal- ing to it, for the jaftificaiion of his own condufl? In the prophet Ilaiah, God reprefenting his own con- du6l towards his people, under the parable of a vine- yard, exprefsly fays, O ye inhabitants of Jerufalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, between me and my vineyard. + And in Ezekial, God, after a long vindication ol his carriage towards his people, appeals to them, faying, hear now, O houfe of Ifrael, is not my ways equal ? Are not your ways unequal ?^ And in the prophet Micha, he fays, He will plead with them; alks what he has done, and bids them teltify againft him.|| And in the prophet Ifaiah, after the Lord had faid, * ChI. i. 8. + job xxxii. 8. t If^- •^'- 3.- ^ E^.ck. xvi = i. 25. Mich. vi. 2, ^. l68 CHRISTIANITY AS Wafii ye, make ye clean, put away the the evil of yom doings from before mine eyes; ceafe to do evil, learn to do well ; feek judgment, relieve the oppreffcd ; judge the fatherlefs, plead for the widow ; he adds, come now, let us reafon together; though your fins be as fcarlet, they fhall be as white as fnow.* Does not God here appeal to their reafon for the fufficiency of moral things, to wafli away their fins, though of the dcepeft dye ? And could God and man reafon together, except there were fome notions in common to both ; fome foundation for fuch reafoning? Otherwife could Job fay, I defire to reafon with God ?t And certainly, the next thing to reafoning with God, is reafonmg with one another about God and religion; that being the chief end, for which our reafon was given us. Thus Paul reafoned in the fyngogue every Sabbath. And again, he reafoned with them out of the fcriptures. And as he reafoned of righieoufnefs, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled ■,'^ Which, certainly, be had never done, had Paul talked about types, allegories, rites and ceremonies, Sac. B. You argue as if we had no certain way of know- ing the will of God, except from the light of nature, and that eternal rule of reafon, by which you {uppofe, God governs all his own a6^ions, and expefts men fhould govern all theirs; but may not God take what methods he pleafes to communicate his mind ? A. This all traditional religions with equal confidence, afiert; and they would have equal right to plead it, if reafon did not afford men certain criteria to know the will of God by, which way foever revealed. If God created mankind to make them happy here, or hereafter, the rules he gave them, mud be fuificient r.o anfwer that benevolent purpofe of infinite wifdom; and confequently, had mankind obferved them, there could have been no occafion for an external rcvela- * Ifa. i. 16, 18. + Jobxiii- 3. t ASs xviii. 4. c. xvii, 2, c. xxiv. c T. OLD AS THE CREATION. I69 tion ; and its great u{c now is, to make men obferve ' ihofe ncglc6lcd rules, which God, of his infinite wif- dom and goodncfs, dcfigned for iheir prelcnt, and fu- ture happincfs. B. Do not our Divines fay, mankind were for many ages in a deplorable (late, for want of an external reve- lation ? A. If God does every thing that is fit for him to do, could men be in fuch a ftate, becaufe God did not do a thing, which was not fit for him to do, viz. make a revelation, before it was fit for him to make it? Or can the greateft part of mankind be now in that deplorable condition, for want of a revelation, which God, out of his infinite wildom, has not as yet thought fit to com- municate to them ; at lead with that evidence, as is nc- cefTary to make them believe it? Mud not thefe gentlemen fuppofe, that either God, in creating mankind, did not dcfign their future happi- nefs, though he gave them immortal fouls capable of it ; or elfe, that though he defigncd it, he prefcribed them fuch means, or gave them fuch rules, as either were not fuflicicnt at firfi ; or in procefs of time became infuffici- ent for that end ? But that after men had been, for many ages, in this miferable condition, God thought fit to mend the eternal, univerfal law of nature, by adding certain obfervances to it, not founded on the reafon of things; and that thofe, out of his partial goodnefs, he < ummunicated only to fome ; leaving the greateft part in their former dark and deplorable (hate ? But, Is it not incumbent on thofe, who make any external revelation fo neccfTary to the happincfs of all mankind, to fiiew, how it is confillent with the notion of God's ■ being univerfally benevolent, not so have revealed it to •ill his children, when all had equal need of ii ? Wa5 it not as eafy for him to have communicated it to all na- tions, as to any one nation, or perfon ? Or in all lan- guages, as ill any one? Nay was it not as eafy for him to have made all men, for the fake of this noble end, fpeak in one and the fame language ; as it was at firft^ X 170 CHRISTIANITY AS to multiply languages, to prevent their building a tower up to 1;^eaven ? Nay, I fee not how God can have any need at all of language, to let mankind know his will; fince he has at ail times communicated his mind to them without it, B. Thefe, I confefs, are confiderable difficulties ; but as to the lad difficulty, did not God give laws to the Jews, of which other nations knew nothing ? A. Nor were they concerned to know, or when known, obliged to obferve them; nor did they bind the Jews themfelves, for a time; and even then, they were for the mofi: part impra8icable out of the land of Canaan ; where God, as I fhall fully fhew hereafter, a6ted not as governor of the univerfe, but king of the Jews, by virtue of the Horeb covenant; which he ob- tained at his own requeft. But when God a6ls as gover- nor of the univerfe, his laws are all alike defigned for all under his government; that is, all mankind: And confequently, what equally concerns all, muft be equal- ly knowable by all. And if the univerfality ofalaw,^ be the only certain mark of its coming from the govern- or of mankind; how can we be certain, that, which wants this mark comes from him ? And if religion be- longs to UvS, as we are men; muft we not, as men, be capable of knowing it ? And if all mankind are crea- tpres of the fame creator, and fellow-creatures with one another, muft not all their religious duties, as they are creatures of the fame God, and fellow-creatures with one another, be the fame ? And let me add, that If men are religious, as they are rational ; muft they not be capable, v>'hcn they come to the ufe of their rea- fon, of knowing a religion founded on reafon ? Or muft they be obliged to leave their country, and endlefsly rove up and down, in fearch of fuch opinions as have no foundation in reafon? Or, if they are forced to ftay at home, be ever examining into all the arbitrary pre- cepts, which are to be met with in any of the traditional religions they can come at? And fliould they do (b, muft they nor, fince reafon could not direfl them in OLD AS THE CREATION . 7^ tilings not depending on reafon, perpetually remain in a rtate oT'uiVccrtainty ? I might go farther, and afli you, whether it is confid- ent with that impariiality, which is cflcntial to the Dei- ty, not 10 make tiiofc, he defigns fhould know his will by revelation, capable of knowing that revelation; and confequenily his will, contained in it, at one time as well as another? Which could not be, if that which was plain at firR, became obfcure by reafon of the change of languages, cufloms, the diftancc of time and place, the errors of iranfcribers and traiiflators, and an hundred other things too long to mention. Can thefe difficulties be avoided, without fuppofing, that religion, which way foever revealed, carries fuch internal marks of truth, as at all times and places, plainly fhcws iifelf, even to the meaneft capacity, to be the will of a being of univerfa! and impartial benevolence, B. The greater ftrefs )ou lay on reafon, the more you extol revelation ? which being defigned to exalt and j^erfed our rational nature, mud be itlclf highly reafon- able. A. I grant you this is the defign of religion ; but have not the Ecclefiadics in moft places entirely defeated this defign, and fo far debafed human nature, as to render it unfociablc, fierce and cruel ? Have they not made external revelation the pretence of filling the Chridian world with animofity, hatred, perfecution, ruin and de- ftrufiion; in oirier to get an abfolute dominion over the confcicnces, properties and perfons of the laity? But paffing over this, if the perfe6lion of any nature, whether human, angelical, or divine, confifts in being governed by the law of its nature; and ours, in a61ing that part, for which we were created ; by obferving thofe duties, which are founded on the relation we dand in to God and one another; can revelation any otherwife help to perfe6l human nature, but as it induces men to live up to this law of their nature? And if this law is the ted of the perfcftion of any written lavr; mud not 172 CHRISTIANITY AS that be the moft perfeft law, by which the perfeQion of all others is to be tried ? And, If nothing but reafoning can improve reafoning, and no book can improve my reafon in any point, but as it gives me convincing proofs of its reafonablencfs ; a re- velation, that will not fuffer us to judge ot its dictates by our reafon, is fo far from improving realon, that it forbids the ufe of it; and reafoning faculties unexer- cifed, will have as little force, as nnexercifed limbs ; he that is always carried, will at length become unable to go : " And if the holy ghoft," as bifhop Taylor fays, " works by heightening and improving our natural fa- culties ;" it can only be by iifing fuch means as will im- prove them, in propofing reafons and arguments to con- vince our underflanding; which can only be improved, by ftudying the nature and reafon of things : I applied my heart (fays the wifeft of menj to know, and to fearch, and to feek out wifdom, and the reafon of things.* So that the holy ghoft cannot deal with men as ration- al creatures, but by propofing arguments to convince their underftandings, and influence their wills, in the fame manner as if propofed by other agents ; for to go beyond this, would be making imprellions on n^n, as a feal does on wax ; to the confounding of their reafon, and their liberty in choofing; and the man would then be merely paffive, and the aQion would be the aftion of another being a8ing upon him; for which he could be no way accountable : But if the holy ghoft does not aft thus, and revelation itfelf be not arbitrary; muft it not be founded on the reafon of things ? and confcquent- ly, be a republication, or reftoration of the religion of nature ? And fince that takes in every thing thus founded, all the help any authority whatever can afford a reafonable being, is the offering him arguments, of "which his own reafon muft judge : And when he per- ceives their agreement with his felf-evident notions, it h then, and only then, he can be fure of their truth. And OLD AS THE CREATION. 1^3 though men could not miflakc, as we fee ihey daily do, ^ a natural for a fupcrnaiual fuggcftion; yet whether that fuggellion comes from a good or evil being, (continualy tempting people) can only be judged by the nature of the things fuggefted. For it is in vain to have recourfe to miracles, if evil as well as good beings had the power of doing them. And fome are fo heterodox as to ima- gine, one reafon why evil boings are permitted to do miracles, is, Icil from the report of miracles (which is alike fpread every where, and for every religion] men might be tempted not to rely on the reafon and nature of things J and fo run into endlefs fuperftitions. And, God, in the old teftament,* is faid to fuffer miracles to be done by falfe prophets, in order to prove his peo- ple ; and in the new, fuch miracles as would, if it were pofiible, deceive the very eleft.t Infliort, revelation either bids, or forbids men to ufe ihcir reafon, in judging of all religious matters; if the former, then it only declares that to be our duty, which was fo independent of, and antecedent to revelation ; ifihelattqr, then it does not deal with men as with ra- tional creatures j but deprives them of that incftimablc bleffins. B. Who, I pray, maintains that revelation forbids us the ufe of our reafon, in judging the truth of any re- ligious matters ? A. Is not every one of this opinion, that fays, wc are not to read the fcripture with freedom of affenting, or diffenting, juft as we judge it agrees, or difagrees with the light of nature, and the realbn of things ? And this, one would think, none could deny was abfolutely ne- ceflary in reading a book, where it is owned the letter killeth. Nay, do not all in effc6l own as much, who will not allow the fcripture any.m.eaning, how plain (o- ever, but what is agreeable to their reafon ? Which ihcws, that in their opinion, reafon was rather given to lupply the defers of revelation, than revelation the dc- * D:ul. ;.;;:. 1,3. + Mr. wis'. 2.j[. T74 CHIRSTIANITY AS te^s of reafon. Is there a divine, who, though he pie- tends ev^r fo high a veneration for the fcripture, but will own there are many places, where it is neCefiary to re- cede from the letter, and find out a fenfe agreeable to his reafon ; which fuppofes it is that, and not the authority of the book, for that is the fame in both cafes, which makes him approve the literal fenfe in one cafe, and con- demn it in another. And were men not governed by their reafon, but by fome external revelation, they had nothing more to do, but to take the words of that reve Jation, in its literal, obvious, and plain meaning, how abfurd foever it might appear to their carnal reafon. B. We may take the words of fallible men in the plain, ■. literal fenfe ; but if any thing is laid by infallible men, I which in the obvious meaning of the words is inconfift- ent with reafon, we mull have recourfe to an allegoric- al fenfe ; or if that will not do, we mud put no meaning at all on the words : thus we fupport the dignity of both revelation and reafon. A. Is not this owning you take not your religion from thofe infallible men, but you endeavor to impofe that religion your reafon tells you is true, upon their words ; by allowing them no other meaning, how plain foever, but what you antecedently know by the light of nature lo be the will of God ? And, There is no book, but you may own its infallibility, and yet be entirely governed by your reafon, if you, as often as you find any thing not agreeable to your reafon, torture it, to make it fpeak what is fo. Would you think a Mahometan was governed by his alchoran, who, upon all occafions, fhould thus depart from the literal fenfe ; nay, would you not tell him, that his infpired book fell infinitely fliort of Cicero's uninfpired v/ritings ; where there is no fuch occafion to recede from the letter ? The Moammoritcs, a famous fe6l among the Maho- metans, and the Myfticks, very numerous in Turkey, fcnfible of the difficulties and uncertainties that attend all traditional fafts, maintain, that "God can never dif- cover himfelf with certainty any other way, than by OLD AS THE CREATION. 1^5 fpeaking to the rcafonand undcrrtanding of men ; for if we depend," fay they, " on oral tradition, we lay our- fclves open to the grcatcft falfitics and impofitions ; there being nothing lo liable to infinite changes and alter- ations ; numberlefs mi (lakes, additions and lubtra8ions, according as the opini(;ns of men vary by the change of times and circumftanccs : nor arc books more exempt from fuch doubtfulncfs and uncertainty ; fince we Hnd fo much difagrcemcnt among books wrote by different men, in different parts and different ages ; and even a- mong the different books of the fame men. But fup- pofe," continue they, '• wc fliould relolvc our whole faith into the fole text of the alchoran, the difificuliy and uncertainty will (till remain ; if we confidcr, how many metaphors and allegories, and other figures of fpeech ; how many obfcure,arabiguous, intricate and myllerious paffages arc to be met with in this infallible book ; and and how different are the opinions, cxpofiiions and in- terpretations of the moft fubtle doBors, and learned commentators on every one of them. The only fure way, then," add they, " to come to the certain know- ledge of the truth, is to conlult God himfclf, wait his infpirations, live juft and honed lives, be kind and be- neficent to all our fellow creatures, and pity fuch as dif- fer from us in their opinions about the authority, inte- grity, and meaning of the alchoran. , The Mahometans, though they own the law of Chrilt, yet they make it of no ufe, becaufe they fuppofe the law of Mahomet is more perfect ; and it is that they muff flick to : and do not fome men, by arguing much after the fame manner in relation to the gofpel, render the law of nature ufelels ? but if we are ftill moral agents, and as fuch are capable of judging between religion and fupcrdition ; can we think othcrwife or the j^ofpcl than that it is dcfigned, not to free us from the eternal law of nature, but from thofe abfurdities, which the folly or knavery of men have introduced in oppofiiion to it P Hence it is, that the fcripturc fpcaks in general terms, without definincj ihofc things which it commands, or for Ij6 CHRISTIANITY AS bids ; becaufeit fuppofes men moral agents, capable by their reafon to difccrn good from evil, virtue from vice, religion from (uperftition. If Mr. Locke reafons juftly, " no mifTion can be looked on to be divine, that delivers any thing derogat- ing from the honor of the one only true invifible God; or inconfiftent with natural religion and the rules of mo- rality ; becaufe God having difcovered to men the uni- ty and majefty of his eternal Godhead, and the truths of natural religion and morality by the light of reafon, he cannot be fuppofed to back the contrary by revelation ; , for that would be to dellroy the evidence and ufe of rea- fon, without which men cannot be able to diftingufh^' divine revelation from diabolical impofture." Does not this fuppofc, firft, that no miffion can be divine, or its revelation true, that admits of more than one only true invifible God ? Secondly, that men, by their reafon muft know, wherein the honor of this one only, true, invifible God confifts ; otherwife ihey might (for aught they know) be obliged by revelation to admit what is derogatory to his honor? Thirdly, they muft know by the light of reafon, what are the truths of natural religion and rules of morality ; becaufe other- wife they might be obliged to admit things inconfiftent -with them ; and that to fuppofe the contrary, would be to deftroy the ufe and evidence of reafon, without which. men would not be able to diftinguifh divine revelation from diabolical impofture ; which implies, that in thing* lending to the honor of God, and the good of mankind the dernier refort is to reafon ; wbofe diOates, as the) need no miracles for their fupport, fo all do8rines in- confiftent with them, though they plead endlels mira- cles, muft be looked upon as diabolical impoftures. When the apoftle fays, whatfoever things are true, whatfoever things are honeft, whatfoever things are juH, "whatfoever things are pure, whatfoever things are lovely, whatfoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, if there be any praife, think on thefe things;* *piii!. 4. e. OLD AS THl. CKtATION. lyy is not this referring us to the light of nature, to know what thefe things arc, which fhcw themfelvcs to be the will of God by their internal excellency ? B. Our divines, though they own reafon may do to- lerably well in things between man and man, yet in mat- ters relating to God, reafon, they lay, muil fubmit to &ith ; and that the chief end of revelation is lo give men, efpccially the common people, juft conceptions, and right notions of the nature and peifcflions of (^od ;. which they could never have from the dim light of na tiirc, without the help of revelation. A. Though they argue thus, yet at the fame time they find thcmfelves obliged to own, that the fcripturc, when taken literally, gives the vulgar falfc and unworthy no- tions of the divine nature ; by imputing, almoft every where, to God, not only human parts, but human weakncfs and imperfeflirtns ; and even the word of hu- man paflTions. To this, indeed, they have two anfwcrs, which feem inconfiftent : firfl, that it is neceffary to ac- commodate things in lome meafure to the grofs concep- tions of the vulgar. The other is, that reafon has given all men fuch juft conceptions of the divine nature, that there is no danger that even -the common people fliould »ake thefe exprefTions literally. B. Though reafon, on which you lay fuch flrefs, may demonftrate, that there are not more Gods than one ; yet reafon can never tell us, that there is more than one that is God t though reafon tells us, that there are not three Gods, yet reafon could never tell us, that, though in the idea of a divine perfon, the idea of God be included, each perfon being by himfelf God ; yet the multiplying of divine pcrfons, was not tlie multiplying of Gods? And though reafon declares there is diflercnce between three and one; yet reafon will never difcovcr, that there is no more in three pcrfons, than in one ; all cnd ; and men, in examining what he lays by that rcalon to which he appeals, wholly anfwcr ihe <-nd for which he argues witu them; though upoi^ examination, they arc noi convinced by his reafons. To require more, would be to require impoflibiliiies ; fincc it is not in the power of men. after they have confidcred things as well as they are able, to believe oihcrwifc than they do. And had ihc apolties (aid to thole they dcfign- ed to convert ; '• it will be an affront to our infallibil- ity, not to have an implicit faith in us ; not to take on content whatevei we fay ; you are, therefore, no longer to a6las moral agents, or to have recourfe to the effen- tial difference of good and evil ; to the light and law of narure or to the eternal reafon of things, to judge of the truth of what we declare. No, this is the faith, and thus you mull believe,o, perifh everlaftingly ;"* had the apoftles, I fay, talked after this manner, do you think, they could have gained one reafonable convert .? No, they knew full well, that this was not the way to deal with rational crratures ; they, on the contrary, as I fhall fully fhew hereafter, every where fpeak to this effeft : *' we defire you would, with the utmoft freedom, exa- mine our dotlrines ; fince if they are, as we affirm, true, they will not only bear the teft of reafon, but the more they are tried, the b ightcr they will appear : This will be enobling yourfelves, and doing jullice to your own undcrltandings, as well as to our doQrines."t If men- have any authority, it is then only, when they renounce all peremptory authority ; and inftead of claiming do- minion over the fairh of men, defire they would prove every thing by thofc tefts God had given them, in order to dil'cern good from evil ; truth f om falfehood ; religi- on from fupcrdition. Thus the apf>lile feeks to maintain his credit and authority with the Thcffalonians ; prove all things, fays he, hold fall: that which is good. B. Do not you, by laying fucha ftrefs on reafon, in e^e6i .^et afide revelation ? '■ 1 Thef. V. 21, '- A"' 2&4 CHRISTIANITY AS A. No, if revelation be a reafonable revelation, iht greater ftrefs we lay upon reafon, the more we edablifh revelation. B. But not on the foot of its ovm authority,but only a§ you judge it agreeable to reafon ; and therefore I quell ion, whether any of our eminent divines talk thus in commendation of reafon. to the difparagement of autho- rity. A. If reafon is all we rational creatures have to truff to, being that alone which diftinguifhes us from brutes, incapable of religion; divines, even thofe of the moft narrow principles, however they may fhuffle awhile, mult make reafon their dernier relort : but howev er, fmce reafon alone will not fatisfy you, but you muft have au- thority even againft authority, I fhall mention what fome of our moft eminent divines fay, when they are defend- ing revelation againft the attacks of infidels > or writing a- gainft the papifts, or men popiftily affefted. Dr. J, Clarke, Dean of Sarum, in defending Chrifti- anity againft the attacks of infidels, who charge it with requiring an implicit faith, thinks this fuch a fcandal to chriftianity, that a good part of his Boylean leftiires are to clear it from that charge : " We find" fays he " no command in fcripture to lay afideour reafon or under- ftanding 5 but dlreftly the contrary is there affirmed of the chriftian religion ■* viz. that it is our reafonable fer- vice : and therefore the method in which Chrft and his apoftles taught this fervice, was agreeable to reafon ; viz. by exhorting men to attend fenoufly,t to weigh diligently, their doctrines and precepts," Sec. and then aflvs, " are thete, and fuch like expreftions, calculated to enflave the underftandings of men, and to induce a blind and implicit obedience? Such methods may ferve the purpofe of fuperftition, but true religion can gain nothing by them." Dr. Whitchcot does this juftice to external revela- tion, as to fay, " The fcripture's way of dealing with - Ron-!, xii. 1. T Mst. xi. if.. OLD AS THE CREATIOM. 1 85 men in matters of religion, is always by evidence of rea- fon and argument; and very judicioufly adds, "I reckon, that which has not reafon in it, or for it, is the fupcrftition of man, and not religion of God's making." Whaf an infinity of difputes would this rule have cut off? What, I pray was the grand occafion qf fo many monftrous hercfies, even in the primitive times, but their believing the fcripture's way of dealing with men, was not by evidence of reafon ? And if any now think otherwife, are they not in danger of making no better diltinBion between religion and fiiperftition, than a mo- dern philolopher, who thus concifely dillinguifhes them ; talcs publicly allowed, religion; difallowed, fupcrfti- tion. Bifliop Hoadley, the ftrenous affertcr of our religi- ous, as well as civil rights, fays, " Authority is the grcaieO: and moft irreconcilable enemy to truth and ar- gument, that this world ever furnifhed out; all the fo- phiftry ; all the colour of plaufibility ; all the artifice and cunning of the fubilcll diiputer in the world, may be laid open, and turned to the advantage of that very truth, which they defigned to hide, or to deprefs : But a;;ainft authority there is no defence." And after having fhewn, that it was authority that cruflicd the noble fen- timcnts of Socrates, and others; and that it was by au- thority, that the jews and heathens combated the truth of the gofpel ; he ra)'s, " When chriftians were increaf- ed to a majority, and came to think the fame method to be the only proper one, for the advantage of their caufe, which had been ihe enemy and dcflroyer of it ; then, it v/as, the authority of chriitians, which, by degrees, not only laid wafte the honor of chriilianuy, but well nigh extinguifhcd it a\nong men. It was authority which would have prevented all reformation, where it is; and which has put a barrier againft; it, wherever it was not. — Mow indeed, can it be expetlcd, thai the fame things which has in all ages, and in all countries, been hurtful to truth, and true religion, amongll men, fliouldinany ;vge, or any country, become a friend and guardian of Z l86 CHRISTIANITY AS them ?" And to obviate an objeftion eafily forefeen, he adds, " It was authority, which hindered the voice of the (on of God himfelf from being heard; and which a- lone (lood in oppolition to his powerful arguments, and his divine doftrine." Which fuppofes there is no chrif- tian doBrine, but what has powerful arguments to fup- port it; or in other words, has divinity ftamped on it, (hewing itfelf by its innate excellency to be the will of God ; fince to put its credit on mere authority, is to put its credit on that, which has been, and always will be, an enemy to truth : Nay, he fuppofes, that were it pof- fible, that authority and truth could confift together, and the latter be received for the fake of the former, it could not avail. His words are, " Where truth hap- pens to be received for the fake of "authority; there is juft fo much diminifhed from the love of truth, and the glory of reafon, and the acceptablenefs of men to God; as there is attribuied to authority." And Archbiftiop Tillotfon fays, " All our divine reafon- ings about divine revelation are neceflarily gathered by our natural notions about religion ; and therefore, he, who fincerely defires to do the will of God, is not apt to be impofed on by vain, and confident pretences of divine revelation; but if any d'>6irine be propofed to bim, which is pretended to come from God, he m.ea- fures it by thofe fure, and Heady notions, which he has of the divine nature and perfettions; and by thefe he will eafily difcern, whether it be worthy of God or not, and likely to proceed from him : He will confider the nature and tendency of it, or whether it be a docirine according to godlinefs, luch as is agreeable to the divine nature and perfeBions, and tends to make us like unto God; if ii be not, though an angel fliould bring it, he would not receive it." And if no miracles, no, not the preaching of an angel, ought to make us receive any doftrine that does not carry thofe internal marks; no miracles, certainly, ought to make us reje8; any doft- rine that has thefe internal marks. And much to the fame purpofe, our judicous DoBorClaget fays, " When OLD AS THE CRKATION. 187 men pretend to work miracles, and talk of immediate revelations, of knowing the truth by inipiration, and of more than ordinary illuniinalion, we ought not to be frighted with thofc big words, from looking what is un- I dertheni; nor to be afraid of calling ihcfc things ituo qiieflion, which are fet olf with high flown pretences. I From hence it has come to pafs, that fuperftition and idolatry, enthufiafms and impodurcs have fo much pre- vailed in the world. It is fomcwhat ftrange, that we fhould believe men the more, for that very reafon up- on which wc fliould believe them the lefs." I fhall give you the fentiments of one judicious di- vine more, fiiicc thcv contain a fummary of what I have been faying ; his words are : " It could not be avoidable, but that this natural reverence for divine revelations, and pronenefs of believing them, would produce fome ill effects, prejudicial to the reafon and intered of man- kind; a fatal credulity would creep into die world, and poffcfs the minds of the more ignorant perfons, and in- duce them blindly to believe every bold pretender to revelation. After a laborious and fruitlefs learch of fu- ture happinefs, men were apt to embrace any (yftem of religion prefented to them; if it flattered their hopes of future felicity, they were loth to difcover the error and illuflon of any pleafing revelation ; they wiflied it might be true, and at firfl, what they wifhed, they at la(t be- lieved to be true. — Many feared they fhould be injuri- ous to the divine majeRy, and incur the guilt of athc- ifm, if they (hould fcrupuloufly examine what pretend- ed to carry the (lamp of his authority, and to have been revealed by him. To entertain fcruples in this cafe, was thought no lefs than facrilcgc, and every doubt was elteemed an affront to God ; to which may be added, that they fliould coniraQ no fmall merit, and ever lay an oblig.iiion on God, if they immediately refigncd up their judgment to his fuppofed revelation, and blindly received it without any doubt or hefitaiion. " This, in all ages, opened a wide gap, and prepared a way for error and fuperllition; while the whimfies of i88 CHRISTIANITY AS every foolifh enthufiaft, and the follies of every bold impoftor were propoled under the venerable name of divine oracles. Hence all the abfurdities of the pa- g^^n religion found belief, and entertainment in the world; and for the molt extravagant impoftors never wanted profelytes. Hence the moM pernicious errors of heretics, found admiflion into the church; and the pre- tence of new revelations feduced fome part ot the chrif- ^i tian world. ^ > " To this fatal credulity, and danger of illufion arif- | ing from it, God and nature have prefcribed an excellent ] remedy; the ufe of reafon, which may examine the '' grounds and teftimonies of all pretended revelations; i enquire into their truth, and after a fcrupulous trial, ; pais fentence on ihem. This, the intercfi: of truth, and the honor of our nation requires us to perform, thai we may neither proftitute the iormcr, nor depreciate the lat- I ter. — Without this precedent enquiry, our belief wraild I become unlawful ; for to obviate the rules of conduO, prefcribed to our underftanding, were to overthrow all the laws of nature, to debafe the dignity of mankind, and to efface the image of God implanted in us. Thefe rules -affiire us, that God cannot command any thing foolifh or ridiculous. — No greater mjury can be offered to the deity, than to believe him the author of any reli- gion, which prefcrihes, or encourages foolifh or. fuper- ilitious praQices. — Juftly does Plutarch wonder, why atheifm fhould rather be acculed (^f impiety, than fuper- ftition ; fmce few are moved any by defeft in the order of government, to call in quellion the exiftence of God ; but the trick and cheats of fuperftitious pcrlons, their enthufi ?ftic motions, ridiculous actions, exovcilms, and luflrations, and inch like ; give them occafi^n to be- lieve it better there fhould be no God, than fuch a Gf>d. as the author of luch a fuperllitious religion muft neceffarily be."* If this author reafonsjuftly, as all proteflants will al- •f^ SiillingHcet. OLD AS TMK CREATION. I89 low, at lea^, when they write againft the enlhufiafm of the church of Rome ; does it not follow, that it is our duty, before we embrace any inChiuied rcligi()ii, to ex- amine by that light which God has given us into every pirt of it ; and . fter a fcrupulous trial, pafs f ntenceon it ? If the inicrtft of truth, and the honor of man's na- ture rcqui cs them to pe form this grand duty, muR not their realon. antecedently to all external revelation, af- ford certain teds to dittinguifh between truih and falfc- hood. in all religious matters ? It would be ridiculous to tell jncn, that is a crime worfe than athcifm, to admit a religion, which prcfcribes or encourages foolifli or fuperllitious practices ; unlefs upon a luppofition, that their realon can tell ihem what are fuch pratUces; and thereby hinder ihem from embracing a religion, which requires things of this nature. And if men are apt to cm- brace any religion (the mahometan for inftancc) which flaiters iheir hopes of future felicity, and makes them loth todifcover the pleafing lUufion ; does it not fol- low, that the more any religion doesfo, the more caufe men have critically to examine into us reafonablenefs ? becaule wjihout luch a precedent enquiry, their belief would be irrational and unlawful, dcbafing the dignity of mankind, and efi'acing the image of God implanted in them. And, If the abfurdities, not only of the pagan religion, but even the molt pernicious errors am.ng ChriRians, have been occafioned through want of previous examination -, nothing can be requifite to difc ver true chriilianity, and to preferve it in its native purity, free from all fuperfU- tion, but, after a ftrift fcrutiny, to admit nothing to belong to it, except what our reafon tells us is worthy of having God for its author. And if it be evident that Ave cannot difcern whether any inftituted religion con- tains every thing worthy and nothing unworthy of a di- vine original ; except we can antecedently by our reafon difcern what is or is not worthy of having God for ir<; author; it neceffarily follows, that natural and revealed religion cannot differ : becaufe, whatever reafon fhcws r^O CHIRSTIANITY AS to be worthy of having God for its author muft belong to natural religion; and whatever reafon tells us is un- worthy of having God for its author, can never belong to the true revealed religion. It is upon this very plan, that I have endeavored to {hew you wherein true and genuine chriftianity confifts. B. By the reafoning of thefe divines, religion is the plained thing in the world : wc, it feems. have nothing to do but to examine what notions are worthy of God, in order to know his will ; but do they tell us how we may certainly know what thole notions are ? A. All divines, of what denomination loever, agree, at leaftin words, that God cannot a6l arbitrarily in the government of the world, or command things for com- J manding's fake ; but that all his laws, being calculated for the good of mankind, carry with them the marks of confummate wifdom and goodnefs. However, I ftiall mention two. The incomparable bifhop TiHotfon fays, " It would be little lefs than an horrid and dreadful blafphcmy to fay, that God, out of his foverei^n- will and pleafure, can do any thing which contradifts the nature of God, or the eJOTential perfe6tions of the deity ; or to imagine that the pleafure and will of the holy, juft and good God,- is not always regulated and determined by the effential and indifpenfable laws of goodnefs, holmefs and right- eoufnefs. The judicious Mr. Scott affirms, '• that to fnppofe the will and power of God is not perfe6lly fubjeB to his moral perfe61ions, is to fuppofehima very defe8ive and imperfefl being ; a lawlefs will and power being the greateQ defe6l in nature: wherefore, to fecure our minds againd all injurious apprehenfions of God, this is a mofi; iieceflary rule ; that we conceive him to be fuch a being as can never will, or a6l any thing, but what his own ef- fential wifdom, goodnefs and juftice do approve. — To affirm, he is not obliged to regulate himfelf by wifdom, juftice and goodnefs ; or that he can do otherwile; is to attribute him a power to will, or act foolilhly, &c." • OLD AS THE CREATIOM. ' IQl B. I fhould readily approve what ihc authors you quote have laid, to Ihcw the rcafonablenefb of the divine law in every inftancc ; were dioc not in religion, pro- pofitions to be believed, which are above reafon. yi. If I do not underftand the term's of a propofition-, or if ihcy are inconfillent with one another; or i'o un- certain, that I know not what meaning to fix on them; here is nothing told me, and confequcntly, no room for belief : but in fuch cafes, .where I am capable of under- flanding a propofition, it is reafon mud inform me, whe- ther it is certain, probable, or uncertain ; and even in propofitions rel.aing to fuch faOs as we learn from re- port, it is by our reafon alone, in comparing circum- flances, &c. that we mud judge of their probability. But, Although defigning men very well know, that it is impoflible to believe, when we know not what it is we are to believe ; or to believe an abfurd, or contradidory propofition ; yet they, becaufe without examination people may be brought to fancy they believe fuch things, and it being their intered to confound the undcrdand- ings of men, and prevent all enquiry, craftily invented the notion of believing things above reafon : here the ravings of an enihufiad are on a level with the dilates of infinite wifdom, and nonfenfe rendered mod fa crcd ; here a contradiftion is of great ufe to maintain a doctrine, that, when fairly dated, is not defenfible -. becaufe by talking backward and lorward, by ufing ob- fcure terms and taking words in different fcnfes, they may eafily amufc, and puzzle the people. On this foundation tranfiibdantiation is built, and mod (if tholb myderious propofitions, about which, in former days, chridians^fo frequently murdered each other. But, If the fcripture was defigned to be underdood, itmud be within the reach of human underdanding ; and con- lepuenily, it cannot contain propofitions that arc either above, or below human underdanding : and if there arc no propofitions in the bible, but what have certain ideas, by common ufagc, annexed to the weirds ; how can wc *495^ CRHISTIANITY AS not ? or know which are, and which are not ? And in- deed, if the end of God's giving a revelation was to di- re8; men's tlwughts and a6lions, it muft (as neceflary to that end) be delivered in fuch a way, as is plain and ea- iy to be underftood, even by mean capacities ; and confequently to fnppofe it dark and myfterious in any part, is to reprefent it as unworthy of having God for its .iuthor. And, One would think, that men, when they knew they had truth on their fide, would fpcak after the piainell manner, and not ftudy to difguife it by unnatural ways of expreding themfelves; efpecially, when they reflett on others for fo doing. The chriftians faid, the heathens were confcious their religion was abfurd by their having recourfe to allego- rical, senigmatical, and my^l^erious explications; and confequently, that it could not be defigned for the com- mon people, incapable of fuch explications ; and that their priefts, inftead of defending it, rendered it uncer- tain; fince where the literal fenfe is quitted, there may be many allegorical, or fpiritual fenfes, oppofi.e to one another; and indeed, the wife men anong them, as Tal- ly, &c. owned as much. Nor did the heathens fail to retort the like obje8ion upon the chriftians; and, in truth, they equalled, if not out-did them in allegorifing away, not only the plamefl texts, but even matter of fati; which proved the occa- fion of innumerable hert.fies. Dupin. fpeaking of the extravagant opinions, which obtained among filly people in the primitive times, fays, " They fprang from the principles of Pauan philofo- phers ; and from the myfteries, which cracked brained men put on the hiftory of the Old and New T; (lament, according to their imaginations ; the more exfraordinary ihefe opinions were, the more did they reliih, and the better did they like them; and thofe who invented th m, publifhed them gravely as great myi'leries to the fimple, who were a I difpofed to recie e them." But could any cracked- brained writers have found out mo:e mvderies OLD AS THE CREATION. l^g in the Old and New-Teftament than the primitive fa- thers, (who interpreted ihem according to ihcir imagin- ations, and jumbled them together with that Pagan phi- lofophy they were educated in ?) Or have pubiilhed their myftcrioUs reveries with greater gravity to fimple people, always difpofed to receive what they did not underftand ? The fjme author, (peaking of St. Bernabas' catholic epiftlc in anfwcr to this of)je8ion, " that it was incredi- ble fo great an apollle, full of the holy ghoft, and col- league of St. Paul, fli')uld be the author of fuch forced allegories, and extravagant explications of Icripture ; of thole various fables concerning animals, with divers other conceits of the like nature? fays, " they have but little knowledge of the Jewifli nation, and of the pri- mitive chriflians, educated in the fynagogues, who ob- (linately believe, that fuch fort of motions could not proceed from them ; that on the contrary, it was their very charafter to turn the whole fcripiure into Allegory." I think, none of our celebrated writers reje8 this e- piflle as fpurious, bccaufe of the allc^_ories it abounds with : Our excellent archbifliop Wake fays, " Even St. Paul himfelf in his epiflles, received by us as cano- nical, affords us not a few inftances of this, which is fo much found fault with in St. Barnabas : As I might ca- fily make appear from a multitude of paflages out of thcmj were it needful for me to enlarge myfelf on a point, which every one, who has read the Icriptures with any care, cannot chufe but have obferved." And ihofe chriflians St. Paul mentions, for believing the re- furrcftion was paQ, were, no doubr, great allegorifts. The primitive fathers exactly followed the precedent fet ihcm by the apoflle Barnabas, and oiher apollolical men : Clemens of Alexandria fays, '• The occonomy of the law, is typical and prophetical ; and that Mofes and the prophets, wrote all in parables." So Tcrlullian, *' The law is fpiritual and prophetical, and almod in all points figurative." And Le Clerk obferves, that " The fathers did not content themfelves with interpreiigg He Aa J 94 CRHISTIANITY AS Old Teflaraent allegorically, but they did the fame as^ to the New." But becaufe, Origen was famous for this allegorical method, and by virtue of it efleemed the greateft champion of chrif- tianity, next to the apoftles; and fince what he fays, ■was not only its own, but the fenfe of the then church, it will not be improper to cite him. " If we adhere, fays he, to the letter; or underftand what is written in the law of God, as the jews do, in the common accep- tation of the words; I blufh to own, that God ever gave fuch laws: for mere human conllitutions, as thofe of the Romans, Athenians, or Lacedaemonians, will feem more reafonable and proper; but if the law of God is to be underftood in the fenfe of the church teaches, then truly it exceeds all human ordinances.' For which reafon he makes the allegorical way of inter- preting fcripture to be the key of knowledge; and fol- lowing the letter of the law, the direft way to infidelity and vain fuperftition. Literam fequcntes in injidelita- tem, (3 varias fuperjlitiones incurrunt. And he objeQs to Marcion the heretic, that he was againft the allegori- cal way of interpreting fcripture. B. Do not thefe fathers fuppofe God either a weak being, who could not frame as wife laws as men ; or elfe an ill-natured being, who, in order to puzzle mankind fpeaks in riddles and myderies? "What fliould we think of a lawyer, who faid, he jfhould be afhamed of the laws of his own country, if taken in a literal fenfe; but that there was an allegorical fenfe, which could one but hit, would difcover profound wifdom ? A. Thus the fathers fufficienily acknowliedged the fovereigniiy of reafon, in allegorifing away matters of fa£l, tjjat were in truth, uncapable of being allegorifed; though that is but running into one unreafonable thing, to get rid of another : And how can we depend on any thing faid in the fcripture, if we cannot on its fa8s ? One would think nothing was a plainer fa8, than than that of Lot's lying with Ihs two daughters, yet St. Irenaeus allegorifes that away; and is fo fond of allege- OLD AS THE CRf-ATlON. 1^5 vifing, that for the fake of it, he contradifls the icrip- tiire, and fays, " The harlot Rahab enlertaincd three fpies;" and had he not made them three, he would have been at a lofs, how to fay, as he does, that this harlot I hid in her houle, father, fon, and holy ghofl. « How j can we be edified," fays Origen, *' in reading that fo { great a patriarch as Abraham, not only lyed to Abime- lech, but alfo betrayed to him the chaftity of his wife ? I What indrutlions can we reap from the wife of fo great I a patriarch, if we think fhe was cxpofed to be debauched I by her hufband's contrivance ? Let the Jews believe fuch things, and tiiofe with them, who are greater friend* to the letter than to the fpirit." lie afTerts, " That there are, even in the ^ofpel, things laid, which, according to the letter, or taken in their literal lenfe, are mere fa Hi ties (m* lyes; as where our faviour fays, lie that belicveth in me, the works that I do, (hall he do alfo; and greater works than ihefe fhall he do. John xiv. 12, Szc. which he fliews, was not vcrifycd literally, but fpiritually." And, *• That it was want of knowledge in the fcriptures, to think, that God fpent fix real days in the work of the creation." He defircs atsy one to fiiew, " How the truth of the gofpels can be maintained, or their feeming contrarieties cleared by any other than the anagogical method; which he affirms necefiary for that purpofc." He fays. '• The pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons, offered for Jcfus, were not fuch as we fee with our carnal eyes; not birds, fuch as fly in the air, but fomething divine and auguft, beyond human contem- plation," &c. If you defire to be more plentifully furnifhed with inftances of the like nature with thofe above-mentioned, confult the philocalia of Origen. , St. Audin, a man of the greateft authority of all the fathers, fays, " We muft not take the ftory of Jacob's cheating his father, by perfonaiing his brother Efau, lite- rally, Icit the fcripturc fhould feem to encourage lying." JgS CHIRSTIANITY AS And fpeaking of Jefus curfing the fig-tree, fays, hoc JaBum, niji Jigtiraticm, Jlultum invenitur. And he, with the reft of the fathers, not only moft unnaturally allego- rifes away the hiftory of the fall, but even of the whole creation; and fays, " The whole world was created in an inftant." And though there is not one word about angels in the text, yet this angelical Do8or makes part| of the fix days labor relate to the creation of angels. B. But how could he account for God's inftituting the Sabbath, upon his refting from his fix days labor, if all things were created in an inftant ? A. How happy he was in allegorifing, you may judge from his explaining that pafTage of Genefis, iii. 14. where the Latin verfion which he followed, runs thus ; Upon thy bread, and upon thy belly fhalt thou go, and duft fhalt thou eat all the days of thy life. By the breaft, fays he, is to be underftood pride; by the belly, the lufts of the flefh ; and by that which is added, duft thou fhalt eat, is meant curiofity, which extends to things temporal and earthly ; and by curiofity, he means ava- rice. And, St. Ambrofe will not allow the rainbow to be the bow, which God placed in the clouds; and faith, " Far be it from us to call this God's bow; for this bow, which is called Iris, is feen indeed in the day, but never appears in the night :" For which weighty reafon he fubftitutes in its room, a ftrange allegorical bow, out of his own imagination. If the fathers could allegorifc away the moft ftubborn matters of fa6l, they could have no difficulty in allego- rifing away any other matter, where words are capable of various fenfes : One would think, it was difficult to find out an allegorical meaning to this text, O daughter of Babylon, happy is he, who taketh, and dafhes thy little ones againtt ihc ftones, yet nothing is too hard for Origen, who affures us that the text intends, 1 he man ■who dafhes his vicious thoughts againft the folid rock of reafon. And, indeed, the fathers have fo turned and twifted OLD AS THE CREATION. igj the fcriplurc, with a pious inieniion to make it fpcak no- thing but what they thought agreeable to reafon; that thev have rendered it like AriUotle's materia prima ; nee quid, nee quale, nee quamtinn, nee aliquid eorum de qui- inis ens denominatur : For by making the fcripturc, in fo many places fay one thing, and mean another, they have dcdroyed its certainty; lince as Le Clerk ob- ferves, " If according to this method, the facrcd wri- ters had faid quite another thing than what they laid, or, if you will the quite contrary, yet one may find as good fenle in them; as thofe that will try it, will prefeniiy ob- ferve. Therefore the chriftians, and the Jews would have done much better to keep clofe to the letter, than to ufc fo uncertain a method, to defend the holy fcrip- ture againft the Pagans." B. All the fathers do not allegorife like Origen ; Juflin Martyr for inftance, aflerts, that the threatening, that, in the day thou eateft; therof, thou (halt furely die, was literally fulfilled, in that Adam did not live out a thoufand years ; which, with God, is but one day. But to go no farther than the ftory of Abraham's proftituting his wife ; St. Ambrofc, to jultify Abraham's conduft, roundly afferts adultery to be no crime before the giving of the law by Mofes. And Sl Auftin makes aduhcrv liill lawful, if hufband and wife confeni. St. Jerotn, indeed, runs into the other extreme, and approves the conduft of thofe who killed themfclves toprclerve their chaftity. But the moll eloquent St. Chryfoftom enlarges very much in commendation of Abraham and Sarah, and fays, " Though nothing gives a hufband more un- eafinefs, than to imagine his wife has to do with another, yet this jult man did what he could, even to accom- plifli lhea6l of adultery." — And adds, that " Sarah too" whom he fets as a pattern for all married women, " ac- cepied the propolal very courageoufly ;" and then cries out, who can enough admire this rcadincfs to obey her hufl)and ? who can fullicicntly celebrate the praifes of Sarah, who, after lb long continence, and at her gre^it age, readily confenied to this att of adultery, and to let 198 CHRISTIANITY AH the barbarian have the ufe of her body, to fave her huf- band ? A. Might not thofe fathers as well have allegorized, as talked thus abfurdly ? It is chiefly owing to die pa- pifts taking fome words in a literal fenfe, relating to th€> eating the flefh, and drinking the blood oPthe fon of man, that makes them to be of a different religion from the proteftants : and though two parties may agree, in taking the fame words in an allegorical fenle ; yet by allegor- ifing them indifferently, they may be of different reli- gions. By allegorifing fome texts, the Jews have made the Mediah a temporal prince, the Chrilliansa fpiritual one. Mr. Whifton muft ihink there are no words fo plain, but are capable of being allegoiifcd ; fince he fuppofes the catholic church has all along allegorized plain iove-fongs, between Solomon and one of his mif- treffes, into fpiritual hymns between Chrift and his fpoufe, the church. And what Dr. South muft have thought of the revelations, I leave you to judge ; when he does not fcruple to call it, a myflerious extraordinary book; which, perhaps, the more it is Oudied ihelefsit is underftood ; as generally finding a man cracked, or making himfelf fo. And had not themahometan divines had the knack of allegorifins nonfenfe, fools and frantic perfons would not have been had in fuch honor and rev- erence among the muffelmen, only becaufe their revela- tions and enthufiafms tranfported them out of the ordina- ry temper of humanity. Therefore, upon the whole, I mufl needs fay, happy is the man, who is fo far, at leaft, •dire8ed by the law of reafcn, and the religion of nature, as to fuffer no myfleries, or unintelligible propofitions,' no allegories, no hyperboles, no metaphors, types, pa- rables, or phrafes of an uncertain fignification, to con- found his underflanding. And certainly, the common parent of" mankind is too good and gracious, to put the happinefs of all his children on any other doBrines, than fuch as plainly fhew themfelves to be the will of God, even to the ignorant and illiterate; if they have but courage and honefty to make ufe of their reafon ; other- OLD AS THE CREATION. . *9^ wife the ftripture would not be plain in all necelTary things; even to bjbcs and fucklings. B, Yo'j fuppofc then, that the bulk of mankind arc taught by God himfelf, to know what religion coiiu from him ; even though they want letters, to make thci. capable of underltandiiig thofe external proofs, on which all traditional religions do, and mult depend. CHAP. XIII, The bulk of mankind^ by their reafon^ mujl be able to dif- tinguiJJi betxveen religion and fuptrjiition ; otherwife they can never extricate them [elves from that fuperjii- tion they chance to be educated in. A. "O ELIGION either does not concern the majori- X\^ ty, as being incapable of forming judgment about it ; or, it mufl: carry fucb internal marks of its truth, as men of mean capacity are able to difcover; or elfe notwithftanding the infinite variety of religions, all who do not underftand the original languages their tradi- tional religions are written in, which is all mankind, a very few excepted, are alike bound in all places to pin their faith on their priefls ; and believe in ir.en, who have anintercd to deceive them ; and who have feldom- failed to do fo, when occafion ferved. Can people, if incapable by their rcafon to diflinguifh. truth from faUehood, have any thing more to plead for the truth of their religion, than that they believe it to be the true religion ; bccauTe tlieir pricfts, who are hired to uiaintain it, tell them it was along while ago revealed to certain pcrfons, who, as they ou their prieftly words alTurc them, were too wife to be impolcd on themfelves, and too lioncfl to impofc on otficrj i' And that no cha-igt 80O dHRlStlANITY AS could have been made in their religion in after-times j the care men have of their own fouls, as well as thcii' natural affe£tions to pofterity. obliging them from gene- ration to generation, to hand down their religion juft as they received it : and that it was morally impoffible, innovafions fhould creep in^ fince it would be the high- ell folly in any to attempt to introduce new do6trines^ as a tradition leceived from their anceftors, when all muft know they had received no luch tradition. As this; is all, the bulk of mankind, if they are not capable of judging from the dofclrines themfelves of their truth, can fay for their religion; fo they, in all places, make ufe of this argument; and with equal confidence aver, that though all other extraordinary religions are full of grofs falfehoods, and the moft abfurd notions, which their priefts impudently impofe on them as divine truths, yet our own priefts are fuch faithful reprefenters of things, that one may as well queftion the truth of all hiftory^ as the truth of things believed on their authority. Priefts of other religions, we know, will lye for intereft ; and confcious that their traditional religion will not bear ex- amination, guard it with penal laws ; but we can never fufpe6l, that our own priefts, though they lake the fame methods, a8: on the fame motives. This boafted argument, in which men of all religions thus triumph, if it proves any thing, would prove there never was, nor could be any falfe religion, either in whole, or part; becaufe truth being before falfehood, and the anceftors of men having once pofTeft'ed it, no change could afterward ever happen : Whereas on the contrary, though there have been at times great num- bers of traditional religions, yet as far as it appears, no one of them has long remained the lame; at leaft, in fuch points as were merely founded on tradition. J I fee no middle, but that we muft either own, that ' there are fuch internal marks fixed on every part of the true religion, as will enable the bulk of mankind to dif- tinguifti it from all falfe religions ; or elfe that all tradi- tionary religions are upon a level : Since thofe, who, OLD AS THF CREATION. 201 m every country, are hired to maintain them, will not fail to affcrt, they have all external marks; fuch as, un- interrupted traditions, incontefted miracles, confedion of adverfaries, number of profclytes, agreement among tliemfelvcs; and all thofe other external arguments, that the papilts and mahomctaiis fei To high a value on. In this cafe, what can the common people do, who under- ftand not a word of the language, their religion and its external proofs are writ in, but be of the religion in which they are educated ? efpecially, if nothing is fuf- fercd to be publifhed, which may in the lead tend to make ihcm queftion its truth; and all other religions are reprefentcd as full of the groffeft abfurdilies. Had the people of Rome in the primitive times of chriflianiiy, been governed by external marks, none of them had quitted their old religion, which had every external mark proper to recommend it; and under which they were fo blefTed, as to become maflers of the hcfl part of the known world. But, Bccaufe this is a point, wherein the greateft part of mankind are at all times nearly concerned, I fliall beg leave to mention, though it be fomewhat long, what Mr. Locke fays on this head. Have the bulk of mankind no other guide, " but ac- cidcnf, and blind chance, to conduft them to their hap- pincfs or miiery ? Are the current opinions, and licenf- ed guides of every country fufficicnt evidence and lecu- rity to every man to venture his great concernments on ; nay, his cvcrlaflin;; happincfs or miiery ? Or, can thofe be the certain and infallible oracles and (landards of truth, which leach one thing in ChriHendom, and ano- ther in Turkey,? Or, fhall a poor country-man be e- ternally happy, for having the chance to be born in Ita- ly ; or a day laborer be unavoidably loft, becaufe he had the ill-luck to be born in England? How ready fomemen may be to fay foine of ihefe things, I will not here examine; but this I am furc, that men muft allow one or other of ihefc to be true ; (let them chufe which they plcafc,) or elfc grant, that God has furnifhed men B b 202. CRIIISTIAXITY AS with faculties fufficient to direft therfi in the way they* Ihould take, if they will but ferioully employ them that way, when their ordinary vocations allow them the lei- fure.-— There cannot be a more dangerous thing to rely on, than the opinion of others, nor more likely to mif- lead onci iince there is much more falfehood and error among men than truth and knowledge : And if the o- pinions and perfualions of others, who we know, and think well of, be a ground of affent, men have reafon to be heathens in Japan, mahometans in Turkey, papifts in Spain, proteftants ia England, and lutherans in Swe- den. Was there a fet of priefts, on whofe authority the common people were every where to depend for their religious fentiments, they mufl: be known by fomc plain, external marks : To fay the people mud follow thofe priefts that are in the right, is to iuppofe people mufl judge what is right; and then judge (if that con- cerned them) whether, any fet of prielts are in the right; and if men cannot believe, when they fee no reafon for believing, what reafon can the bulk of mankind have to prefer one religion before a number of others, on the account of fuch things, as, upon prieflly authority, are believed to belong to every one of them; fuch as vifi-^ ons, dreams, trances, extacies, infpirations, conferences^ wiihfpi-rits, traditionary report about miracles, &c.? And fhould the chance of education throw men into the true traditionary religion, yet confidering its ftyle is not very exaft, there being generally more expreffed than is meant; and things of the greateft. confequence are often fo treated, as that men cannot from thence perceive the nature and extent of their duty: and even precepts of the greatefl moment are fometimes fo far from being de- livered plainly and fimply, that they are exprelTed after a general, undetermined, nay, hyperbolical manner; fo that even in this cafe, there is a neceffity for the com- mon people to have recourfe to the reafon of things. Are not the unlearned wholly unacquainted v;ith ihofe keys of ibluiion (as they are called) which tha Ol.n AS THE CREATION. CO3 "learned have fiich frequent rccourfc to ; fuch as thofe of a tranrpofition of words or claufcs, errors of copies, va- rious reading.', various meaning.'; of the fame word, puntluation, taking away or adding of the negative par- ticle; aliufion to cuftoms, confidcration of the matter in hand, exaggeration, interrogation, parenthcfis, literal fcnfe, figurative fcnfe; want of exaftnefs in the facred writers, prudence in conce^ding fomc things, or in com- plying with fome opinions prevailing in their times ; con- dcfccnfion to Pagans or Jews; ufing fuch ideas as pre- vailed in (uch a religion; prejudication in the hearers, anlwers fuitahic to their needs, rather than to their que- ries; compendious expreflions, phrafeology of that time, the author's nation, or native country; parallel pafTages, precepts peculiar to the apoUles, advices to perfetlion, cenfures againft certain heretics, the circuin- Itances of the fuhjeft, the fcope of the author, what goes before, and what follows; the barrennefs of the Hebrew tonoue ; and confequently, its ambiguity, its particular idioms, the various fenfcs of the lame verb, m different conjugations ; the want of certain ways of cxprenion ufed in other tongues; the fublime and meta- phorical expredions mofl: frequent to the oiiental lan- guages; the imitation of the Hebrew idiom in the LXX verfion; and in the original text of the New Tertament Greek of the fynagogue, &c. The bulk of mankind being incapable of metaphyfical fpeculations, and their undcrftandings given them to difcern thofe rules of a6lion which God prefcribes them, he has, no doubt, adjuded one to the other; and con- fequently, the fimplicity, the reafonablenels, the con- vcniency and ufefulnefs of tt'iefe rules, point them out to be the will of God, to men in ihcfe places, and con- ditions of life; but to carry things further, can only fcrvc (he defigns of ill men, who have taken occafion from ilience to abufc their cieduiity to the vilefl pur poles. Can, for in fiance, the common people, who under- ftand not a word of the Ifinguage the jewifh hooks are 204 CHIRSTIANITY AS writ in, be better judges than the jews themfelves of the meaning of their own books; and of their own prophets fpeaking in their own language ? Or, are the common people capable of judging of the innumerable difputes among chriftians; if ihofe likewife depend, not on ihe reafon of things, but on the critical undertranding of , books, written in dead languages ; nay, what do they l know of the diftinguifhing doBrines of their own church- es ? They, indeed, on all fides, know whom their lead- ers would have them hate; but little, or nothing of thofe opinions, which divide their leaders. B. Is there any divine of note, who makes revelation thus difficult to be underftood by the ignorant, and un- learned ? A. I fliall mention one, againft whom you have no exception; who reprefents it thus obfcure, even to the learned. Is not bifhop Taylor (highly efteemed for his devotional, as well as polemical works) a competent judge in this matter ? and he (fumming up, and that ve- ry briefly, what he had fpent feveral chapters to prove at large] fays, " Since there are fomany copies with in- finite varieties of reading ; fince a various interpunc- tion, a parcnthefis, a letter, an accent, may much alter the fen fe; fince fome places have divers literal fenfes, many have fpiritual, myftical and allegorical meanings; fince there are fo many tropes, metonymies, ironies hyperboles, proprieties and improprieties of language, whofe understanding depends upon fuch circumllance- . that it is almoll impofTible to knov/ the proper interpre- tation; now^ that the knowledge of fuch ciicumflance.s and parlicular fiories, is irrecoverably loft : finte there are fome myfteries, which at the beff advantage of ex preflion, are not eafiy to be apprehended ; and whol explicaiion, by reafon of our imperfections, muft need< be dark, fometimes unintelligible: and laf-ly, fine' thofe ordinary means of expounding fcripture, as fearci ing the originals, conference of places, parity of reaiot. analogy of faith, are all dubious, uncertain and ver- fallible; he that is wifeft, and 'by confsquence, the I;!.-. OLD AS THE CREATION, iO^ lieft to expound trueft, in all probabiliiy of reafon, will be very far frotn confidence; becaulc every one of them, and many more, arc like fo many degrees of im- probability and incenainty, all deprclling our certainty of finding out truth in fuch myltcries, and amidil fo ma- ny diHiculiies. And in another place, " The ohfcurity of fomequef- tions, the niceties of lomc articles, the intricacy of Ionic revelations, the variety of human undcr(Jandings, the -winding ollogic, the tricks of adverfarics, the fubtiliy of fophilh-rs, the ttigagcment of educations, pcrfonal affcBions, the portemious nuinbcr of writers, the infin- ity of authorities, the^-aflnels ol fome arguments, con- fifling in an enumeration of many particulars, the inccr- tainiy of others, the ieveral degrees of probuhility, the difficulties of fcripiurc, the invalidity of probation, of tradition, the oppofiiion of all exterior arguments to one another, and their open comelhuion, the public violence done to authors and records, the private arts and fupplantings, the falfifyings, ihe indefatigable in- duftry of fome men, to abufc all underflandings, and all perfuafions into their own opinions: Thefe, and a ihoufand more, have made it impoffible for a man in fo great a variety of matter not to be deceived." And I might add in confirmation of the bifliop's fentiments, and demonflrate too, were it not endlefs to go through par- ticulars, that there is fcarce a text, except in things of their own nature evident, where commentators do not differ. Whether thefe confiderations alone, be not a futficient reafon for the unlearned to adhere to thofe plain, fimple truths the light of nature dilates, I leave you to judge? And do not other divines, in cflPeft, fay the fame, when ihcy make religion not to be implanted in human nature; but an art fo far above the capacity f^f common people, that it requires great kartjing and labor to be competently (killed; And tell us, that they, who ha\e fpent ilieir lime in fludying it, cannot have too much. honor cr too great rewards given ihcm, for deciding for 20fi CHRISTIANITY AS uhe people, points of religion, as the common-law judgcb do points of property ; and that people julliy incur the dreadful anathema pronounced in fynods and councils, againft thofe who refufe to fubmit to their decifions; and that it is the duty of the magiftrate to fee their de- crees put in execution. A right in priefts, whether in, or out of convocations, to judge, and determine for the people, what thev Ihali believe and profefs, fuppofcs a duty in them fo to be- lieve, and fo to profefs ; and confequenily, that the rcli- ■gion of the laity confifts in believing the priefts ; and what ever they decree, is to be the rule of their a8ions. B. This is too fevere ; they only claim a power of interpreting the laws of chrift, not of making new laws ihemfelves. A. There is only a verbal difference between a law- maker and a fovereign interpreter of laws, to whofe in- terpretations all are obliged to fubmit ; fo that ever ftnce the council of people have been taught to renounce both natural and revealed religion : and become prieft worfiiipers, and to have a divine faith in their dilates ; and indeed fo they ought, if thefe priefts had, as they claim, a judicial power to determine of mens condition hereafter; and thereby make God a mere executioner of their fentences, by which they bind, or loole mens fins to eternity. And this notion carries with it the higheil blafphemy and idolatry, fo I think it is treated too gently by Mr. Chillingworth, in faying, " This prefumptuous impofing of the fenfes of men upon the words of God, the fpecial fenfes of men upon the general words of God, and lay- ing them upon mens confciences together under the e- qual penalty of death and damnation: this vain conceit, that we can fpcak of the things of God better than the words of God ; this deifying our own interpretations, and tyrannous inforcing them upon others; this re- training of the word of God from that latitude and generality ; and the nnderftanding of men from that liberty, which chrift and his apoftle:; lefc them; is and OLD AS THE CRt ATION. 2O7 ihaiii been ihe only fountain of all the fchifms of the church; and that which makes the immortal ; the com- inon incendiary of chrillendom, and that which tears in icces, not the coat, but the bowels and members of ifl : RiAente Turca^ nee doknte Judcco. In fliorr, true religion cannot but be plain, fimple, and natural, as di-Tii;ncd for all mankind, adaptf d to cv ci V capacity, and fuiicd to every condition and circum- Ihmce of life -, and if it be rendered otherwife, is it not owiniT to thole, who have made it their bufincfs to puzzle mankind, and render plain things obfcurc ; in order to get the conlciences, and conlequeutly, the properties o' the people at tiieir dilpolal, and to be in a manner ador- ed notwithltanding the grolfed inmioralities, as the folc difpenfers of Inch things, as no way relate to the good of the community ; and to deftroy all that will not com- ply with their pernicious defigns, as enemies of God, and his holy church ? And, Though the clergy have taken all poflBble methods for a blind- fubmiflTion, and a forced uniformity, yet they have not been able to hinder chriftians from being end-^ lefly divided, even in what they call fundamentals. And though no one feft, as far as I can find, have ventured to give us a complete fet of their fundamentals; yet all fefts unanimoufly own, that ihofe things, which are ne- cefTary to the falvaiion of chriftians, mull be fo plain^ as that all chriftians, even thole of the mcancft capacities^ may apprehend them. Would not one think that a little honeft relicBion fliould carry them further, and make ihem lee, that it is inconliltent with ihe univerfal and unlimited goodnefs of the common patent of mankind^ not to make that which is neceflarv for the falvaiion of all men fo plain,as that all men may know it? Though one would be apt to think, that by the number Rnd oddnefs of iholc things, which in moft churches divines have made nccefTdry to falvation, they were more zealous to damn others ilian to fave themfelves, or, at leaft, that they thought there was no room in heaven for any, bu*::. r^.ien of their own narrov; principles. But, 208 CHRlstlANlTY A3 Let me afk thefe charitable gentlemen, whether tht happinefs of others -.vould make chriftians unhappy ? or, what prejudice it will be to them, to fuppofe God is no refpefcter of perlons ; but that all m.»y co.me to him, who believe that he will reward thofe in all nations, and at all times, who have diligently fought him ? Natural religion, which is of the greatelt importance to mankind, and is a perpetual ftanding rulq for men of j the meanefl, as well as the higheft capacity, carries its own evidence wiih it, thofe internal infeparable mark! of truth ; but can that be laid of any religion, which de-^1 pends on tradition ? Does not that want foreign aid aiu idiftance ? Ought we not to be certain, that the firft pre pagators of it could not be impofed on ihcmfclves, ot\ would not impofe on others ? or in other words, were in- fallible, and impeccable ? But fmce numbers have taket reveries for divine infpirations, ought we not to havl certain marks to diftinguifh the one from the other ? n( h this alone fufficient; forifcvil beirigs can imprefs noj ilons in mens minds as ftrongly as good beings, am caufe miracles to be done in confirmation of them there any way to know, to which of the two, notion! thus impreffed are owing, but from their natural tendera cy ; or thofe internal marks of wifdom and goodnefs, bj which they plainly (hew themfelvesto he a part ofnati ral religion ? If fo, can external proofs carry us fanhe| ihan the internal proofs do ? But, It is not enough to be certain, thefe men were not ii pofed on ; we muft be certain, they would on no occaf on whatever impofe on others : or, in other words, wer| not men of like paffions and infirmities with other nio! tals. Does not the fcripture give very many inflanct of infpired perfons as much governed by their pafiionl as uninfpired ? Was not Abraham, though a prophs and fo dear to God, that he would not dellroy a neig bouring town without acquainting him with if, guilty an inceftuous marriage, his wife being hi* fider by thl fathers fide ? And did he not ede;»vour to betray her chaftity to two kings, in difowningher tobe his wife, b) OLD AS THE CREATION. 209 vhicli conduQ he got (Vom one of ihcm, who entreated him well for her fake, men and maid- fervants,fliccp, oxen, afTesand camels ; and from the other, a thoufand pieces, 'f filver, befidcs (heep, oxen, men and women-fervants ? il immediately after his faith was counted to him for hteoiifnefs,* did he not doubt of God's promife, till )d f[)oke to him in a deep lleep ? Was not David, though a prophet, and a man after »d's own heart, guilty of many enormous crimes, from time he dcfij^incd to have murdered all the males in ibal's family, l)ecaufe he would not pay contributions him, atid thofe men, who ouiof debt, difcontcnt and Irels joined him ? though Nabal, by lo doing, might vc incurred the fate of thofe priefts, from whom David fevcral falfchoods got both fliewbread and Goliah's . ord.t What could be more treacherous, than his in- vading people, that were at lead in peace, if not allies of the king of Oath, to whom he fled for fafety ; and having neither (aved man or woman alive to bring tidings, told his generous prote61or, he had been making an inroad in Judiea. + III a word, (not to mention his treatment of Uriah, which no brave man can think ol without horror) did he not leave the world in a very unforgiving temper, when the 1 .fl; thing he commanded his fon folomon, was ?o put Shcmci to death, § though he had fworn before the lord, (hat he would not put him to death, and that he fhould not die ?ij Solomon, though infpired with wifdom from above, and had conferences with God himCelf, yet his paiTion lor women made him guilty of grofs idolatry. And not to njultiply inllanccs ; we find one man of God lying to anoiher man of God, in the name of God; purely for the pleafure of making liim eat bread, and drink, water with him. ? And if we go to the new tcflament, it is * Gen. xviii. . 12. xii. 19. xx. 2. xii. 116. xx. 16. X.V. 6, B. xii. i^. i 1 Sani. xxv. 22. x\ii. 2. xxi 6, 9. xxvii. 8. 12. i I Kings ii. 8, o. '| x Sam, xix. 23. Cc 310 CRHISTIANITY AS plain, by what our faviour fays to thofe, vho had pro- phefyed, and caft out devils, and done many wonderful u'orks in his name, depart from me, ye that work iniqui- ty i * that neither prophefies, nor miracles, are abfolule fecurities for men to depend on. Nay, do we not find one of the apoftles, though he, with the reft, had the power of doing miracles, even to the raifingof the dead, "betraying his mafter for the paltry fum of thirty pieces of filver ?and the other apoftles not only fled, and defert- ed him; but the chief of them forefwore him, as oft as he was afked about his being one of his followers ; and he, as well as Barnabas, was afterwards guilty of a mean piece of difTimulation. t And Paul and Barnabas had fuch a fharp contention, though about a very indifferent matter asio caufe a feparation : + and even St. Paul fays, the good that I would do, I do not ; but the evil whic" I would not do, that I do. — but I fee another law in m members, warring againft the the law of my mind, an bringing me into captivity to the law of fin, which is in my members. J And a great deal more to the fame pur" pofe. Do not thefe inftances, though many more might be added, plainly Chew, that infpired perfons, whether pro phets or apoftles, are fubjett to the fame paflions, even to diffembling and lying, as other men ? And that we fin againft that reafon, which was given us to diftinguifh be- tween good and evil ; religion and fuperftition; if we do not by it examine all doBrines whatfoever, and by whom- foever delivered ? But fuppofing prophets and apoftles impeccable as well as infallible ; yet what certainty can people have, that thofe things which v.'cre taught by them have been faithfully conveyed down for many generati- ons together by men, who were far from being infallible or impeccable ? So that here, certainly, they ought to make ufe of their reafon, in judging of all doftrines thus conveyed. Admitting tradition had been a * Mat. vii. 22, 23 X. 8. xxvi. 7<>. f Gal. ii. 13. i Acl? yAu. ,59. $ Rom. vii. 19, ^o. OLD AS THE CREATION. 211 faithful conveyancer, yet how can the common people be certain the (cripturc has been truly tranflated ? But graoting even that ; yet (ince mod texts are valtly varied, and fometimes contrary interpretations, and tlie literal fenfe very often kills ; how can (hey be confident (hey do not miilake their meaning, except the realon of lhinme think, miraculously fa\ ed with all her kindred, by her houfe (landing in which they were, when the wall, on which it was, and in which fhe dvv'clt, fell tlat.J] are they not in danger.if they find their advantage in it, and it is for the fervice of thofe they judge to be true Israelites, to do the fame ? it is not pretended the harlot had more fpecial command for fo doing, than jael had for an a6t of the higheft treachery ; for which, becaui'e it ferved the intereft of Ifrael, flie is declared by the prophetefs Deborah to be blefsed above all other women. ^ What prince can ever want a pretence of going to Avar; *Exo('.,iii. 21, 22, t Hcb. xi. 31. Ijofh, ii. if). ijLiclg. v", 2,1 OLD AS THE CRKATION', 227 and totally extirpatinj» thofe he invades ; uhcn he \iccs Saul was comrnanded by (^'<>d 10 dcftroy the Amclckitcx, men, women, infants and fncklinTs, ox and fheep, ca- mel and afv, for an injury done four hundred years be- fore? And how, for fparin^ ^'^^^il-> fwhom Samuel hew- ed in pieces before the Lord ;) and preferving fome of the cattle for facrifice, the Lord rejeBod him from be- ing king; nay, ordered Samuel, lel^ Saul (hould fuf- pe6l the defign, to pretend a lacriHce, wlicn he fcnt him to anoint David ?* Would not people, if, like tlie children of Ifrael, they were deditute (jf an habitation, be apt to think, what the Ifraelites did to the Canaanites, a good prece- dent ; and that they might invade a neighboring, idola- trous nation, that never did them the lealt harm; and extirpate not only men and women, but even their in- nocent infants, in order to get poffefTion of their coun- try ? And I quell ion, whether the Spaniards would have murdered fo manv millions in the Indies, had they not thought they might have ufed them like Canaanites. How many precedents, befides that of Ehud, (who, on a meffage from the Lord, (tabbed the king to whom his people fent him with a prefentjdid the Popifh priefts plead from the Old Tcdament, for the afTaflination of the two Henries of France? And had the gun-powder- plot fucceeded here, they would, no doubt, have made ufe of the fame plea to juQify it.t Though the Lord bids the Jews to pray for the peace of Babylon, whither he had caufed them to be carried away captives ; and that in the peac(* thereof thev fh mid have peace ;+ yet is it not faid in the Pfalms, O daugh- ter of Babylon, happv fliall he be, who laketh, and daflieth thy little ones againll the ftones ? And this for no other reafon, but becaufe fhe defired of her captives one of the fongs of Zion. ^ The holier men in the Old Teftament are reprefcnted^ * t Sam. \v. !•, '^, 9, Sic. xvi. 2, 8cc. + Jiid. iii. :,5, 20, 21. -t Jer. \\\\. -. f^ ITa. cxxxvii. 8, q. 3. flJSjS CHRISTIANITY AS the more cruel they feem to be, as well as more addiQ. cd to curfing: How plentifully does David in the 109th Pfalm beftow the bittereft curfes on his enemies ? And how cruelly did he treat the Ammonites, when he took their cities, cutting the people with faws, and with har- rows of iron, and with axes ?* Who is not furprifed to find the holy prophet Elifha curiing in the name of the Lord, little children; for calling him bald pate? And what is ftill more furprif- ing, Two fhe-bears, upon his curfing, ftrait devoured forty-two little children. And he likewife entailed the curfe of leprofy en his man Gehazi, and his feed for ever; for accepting, with- out his mafter's knowledge, a fmall prefentfrom Naam- an, the AfTyrian ; though the prophet himfelf afterwards took forty camel loads of the good things of Damafcus.t to tell their king the truth, in relation to his recovery ; and yet deceived him. Elijah's caufing fire to come down from Heaven, to deftroy two captains with their companies, for no other fault but bluntly delivering a melTage from the king ; and perhaps, in the very words they were coni- nianded : was not fo cruel, as his hindering it from raining upon the earth for the fpace of three years and fix months ;+ fmce a drought of that continuance, without dew or rain. in fuch a barren country as Judasa. muft have, without miracles, deflroyed every thing : and yet St. James from hence takes occafion to recom- mend the efficacy of prayer. If God will not, in this life, miraculoufly alter the courfe of things, for the fake of the innocent, he certain- ly, will not do it for the guilty ; nor break in upori the ordinary methods and laws of his providence, to punifh one man for the crime of another ; the innocerit for the guilty. If God could acl thus, it would be no crime in man to imitate him ; nay, how could v/e * 1 Chron. XX. 3. f 2 Kings ii. 23, 24. v. 27. viu. 9, &c. X Jam. v. 17. OLD AS THE CREATION. 220 be fure, if God deals tlius with his creafures in this life, he will not ad fo in the life to come ; (ince if iheetcr- nal rules of judice are once broke, how can we ima- gine any flop ? And yet, Arc there not examples in Scripture, which taken in their liicial fenic, (ecni to make God break in upon the common courlc of nature, and tlie ordinary rules of his providence, to punilh men for crimes they are not guilty of ? as God's caufing, in (he latter end ot Da- vid's reign, a famine for three years together, for the crime of Saul and his blood)- houfe. in flavin^ tlie Gi- beonites :* and that God fmote Ifr.iel, and deftrov jcI fcvcnfy thoufand of them for Davids fault : in cauf- ing the innocent (beep, as he icfily calls them, to be numbered. B- I believe there mud be lome millake in this lafl (lory ; for is it not fit, for feveral important reafons, that kings fliould know the numbers of their people ? Are they not the Ptrengh and riches of their kingdo»n ? and was not the people of llratl. by being frccjuenilv numbered, and fomctimcs by God's own appointment, a good precedent for David ? but palling that by, how can we reconcile this rtory with itlelf ? in one place it is faid God moved David to number IlVael :t in a- nother Satan provoked David. 4; Did God c infpirc with fatan in this atl, in order to dcflroy a nunibjr of innocent perfons ? but do thefe two places any more agree in the account joab gives in of the number of the people ? nay, if in the begining of Saul's reign. ^ the numbers were rightly c^ilculatcd ; it is niorailv impofliblc, to fay nothing of the dedru^cion made by continual war, that cither r.ccount Ihould be fr:i • Befide.s Can God change his mind, and luddenly too i' \< ; it is laid, God fent an an ^cl to dellroy I(;rulalctn.m a" while the Lord Dchcld, and repented him of tlie evil. '■■ :- o.iiil. .\.\|. I. T X\'V. 1. ^ 1 Sam. xi. 8. 83® CHIRSTIANITY AS And can any one think this to be a mere Peflilence. when a real angel is laid to be rniraculoafly fent to ex- ecute God's anger ? And David, with the eiders of Ifrael, fell on their faces, and faw the angel of the lord iland between the earth and the heavens, havin^; a drawn fword in his hand, by the threfhing floor of Or- nan the Jebafite ; and is there commanded to build an Altar.* A. What you fay may be true, fince there are fe ve- ra! miftalces crept into the old teftiment ; where there is fcarce ?\chapLer, which gives any hiftorical account of matters ; but there are tome things in it, which could not be there originally ; and even in this book of Chronicles, there are things mentioned, too late to be inferted by Ezra, or Nehemiah. And I might add, that the Jewilh Hiftory being for the mod part taken from larijer accounts, it is no wonder Its abftrafts are not always very exa6l. J could give you many more inftances of this nature, but I am afraid fome will think thefe to many, though J have faid nothing, but what Archbifliop TiUotfon does in efFe£l, in affirming, " The difference between " the flyle of the o'd and new teftament is fo very re- *' markable, that one of the greatefl fciSls in the ptemi- *•' tive times did, upon this very ground, found their " herefy of t^vo Gods. Tne one evil, fierce and cruel, " whom they called the God of the old teilament ; " the other good, kind, and merciful, whom they cal- ** led the God of the new teftament ; fo great a dif- *• ference is their between the reprefentations, which are " made of God in the books of the Jewifh and chrif- " tian religion, as to give, at lead, fome colour, and *' pretence for an Imagination of two Gads." But, It muft be owned, 'hat the fame fpint, (I dare not call it a fpirit of cruelty) does not alike prevail throughout the Old Teftament ; the nearer we come to the times of the gofpel, the milder it appeared : for *■ 1 Chror.. xxi. 15, 16, 18, OLD AS THE CRF.ATIOM. ajt though God declares in the decalogue, that he is a jea- lous Gcd, vifiting the iniquity of ihe parctits upon iheir children, to the third and fourth generation;* and accordingly Achan, with all his family, was dc- ftroyed for his fingle crime; yet the Lord afterwards fays, The foul that finneth, it fliall die; the fon fliall not bear the iniquiiy of the father, &c.t *[Though before it was plain the fon did, by God's declaring to Abraham, that the uncircumcifed man child, was to be cut off from his people :+ Yet it docs not appear any punifhmeni was to be infliBed on his parents for not circumcifing him. J Our faviour, by faying. He came not to deftroy the lives of men, but to fave them; condemns their taking away the lives of any, except in defence of their own, and of what is neceffary for their fupport ; and this he declares, upon a molk remarkable occafion : Some of his difciples, upon his not being received into a Sama- ritan village, becaufe his face was towards [erufalem, flrait cried. Wilt thou we command fire from Heaven, and confurae themi,as Eliasdid? He rebuked them, and faid, ye know not what manner of fpirit ye are of; for the fon of man is not come to deflroy the lives of men, but to fave them,§ If any precedent might have been pleaded from the Old Tefiamcnt, it would, no doubt, have been Elias, the forerunner of our faviour; who came from Heaven (to which he went up by a whirl- wind in a charriot of fire, with horfcs of fire) [I to meet cur faviour on a high mountain. And if it be contrary to the fpirit of the gofpel, even to wifli to imitate that great prophet fo favored of God ; the fame will hold as i'rongly, in relation co all the act- ions that are of a like nature of other holy men, though quoted with approbation in the \'ev/ TeflameiU; as Mo- ks ii, for aciing the part of a magiftrate, v.'hen a private Oiaii, in dcftroying his fellow fubjett. And if there is * JoHi. vli. -.|, 'r Ezek. x..;:.... \LiJkc i\'. r^.\, ,5.5, .16. '! ? Kir-;:*-, li. 232 CRHISTIAN'ITY AS a contraft betv>reen the fpirft of the Old, and the fpirit of the New Tcftament, ought not we chriftians to ftick to the latter; and not fuppofe the texts, which require doing good even to the Gentiles, and dealing with them as ourfelves expe6t to be dealt with, to relate to Chrif- tians only before they had power to a6l otherwife; and that afier, they were to be governed by precedents frorrt the Old Teftament ? B. Are there any fo abfurd, as to endeavor thus to reconcile the Old and New Teftament? A. We find the Orthodox, as foon as they had a prince, who refufed fubmiliion to their decifions in the council of Nice, in exprefi terms ov\ned as much. LucifcrCIaritanus, then a mofl orthodox bifliop, in fev- eral difcourfes addreHed the fon of Conftantine the greatg does not fcniple to tell the emperor himfelf, that it was the duty of the orthodox to kill him, an account of his arianifm, wtiich Iie calls idolatry : and for this he quotes Dent. xiii. 6. and j Maccab. i 43. to verfe 29th of chap, ii. and then iniultingly fays, " if you had been in the hands of Matthias or Phineas, they would have killed you. You fay you fuffer defpiteful ufage from us, con- trary 10 admonitions of holy fcripture. If ever any- one of the worfliippers of God t'parcd apoftates,]et what you fay of us be true. Pray fhev/ me but one of them, that ever fpared the adverfaries of his religion." And the texts for obedience to magiftrates from Titus iii. 1, he evades, by faying, " That the apoRles (poke of ihofe princes and magiftrates, who as yet had not be- lieved in the holy fon of God ; that they by our humi- lity, and meeknefs, and fuffcrmg long under adverfity, and all poffible obedience in things fitting, might be won over to Chriftianity." Athanafius, and the confefl'ors that were with him, highly applaud Lucifer's difcourfes, and fays, " We plainly fee the piBure of an apoftle, the boldnefs of a prophet, the magiftery of truth, the doBrine of true faith. You fcem to be the true temple of our favi- our, who dv.'elling in you, Ipeaks tbcfe things by you. OLD AS THE CRKATION. 233 '• Believe me, Lucifer, you alone did not fay tliefc liiings, but the holy ghofl with you; how came vou to remember fcripturc at thai raic? How came you lo un- derftand the fenfc and meaning of .t fo pcrfedly; if ihc holy gholt had not anidcd you in it ?" They, who defign a new religion, in oppofition to eftablifhed ones, would, no doubt, as thele fathers fup- polc, begin with precepts of the grcatcfl humanity and tcnderncfs, and doing the uimoU good to mankmd, though of ever fo different perfuafions: But to think, as thele fathers then did, (and the oithodox, if we ji>dge from their aftions, have ever fincc thought ;j that all • the precepts of the gcfpel of this nature was defigned only to draw Jews and gentiles into the church, as gal- lants gain their miflreffes by obfcquioufnefs ; and that after they are once in, the church (as all lefts and par- ties term themlelves) had a right to murder, not only private perfons, but even their fovcreigns, for not hold- ing the orthodox faiih; and that this is the only way to reconcile the Old and New TcOamcnt, is a notion high- ly injurious to the ChriUian religion. It is, no doubt, the interell of the wicked priefts, to have God reprefented under oppofite chara61ers ; and to give in one tellament rules contrary to ihofc in the other; that they, as it fcrves their turn, may make ufe of either: But is it not alhmifliing for faints and confef- I'ors, upon the fiifl occafion, to renounce their former principles; and in defiance of their oaths of allegiance, reprcfent a man inlpired by the holy gho- , and fay, hat Chrilt Ipokc in him; when he declares it the duly of Chriftians to murder an heretical emperor? B. Thofe holy fathers, I fuppofc, thought they faw .'lings of the greatell conlequence, though cominandcd n the Old, forbidden in the New Tellament; and that .1) make the Old and Nev.* Tellament to contradiO each other in ihefe things, was to del'.ioy the authority ol both ; and therefore concluded, iliis experiment was the only way to fupport both. A, l>v reafoning thus, inOcfld of reconciling hoih, :• f 234| CHRISTIANITY AS they deflroy^d both^ and natural religion too; in fup- pofing thJMgs are nor good and evil in ihcmfelves; but that all depends on the will of an arbitrary being, which might endlefsly change. But, If there is a law of narure, with the obferving of which God cannot difpenfe either in himfelf, or in his creatures; and no religion can be true, that in the mi- nuteft circum 'dances is contrary to its righteoufnefs ; and the gofpel inculcates all fuch preceqts of natural reli- gion, as require doing. good to Jew and Gentile, even the fame we expeft from them; and that we are indif- penfably bound to allow all others the fame right of judging for themfelvesy as we claim for ourfelves; muft we not, if we will fupport the credit of the Old Tefta- ment, fuppofe it to contain nothing incorfiftent with this natural right confirmed by the gofpel ? If this be not fo, pray fhew me my miftake ; but if it be juft rea- fonin-g, tell me how you can account for the conduct of the jews, in invading, and that too, without any decla- ration of war, the Canaanites, a free and independent na'ion, and againft whom ihey had not the leaft caufe of complaint; and on pretence of their being idolaters, deftroying not only the men and women, but infants in- capable of idolatry, or any other crime ? This, you know, has given gieat advantage to the enemies of our religion, who reprefent the whole proceeding, as an un- parallelled piece of injuftice and cruelty ; and ther*. fore, I fliould be glad to know what our divines, if they do not interpret this fa6l allegorical ly, or as only done in vifion, lay, to fhew it is not contrary to the law of na- ture, and thofe precepts of the gofpel which are found- ed on it. B. I wonder you can be ignorant, with what eafc our divines folve this Teeming difficulty, by having re- courfe to a pofitive command for treating the Canaan- ites as they did. A Is not fuch a command pleaded in vain, except it can be fliewn, that the thing fuppofed to be command- ed,, is not inconfiftent with the lav/ of nature? Whic.n O L D /i. S '111 ]•. ( :< !•: A 1 I (.1 : J . ^3d if God can difpcnfe with in any one cafe, he m.iy in all; nor could his wildom then prefcribc any certain rule of conduft, either for himfelf or his creatures ; but all would depend on an uncertain, flu6luating, arbitra- ry will. B. May not a thing, which is unlawful for men to do of themfelves, become lawful, by the command of the liipreine being ? A. Suppofe any fhould nov/ plead that they had a divine cominiflionto dcftroy their next neii^hbors, whom they judge to be idolaters, man, woman and child, in order to poffes their country ; would not our divines fay, no m-.m could be as certain he had any fuch poffi. tive comtnand from (>od, as he was that God had for- bid it him by the light of nature? Nor could miracles be a proof of any fuch commi^rion; fince we can only know from the nature of the things themfelves, whe- ther miracles are done by a good, or evil being; and we are to compare what we are told of God, with what we know of h\m ; otherwife we believe in men, and not in God. And if the light of nature, (the voice of God himfelf) teaches us, even lo demonftt-ation, that God is infinitely wiie and good; does it not likewife demon- (Irate, titat no coTimand, not (lamped with thefe cha- raflerp, can come from him ; much lefs a command in- confiftent with all thofc duties that men as men owe to one another? B. May not God punifii f4)ir.c wicked nations with death, to fright ethers from committing the fame crimes ? A. Has not God a ihoufand ways of doing this, with- out commanding men to dv) any thing, which, by the law of nature, he had forbid them ? And if G( d defign- ed what he did to be a terror to others, would he not aft after fuch a fignal, and lupcrnatural manner, as all fliould fee it was his own doing; and the rcafon of his fo doing: And in order to fhew it, diitinguifli be- tween the guilty, and the innocent? If God would punifh the Canaanites, for aBingcon- 3S6 CHRISTIANITY AS trary to the law of nature; would be, in order to do this, require the Ifraelites to a6t contrary to the fame law ; in murdering men, women and children, that ne- ver did them ihe lealt injury ? Befides, were not the Jews, confidering their circum- ftances upon their coming out of Egypt, the moft im- proper people to convince the world, that they did nofc aft out of a private intervft ; but purely to execute the vengeance of God on an idolatrous nation? Would God, in fuch a cafe, choofe people as prone to idola> try as the Canaanites themfelves? Some queftion, whe- in this cafe, the plea of a divine command, if taken literally, will not deftroy all the internal proofs of the falfehood of any religion ; for can that, fay they, which is confident with the truth of any one true religion, prove another religion to befalfe? And do not all our divines, when they are fpeaking againft other religions, maintain, that their commanding, or approv- ing any thing contrary to the law of nature, isademon- ftration of their falfehood? fince it deftroys all the in- ternal proofs of the truth of any religion, and confounds all the effential marks, by which v/e difcern good from evi! ; and fuppofes God may command a Ton to facrifice his father; or do any thing, though ever fo repugnant to the light of nature. J5. Thefe men carry their reafonings too far; for has not providence frequency made ufe of ill men, not only to punilh ill men, but for other good purpofcs ? A. In the courfe of things it cannot but happen, that fome ill men may be a fcorge to others; yet thai Ce^nnol excufe them, if in fo doing they aft againft the eternal rules of juRice and equity. Though a thing may be faid to be done by the determinate counfcl of God, yet that will not juftify, or excufe ihofe that did it, if not confiltent with the law of nature. St. Peter, fpeaking- of the holy child jefus, fays, The people of Ifrael were gathered together, for to do wbaifocver thy band, and ihy counfel determined before to be done • * "" AHs iv. 27, 28. OLD AS HIE CRKATION. *37 And yet were not they, and their poftcrity punifhed for that faft, \vhich God's hand and counlcl had deier- mined fhould be done ? Befidcs, If the Ifraelitcs had a divine commiiTion to extirpate the Canaanites, ou<;hi not ihe Canaanitcs to have known If, to prevent their refiHing men ailing by a divine com- milTion ? Otherwile >A(.iild their not be two oppofuc rights at the fame time; a right in the Jews by revela- tion, to take away the lives of the Canaanitcs; and a right in the Canaanites by the law of nature, to defend their lives ? £. Was not the lun's flandinji fiill for a whole day to- gether, at the command of J( fhua.* th?t he miph have light enough to dcflroy his Chcmie.N. a iufficient proof ihey ought to ha\ e (offered up their throats ? A. That did not happen till ihcy wcic defeated before Gibcon ; .-.t^d confcquently till then, it C( uld be no di- retlion to them ; and even after that, the lord hardened their heart?, that they fliould come againll Ifrael in battle; and though it is laid, that the living Cod is among you, and that he will rot fail to drive out belore you the Ca- naanites, &c. yei Urael could not drive the m out of fcve- ral places : and in one inllance, it is laid, the lord was with Juclah,and he drove out the inhabitants of the moun- tain, but could not drive out the inhabitants of t!ic val- ]cy, brcaule they had chariots *>f iron.t A reverend author, :o folvc the difficulties attending ihis matter, fays, '• the critics and labins take notice, that it is noi faid by the hidorian, ih^i joihua comman- ded the fun and moon to fland (till ; but he rccifON the 'Aords of a certain book (fuppofed to be a poem writ;en by oiic Jafher) in which the poet, becaule of the great and long (laughter, that |ofhuj made of th.e Ammontes, introduces Jofhua, as recjuiriig liic luy and moon to itand ftili while he and his nrmy fiellrc>y<.^d the enemies of the lord. Which indeed, v.as anelgajji fiction, and very prop'/r in a poem Uiat was v . »:i luch an occalioii. ^^8 CRHISTIAI-IITY A? ■ And nowlet me afk you, v/heiher the very indeavor- ing to reconcile this, or any other fa6t meniioned in the Old Teftament, with the light of nature and the evangelical precepts, is ;iot a plain confeflion what men ought to think of them, if they could not be reconciledj as no doubt they can ; and that we are to ufe our rea- fon, in judgit'g of the a6lions of the mod celebrated perfonsof old ? elfe,to give no other inftances, than the tranfaftions of Judah and Tamar, we might approve the ftratagem, in getting to He with her father-in-lart^ : for though before he knew himfeif to be a man, he was refo'ved to burn her; yet after he cried, She has been more righteous than I :* And for this righteoufnefs fhe was bleffed with twins, from whom (he noble houle of Judah, with all its kings, aud the Meffiah himfeif was defcended. I think, I could not fay lefs than I have, in vindi^ cation of the precepts of the gofpel ; by fliewing that they were not defigned merely to draw people into the profeflion of the Ctiriftian religion, and then to be laid afide ; except where they fervcd the interefl of the local orthodoxy : But thait they are rules in their own nature obligatory, which from their internal excellen- cy, always bound mankind ; and confequently, all men, even thofe of the meaneft abilities, mufl have been capable of knowing them ; and ouc of danger, were it not their own fault, of being milled by any recedents whatever. If what has been already faid, may not be iufficient to Ihcw, that it cannot be imputed to want of wifdom, or goodnefs in God ; or to any defe6l in reafon, v/hich he has at all times given mankind for the difcovery of his will : that the nature of religion is fo little under- ftood, and fo many thmgs, which do not fheiv them- fevles to be the will of God, are mixed with it ; let me afk you, v/hether God has a greater kindnefs for the brute, than the rational creation ? * Gen. xxxviii. 27, OLD AS THE CREATIOM. a^9 B. That, certainly, muft be a needlefs queftion. A. If God, then, in the very frame and make of thofc animals v;e term irrational, has implanted the Icnfc of every thing necelTary to anfwer the end of their creation ; can we imagine, he has not as great a care for his crea- tures endowed with reafon, and made after his own im- age ; and for ends infinitely more noble than the brute creation ? When we fee with what flcill and contrivance birds, without being taught by any, but the God of na- ture, build their nelts ; and how artfully the Ipidcrs frame their webbs ; the bees their little cells ; and the beafts avoid all noxious herbs ; and not to multiply in- ftances, how all animals are endowed with fufficient fa- gacity, for prcferving thcmfelvcs and fpecies ; muft we not own, that what we call inflinft, is a certain and in- fallible guide for inferior animals ? and can we doubt, whether man, the lord of the creation, has got frotn his fuperior reafon, fufficient notices of whatever makes for his greatefl, his eternal happinefs ? If we cannot ch^jrge God with afting thus partially, murt we not be obligf^d to own, that reafon isa^ certain a guide for rational creatures, ds inllinft is for irrational ? And confequently, that thofe men are below brutes, who wanting inllin61, uillnot govern themfelves, norfuffer others to be governed by reafon ? And, Though they pl;;ood, they then j^overn ihemfelves by the fame rule Cod governs them ; ihcir will is the fame with hh, and they coiicur iri the lame defign with him : And fiiould they, in feme nice and difficult cafes, nliftake in applying the rule; yet in be- ing intirely governed by it, thev have d >ne all that Cod requires; who, having made men fallihl'", will not-im- pute to them want of infallibility. And the bell way not to miftake, in applying this rule, is to confidcr duly all circumftances, and follow what upcm the whfjle feems heft. As this is the rule both of God and man, fo it i<; in common to the unlearned as well as leartted; for lavc not all alike faculties given them by God, to dif- dnguiih between good and evil ; righ' and wrong; and to know, that, ns they would not fuffer wrong ihem- felves, fo they ought not to do wrong ? B. Th;" common people may have fuHicient anilities to know their duty 10 man; but can they as well know what they owe to God ? A. In what point is it, that men of the nieanefl abili- ties may not know their duty ; whether ir relates to God or man ? As to the firft, cannot they tell what lentiments infpire iheirt with love and reverence for their deiiy ? And need they much refleftion to know, that the more any fentiincnts do this, the more they ought to be che- rifhed ? And that every notion, which tends not to raife in them the highcd conceptions of the divine being, is derogatory to his pcrfetlion ; and that the highcfl honor and worfnip they can render him, is foleninly to own him to be what he is ? And that as iht y ought ihemfelves to have the highcfl ideas of love and veneration for tncir creator and bcnefat)or; lb they ftioiild on all proper occafions endeavor to excite the iamc in others? And Gg 242 CHRISTIANITY AS that as thjey cannot but fee, it would be in them affront- ing God, to offer him a worfliip, which they believe he abhors ; fo they miift think it the fame in others ? As to their duty ko one another, cannot they per- ceive, that it is fit in the nature of things, and agreea- ble to the mind of their creator, (who has endowed them with reafon for this endj to introduce into this creation as much bappinefs as they can; by being ready to affift, and prevent on? another in all good offices ? And in- deed, the reciprocal duties are fo very evident, that e- ven children are fenfible of doing as they would be done unto ; and the mind, with the fame eafe, fees the agreeablenefs or difagreeablenefs of moral and immoral aftions ; as the eye difcovers the agreeablenefs and dif- agreeablenefs in outward obje8s. And, The meaner people are, and the lower their Ration, the fewer are the things their duty confifts in ; and thofe fo very plain, that they cannot well mi (lake, with rela- tion either to God, or man, were they not impofed on by artful men; who, in all ages and places, ha|ve mixed with pure religion, things tending, indeed, to their own hcnor, and their own good; but far from being con- fident with the honor of God, and the good of man; and then pretended they were neceffary to influence the common people, who would not be fatisfied with plain, limple truths : And from this fcore have iffued out moft of thofe abfurdities, which, to the fcandal of human nature, have over-run mankind ; and which, for the moft part, were too fubtil and metaphyfical for the com- mon people, if left to themfelves, even to have thought of; much lefs to have raifed commotions about them : They, it mud be owned, peace and quiet being their intereft, are naturally good fubje61s and good neigh- bors; and upon all accounts moft uleful members of the community; except when their priefts, on pretence of the good of the church, work them up to tumuhsp mutiny, fediiion, and rebellion ; becaufe their govern- ors prefume, v^'ithout their leave, to girc equal proteft- ion to all their fubjefls, noiwithftanding their different OLD AS IHi, CRtAflwN. 243 opinions. And if we confult ecclefianical hiftory, we fhall find the word of princes have been judU Aire of their affiftancc, even in carrying on the viicll dcfi^ns; provided the church found their intereft in fo doing: And the beft, of their oppiifiiion, when ibey dcfigncd. the intereli of pure rcli^jion, free from pricflcraft and fuperilition. And the laiiy, certainly, cannot be too much upon their guard, when they find extraordinary- favors, (fuch as thofc in a former reign,) are dcfigiicd for the cleigy. I do not wholly confine this remark to ilic priefts of any one religion; fincc by the influence (hey have on the multitude, they have at all times done fufficient mif- chicfs. Hence Groiius fays, " Thatas Curtius oblerv- ed of old, the multitude, cnfnared by fuperltition, are more apt to be governed by their priefts than princes; and that the kii\gs and emperors have learnt this at their coft ; infomuch that to produce examples of this kind, would in a manner be tranfcribing the hilfory of all na- tions." They, I think, would do ao fmall fervice to man- kind, who would improve this hint of Crotius, and fliew how the piiiefls in all religions, and in all times, have impofed on the credulity of the people; nor could it but be very acceptable to a clergy, who abhor all fuch vile meihods. B. You all along argue, that the rule of a6ion, in order to human happincls, being every where the fame; as founded on the nature of God and man, and the re- lation we fland in to him, and one another: True reli- gion, in all places and times, mufl be ever the fame; eternal, univerlal, and unalterable : And fuch as every intelligent creature, mud have fufiicient underfianding to difcover, an.d abilities to comply with; except we fuppofe a being perfetlly wile, and infinitely good, re- quires of his cieatures, things which he has not enabled them to know, or perform. And hence you conclude, that e.vaernal revelation can only be a republication of his unchangeable rule of life; but divines are fo fenfi- 344 CHRISTIANITY A5 ble, for the moft part, are of a different fentimerjt ; nay, highly complain of the imperfedlion and infufficiency of this rule. ■ A. In order to fhew the abfurdity of fuch complaints^ let me afk you, had mankind, before any traditional rcli^ic»n commenced, any religion, or not? B. It mufl: be owned, that they had a religion, which, as coming from the auhor of ail perfe8ion, muft, as worthy of its divine original, be wholly perfcQ; nor could there be a greater mark of its perfeftion, than tha: of irs being univerfal, unchangeable, and indelibly im- planted in human nature. A. I will not alii you, whether any religion, that wants fhofe marks of perfettion, can come from a be- ing of infinite perfeBion ; but dcfire to know wherein the perfetHon of this univerfal, and unchangeable reli- gion confilts ? B. It cannot be denied, that the end for which God implanted this religion in human nature, was to make men happy here as well as hereafter; (God's will in re- lation to man and human happinefs, being equivalent terms) and therefore, he could not, at any time, leave them deftitute of the moft proper means to anfwer t^iis end. A. Does not the undeniable perfeQion of this univer- fal religion, fufficiently expofe all your pretences to a new religion, given by God to any fmall part of man- kind in ihefe laft ages? B. We fav, there was need of a new religion, tho' the old was ever fo pcrfeft; becauf© men did not ob- ferve it. A. If that was reafon for a new religion, we might expeQ new religions daily: " But," as bilhop Sherlock of Bangor obierves, " though the world was the worfe ior abufing the religion of nature, and might want to be reformed by a divine inOruftor; yet the religion of nature was not the worfe for being abufed, but" flill re- tained its fird purity and fimplicity ;" and confcqucnily, its native efficacy to make us happy. But men not pay- OLD AS THU CRKATION. 245 ing a due regard to this moft perfcft religion, but mix- injT with it human inveniions, it might, then, be agree- abie to the divine goodncls, to lend perfons to rccal them to a ftrift obfervation of it ; which, had it been obferved, nmfl: have deflroyed all contentions, but of outvying one another in all good ofiices; as the cor- rupting it has done the contrary. Which Hypothefis, think vou, is moft for the honor of God, and the good of man; (ihofc certain lefts by which we are to judge of ihe truth of all matters relating to religion ;) that all the lav,'s of God fhould carry with them fuch evident marks of goodncfs and kindiicf^ for the whole race of mankind, as that men of the mcancll: capacities, even though they cannot read in their own native language, may know their duty ? Or that their religion, and the proofs on which it depends, (hould be originally writ in lanjniages they underftand not; which, hv putting all tradiiional leligions on a 1^'el, obliges them in every country, to pin their faith on men, who arc but too apt to abule the credulity of the people to their own profit ? B. There can be no doubt, but it is for the honor of God, and the gocxi of man, thai all his laws fhould have fuch a fis;naiuie impreflcd on them, as may Ihew his infinite wifdom and goodnefs ; but can you (ay, all his laws bear this charatter ? A. Yes, if they are all of apiece: And fince God has no other end in creating mankind, but their good; or in giving them lavs, but as they conduce to that good; and has given, and requires them to ufe their undcrftanding to didinguifh between good and evil; rnen. in doing all the good they can, whether they know any thing of the inftitutions, which prevail in this, or that age or country, or not. 'fully anfwer the end of their creation ; and do in the heft manner recommend iheiTifelves to the favor both of God and man. A'Vilhout the common people are governed by thofc plain, obvious principles I contend for, they would al- ways be in a ftaie of uncertainty; fince, as bifliop Tay- ^4t> CRHISTIANITY A8 lor juftly obferves, and all hiftory confirms, '•^ There » no church that is in profperity, but alters her doftrine every age; either by bringing in new doBrines, or by contradifting her old; which fhews they are not fatijfi- ed with themfelves, nor with rheir own confeflions."' " Let none on the heathen," fays an ancient church-hif- torian, " deride us, becaufe the latter bifhops depofe the former, and always find out fomething which they add to the faith." B. Is there nothing in theology, but what divines have altered ? A. Mr. Le Clcrc obferves, that " theology is fub- jcQ. to revolutions as well as empires; but though it has undergone confiderablc changes, yet the humor of di- vines is much the fanie." Whatever noife ecciefiaftics make about creeds, or other fundamentals, there is very often fomething elfe at the bottom; as whoever is convcrfant in church hif- tory muft know : However to give one inftance, ", When the Eaftern and WefterH churches in the ninth century, fell into an humor of quarrelling upon the ac- count of jurifdifUon, after fometime of anger, in which they feemed to be fearching for matter to reproach one another with; ihey found out this difference. The Greeks reproaoflied the Latins, for adding to the faith a-bout the proceffion of the holy ghofl; ; and corrupting the ancient fymbol ; and that too contrary to the decree of a general council. The Latins, on the other hand charged them for detra8ing from the dignity of the fon. And this became t'ne chief point in coniroverfy between them." 1 cannot but mention bifliop Burnet's remark, on this difpute, " We of this church," fays he, " tho' we aWior the cruelly o{' condemning the Eaficni churches for fuch a difference, yet do receive (he creed according to the ufage of the Weftern churches." Which is in effect, damning that creed which damns the Eaftern churches. And it is plain from church-hiftory, that creeds were the fpiritual arms, with which contending parties com- »LD AS IHE CREAllUN, 247 "bated each other; and that thofe who were the majority invented fuch unfcripmral terms, as ihey ihouj;ht their adverfarics would moll: Icruple, in order to the (hip- ping them of their prcferm'^nis ; and it would have been well if they had ftuck there, and not made ulc of move cruel methods. None, who confider how difFjrcntly the circumftan- ces of human affairs, which are continually chanj^ing, affl'tl men; but mu(l fee it is Icarce po(lib!e, that the doftrines which were original^ taught, or the pra8ice originally ufed in any inliitution. fliould long continue the (ame ; nothing being more cafy than to vary the fig- nification of words: The infinite divifions which pre- vailed, even in the primitive and apoftolical times, fuf- ficien:1y prove this without having recouric to ihofe al- terations and additions, which the clergy have fince been continually making in chriftianity ; cfpecially in the Gre.^k and Latin churches. But we jieed go no fur-* ther back than the reformation : Did not the whole body of the people, laitv as well as clergy, in the compafs of twelve years, change their religion three times? And it would make no fmall book, to fhew how fince that time, our clergy, though their calviniftical articles continue the (ame. have varied, both as to doSirines and difci- pline. What a quick change have we fecn ofthofepaf- live principle*, once the charaBeriftic of the church?^ And if we judge by the prefcnt difpu;cs now on foot, the clergy are not like to be more (ixed for the future. But of all clergy men, they, certainly, arc not upon any acconnt to be relied on; who, though by their whole conduct they fhcw their great zeal for pcrfecution, yci talk again(t an implicit faith, and reconnnend Cliriftian- ity as requiring no further favor, than a fair and impar- tial enquiry into its grounds and doflrincs. This no: only (hews their great hypocrify, but that thry are more cruel than iho(e, th?t expreli.ly forbid all examination; fince they firfl tempt men to examine, nnd then punifii them for (o doing, if they prefume to diflcr from ihcir leaders; and thofe that forbid all exanr'/iafio;i czn do .mo 248 CHRISTIANITY AS more. AmJ herein they aft the part of fatan, firft tempt people, and then punifh thenni for being tempted; fo that, ftriftly fpeaking, it is not always true, that priefts of all religions are the fame; fuch hypocritical, perfe- cliting priefts are M'orfe than all others; who, while they charge the papift, or mahometan, with a confci- oulhefs of his religion's being a cheat, becaufe he will not permit it to be examined; not only practice the fame themfelves, but contend it is ncceflary for the fupport of true religion. How ealily the fenfe of words may be miftaken, the apoftles themfelves are a fufficient inftance; for had they the fame ideas of the words which Jcfus fpake, as Jefus himfelf had, it is impoffible that after three years converfe they fhould be ignorant of the end of his mif- fion : And if his familiar friends, who daily converfed with him in the fame language, and had every minute an opportunity of being fatisfied of their doubts, could yet fo grofsly miftake; well may we at this diftance of time, if we arc to be governed by words, and not by the unalterable reafon of things: And how long was it, till they underftood the meaning of teach all nations; preach the gofpel to every creature? And St. Peter himfelf needed a miracle to open his underftanding, to comprehend a moft evident truth. Then Peter opened his mouth, and (aid, of a truth, I perceive that God is no refpeBer of perfons: But in every nation, he that feareth him, and v/orketh righteoufnefs, is accepted with him * Till this happened, he, though filled with the holy ghoft, confined falvaiion to the name of a perfon; viz. the name of Chrift. There is none other name under Heaven given amongft men, whereby we muft be faved.t Had there been but one language, and a book writ in that language, in indelible charafters, (fo that there could be none of thefe thirty thoufand various readings, which are owned to be crept into the New Teftament) * A6ls X. 34, 35. -r ch. iv, '2. OLD AS Tll£ CREATION. S^Q and all could have accefs lo it; yet even then, confid- cring how uncertain the meaning of words are, and the intcreft of defigning men to put a wrong fenfeon ihcm; it mud be morally iinpoHible this religion could long continue the fame. And, *' If," as St. Jerom fays, " a falfc interpretatiofi of the gofpel of Chrilt, may make it become ihe gofpcl of men; nay, which is worfe, of devils;" how can they, who, not underftanding the original, mufl truft to the interpretation of others be certain; had they not a fnf- ficient inward light to diretl thctn, what do8rines are from God, what from men, and what from devils? Is it not notorious, that popifh priefls, nor to men- tion other perfecuiing pricfts, have propa<];a(ed fuch de- ftrutlive notions, that if ihe devil himlcif had been to contrive a religion, he could not have invented more pernicious ? Words arc the arbitrary marks of the ideas of men, and the meaning of words, as well as the words them- felves, are perpetually changing; and it is asimpolfible to fix one as the other. We fee by the innumerable verbal difputes, which happen even among learned men, how different their ideas are; and perhaps, there arc not three perfons, who, when they talk abdrat^cdly, have precifely the fame ideas, though they ufc the fame words. No one can doubt of this-, who confidcrs how much the divines of the fame church differ in explain- ing what they mean by divine perfon, cffence, trinity, mcffiah, incarnation, hypoftatical Union, original fin, fbtisfa6tion, jufUficaiion, predeftination, grace, free- will, and all other technical terms, if I may fo call them. Bifhop Taylor quotes Ofiander for faying, '• There arc twenty fevcral opinions concerning juftifi- cation, all drawn fr(jm the fcripiures by the irien only of the Augultine confclfion; and there are fixtcen (eve- ral opinions concerning original fin; and as many dil- tinBions of the facraments as there arc Ictls of men that difagrcc about them." That excellent criiic Dailie favs, " Wc have, indeed, Hh 2.50, CHRISTIANITY AS thefe words Pope, patriarch, mafs, ohlation, ftatiorr,, procefiTion, moral fins, penance, confeffion, fatisfafclion, merit, indulgence, as the ancients had, and make ufeof an infinite number of the like term?; but underftand them in a fenfe almoft as far different from theirs, as our age is removed from theirs." To give one remarkable inilance of this nature, the primitive fathers did not believe a fpirit to be immateri- al ; b.a: only a thinner fort of body : And this they did not only apply to the fouls of men and angels, (who, they fuppofed, lay with women, and got children in a- bundance ;) but they thought that God himfelf was cor- poreal. Melito, who was believed to be a prophet, and flourifhed about 170. wrote a book about the im- bodied God. A.nd Tertullian fays, quis negabit deum^ corpus ejfe^ etji. deu^ Jpiritus ejl? And again, nihil in- torporaU niji quod nan ejl. And St. Hilary, even in the fourth century, affirms, there is. nothing but what is corporeal. And it is very probable, that from fome words of our faviuur, they thought that a fpirit was a thinner fort of body, that could be fcen but not felt. And from St. Paul's faying.. In h?m dwellcth the fuinefs of the Godhead bodily ;*and.talking in feveral oiher pla- ces of a fpiritual body, they concluded that that was the fame with a bodiJy fpirit; though our divines very well know how to dilHnguifh between a bodily fpirit, and a fpiritual body. In fhort, there are fcarce any words in any one lan- guage, except of fuch things as immediately ftrike the i'enfes, that are adequately anfwered in another, fo as exactly to comprehend the fame ideas; and if the ideas are only fewer, or more, what confufion may not that. Dccafion? How great, and hov/ frequent mud the mif- takes then be, in tranflating the antiquated languages of people, who ivcd at a vaft diftance of time, as well as- in countries far remote; and afi'eBed hyperbolical, pa- rabolical, mvftical, allegorical, and typical^ways of ex- * Coiof. ii, a. 0X17 AS 'fllE CREATION. 25* preflinCT ihemfelvcs, as oppolitc to the unigc fn ofticr pins, a." Kalt is lo Weft ? And not only this, butir will be likewife neccffiry to have an accurate knowledge of their manners, cuftoms, traditions, philofophy, religi- ous notion?, fe^lsi civil and ccclefiaftical polity; of all 'Which the commc)n people know as little, as they do of the original laRgiiagcs; who having very obfcure, and incompetent comeptions of the principle words, and phrafes ufed in the verfions, their religion mull needs be a very odd jumble of confufcd and inconfiftcnt no- tions, were It to depend on words, and their precife meaning; and not on the things ihemlclves, and their rela'ions, wh ch are plain and obvious to common ca- pacities; ihcy would be in a manner intirely governed by founds; fomc of which, fuch, as they ufi^d to hear fpoken of with refpeG, they would highly reverence; while others, though of the fame fignificaiion, ihey would as much abhor, till cuftom had made them fami- liar. *[•• Sure I am," fays Mr. Locke, " that the fignifi- cation of words in all languages, depending very much on the thoughts, notions and ideas of him that ufes them, mull unavoidably be of great uncertainty to men of the fame language, and country. This is fo evident in the Greek authors, thai he who pcrufcs their writings, will find in almxjO every one of ihem, a diftinft lan- guage, though the fame words. But when to this natu- . ral difficuliy in every country, there (hall be added dif- ferent countries, and difierent ages, where the Ipeakers had very different notions, tempers, cuftoms, ornaments and figures of fpcech, Szc. every one of which influen- ced the fignification of their woids then, though to us now, they are lofl and unknown ; it would become us to be charitable one to another in our interpretations or milundcrllandings of ihofc ancient writing*;. We ought to magnify the goodnefs of God, that he has (par- ed before all the world, fuch legible chara8ers«of his works and providence; and given all mankind fb (uffi- cient a light of realon, that they to whom ibis wriuen > 2^2 christianity'as word never came, could not (whenever they iet them- felves to fearchj either doubt ot the being of a God, or of the obedience due to him."j ' Were men not to be governed by things, but words, the confequence now would be much worfe than what happened on the confulion of languages at Babel; be- caufe no written religion, for want of an univerlal lan- guage could become univerfal ; and people muft, with- out a competent {kill in dead languages, be obliged to take their religion on truft, from men too, as fubjeft to be deceived, as they are often ready to deceive: Nay, the univerfaliiy of language, could it have preferved re- ligion uncorrupt, would have done fo in the antedilu- vian world, and before the confufion of language, which happened at Babel. Iffkillin languages could even make the learned certain, how comes it to pafs, that what goes for ortho- dox in one age, fh all be heterodox in another? What is fundamental in one church, be damnable error in an- other ? Nay, muft not every one, if at all verfed in church hiitory, fay with Mr. Chillingworih ? " I fee plain, and with my own eyes, that there are popes againft popes, councils againft councils; fome fathers againft others; the fame fathers againft ihemfclves; a confent of fathers of one age, agamft the confent of fathers of another age; the church of one age, againft the church of another age ?" And do not the clergy themfelves think there is fuch uncertainty in the fcripture language, even in things of the greateft moment; when they generally . ufe unfcriptural terms to exprefs thofe things? And that they cannot even here agree among themlelves, there reeds no beuer proof than the dilputes of our divines about fundamentals ; though they are, to prevent all controverfies of this nature, enaBed and guarded with penal laws; and all the clergy, at every turn, obliged to fubfcribe them in the fame words. And, I could name two eminent bifhops, who, if they were to give a true account of their religious tenets, it is thoughtj would appear to differ very widely, even OLD AS THE CRK A riON^ 253 in wliat themfclvcs term fundamentals. Rut arc not fucli differences uiterly unavoidable, as l(>ng as nica found iheir religion on words and phrales thus dubious; and not on the eternal realon, and unalterable relalioo* of thinjTs, obvious to the meaneft capaciiy ^ Notwithitanding the wide diffeicrjce there is between all Chrillian (c6)s, from the Papill down to the Quaker; I cannot help thinking, iliai an infinitely wife and good God ha.> adapted the lulcs and e\idences, of what he really requires from mankind, to their j^encral capacity ; and thai the certainty of every command, mult be e- qual to the importance of the duty. How can. we fup- ))ofe fonie of the molt necefTary duties of religion, are- only to be found in volumnious books, which the great eft part of mankind have, perhaps, never heard of; and of thofc that have, not one in a thoufand underltands a little of the languages they are writ in; or is capable of examining into thofe records, from which the a»iithority of ihefe books cire to be derived ? Is not that an admirable hypothefis, which, though it fuppofes God has endowed mankind with reafon to ena- ble them to diftinguifli between religion and fuprrlli- tion ; yet admits that almoft all mankind are incapable of doing It, but muft alike, in all countries, depend on tlic authority of men, hired to maintain the traditional reli- gion of the places where ihcy live; who, perhaps, will tell them, that there was a time (happy thole who lived in it) when religion was fuited to the capacities of the vulgar; being preached by infpired men in the languages they underftood, and miracles for the coiiviftion wro't in their light ; but tliat now the fcene waseniiielv chang- ed, they had no miracles, no infallible men to have re- courfe to, to fei them right; and that their religion by diitancc of time was not only become oblcure, bui that the whole of it, and the piuofs on wWicU the validity de- pends, aie writ in languages, of wliich the people un- derfland not a word; and that ^- the evidence arifing from particular types and prop'hefics, is now, by length of time, and dillanec of place, and change of cnftoms. 254 CRHISTIANITY AS Ijecome obfcure and difficult to the generality of peo- 'pie, and cannot be thoroughly difcufled without a great variety of knowledge concerning the ancient Jewifh cuftoms, and the authority of their writings, and the exa6l calculation of time."* Which is in effett to fup- pofe, that the religion of the vulgar muft confift, in tak- ing the'w6rds of their teachers, however dirided among themfclves, for the word of Gbd ; and their iranfjations, for law and gofpel ; and that believing them, is having a divine faith : Though one would think, whatever de- pended on human traditions and tranflations, could be but a human faith. 3. "Though foniething of this nature is unavoidable, where religion is writ in antiquated languages; yet m (he main, are we not now more certain of the truth of our traditional religion, than thofe xvho lived in former ages; \ve having the authority of every pad age in confirma- tion of its truth ? , A. Mr. Locke, fpeaking concerning affent in mat- ters, wherein teftimony is made ufe of, fays, " I think it may not be amifs to take notice of a rule obfeived in the la\f of England; which is, that though the attefled copy of a record be good proof, yet the copy of a copy never To well attefted,' and by never fo credible wit- inefTes, will not be admitted as a proof in judicature. This is Co generally approved as reafonable, and fuited to the wifdom and caution to be ufed in our enquiry af- ter material truths, that I never yet heard of any one that blamed it. This praftice, if it be allowable in the decifions of right and wrong, carries this obfervation a- long with it; viz. that any teftimony, the further off it is from the original truth, the lefs force and proof it has. The being and exi(tence of the thing iifelf, is what I call the original truth. A credible man vouching his knowledge of it, is a good proof: But if another, equal- ly credible, do witnefs it from his rcpoVt, the teftimony is weaker; and a third that aiiefts a .hear-fay cf an hear- Bp. of London's paft. lett. p. 20, 21. OLD AS THE CREATION. 2^C f3V, is yet Icfs confiderablc. So that in traditional tnithi, each remove weakens the force of ihc proof. And the more hands tlie tradition has fucceflively pafTed through, the lefs ftrcngih and evidence docs it receive from them." This is certain, fays he, that " what ia one ai;e was affirmed upon flight grounds, can never after come to be more valid in future ages, by being of- ten repeated ?" I hope you will pardon me, if I prefume to think, that God, at all times, is fo good and impar- tial, that his will, on which the happinefs of mankind at all times depends, is at all times equally knowable ; and confeqnently, mud be founded on what is always alike di fee rnable; the nature and rcafon of things. Can a re- ligion, dcfigned f'»r every one, not be within the reach of every one? Or can that, which above all things it concerns all men to know, not be knowable by all '* id quod ^.que pofluperibiis prode/l^ locuplctibus esquc ; J£.qiie negUHum pucris fenibufque nocehit. Hoc opus^ hoc Jludium parvi properemus (3 amplt , Si patrcu vohcmus, fi nobis vivere cari. And certainly, nothing can be a greater libel on the true religion, than to fuppofe it does not contam fuch in* tcrnal marks, as will, even to the moenell: capacity, dif^ tinguifli it from all falfc religions; fo as that a man, though unable to read in his mother-tongue, may, with- out pinning his faith on any fet of priclls, know what God requires of him. I have faid nothing of the plainncfs, fiinplicity, and even univerfality of religion, but what is agreeable to the defcription, which St. Paul, from the prophet Jere- miah, gives of the gofpel difpenfaiion ; the cxprcfs icrmi of which run thus: I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts ; and I will be unto them a God. and they fh:\ll be to me a people : And they fliall .not teach every man his ncig'ibor, and every man his brother, faying, know the Lord; for all fhall k/iow rr>c. 256 . CHRISTIANITY AS from the leaft to the greateft.* As thefe words are too plain to need a comment, (o I (hall defer drawing an*)' confequences from them, till I have firft endeavored to free the fcripture from that obfcurity, in which artful men have involved it. And, I (hall, now, by way of recapitulation, mention vfliat Mr. Barbeyrac, a pcrfbn of no fmall note in the learned world, fays concerning thepra6)ical fcienceof morality : " None can reafonably doubt, but that every man, who will be happy, mult needs, in order to make himfelf fo, regulate his conduQ after fome certain manner ; and that God, as the author and parent of aU human race, does prefcribe to all men without exception, the dutic^ which tend to procure them that happinefs, which they fo paf- fionately feek after. Now, from hence it neceflarily follows, that the natural principles of this fcience are fuch as may be eafily difcovered; and fuch too, as are proportionate to the capacities of all forts of perfons : So that to be inftrufted in this fcience, there will benooc- cafion to mount up to Heaven; or to have from thence any extraordinary revelation for ihat purpofe. It mu(\ be owned, to the eternal glory of the fupreme le- giflator of mankind, as well as to the utter confufion of themfelves; that none can complain without injuftice, that God has given laws, either impratticable, or invi- ■roned with fuch obfcurity, as cannot be penetrated by one who has really his duty at heart, notwithflanding all his pains and application. This the wifefl heathens have acknowledged ; (and) the Itoics, who make morality their principle ftudy, maifiiained, that their philolophy was not above the reach of women and flaves : and that as the way to virtue lies open to all men without dif- tinSion; fo there is no eftate, or condition, with pecu- liar privileges exclufive of others, as to the faculty of knowing the principles and rules, as well of thofe duties which are common to all ; as of thofe which belong to each particular. The idea of a creator, boundleis in '■* Heb. vjii. xo, 11. Jer. xxxi. 33, 34. OLD AS THE CREATION'. 257 power, wildoni and goodncfs ; and the idea of our- iclvcs, as intelligent, reafonable, and fociabic creatures: Thefe two ideas, I fay, if well looked into, and com- pared together in their whole extent, will always fur- nifli us with fteady grounds of duty, and fufc rules of couduft; notwiihftandmgit nnay fo fall out, that, for want of care and aiteniion, we may in fome common cafes, not know how to apply them ; or cannot metho- dically demonrtrate the neceffary connexion of fome remote coulequenccs, with the fird principles of moral- ity.- It is certain, that the entire conformity of the chriftian morality, with the cleared diftates of right rea- fon, is one of the moil convincing proofs of the divini- ty of the chriftian religion; as has been acknowledged by all, v'ho have wrote vviih any lolidiiy on the fub- ject.. And if wc duly weigh, and conlidcr it, we Ihall find, that this is the proof, which of all others is the mod aff'cfting ; and the bell proportioned to the common capacities of the bulk of mankind. [Who] When they come at length to confider the evangelical morality, and find it intirely comfortable both to their true intered.*;, and to all thofc principles, of which every man has by nature ihe feeds in his own heart; they can- not th>in help concluding, that the author of it mud ne- ced'arily be that very being, who has given life, and brought them into this world only to make them happy; provided they will not be wanting to themfelves, but contribute o» their part, all that lies in their own pow- er, towards the attainment of their own felicity." I might here commend to your pcrufal, what he, in feveral fe61ic)ns, affirms of the " extreme negligence of the public minilters of religion, in cultivating the fci- ence of morality ; which," as he fays, " being by them almod banilhcd out of the world, took fan6tuary among the laicks, or undignified inen of letters: vho gave it ;i much better reception. Xo fooner did that admi- rable treatife of Grotius, of the n^\n of war and peace, appear in the world, but the ccclcfiadics, indead of re- 'urning thanks to the author for it, every where dcclar- 1 i 258 CHRISTIANITY AS ed againft him; and his book was not only put into the- expurgarory index of the Roman catholic inquifitors,. but many, even proteftant divines, labored to cry it down. And thus it fared too with Mr. PufFendorfF's book of the law of nature and nations ; the jefuits of Vi- enna caufed it to be prohibited ; and many proteftant divines, both of Sweden and Germany, did their befty to make this exeelient work fhare every where elfe the fame fate ?*" B. If thefe great men were thus dealt with, for fetting the fcicnce of morality in its due light ; can you, who place religion in the praftife of morality in obedience to the will of God, and fuppofe there can be no other dif- tin6lion between morality and religion, than that the for- mer is a8ing. according to the reafon of things confider- ed as the will of God : can you, I fay, hope to efcape be- ing pelted by (ome of the fame profeflion for luch a crime as this. A. That, r muft own, would be a favour I neither hope, nor wifh for ; fmce I am fenfible, the fhewing re- ligion to be no arbitrary inftitution, but founded on the nature of things, and their relations, obvious to the ca- pacity of all that dare to ufe their reafon ; muft provoke all ecclefiaftics of what denomination foever, who expeft a blind fubmilTion from the laity : though was it not for the authority, that the high church clergy among the re- formed lay claim to, when from proteftant principles they draw popifti conclufions; the pretences of the po- pifti priefts for the neceffity of an infalible guide^ would appear ridiculous. The fubftance of what the papifts fay, is, in fhort^ " that if the principles of the proteftants, relating to pri- vate judgment, are true, the bulk of mankind cannot go beyond- fuch plain rules of religion, as carry their own evidence with them ; lince otherwife they would be o- bliged to admit things, about which they are incapable ef judging ? If the religion of peafants and mechanics, men and maid-fervants, the ignorant and illiterate, muft depead Oil books written in antiquated languages, oi OLD AS THE CREAT1014. 259 •which they underftand not one word ; andareincapahic of judging of the hiftorical evidences of remote fa6h, on which the authority of thofc books is founded ; nor can know whether a religion thus founded, has been faithfully conveyed down to them. Mull they not ci- ther be of that traditional religion, which obtains in the country where they live, (as none is without one) ? or elfc muft there not be fome perfons appointed to judge for them in matters of religion, in whofe determination they may fafely acquiefce ? If this be popery, there can be no mean between popery and natural religion. " If in the earlieft times cnrillians were fplit into many fe6ls, and each feft had their particular fcriptures.: are the common chriftians now (when all the hiuorical evi- dence is lo(l but of one fide only, and that too they un- deriland not) competent judges in this matter ? or to con- defccnd to particulars, arc they capable of judging in the coniroverfies between <:atholics and proteftants, about the number of canonical books, oral tradition, the au- thority of the church, the uninterrupted fucceflion, and a thoufand other things ; efp.ecially fuch as relate to my- fteries ; about which they are fo far from being compet- ent judges, that they are not capable of underftan- dingcven the terms, in which the learned choofc to ex- prefs ihemfclves, when they endeavour to explain their inexplicable myfteries ? " Ought not the illiterate, if they had a juft fenfe of their own ignorance, to have been frighted upon their pretended reformation, at the very thoughts of leaving a church, to which their anceOors had been fo long uni- ted ; (and which moft of their adverfaries owned to be a true church, and derived their authoi ity from her ;) upon the account of opinions, they were no more capable of judging ; than they were capable of judging, after i-hey had left the church, to which of the numerous fe6ls they fhould join themfelves. " All protefiant churches have taken the fame meth- ods to make people pay an abfolutc fubmiOion to their dccifion ; as the church of Rome, by excommunicating 26o CHIRSTIANITY AS and condemning, when they had power, to perpetual? imprifonment ; or otherwife punifhing thofe who, would not renounce their private opinions, when con- tray to their decifions ; which is either condemning their own principles, or their own praQices fo direftly opofite to their principles : but if this power of judging for people is, as the protellant clergy pretend, fo neccf- fary to preferve unity, that it mu ft belong to every particular, and protefiant church, though founded on the breach of catholic unity ; how came the church it- felf, before the pretended reformation, to want this, power fo neceffary to preferve itfelf." B. Proteftant divines, when preffed on this head, iifually diftinguiOi between a juft authority, and an ab-. folute authority „ A: Can the church of Rome, fay its votaries, claim a greater 'authority, than the church of England does in her canons of 1600 ; where Ihe declares, " ail are ip- JoJaBo excomunicated, who fhali affirm fhe is not an orthodox and apoftolical church ; not to be abfolved, but by the archbifhop, after having publicly renounced this their impious error." And after the fame manner excommunicates " all, who affirm the articles of 1562, Tnade to avoid diverfity of opinions, ulla ex parte fuper- Jlitiofos aut erroneos exijiere.; all that fpeak againft her rights and ceremonies, or condemn her ordination, and her difcipline" (though fhe herfeif complains of want of Godly 'difcipline) " by bifhops, deans, archdeacons ■&C. all fchifmatics, andall congregations not efiablifh- hy law, if they affume to themfelves the name of a true, and lawful church." Does not this, fay the papills^ lhew,that though the principles of the church of Eng- land were anti-popilh ; yet that her practices, her laws civil as well as ecclefiaftical, before the revolution, wei t popifh ; fince the laws againft feparatifts then extended to the lofs, not only, of eftale and liberty ; but even of life itfelf. From thefe, and fuch li'ke reafons, the papifts con- cluded, that if the people are obliged to go a ftep be- OLD, AS THE CREATION. 5361 yond the plain and obvious rules of natural religion, there is, in the judgment ot all churches whatever, a neceffity for them to have recourle to others to judge for them ; unlcls there arc to be as many religions as judgeji. jB. How did our reformers anfwer thele ohje^lions. A. Tiiey bemg chiefly concerned for the authority of the fcriprure, and withal willing in their dilputcs with the papids to fupport private Judgement, faid, " that iht Icriptures themfihes, from their innate evi- dence, and by the illummation of the i.imc holy fpirit which indited them, lufhciently fhcwed thcmlclvcs to be the will of God." The Dutch confcHion publifiied in 1560, in the name of the Belgian churches, after having recited a catalogue of the books of iciiptiiie, lay; " thefe we receive as the only iacred and canonical books ; not becaufe the church receives ihenl as fuch ; but becaufc the holy Ipirit witneffes to our confciences, that they proceeded from God ; and themfelves icflify their authority." The Galilean churches, in their confefTion, go fomr- what further, not only, " declaring their faith in the icriptures, to depend on the teftiinony of the internal perlualion of the fpirit; but that thereby thev know the canonical from the eccieliaftical, i. e. Apochry- phal books." And, The affembty of divines at Weftminfler maintained, that " our full perfuahon and allurance of the infalli- ble truth thereof (the icriptures) is from the inward work of the holy fpirit, bearing witncfs by, and with the words in our hearts." As to foreign divines, I Aral 1 only mention that r.reat reformer Calvin, who fays, " all muft allow, that there are in the fcripturcs manifefl. evidences ofCiod's fpeak- ing in them, — The majelly of (}od in them will pre- fently appear tc? every impartial examiner, which will extort our aiFent : lb that they a5t prepoflcroufly. who indeavour b\' anv argument to bc'i^'t u I'olid credit to »^2 CHRISTIANITY AS the fcfiptures. ■ T he word will never meet with, credit in men's minds, 'till it be feal'd by the internal teftimony of the fpirit who wrote it." Our learned Whitaker, in his controverfey about the fcripture againfl Bellarmine^ gives this account of the doftrines of the church : " The fum, fays he, of our o- pinion is, that the fcriptures have all their authority and credit from themfelves ; that they are to be ac- knowledged and received not becaufe the church h^s appointed or conjmanded fo, but bccaufe they came from God ; but that they came from God, cannot be certainlv known by the church, but from the Holy Ghoft ?'" And, Indeed, our church fuppofes no man can be a good chriftian, without being infpired ; by faying, works done before the grace of Chrill, and the infpiration of his fpirit, are not pleating to God :— -yea, — we doubt not, but that they have the nature of fin. And, As to the Diffenters, I fhall only quote Dr. Owen, a man not long fince very eminent among them, who is as zealous in maintaining his opinion as any of the firft reformers; his words are " thefcriptures of the old and new teftament do abundantly, and uncontrolably manifefl themfelves to be the word of the living God ; fo that merely on the account of their own propofai to us, in the name and majelly of God as fuch, without the contribution of help, or afliftance from tradition, church, or any thing elfe without themfelves, we are obliged upon the penalty of eternal damnation, to re- ceive them with that Iubje6lion of foul, which is due to the word of God. The authority of God (hining in them, they afford unto us jail the divine evidence of themfelves, which God is willing to grant us, or are any way needful for us." And left the Quakers fhould take it amifs, if while I quote other Secls, I fhould over look them ; R. Barclay fays, " how neceffary it is to feek the certainty of the fcripture from the fpirit, the infinite janglings, andendlefs contefts of thofe who ieek their authority elfwhere, do witnefs to the truth OLD AS THE CREATION. sC© thereof." And then proceeds to prove thofe infinite janglings, and endlefs contefts. The reformed would have argued unanfwerably, had they contented themfelves with faying, that there arc no do^bines of a divine original con-aincd in the gofpel-dif- penfation, hot what by their innate excellency are know- able to be fuch : as being writ in our minds, and put in- to our hearts by God himfelf ; as is exprefsly declared by the prophet Jeremiah, and repeated and re-aflerted by the apoftle, and by Chrift himfelf.* But, Our divines, it feems, at laft found out, that the re- formers, and their fuccelTors, had embraced chriftianity on fuch grounds, as they believed would equally ferve any other religion, where there was aftrong perfuafion; and being zealous for certain things, which do not car- ry any internal marks of their truth; or in other words, of being taught of God, they fell into ftrange inconfift- encies ; fometimes talking like Hobbifls, of the power of the magif!rate; fometimes like papifls, of the autho- rity of the church in religious matters; and fometimes maintaining both, and private judgment too, in the fame difcourfe, if not in the fame leQion; which made their adverfaries treat them as a pack of tricking, chicaning wretches, who had no regard to truth, or confiftcncy, or any thing but their private intereft. The opinion, now, which feems to be efpouled by fome, who would be thought the only true church-men, is, what the late learned Dr. Rogers maintains ; who, though he agrees with the papifts, that the people are incapable of judging for themfelves in mod points of re- ligion; yet, to do himjuftice. he puts the church of Rome but upon a level with all other churches of what religion foever, that chance to be uppermoft ; for he lays it down as a principle, " That tho' no man ought upon any authority to believe contradictions, or pro- fcfs an affent to evident falfehoods, yet in queftions, where he mufl in the event be determined by fomc au- *■ Jcr. xxxi. 133. ll^b. X. 16. Joio ^'i. 4J. 26'4 CRHISTIANITY AS thority or other, he may reafonably prefer the authority appointed by public wifdom, and juftly be required fo to do. " The bulk of mankind are manifeftly unable to form a jadgment, either of the arguments by which he (hisantagoniftj endeavors to fubvert our religion, or his own ; wheiher they adhere to us, or go to him, they muft unavoidably rely on hisj or our authority, for the truth of the fuggeftions on which their conclufions de- pend ; and we prefume our word will go as far as his." This is aflerting, that people are obliged to take their relit^ion on truft, and then to change it as often as there is any change in the ftate-religion ; or as often as they change their refidenee ; and in all thefe changes to be governed by men, who are hired not to find out truth but to make that religion, to which their preferments are annexed, to pafs for true. And if people will not be governed, the legiflature, or in the DoBor's phrafe^ public wildom may juftly require them fo to do. Nor is the matter mended, by excepting contradiftions and evi- dent falfehoods ; fince here too, if private perfons and authority differ, public wifdom will certainly be on the fide of the authority it fets up; and it is in fuch things that the public wifdom in moll chriftian countries has exerted itfelf with the utmoft cruelty, fo that the whole queftion between the papifts and the Do6lor (both fides agreeing that men cannot believe contradi8ions and evi- dent falfehoods ; and that there are things, which the people are incapable of knowing ; or if known, cannot judge wheiher they are true or not;) is on whom the people in thefe points muft pin their faith ? Whether there are certain' ftanding judges appointed by Chrift, who (hall infallibly lead them into the truth ? Or wheth- er in every Chriftian country the people are bound to be of the religion of thofe fallible, not to fay felf interefted guides, public wifdom has athorifed. Here it muft be confeffed, the Doftor is againft the pope of Rome, but tofet himfelf up in his ftead ; and he accordingly main- tains, th-^t ihofe who are committed to his care, are in OLb AS THE CREATION. l6j thirtgs of which they canno' judge, to follow hifjii^mcnt ; and fays, '• though he may miftakc, and in conr-cjucnce of it miflead them, yet ihcy will have this defence 1 c- fore Chrirt, that they have foughr his will in 'he i -c- thods which he has dircfted ; and wiiere ih. y wanted a guide, preferred one appointed to that ofhcr .icctdiig to his indiiution." Bat why may not a parilh prielt ap^ pointed by public wifdom in Nonh-Britain, France, or any other country, fay the fame to people incapable of judging in thefc points? Is not this fuppofmg, that the chriltian religion, in nvaiiy points, is fo framed, that in every parifli the people muft follov/ the judgment of their parifh-pried ; becaufe thev are to feck (and what more can be required of them) Chrift's will in the manner ihc parifli-prieft tells them Chrift direQs? And is not this popery, even worfe than Roman popery, as (t is fel- ting up a pope in every pari Hi ; and obliging the people, as often as any of them change their parifli, or he his pa- rifh, or his mind, to change their religion too, in every thing that is not felf-evident, or a manifcit concradift- ion, in compliance vith their prefent parifli pope? I cannot but remark, how good wits, though they lived in very diftant limes, and feem of very different religions, have luckily hit on the fame thought ; I mean Vergerius, who, in Luther's days, was nuncio to (he pope; and Dr. Rogers, late chaplain to a protelhnt king, at the head of the protcdant interelt. The former laid to Luther, If you could have had any thing inno- vated in the faith, in which you were bred up for thir- ty-five years, for your confcicncc and falvation fake, it Was futficient to have kept it to yourfelf." The latter affcrts, '^ That in the chrillian religion, the apoflle's rule is, halt thou faith, have it to thyfelf;" And yet it is plain, the apoftlc was pevfecutcd by the Rogerians of ihofc days, for not keeping his faith to himfclf. B. Whatever Vergerius might delerve from popifli public wifdom, for mifapplying this text, to put a (top to the refcrmaiion ; a protellant divine could dclerve nothing but contempt from proteftani public or private K. k 2^56' CHRISTIANITY AG wifdom, forfo notorioufly perverting its meaning, and openly bantering our firU reformers ; and not only con- demning them, for not keeping their religion to them- felves, but afferting, that all, who (without a fpecial cnmmiirjon) from the beginning of the world to this day, have " labored by public preaching, or writing, to "withdraw the fubmiffion of men to- the eflabliflicd reli- gion, whether pagan, mahometan, or popifli, and gath- er congregations in oppofition to it. contrary to the command of the magiOrate;" have been guilty of the dam.nable fin of difobedience and fedition. So that if popery had been eftabliflied by law in king James's reign, all proteftants muft have kept their religion in their own breafls ; iince publicly profelling a religion cannot but be unlawfu , where there is no coming at it, but by unlawful means. The papifts, fure, need no other arguments, to fhew the unlawfulnefs of the refor- mation in moil plac;\s. than what this reverend divine has furnifhed them with. And though he declares him- felf an enemy to all perfecution, and owns, '* that if there be no public worfliip, there mull be all the ap- pearance diat can be of ablblute irrtligion ; yet the chief dcfign of his vindication of the civil eftablif}nTient is to prove, that all magiftrates, of what religion foever, have a righl to oblige all, but tho(e of their own commu- nion, to keep their religion to themfelves." Which is declaring for perfecution as well as irreligion ; fince all men believe it is their duty publicly to worfliip God, though contrary to all human commands; and he him- felf dares not iay he would obey fuch commands. A. And his diftin8ion between men's aBing with, or ■without a fpecial commiffion, is impertinent in relation to a magiftrate, who owns no fuch commiffion ; and the whole is inconfillent with that authority, which, in an- other place, he gives to the church or clergy, ofpre- frribing what doQrines fliall be taught, and what not:. But if the magiftrate, for the fake of the flaie, can for- bid the public profeflion of all religions but one; why not thai one ? fince I believe, there is fcarcc any in- OLD AS THE CREATION. 267 •ftance where the profeffion of but one has been permit- ted ; but that relJiTion (oon degenerated into pricdcraft, to the entire deftrudion of the civil liheriies o( men ; and the maoillrate, as well as his fuhjefts, has been for- ced to lubmit to the arbitrary, and vile impofitions of his own priefts. In fhort, this noble fcheme, if there is any confifVen- cy in it, is, that in all matters of religion, ^vhere people are capable of judging ; they mud not, if the magidrate thinks fir, openly profcfs their religion; and in all other things, which depend on book-learning, they are to be governed by their refpeQive parifh-popes. And if fuch a fcheme as this, could recomm nd the peVfon that publifhed it, to a much larger parifti popedom than he had before; it is high time for the laity to confider, whether all the blood and treal'ure which have been fpent to keep out but one pope, has not been ("pent in vain ; if, indead of that one, we are now to have thou- fands ? I do not find, that the apodles taught there was a- nv tiling in religion, of which people were incapable of judging; for though men could not well be lower ini point of underdanding, than ihofe to whom the gofpcl was fird preached ; yet even thefe are commanded to judge for themfelves; to prove all things; to take heed to what they hear; to try the ipirits to avoid falfc prophets, feducers, and blind guides, And if this was their duty in ihe apodolic times, it was, certainly. To in all after ages ; and 'f there are mosv any fuch things, by what authority focver introduced, as make the apodolic- al rule impraBicable ; I fhall, with fubmjffion to Dr PvOgcrs, venture to ailirm, thev are no part of the chri(- tian religion; and ihofe who teach them are falfe pro- phets^ feducers and deceivers ; and as fuch, are to be fhuncd by all chriftians, St. Chryfodom thinks religion fo very plain, that he fays, '• Were it not for our tloth, we had no need of teachers." And we do not find that even the fathers thought the people, as not being able to judge for ihcm- £0© CHIRSTIANITY AS felves, were to believe in their parifli-priefts. La8ai>T tius, for inftance, f^ys, " That in thole things, efpeciT ally, which concern our life eternal, it becomes every man to fearch, and examine the truth of them by his; owi! fenfe and jiidiT'Tient, rather than to expofe himfelf by a fo>j, ifh crednJiy to the hazard of being feduced in'o the errors of other men." And St. Bafil tells us, " It is the duty of auditors not to believe implicitly, but to examine the woids of ihofe that inftruB them." And all our divines, I mean fuch as are, what they pretend, proteftants; fhew they have not fo mean an o- pinion of the underftanding of the people, by frequent- ly exhorting them to judge for themfeves; and telling them, ": They have no reafon to expeft Heaven, if they will not be at the pains of examining what would bring them thither- and that the Iqckinefs of the acci- dent, fhould they ftumble on truth, would not atone for the neglcfl of this grand duty. A judicious divine of our church, Clagget, very juftly obferves, '^ That they, who have a good caufe, need no difingenious arts; they will not fiitht men from confidering what their ^dverfaries fay? by dc pouncing damnation againft them; nor forbid them to lead their books, but rather encourage them lb to do; that they may fee the difference between truth and fallehood, be- tween reafon and fophiftry, with their ov^rn t)c; — — r— And whenfoever Guides ot a party do othei'v.iie. ^they give juft caufe to thole that follow them to examine their dofctrines fo iTiuch the more carefully, by hovv' much they are unwilling to have them examined. Jt is a bad fign, uhen men are loth to have their opinions leen in the day, but love darknefs rather than light. The fault of the people, even from the beginning, has been, as the meinorable Mr. Hales obferve?, that ^' They, through floth and blind obedience, exarnined rot the thmgs they were taught; but like bcafts of bur- den, patiently couched down, and indifferently under- l^ent whatever their fuperiors laid upon them. Happy would the laity have been, if they had given OLD AS THE CREATION. 269 no jufl occafion for this infamous charaBer ; though if they had followed the example of their clergy in this one ;hing, of being as true to their common intercd, ^s thefe have always been to the fcparatc intercft of their own order; that alone would have prefcrved religion in its native fimplicity, as being a thing wholly defigned for their general good; and then would feem to be out of the power of the priefts to corrupt it. B. Isnot this fuppofing, moft, if not all, the corrup- tions of religion, which have prevailed in any church, are owing to their impofuions, and the blind deference of the laity? A. If you think I fpcak this without juft groimds, ex- amine into the prcfcnt, and pad (late of Chriflcndom; and fee whcilier^all thofc grofs depravations, and pervcr- fions of religion, which have prevailed in mofl: places, were not contrived to advance the feparaie interefts of the ecclefjadics; and religion been corrupted, in an ex- aft proportion to the number, riches, ir.diicnce, and power of thefe reverend genilcnien ? Now ihcfc corrup- tions being calculated for their intereft, could a majori- ty without a miracle (as bifliop Bur;,ct lays, in relation to our reformation] agree in corrcding .hofe abufes? And I may add, that in all countries, where people have not had the liberty to jud;;e for ihcnirtlvcs in reli- gious matters, no other 1 ber'V has been prcferved; but men have been (laves boih in bcidy and mind ; Such power has ihc united force of ccclcfialhcs ! A judicious author fays, " it was not unreafonable in the begining of the reign of Edward \'l. and queen Eli- zabeth to think the U>rds and commons better judges of religion than the bifhopsand convocation. The whole body can have no fiiulter intercd to blind them ; hut the whole clergy, which is but a part of the whole body, may ; and therefore the whole body is to jtid£;e of this. The meancft man is as much interefted, and concerned in the truth of religion, as the greaieft prieft ; for though his knowledge thereof be not in all refpefls equall\- '^a- fy, yet in fome refpefts it may be ca(ier. For v^ni of 270 CHRISTIANITY AS learning does not fo much hinder the light oF the laymain, as wordly advantage and faflion fonnetimes does the prieft ; and the examples of thefe are infinite. Corrup- tion in die church before our laviour, and in our fav- iour's days, and ever fince; has oftener begun amonpft the greateft priefis, rabbies, and bilhops, than among the meaneft laity." What St. Paul fays to the chriftians of Corinth, in re- lation to falfe apoftles, has been veified in all ages : ve fufFer fools gladly, feing yourfelves are wife. — Ye luffer if a man bring you into bondage ; if a man d. vour you, if a man take of you, if a mar exalt, himfelf, if a man finite you on the face.* And, indeed, the laicks^ have fo feldom thought of aflerting their natural rights in reli- gious matters, that they have generally facrificed to the malice of the priells, all, who have endeavoured to main- tain thofe rights ; and if the people throw off one fet of ecclefiaftical tyrants, it was only to be flaves to another ; and were ever ready to join any one, that endeavoured to fet them free from ecclefiajlical tyranny ; under which the whole chriftian world would have groaned, had not fo many accidents concurred at the reformation. We pray againlt being led into temptation ; but do we notlead thecler^fy into the almoft irrefiltable tempta- tion, to impofe what they pleafe on re than one altar, or commiinion-tahle. But things continually changing, a parifh bifhop, maintained by the alms of hi;* con£;regation, commenced" a bifhop, not only c f many panfhes, but of a whole province; nay, of many provinces, with the titles, pomp, and grandeur' of piinccs; and at la(t, to an univerfal bifhop, pope, or vice-god. The only church that has now anv pretence to prim« itive epifcopacy, is that of North Britain ; where fince the b'eflTed revolution, a parity of parifli-bifhops. has been ettdblifhed : If you want fully to underftand the conftiiution of the primitive church, in this, and all o* ther poinis, you need only read the inquiry into the conffituiion. difcipline, unity and worfhip of the prim- itive church, &c. written by the greatefl criic#. divine, and lawyer, of this, or, perhaps, any other age. *[Is not deacon a new office under an old name, ancj are not overleersi of the poor the true fcripture dea- cons?] And what o;her re?fon can be afligned, why DiAcoNos, Rom. xvi. i. IS not rendered diaconefs, as well as elfewhere deacon, but fervant of the church; except It be to hinder the people from perceiving, that there was in the days of the apofilcs, an order of wo- rnen, who had fomething more to do in the church than to fweep it ; and who, even at the council of Nice (Can. iQ.j arc reckoned among the clergy ? Did herefy^ or Irbifni. (ihofe leligious fcare-crow?, as the memora- ble Mr. Hrfles calls them;) fi^nify any fuch thing in the dayb of (he apollles, as afterwards, to ihe infinite preju- dice of chrif^endom, they wtre made to n^ean .? Why do we give the name of prief^ to the jewifh facrificer, as well as to »he chriflian elder (ibings fo widely differ- ent); but to make people believe the latter b.avc a di- vine right to every thing, which, under the theocracy, belC)nged to the former.? And as in the New Teftament the preachers of the gofpel are never termed iereis,. or priefts; fo Scaliger remarks that the word lo applied^ Js not to be met with till after Juflin's time. OLD A3 TITE CREATION'. 2'J'f * Has ihe word clcrcjy the fame meaning now, as in the New Teftiimcnj, where it is taken in oppofition hy thofc we now call fo ? And did not ecclcfuft c.d tyranny, and thr ingrofTing that name by the minirtcrs of ihe churchy commence tooeihcr ? Nor is it difficult to Tee the reafon, why the word BAPTI20 was not tnmfldted but naturalized; (incc the people w uld thcrt have perceived, that, not fprnik- ling, but dipping, or immerfing, was meant by it ; but fhould any now (To much cullom has prevailedj fay Jr)lin (he dipper, inllcad of John the baplift, people would think it profane. If words have been ihus ar'fully manngcd in relation to ihinos; have not people much more reafon to fufpeft the f-tnie inana'^cmcni in rcl.iiion to Iprcula'ivc points, where words allow a greater laiitude ? If zeal hnd had ihe fame meaning in afier-timcs as in the fcripture. it hrid never occafioncd {o much mifchicf. And what mif- ehief have n6t thofe two mifinterpreted words, zeal and church, hv 'ne artful manaoemcnt (^fdefigning men, occnfioned ? Nay, is not relit?,ion made lo figmfv fome- thing very difif-rcnt from what it does in fcripture? How few. when they hear thai word, think of the dcfcrip;ion given by St. Jame^, cf pure and undenlcd religion ?* What abfurditirs have not people bron<;h« intoreligion, by Hxing a lenfe on the word myilery unknown to the fcripture? Nay, have not fome people, if the univerfity of Oxford is a good judge, sdvanrcd falle. impious, and heretical do8rincs concernini; 'he Godhead, in declaring the three perfons are three difiin8, i^ifiiiiie minds, or fpirits ; tho' now revived by Dr. W d, with the applaufe of ihofe who before condemned it ? And did T^ot they, who efpouft d iho(o do6irines, reprcfent iheir adverfaries as abiurd Sabellians ; in either maki-ig the three perfons in the divine being, to be analagous to three pollurcs in a human being, (for this was the utmoft Dr.Souih's divinity could reach \.o); or wuh Dr. Wal!i5> ** lam. i. 27. «7^ CHRISTIANITY AS three fomewhats, of which they themfelves had no idea ? Good God ! what pains men take to deface the idea, which the light of nature as well as the fcripture gives of God ; and which every one conceives, when he hears him mentioned on either a natural, political, or religious account ! In fhort, was it not running too far from our prefent purpofe, it would not be very difficult to (liew, that there are very few terms in fcripture, which have things of moment depending on them, but what have loft their original meaning to become orthodox. If they, who have the tranflating any old book capa- ble of VciQly different fenfes, make it fpeak what is mofl for their intcreft ; mufl not others be very good men indeed, who will find fault with a tranflation in fuch points as make for their common "advantage ; or be at the pains in fuch cafe, to difcover any favorable addi- tions, fubftradions, or alterations that might have been made in the fcriptures or other ancient writings? efpe- cially if it be true what Mr. Wifton complains of, that " It is frequently in the mouths of the writers for the church, that fome things are to be concealed for fear they gratify atheifts and deifts;" and fays, " Cer- tainly, nothing prejudices them more than fuch procecd- ure and expreffions, while they thereby perceive remains of pious frauds every where, and fufpe6l it has been fo from the beginning. They fee they are not to be let plainly into the truth of fa£ls, but to be managed with cunning, and worldly prudence, for fear of being dif- gufted at Chriftianity." Muft not the people be at a lofs, when they fee how differently the lexts in the moft momentous parts are in- terpreted ? Dr. S. Clark has reckoned up more than 1250 texts relating to the doftrine of the trinity ; and how few of them are interpreted alike by the contending parties ? It is chiefly owing to thefe difJe/ent interpreta- tions, that, where force has not interpofed, it has from age to age been difputed, whether we have but one, or more than one object of fupreme worfhip. A point. OLD AS THE CREATION. 279 Avhich, was reafon allowed to be a competent judge, would not meet with the lead difficulty ; and had we a Bible tranfldtcd by unitarians, niany texts would be very differently tranflaied from what they are atprefent; and fome left out as forged. When fo judicious a divine and critic as the now bifhop of A fays, " We fhould have more of the true text by being lefs tenacious of the printed one ;" mull not that give great uneafinefs to ihofc who have nothing to trull to but the printed text ? And will this uneafinefs be abated by his affirming that *' it may with great truth be faid of Chillingworth (the greateft champion the proteftant caufe ever hadj that he was abler at pulling down than building up ; towards which little can be cxpcfted from one, who is hy his own arguments pufhtd fo hard in the defence he would makeof proteftanil'm, that he has nothing left but to cry out, the bible, I fay, the bible is the religion ofproteft- ants." Nay, muft not that uneafinefs be very much in- creas'd by divines, perpetually endeavoring to mend by their criticifms feveral capital places in the facred writ- ers ; nay, who pretend daily to make new and momen- tous difcoveries ? How muft their hearers be edified, when they tell them it is thus or thus, in fuch an ancient manufcripi, father, or alTcmblv of fathers ; or cry, it is rendered more agreeable to the mind of the ho- ]y ghoft in the feptuagint, vulgar Latin, Syriack, ChaN daick, Eihiopic, Coptic, Goihick, or fome other verfion ? If no court of judicature, though in a thing of fmall moment, will admit of a copy, though taken from the original, without oath made by a^ifinterefled perfon o^ his having compared it ; becaulcthe Icall midakc, a various pointing, a parenthefis, a letter mifplaced, may alter the fenfe ; how can we abl'olufciv depend in things of thcgreatefl moment on voluminous writings, which have been fo often tranfcribed by men, who never faw the original ; (as none, even ol" the mo ft early writers pretend tliey did] : And men too, who even in the car- liefl times, if we may iud -c bv the number of f'^'gcd fiSo CRHISTIANITY J^S paffa^es, and even forged books, would fcriiple no pi- lous frauds, And tunu^h there have been innumerable copies of the New Teftament lofl, which, no doubt, had their different readings, yet as ir Itands at prefentj we are told, there are no lefi than thirty ihoufand vari- ous readings. B. Though there are fo many various readings, yet does not that great critic, Dr. Beniley, in hi** prfjpofal for priming by fubfcription, anew ediiitMi of :he New Teftamem, affure the world, '' That ou: of a bbvrinih of thirty thouCand various readings, uhirh croud the pages of our prefent beft editions, all put upon an equal credit to the offence of many good perlons, that his cinemas he calls it, fo leads and extricates lis, that there will be fcarce two hundred out of fo many thoufands, that can deferve the leaH confideraiinn. A. Has this cri(ic loft his clue, and 'o forced to drop the noble defign of afccrtaining the tex' <»f (he Ncv; Tcf- tament, and let the thirty thou (and vari .us readings re- snain on an equal foot to the off.Mjce of man\ gcx^d per- fons ? who will now as much defpair of leemg it done, as they do of Mr. Whilton's reftoring ihe nue t( xt of the Old Teftament j which, he fays, *• Has been greaily corrupted both in the Hebrew and Septuagint by the Jews, to make the reafonings of the apoltles from the Old Tcftamenl inconclufive and ridicult>us. Dr. Beniley, certainly, ought to go on with his pro- pofal ; becauie the world will hardly take the Docior's word, that in a book, where moft things are owned to be of the greateft moment, there fhould be fo many va- rious readings of no moment ; though one or two may be of that confequence, as to deOroy the defign of the whole book. In a prefcription where there are ever i'o many wholcfo;T>e drugs, if a poifonous one happens to^ he mixed, it tnay turn ihe whole into rank pcifon. If the do6kine of the trinjfy is of the greaicft moment, was not the church highly concerned to prevent vaiious leadings in that imporiani point, as well a§ iome forged, texts ? OLD AS THE CREATION. 28 1 Had ilic fcripturc been better guarded in many other matters of confcqucnce, there could not have been ("o many texts feemingly clafliing with one another; that there are (uch, is denied by none : Dr. Scott lays it down as certain, that " that opinion is fallc, or of little moment, that has but one, or two texts to countenance it ; and that very dubious, which has none but obfcure texts to rely on ; but when there are more, and much plainer texts for it than againft it, it mufl be falfe." And another judicions divine, Burnet, fays that *• our faith is not to be built on lingle texts, becaufe they may have been corrupted ; though we have no manufcript to point out lo us, that the other manufcripts have been fo corrupted in ihcfe pafTages." But, If wc cannot depend on fingle texts; and where there are feveral, the plained are to carry it ; the dif- ficulty will be to know which are the plained ; fincethe different fc8s of chrillians have ever pretended, that the p'.ainelt texts arc on their fide ; and wondered how their advcrfaries could midake their meaning. The plain texts from St. Audin's Days, at lead in the Wed were all in favour of prededination ; and upon thofe plain texts the articles ofourmod excellent church, and all other Proicdant Churches arc founded : it is true in Queen Elizabeth's reign, there were fome few among the inferior clergy for free-will ; but then thofe incorri- gible free-will men, as they were called, were by the di- re6iion of the Bilhops, lent to prifon ; there to live on hard labour, till they repented of their errors. But fince the court in Charles I's reign, helped to open the eyes of our divines, they, no longer blinded bv their articles, clearly fee, thai all thofe plain texts (and what a number are mudered up on both fidesj are all for free-will ; againd which, now, there are none but are looked on as incorrigible. B. Though thofe books, which contain the tradition- al religions of other nations, have, notwithdandingall the care taken to prevent it,- been mixed with fables and mondrous tales ; yet we fay that the fcripture, efpecial- M m '2 62- CHJRISTI AIn' iTV AS' the new teftament, though there are ever fo many vari- ous readings mud needs be free from all errors of con- fequence ; becaufe that being defigned by God for a plain and unalterable rule, for the aQions of mankind, cannoi but be fo guarded by providence, as to hinder any miftakes of moment. A. Your reafoning I grant, holds good in relation to ihe law of nature, which equally obliges, at ail times and places, the whole race of mankind ; but then that de- pends-not on the knowledge of any language dead or living; or on the flvill, or honefty of tranfcribers, or tranfiators ; but on that, which as it is apparent to the Tvhole world, fo it is not in the power of mortals to alter ; viz, the unchangeable relation of things, and the duties rel^ul ting from thence. " The trar.fcribers of books (as that learned and ju- dicious critick Daille obferves) " have been guilty of innumerable miftakes ;" and that St. Jerom (the moft learned of the fathers] complains, " they wrote not what they found, but what they underltood :" and he gives Indances of attemp s made on the New Teftament by the orthodox themfelves ; particularly St. Epiphani- us, for faying. *• that in the true, and moft correct co- pies of St. Luke, it was writ, that Jefus Chrift wept ;" and that this paftlige had been alledged by St. Irenccusy hut as the catholicks had blotted out the word, fearing that the hereticks might abufc it. The fame St, Jerom fays, the iaft twelve verfes in th? laft chapter of Mark were left oufin moft Greek Bibles; Omnibus Gnrcicd Libris pcne hoc capitulum non habentibus. Grotiua imputes this omiHion to the tranfcribers : but Maldonat will not allow of Grotius's Reafon, becaufe he fays, Luke and John diflfer more with Mathew than iMark does. Major enim inter illos & MaUhce-ivi, quam inter Mat- th(zum & Marcum apparet repugnantia. Hilary, fpeaking of Chrift's bloody fweat, and the angel fent to comfort him fays, Nee fane ignorandum no- bis ejl^ in Gra^cis & Lotinis cadicihus compluribits, de. adveniente Angelo, vel de fudore /anguine o nihil fcrip- tum rcpcriri. This St. Jerom feems to comnrm. 0Ll3 Ai THE CRtAirON. 283 For my part, I think, that at lead, till we are extri- cated by Di. Bentley's clue, the befl w;iy not to be inillaken. is to admit all for divine {cripture, that tends to the iionor of God, and the good of man ; and no- thin^ which does not. This clue, I think, will extri- cart; die learned as well as unlearned out of many o- thei'wife inluperable difficulties ; and make the laws of God, which way foever revealed, entiiely to aL>rce ; and deltroy that abfurd notion of God's acting aibitra- iilv, and commandinjj for commandin<:-fake : and does not St. Paul luppofe no Icripture to be divinely inlpircd, but what is prolilablc for doflrine, for re- proof, for corre6iion,for inftrutlion in righteoufnefs* ? and if this be the teft, ought we to adtnic any thing to be writ by infpiration, though it occurs ever fo often in fcripture, till we are certain it will bear the teft ; and, indeed, was it otherwife, we fhould be in a lad condition, {ince there is fcarce any opinion, though e- ver fo abfurd, or ridiculous, but has its vouchers, who quote texts on texts, for its fupport. Good Lord ! wh.it a load have the different parties laid on it, by their not obferving this Rule ? But, Could we fuppole any diflfev^nce between natural and traditional P.eligion ; to prefer the latter, would be aQing irrationally ; as that prophet did, who went contrary to what God had commanded him by an im- mediate revelation : becaufe a known prophet alTurcd him, he had a different revelation for him. A crime fo henious in the tyes of the Lord that he deflroyed this prophet after a mofl fignal manner ; though he had to plead for himfelf, that the prophet, who fpoke to hi.'n in the name of the Lord, could have no interefl in deceiveing him ; and that their was nothing in the command, but might as well come from the Lord, as what hnnlelf had received. And it is werth obferving, that the lying prophet was fo iar from being punifticd, that th'.' Lord continued to him the gift of prophecy ; * '.'. Tim. iii. 16. 0'84 CHIRSTIANITY AS nay, pronounced by his mouth the doom of the pro- phet, he fo fatally deceived. B. why is this more worth obferving than the cafe of Abimelech, who, upon both Abraham's and Sarah's lying to him, took Sarah as the Lord himfelf owns, in the integrity of his heart; and though he fent her back untouched, and gave confiderable prefents to both wife and hufband ; yet neither he, nor his, were to be par- doned, till Abraham (the offending perfonj being a pro- phet, was to pray for him : fo Abraham prayed unto God, and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and maid-fervants ; and they bare children. And yet this holy prophet v/asfoon after guilty of a very barbarous a6tion, in lending out Hagar, whom Sarah had given him to wife, and his fon Ifhmael, to perifh in the wil- dernefs ; for no other reafon, but becaufe Sarah had feen the fon of Hagar mocking ; and it is likely they had both perifhed, had not an angel, calling out of hea- ven, direfcted Hagar to a well of water. And perhaps, the fame angel, who, when fhe before fled from Sarah, who had dealt hardly with her; bid her return, and fubmit : But in this lafl domeflic quarrel, God him- felf miraculoufly interpofes, and fays, in all that Sarah has faid unto thee, hearken unto her voice.* But beg- ging pardon for this interruption, pray go on. A. We, certainly, ought to adhere ftridly to the light of nature ; if, (as a learned and reverend critic, Nye, obferves) " It muft be allowed by tlie judicious and impartial, that man)^ corruptions are found in ourpre- fent copies of the holy bible ; and that we have not now this blelfed book in that perfedion and integrity, that it was firfi; written. It is altered in many places, and infomeofthe greated moment. — I could prove, I think, by u^ndeniable and unavoidable inftances, what Mr. Gregory of Oxford fays in his Preface to forne critical notes on the fcripture, that he pubiifhed. There is no Author whatioever, fays this learned crinc. that * Gen. XX. 6. ij. xvi. 3. xxi. 9. tg. xvi. 6. 9. xxi. 32. OLD AS Tllh LKKATION'. £85 has fuflerecl fo much by the hand of tiitu- as ihe bible has." It this, 1 l.i)', nuiQ be aUcMvcd, oiii»ht we not in Older to prevent .ill miflakcs, in the firll place togcr clear Ideas ot the moral chnrarter of the divine being ; and when by realons much (Ironger than any drawn from human tradition, we have dilcovered his charac- ter, 0!i(.]ht we not to compare what we are told of him, by what we already know of inm, and fo judge of what men teach us concerning God, by what God himfclf teaches us ; for we are all taught of him ; and then we fliall be as certain, as there is a God pcrfeclly wife, and infinitely good, that no doCtrincs can come from him that have not thcfe charatlers llamocd on them. Thus iver^ there more falle readings crept into the Icripture than thele divines fuppole, yet we might Hill know our duty ; and be certain that by doing our bell to pro- mote our mutual happinels, we anfvvcr the end of our Creation ; and that if we deviate from this rule for the fake of what depends on hum in tradition, we quit cer- tainty for that, which is not pretended to amount to more than Probability. And it is no fmall encouragement for us to obfervc this rule, fince wc lind, that men, if like pedants, or fchool-mafters, they read books, not to examine the force and cogency of the arguments they meet with ; but for the fake of words and phrafes, without conhder- ing the nature, rcafon and tendency of things ; under- ftanding very little of things. Have not great numbers from age to age, though men of good natural parts, had their uoderftandings confounded by thus injudicioufly employing them ; and inftcad of cleaiing doubts increaf- cd them ; and filled the world with ufeleis eriiicifrns, and trifling difputes? While they, who made words give place to things, and argued from the relation things bear to each other, have (hewn ihenilelves able cafu- ills; and inriched the world with mod ufcful dilcourfcs, for promoting the honor of (*od, and the good of man. N And therefore, wc arc often ca itifjiied by the heft au- thors, not to (lick too dole to the letter in rcadintj the 286 CHRISTIANITY AS •fcripture -, fince they fay the ftyle of holy writ is far from being exaft; and that the laying too great ftrefs on words, has been the occafion of mod of the difputes a- mong chriftians. To fhew how little we are to depend on words and phrafes ; they fay, a number of texts might be produc- ed to prove Mofes to be a God: " For he is called God and Lord * ; and prayed to, under that appella- tion, to forgive fint; has attributed to the fame mira- culous work of bringing the children of Ifrael out of Egypt, as is afcribed to God; that the Ifraelites did be- lieve in him, as well as in the Lord '^^ and were requir- ed fo to do ; that he promifed rain in due feafon to fuch as keep his com.mandments; and to Jofliua, that he would be with him in carrying the people into Canaan; although as a man, he was to die before: That he did great works; yea, miracles in the fight of the Ifraelites, on purpofe that they rnight know that he v;as the Lord their God^ ; that Aaron is faid to be his prophet]], which is proper to the true God only ; and in fine, that the Ifraelites were baptized unto, or into Mofes 1[. Thefe authors tell us, that in the Ethicks of Arifto- tle, in the offices of Tully, in the moral treatifes of Grotius, Puffendorf, &c. the nature and reafon of our duties, the connexion between them, and the depend- ance they have on one another are plainly feen ; but in the fcripture, things, fay they, are not fo generally treat- ed, as that men may precifely know the nature and ex- tent of their duty. Are they not, fay they, for the moft part, delivered in fuch a general, undermined, nay, fometimes parabolical and hyperbolical manner, as did we not confulc our reafon, and learn our duty from thence, the letter might lead us wrong; nay, the apoftle himfelf fays, the letter killeth. B. I cannot believe things of any moment are thus re- * Exod. vii. 1. 4. 6. t Num. xii. 11 i Exod. x. 19, 17. xxxii. 7. xxxiii. 1, xix. 9. ^ DciU, xi. 13, 14, i,-', o:c tj Exod. vii. f 1 Cor. x. 1, 2. OLD Ai llii. CKi. /vllO.N. 2-5/ prelentcd; bccaufe, as God could have no other end in giving us a revelaiion, than the rightly direOing our minds J fo that end could not have been anfwercd, ex- cept it was delivered in a way mod plain, and caly to be undcrftood in all times and place-s : For if there arc propofiiions in fcripture, which naturally tend to miflcad us; or if the ufe of languages is perverted in fome in- ftances, how can we be certain, but it may be in oth- ers ? A. Is not the new tcflamcnt full of parables, nay, is it not faid, ihmt without a parable Jcfus Ipake not to the multitude ;* and for this letnarkablc rcafbn, that feeing they might fee, and not perceive ; and hearing they might hear, and not undcrlland left at any time ihey fliould be converted, and their lins be forgiven them ?f Is not St, John's Gofpcl, for the mofl part, writ after an obfcure, allegorical manner, clpecially in relation to the perfon of Chrill ? And do not commentators own, we labor under much the fame difficulties in interpreting St. Paul .'* The honorable Mr. Boyle fays, '* that fome- times in St. Paul's writings many pafTages are fo penned as to contain a tacit kind of a dialogue ; and that un- fkilfully by readers, and even interpreters, taken for an argument, which, indeed is an objeBion. It is faid it w,^s the way of the call, to make ufe of dark and involv- ed leniences, figurative and parabolical difcourfes, ab- rupt and maimed ways of exprefTing themfclves, with a neg1e6l of annexing tranfitions." As for hvperbolical exprcffions, it was cufloinary a- mong the eallern nations to exprefs iheinfelves after ;i pompous and moft high ft rained manner. This way of ipeaking was a main part of learning, taught in the fchools tf the prophets among the Jews ; and h.ippy was he, who could moft excel in this elevated, romantic way ; and both the old and new teftament abound with cxpreftlons of this nature. Ifaiah, in prophecying the dellruftiori of Babylon, fays — the ftars of heaven fliall not give * Mat. xiii. 3.J, + Mjikiv. IP. 288 CRHISTIANITY AS their light, the fun (hall be darkened. 1 will fhake the heaven?, and the earth fliall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hoft, and in the day of his fierce anger.* And the deftruQion of the city of Jeru- falem in the New Teltament is defcribed after fuch a manner, as if nature was unhinged, and the univerfe diffolving. Bifliop Fleetwood, on pfalm xviii fays, that "without remembering David's hidory, one would imagine heav- en and earth were moved in his behalf; and that the courfe of nature had been overthrown, and his life co- vered by continual miracles :" And he there obferves, that " the Jewifh expreffions, and the exprefiions ofaH people that dwelt ealtward are full of pomp, and ampli- fication of fancy and hyperbole." And I think under this head we may reckon thefe texts, that all the kings of the earth fought the prcfcnce of Solomon. t That if the things which Jcfus did were written, the world itfelf could not contain the books.^' And are not mofl of the expreffions of St. John as figurative, as eating the flefb. and drinking the blood of the fon of man ? and what monftrous praftices did thofe words taken literally pro duce, even in the primitive times ; and what fenfeleH- difputes fince ? And, Mud we not put under this head a number of other texts ? Whatever you fhall afkin my name, that will I do.^ If two of you fhal! agree on earth, touching any thing they fliall aflc, it fliall be done for them of my fa- ther, vv'hich is in heaven. |j If you have faith as a grain of muflard feed, you fhall remove mountains, and no- thing fhall impoffible to you.H And you may fay to this fycamine tree, be thou plucked up by the roots, and be thou planted in the fea, and it flial! obey you.** What- foever thou flialt bind on earth, fhall be bound in heav- en. ft He that is fpiritual, judgeth all things ; (which * Ifa. xiii. 10. 13. + 2 Chion.ix. 23. % joliti xxi. 2^. ^ John xiv. 13. il Ivlat. xviii. 19. ? Mat. xvii, ?.g. ■** Luke xvii. 6. ++ Mat. xvi. 19. OLD AS THE CREATION. 189 the pipifts fay is the pope] yet he himfclf is judged of no man. Thing*; prcf'ent, and things to come ; all are yours.* St. [ohn's little children are laid to have nn million, and to know all things.t And what more could be faid of the ;inoinicd, or Chrift himfelf? Men are bid to be partakers of the divine nature ;;|; and to be as perfect as their heavenly father isperfefl.^ "What blelfings arc not chriflians promifed. even in this life? Js it not faid, Chrilt has made us kings and pricds unto God; and we fhall reign on the earth ?j| And are not the meek to inherit the earth? And, is not every one that hath forfakeii houfes, or brethren, or fillers, or father, or niother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my fake, to receive an hundred fold, and to inherit e- verlafting life Plf What one is fcnt to declare is to be done, that he is faid to do : So Jeremiah is laid to be fet over the nations, and over the kingdoms, to root out. pull down, and deftroy,*^ What is defigned to be done, fliall lie faid to be aQually done: As the lamb flairi from the foundation of the world. t^ Ikfore A- braham was, I was ;+c or as wc (to make it more myf- fcrious) render it, I am : Nay, a creature not born long before, is fiid to be the firR born of every creature.f^ Advice is called fubmifTion, fubjcBion, and obedience; Ye younger fubmit yourfelves to the elder; )'ea, be fubje^t to one another. |k Obey them that have the rule over you; and fubmit yourfelves.f/ Perfualion is called compulfion, as compel them to walk \u*iia And what rooting work have liot the papills made from this text : Every plant my heavenly father hath not planted fhall be rooted up;t^/' and fu'ch other mifapplied places; Is not God's permitting evil, called doitig it? Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord his not done it .?+«: N n * 1 Cor ii. 13. iii. 22. + 1 John ii. 20. + 2 Pet. i. 4. *« Ter. ,. 10. U Rev. xiii. 8. ^c John v,n. 58. \d Col. ;. ,5. 11. 1 Pet. V. 5. y He:., xni. 17. *ua Luke .v,v ..o. +/'/; M;u. XV. n- Vc Amos 111. 6. ZgQ CHRISTIANITY AS Nay, is not the Lord faid to have created evil ?* And' to have hardened men's hearts; and then to punifh them for their being hardened ? And to tempt men ? Are we not to pray againft God's leading us into temptation? Nay, is not God, if the words are to be taken literally, reprefented as an arbitrary being, hating children not yet born; neither having done any good, or evil? Ja- cob have I loved, but Efau have I hated. There- fore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy ; and whom he will, he hardeneth. Hath not the potter pow- er over his clay ?t Are not things in fcripture abfoliitely condemned, which are only fo conditionally? As the Jewifh rites and facrifices are, in the old teftament, reprefented as an iniquity, and an abomination to the Lord. Things commanded are pofitively faid not to he commanded; As I fpake not to your fathers, nor commanded them in that day I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and facrifices.;]; What can be more figurative than Jefus's faying, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife,, and children, and brethren, and fifiers, yea, and his own life aifo, he cannot be a difciple ?^ Things fpoken in an unlimited, are to be taken in a redrained fenfe : Swear not at a]l.j| Children and fervants, obey your Darents and mafters in all things.^ The love of money, is ihe root of all evil.*^ Whatfoever the pharifees bid \ou do, that do, and obferve.t^ Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceafing. Prove all things. +c And fome- times a fhort duration is exprefl'ed by the words for ever; or for everlafting; or for the end of the world. So Jonah, after he came out of the fifh's belly, fays, The earth widrher bars was about me for cvQr;^d and an hundred other fuch texts. So that, v.helher any * Ifa. xiv, 7. i Rom. ix. 11. 13. 18. 21. j. Jer. vii, 22. %' Luke xiv. 26. II jMat. v, 34. f Epb. vi. 1, ^. *a 1 Tim. vi, 10. -\-b Mar, xxiii. ;> Jc 1 TheO". v. 16, 17, 21-. i'd Jonah ii. 6. OLD AS THE CREATION. B^t duration is to be evcrlafling, (in the fenfe we take that word] cannot be known from the words in fcripiurc; but it muft be judged of froni the nature of the things which are faid thus to endure. But, What can be more furprifinir, than Chrift's declaring in mod exprefs terms, he came to do that, which we muft fuppofe he came to hinder: Think not, (fays he) J am come to lend peace ; I come not to fend peace, but a fword.* For I am come to fee a man at variance with his father, &c. And, fuppofe ye, I am come to give peace on earth,' I tell you, nay; but rather divi- fion. And again, I am come to lend fire on earth, and what will I, if it be already kindled. t And has not ihat fire burnt oufragcoufly ever fince, being blown up by ihofe, whofe bufinefs it was to have extinguiflied it? And have they not (o aBed as if this was a prophetic faying, they were at all limes bound to fee fulfilled; though to the dcflruBion of all moral duties whatever? Another difficulty in underflanding both the old and new leftament, is, that molt things, though owing to fccond caufcs, are referred immediately to God. In the new teftamcnt, Pilate is faid to have his power from above,+ even while he was condemning Jefus. And there is no power but of God : the powers that be are ordained of God :j Take heed, therefore, unto your- ielvcs, and to all the flockj over the which the holy ghoft hath made you ovrrfeers.j| Nay, every good mo- tion is imputed to the fpirit, whether with or without utidcrftanding. I will pray with the fpirit, and with the underllanding alfo : I will fing with the fpirit, and with the underllending aKb.lI Or, if a man talked in an unknown tongue, and could not interpret what he faid ; or any of the congregation underftood him; yet it was prophefying, and the gift of the fpirit. And St. Paul calls a heathen poet prophet. And is not fpirit, nay, the fpirit of God, takeii, at Icafl, in twenty different ii^n^cs in the fcripture? * Mat. X. 2^. f I.tik.^ xii. .ji. ^g. t Joha \i\' ii- P.om. xiii 1. i| A6ls X-X. ^?i. •[ i Cor. xiv. 1,5. 2§2 CHIRSTIANITY AS In fhort, the words of fcripture, on ^A;hich things of the greateft coniequence depend, are as is fliewn by a learned author, feme times taken, not only in a different, but contary fenfe, hov/ever, to give one inftance, nature in Rom. ii. 14, and nature in Eph. ii. 3. if rightly tranf- lated, are taken in oppofite fenfes; and that word in 1 Cor. xi. 24. is taken in a fenfe different from both. How can we know from fcripture, what things are owing immediately to God, or to iecond caufes; fince every thing was thought to be good, not only the pow- ers and faculties of the minds of men, but voluntary a8ions themfelves, are immediately afcribed to God. For inftance, Bezaleel is faid to be filled with the fpirit of God in wifdom, and underftanding; becaufe he could devife cunning works of gold and I'ilver, «&c.* And the prophet Ifaiah, after he had defcribed the whole art of plowing and fowing, fays the plowman, His God does inftru6l him to difcretion, and teach him.-^ — And fpeaking of the art of threfhing, he fays. This alfo comes from the Lord of hoft, which is wonderful in counfel, and excellent in working. t Can the clergy have a better pretence to a jure-divino-JJiip, than the plowman and threfher ? Where is it faid of them, that their God inftrutls them to difcretion, and teaches them ? Or, that their art comes from the Lord of hod, "which is wonderful in counfel, and excellent in work- ing? As fome things are immediately referred to God, fo are others immediately referred to latan; nay, the fame a8:- ion is imputed both to God and fatan. Thcfe few, a- mong numberlefs inftances, I mention, to {hew, that the fcripture fuppofes, that from our reaion we have fuch infallible tefts, to judge what is the will of God, that we are fafe from being mifled by any exprcfTicns of this nature. jB. Surely, the moral precepts delivered by our h- viour, are not expreffed thus obfcurely. * ExocV XXX!. 3, 4. + Ifaiah xxviii. 26, 29. OLD AS THi: CREATION. 293 A. Thcfc, no doubt, arc the plained ; yet even ihcfc, generally (peaking, arc not to be taken in their obvious and literal meaning: As for inftance, I.cnd, hoping for nothing again* He that takes away liiy coat, let him have ihy cloak alfo.t Of him, who takes away thy goods, aflc them not again.+ And fnould wc not, with- out having rccourfe to the rcafon of things, bo apt to think, that the poor, as fiich, were the only favorites of heaven : Bleffed are ye poor ; for yours is the kingdom of God. Bleffed are yc that hunger, for ye fhall be filled. And fhould we not be likewife apt to imagine, that the golpel was an enemy to the rich, as fuch; and confequenily, to all tho:'-..- methods which make a nation rich : As, Woe unto you rich ; for you have your con- folation. It is eafier for a camel to pafs through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. And that no man might be rich, it was a gen- eral precept, Sell what yc have, and give alms.^ Nay, the woman that caftinlo the tre'afury her two mites is commended, becaufc fiie caft in all flic- had, even all her living. And to fhew that hone were exempt from this precept, Jcfus {^jys to the man, who had obfcrved all the precepts from his youth, one thing thou lacked, fell whatever thou had, and give to the poor.|j This, precept is impratlicable in a chriftian date, becaufe there could be no buyers where all were to be fellers ; and fo is a community of goods, though in ufc among the Edenes, and the chridians at fird. It is certain, that fuch palfagcs, as, bledcd arc they that mourn; bledcd are they that weep; wo unto you that laugh now, yc diall mourn and weep :1I and other texts about felf denial, and taking up the crols ; and take no thought for your life, what ye Ihall cat or what ye (hall drink. Take no thought for the morrow; con- fider the ravens, for they neither fow, nor reap.*^ * Liil.c vi. 35. t Mat. V. .^o. ■ i Lnke v[.' 30, 20. 21,34. X'- 25. xii. 33. § M.iik xii. 44". X. 21. II M.i:, v, 4. ? Luke vi. 21, 25. *a Mat. vi. 25, 311. 294 CHRISTIANITY AS ConGder the lilies, how they grow, they toil not, they fpin not J and yet, I fay, Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of thefe.* Ii is certain, I fay, tkat fuch like texts have, by being interpreted literally, run men into monftrous abfurdities ? From this text, refift not evil ; but whoever fhall fmite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other alfo ; and fome others of the like nature : not only the primi- tive fathers but a confiderable (eB, even now among the proteftants, think all felf-defence unlawful. From thefe fayings of our faviour, there are fome eu- nuchs, which were born fo from their mothers wombj and there are fome eunuchs, v.hich were made eunuchs of men ; and there be eunuchs, which have made them- felves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's fake : the primitive fathers, who thought they ought not to put a different meaning on the word eunuch in the latter end of the verfe, from what it had twice before ; believed it a piece of heroic virtue for men to caflrate ihemfelves-: and though by the Roman law, no one could be caftrat- ed without leave of the prefident, as juttin obferves; yet he commends a youth, who performed tbivs operati- on on himfelf without it, and you know that the bifhop of Alexandria highly approved this action in Origen, as an inftance of heroic virtue ; though afterwards, when he became his capital enemy, he as much condemned it. Do not thefe things fufficienily fhew, that we muft not deviate one tittle from what oiir reafon di8ates in any of thefe important points ? Nay, even the precept of for- giving injuries, not only feven, but feventy times feven,t except interpreted confiftently with what the light of na- ture di6tates to be our duty, in preferving our reputati- on, liberty, and property ; and in doing all wc can in our feveral ftations, to hinder all injury and injiiftice from others, as well as ourfelves ; would be a doSrinc atiended with fatal confequences , fo that the expedien- cy, or even lawfulnefs of forgiving injuriesj depends or> * Luke xi. 24, 27. M^t. v. 39, xi\'. sa, x/im. 22. OLD AS THE CRtATlON. 2^5 fiich circiimftanccs as human difcreiion is tc judge of. As I am a member of the commonwealih, I cannot be a judge in my own caufc : and though I may legally profecutc a man who has injured me, yet if the injury be but flight, and by my ovet looking it, he may become my friend ; common prudence will oblige me to forgive him : but if he, taking advantage of my good nature, injures me the more, and more frrquently, becaufe he may do it with impunity ; the precept of forgiving, the' it forbids me to punifh for punifhment fake, does no more in this cafe bar me of a legal remedy, than il doei nations of refenting national injuries : and all good go- rernments oblige people, for the fake of the common good, to profecute thofe who have injured them by rob- bing, dealing, or any other way of cheating or defraud- ing them. So it is the reafon of things, which in all cir- cumftances, muft determine us how to a6l ; and confe- quently, when this precept is truly flatcd, there is noth- ing new in it ; but if it be not truly dated, it is fuch a new doflrine, as may be attended with fatal confequcn- ces. CcH'us fays, that " the doftrinc of forgiving injuries, was not peculiar to the chridians, though they taught it after a grocer manner." And Confucius thus exprefTes this dotlrine, " acknowledge thy benefits by the return of benefits ; but never revenge injuries." B. Confucius, though he forbids the revenging inju- ries;, yet he did not carry things to that date of perfefti- on, as to teach the loving our enemies ; but on the con- tary maintains, " we may have an avcrfion for an enemy without defiring revenge ; the morions of nature are not always criminal : and it is ihe good man only, who can love, and hate with reafon." A. Are not the padions of love and hatred given us by God, to be excrcifcd on proper (^hjcMs ? A6Hons, abdra6ledly confidered. are not the objefls of love and hate, but perfons for the fake of their a6\ions : and ate not the anions of fbmc men too detedablc to create in us any feniimcnts, but of avcrfion ; fo as to oblige us to ^gS CRHISTIANITY AS bring them to condign punifhment ? Nay, mufl not we learn to hate ourfelves, before we can learn to love ihofe that hate us. If we ought not, nay, cannot love the devil, becaufe our enemy; how can we love thofe devils incarnate, thcfe enemies of God and man, who hate, and perfe- cute men for (hewing their love to God, in following the diftates of confcience ? If love carries with it com- plaifance, eReem, and friendfhip, and thefe are due to all men ; what difl:in6lion can we then make between the beft, and worft of men ? Though God, it is true, makes the fun to fhine, and the rail? to fall on the evil and the good; and, indeed, how could it be otherwife in the prefent Rate of things ; Yet certainly, he does not love evil men, though he bears with them for a time. I am fo far from thinking the msxims of Confucius, and Jefus Chrill to differ; that I think the plain and fimple maxirns of the former, will help to illuftrate the more obfcure ones of the latter, accommodated to the then way of fpealdng. Our faviour faying. Ye have heard that it hath been faid, thou fhalt love thy neigh- bor, and hate thine enemy ;* divines have, in vain, puzzled themfelves to find out the text in the old law; for could they find it as they do other texts, that our faviour in the fame chapter, by this way of fpeaking, re- fers to; it would only fliew, that the divine precepts •were not conliftent with one another. Indeed, St. Paul fays, If thy enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirft, give him drink; for in fo doing thou flialt heap coals of fire on his head :t But treating him thus, cannot fure be an argument of love; fince it is in order to have divine vengeance fall on his head. B. Commentators agree, that thefe precepts of our faviour are not to be taken in the plain, obvious, and grammatical meaning of the words ; but are to be fo ex plained, limited, and reftrained, as beft ferve to pro- mote human happinefs. A, Suppofe thofe precepts are capable of being thus * Mat. V. 43. t Rom. xii. 20. «f. D AS Tfin CREATION. 297 paraplirafed, yet how do we know this was ihc dcGgn of the preacher ? The Effcncs (a feQ our faviour never Tound fciult witli) had, as is plain from Philo and Jofe- phiis, rules much the lame; which they interpreted ac- cording to the plain and literal meaning : and the chrifti- ans, as I fhall ihcv; hereafter, for fomc ccntiiries, under- llood mod of ihefc precepts after the fame manner ; be- lieving^ that the nature of moral rules required they (hould be thus interpreted ; efpecially fuch as are de- (igned to govern the atlions of the moft ignorant and il- literate; and taught too by a perfon, whofc infinite know- ledge mufl enable him fo to exprefs himfelf, as that his words fhould not be liable to the lead mifcondrutlion. B. However chrillians at firll depending on the gram- matical, and obvious meaning of the words, might mif- take ; yet rcafon taugh*^ them afterwards how they were to be interpreted. A. Reafon, then, mull be our guide ; and we mufl know our duly from the light of nature, antecedently to thofe precepts; otherwife we could never know it, was our duty to put fuch a fenfe upon words, as they o- tlierwifc feem not to bear, Befidcs Should not rules concerning morality, be fuitcd to men's particular circumftances, plainly defcribing that condi;fl which they require ? Is not this the defign of the municipal laws in every country ? What benefit could iubjcc-ls have, from laws written in fuch a loofc, general, and undetermined manner ; as lend hoping for nothing a- griin: if any man will fue thee at law, Sc take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak alfo : of him who takes away ihy ;;oods, afk them not again ; or thofe other texts which Icem to coudcmn the rich as fuch, and require, not the fetting the poor at work, but the felling all, and giving to the poor ; or thofe other precepts, ^vhich feem to for- bid Iclf-defencc ; or require us to take no thought for your life ; or for. the morrow ? and that too by argu- ments drawn from lilies, neither toiling nor fpinning ? The fame may be laid of all general, and undetermined rules in the new tellaroent, though more plainly dcliyer- O o ^gS CHRISTIANITY AS cd : as for inftance, though it is faid, fervants obey your mafters in all things ; and pleafe them well in all things^ yet is the meafure of obedience due from fervants to mafters any otherwife to be learnt, than from the agree- ment of the parties, or the cuftom of the country ? It is faid, we are to render to Casfar, the things that are Cae- far's; but muft we not learn from the laws in every nati- on, who is Caefar ? and what is his due ? Otherwife we Ihould aft like thofe wicked priefts, who, not long fince, from general words of obedience, would have dellroycd our happy conilitution, and ireachcroufly in vetted the prince with an abfolute power. We are to render all men their dues ; but what thofe dues are, we are to learn from the reafon of things and the laws of the country. In a word, it is the tendency of a8ions, which makes them either good or bad ; they that lend to promote hu- man happinefs are always good ; and thofe that have a contrary tendency, are always bad. And it is the cir- cumftances men are under, by which we are to judge of the tendency of aftions. As for inflance, the killing a man, confidered without its circumftances, is an a6ior> neither good or bad ; but by the magiftrate, when the pub- tic good requires; or by a private man, when neceffary for felf defence, is an atlion always good ; but done when the public good does not require it, when there is no fuch danger, and with malice prepenfe ; it is always evil. Taking up arms againft a Perfon entrufted with the proteflion of the common wealth, cannot be deter- mined to be good, or bad, without confidering circum- ftances : if he has not abufed his truft, it will be rebel- lion, the highcft of crimes ; but if he has betrayed that truft, and opreffed the community, then a juft and necef- fary defeice. Enjoying a woman, or lulling after her, cannot be faid, without confidering the circumftances, to be either good or evil; that warm defire, which is ■ implanted in human nature, cannot be criminal when perfued after fuch a manner, as tends moft to promote • the happinefs of the parties ; and to propogate and pre- ferve the fpecics. What we call inceft. is now for ma- OLD AS THE CREATION. 299 ny good reafons not to be allowed of ; yet it was a duty in the ciiildren of Adam and Eve : And if the neareft of kin were now thrown on a defert Ifland, I fee no reafon, but that they might a6l as the firfl born pair did. Though there were ever fo many texts in the New as well as the old teQament againft ufury, and ihofe too backed by the unanimous authority of all the fathers; yet the forbidding it, efpcciaily in trading nations, would now be immoral ; fince without it indullry would in a ^reat mcafure be difcouraged, arts unimproved and trade and commerce confifting chiefly in credit, deftroycd. Befides, what reafon can be afligned, why a man fhould any more lend his money, than let his lands for nothing ? and when that common rule of doing as we would be done unto, fuppofes an aQion fit to be done ; or at leaft, without any ill tendency. Nay to go a little farther ; was not the command of abftaining from blood, given after the deluge to the then whole race of mankind, and often repeated in the law ? and in the new teftament, is not the fame precepts enjoined the Gentile converts, by the unanimous decree of the apoftles, arrd by the holy ghoft too, as ncceffary ? nay, equally fo with the abftain- ing from fornication ; and thought by all chriftians, for many ages, to be of perpetual obligation ? yet who is now fo ridiculous, as out of religion to abrtain from black-puddings ? who now, to give another inftance, thinks it his duty to wafli his neighbour's feet ? though a thing not only commanded by a dying faviour, after the mctCi folemn manner, and under no lefs penalty than having no part in him ; but enforced, and. inculcated by his own example. Out faviour commands men not to fwcar at all ;* and St. James imprefles the fame pre- cepts, by laying, above all things, fwcar not ;t and by the manner of its being introduced by our faviour, u fccms chiefly to relate to oaths taken on folemn occafi- ons : it is faid of old, thou flialt not forfwear thy fclf^ but fhall perform unto the lord thine oaths; but I fay ^ Mat. V. 34. + James, v. 12. 300 CHRISTIANITY AS unto you, fwear not at all.* And yet, who now, be- lides Quakers, refufe to fwear at all ? by thefe, you fee, though feveral other inftances might be produced, how chriftians have, in the main, taken the tendency of aftions to be the rule, to judge of their lawfulness or un- lawfulnefs, goodnefs orbadnefs : and in thofe few things fuperftition has made them judge olherwife, has it not always been to their prejudice ? B. Is there no exception to this rule ? Muft men, at all times, make their words and thoughts agree ; and never fpeak, but juft as they think ? A. The Rule I have laid down holds even here } for though fpeech was given to men to communicate their thoughts and it is generally for their common good that men fhould fpeak as they think, yet this common good prefcribes certain reftriflions : deceiving an enemy in a juft war, either by ^vords or aftions, if it tends to bring about the end of war, peace ; is certainly a duty : and the fame reafon obliges people not to keep thofe promif- es, though fworn to, which they have been forced to make to robbers and thieves. x\nd fome go fo far as to think, that thofe who would force others to declare their opinions to their own prejudice, in fuch matters where the government has no concern ; have no more right to truth than robbers, and other public enemies. Friendfliip will fometimes oblige men to deceive people, when it manifeftly tends lo their good, nrid none are prejudiced by it; and all praflice it ■with re- lation to children, fick people, and men in p^rUion : inuft not he be an ill man, indeed, who would not live an innocent perfon, by telling his puifuev a falf- ilbod ? This is a duty he owes to both, purfuer and purfued. And if men (as none fcruple it) may bid iheir lervants fay, they are not at home ; ?.nd do feve- ral other things of this nature : why may they not, when filence \vill be interpreted into prejudice, deceive impertinent people, in fiich matters where they hcwe * Mathew, v. ^33, 34. OLD AS THE CREATION. 301 no concern ? Thus, you fee, there are certain excepti- ons to this rule, which, as well as the rnUt. itfeif, are built on the good of mankind ; and ycr. thefe exceptions will by no means juflify mental refervations, or equi- vocations. The children of Ifrael, in the time of the judges, were certainly none ot the bell caluifls ; who, \vhen in a quarrel (the oddcll that ever was) having (worn before the lord at Mifpath, not to give any of their daughters to wife to Benjamin; and, in purfuance of this quarrel, deflroyed them with their wives and children, except 600, who efcaped by flying into a cave ; and then reflefting that a whole tribe would be loft, if they did not give them wives ; and their oaths, accompani- ed with a curfe, violated, if they did ; found out thefe two expedients : the men of jabefti Gilead, not concer- ning thcmlelves in the quarrel, nor coming to the gene- ral affembly, they deflroyed with their wives and chil- dren, except 400 virgins ; whom they gave for wives to thefe Benjamites : but thefe not being a fufiicient number, they adviied, nay, commanded them to feizc on fome of their daughters as they were dancing, and to carry them oflF. Thus thefe merciful and religious people preferved their oaths, and their brother Benja- min.* B. The Hebrew midwives, no doubt, affed accor- ding to your rule in deceiving Pharaoh, bv not de- ll roying the Hebrew male children ; bccaufethey iiiid, they feared Cod, and God dealt well with them, and )T;adc them houles ; but there is another precedent in the fame hiftory, which iecms very furprilin^ ; the Lord though he told Mofer., and the elders of IlVacl, h*.-: real dclign of bringing his people out of Egypt into the land of the Canaanites : }'ct bids them fay to the king of Egypt, let us go three days journey into thc- wildcrnefs, that we may facrilice Co the Lord our God ; left he u\]\ upon us with peililence. or with the fword : 302 CHRISTIANITY AS we cannot facrifice in the land, for we {ball facrifice the abomination of the Egyptians ; our cattle muft go with us, for thereof we muft ferve the Lord. And at laft, when Pharaoh, whofe heart God had frequently hardened, complied with their requeft, he bids them go ferve the lord as ye have faid ; and upon this occa- fion, they borrowed of the Egyptians, as the lord order- ed them, jewels of gold and filver, and raiment, even to the fpoiling of them ; and when Pharaoh (who all along feerned jealous of their defign, and bids them not go far away ;*j found that this Iblemn facrifice was a mere pretence ; and that they really fled with all they had borrowed of his people, he purfued the fugitives ; the confequence was, that the E^ypti^ns, inftead of ob- taining reftitution, were miraculoully deflroyed, and Pharaoh loft his life as well as his fubjefts ; and thofe who had dealt thus treacheroufly with them, were as miraculoufly prelerved. A. As to this point, I can only advife you to con- i'ult our learned commentators, who will fatisfy you in this matter, as well as why the terror of the Lord hinde- red juftice to be done upon the two fons of Jacob,t for the vileft piece of cruelty and treachery they commit- ted on the Shechemites. But not to m.eddle with things foreign to our purpofe. I will venture to fay, that this rule of a6ling accord- inp-as the clrcumftances we are under, point out to us to be for the general good, is a rule without exception; whereas all other general rules are of little ufe, when applied to particular cafes ; becaufe of the many ex- ceptions to them, founded on other rules, equally ge- neral ; and farther, that this univerfai, and unexcepti- onable rule is highly neceffary, in explaining all the precepts of our faviour ; efpecially thofe relating to loving of enemies, and forgiving injuries. And the rather, becaufe, " Exod. i. 17, 20, 21. iii. 8. 18. v. 3. viii. 26. xix. 26. xii. 31. xii. 35,36. viii. 28. + Gen. xxxv. 5. OLD AS THE CREATION'. 303 The ecclefiaftics, though they cry up the precepts of men's loving their own enemies; yet they cffe61ually e- vadc tills, and all other moral precepts, by telling ihem it is their duty to hate the enemies of God ; and thofe to be fure are the enemies of God, who refule blindly to fubmit to their di6lates; efpecially in matters relating to their power and profit : And have too found out ma- ny ways of making the precept of forgiving injuries ufe- lefs; more particularly by telling men, that it is for the corre6lion of manners, for the good of their own, as well as their neighbor's fouls, that the fpiritual courts areerefted; where people, for fuch hafty and angry words, as no a6lion (there being no real damage) will lie for a common law, are to be cenfured. And thus numbers of ordinary people are, on this pretence, to the great benefit of thoie courts, frequently undone; and fpiteful perfons gratify their malice, without any fatis- faftion, but that of ruining their neighbors, and very often themfclves. I might fhew you, in fupport of my never failing rule of judging of a6lions by their tendency, that we are carefully to diftingui/h between the afciions of Jefus himfclf ; fince in fome (thefe bein;2[ no oiherwife to be accounted for) he, as divines themfelves own, a Bed by virtue of his prophetical office; thefe, confcquently, can be no precedent for us ; But of this hereafter. B. You have already, I muft own, taken a great deal of pains, to fhew, that God, in creating mankind, had no other defign than their happinefs ; and that all the rules he gave them (it being repugnant to his nature to have any arbitrary commands) could have no other ten- dency; and that by making them moral agents, he made them capable of knowing wherein their happinefs con- filis; or in oiher words of difcovering whatever the rela- tions they Hand in to God, and their fellow creatures, make fu to be obferved. And from thence you conclude, tJie happinefs of men, at one time as well as another, confiding in the fame :hings; that the gofpel (which can make no alter- 304 CRHISTIANITY AS ation in the relations men ftand in to God, and one an- other, or the duties that flow from thence,) could only be a republication, or reftoration of that religion, ■which is founded on the eternal reafon of things • which, you fuppofe, is what we are ftill governed by ; fince we are obliged to recede from the letter, though the words are ever fo plain, if that recedes from the reafon of thnigs; as all own the letter does, in innu- merable places relating to God himlelf; by imputing human parts, human infirmities, and human paffions, even of the worft kind, to him ; and making thofe the caufe of many of his a8ions : And that as in the old tef- tament there are feveral things, either commanded, or approved, which would be criminal in us fo obferve, becaufe we cannot reconcile our doing them with the reafon of things ; fo in the new tedament. its precepts arc for the moft part delivered either fo hyperbolically, that they would lead men aftray, when they were governed by the ufual meaning of words, or eUe exprefled in fo loofe, general, and undetermined a manner, that men are are as much left to be governed by the reafon of things, as if there were no fuch precepts • and the fcrip- ture not diftinguifliing between thofe precepts which arc occafional, and which are not, we have no ways to dif- tinguifli them, but from the nature of things ; which v.'il! point out to us thofe rules, which eternally oblige, whe- ther delivered in fcripture or not. Thefe fentiments you fo arongly enforce, that I Ihould find it difficult not to yicldj had I not fo able a combatant as Dr. S. Clark, for my fecond ; who in his excellent difcourfe of the unalterable obligation of na- tural reljgjion, and the truth, and certainty of the chrif- tian revelation; not only fliews, that they arc dillinft religions ; but the infinite advantage tiic latter has eibove the former: and though this good, as well as great n)an is dead, wherebv the church has fuftaincdan irreparablc- lofs, yet he will for ever live in this immortal work. VS THE CREATION. ^Oj L r'i'ttrMK--**-* - • xKj jitr- v^Tjaao.-.x'iaB-qaiwniw^. r «im > CHAP. XIV. Dr. Clark's difcourfe of the unchangeable obligation of Natural Religion, and the truth and certainty of the Chriflian Revelation, conjidered ; and from thence it is picxvn^ hozo inconfi/icnt fcever zuith the dejign oj that difcourfe, that nothing can be a part of religion, but ■what is founded on the nature, and reaj on of things. !.T OWN, ihc Do8or got immortal honour by that X difcoiirlc ; how much it is admired, the feventh Jition (liews : and we may well imagine, an author, ,. ho ufnally cxhauQs the (ubje6l he writes on, has here omitted nothing that makes for his purpofc. And, therefore, fince it is your pleafure, I will fully conhder iiis difcourfe, and begin with the charaOer he gives of l^c law of nature ; and fee whether he docs not repre- i 'nt it fo abfolutely perfeft, as to take in every thing that God requires of mankind : and then examine what he fays in behalf of revelation, in contradiction to the relif^ion of nature. The DoBor not only maintains, that" ihe law of na- iire is univerfal, and ablolutely unchangeable ;" but has \>/o letlions to prove, '• that the will of God determines ifelf to afl according to the eternal rcafon of things : ::id that all rational creatures are obliged to governi ihen\(elves in all their anions by the lame eternal rule of reafon :" which fuppolcs, that all rational creatures '.re not only only capable of kowii.g this eternal rule of vcafon, but likewife knowing there can be no other rule, for the aclions both of God and man. In his previou"; 30S' GHRISTIANITY A3 difcourfe of the being of a God, he affirms, that " they,, who are not governed by this law, are for fetting up their own unrcafonable felf-will, in oppofition to nature,, and rcalon of things — aBing contrary to iheir own rea- fon and knowledge ; attempting to deftroy that order, by which the univerfe fubfifts ; and by confequence, offering the highefl: affront imaginable to the creator of all things, who himfelf governs all his a6\ions by thefe rules, and cannot but require the fame of all his reafon- able creatures." And in this difcourfe he fays, " the all-powerful creator and governor of the univerfe, who has the abfolute, and uncontroulable dominion of all things in his own hands, and is accountable to none for what he does, yet thinks it no diminution of his power, to make this reafon of things the unalterable rule, and law of all his own a6iions in the government of the world, and does nothing by mere will and arbitrarinefs." And indeed, if God does nothing by mere will and arbitrari- nefsjit is impoffible there can be any other rule but the reafon of things. And accordingly he fays, " the eter- nal and unchangeable nature and reafon of the things themfelves are the law of God ; not only his creatures, but alfo himfelf, as being the rule of his own a8ions in the government of the world." And, as a learned pre- late of our own has excellently fhewn, " not barely his infinite power, but the rules of this eternal law, are the true foundation, and the meafure of his dominion over his creatures. Nov/, for the fame reafon, that God, v;ho hath im) fuperiour to determine him, yet conftanily direQs all his own a8ions by the eternal rule of jufiice and goodnefs; it is evident all intelligent creatures in their feveral fpheres and proportions, ought to obey the fame rule according to (he law of nature." Which is fuppo- fing it would be tyranny in God to have any arbitrary commands, or give men any other rules, but the rules of this eternal law : the true foundation, and meafure of his dominion over his creatur^es. And again, " God who is infinitely felf (ufiicient to his own happinefs, could have ao motive to create things at. all, but only that he mighji O I.D AS THE CREATION. 3^ rommunicate to ihcm his goodncfs and happinefs." If :o, ihcy, who do all the good ihey can to ihemfelves, and fellow cicatures, anfwer the end of their creation. '• And he (ays, that in matters of natural reafon and mo- rality, that which is holy and good is not therefore holy and good, bccaufe it is commanded to be done ; but it is therefore commanded by God, becaufe it is holy and good ;" which fuppofes that all Cod's commands, if they are holy and good, (between which I think, the din;i6l- ion is only verbal ;) are founded on the nature, and rea- fon of things. And accordingly he fays, " that God has made (his intelligent creatures) fo far like himfelf, as to endue them with thofe excellent faculties of reafon and v/il I, whereby they are enabled to diftinguifh good from evil, and to choofe the one and reful'e the other," — Which fuppoles thofe are the only things which God commands, or forbids; otherwife thcfe excellent facul- ties would only enable them to know but part of the will of God ; though God can will nothing but what is for their good, that beino the fole end of his creating them. And he fuopofes, that " this lav/ of nature is not founded ill the pofitive will of God, but arifes from the different relations and refpe6ts which things have to one another, which jnakes fome things fit, and others unfit to be. done :" and fays, that •• the law of nature has its full obligatory power, antecedent to all confiderations of any particular private, and perfonal reward or punifhment, uimexed cither by natural confequcnce, or by pofitive appointment, to the obfervance, or negleQ of it. This alio is very evident -. becaufe if good and evil, right or wrong, fitnefsor unfitnefs of being pratlifed, be (as has been fhewnj originally, eternally, and neceffarily. in the nature of the things themfelvcs, it is plain, that the view of particular rewards or punifliments, which is only an after confideraiion, and does not at all alter the nature of things, cannot be the original caufe of the obligation of the law, but is only an additional weight to enforce ihe practice of what men were before obliged to by righf go8 CHRISTIANITY AS reafon." And to prove this he fays, that " the judgment and confcience of a man's own mind, concerning the reafonablenefs, and fitnefs of the thing, that his actions fhould be conformed to fuch, or fuch a rule or law ; is the trueft, or formalleft obligation, even more properly and ftriftly fo, than any opinion whatever of the autho- rity of the giver of a law, or any regard he may have to its fanQions by rewards and punifliments. For Mho- ever afts contrary to this fenfe, and confcience of his own mind, is neceflarily felf- condemned ; and the great- eft, and ftrongeft of all the obligations is that, which a man cannot break through without condemning himfelf." And, He likewife affirms, " thefe eternal moral obligations, as they are really in perpetual force, merely from their own nature, and the abftraB realon of things; fo alfo they are more over the exprefs and unalterable will, and command of God to his creatures, which he cannot but €xpe6l fhould, in obedience to his fupreme authoriiy, as well as in compliance with the natural reafon of things, i)e regularly, and conftantly obferved through ihe whole creation." Which not only fuppofes, the reafon of things, and the divine commands are infeparable : hut that it is the reafon, or fitnefs of the thing, that makes ir, a divine law ; and confequently, that they who never heard of any external revelation ; yet if they knew from the nature of things, what is fit for them to do, they k:now all that God will, or can require of them ; fmce l]is commands are to be mealured by the antecedent fiinefs of things : and things can only be faid to be fit. or unfit, but as they are for, or againft the common good. — And if the creator will do every thing, the relation he i^ands in to his creatures makes lit ior him to do ; :md expe8s nothing from them, but what the relation they jland in to him, and one another, makes likewife fit for them to do ; hov/ can they be ignorant of their duty ? efpecially, if, as the do8or dcmonflrates, " all the lame jeafons and arguments, which difcover to men the natu- ral fitneffes, or unfitnefies of things, and the necefi^ry OLD AS TIIK CREATION. 3O9 pcrfeBions or attributes of God ; prove equally at the iaaic time, tiiat that, which is truly the lavr of nature, or the rcalbn of things, is in like manner the will of God." And, Hcjuflly obferves, that though " this method of de- ducing the will of God from his attributes; is of all o thcr t!ie heft and clcarefl, lac certairiefl,and molt univer- fal, that the liglit of nature affords ; yet there arc other collateral conliderations, which prove, and confirm the fame. " And that, •' The lame may be proved Irom the tendency, and praftice of molality, to the j^ood and happinefs of the whole world :" which, indeed, would be no proof, were any thing commanded that had no tendency ; for fucii things, according to the penalties they were to be enforced by, would be more or lefs to the hurt of man- kind. To fliew the natural connexion there is between all the parts of religion, he fays, •• who believes the being, and natural attributes of God, mult ofneceffny confels his moral attributes alfo. Next, he who owns, and has jult notions of the moral attributes of Ciod, cannot a- void acknowledging the ohligation.f of moraliiv, and na- tural religion. In like manner, he who owns the obli- gations of morality and natural religion, mull needs, to fuppori thofe obligations, and make them eRtclual in practice, believe a futureUaieof re wardsarid punifhments." And he aliirms, that '-the ceruinty of a future (late of rewards and punifhments, is in general deducible. even demonilrably, by a chain of clear, aiid undeniable rea ioning:" nay,' he (ays, '• it is a propofltion in a manner iclt-evident." And (peaking of lome argument he had bc^ fore mentioned, h.: iays, •• Thefe krc very good, and iirong arguments foi- the great probj!bilit\- of a future ihic ; but that drawn from the confiderntion of the moral attributes of God, iccn^ to amobnt even to a demon:lra- tion ; n^y, to a complcre demoni^ration." in ihort, the Dottoi's hvpothc fis is, that upon God's framing nunkind afrrr the mawner h:^ has: done, licrc 310 CRHISTIANITY AS are certain things refuhing from thence, which natural- ly, and neceflarily conduce to their good or hurt ; and that the way to know the will of God, is to know what thofe things are, in order to do the one, and to avoid the other. For which reafon God gave man underfland- ing, which (without blafpheming the infinite wifdom and goodnefs of God) muft be allowed to be fufficient to anfwer the end for which it was given. And that a being infinitely wife and good, as well as wholly difin- terefted, can require nothing of men, but what they, for the fake of their own intereft, though there were no pofitive divine commands, were obliged to do; and confequently, that whoever a8s for his own good, in fubferviency to that of the public, anfwers the end of his creation. As this fcheme of things, to do the do6t- or juftice, gives us the highell idea of the goodnefs, wifdom, and the perfe6tion of the divine being; fo to compleat his moral charader, the Doctor reprefents the laws of God, by which mankind are to govern all their aftions, moft plain and obvious, and even imprcffed on human nature. And therefore fays, that '• All rational creatures are obliged to govern them- felves, in all their aBions, by the eternal reafon of things, is evident from the fenfe, all, even wicked men, unavoidably have of their being under fuch an obliga- tion; and from the judgment of the confciences of men Oil their own aftions." And that " the moft profligate of all mankind, however induftrioufly they endeavor to conceal, and deny their felf-condemnation, yet cannot avoid making a difcovery of it fomctimes when they are not aware of it," And that no man, but " by the rea- fon of his mind, cannot but be compelled to own, and acknowledge, that there is really fuch an obligation in- difpenfably incumbent upon him," and '• they who do evil, yet fee, and approve what is good, and condemn in others what they blindly allow in themfelves; nay, very frequendy condemn even themfelves alfo, not with- out great diforder, and uneafinefs of mind in thofe very things wherein they allow themfelves," and he can, give OLD AS THE CREATION. 3II Tnc leave to fay, confifts the excellency of the law of nature, that though a man is fo bruiifh as not to oblervc it himfeif, yet he would have all others religioufly ob- ferve it; and no rule can be calculated for the general good, but what is fo framed: and if men would make this a tell of the will of God, how happy would ihev be. The Doflor more fully to prove this point, fays, that " the mind of man naturally, and neceflarily aflents to the eternal law of righteoufncfs, may ftill belter, and more clearly, and more univcrfally appear, from the judgment that men pafs on each others a6tions, than what we can difcern concerning their confcioufnefs of their own. " And that he fliews, that " the unpreju- diced mind of man as naturally difapproves injuftice in moral matters, as in natural things it cannot but diffent from falfehood, or diflike incongruities." And again, " The cafe is truly thus, that the eternal differences of good and evil, the unalterable rule of right and equi- ty, do neceffarily, and unavoidably determine the judg- ment, and force the affent of all that ufe any confidera- lion, is undeniably manifefl; from the imiverfal experi- ence of mankind. For no man willingly, and delibe- rately tranfgrefles this rule in any great, and confidera- bleinflance; but he afts contrary to the judgment, and reafon of his own mind, and fccretly reproaches himfclf for fo doing: and no man obferves, and obeys it ftea- dily, efpecially in cafes of difficulty and temptation, when it interferes with any prefent intereO, pleafure, oi* paffion; but his own mind commends, and applauds him for his refolution, in executing what his confcience could not forbear giving its affent to, as juft and right. And this is what St. Paul mcans,when he fays, (Rom.ii. 14. 15.) that when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law." And in another place he fays, " No man does good, brave, and generous a8ions, iDut the reafon of his own mind ap- plauds him for his (o doing; and no man, at any time, does things bafe, vile, difhonorahlc, and wicked; but 312 CHRISTIANITY AS at the fame time he condemns himfelf." And he favs, '• that the eternal rule of right ought as indifpenfably to govern the aBions of men, as it cannot but neceffarily determine their affent. One would be apt to think, that the doctor believed that man without refledion, could not but know the law of nature, and be in love with it ; fince he fays, *' that in reading hiflories of far and diftant countries, where it is manifeft we can have no concern for the event of things, nor prejudices concerning i he characters of perfons ; who is there that does not piaife and admire, nayj, highly efteem. and in his imagination love, as it were, the equity, truth, juftice, and fidelity of fome perfons; and with the greateft indignation and hatred deleft the barbarity and injuftice of others ? Nay fur- ther, when the prejudice of corrupt minds lie all on the lide of injuftice, as when v/e have obtained fome very great profit or advantage, through another man's trea- chery, or breach of faith ; yet who is there, that upon that very occafion does not (even to a pro- verb) diflike the perfon.. and the aftion, how much fo- everhe may rejoice at the event. Thefe reafons fliew the infinite goodnefs of God, by not only thus deeply imprefling that law on human na- ture, by which God expedls all men (hould govern all theira6lions, but in makinii; the very obferving of this ' law, to carry with it, diftin6l from the good it pro- duces, the higheft fatisfadion, and rational enjoyment; and the contrary, that forrow, remorie, and lelf-con- deranation, which are the unavoidable cont^'equences of ading againft it : and of this the philofophers of old, and 1 believe all fince, who do not adulterate religion with things that are not moral ; and confequently. carry no fatisfaftion with them, muft be icnfible : But as it would be endlefs, to mention all the dcftor fays of the irrefiftable evidence, as well as the abfolute per- fe6lion of the eternal, and immutable law of nature , I ftiall recite but one pafl"age more, which he fuppo^t•^ by the authority of biftiop Cumberland. " This" OLb \5 THE CREATIOM. 3IQ ikys he *' is that law of nature, to which the reafon of all men, every where, as naturally and ncccirvrily af- iciits, as all animals conlpire in the pailc, and motion of their heart and arteries ; or as all men agree in their jtid'.ninnt conccrnin'^ the whitcnefs of liiow, or the ]>rii;litncls of the hm. " B. This, indeed, is fo full and home, that no ancient or modern deid could have faid more in praife of the linlimited wildom, and univerlal goodnels of God; than in luppolmg the common parent of mankind, hdS giv- en all his children, even thole of the lowed capacities, and at all times. lufficienL means, of difcovcring what- ever makes for their preieni, and future happinels ; and that no man can plead ignorance of a law .is evi- dent as that the Sun is bright, or inow white ; and as inleparable from rational nature, as the pulfe of the heart and arteries are from animal nature. A. If this be talking like a deid, all who write oil this lubje6l talk thus, fince they all maintain that " there inud be a law of eternal reftitude flowing from the nature of things, otherwile there could be no atli- ons good, or -lovelv in themfelves; no real didin6tioi. between virtue and vice; good or evil ; and that God cannot difpenle with his creatures, or with himlelf, for not obferving it ; otherwife an arbitrary will, which mii^ht change every moment, would govern every thing ;" and that " this law of eternal rcditude is im- planted in man at his very creation ; and that no man can ai'it contrary to it, but does violence to himlelf, and hns againd his very make, and conditution." And can it be otherwife, when the only innate principle in man is the dchre of his own happinefs ; and the good- nels ot God requires no more than a right cultivating tiiis princip'.j ; in preferring a general, or public ; to a particular, or private good ? And where there arc two evils, and both cannot be avoided, to ciioofe the lefs fiib rations boni. The latter part or the Doctor's difcourfe is chiefly levelled againll thole he calls the true deifts ; and that 314 CHRISTIANITY AS you may know what fort of men they are he combats, he gives you their creed. " Thefe deifls, fays he, did they believe what they pretend, have juft, and right notions of God, and of all the divine attributes in every refpeft ; who declare they believe there is one eternal, infinite, intelligent, all-pow- erful, and wife being; ihe creator preferver and gover- nor of all things; that this fupreme caufe is a being of infinite jullicc, goodnefs and truth, and all moral as well as natural perfeftions; that he made the world for the ma- nifeftation of his power and wifdom, and to communi- cate his goodnefs andhappinefs to his creatures ; that he preferves it by his continual all-wife providence, and governs it according to the eternal rules of infinite juf- lice, equity, goodnefs, mercy and truth ; that all created, rational beings, depending continually upon him, are bound to adore, worfhip, and obey him ; to praife him for all things they enjoy, and to pray to him for every thing they want; that they are obliged to promote in their proportion, and according to the extent of their fe- veral powers and abilities, the general good and welfare of thofe parts of the world wherein they are placed : in like manner, as the divine goodnefs is continually pro- moting the univerfal benefit of the whole ; that men in particular, are every where obliged to make it their bu- finefs, by an univerfal benevolence to promote ihehap- pinefs of all others; tiiat in order to this, every man is bound always to behave himfelf fo toward others, as in reafon he would defire they fhould in like circumftances deal with him : wherefore he is obliged to obey, and fubmit to his fuperiors in all jufl, and right things, for the prefervation of fociety, and the peace and benefit of the public ; to be ju(t and honeQ, equitable and fincere in all his dealings with his equals, for the keeping invio- lable the everlalting rule of righteoufnefs, and maintain- ingan univerfal truftand confidence; friendfliip and affec- tion amongft men ; and towards his inferiors to be gentle and kind, eafy and affable, charitable and v/ijiing (o affift as tuany as Hand in need of his help, for the prefervation OLD AS THE CREATION. 3I5 of iinivcrfal love and benevolence amongfl mankind, and in imitation oT the goodncfs of (jod, who prcfcrvcs, and does good to all his crc-afures, which depend entirely upon him foriheir very being, and all tliat they enjoy; that in refpefl of himklf, every man is bound to prcferve as nnicli as in iiim lies, his own being, and the right ufe of all his faculties, fo long as it fhall pleafe God, wlx) appointed him his Ration in this world, to confinuc him therein ; that therefore, he is bound to have an exaft government of his pallions, and carefully to abftain from all debnuchcriesand abides of himfelf, which ;endeitherto the didrufclion of his own bring, or to the difoidcrs of his faculties, and dilabling him from performing his duty, or hurrying him into the pra6icc of unrealonable and unjult things : hdHy, that according as men regard, or negle6l ihcie obligations, fo they are proportionably ac- ceptable, ordilpleafing unto God; who being fupreme governor of the world, cannot but tedify his favour or difplealiirc, at fome times, or other ; and confequently, (ince this is not done in the prefent date, therefore there muO; be a future ftate of rewards and piinifhmenis in a life to come." The deifts, no doubt, will own, that the Doftor has done them jvidice ; (ince all their principles, as he rep- lefents them, have adireQ tendency to make ihem good men ; and containing nothing to divert them from intire- ly attending to all the duties of morality, in which the whole of their religion confifts; and which leaves them no room for tho!'e endlefs quarrels and fatal divifions, which zeal for other things, has occafioned among their fellow creatures; and whom they pity upon the account of that unfupportable bondage, which luperflition has, in moll places, laid I'nem under : and muft not a religion, v.hich the Dotlor has proved to be deinondrahly foun- ded on the eternal reafon of things. have a more power- ful influence on rational beings, than if it was laid on any other bottom ? How can a religion, which, as the the Doc\or dcfcribes it, carries in all its parts, fuch evi- dent marks of wifdom and goodn' fs, fail to make men 3l6 CHIRSTIANITY AS in love with their duty ; when they mud plainly fee, that, and their intereft to be infeparabie ? If princes re- quired no more of their fubjeBs, and privaie men of their neighbours, than to be governed by thefe princi- ples ; how happy would the world be, thus governed ? I do not perceive the Doftor himfelf finds any defeft in their principles ; but only objeBs to their manner of taking ihem as they are difcoverable by the light of na ture, and the reafon of things. B. Is not that a very juft objeflion ? A. Not from one who fuppofcs,that " the eternal reaf- on of things ought to be the rule by which all men fliould govern ail their aSions ;" and who among other things of the like nature, affirms, that the " original obligation of all is the eternal reafon of things ; that realon, which God himfelf, who has no fuperior to direft him, or to whofe happinefs nothing can be added, or any thing di- mimflied from it. yet conftantly obliges himfelf to gov- ern the world by : and the more excellent and perfect his creatures are, the more checfully, and (leadily are their wills determined by this fuprcmc obligation, in con- formity to the nature and imitation of the moft perfe^l will of God. B. Why do you think this favours deifm ? A. Becaufe, if the eternal reafon of things is the fu- preme obligation, mufl not that, if there is any dillerencc between it and external revelation, take place ? Aiid mufl not that rule, which can annul j:ny orher. be not only the fupreme, but the fole rule ? For as far as men take any other rule, lo far they looie of their ))erfeQior, by ceafingto be governed by this rule, in conformity to the nature, and in imitation of the perfeB will of God. And if this iiiofl perfeB will of God is to be thus known, can things that have another original, and are of a later date, be any part of the moft perfeB will of God ? Or can theeiernal reafon of thingsextcnd to things that do not belong to reafon ; <~>r, as divines love to fpeak, are above realon J or, can the DoBor fuppofe, there is any other rule, than the tiature, or reafon of things, when he OLD AS T n K C R L A l" 1 O N , 3^7 makes no medium between men's being governed by it, and by their own iirircalonablc will ? In fliort, it is the view with which liic aflion is done, that makes it moral: lie, v.lio pays his debts out of a principle of honelh', does a moral atlioii ; while h.c rhat does the fame for iear of the law, cannot be (aid to a£t morally : And can he, who does a thing f) avoid being punifl)ed, or in hopes of being rewarded hereafter; and for the fame rcafon is ready to do the contrary; merit, at Icall, ccjualiv with him. who is in love with his duty, and is governed, not by fervilc motives, butbvthcori- ginal obligation of the moral litneis of things; in con- formity to tiie nature, and in imitation t)f the pcrfeft will of God. This the Doctor will not deny to be true deifm; and that they wh.o do not acl thus, defervc not the title of true deifls. Tne Dottor, after he has liimfclf given us a copfift- ent Ichemc of deifm, (ays, '• There is now no fuch tiling, as a ConfiQent fcheme of deifm: That whicli a- lone was once Inch ceafes now to be fo, after the appearance of revelation." If chndianiiy, as well as deifm, confills in being governed by the original obli- gation of the moral fitncls of things, in conformity to the nature, and in imitation of the perfect will of (>od; then they b'jth mull be the fame : But if chnftianity confifls in being governed by any other rule, or requires any other things, hi)s not the DoBor himfelf given tlie advantage to deifm ? TlicTe true chrillian dcifis, as, I think, the DoGnr ought to call them, /ay; that though the Dodor's dif- courfe is chiefly levelled ngainft them, yet he caimo: differ with them, without differing from himfelf; and condemning in one part ol' his elaborate treatilc, what he has approved in the other. For, If chriUianity lias not, fay they, dcnroycd the moral agency of men; or forbid them to ,\t\ as moral agctifs-; they mud now, as well as formerly, judge of the will oi God, by that rcafon given them bv ^n all-graciou.^ Gofi, to diflinguifli between good and c.'il ; the only thing* 318 CRHISTIANITY AS to which the precepts of a being, who, as the Do6ior owns, is incapable of afting arbitrarily, can extend ; and thefe deifts agree with the Do6lor in his two firft propo- rtions, upon which, the whole of his reafoning is built : " That from the eternal, and neceffary differences of things, there naturally arife certain moral obligations , which are of ihernfelves incumbent on all rational crea- tures, antecedent to all pofitive inftitution, and to all expeftation of reward and punifliment."' And, " Thar the fame eternal moral obligations, which a- rife neceffarily from the natural differences of thinp^s, are moreover the exprefs will and command of God to all rational creatures:" And accordingly they judge of the pofitive will of God, from ihofc eternal moral ob- ligations, which arife neceffarily from the natural dif- ferences of things; which being incumbent on all ration- al creatures, antecedent to all pofitive inflitution, can- not but be fo knowable by ihem, and having, agreeable to the Doctor's direflion, thus chofen their religion, they fay, it is impoffible for them (iince there cannot be two originals of the fame thincj} to choofe that relii^ion from external revelation, which they have already cho- fen from internal revelation : And if external revelation cannot alter the nature of things, and make that to be fit, which is in itfelf unfit; or make that neceffary, which is in itfelf unnecefT'ary ; it can only be a tranfcript of the religion of nature; and fo every thing it fays, h to be judged of by the reafbn, and nature of things; otherwife, fay they, we might be obliged to admit things, which, for ought we know, are as neceffarily falfe, as God is true; fince " ail do8rines inconfiftenc with morality, are," as the Do6\orjuflly obferves, "as certainly, and neceffarily falfe, as God is true." , Befides, if thefe moral obligations, which of them- felves are incumbent on rational creatures, and which likewife fliew themfelves from their internal excellency, to be the will of God; are as evident, as the fun is bright ; how can men, fay the deifts, believe on leffer evidence, what they know before to be certain on the OLD AS THE CREATION. 3I9 greatcft ? In this cafe, mufl not faith be fwallowed up by knowledge; and probability by dcmondration ? Thefe dcifts iiuirelv agree with the Do8or, when he afferts, that " fome doQrines are in their own nature necefTarily, and dcmonnrablv true; fuch as arc all thofe which concern the obligation of plain moral precepts ; and thefe neither need, nor can receive any ftronger proof from miracles, than what they have alrea- dy, (though not, perhaps, fo clearly indeed to all capa- cities ;) from the evidence of right reafon. Other doc- trines are in their own nature neceffarily falfc, and im- poffible to be true; fuch as are all abfurdities and con- tradiBions, and all doftrines that tend to promote vice ; and thefe can never receive any degree of proof from all the miracles in the world." But as to what the Doc- tor adds, " that other do6trines are in their own nature indifferent, orpoffible, or, perhaps, probable to be true ; and thole could not have been known to be pofitively true, but by the evidence of miracles, which prove them to be certain ;" here thefe deifts beg leave to dif- fer with him, as to any doQrines, in their own nature indifferent, being the will of God ; for that would be to fuppofe, what the DoQor has proved to be impofli- blc, that God afcls arbitrarily, and out of mere willfu!- nefs. And here they would afk him, fince, as he owns, " Evil fpirits can do miracles, and the nature of the doc- trine to be proved to be divine, mud be taken into con- fideration ;" how the miracles can prove a doftrinc, re- lating to indifferent things, to be from God? Or, how there can be any fuch dot^rincs in the chriflian religion, if what he fays be true; " That every one of the doc- trines it teaches, as matter of truth, has a natural tend- ency, and a dired powerful inlluence to reform the lives of men, and correal their manners." " This," adds he, " is the great end and ultimate defign of all true reli- gion : And it is a great and fatal miltake to think that any doctrine, or any b.licf whatever, can be any other- wife of any benefit to men, than as it is fitted to pro- mote tliis main end." 320 CHRISTIANITY AS This fuppofes men, by their reafon, are not only able to know, thai it is repugnant to the nature of God, to require any thing of them, except it has a natural tend- ency, and a direct powerful influence to reform their lives, or correct their manners • but likewife to difcern what doctrines have this tendency : And that, if, upon examination, they find every doctrine contained in fcripture has this tendency, they may, then, fafely pro- nounce them all to be divine. This previous examina- tion, therefore, is highly neceffary to prevent what he calls a fatal miftake. The difference between thofe, who would engrofs the name of chriftians to themfclvcs, and thefe chrillian deifts, as I mav juUly call them ; is, that the former dare not examine into the truth of fcripture-doctrines, led they fhould feem to queltion the veracity of the fcriptures : Whereas the latter, who believe not the doctrines, becaufe contained in fcripture; but the fcrip- ture, on account of the doctrines; are under no fuch apprehenfion : For having critically examined thofe doctrines by that reafon, which God has given them to dittinguifh religion from fuperitition ; they are fure not to run into any errors of moment; notwiihftanding the confeffed obfcurity of the fcriptures, and thofe many miftakes that have crept into the text, whether by acci- dent, or defign. The doctor fays, " The moral part of our faviour's doctrine would have appeared infallibly true, whether .he had ever worked miracles, or no. The relt of his doctrines was what evidently tended to promote the Iio- nor of God, and the practice of righteoufnefs amongd men. Therefore that part alfo of his doctrine was pof- fible, and very probable to be true; but yet it could not from thence be known to be certainly true; nor ought to have been received as a revelation from God, unlefs it had been proved by undeniable m.iracles." Here the deifts can, by no means, come into the doctor's diftinciion, between the moral part of our ia- viour's doBrine, and that part which evidently tends to OLD AS TIIK CRKAllON'. 32t promote ihe honor oF Cod, and llic pra^^icc of righte- oufiiefs ; it bcin^ niariirclUy ^ diflinOion wiiliout any (lifference : and if the whole of religion confifKs in the honor of God, and the jrood of man, which he is far rroiii dpnying; nothing can more effc^ually ftrike at the certainty of all religion, than the fuppofing, that tnnnkind could not be certain, that whatever evi- dently tended to promote the honor of God, and the pradice of righicoiifnefs, was the will of God, till they were convinced of it by undeniable miracles. It is poOTible, fay they, a man may donbt, whether there is a (rod; but none furc, who believe one, can doubr, but that it is dcmonltrably Rt, jufl, and reafonable for men, to do every thing that evidently tends to promote the honor of God, and the pratlice of righteoufnels. And, if the mind of man," as the doclor fays, " cannot avoid giving its aflcnt to the eternal lav^? of righteoul- ncfs;" can the mind of man avoid alTcnting to the prac- tice of righteDufnefs as his indifpen'able duty? But if it be but probable, that whatever evidently tends to promote the honor of God, and the pra8ice of righteoufnels, is from God; it cannot be probable, that miracles done tn ihcir behalf are from God. Does not the do6tor here deflroy the certainty of thefe doUiincs, which he had before demonllrated; and this too only to prove their prolubiliiy ? Thci'e chriftian deifts own the doOor is in the right, ior contending, that the ncccHTarv relation that is be- twccn things, makes fome adions moral, and others im- moral ; but when they would afl-;, whether there be any other way to didinguifh them,' but from their nattjrs and tendency; for ihey cannot but conclude, that thofc which evidently lend to promote the honor of C/od, and the praBicc of righteoui'^nefs, are plain and moral du- ties, and perpetually oblige. And, '• If no tniraelcs," as the dofctor owns, " can prove a vioQiine that is vicio\isin its tendency and confcquen- ces, to be froti) God ; muft not, fay they, that flofl- rine, which h;'.s i;»c contrary tendency and cnnfcquen- R r 322 CIIRISTI AXITY AS ces, be from God; though ever fo many ralracies are done in oppofiiion to it? And, They likewife fay, as evidently as God is not only a jzood and perfefl, but alfo the only perfeft beings fo evident is it, that every doftrine, thai carries any de- gree, much more the highefl; degree of goodnefs and pcrfeBiop in it, has the charafter of divinity imprelTed on it; and dierefore cannot agree vvith the doBor, " that neither can any degree of goodnefs, and excellen- cy in the doflrine itfelf, make it certain, but only high- ly probable to come from God." If no miracles can prove any different thing to be the wil' of God ; and all that evidently tends to promote the honor of God, and the praflice of righteoufnefs, are plain, moral duties, as the dotlor contends; and all fuch duties neither need, nor can receive any flronger proof from miracles, than what they have already from the evidence of right reafon: how can miracles, fay ihefe deifts, have any other \.\\'c^ than to make men confider the nature, and tendency of a doftrine; and judge from fhence whether it be from God ? But, Allowing the doftor what hypolhefis he pleafes, in relation to miracles ; yet if the do8rincs themfelves, from their internal excellency, do not give us a certain proof of the will of God, no traditional miracles can do it; bccaufe one probability added to another will not amount to certainty. B. I thought the do8or had built his arguments in favor of revelation, upon the cbfcurity of the law of nature; and would not have declared, that " the realon of all men, eveiy where, as naturally affents to it, as all animals confpire in the pulfe and motion of their heart and arteries; or as all men agree in their judg- ment concerning the whitencfs of fnow, or the bright- nefs of the fun. y'l. Have patience, and you fliall lee, that fnow is no longer white, or the fun bright; and in order to it, I'll fhew you, that the do61or's new (cheme confifls in fup- pofini:, dial though "in the original uncorrupied ilate OLD AS THI. CREAllON, Q2"3 of human nature, right reafon may juftly be fuppofed to have bccu a (ufficicnt guide; and a principle ))ower- fiil enough lo have prcfervcd men in the condant prac- tice oF their duty: yet upon the fall, mankind were in A very had flate; as wanting greater help, and afTiflance, than t'nc liojit ol" nature could ad'ord ihcni. And that i.here was plainly wanting fomc extraordinary, and fu- per-natural adillancc, that was above the reach of philo- iophy to procure. I'hcrc was plainly wanting a divine revelauon to recover mankind out of their univerfally degenerate Mate, into a (tale fuitable to the original dig- nity of their nature." And again, '• there was plainly wanting a divine revelation, to recover mankind out of their univerfal corruption and degeneracy." And in the the margin, '• a divine revelation ablolute neceffary for the recovery of mankind." But if a divine revelation was abfolutely neceffary to this end, men were under an abfoUite impoinhility of recovering without it. This is fuppofnig, God has left all mankind for four thoufand years together, and even the greateft part to this day, deiiitute of rulhcient means to do their duty, and to prcferve ihemfelvcs from finking into a corrupt- ed and degenerate (late; and that it was impoffible for them when thus funk, to recover ihemfelves ; and yd that God (their duty being the fame after, as before the fall,) expected impoHibilities from them ; viz. cither to prcferve themfelves from thus falling; or if fallen, to recover themfelves. But if they had power to do this, and it was not their fault, that they at firft were in, and after remained in what he calls a date of univerfal dege- neracy and corruption; this mufh then be the Hate God defigncd they Ihould be in: and it would fcem not on- ly to be in vain, but a crime in them, to endeavor to change that date, in which, God, of his infinite wif- dom and goodnefs, thought ht to place them. But, It men alike, at all times, owe their exidcncc to God, they at all limes mud be created in a flate of in- nocence, capable of knowing, and doing all God re- quires of them ; and we mud conclude from the vvifdom 324 CHlkSTIANlTY AS and goodnefs of God, that he will, at no time, command any thing not fit for him to command, or for man to do : and therefore, could we fuppofe fome things command- ed by external revelation, which were not commanded by the light of nature; we muft conclude, that till then it was not fit for God to corrmand them, or for man uncommanded to do ihemr^ The do6tor, to fhew the fault was not in mankind, but in the guide God gave thi:n; fays, " the light of nature, and right reafon, was altogether infufficieni to reftore true piety :" and as though this was not enough, he adds, " that the light of nature no where appeared." Which feniences feem inconfiftent, fince the firft fup- pofes a light, though infuflicient, appearing to the minds of men ; but the do8:or does not feem to know "whether they had no light at all; or '• a light, which, he fays, has undeniable defeds in it." B. May not the law of nature be very clear, though the light of nature may be fo very dim, as to have un- deniable defefts ? A. Can the law of nature be clear, and the light of nature dim ; when the law of nature is nothing, but what the light of nature, or reafon diftates? Or, as Dr. Scott expreflfes it, " right reafon pronouncing fuch ac- tions good, and fuch evil, is the law of nature ; and thofc eternal reafons, upon which it fo pronounces, ihem, are the creed of nature ; both which together make natural religion." The do£lor to purfue this point, and to fiiew that the fault was not in the creatures, hut the creator; fays, that ■" even thofefew extraordinary men of the phildlophers, who did fincerely endeavor to reform mankind, were ihemfelvcs intirely ignorant of iome do6lrines, abiblute- 3y neceffary for bringing about this great end of the re- formation, and recovery of mankind: Their whole attempt to difcover the truth of things, and to infl:ru6l others therein, was like wandering in the wide fea, without knowing whether to go, or which v.a}' 10 take, or having any guide to condu6t them ?" OLD AS Tin-: ci\i:amcin. 3:^5 And thai you might be fure, iliai the fault was in the ctfinal, univcrfal, ;ukI unchaugable law of nature; he c.MJs ihulc philolbphers, who thus wandered in the wide Tea, " wife, brave, and good men, who made it their bufi- jicfs to lludv, and practice the duties of natural reli^^ion ihenilcl \ e.s, and to leach and cxhori olliers 10 do the like ;" nay, one w-ould imai^inc he thought them, noiwiihftand ino their unavoidable ignorance, infpired; fince he fays, " liieie never was a great man. buL who was inlpired; nemo unquam magnus virjine cUvmo aflalu /uit :" And for this he q-joics the authority of Cicero, who, if the dodor's reafoning is jull, was certainly infpired. 'J'he dotlor's ichen^e outdoes that of the moll rigid prcdeRinarians ; for that at all times laves the eleft : But liere are no elect; but all, for many ages, are inextri- cably involved in a moll depraved, corrupted, and im- pious flate. The doctor juflly fays, "let none on pretence of maintainiug natural religion, revile and and Llafpheme the chnflian ; led they be found liars unto God:" and for the fame reafon, may not I fay, let none bUifpheme natural religion ? Though if natural and revealed reli- !]ion can differ.jit nuill be a greater crime to revile a reli- gion, .that is eternal, univerfal, aiid unchangeable; than a religion that is not fb. And, Hiough I pay a due deference to the doclor o ciccp penetration in matters of religion, I dare not fay there is the leafl difference between the law of nature and the gofpel ; for that would fuppofe fbme defect in one o; liiem, and rcflcfl (jn the author of both ; who, certain ly, was equally good, and equally wife, when he gav. the one, as when he gave the other (if it may he called anotlier) law. Nor dare I be io rail], as tochaigeihc light of' nature with undeniable defefts, as the doctor prefumcs to do ; fince, \> thai light was lulHcient to an fwer the end defigned by Cod, which was to be a com peteni guide to men, in relation to their prefent and future happincfs ; t'nere could be no deficiency : if no', then there mull have b:^en an undeniable dcluuli iu tiu e K il 1 i> T 1 A N i i- Y A S giver of it, in appointing means not fufficient to anfwer their defigned ends; thougli both means and ends v»^ere entirely in his power. Nor dare I fay, '• there are fe-v'c- ral necefifary trutlis, not poffible to be difeovcred with any certainty by the light of nature :" beceaufe God's means of information will, and mufl; always bear an ex- aft proportion to the neceffity of our knowing what we are obliged to know ; efpecially louching the nature and attributes of God ; which, he fuppofes, " were very dii'ficuk for the wifeit men to find out ; and more dilficuit for them to explain." But here I mult do the doBor thatjuPiice, as to obferve, that he, in another place, is To far from finding any fuch defe6l in this light, even with relation to the nature and attributes of God ; that he fays, " All the heathen v/orld had certain means of knowing God ; for, that which may be known of God, was manifeft enough unto men in all ages;" And if no age can know more of God, than that which may be known ; and if that which may be known of him was manifePi in all ages; what advantage can one age in this grand point have above another? And, therefore, I raud conclude, It cannot be imputed to any defeft in the light of na- ihat the pagan world ran into idolatry ; but to their be- ing entirely governed by priells, who pretended commu- nication with th.eir Gods; and to have thence their reve- Jations, which they impofed on the credulous as divine oracles : Whereas the buhnefs of the Chridian difpen- fation was to dellroy all thofe traditional revelations; and relhore, free from all idolatry, the true primitive, and natural religion, implanted in mankind fro)n the cre- ation. The doSlor, liOwever, feems afiaid, lell he liad al- Io\\/ed too m.uch to the light of nature, in relation to the difcovery of our duty both to God and man ; and not left room for revelation to make any addition : he there- fore, fuppofes, " there are fome duties, which nature hin^ ar only in general ;" but, if we cannot, without highly refleftiiig on the wifdom and gooduefs of God, OLD AS THE Cai". ATIONf. 337 ruppofc. that he lias not, at all times given the whole ra- tional creation a plain rule for their condnft, in relation to thoib duties ihtv owe to God, thcmfclves, and one another ; VtuH we not fuppo^c reafon and religion (that rule of all other rules) infeparahle ; fo that no rationa' creature can be ignorant of it, who attends to ihe diftate of his own mind ; I mean, as far as it is neceilary for him to know it ? An ignorant pcafant may know what is fulficient for him. without knowing as much as (he learn- ed rcdor of St. Jamcs's- Though the Doctor fays, " the knowledge of the law of nature is in fact, by no means, univerCal ;" yet he af- ferts, that " Man is plainly in his own nature an ac- countable creature ;" which (uppofcs the light ofnature plainly, and undeniably teaches him that law, for breach of which he is naturally accountable ; and did not th(.' doctor believe this law to be univerfal.hc could not infer a future judgment from the confcicncc all men ha\ e of their actions, or the judgment they pafs on ihem in their own minds ; whereby " They that have not any law, arc a law unto themfelves ; their confciences bearing wit- nefs, and their thoughts accuhng, or cxcufing one ano- ther." Which is fuppofing but one law, whether that law be written on paper, or in the hearts of men only ; and that all men, by the judgment they pafs on their own actions, are confcious of this jaw. And, The apodle Paul, though quoted by the doctor, is fo far from favoring his hvpoihefis of any invincible igno- rance, even in the wilcll, and bed of the ])b>ilofoplKr.s ; that he, by faying, the Gentiles that have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law ;* makes the law of nature and grace to be the fame : and (uppofes the realon whv they were to be puniflied, was their finning againft light and knowledge : That which may be knov\'n of God was manifell in them, and when they knew God, ihcy glorified him net as God :t And they were likc- wifc guilty of abominable corruptions, not ignoranily, * Rom. ii. 1 .1. r i. ! . 328 CHRISTIANITY AS but knowing the judgment of God, that they who do fuch things are worthy of death. Had the doctor but confidered this felf evident propofition, that/ there can be no tranfgreffion where there is no law ; ^nd that an unkonwn law is the fame as no law ; and confequently, that all mankind, at all times, muft be capable of know- ing all (whether more or lefs) that God requires : it would have prevented his endeavoring to prove, that till the Gofpcl difpenfation, mankind were entirely, and un- avoidably ignorant of their duty in feveral important points and thus charging the light of nature with undeni- ib!e defects. I think it is no compliment to external revelation, 'lOugh the doctor defigned it as the highefl: ; to fay, it icvailed, when the light of nature was, as he fuppofes, i a manner exlinft ; fince then an irrational religion ight as eafily obtain, as a raiional one. The Dodor, to prove that revelation hns fupplied ihe infufTiciency, and undeniable defedls of the light of nature, refers us to Phil. iv. 8. which he introduces after this pompous manner ," let any man oi an hon- eft and linccre mind confider, whether th?it pra61ical. do6lrine has not, even in iifcif, the greatefl marks of divine original, wherein whatioever things are true, whatfoever things are honeft, whatfoever things are jufi, whatfoever things are pure, whatfoever thinss are lovelv, whritfoevcr ihin^^s are of szood rc- port, if there be any virtue, if there be anything praife- worthy ; all thefe and thefe on^y, are the thm^i^s earn- eftly recommended to men's praftice." I would afk the Do£lor how he can knew what ihefe things are, which are thus only earneftly recom- mended to mens practice ; or ,why they have, in them- felves, the greatefl mark of a divine original ; but from the light of nature ? nay, how can the doctor know, there are defects in the light of nature, but from the light iffclf ? which fuppofes this light is all w& have to truft toj and confequently, all the Doctor has been doing, on pretence of promoting the honour OLD AS THE CRtATlON. 329 <)t revelation, is introducing univcrfal iccpticifm : and A am concerned, and oricvcd to fee a man, who had lo gvcM a Iharc of the light of nature, employing it to ex- pofc tliat lij^ht, of which before he had given the high- eft commendation ; and which can have no other ef- fect , than to weaken even his own demonftration, drawn from that light, for the being of a God. I fli.ill mention but one text more, which, had not the doctor thought it highly to his purpofe, for fhcw- ing the infufficienCy of the light of nature, he would not ii ive ufhered it in after this folemn manner: " When men have pat themfelves into this temper and frame of mind, let them try if they can any longer re- ](iti the evidence of the gofpel : If any niati will do his will, he fliall know of the dodrine ; whether it be of God."* Is it not ftrange, to fee fo judicious a divine write after fuch a manner, as if he thought the bed way to fupport the dignity of revelation, was to derogate from the immutable, and eternal law ot nature ? and while he is deprerfing it, eixtol revelation fvjr thole very thing's it borrows from that law ? in which, thou;"!! he aiferts there are undeniable defects, yet he ovxms, that God governs all his own actions by it, and experts that all men fliould fo govern their's. But, I find the doftor's own brother, the dean of Sarum, is iiuireiy of my mind, as to thofe two texts the doflor quotes ; viz. Rom. ii. 14. and Phil. iv. 8. As to the hrft, Rom. ii. 14. he fays, '' The apoftle fuppofes, that the moral law is founded in the nature and reafon of things ; that every man is endued with fuch powers and [acuities of mind, as render him capable of feeing, and taking notice of this law : and alio with fuch a lenfe and judgment of the reafonablenels, and fitnefs of conforming his anions to it, that he cannot but in his own mind acquit himfelf when he doeslo; and •■'>ndcmn himiclf when he does other»vife." And as to Sf * John vii. i ■'. 330 CHRISTIANITY AS the fecond. viz. Phil. iv. 8. where the fame apofllere- coiniT.ends the praflice of virtue, upon the foremen- tioned principles of comelinefs and reputation : " Thefe principles," fays he, " if duly attended to, were fufli- cient to inftruft men in the whole of their duty towards themfelves, and towards each other; and they would alio have taught them their duty towards God, their creator and governor, if they had diligently purfued them : For according as the apoftle expreffes itj Rom. i. 20. The invifible things of God from the creation of the world, are clearly leen, being underftood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead The fame fitnels and decency that ap- pears in the regular behavior of men towards each oth- er, appears alfo in their behavior towards God : And this, hkcwife, is founded in the nature and reafon of things; and is what the circumftances and condition they are in, do abfolutely require. Thus we fee wherein moral virtue, or good confills, and what the obligation to it is, from its own native beauty and ex- cellency." B. If God, as the doftor afl'erts, does abhor all ar- bitrary commands, and natural religion comprehends every thing that is not arbitrary; and withal, is io deeply imprefled on the minds ot men, that they can- not violate its precepts without fell-condemnation : I cannot apprehend how thefe philofopliers, who made it their bufmels to ftudy, and praftice natural religion, could be intirely ignorant of any doctrines abloluteiy nEceffary for the refonnation of mankind : Nay, that " the whole attempt to difcover the truth of things, was like wandering in the wide fea, v.'ithout any «uide :" and therefore. I fnouldbe "lad to know, what are th :fe abfolutely necellary doctrines, they were thus intirely ignorant of. A. '• Thefe phiiofophers," the doctor fays, '' had no knowledge of the whole fcheme, order, and ilate of things." This, I think, may be allowed; fmce I believe there is none at prefent, who have, or pretend OI. D AS THE GREAT lOM. 231 io have fo cxienfivc a knowledge. " But they had no knowledge of the method of God's governing the world." Then they mud be blind; if living in the world, they did not f.'e how the things of this world were governed by Providence. " Then they did not know the ground and circu n'lances of the prefent corrupt condition of men." If fo, they did not underhand human nature, and how prejudices and pafllons work on mankind. " They did not know," fays lie, '• the manner of the divine interpofition ncccffary for their recovery, and the njoriotis end, to which God intended finally to con- dud them." It mult be owned, they were not in the leaft acquainted with the do6tor\s glorious fcheme, of all mankind's being for four ihoufand years together, and the greaied })3rt too, at prefent, by the very frame of their conflitution, and the condition of their being, pla- ced by (iod in a mofl: depraved, degenerate ftate; with- out pollibility of recovering from it. " But they had, it feems, no knowledge of the defign of God in creating mankind." Sure the doflor had forgot what he quotes from Cicero r*"^ 'h\^- ; ■"noie; '•^ ad iuendos confervandof- que homines hominevi natwu ejfe. Homints homimtm caujafunt generati, id if?/?. ?nterfe alii aliis prodejfe pof- Jint. Hoviincm, natures obedientem, homini nocere noy P^U^-' -^"*^ does not the doflor maintain the fame thing, iii faying, that " God could have no motive to create things at firft, but only that he might communi- cate to them his goodnefs and happinefs." '• Thclc philofop!iers, he (ays, were ignorant of the original dignity of human nature," and becauH; he fre- quently infifts on it, I fhall fully confidcr this matter ; and will confefs, it is probable, they thought that hu- man nature, men, at all times, having the fame common faculties, \,as always the lame. Had they known the facrcd flory of Adam and Eve, that would have confir- med them in their fentimcnts. The moft they could perceive by it would be, that the firft pair came into the world in every fcnfe naked, deflitute of all that know- ledge, experience gave their poncrity;and therefore, 332 CHRISTIANITY AS God, the better to fupport them in this ftate ofuniverfal ignorance, planted a garden for them ; that they might live on the fruit of it: how weak was iheir reafon, how llrong their appetites ! when they could not abdain (the fole command given themj from the fiuit of but one tree ; in a garden too, where mud needs be an infinite variety, and the choiccft fruit I Thefe philofophers would have been at a lofs to con-, cieve, how Eve could entertain a conference with a ferpent (incapable of human voice) even before confent had given any meaning to founds. And they would be apt to aflt, why, though cuftom had made it fhameful to go without clothes in thofe piaces where cloihes are "worn ; the firft pair fliould neverthelefs, though ihey inew not what clothes were, be afhamed to be feen un- clothed by one another, and by God himfelf ? fo that, "when they heard the voice of God walking in the Gar- den, in the cool of the evening, (a ftrange reprefentation thele philofophers would think of God !) thty hid ihem- felves from his prefence: Nay, God himfelf, their fig- jeave aprons, which they (having, it feems, all things iieceffary for fewing) lewed together, not being fuffici- ent to hide their fhamc, make them coats of the fl^ins of beads, newly created in pairs. And they would, like- wife, defire to be informed, how Eve, before her eyes ■were opened, faw that the tree was good for food; and that it was pleafant to the eye, and a tree to be dcfired to make one wife.* Upon the whole, I grant, that thefe philofophers would be lo far from finding out this original dignity in the firft pair, that they would be apt to think, by the ferpeni's lo cafily impofing on her, that the original fer- pentine nature, was too fubilc for the original human nature; and thai there being noihirg done by any fer- pent fince the fall, which could occafion the precepts of men's being bid to be as wife as fcrpents, it mull allude * Gen. iii. 8. 6. OLD A3 THE CREATION. 333^ to this tranfatlion between the woman and the fcrpcni ; ihoiij^h they could never come into the belief" of the o- phiiiE, (with whom the nvircionitcs may be joined] who thought, that wildom herfelf was the fcrpent, which they preferred to Chrift, as teaching them to know good and evil; and defigning for tiiem immortality and deity; and foretelling that Adam, though threatened with cer- tain death on the day he eat the forbidden fruit, fhould not then die; who accoidingly lived after that fen- tence about 900 years : And that Mofes erefling the brazen, healing fcrpent, was in honor of this fcrpent; who defigncd (0 much good to mankind. B. Thefe philofophers, would be grof^ly miflaken, did they believe this done by a fcrpent : We fay, it was the devil, in the fhape of a fcrpent, that tempted them. A. Thefe philofophers, indeed, would fee, that the chriflians arc now afh^mcd of the literal interpretation of this (lory; though St. Paul was of another mind, who cxprefsly fays, the ierpent deceived eve through fubtle- ty. Andihcy, perhaps, would aflc, whether it was the devil, who is faid to be more fuhtle than any bcafl of of the field ; fince it was this lubile beaft that faid to the woman, ye fliall not furely die. And it was upon the ■woman's faying, the fcrpent beguiled me, andldideat; tliat the Lord faid to the fcrpent, becaufethou hafl done this, thou art curfcd above all the cattle, and above every beaft of the field ; Upon thy belly flialt thou go, and the dufl thou (halt cat all the days of thy life.* Docs this chara6ler agree to an immaterial, immortal being r' Did he all the days of his life go upon l^is belly, and eat dud ? Does not Cod, coutinuitig his difcourfc to the ferpent, fay, I will put enmiiy between thee and the woman; between thy feed, and her feed ; it /hall bruifc thy head, and thou (hah bruifc his heels. And is noi this the conlcquence of Icrpcnis going on ihcir belly ? Do they not-frcquently bite men by the hc< I ; cl'pccially ii^ hot countries, wiierc fcrpcnis arc numerous, .md uicr's 334 CHRISTIANITY AS heels bare? Why fhall thy feed, not fignify thy feed; but the feed of a being not mentioned in all this ftory ; and who has no feed, but metaphorical feed : which, fince the woman's feed is taken literally, would be im- medi-ately changing the meaning of the word feed? Does this lext afford the lead argument, to imagine God did not as much fpeak to the ferpent, as to Adam and Eve? If a book is to be interpreted thus, efpecial- ly in relation to hiltorical fa8s; how can we, thefe phi- lofophers would fay, be fure of its meaning in any one place ? Befides, would they not afk, why the whole race of ferpents fhould be curfed For the crime of a fal- len angel ? B. They might as well aflc, why all other animals iliould bring forth in pain, for the fault of Eve ? For had nature formed all females at firft, as they have been ever fince Eve eat the forbidden fruit, none of them, except by miracles, could be delivered without pain; no more than ferpents, had they at firfl: been formed, as at prefent, creep other wife than they do. ^. A. Thofe philofophers, perhaps, would not think the matter a jot mended, by fubftituting (did the flory afford room for itj a devil, inflead of a lerpent ; fince they could not fee, how an infinitely good God could permit a moft malicious cunning fpirit to work on the weaknefs of a woman, juft placed in a new world ; with- out interpofing in this unequal confliB, or giving notice of any fuch wicked fpirit; Angels, neither good, or bad, being mentioned in the hiflory of the creation : and yet after the fatt was committed, God fhould thus revenge it on all their innocent polterity forever; by curfmg the ground, &c. What would (eem to them mofl; unaccountable, is, that God, fhould continue to fuffer this fubtlc, and ma- lignant fpirit, endowed with an univerial knowledge of what is paft, and a deep penetration into futurity; to range about, deceiving, and circumventing mankind; who, having a capacity vaRly fuperior to them, is con- tinually fowing the feeds of mifchief, and fcattering the OLD AS THF CREATION. 3^5 poifon of univerfal difcord; making ufe of thofc very men as his inftruments, vvhofe profcfTed bufincfs it is, lo promote univerfal concord. Tlie poor Indians, voii know, when (Uir inifiionaries give fiich an account of the devil, fay, " Is not your God a good God, and loves all mankind? Why does he then permit this devil, to be continually doing them fuch infinite hurt ? Why is he not put under conHnc- ment, if not deprived of a being, of which he has made himfelf unworthy ? With us, one, who does not hinder a mifchicf, when it is in his power, is thought not much better than he who does it." But to return to the doctor: Where is the difference in relation to the goodnels of God, and the happinefs of mankind, between God's creating them in a liate, as he calls it, of univerfal degeneracy and corruption; or caufing them by the folly of Adam, which infinite wif- dom could not but forefee, to fall unavoidably into this bad ftate ; what dignity, what perfeBion could A- dam's natiuj have, that the nature of his poflerity has not? Arc tney not as much framed after the image of their maker? Are not their fouls as much immediately from God as Adam's ? And are not their bodies cxaftly made after the fame manner? Were not all other ani- mals at firfl^reatcd bv God as well as men ? Had thefe any dignity, or perfeBion in their animal nature, which the fame creatures fince have not ? Bcfidcs, is not this luppofed b.igh Rate of perfc8ion in Adam, giving iht- lye to the hilU)ry ? fince this very pcrfefel man, notwiih- (tanding all the original dignity of his nature, had no !)etter excufe for his yielding to the FirO temptation, than that the woman, whom thou gavell; to be with mc, gave me of the tree, and I did eai. How can we fuppofe his underllanding was in the leafl: impaired by this crime, fjncc God himfelf fays (though to whom, it does not appear) behold,- the man IS become like one of us, to know good and evil;* and * (jcn. ill. 1 .'. iii. ^' ggg CHRISTIANITY AS to prevent his being fo, both for irnmortality as well a$ knowledge, God placed cherubin:is with a flaming fword, which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life.* Would it not be very ftrange, that his pofterity (while his understanding received no hurtj ihould fufFer fo greatly in theirs, as the doftor would have it thought ? Indeed, St. Auftin fuppofes, that A- dam before the fall could have eret^ed his, membrum ge- nitale ad voluntatis mitum ; and that motions of the flefli were perfeBIy fubordinate to his will, like his fingers. Sut this notion not being orthodox at prefcnt, and the lofs of this facul'y no ways infers the lofs of underftand- ing ; I may venture to fay, that the doftor's defcription of human nature in all but one pair (and that toOj perhaps, but for a day) is a libel on the dignity of hu- man nature, and an high refleftion on the wifdom and goodnefs of its author ; in placing them, without any fault of theirs, in an unavoidable flate of degeneracy and corruption for four ihoufand year. 1 D A .S im. C R I. A T 1 O N 341 diols, the woifliipping of the true God, ihougli unac- ceptablv. 15iit liowcvcr, fiiicc you lay fuch nreCs on this dircourfe, I fhall confidcr, what the do6lor fays, to prove this paradox. " Plato," fays he, "after liaving delivered almoft di- vine truths, concerning the nature, and attributes;, of the fupreme God, weakly advifes men to worfhip like- wile inferior Gods; nor dare to condemn the worfliip- ping even of ftatutes. And fo he fpoiled liic bed philofophv in the world, by adding idolatry to that wor- ihip, whieii he had wileiy, and bravely before proved to lie due to the creator cS all things." But could he be intirelv. and unavcidabi^' ignorant of what he has bravely, and wifclv proved? '• Socrates," he fays, " fuperllitioufly offered a cock to I-Lfculapius, unlcis it was done in mockery to him, looking on death to be his greatcfl deliverance:" But fince he doubted what Socrates intended, why docs he inilance in him, as one inlircly, and unavoidably igno- rant, how God was to be acceptably worfliipped ? '' Cicero," he fiays, " allowed men to continue the idolatry of their anceflors. advifed them to conform themfelves to the fuperftitious religion of their country. In which he fondly contradicts himfelf, by incx- cufably complying with the pra6iices of ihofe men, whom, in many of his writings, he largely, and excel- lently proves to be extreinely foohfh, upon the account of thofe very praBices." But does this prove any una- voidable ignorance in Cicero, in relation to the wor- fliip of the true God ? But only that he,- as a philofo- pher, not only knew, but (poke the tru;h; though as a priefl, he thought fit todiflcmble: Perhaps, he luppof- cd it not prudent, without lome fuch, (ofteniiig expref- fions, fo plainly to attack the reigning fuperflition. Bur, Since the rcafoning of the ancient pliilofophcrs fully fhewed their fenfe, thefc refleftions might have hern Ipared ; were it but for the fake of f(;me modern piiftfo- phers; whofc philofophical faiih is as little reconcilaI)le 342 CHRISTIANITY AS with the creeds and litanies, they, as priefts, folemnly repeat; and the articles they as folemnly fubfcribe; as any thing Cicero, the prieft, could fay in oppofition to Cicero, the philofopher; who defcribes our moral ob- ligations after fo beautiful a manner; and by fuch plain, and irreffiftable arguments, fliews the necelfary connex- ion between virtue and happinefs; vice and mifery; as cannot but make highly delighted with the one, and cre- ate in us ajuft averfion to the other. The doctor had here a fair opportunity, of fhewing the abfurdity of arguing from what even the beft of men fay; when it is not fafe, to talk o;herwife. This had been more agreeable to his candor, than taking a handle from hence to expcfe the light, and law of nature, as well as thofe great men; to whom we are infinitely o- bligcd, for writing under thefe difadvantages fo freely as they have done; efpecially Cicero, from whom the fa- thers have borrowed their btii arguments againft pagan- ifm. Arnobius fays, that if his works had been read, as they ought, by the heathens, there had been no need of chriftian writers. And in anfwer to thofe gentiles, who, feeing the ufe the chriftians made of them, were for fo- liciting the fenate to burn, or oiherwife fupprefs them ; he fays, that were, not to defend the gods, but to fear the teftimony of truth. Which pagan method has not only been ufed ever fince, by all who feared the teltimo- ny of truth, to the lofs of an immetife treafure of learn- ing ; but they have improved it too, and been for burn- ing of men, as well as books : and thereby introduced a fuperftition more abominable than paganilm. And give me leave to add, thac In old Rome, as long as there was civil libeity, there was an entire liberty of confcicnce ; and even the priefts of the national church, provided they comply with its ceremonies, h.id no fpeculative creeds, or articles to fubfcribe ; but were intirely free to maintain what opinions they pleafed. Of this. Cicero is a remarkable inftance ; v/ho in his book de divinatione, expofes the fuperftition of bis own country- men and ridicules thofe OLD AS TIIR CREATION. 343; :niraclcs, with which the annals of tlie church priefts wcic filled : and he, lhoui;h a priell himlclf, every- where treats his brethcn with i^reat tieedom ; and in his addrels to thera, Ipcaking of an ambitious, intrigu- ing piicll, who would hideliis malice under the cover of religion (for foiric luch there have been in all religi- ons) fays, " If Pubiius Claudius is to defend his pelli- lent, and deadly minifbry by the facred name of divine religion, when it is impoHible lor him to do it by hu- man equity : it is high time to look for other cerimo- nics, other minifters of the immortal Gods, and other interpreters of religion." But to return, The dottor having thus expoled the light of nature, and ,as he thinks, fhicwn its undeniable defe6ls in the perfons of thefe philolbphers ; demands what grounds our modern deills have to imagine, that if they them- felves had lived without the light of the gofpel, they Ihould have been wifer than Plato, Socrates, and Cicero. But fure no great wifdom is required to know the law of nature, was it but half ib plain, as the do(Slor, from bilhop Cumberland, haji reprelented it ; and which no well meaning gentiles, who did by nature the things contained in the law, could be ignorant of. And, I am iurprizedto find the dottor arguing as if that law, •' which is a moll perfect rule to the mod perfeQ: being, is not perfefl enough for his imperfect creatures ;" though their whole perfettion confiftsin imitating him, and governing their a6lions by the fame rule : a rule, which it cannot be denied, had mankind govejned their atiions by it, uould hive rendered ihcin as per- te6t as their nature was capable of. I (liould be giad to know, why this rule has loflits virtue, and will not now render man as acceptable lo God as ever i but couid we fuppole a God of infinite perft 6lion, might ordain an imperfett or infufficient rule, for the actions of his critures ; or, which comes to the fame, allord them another light for the difcorery of it, but *vhat had iuch undeniable defects, as made them incapable of knowing their duty ; nor was fufricicnt to hinder them 344 CHRISTIANITY AS from falling into, and continuing from age to age, and in a deplorable Hate of corruption : 1 would aflc whe- i 5er God did this knowingly, or ignorantly, not fore- . -ing the confequen'ces ? to lupport the firft is to make ' .rod act out of Ipite, and hatred to his creatures, in biiuiiiny them into beini^, and making' that beinti a curie to them : or if the lall, why were not theie de- fects fuplied as loon as dilcovered ? or were they not difcovered by infinite wifdom till thefe latter times ; .;nd then revealed to a fmall number, though all man- kind had equal need of them ? and then too, foimper- ■;i.ly, that men have ever fince been in continual <|i.iarrels, about the meaning of moll of thofe things ■..hich are fuppofed to have been added, to fupply the r efects of the law of nature ?• What human legiflator, if he fgund a defect in his c.ws, and thought it for the good of his fubjcct to add iCW laws, would not promulgate them to all his peo- e ? or, what parent would act alter lo partial a man- :ier, as the doctor, in a felf-confounding Icheme, luppo- ;^s the common parent of mankind has done:' and not let all his children know as foon as pollible, what was for their common good ? efpecially if they were in fuch a forlorn, and miierable condiMon, as he reprefents all ■nankind to have be«n in, almoll as foon as created. The doflor very rightly obfervcs, ihat " even among men, their is no earthly father, but, in thofe things he efteems his own excellencies, defires and expeBs to be imitated by the children ; how much more lays he, is it neceffary, ihat God who is infinitely far from being fnb- jc6l to palfions, and variablenefs, as frail men are ; and has an infinitely tenderer, and heartier concern for the hap- pinefs of his creatures, than mortal men can have for the welfare of their poHerity, mult defire to be imitated by his creatures in thofe perfetlions. which are the foun- dauon of his own unchangeable happinefs ?' how far this invariablcnels of God, and his great fove for his crea- tures, is confiftent with that fcheme of things, which the doQor has hitherto advancedj has, I think, been made OLD AS Till-: CRUATION. 345 r.ppcar. \Vc will no'>v' examine what he adds, to flicw that God has an infinitely more tender and hearty con- cern for the happinefs of his creatures, than mortal men can have for tlic welfare of their poRerily : what he fays is, that ''both the necelTities of men, and their natural notions of God gave them rcafonable ground to expefl and hope for a divine revelation, lo recover mankind out ot their univerfaliy degenerate edate, into one fuitablc to the original excellence of their na;ure." And that '' it was agreeable to the ditlates of nature, and right reafon, to hope for fuch a divine revelation ; th u it is agreeable to the natural hopes and expectations of men, that is, of right reafon duly improved, to lup- pofc God making fome particular revelation of his will to mankind.— And that this v/as moU fuitablc to the divine attributes." Yet notwithdanding ihcic, and a great many other fine fayings to the lame purpofe, he denies that (/od v/as obliged to make fuch a revelation : but, with fubmifiion, what other reafon have wc to fay, God is obliged to do any one thing whatever; but that it is agreeable to tiie natural notions we have of his wifdom and goodnefs, and to the diclates of nature and reafon, for him fo to do : and if the necelli- lies of mankind have always been as great, and the good- nefs of God always the lame ; would not thefe oblige liim to have prefcribed an immediate remedy to the dif- eafe, and not deferred it four thoufand years together ; and then applied it but to a few, though all had equal need of it .'* And a need occafioned (as the doctor fup- pofesj by God himfelf, in not affording them any oihcr light, but what was infufhcient to anfwer the end for which it was given. B. The do6lor fuppolc^, i.i..L this revelation was not the elfeB of God's jtiltice; lor then it muil: needs have been given in all ages, and to all nations ; but of mercy and condefccnding goodnefs. A. Can a being be denominated merciful, and good, who is fo only to a few ; but cruel and unmerciful to the rell ? Ai.;' - --'-inly all the argumc" ■' ■ ''-^"' .' a 346 CRIIISTIANITY AS can urge from the neceffities of mankind, and the a- bundant goodnefs of God, will equally prove, that this revelation, did it teach a new religion, fhould be uni- verfal ; as that it fhould be at ^11. But, If revelation was abfolutely neceffary to recover man- kind, out of their univcrfal degenerate, and corrupted ftate, and replace them in a (late (uitable to the original dignity, and excellency of their nature ; and more ef- feQually to do this, there was inftiiuted an order ofmen who were to be, as the doftor calls them, the inftru- mentsof conveying extraordinary affiftances for this pur- pofe; muft not revelation have had its intended effeB, and made Chriftians, efpecially where thefe inftruments of conveying extraordinary affiflances, are in great num- bers, and in great authority ; much more perfefl and excellent, than men could poffibly be in, when under times of unavoidable corruption ? And yet, The doBor having taken a large paffage from Cicero, where the orator very rhetorically defcribes the great corruptions of his time, and affigns the caufes thereof; makes this remark, " that a livelier defcription of the prefent corrupt ftate of human nature is not eafy to be met with :" which, I think, is fufficienily owning, that human nature at prefent is far from being exalted to fo high a (late of perfe6tion, or in the leaft mended. And the dotlor frequently quotes Cicero for the fupport of his opinion, yet Cicero is far from fuppofing any fuch defcB in nature ; for a proof of which, I need only men- 'ion thele two fliort paflagcs : " It is impofTible to err, !is long as we follow the guidance of nature, — There is r,o man, who following the condufcl of nature, but may arrive at perfeQion." And the doBor himfelf quotes a pafTage from him, to fhew that nature has notb^en want- ing to declare her mind , Multis /ignis natura declarat quid velit. And it might be as eafily fliewn, he as much miftakes the meaning of ihofe other philofophers he quotes. And indeed, how could any men, except they had a very abfurd hypothefis to ferve, a0ert, that any OLD AS TIIF. CREATION. 347 tiling could be the duty of men, -which ihey were URa- voidably ij^noratit of ? Yet, The dotior, to prove this invincible ignorance in the Gentile world, has frequent recourfe to the authority of Lanftantius, a primitive father, without (hewing that he had a greater regard for truth than other fathers : And I am afraid the doclor himfelf feems here not much to regard it, in maiming a entence of Lanftantius ; Maximum iiaqus argumtntilm eji^ philojophiam ncqiie ad fapientiam tenJ.crc, neque ipfam effc fapientiam ; quod myflerium ejus, harba tantum ccUbralur^ i3 pallio. Whereas the whole fentence runs thus : Non tjt ergo japitnlia, fi ah hominum coclv. abhor ret ; quoniam^ Ji Japientia homini data ejl, fine ullo dijcrimine^ omnibus data ejl ; ut nemo fit pr or Jus, qui earn cap ere non pojfit. At illi \_Philofophi~\ virtutem humano generi datamjic amplexantur, ut foli omnium publico bono frui vellc vide- antur ; taminvidi, quam /i vclmt deligare oculos, autcj- fodere ccetcris. ne folem videant. — Quodji natura hominis fapi entice capax ejl ; oportuit opijices, & rujlicos^ & mulieres, et omnes dcnique qui humanam formavigerunt^ doccri, fapiant ; populumque ex omni lingua, & condi- tioner & jfexu, & a'tate conjlari. Then follows what the dottor quoted. This has been a full anfwer to all the doQor had tak- en from him ; if not to all the do6tor has faid on this head : and it plainly (liews, this father here thought, thar wifdom, as it was defigned for all, was within the reach of all ; and that which the lowed of mankind could not attain, was neither wifdom nor virtue ; -and that thofe philofophers, who would confine this univcrfal light to thctnfclves, were as envious, as if they would exclude others from the light of the fun. And that this alone was a fufficicnt proof, that their philofophy con- fifled only in the beard, and the cloak. This father afferts nothing here, but what the wifefl of men had long before owned, in faying, that wifdom is eafily {ecn of them that love her ; and found of fuch as fe 1 her. -She goes about fccking fuch as are worthy 348 CHIRSTIANITY AS of her ; fhews hcrfelf favorable to them in the ways ; and meeleth them in every thought. And, What impartial man, who has compared the former, and prefent condition of mankind, can think the world much mended fince the times of Tiberius ; or though ever fo well verfed in church hiftory? can, from the conduft of Chriftians find, that they are arrived to any higher ftate of perfe^ion, than the reft of mankind ; who are fuppofed to continue in theii' degeneracy, and corruption ? What was the opinion of a late eminent philofopher, as well as divine, is plain, by his faying, Si rejurgerunt -pJiiloJophi ^ gentilium- fapientes, & per- Injirato orhe a nobis qucerci-ent quid pi ofuerit humano ge- neri religio Chrijiiana, quoad mores ct vitcs probitatem ? quoad pac cm d bonum publicum ? nos utique appeUatis barbaros per opprobrium, : Jed nobis barbaris quid prcf^f- tatis vos Chrijiiani ? Monficr Leibnitz, a great {iatefmcn asv;ell as philo- fopher, in comparing the Chriftians at prefent, with the infidels of China, does not fcruple to give the preference to the latter, in relation to all moral virtue ; — and after Jiaving f\id of them, Did enim non poteji, quam pulchre omnia ad tranquillitatem publicam^ ordinemque hominum inter fc ut quam minimum fibi ipji incommodcnt, fupra ah- arum gentium leges apudjincrijes Jint ordinata. He adds, Certe talis nojirarum rerum mi hi vidctur cjfe conditio, glifcentibus in immeufum corruptelis. ut prvpcmcdum ne- cej^arium^ videaturmijfionariosfincnfnim ad nos matti, qui iheologice naturalis ujum, praxinque nos doceant qucmad- modu7n no,s illis mittimus qui thcolcgia7n cos doceant rcvela- iam: And the Icr.rned Huctius tells us, that " there h fuch a conftant agreement between the Chinefe ihcm- felves, and their neighborr, that they fccm to be Till but one family." Navarette, a Chinefe miffionary, agrees with Lcib- nits, and fays, that " It is the fpccial providence of God, that the Chinefe did not know what is done in Ghrillen- dom ; for if ihcy did, there would be never a m.an among them, but would fpitin our faces." And he adds, with refpeQto the manners of ihofe European Chriftians. who Ol.n AS THE CRK ATIOM. 349 come into tlic Eafl- Indies, anrl of the converts made by the niifTionarics ; thai " there are few converted in iholc p;u:s, wheic they convcrfc vith the Eiiropeans ; and wiicn it happens that any arc converted, they prove fo had. it \vcrc better they had never been I)aptized." And I am afraid, it is much the fame in relation to the WrH Indies. And. Bifliop Kidder fayr. of ChriOians in general, tiiat were a vile man to choofe his religion by the livcsi of thofc who profcis it ; perhaps Chrittianiiy would be the laft religion he would choofe."' And who, that has been abroad, and compared the lives of believers and unbe- lievers, docs not fay the fameihiuCT ? And Dr. Clark himfelf, in the difcourfe we are now confidering, has fufhcicntly proved, that man is natural- ly a focial creature, full of benevolence, pity and ten- dernefs; and he fays, that " rcafbn, which is the proper naiure of mc\n, can never lead men lo anv thing cllc ihan univerfal love and bcr.evolcnce ;" and thr.t "wars, ha- tred and violence can never arifc, but from extreme corruptions." Though there is no part of natural rcli- gicn, but highly tends to improve this focial and benign temper; yet alas! we find, that what, in mofl places, pafles for the Chriftian religion, if not the chicfcit part of it. has transformed diis focial and benign creature into one fierce and cruel ; and made him afl with fuch rage and fury againfl ihofc who never did, or dcfigned biim the lead injury, as could not have entered into the hearts of men to conceive, even though they were in the dolor's unavoidable (late of degencrac)- and corrup- tion. If people are once perfuaded, that what their )uietts (nil fci)ifm, herefy, infidclii}-. &c. though held with the r.tmoU finccriiy, arc damnable fins : it wants not much {kill to perfuade them to b.ate thofc moralh', whom God, f hey arc already perfuaded, will' bate lo all cteroitY ; and that, as they regard the prefervation of the orthodox faith, and the faving their own fouls, and the (oul.s of - all that IV ('.-'• •- :!-r'.\ ''-'•• oi-nin jq (•i|;^; i!>'' f iH , r 350 CHRISTIANITY AS feftual methods to root out all fuch damnable opinions. It is upon this common principle, that the inqaifition is eftablifhed; and the papifts, to do them juftice, a6l tip to it ; though perhaps, even among them, there are fome lay-men, where nature is too hard for prmci- ples. If once pernicious opinions are believed to be con- tained in any revelation, they will have the fame efFeft, as if really there. Has not the belief of the judicial power of the clergy, as to the next world; and their in- dependent power in this world, done the fame mif- chief, as if they had been really contained in fcripture ? And if they, who maintain thefe, and other as vile max- ims, have got pofTefiion of the minds of men, by in- groffing (not to mention other arts) the teaching the young, as well as inRrufting the old; what lefs than a new revelation can expofe their expofitions, or explain away their explanations of the prelent revelation, which have proved more fatal to the happine.s of mankind, than all the fuperftitions of the pagan world. Had the bees fpeech and reafon, would they, think you, from age to age, have continued to give the befl part of their honey to fuch haranguing drones, v»rho, for the moft part, employed their talents, to fet not only hive againft hive; but the bees of the fame hive againlt one another, for fuch things as had no other tendency, than to make the idle drones lord it over the induftrious bees ? But not to deviate, We have no great reafon to hope, it will ever be fo with mankind; but that there will always be too much room for fuch arguments, as the do6lor urges from the corruption of mankind, for new revelations. Have not impollors always made ufe of this plea? Was it not on the carnality of the primitive orthodox chiiftians, that the fpiritual Montanus founded his new gofpel ; which dividei the chriftian world for no fmall time, and made the celebrated Teriullian fay; that '• the law aid prophets were to be looked on as the infancy; and t._ gofpel, as it were, the youth ; but that there was no OLD AS 1 II E C R E A r I O N . 351 c«*mpletc pcrfcftion to he found, bvii in the inflrutlion of the holy gho(t, who fpokc by Montaruis." And it was the ill lives of the profedbrs of Chriftiani- ty, as it is owned by Chriftian as well as Arabic writers, wh'ci) prepared the way for that fuccefs which Mahomet met with ; whofe religion, as it gained in a Ihort time more profelytes than any other, fo it is Oil! aainin^ ground : for which father Marracci, who has lo well tranflaied, and makes fuch jufl; rcllcdions on the alcho- ran, gives this odd reafon : Habct nimirum hcvc fiiper/li-. tio (Mahumedana) quicquid plaujibile, ac probabilc m Chrifliana religionc rcpcritur^ ct qucc Naturcc legi ac ///,- mini conjcntanea videntur. Myjleria ilia fidei nofiro;^ qux primo afpctiii^incrtdibilia^ ct impojjibllia^ apparent * tt praiipuc^ qua; niviis ardua huviana: naturcc cenfcntur^ penitus excludit. Hinc moderni idolorum cultores^ facu lius ac prompt Liis Saracenicam<, quam Evangelicam Ugcvii ampl>'cliiniur. Bar, The do61or is fo far from folvingthc difficulties attcntj- ing this fcheme, that he quits it, and artful! v introduces a new fcenc ; and though he had before laid it down lu a mod evident truth, that God does nothing by mere? will and arbitrarinefs ; yet this nc^v' h^•poihefis is wholly- built on it, in fuppofing that in ihcfe laitcr times, God intended to give fomc men, without regard to their m?-- rits, an higher degree of happinefs ihan he did the reP. ; and to flicw how conliftcnt tliis is with rcalon, he fays, " as God was not obliged to mnkc all his creatures cqjisl, or to make men angels, or to endow all men with the lame capacities and facuhics ; fo he was not bound Ui make all men capable of the fame degree, or the fame kind of happinefs, or to afford all men the very fame means and opportunity of obtaining it." B. But how comes this to be fhifting the fcenc, aliances is contrary to its righte- oufncfs; that is flrong enough to dcftroy the whole caufc; and make all things elfe that can be faid for its fupport, totally ineffcQual." Which fuppofes, we can- not judge of the truth of any revelation, till we appi)' 10 it the louchftone of all religion; and fee whether it agrees with that in all particulars. And do not all, with- out regard to the plain meaning of the words, in inter- preting the precepts of the gofpel, (which are, for the mod part, delivered in general, imdetcrmined, and ve- ry often, hyperbolical terms;) fo explain, limit, and redrain thele precepts, as to make then; agreeable to the touchdone of all religion, the nature and realbn of things; for fear, that oiherwife the)' might depreciate morality : And in this cafe, (hey, as it is allowed, are the bed interpreters, who mod recede from the killing letter. And is not this, in tfFcB, frying with the pre- fent bifhop of Bangor, '• That the gofpel is a republi- cation of the law of nature ; and its precepts declarative (;f that original religion, which was as old as the crea- tion. And, '• It would be as reafonable to fuppofe, that three angles of a triangle fhould he equal to two )ight ones in one age, and unequal in another; as to fuppofe, that the duties of religion flionld dillcr in one age, from what they were in another; the habitudes, and relations from which they flow, coniiiniing always the fame. The principles I maintain are fo evident, that fhvy who are introduring things in opnofitifin to thcrn. .thHI 366 CHRISTIANITY AS yet own their force. Dare, any fay, that God is an ar- bitrary being, and his laws not founded on the eternal rcafon of things; even while they .are contendingjor his a6ling arbitrarily, and giving fuch laws as are founded on mere will and pleafure ?,; Will, an*/ maintain, that our reafoning faculties were not' given, us,' to diflinguifli be- tween good and evil, rcligioh and fupertlition ? Or that they will not anfwer the end' for which they were eiven r Wi! I, aiVy^' affirm, that' th'c natiirc of God is not eter- r the whole of our duly) has appeared to all mcn,t and at all times. And, In believing v.'ith our {"aviour, that the whole need not of a phyfician ;'^ and that the do6b'ne he taught (liews itielf to be the will of God; ard that he did not Ipeak of himlelf ;^ and in believing the dcfcrip- tion that God himfelf gives of the new cc^venant ; I will put my laws into their minds, and write them, in their hearts : — They iliall not teach every man his neighbor. — They Ihall all know me Iroin tha icall to the greatcft.jl In a word, all are forced to own thele fentiments 1 contend foi", except the Authropomorphites ; they, indeed, faid, that fallible rcalon mull give place to in- lallible revelation ; or in Dr. Watcrl?nd's words, thac •• to advance natural light, that is, pagan daiknsfs, in oppofition to fcriptu re evidence, is fetting up human conje6lurcs above divine truths :" And that, hnccthc fcripture fo frequently imputes human pnrts, and pat- fions to God, we ought not to doubt oi- it ; o;::ly be- caufe we cannot reconcile it wi:h that philolopljy, with which the bulk of mankind, foi" whom the fcriptpri.: was chiefly wrote, are entirely ignorant of. In our^ncxt conference (it being hi,^h time to puta;i end to this) I ihall Ihcw you that all mankitid, jews, Gentiles, Mahometans, in any indifferent thing, is inconfiflent with the nature of chriftianity ; it is introducing Judaifm, or what (as chriftians have found to their coftj is (lill more prejudi- cial. And therefore, inftead of tranfcribing the beft part of the epiltlcs, I fliail only mention a text, or two: The apoftle of the Gentiles not only fays, Stand fad in the liberty, wherewith Chrilt hath made you free; but de- clares. Wherever the fpirit of the Lord is, there is liber- ty ; and coiifequently, that they who impofe any indif- ferent things, as part of religion, fin againll our chrifti^ an liberty; and aft by another fpirit than that of the Lord: And I am afraid, that in tliis, as well as in ma- ny other cafes, the fpirit of the Lord, and the fpirit of the church, in mofl places, have been very oppolitc. And lell wc fliould millake in ihis important pomt, the apoftle likewife tells us, not only in uiiat things the kingdom of (^,od does, but in what things it does not confifl:; The kingdom of Cnd is not meat and drink, but righteoufnefs, peace, and jov in the holy ghoft; for Z z ' ■••■ Ifaiali xh'i. S, + Jamt^s i. 370 CRKISTIANITY AS he that in thefe things fervelh Chrift, Is acceptable to God, and approved of man : Let us, therefore, follow after the things which make for peace, and things where- with we may edify one another,* If thefe are the only things, by which we can ferve Chrift, and which will make us acceptable to God, and approved of men ; can fuch things, as have no tendency to promote righteouf- nefs, peace, and joy in the holy ghoft, make us iervice- able to Chrift, or acceptable either to God, or man ? Thefe words of the apoftle, though they need no pa- raphrafe, yet I ftiall mention what Calvin fays on this place ; Nam fieri non potejl, uhi quifpidm Deo acceptm efl ac hominibus probatits., quin perfeBe in ipfo vigeat ac Jlorcat regnum Dei. Qui tranquilla placidaq ; confcien- tia per juftitiam Jervit Clirijio, tarn hominibus quam Deo fe approbat. Ubi ergo eji jiijiitia, S pax^ & guadium Jpirituale, illic regnum Dci Juis omnibus numeris efl ah- folutum. And with Mr. Mufculus, and others of our firft reformers, agree. And if the kingdom of God, which has thefe things, is abfolutely perfefl, omnibus fii- is numeris abfolutum ; it can only be the kingdom of fa- tan, which requires things of a different nature : And if it is in thefe things only we can ferve Chrift, others can- not be introduced, but for the fervice of antichrift. However, I fhali, at prefent, content myfelf with faying, There are but two ways for any thing to oblige; either from the reaion of the thing, or elfe from a pofi- live command : Now, if there are no fuch things, as are commanded to be obfcrved at all times, and by all peo- ple; and no commands can oblige thofe, to whom they were not given; we have no way left, to know what things oblige perpetually, but from their nature; Vv'hicli will, fufficiently diftinguifli them from thofe, which (in fo mifcellaneous a book as the bible, taking in fuch a vaft period of time) might be given upon certain occa- lions, and particular reafon ; in which we are no ways concerned, than like them, to aft according as the cir- * RouK xiv. 17, 18, 19, OLD AS THE CUEATION. S7» ciimdances we are in require. Without this, chriftians would have no certain rule, to know what precepts o- blige perpetually; all bein;^ alike commanded in fcrip- ture, without making any difl'crencc; no precepts being faid to bind all mankind, or to bind any for ever, ex- cept thofe relating to the Jewifli oeconomy ; which in an hundred places, we arc told, are to lad for ever. To comprize the matter in few words, what I have been endeavoring to prove, is, Firj}^ That there arc things, which, by their internal excellency, fhew themfclves to be the will of an infinite wife, and good God. Secondly^ There are things which have no worth in themfelves; yet becaule thole that have, cannot many limes be pei formed without them, thefe are to be confi- dercd as means to an end ; and being of a mutable na- ture, arc left to human difcretion, to be varied as bed fuits ihofe ends; for the fake of which only they are in- Ititutcd. Thirdly, That there are fomc things fo indifferent, as not to be confidered either as means, or ends; and to place any part of religion in the obfervalion of thefe, is highly fuperlliiious. And I may venture to lay, He that carries thefe diftinBions in his mind, will have a truer notion of religion, than if he had read all the fchoolaien, fathers, and councils. B. I own, it is time to give you fome refpite, and to thank you for the favor, which cannot be too much ac- knowledged ; in thus freely communicating your tho'ts on this important fubje6l ; and doing it after fuch a man- ner, as cannot, were this conference to be publiflied, ofTend perfons, though of the greateft gravity, who have the intcred of turth at heart. A. Before we part, I mud remind you of the occa- fion of this conference; for though you plainly faw, that God never intended mankind fhould be without religi- '•n ; or could ordain an imperfc61 religion ; and there- 372 CHRISTIyVNITY A3 fore, did not fee how to avoid concluding, there muil have been from the beginning, a religion mod perfe6l which mankind, at all times, were capable of knowing; yet you were at a lofs, how to make out chriftianity to be this perfed, this original religiofi r How far I have gone in removing this difficulty, you bed know. All I can fay, is, I am willing, whenever you pleafe, to re- fume the conference; and begging leave to repeat what I have mentioned at firfl;, am ready to give up my hy- pothefis, if you can name one attended with few diffi- culties; and likewife, to affure you, that if I have ad- vanced any notion, which does not naturally, and ne- ceffarily fiiew iifelf to be the will of God; by tending to promote his honor, and the good of man ; I here intirely renounce it: And by not perfifting to defend error, give this uncommon mark of an ingenius difpo- fition. Errare pojfum^ Hcereticns ejfc malo. FINIS,