^PR 4 1978 
 
 ^EO^rn 
 
 
 
A 
 
 Summary Account 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 Deifts Religion: 
 
 In a Letter to that Excellent Phyfician, 
 
 t 
 
 The late Dr. Thomas Sydeiiham. 
 
 To which are annex'd. 
 
 Some Curious Remarks on the Immortality 
 of the SOUL 5 
 
 AND 
 
 An ESSAY by the Celebrated Poet, Johit 
 Dry DEN, Efqj to prove that Natural 
 Religion is alone necefTary to Salvation^ 
 in Oppofition to all Di vine Re velati on. 
 
 ^. B. This laft Piece contains the ftrongefl: Arguments againll 
 the NecefTity and Advantages of a Divjnb Rsvelation, 
 ever yet publiflied. 
 
 Sermo oritur, non de Villis, Domihufve alienis ; 
 Nee male, necne, Leposfaltet : fed quod magii adnos 
 Pertinet, et nefcire malum eji, agitamus. 
 
 HoR. Sat. vi. Lib. ii. 
 - — — -— -v-,^- Procul omnis ejio 
 
 Clamor et Ira. 
 HoR. Ode viii. Lib. iii. 
 
 LONDON: Printed in the Year 1745' 
 (Pries One Shilling.) 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 H E Celebrated, Worthy and 
 
 Rev. Mr. James Foster, in 
 
 his candid Defence of the life-- 
 
 fdnefs^ Excellency a?id Truth of the 
 
 Chriftian Revelation^ introduces his 
 
 Controverfy with the Author of 
 
 Chriflianity as old as the Creation in 
 
 the following Manner: '^ As Religion 
 
 " is of the Highefi Importance to 
 
 " Mankind, free Debates about it 
 
 ^^ ought, above all Things, to be 
 
 " encouraged." Agai7t, " I think 
 
 ^^ it an ineflimahle Happinefs that we 
 
 '^ live not only in an Ltquifitive Age, 
 
 ^' that will take nothing on Truft, 
 
 " but in a Land of Libertjy ^ where 
 
 ^ Perfons may urge their Objedions 
 
 " againft the Efiahlifid Religion with 
 
 " much more Freedom than in maiiy 
 
 A '2 " other 
 
P R E F J C E. 
 
 ^^ Other Countries which are called by 
 
 " the Chrijlian Name.' He further 
 
 adds, ^^ That the Books which for 
 *' a few Years paft have been pub- 
 ^^ liflhed in favour of Injideliiy have 
 ^^ been of great Service to Chrijlia- 
 " fiitjy by employing feveral [a) Ex- 
 " cellent Pens in its Defence^ who 
 " have fet the Evidence of its Divine 
 ^' Authority in a c/^^r^r and y?rd?;;^^r 
 ^^ Light than ever." 
 
 Thefe Confiderations, an univerfal 
 Charity, the very Touchftone of 
 Chrijlianity (which \fincerely profefs) 
 and the difingenuous Condud: of 
 thofe, who have endeavoured to per- 
 fuade the tmthinki?ig Part of Mankind 
 that DEISM and ATHEISM are the 
 7^;^;^ Things, (^) induced me to republifh 
 
 this 
 
 [a) See this admirable Book of Mr. FoJierSy Dr. Conyheare*^ 
 Defence of Reveard Religion, and the Bifliop of Londorih 
 Paftoral Letters. 
 
 {J}) Atheiji I llile him ; for he's much the fame, 
 Tho' chufmg Deift\ fomewhat milder Name. 
 
 ^ee Re^u Dr. Trapp'j Poem on the four lafi Things^ 
 Part I. n). \c^\. 
 The Diijl q.uite unmaik'd, the Atheiji ftands confefs'd. 
 
 ^ee Ditto J Part IV. 'v. 50, 
 
P R E FJ C E. 
 
 this Summarj^ Accou?it of the Delfts 
 ReligioHy to undeceive fuch who had 
 been lead into mijiaken Notions con- 
 cerning that Sed, many of which are 
 the very bejl of Men, yet have the 
 Misfortune to be branded with ^//^^///?/. 
 My great Defire, on the other hand, 
 of having the NeceJJity and Advantage 
 of a Revelation Jiill more fully prov'd, 
 prevail'd on me thus publickly to invite 
 lome Able and Majierly Hand to the 
 Confutation of xki^ feeming folid and 
 indifputable Truths of the B^ffay on 
 Natural Religion^ as oppofed to Divine 
 Revelation^ which, I am credibly in- 
 formed by a Gentleman of great Learn- 
 ing and Integrity, was penned by that 
 Eminent Poet John Dryden, Efq; 
 But, be that as it may, whoever was 
 the Author of it, 'tis the mofl formi- 
 dable Piece that ever yet appeared 
 againft the Ufefulnefs of the Chrifiian 
 
 Religion. 'Tis wrote in a very 
 
 mafierly Style, with a fteady Calmnefs 
 and great Penetration, and has done 
 
 more 
 
F R E F J C E. 
 
 more real Hurt toChriJlianity (as it ha$ 
 gain'd many Profelites of Importance) 
 than all the modern Writers of Infi- 
 delity put together, and, what is ftill 
 more furprifmg, no one has hithertp 
 endeavour'd to demonftrate the Fal- 
 lacy of thofe Arguments, which have, 
 indeed, too fpecious an Appearance ; 
 and, perhaps, fuch a Taflc may re- 
 quire even a [a] Sherlock or a 
 [I?) Butler's Skill. 
 
 l£ we confider that the AffeSiation 
 of ridiculing Religion or Blafpheming 
 (ever difcourag'd by true DEISTS) is 
 now the Prevailing^ as well as the 
 moft perniciousy Fafliion yet intro- 
 duced If, I fay, wc refleft how 
 
 eagerly weak Minds catch .at all Ob- 
 je(9:ions againft the Chrijlian Scheme, 
 and how diligent too many are in 
 making Profelites and drawing away 
 
 Men 
 
 {a) Dr. Thomas Sherlock, Bifliop of Salijhury, Author of the 
 learn'd and ufeful Difcourles on Prophecy, &c. 
 
 {h) Dr. Butler, BifhoD of Brijlol, the judicious Author of 
 the ANALOGr of RELIGION Natural and Reveal'd to the 
 
 Conftitution of Nature, 8vo. as alfo of fome excellent 
 
 Sermons, 8vo. 
 
P R E FJ C E. 
 
 Men from a Belief in CHRIST, as a 
 Thing wholly needlefs, we muft fee 
 the Necejfity of an equal Diligence in 
 true Chrijiia?2s to defend the Honour 
 of their Lord and Benevolent Master, 
 and not only to leave Men no real 
 Grou7id, but even no Colour or Pre- 
 tence for their Defertion from him, 
 who id) jeoparded his Life even unto 
 Death for us. 
 
 GOD forbid that any thing here 
 republifh'd fliould tend to his Dif- 
 honour, or be the Means of a Dimi- 
 nution from fo Glorious a Cauie. 
 The Gofpel can ftand the JlriEiefi 
 Scrutiny, as it has done ten Roman 
 Perfecutions, and all the execrable 
 {p) Ribaldry of modern Antifcripturifts* 
 
 I have 
 
 {a\ See Judges, Chap. v. V. i8. 
 
 {b) See Collinses Scheme of Literal Prophecy, &c. &c. See 
 Pajferan on Self-Murder, compos'd for the Confolation of the 
 Unhappy ; an Infamous and traly Atheifiical Book, much 
 celebrated by the gra^ve Libertines as well as by the young 
 Spendthrifts of the prefent Age ; and the more fo, as'ti^yct 
 unanfwered. See likewife the 74th Ptrfian Letter in De- 
 fence of Suicide, Vol. II. Page 6, of the French Edition : 
 Both which, I hear, have had very'mifchievous Effeds, a young 
 Gentleman having lately ftabb'd himfelf ; thefc Books being 
 found open on the Table. 
 
 Dr. Donne [the fatnous Dean of St. Paulas) wrote a Trea- 
 tife on Self-Murder, admitting the Lawfulnefsof it \n particular 
 Cafes, which, I am informed, lifu^iientlj anfwercd.. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 I have this only Requeft to make my 
 Reader, which is, that he would 
 examine, with the fame Attention that 
 he perufes this ^r^W Pamphlet, thofe 
 two excellent and concife Defences of 
 Revelation, Mr. Ad i son's Evide7tces 
 cf the Chriftian Religion^ and the 
 Rev. Dr. Doddridge's [a) three 
 Sermons on the fame Subjeft, [b) to- 
 gether with his i?tejlimable little Trea- 
 tife, lately publilhed, entitled, Tloa 
 Rife a?id Progrefs of ReUgio?t. This 
 is but a very reafonable Requeft, and 
 what no impartial Man can well deny, 
 unlefs he be as much bigotted to Infi- 
 delity ^ 
 
 {a) Thefe three Sermons are the laft of ten very ujeful 
 Diicouifcs on The Ponxjer and Grace of Chrijiy printed in an 8vo. 
 
 Volume. Rife and Progrefs of Religion, i2mo. printed for 
 
 Waugh, 1745. 
 
 {b) It is to be wifh'd at the fame time that Millarh Hiftory 
 of the Propagation of Chrijlianlty, 2 Vols. 8vo. was attentively 
 
 confider'd as likewife Limber chi Arnica Collatio cum Erudito 
 
 Judico.- iV. p. In the laft Treatife (which may probably 
 
 be a conftderable Inducement for Infidels to perule it) are urged 
 the moji n-veighty Reafons againft the Veracity of the Chrifiian 
 
 Religion which I have yet met with and indeed they are 
 
 allow'd to be fo by all the Di'vines I have ever conversed with 
 on this Topick. I cannot learn that this Piece of Limhor(h's 
 is tranJfUted, tho' it highly defer'vsi an EngUJh Drei^s. 
 
P R E F J C E. 
 
 delity^ as he openly exclaims agalnft 
 others for their Bigotry to Chrijlianity. 
 I muft confefs myfelf incapable of 
 anfwering the forcible Arguments of 
 Mr. Dryden's Eflay, yet I am not a 
 JotJJjaken by it in my (7/6r//?/^;^Principles 
 (nay, am daily more and more con- 
 firm'd in them, by my conftant Pocket 
 Companion, fmall in its Bulk, but 
 wtighty in its Contents, the {a) Gentle- 
 77ian s Religio7t :) However, as many 
 others, to my certai7i Knowledge, 
 have been ftagger'd by it, and as I 
 myfelf have often been over-born by 
 the Torrent of thefe plaufible Ob- 
 jedions, ftrongly iniifted on by fome 
 vertuous and well-meaning Deifis ; 
 and have fometimes been fcornfully 
 triumphed over by the infufferabh 
 Arrogance of fome wilful and incon- 
 fiderate Libertines, equally regard lefs 
 of Natural as of the Chrifiia?t Reli- 
 
 B gion ; 
 
 [a) The Gentleman'* s Religion has pafredy?;^ Editions with 
 uncommon Applaufc, and was compil'd b/ Dr. Ed^vard Synge^ 
 Archbifhop of T^uam in trela7id, for the Inllru^lion of Gentle- 
 men in Natural as well as Reveard Religion. 
 
F R E F J C E. 
 
 gion ; I am defirous to refer it to fome 
 more able Hand, whofe Remarks may 
 probably be highly ferviceable to Man- 
 kind in general, and curb the Info- 
 lence of "Triumphant Libertines, tri- 
 umphant only in the Weaknefs of their 
 
 Opponents. 1 am feniible how 
 
 arduous a Tafk it is to confute fo 
 mafterly a Pen as that of Mr. Dryden, 
 efpecially where he has exerted himfelf 
 to the uttermojl ; and hope no Merce- 
 nary Scribler, no Hot-Headed fhallow 
 Bigot, will attempt it. 'Tis a Point 
 of the utmoft Confequence to Man- 
 kind, and highly deferves the Atten- 
 tion and Power of thofe to defend it 
 whom GOD has bleffed with great 
 Learning, Extenjive Abilities, bene- 
 volent Compofure of Mind, and a 
 generous Concern for the Do6lrines of 
 Chriftia?2ityy which are in reality the 
 moft important Interefts of Hu?nan 
 Nature, tho' they are not by ?nany 
 made fo much as the Subjedl of 
 Enquiry^ 
 
 N. B. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 N. B. I have often heard it objeBed 
 by the Adverfaries of Cbriftianity^ 
 that few of their Writings are fairly 
 anfwer'd, but that many of their 
 material Objedions are artfully eva- 
 ded, or paffed over with a difdainful 
 Affurance of their being too evident 
 to require a Confutation. 
 
 Now, I apprehend that the moft 
 unexceptionable Method of anfwering 
 this Effay (which is very ihort) and 
 indeed all Controverftal Writings, 
 would be this, " To print the OPPO- 
 " NENT's Book on one Side, and 
 « the RESPONDENTS on the 
 « other," fo that the Anfwer to any 
 particular Paragraph might be imme- 
 diately turned to and the full 
 
 Scope of the Argument be difplayed. 
 Both Parties would then have fair 
 
 Play nothing would be conceal'd, 
 
 and little Room would be left for 
 Mifreprefentation. 
 
 B 2 In 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 In FoluminousWorks, this might pro- 
 bably enhance the Price too much, tho', 
 formyownPart^ Ifhouldnever grudge 
 that Expence. However, the fame 
 Method might be taken, by dividing 
 the Opponent's Arguments into 
 Sedions, with proper References, and 
 anfwering them Sedion by Sedion, fo 
 that no Part of the Argument could 
 foftbly be evaded, the Reader would 
 have proper Places to breath at, and, 
 on a little Difpute, in Converfation, 
 any Circumftance may be inftantly 
 referr'd to. 
 
 This, and this Method only, cah 
 prevent Cavils, and may truly be call'd 
 Laying the Ax to the very Root of 
 Controverjy. 
 
 TO 
 
T O 
 
 The moft Ingenious and Learned 
 
 Dr. Thomas Sydenham, 
 
 At his Houfe in Pall-Mall^ London. 
 
 S I R, 
 
 THE lafl Time I had the Happinefs of 
 your Company^ it was your Requeji that 
 1 would help you to a Sight of the Deifls 
 Arguments, which, I told you, 7 /j^i fometimes 
 by me, but then had lent them out j they are now 
 returned vie again, a?id, according to my Pro- 
 mife, I have herewith fent them : Whereby 
 you'll only find that Human Reafon, like a 
 Pitcher with two Ears, may be taken on either 
 Side. However, undoubtedly, in our Travels 
 
 to 
 
to the other Worlds the common Road is the 
 fafeft ; and tho^ Deifm is a good Manuriyig of 
 a Man^s Confcience^ yet^ certainly^ if fowed 
 ivith Chriftianity, it "will produce the mofi 
 profitable Crop, 
 
 Pardon the Haftc of. 
 
 May 14, SIR, 
 
 1686. 
 
 Your mofl; Obliged Friend, 
 
 and Faithful Servant, 
 without Referve. 
 
Ci ) 
 
 A 
 
 Summary Account 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 DEISTS RELIGION, 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 The Deifts Opinion of GOD. 
 
 WHATSOEVER is Adorable, Ami- 
 able, and Imitable by Mankind, is in 
 one Supreme Infinite and Perfea: Being, 
 Satis efi nobis Deus tinus. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 ^ Concerning the Manjier of WorflApping GOD, 
 
 FIRST, Negatively, it is not to be by an 
 Image 5 for the Firft Being is not fenlible, 
 but intelligible: Paint Sounds puts us upon an 
 
 Impoffibility j 
 
 • See the Deip CatecUfm founded on Reafon and Experience , 
 eolleacd by a Father for the Ufe of his Children. 3d Edit. 
 Viml^^ioiTXooper/mPater-noJJerRon^^i'JlQ. 8vo. [Pr. 6d.) 
 
Impoflibility 3 no more can an Infinite Mind be 
 reprefented in Matter. 
 
 Second lyy Nor by Sacrifice; for Sponfto non valet 
 ut alter pro altera puniatur : However, no fuch 
 Spopfto can be made with a Brute Creature 5 nor, 
 if God loves himfeJf, as he is the higheft Good, 
 can any external Rite or Worfhip re-inftate the 
 Creature, after Sin, in his Favour, but only 
 Repentance, and Obedience for the future, end- 
 ing in an Affimulation to himfelf, as he is the 
 highefl: Good ; And this is the firft Error in all 
 
 Particular Religions, that external Things, Or 
 are Opinions of the Mind, can, after Sinj 
 propitiate God. Hereby particular Legiflators 
 have endeared themfelves, and flattered their 
 Profelytes into good Opinions of them, and 
 Mankind willingly fubmitted to the Cheat; for 
 it is viore eafy to live fuperfiitioujly than jtiftlj. 
 
 Thirdly y Not by a Mediator; for, ijf. It is 
 unnecefT^ry, Mifericordia Dei being Jufficiens 
 Jujiitia Juts. ^dly. God muft appoint this 
 Mediator, and fo was really reconciled to the 
 World before. And 3^/)'. A Mediator derogates 
 from the infinite Mercy of God, equally as an 
 Image does from his Spirituality and Infinity. 
 
 Secondly^ Pofitively, by an inviolable Adhe- 
 rence in our Lives to all the Things (puo-sr <Jizaia, 
 by an Imitation of God in all his imitable Per- 
 fedions, efpecially his Goodnefs, and believing 
 magnificently of it. 
 
 CHAR 
 
( 3 ) 
 
 chap' III. 
 
 Of PuniJJjmenf's after this Life. 
 
 A Man that is endued with the fame Virtues 
 we have before mentioned, need not fear 
 to truft his Soul with God after Death : For, firft, 
 no Creature could be made with a malevolent 
 Intent, the iirft Good, who is alio the firft 
 Principle of all Beings, hath but one Affection 
 or Property, and that is Love j which was loiig 
 before there was any fuch Thing as Sin. 
 o,dlyy At Death he goes to God, one and the 
 fame Being, who in his own Nature for the Sins 
 of the Penitent hath as well an Inclination to Pity 
 as Juftice, and there is nothing dreadful in the 
 whole Nature of God, but his Juftice, no 
 Attribute elfe being terrible. 3^/)', Infinite 
 Power is ever fafe, and need not revenge for 
 Self-Prefervation. ^thly^ However, Fenfimile 
 gfiy Rmikm Deo a D20 non negllgu 
 
 CHAP, 
 
(4) 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 ^kc Probability of fitch a Deift'^ Salvation 
 before the credulous and ill-living Papift'j. 
 
 I. rTp O be fure he is no Idolater. The "Jew 
 j[ snd the Mahometan accufe the Qhrifiians 
 of Idolatry, the Reformed Churches the Romaiiy 
 the Socifiian the other Reformed Churches, the 
 Deifls the Socman for his 'DeusfaElus \ but none 
 can accufe the Deifl; of Idolatry, for he only 
 acknowledges one Supream Everlafting God, and 
 thinks magnificently of him. 
 
 i/^/Zr, The Morality in Religion is above the 
 Myftery in it, for, i. The univerfal Senfe of 
 Mankind in the Friendfhips Men make, flieweth 
 this ; for who does not value good Nature, Sin- 
 cerity and Fidelity in a Friend, before Subtilty 
 of Underftanding ? ^ Religio (^ qtiadam^ cum 
 Den amicitia : An Unity of Nature and Will with 
 God, that is the Root of the deareft Friendfliips. 
 Then, 2^/)', it is an everlafting Rule that runs 
 through all Beings, Simle a fimili amatur^ God 
 cannot love what is unlike him. Now, 3^/y, 
 here lies our Trial, here is the Scene of our 
 Obedience, and here are our Confiids with our 
 Fafiions j if this be true, then the credulous 
 Chrifiian that believes Or thodoxly, but lives ill, 
 IS not fafe. 
 
 S'^/}-, U the Deijl errs, he errs not like a 
 Fool, \mt fecundum Fcrhum^ after Enquiry, and 
 if he be lincere in his Principles, he can when 
 dying appeal to God, Tt', hone Dsus^ qiixfroi per 
 omnia. 
 
 Some 
 
(5) 
 
 So?ne particular Remarks. 
 
 I. rriHE Grand Arcanum of Religlpn among 
 X the Pythagoreans was, that the Objedl: of 
 Divine Worfhip is one, and invifible j Plutarch 
 cites this in the Life of Kiimay as the Dogma of 
 Pythagoras, and accordingly his Followers ufed 
 no Images in their W'orfliips. 
 
 a. Tht Heathens, notwithftanding their partis 
 cular and Topical Deities, acknowledged one 
 Supream God, not Jupiter of Crete, but the 
 Father of Gods and Men : Only they faid this 
 Supream God being of fo high a Nature, and 
 there being other intermediate Beings betwixc 
 God and Mankind, they were to addrefs them- 
 felves to them as Mediators to carry up their 
 Prayers, and bring down his Bleflings *, fo as the 
 Opinion of the Neceflity of a Mediator was the 
 Foundation of the Heathen Idolatry, they could 
 not go to the Fountain of Good itfelf. The 
 Poptjb Religion ftands on the fame Foundation ^ 
 whereas the greateft Goodnefs is the moft accef- 
 (iblej which (hews that Popery was a Religion 
 accommodated to the Sentiments of Mankind 
 from precedent Religions, and not to infallible 
 Reafon drawn from the eternal Refpeds of 
 Things. And Reafon being the firft Relation of 
 God, is firft to be believed, not depending on 
 doubtful Fad without us, but full of its own 
 Light fhining always in us. 
 
 idly. It was the common Senfe of the wifeft 
 Philofophers, that Things were good anteceden 
 to all Human Compadsj and this Opinio 
 Pyrrho in Sextus Empericus zrgUQs ^i^^^iin^: Alf 
 Mr. Hobbs hath of Jate revived in the Worl 
 C ^ Fyrrho 
 
(6 ) 
 
 Pyrrho's Dodinney tho' without Reafonj for as 
 there are immediate Propoiitions, to which the 
 Underftanding (^Jine difctirfuj afifencs, as foon as 
 propofed, fo are there Things good and jaft which 
 they will at firft View, without Deliberation, 
 approve of and chole alio, (^viz.J the Veneration 
 of an Almighty invifible Being, referring of 
 ourfelves to him, with a f'fiat voluntas tuaj 
 Abhorrence of Breach of Contra6l with Man, 
 of a Lye, as a Violation of Truth j fo as, in my 
 Judgment, there is a Santlion arifing from the 
 Nature of Things, before any Law declared 
 amongft Men : That there is a generofum honefium 
 hid in all our Souls is plain from the Epicurean 
 Deifis themfelves, for they labour to have their 
 Vices imputed rather to a Superioriry of their 
 Realbn above that of others, than to a Servitude 
 of their Reafon to their own Paffions; which 
 fhews Vice is naturally efteemed a bafe and low- 
 Thing., This appears from the Legiflators of the 
 World, as Numa^ ^Zamolxis, &c. ' J Jove 
 Prificipiumij there th'ey did begin, well knowing 
 Human Compacts were too weak to balance and 
 -reftrain the Paffions of Human Nature j Oil'enders 
 pre fuming to efcape unpunillied, and rightly 
 enough were all Laws but Human Compacts. 
 In two Cafes which ordinarily happen in Human 
 Life, fvlz,) when the Fad? is unevident, or 
 when the Magiftrate is too. weak to- punifh. 
 H#ncc isGratias his Defcripn'ttn of the Law of 
 Nature, Lex ef^ &c. The LaAr is a Combination, 
 of the Viriuous to puniPn the tiicious. Here the 
 Obligation muff be lodged, and this appears in 
 rhe Satyrs of the Poets, in the*Complaints of the 
 Philofophers, and in the (tvcr^l Ages of the 
 W't>r\d againft the Manners . of Mankind ; for 
 
 without 
 
(7) 
 
 Without Virtue God is only a Name amongft 
 Men, and no Man without it can hope well of 
 God. 
 
 4/;/, I remember Plutarch fpeaking of Jrifiides^s 
 Juftice, complains thus : Men have commonly 
 three Affedions or Opinions of the Gods 5 the 
 firft, that they think them blelTed 3 the fecond, 
 that they fear them ; and the third, thst they 
 reverence them: They account them bleffed, 
 becaufe they're Immortal ; they fear them, be- 
 caufe of their Power j and reverence them, be- 
 caufe of their Juftice; yet of thefe three. Men 
 moft defire Immortality, whereof our Nature is 
 incapable: Alfo Power which dependeth upon 
 Fortune, the only Divinity Man is capable of, 
 they negled: and undervalue, in that God is 
 inimitable by us; and this is the Difference 
 betwixt Corporeal and Intel ledlual Love. If the 
 Obje6l of my Love be external Beauty, a Perfon 
 or a Face, that I cannot imitate; but if an Idea 
 of Perfection, and Inteile6lual Beauty, that I may 
 be aflimulated to, and partake of. Belides the 
 Soul in Intelledual Love faffers not with the 
 Obje6l it loves, as in a Corporeal Love it doth 5 
 becaufe that its Object the Sovereign God never 
 fuffers; and this is the chief true Converfion 
 which frees us from all Evils, the Mors Philofo" 
 fhornv2y which Porphery fpeaks of. Others are 
 rolled as upon Cylinders from one Appearance of 
 Good to another, and live in a perpetual Storm ; 
 for 'tis not the Change but the Choice of our 
 Obje6l that makes us happj . 
 
 5/y, Antoninus fays, li^ the Queftion be put to 
 us. What is thy Art or Profeflion? Our Anfwer 
 fhould be. To be good 3 as God made the World, 
 not for his own Good (who \vt^s infinitely happy 
 
 before') 
 
. ( 8 ) 
 before) but for his Creatures Good: So our 
 Religion muft necefTariJy be this, to do Good to 
 his Creatures ; for therein we concur with the 
 Will of God, and it is a grand Truth, very proper 
 for tlie Immortal Deijl to confider, that all Vice 
 and Wickednefs is but a Denial and Difowning oif 
 tod to be the Supreme, Infinite Good; my 
 Pride denies that he has ever been good to me 5 
 my Luft believes the low and bafe Matter can 
 with its Plealures make me happier than he can 
 with all his Goodnefs; my Envy would not have 
 him good to others, but would have him contraft 
 and llirink up himfelf from his Creatures 5 and, 
 laftly, my Malice and Revenge hates his Crea- 
 tures, it they be once imagined my Enemies, 
 and would deftroy thofe whom his Goodnefs firft 
 and would have ftill to exift. 
 
 6!y, and laftly, CampaneUa in his Book De 
 Senju Rerum^ obferves Arifiotelem dicentem Deum 
 Tton habere cum hominihus amicidam fquoinam non 
 eft proportio finiti ad infinitum J Majejlatem non 
 lonitatem Dei confiderajje. 
 
 A Speciaiea 
 
(9) 
 
 A Specimen of Prayer ufed by a 
 DEIST. 
 
 jLmighty Being, upon whom depends the 
 •^ Exiflence of the Worlds and by whofe Provi- 
 dence / have been preferved to this Moment, and 
 enjoyed many undeferv'd Advantages-^ gracioujly 
 accept my grateful Sefife and Acknowledgments of 
 all thy Beneficence towards me. Deliver me from 
 the evil Confequence of all my Tranfgrejfions and 
 Follies. Endue me with fuch Difpofitwns afid 
 Powers as may carry me innocently and fafely 
 thro' all future Trials. Enable me upon all Occafions 
 to behave myfelf conformably to the Laws of Reajon 
 pioufly a7id wifely. Suffer no Being to injure me^ 
 no Misfortune to befall me, nor me to hurt myfelf by 
 any Error or MifconduEl of my own. Fouchfafems 
 clear and diftindt Perception of Things, with /5 
 much Health a7id Profperity as may be good for 
 me. Grant that I may pafs my Time in Peace with 
 Contentment and Tranquility of Mind, and that 
 having faithfully difcharged my^Duty to my ¥ amity 
 and my Friends, and endeavoured to improve myfe'lf 
 in virtuous Habits and ufeful Knowledge, 1 may at 
 laft make a decent and happy Er/it, and then fird 
 rnyfdf infome Better State. 
 
 PC»ST- 
 
( lo ) 
 
 POSTSCRIPT 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 DEISTS RELIGION. 
 
 NATURE, or that Sacred and Supream 
 CJUSE of all Things, which we terra 
 GODy has fiirnifhed his Creatures with fuch 
 Guides as may beft conduct them to the feveral 
 Ends of their Beings. To the Birds, Beafts and 
 other Animals, which we generally hold inferior 
 to Mankind, he gave INSTINCT^ as fufficient to 
 diredl them to all that is neceiTary for them. 
 We may well therefore excufe them, if by that 
 Guide they go not beyond a prefent Care of their 
 Subfiftence and Continuation, all which reaches 
 hot beyond the Body j becaufe we can difcover 
 no other End of their Being (except what Human 
 Luxury has found out in their Deftruclion , but 
 to fupport that Being by Food, and to preferve ic 
 by Propagation j and to this, InJlinEl is fufficient. 
 
 But in Man we (at leaft) difcover a farther 
 and noble End. Nature therefore muft have 
 given him another and a more fufficient Guide; 
 fpr the Mind of Man (the chief Ingredient of 
 his Compofition) is not bounded by prefent 
 Objedts, in which hifimol alone would ferve. 
 Futurity has always a Share in its Thoughts, and 
 
 its 
 
( " ) 
 
 Its Faculties will be employ 'd with a Care of 
 thofe Things that are to come, from whence it 
 may derive not only Advantage, IntereR and 
 Eafe for the Body, but alfo Improvement^ Hap- 
 pinefs and Tranquility for itfelf 
 
 But the Things from which the Mind muO: 
 
 gather^ and of which compofe all thefe, are fo 
 
 vaft in Number, and lo various and obfcure in 
 
 their Natures, that, without the Help of a very 
 
 good Guide, it may make a Colledion of Poifons 
 
 inflead of Medicines, and reap its Deftrudion, 
 
 not Satisfaction: But the Omnipotent CJUSE, 
 
 that had fo well furnifhed Brutes, left not the 
 
 Mind of Man withO'it it's Director in this Maze 
 
 and Lottery of Things 3 he gave it Reafin, as its 
 
 Sovereign Rule and Touchftone to examine them 
 
 by, and to fit our Choice to our double Advantage 
 
 of Body and Mind. Reafon is the Light, th'ai: 
 
 brings Day to thofe Things, that will contribute 
 
 to, or oppofe our Happinefs ; without which we 
 
 fhould in vain grope in the Dark 5 and v/e Oicuid 
 
 owe entirely to Chance what we obtain'd, 
 
 'Tis true, Reafon is not fufficient to brin^ us to 
 a perfea Knowledge of all Things, but 'cis able 
 to furnifli us v/ith enough to make us happy, and 
 that is as much as we need care for. There is no 
 Neceflity of our Skill in the inmoft Nature of 
 Things, but there is (fince we are ordain'd to aa 
 Eternity of Continuance) that we Ihould knowr 
 how to make Eternity happy, fince its Being fo 
 depends on ourfelves j and fince fuch a Knowledge 
 is abfolutely neceffary, I can difcover nothing 
 that can give, it us, but our Sovereign Guide, 
 Reafon. 
 
 REJSON, therefore, being the Supreme and 
 Primitive Direvftor of e'ery Man, to infringe its 
 
 D Liberty 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 i.ibeity of dire'£\ing, is to invade the commdrf 
 Charter of Nature, and every Man's Right and 
 Property j fo that thofe that do fo, are juftly to 
 be look'd on as the Enemies of Human Kind. 
 But how that Character agrees with the Fiery 
 Glory of the Zealots for Religion, 1 cannot com- 
 prehend, unlcfs they can demonftrate, That 
 Religion and Nature are directly Oppofites. 
 
 I am not ignorant that they pretend their 
 Severity againft Heterodox Books (that is, all that 
 deviate from their Opinions) is the Effedt of their 
 Zeal for the Good of Mankind. But then they 
 cannot deny but that they made themfehes the 
 Judges of that Good, and fo make their Opinion 
 the Standard, which is too particular for what 
 they would have of fo universal Extent , and will 
 afford us no Refuge it they fhould lead us into an 
 Error, which we m-iy hereafi:er find, (unlefs they 
 deny that they can be deceived) and if th^y 
 fliould do fo, then may their Univerfal imaginary 
 Good prove a Real and Univerfal Evil. 
 
 i^ they would have us believe, that they hold 
 every Man muft be laved by his own, not ano- 
 ther's Faith; they muit grant every one the 
 Liberty of believing and profeffing what his own 
 Reafon fhall direct him j and that 'tis a Crime to op- 
 pofe thisLiberty,! mean by indire(5tMeans,for 1 (liall 
 never quarrel at Reafon, if they can produce any. 
 I muft tell theie ¥iery Bigots, that their Practice 
 and Do6trine being lb contradid:ory, gives a more 
 effectual Blow a,t Religion, than all the Attempts 
 of profeffed AheiJfSy for when theie claOi, they 
 iiive too great Grounds to fufped a Trick in the 
 Whole: And when fo effcntial a Birthright of 
 each Man is invaded, it mult improve thofe 
 Sufpicions very much, and eaufe a narrower 
 
 Enc^uiry 
 
Enquiry into Things that might otherwife pafs 
 
 ^"'frSld not havefo g-- Caufe to refcnt 
 , ., 4veritv if we roi-ht lay of Rehgion and 
 
 tZm-)ed creA ujul ef. TrV^.-— That 'twas 
 
 Zjn thar patronfze the tire and higgot fo 
 SmentJy, 'to ftr.ve with fo much A^our for 
 reducing- all to their own Fancy. Then tne 
 ProDhanation would not be great, of making 
 what they really believ'd a Chimxra, ferve a 
 Turn and compliment a F.tlion or any Intereft. 
 I will eafily excufe the anc.ent Founders ot 
 P^Jlifi tor having Recourfe to Stratagem, to 
 See Mens Reafon to particular Opinions, 
 fecaufe they made ufe of them only to form 
 Greatneft to themfelves, by impofing on the 
 predomtant Frailties of the Vulgar Sort, ,n a 
 Thin7 thev iudg'd of no more Concern than a 
 ?Soral convenience. 'Twas no ill Policy in. 
 them when they perceiVd the Generality of 
 . Mankind would eafily fubmit their Realon to every 
 Annearance of a Wonder, to fifli for their Profit 
 f^ffcC^vith fo eafy a Bait, Jkxarukr the 
 fSe Projhet, mention'd by Luaan, found ic turn 
 to his Advantage, in gaming, hun lo great an 
 Tntereft in the People. And trom this lop.c 
 pSofirates magnifies %olhntnus. Thefe, in ihon 
 every new God and Prophet among them w^as to 
 have, as Credentials ot his Divinity, ani a Rignt 
 to the Zeal of his Devotees. Some of the.e 
 earned, I iwft confefs, extraordina.7 Cucum- 
 
 J) 1 i\anc£3 
 
a Cure of a Dlreafe te I"^P°^ru' "" P^^^nding 
 ior the Glory o?tek Gor.V'^r ^"''' ^^ 
 found fome that wo m .P a u^f •^"'"''"^ always 
 b:]ities by Authon>v ,o f ''^^ ^'2^^^ ^".proba- 
 a. Au-e;^ as he Sat Tn"'"'u ^''^/^op'e with 
 aOum-d into Heaven n ^K . ^^ ^^^ '^'«'«^*^ 
 the Author^ " hisDeath h^T' *^^ ^^^ ^een 
 to grant h,m W^aj tj' and n'^ ^■'''.' ^'''"'^ 
 te rid of l,im there S^ f^ P^^'Y ^bove, to 
 People a Ve^^i^^^l^^^'-^^'ve^e 
 
 pa't SeS'^LS ^'^^ ^'^'^'^^^*^"' ' -"W 
 Opinion of theWdnrf. ^f^T ^''^^ ^^"^ "« 
 and bcfides /ear'd fo f^?^T'''' ^'^^y '"'Po'"e'<^» 
 Keafon, Jeft ,h..^ nluMd/''''^''':'^ ^"^ their' 
 
 P^'Kei,,o„ou,ht^L^trS'd^^ey^^^^^^^ 
 
 Fear 
 
theW, ,;;•, /his MefhodrEVrn' 
 Methodsof Securi^-. ^ °^ ''^'"S mj own 
 
 /"'INI S, 
 
( l6 ) 
 
 REMARKS 
 
 ON" THE 
 
 IMMORTALITY 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 H 
 
 O U L. 
 
 "'''t'r=,k?Recol°ea"oS of thofe' ona admi.'c 
 SlV l,«" S T,3g.ii3». in h,s T,-,. 
 Aft II. Chorus, p^jf 
 
 .. S. a ?a,nfUeU 'niUUd, A Moral Proof of the Certainty 
 of a Fatare State. i?n,uaf.rl^^^P-) i. 
 
(17) 
 
 Pojl Mortem nihil eff, ipfaqy Mors nihiJ^ 
 Fekcis Spatii meta imvijpma, 
 Spem pnent avidi^ foUiciti metum. 
 ^laris^ quo j^ceas pofi ohitum loco ? 
 ^10 non nata jacent. 
 ^empus nos aviclum devorat £5? chaoSp 
 Mors individua efi mxia Corporis 
 JMec parcens J/iima. 
 
 After Death's nothing ; Death itfelf is Nought^ 
 Th' extremeji Bound of a fhort Race of Thought. 
 Let Slaves and Fools their Fears and Hopes give o'er, 
 Sollicit and delude themfelves no more. 
 Would you know where you fhall be after Death? 
 There where you were before you fucked in Breath. 
 The Dead and the Unhor7i are juft the fame. 
 The Dead returning whence the Living came. 
 ^ime takes us Whole ^ throws All into the Grave 5 
 Death will' no more the ^oul than Body iave. 
 
 What a Damp is fuch a Reaedion to every 
 Thing that is truly Great and Noble 1 What a 
 Degradation of the Dignity of Human Nature! 
 For if we believe, that, after a /^r/- Turn on the 
 Stage of this World, we are to fink in Oblivion^ 
 and to lofe our Confcioufnefs for ever^ what is there 
 remaining to compenfate the Calamities of Life? 
 Or who v;ould not wifh rather to be BeaJ than 
 Manf* 
 
 No Subject (and none indeed can be of equal 
 Importance) has more entangled and ruffled the 
 Tlx)ughts of the wifeft Men, than this concern- 
 ing our Future State ; it has been controverted in 
 all Ages by Men of the greateft Learning and 
 Parts. We muft alfo qoafefs;, that Seneca, the 
 
 Tragedian, 
 
Tragedian, has not wanted Advocates for the 
 AfTertion of his Opinion 5 nay, even fuch, who 
 wouJd pretend to juftify it, out of the very 
 Scriptures themfelves; Ex.gr. as when Solomon 
 
 fays (Ecclef. vii. 1 1.) IhenfiaU the Di/J return 
 
 to Duft as it was^ and the Spirit to God that gave 
 ^^ -And f Ecclef, iii. 20, ax.) when he de- 
 dares, M go to the fame Flace-^ all are of 
 
 I^uliy and all turn co Dufi agauu li'ho knoweth 
 the Spirit of Man that goeth upward^ and the Spirit 
 
 ff the Be oft that goeth downward to the Earth ? . 
 
 Again fEcckf iii. ip.) when he teJIs us, 
 
 ^hat which hejaUcth the Sons of Men befallethBeafts^ 
 even one thing hefalleth them heth: As the one dteth^ 
 fo doth the other -^ yea^ they have all one Breath-^ fo 
 
 that a Man hath no Pre-eminence above a Beaf 
 
 Likewife to fuch who are defirous to know what 
 their Friends are in the other World, or (tofpeak 
 more properly) their dead Friends know, Solo?}2on 
 anfwers their inconliderate Utinam (^Ecclef. ix. 5.) 
 
 with thefe Words : The Living know they (hall 
 
 tlie^ but the Dead know not any thing More- 
 over, others, for the Purpofe, cite that PafTage of 
 
 Luke XX. 38. where it is faid, He is not a 
 
 God of the Dcad^ but of the Living All which 
 
 Texts (through the Weaknefs of Underftandinp;) 
 have by fome Men been niifapplied, as concurrent 
 with the Anima Mundi of Pythagoras^ which has 
 been fince in great meafure revived by Averrocs 
 and Avlcenna, akho* in one Point they differed 
 among themfelves: For, that y^t-rr^^j 'believed, 
 after Death, our Souls returned and mix^d with 
 the common Soul of the World j whereas 
 Avicsnna thought it a diftin6t Portion of the 
 AmmaMundiy which after our Deaths remained 
 entire and feparate, till it met with fome other 
 
 Body 
 
( 1.9 ) 
 
 Body capable of receiving it, and then being 
 cloathed therewith, it operated ad modum KccipU 
 entis. Mdnfieur Bernier likewife gives us, agree- 
 able to Averroes^ an Account of much the fame 
 Opinion held at this Time by feme of the Indians 
 of Indqftan^ whofe Faith he illuftrates after this 
 Manner : * They believe (fays he) the Soul 
 
 * in a Man's Body to be like a Bottle fill'd with 
 
 * Sea- Water, which being clofe ftopp'd and caft 
 
 * into the Sea^ tides it up and down, 'till by forae 
 
 * Accident or other the unfaithful Cork, or 
 
 * decripit Bottle, becomes diforder'd, fo as the 
 
 * Water evacuates and difgorges itfelf again into 
 
 * the common Ocean, from whence it wsis at firft 
 
 * taken.' — ^ Which agrees very well with what 
 (as Philoftratus tells us, lib. 8. chap. 1 3.) ApoUonius 
 after hi.s Death revealed to a Young Man concern- 
 ing the Immortality of the Soul, in thefe Words, 
 as, rendered from the Greek :• 
 
 Ey? Anima immortalis, & incorrupt a manehiti 
 Kon tua reSy verum qua providet omnia Div^ 5 
 ^/^ velut acer equus^ corrupto corpore^ Finclis 
 Profility & tenui mifceturflamifje Cali : 
 Cui grave fervitium ejy atqueintolerahile vifurfii 
 
 In Engli/b thus : 
 
 ^be Soul is immortal^ and will remain incorrupt 
 
 tihle^ belonging to Providence^ and not to thee ■ 
 
 She^ like a fiery Horfe broke loofe^ takes her Flight 
 out of the Carcafe^ and unites herfelf with the pure 
 Body of the Air, weary of her former Slavery ^ and 
 to whom the Sight of the Body is now ijfupportable^ 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 But he, among the Heathens, who fpake plaineft 
 and fulleft of this Matter was Fliny in his Natural 
 Hijforyy lib. 7. ch. 4. where he writes to this 
 Purpofe: 
 
 ' After the Interment of our Bodies, there is 
 
 * great Diverfity of Opinions concerning the 
 ' future State of our wandering Souls or Ghoftsj 
 
 * but the mofi: general is this. That in what Con- 
 
 * dition they were before they were born Men, 
 
 * in the fame they fliall rem-iin when dead; 
 
 * forafmuch as neither Body nor Soul hath any 
 
 * more Senfe after our Dying-Day, than they 
 
 * had before the Day of our Nativity. However, 
 
 * luch is the Folly and Vanity of Men, that ic 
 
 * extendeth even to future Ages ; nay, and in the 
 
 * very Time of Death even flattereth itfelf with 
 
 * fine Imaginations and Dreams of I know not 
 
 * what after this Life. For fome crown the Soul 
 
 * with Immortality, others pretend a Transfigu- 
 
 * ration thereof, and others fuppofe that the 
 
 * Ghofts fequeftered from the Body have Senfe, 
 
 * whereupon they render them Honour and 
 
 * Worfhip, making a God of him that is not lo 
 
 * much as a Man: As if the Manner of Mens 
 
 * Breathing differ'd from that of other Living 
 
 * Creatures 5 or as if there were not to be found 
 
 * in the World many more Things that live much 
 
 * longer than Man, and yet no Man judgeth in 
 
 * them the like Immortality. But fhew me, if 
 
 * you can, what is the Subftance and Body of the 
 
 * Soul (as it were) by itfelf: What Kind of 
 
 * Matter is it apart from the Body ? Where lyeth 
 
 * the Cogitation that fhe hath? How is her 
 
 * Seeing? How is her Hearing perform'd ? What 
 ^ toucheth fhe ? Nay, what one Thing doth (he ? 
 '^ How is (lie employed ? Or if there be none of 
 
 ' all 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 all this in her, what Good can there be without 
 the fame ? Again, I would fain know where 
 fhe relides after her Departure from the Body ? 
 And what an infinite Multitude of Souls, like 
 Shadows, would there be in fo many Ages as 
 well paft as to come ? Now, furely, thefe are 
 but fantaftical, foolifh and childiOi Toys, de- 
 vifed by Men that would fain live always , the 
 like Foolery is there in preferving the Bodies. 
 Nor was the Vanity of Democrnus lefs, who 
 promifed a Refurrettion of the Body, and ycc 
 himfelf could never rife again. But what a 
 Folly of Follies is it, to think that Death fhould 
 be the Way to _a fecond Life ? What Repole, 
 what Reft could ever the Sons of Men have, if 
 their Souls did remain in Heaven above with 
 Senfe, whilft their Shadows tarry^d beneath 
 among the Infernal Spirits?, Certainly thefe 
 fweet Inducements and pleafing Perfuafions, this 
 foolifh Credulity and Eafinels of Belief, 6q^ 
 ftroyeth the Benefit of the beft Gift ot^ Nature, 
 Death. It likewife doubieth the Pains of a 
 Man that is to die, if he does bur confider what 
 is to become of him hereafter j how much more 
 eafy and greater Security were it for each 
 Man to ground his Realbns and Relblutions 
 upon an AfTurance, that he Ihould be in no 
 worfe a Condition than he was before he was 
 born?' Now thefe are the chief Opinions of 
 the Moralifts among the ancient Heathe?js. 
 
 In Anfwer to which, fome of our Moderns 
 argue. That if the Soul be not immortal, the 
 whole Univerfe would at this Time be deceived, 
 iince all our Laws do now fuppofe it fo. But t^ 
 this it has been reply 'd, That if the Whole be 
 nothing but the Parts, (as muft be alio .fd) then, 
 E 2 lin(.e 
 
( 22 ■) 
 
 fiiice there is no Man who is not deceived, as 
 Plato faith, it is lb far from an Offence, thac'ic is 
 abloJutely neceflary togrant, either that the whole 
 Worlo js deceiv'd, or at leaft the greater Part of 
 It ; for luppof5ng that there be but three Laws. 
 ■LHz that of Mojes, that of Chnji, and tliat of 
 Mahomet, either aJl are falfe, and fo the whole 
 VV orlQ )s decciv'd ; or only two of them, and fo 
 the greater Part is deceived. But we muft know, 
 as i-lato and Anjlotle weJl obferve. That a Poli- 
 tician is a Phyf^cian of Minds, and that his Aim 
 IS, rather to make Men good, than knowing; 
 xvherefore, according to the Diverfity of Men, 
 he muf^ render himfelf agreeable to the Diverfity 
 of Humcurs, for the Attainment of his End. 
 Now there are feme Men fo ingenuous and good- 
 naturd that they are induc'd to Virtue by the 
 nieer Excellency thereof, and withdraw them- 
 feljs xrom Vice purely for the Sake of its own 
 De ormry ; and thefe are Men the bell difpofed. 
 tho rarely to be met with. Other,, who are 
 worfe inclined, notwichflanding the Beauty of 
 Virtue, and Turpitude of Vice, do ftill pradice 
 virtuous Things, and refrain from thofe that arl 
 nnn?f ' p'^'n'^^ ''"' of Rewards, Praifes, Ho- 
 Z .'n.^'jr "l'"r '""i Difpraifes; whom we 
 may enioll in the fecond Rank. Again, others, 
 for Hope of fome Good, as well as for Fear of 
 Corpoia! Pumniment, are made virtuous ; where- 
 fore Politicians, that they may attain fuch Virtue, 
 allure them with the Hopes of Riches, Dignity 
 and Command; at the fame Time, to prevent 
 thcir comimtting Vice, they terrify them wuh 
 fome Punifhment either in Purfe,^Honour or 
 
 f eiocity of Nature, arc moved with none of 
 
 thcfe 
 
( 23 ) 
 
 thefe Things, as daily Experience fhewethj 
 wherefore for fuch, they have propofed to the 
 Virtuous, Rewards in another Lite, and to the 
 Vicious, PuniOiments , which do moft of all 
 terrify : Since the greater Part of Men, if they 
 do Good, do it rather out of Fear of eternal 
 Lofs, than Hope of eternal Gain, forafmuch as 
 we have a more fenfible Idea of Suffering and 
 LofTes, than of Elyzmm^ and the good Entertain- 
 ment there. Now becaufe this laft Expedient 
 may be profitable to all Men of what Condition 
 foever, Lawgivers conlidering the Pronenefs of 
 Men to Evil, and themfelves aiming at the pub- 
 lick Good, eftablilh'd the Immortality of the Soul, 
 perhaps, at firff, not fo much out of a Regard to 
 Truth as to Honefty, hoping thereby to induce 
 Men to Virtue. Nor are Politicians to be fo 
 much blamed herein, more than Phyficians, who 
 many times, for the Benefit of their Patients, are 
 compell'd to feign and pretend divers Things; 
 fince, in like manner. Politicians devife Fables, 
 only to regulate the People; notwithflanding, in 
 thefe Fables, as Jverroes faith, (Frohg.in 3. ?hyf,J 
 there is properly neither Truth nor Falfhood. 
 Thus Nurfes bring their Children to thofe Things 
 which they know are good for them, after the 
 like manner; whereas if the Man or the Child 
 were either found in Body or Mind, neither 
 would the Phyfician or the Nurfe ffand in need of 
 fuch Contrivances. Likewife, if all Men were 
 in that firft Rank above mentioned, tho' we fhould 
 admit the Mortality of the Soul, they would yet 
 (perhaps) be virtuous and honefl; but fuch are 
 rare to be found, and therefore it is neceffary to 
 ufe other Expedients ; neither is there any Ab- 
 furdity therein, fince almoft all Human Nature is 
 
 immerft 
 
(24) 
 
 immerft in Matter, and partakeih butlittle of the 
 InteHedi:; whence Man is more diftant from 
 Intelligences, than a fick Man from him that is 
 found, or a Fool from a Wife Man j fo that it is 
 no Wonder if a Politician makes ufe of fuch 
 Ways and Means for the publick Eftablifliment of 
 good Manners* And therefore, befides the Au- 
 thority of the Holy Scriptures^ as alfo the innu- 
 merableother Arguments which may be deduc'd as 
 well from Philofophy as Reafon, to prove the 
 Immortality of the Soul, together with its Re- 
 wards and Punilhments, (tho' I determine not 
 their Duration) yet there is no Argument of 
 greater Weight with me, than the abfolute Necef- 
 ^ty and Convenience that it (hould. hefoy as. well to 
 mmpleat the Juftice of God, as to perfeB the Hap* 
 pjiefs of Matiy not only in this Worlds hut in that 
 which is to come. And for this very Reafon, 
 when I hear Seneca the Philofopher, and others, 
 preaching up the Dodrine of the Soul's Immor- 
 tality, with a 
 
 ^id viihi Cur a erit l^ransfuga ? 
 
 tackt to the End of it, nothing under Heaven to 
 me feems more unaccountable or contradidory. 
 For, as to fuppofe a hum-drum Deity chewing 
 ills own Nature, a droning God fit hugging of 
 himfelf, and hoarding up his Providence from his 
 Creatures, is an Jtheifm no lefs irrational, than to 
 deny the very EfTence of a Divine Being j fo, in 
 my Opinion, to believe an Immortality of the 
 Soul without its due Rewards and Punilhments, is 
 altogether as irrational and ufelefs as to believe 
 the Soul itfelf to be mortal y by fuch a Faith we 
 lob the Soul of its bell: Title to Immortality : For 
 
 what 
 
(25) 
 
 what need is there of an Executor where there 
 are no Debts to pay, nor any Eftate to inherit ? 
 But Pomponatius^ and efpecially Cardan in his 
 ^heonofioTiy will furnifh the Reader with great 
 Variety upon this Subjeft, if he has CurioFtty or 
 
 Leifurc to perufe their Works. But as Time is 
 
 fo precious a Jewel, I fhould think it might be 
 much better employ'd in diligently examining Mr, 
 Lock's Comment on St. PauH Epiftles (particularly 
 the 15 Chap, of Cor. i.) whofe //?//>/r^^ Sentiments 
 of a Future State confirm us in its Certainty, and 
 warm us into an eager Longing after Immortality^ (j) 
 " where, in a pure harmonious, happy Society, 
 *^ over which GOD himfelf is pleas'd graciou/Iy to 
 " prefide, all uneajy Doubts, all itiward Darknels 
 " and Terror, all the dreadful Effedls of lEnv'y, 
 " Revenge, zndfenfual Extravagance, together 
 *^ with Cenforioufnefs and unfriendly Jealoulies, 
 with the Oppreffion of Tyrants and cruel Rage 
 of relentlefs Perfecutors, muft be for evsr 
 banifhU" 
 
 (e 
 
 De 
 
 (a) See Mr. Folier'i admirable Sermon, preached at tlve 
 Funeral of the Rev. and Learned Mr. Thomas Emlyrr, Jug, 16, 
 
( 26) 
 
 De Animaa 
 
 CPiritus in mbis non manet in Identitate^ fed 
 *^ recens ingeritur "per Renovationevi cont'inuam^ 
 Jicvt flamnwy Jed velociore tranfitu^ quia Res eji 
 Jpirttualior, Nos qtiotidie faHi famus ex Us quit 
 tranfeunt in 7ios : Morimur ^ renafcimur quotidie^ 
 neque iidem hodie & htrifumus, ^ perfonam quam 
 tranfcuntem 7Jon fent'imus^ tandem pertranfijje 
 cgnofcimus. 
 
 Nulla efi return tranfttio in nos^ ni[i per viam 
 Mimenti \ omne Alimentum reJpeBu aliment andi eft 
 confimile ^ dehilius : Alimentantis Corpus fuccrejcit 
 iiohis in Corpus , Spiritus in Spirit um, Non tamen 
 Proportio utriufque fit mbis ad Proportionem Cihi 
 ^ PotuSy aut acris nifi a 72ohis bene [uperantur 3 
 alitcr eten'im non alunt ijigefla^ fed opprimunt ft 
 fortiora funt^ corrumpunt ft diJJimiUaj idque plus 
 vmufve pro gradu in utroque : Ideoque quo melius 
 res procedat viulta fieri oportet j primnm prude^is 
 eleBto & moderatio eorum^ quiz ifigeranda funt -^ ^ 
 deinceps debita praparatio per artem^ ut nobis 
 fimiliora ^ debiliorafiant \ ex parte Nofiri pracipuum 
 efi exercitium frequens fed modicum quo calor jiaturalis 
 vigeat. 
 
 CredtbiJe efi Homines prout in Us pollet fpiritus 
 corpufve^ alios melius infeconvertere aliment antium 
 fpiritum^ alio' corpus: Ideoque ifiter gulones C5? 
 fotores ?jonnuUi minus fiupidi redduntur quam alii^ 
 ^ nonmilli minus morbofo t^ oppleto cor pore evadunt 
 
 quam 
 
( 27 ) 
 
 q^uam alii', plerumque tamen mgenio plus ohefi 
 excejfus in potUy quamincitoy quia potus Jpirituofior 
 eft^ corpus vera magis opprimitur ejcukntis quoniam 
 ea ut viagis corporea plus gravant. 
 
 Jnima fapiens Lumen fie cum \ corpus fanum 
 temperies ficca £f? pervia, idepque ftccare fed 
 deohfiruere convenit: Idquefit vi5li exercitio & aere 
 idoneis Jed parum fagaciter pletaque folum ut calida, 
 frigida^ burnt da vs I ficca notamus 3 in illis qualitatihus 
 mn eft rerum energta-y longe divinus magifque 
 intrinfiecum quiddam eft in rebuSy quo ret cardo 
 vertitur quodque folum experientia & effeBu agnofci^ 
 tur 5 e[i Deus tn rebus, efique omnia, & omnia agit ; 
 illius namque infiniti corpus eft omne & fpiritus-, ex 
 eorum Unione oritur creatura, qua etiam difperditur 
 difjolutione iftius Unionis; cum autem omnia perpetuo 
 ftint in motu de una cofije^ura in aliam, Mundi 
 autem corpus & Spiritus aterna fed novas continue 
 fon']un5luras ineunt 5 ideoque nos creature fumus 
 aterni Dei apparationes momentanea quas tantum 
 t err is odendunt fata, nee ultra efie finunt, veluti 
 effigies in Auleis. 
 
 Dei opus fumus nos^ parentibus inftrumentis -, 
 a^fionefque ?iofira Dei funt opera inftrumentis nobis, 
 fed per eidli'onem nofiram agentibus , ija vero eleSiio 
 per aptas conjun5iuras & Ideas adeo immijjas invi- 
 tatur & regitur. 
 
 Per Condenfationsm & Rarefaclionem partes 
 Mundi corporea fiunt Spintus, & fpirituales fiunt 
 Corpora 3 fie que at erne retro aguntur omnia : Lumen 
 Jovi, tenebra Flutoni, Lu?nen Plutoni, tenebra 
 Jov^i j ut Hippovcrates habet, cum Microe&fmus 
 a Mundo trabit^ vivit Mieroeofmus -, cum Mundus 
 a Microcofrno trahUy deficit Mwrocofmus. 
 
 F This 
 
( 28 ) 
 
 This «»%.y?.i Heap of Thoughts, concerning 
 the Soul s admg as it were in a State of Matri- 
 mony with the Body, mav, probably, incite others 
 to confider this curious Subject in -AiUffercnt View. 
 Thele are only fuch rTu%/.r Conjedures as our 
 Human Reafon (whereof we yet lb vuinly boaft) 
 canturnifli us with; Thk DIFINUM JlmUD 
 (as mat admirable Phyfician Hipocrates terms it^ 
 IS chat which does all things j but our Capacity nor 
 being able to rl>fcern it, makes us faften either 
 upon elmemary Qualities, as Hipocrates and Galen 
 do,oruponG,«;«.fnr<//Proportions, as the modern 
 Wr/. Ihilolopher D./rm« doth j fo that all 
 Fhilotophy, excepting Sceptuif;,, is little more 
 th.nDouge; which granted, the Kcccffity o? z 
 D-.v.ve Revelation is mani/eft. 'Tis a terrible 
 Confideration to be a Sceptirk m fo ejemial a Point 
 as the huunamentals of Religion and the Immor- 
 talny of the ;So«/ 5 therefore the Dtvine Being has 
 >#n./;A/y * inftrufted us in the .;;., and aflared 
 us or the other. 
 
 „ • 'r'''-,<=«0-»''/'e'«f''^VPerfon muft a!!ow, who will beat 
 accurately ,n.o the,r Credibility. 'Tis want of proper JpJ. 
 
 'CTe'o r "f "■'"■^""'y °^ ""= Gofpel EjeZ, which 
 'j the Occaf.on of fo many U>,hlie^,en...--Lti every Man fet 
 down .,. //>,.„ all Ws Objeaions againft arifli^^, fot" ^k 
 a, random and I w,ll warrant him, onay^r^jRequeft feveral 
 eminent Men will be found rc.dy and c.fiu, nay.^^ice n an 
 Opportun.ty to rc.olve his .W^-^, and clear up all his i J" 
 
 "n\e into a r/'^''''n ^ "r'''''"'' ^^°'^ "•-'" --•'''^^^ 
 Purpoft ^'•»«/«./, or (ome other laudable 
 
 i.-wl-'lfein ™/"'"«'"^b!eTreatife on the Ref»rre«ion 
 
 --W for a clear and coniprehenfive View of the ctmcn 
 
( 29 ), 
 
 Religion (tho' I am not fond of Syftems of Theology) I would 
 recommend Limborchi Theologia Chrijiiana (the beji and moji 
 (ompleat Body of Divinity ever yet publifhed) tranllateci by the 
 Rev. Mr. William "Jo nesy in 2 Vols. 8vo. This Book oughi to 
 ht'vjell read, digelled into AhJiraSis, and frequently re^ie--wedf 
 or tailed Q'ver by two Companions in the Study, and then it will 
 give a Man an entire View of this Subject, more fatisfaSiory 
 than even that celebrated and excellent Work of Dr. Scoth^ 
 called his Chrijiian Lifey fmce that Book is unhappily left 
 imperfefl, by the never enough to be lamented Death of that 
 eminent Divine, a Man of ^ fuperlati-ve G^mnSy which ftrongly 
 appears in all his Writings, but in nothing more gloriotijly than 
 in that great and important Diftindlion (which runs thro' this 
 invaluable Book) of the MEANS and of the ENDS of 
 Religion. 
 
 To confir7nd Deijis I would earnelily recommend a i /. 
 Pamphlet, called. The Principles of Deifm fet in <J clear Lighf^ 
 by Bp. Gajlrelly printed for /;^;?>'^— -and a little Treatife by 
 Bp. Burnet y entitled, Some Pajfages of the Life and Death of 
 Lord Rochejler (Price 2;.) which, as it has pafled thro' j^a? 
 Editions, I make no doubt but many have been converted by it 
 "to a rational Faith, and e7:tirely reclaimed from vheir 
 Debaucheries.-— After a diligent Perufal of THESE, if they 
 have any Objedlions againll the G^ridian Religion^/// remain- 
 ing, I am _/«/•£' they may he fully anfwer'd (unlefs the Objedlors 
 VixefteePd againft all Convidlion) by Dr. Nicholls's Conference 
 with a Deify 2 Vols. 8vo. or by thofe inconceivably ufeful and 
 abfolutely neceffary Performances in thefe dovjnn.uard Days, 
 caird, fcnkins'^ Reafonablensfs and Certainty of the Chrijiian 
 Religiony 2 Vols, 8vo. and Dr. Rymer^s Reprefentation of 
 Reveal d Religiony a Charader of which may be ' leen in tlie 
 London Magazine for Augiif, 1745. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 F 2 
 
A N 
 
 ESSAY 
 
 O N 
 
 Natural Religion^ 
 
 AS OPPOSED TO 
 
 Divine Revelation. 
 
 Written by that Celebrated POET, 
 
 JOHN DRYDEN, Efq-, 
 
 Printed in the Year 1 746". 
 
( o 
 
 A N 
 
 ESSAY 
 
 O N 
 
 Natural Religion- 
 
 NATURAL RELIGION is the 
 Belief we have of an Eternal Intelleaual 
 Being, and of the Duty which we owe 
 him, manifefted to us by our Reafon, without 
 Revelation or pofitive Law: The chief Heads 
 whereof feem contained in thefe few Particulars* 
 
 1. That there is one Infinite Eternal Gcd^ Creator 
 of all Things. 
 
 2. Ihat he governs the IVorld by Providence. 
 
 3. That 'tis our Duty to worjhip and obey him as 
 our Creator and Goverfior. 
 
 4. That our ff'or/bip conftfis in Prayer to him^ and 
 Praife of hijn. 
 
 5. That our Obedience conftfis in the Rules of 
 Right Reafony the PraElice whereof is Moral 
 Virtue. 
 
 6. That we are to expeB Rewards and Pufiijb- 
 ments hereafter ^ according to our Anions in 
 this Life 'y which includes the SouVs Immor- 
 talityy and is proved by out admitting 
 Rrovidsnce* 
 
 7. That 
 
( 2 ) 
 
 7- Tijat when we err from the Rules of our Duty, 
 we ought to repent y and trufi in God's Mercy 
 for Par do n. 
 
 That Rule which is neceffary to oiir future 
 Happinefs, ought to be generally made known to 
 all Men. 
 
 But no Rule of Revealed Religion ever was, or 
 ever could be made known to all Men. 
 
 Therefore no Revealed Religion is neceflfary to 
 future Happinefs. 
 
 The Major is thus prov'd : 
 
 Our Future Happinefs depends upon our obey- 
 ing, or endeavouring to fulfil the known Will of 
 God. 
 
 But that Rule which is not generally known, 
 cannot be generally obey'd. 
 
 Therefore that Rule which is not generally 
 known, cannot be the Rule of our Happinefs, 
 
 Now the Minor of the firft Syllogifm is matter 
 of Fa6t, and uncontrovertible, that no Religion 
 fupernatural has been conveyed to all the World j 
 witnefs the large Continent of America^ not dif- 
 cover'd till within thefe two hundred Years ; 
 where if there were any Revealed Religion, ac 
 Icaft it was not the Qhrifiian. 
 
 And if it be obje^ed to the whole. That the 
 Ways of God's Dealing with the Heathen as to 
 Eternal Mercy, are unknown to any, and that 
 he will judge them by the Law of Nature, or 
 (in other Terms) the Rules of Natural Religion 
 or Morality j we urge again, that either thofe 
 Laws of Natural Religion are fufficient, if kept, 
 to Happinefs , or they who could know no more, 
 are out of a Polfibility of a future State of 
 BlelTwdnefs) becaufe rhey couiJ not comply with 
 
 Laws 
 
( 3 ) 
 
 Laws they know not : And in faying this, they 
 deny God's Infiftite Goodnefs, which provides for 
 all his Creatures the means of attaining that 
 Happinefs whereof their Natures are capable* 
 Again, if they urge, that Natural Religion is 
 fufficient, but not poifible to be lived up to, the 
 fame AntwerflUls more heavy upon them^ That 
 then there is no vifible means left for the greater 
 part of Mankind to be happy : And to do our 
 duty according to what we are able> is bat a cold 
 comfort, if we have no Aflurance or Hope ac 
 jeaft in the means we have laid before us. 
 
 Now if they infer, thac therefore a Revealed 
 Religion isnecePfary, becaufe the Natural will not 
 fuffice, is to beg the Queftion, and to begin again 
 the Difpute ; For we hold that a Natural Religiori 
 will fuffice for our Happinefs^ becaufe it is the 
 only general means propoled. And tho' we affirm 
 not that v/e can wholly live up to it: Yet that -a. 
 general expiation is difcovered in the Natural 
 Religion, viz. Penitence, and Refolution of A.mend« 
 ment that we acknowledge . 
 
 Sir Charles PVolfy tells us what is moft true, that 
 Mankind in all Ages has applyed to God, as guilty 
 and Offenders ; that all have agreed an Expiation 
 was necefiary, but look'd up to him for the Reve- 
 lation of it : Wherefore they ufed feveral Sacri- 
 fices and Luftrations, which they had, or thought 
 they had revealed. 
 
 This I think fo weak an Argument for a revealed 
 Religion, that it ferves rather to deftroy it, 
 becaufe, that granting all Ages havJ^ thought an 
 Expiation necefiary, yet firft their differing in the 
 outward means, fliew'd the means was uncertain ; 
 and if there had been any outward Expiation 
 oecelfary, it mufi: have been known generally, or 
 
 G ihi 
 
(4) 
 
 the force of the firft Argument holds good, 
 namely, that it is not pofiible for the greateft Part 
 of Mankind to be happy hereafter, where the 
 Means of ccmpafTing re was not known to them. 
 
 . But, a^/y, thefe feveral Expiations were 
 
 indeed aJl but SymbolicaJ, and referred to our 
 Sorrow and Repentance : That it is the true and 
 only Expiation of Sin, and is fo agreed upon by 
 all Men in all Ages, and of all Rdigions, where- 
 fore take it for an undoubted Tru.h : And this not 
 revealed, but innate, and a Part of Natural Reli- 
 gion. 
 
 The fame may be faid of the Dodlrinal Part of 
 k: TI1US are the Things generally known and 
 believed j but all end in the Practice of Vertue, 
 and Reverence of the Deity. 
 
 Nov/ all reveal'd Religions are different from 
 each other j and you cannot prove any one of 
 them to be truer than the reft, before' you can 
 prove that one of them muft be true j and if once 
 knov/n true, mankind would all agree in it ; 
 otherwife thofe marks of Truth in it were not 
 vifible, which are necefiary to draw an univ^rlal 
 Afient. 
 
 For Rewards and Punifnments hereafter, the 
 Notion of them has not been univerfalJy received , 
 for the Hcat/je?2s difagreed in the Doctrme of the 
 Immortality of the Soul; But grant that they 
 fecm reajbnable, becaufe they are deduced from 
 the Po(^lrine of Providence, which the moft 
 Rational of the Heathens held: For if God governs 
 al^Things, he is juii, becaufe it is a Part of Infinite 
 Perje(51ionj and if fo, he eicher rewards here, or 
 hereafter; but not always here, therefore hercr 
 after. Yet if they who hold Revelation, will 
 ^rant that they are Parts of Natural and unreveal'd 
 
 Religion, 
 
^ 5) . , 
 
 Religion, becaufe the wifeft Men have inclined to 
 hold them amoa^ft the Henthen^ and now do in 
 all Opinions 5 then it follows, that by living up to 
 the Diclates of Reafon and Penitence, when we 
 fail in fo doing, Men may be happy in a Future 
 State, without any help of Revealed Religion, 
 which is all I contend for. 
 
 The great Objections againfl: the Validity of 
 Natural Religion to Eternal Happinefs, feem to 
 be theie> 
 
 I. That this Dodrine was never generally held 
 in any Age 3 and therefore feeiiiS not to carry that 
 light of Moral certainty in it, which we hold 
 neceffary to eftabliili the Truth of a Religion ; 
 For we fay that Religion is only true, which is or 
 may be reafonable, and convincing to all Men 5 
 now if it be not generally held, it appears not 
 convincing. 
 
 This Objeution has not really the Weight in it, 
 which it feems to carry at firft light; For 'tis evident 
 that many Men of all Religions at this Day, have 
 centered in the Opinion of Natural Religion, and 
 its fufficiency of Happinefs. The Heathen Philo- 
 fophers and Poets (who were the firft Priefts) did 
 at the bottom acknowledge Virtue to be the 
 Guide of all our Adions , and all their Mitleries 
 referred to a good Life, and to Repentance.^ At 
 this Day the Learned in ail Religions hold the 
 fame: This they agree in, in the outward Cere- 
 monies of every Religion they are every Man 
 content to Conform to thofe of their own Country. 
 Which is an Argument for us, that whatev^er 
 new Religions have fprung up, yet they have all 
 G ^ ' retam'd 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 retam'd this Part thereof, viz. that they have dif- 
 agreed amongft themfelves. 
 
 'Tis confeft that whole Nations have never 
 followed our Opinion : But how many of a Nation 
 ever confider to the Bottom of any Religion ! that 
 which is eftablifh'd draws the Vulgar, who 
 encjuires not beyond it. And, befides, our 
 Opinion is fo Charitable, that we do not exclude 
 any Dificnters from Eternal Happinefs; God may 
 be pleas'd with different Worfhips, becaufe we 
 fay that all Worfhips are included in Prayer, 
 Praife, exercife of Vertue and Penitence, when 
 we have done amifs: So that the Foundation being 
 the fame, we labour not in the Superftructures, 
 which are only the Modes and Circumftances of 
 Religion. 
 
 2. The next Objection againft the Sufficiency of 
 Natural Religion to Happinefs eternal, is only a 
 bare Affirmation of our Adverfaries, That Natu- 
 ral Religion is but an imperfed Light, which God 
 gives us fo far, as that by improving it, we may 
 arrive at a Supernatural Knowledge. As fuppofe 
 I were going to IVbitehcill from Covem-Gardeji 
 Church, and can then fee only to the End of the 
 Strand before me, bur coming thither, am direded 
 further. 
 
 But 1 wholly deny any Natural Light can lead 
 me to a Supernatural ^ there is no proportion 
 betwixt thofe two ex i reams: There is a Gulph 
 betwixt, a y^zya, -x^occi^x : And 'tis not lO eafie a 
 PafTage as from Cavent-Garckn to IVhitehall'^ 'tis 
 r.ither from Covcnt-Garden to lome Place beyond 
 the Qizlum E^npyraum^ snd wholly out of the 
 Boundaries of Nature. Alfo to prove that God 
 Giiii reveal to me what ii farther Neceflary, when 
 
 I have 
 
(7) 
 I have us'd my beft Natural Endeavours, is only 
 to prove that God is Omnipotent and Infinite •, but 
 proves not that 'tis neceffary he fhould or will do 
 It ; For a pojfe ad ejje non valet Qonfequentia, I 
 have already endeavoured to prove that it is not 
 necellary he (hould reveal more \ and therefore 
 till that point be deter min'd ii^Uoc^y I humbly 
 doubt and fufpend my Belief. 
 
 3. Another Objection may be this : That there 
 is no foundation in Natural Religion for a vertuous 
 Life ; or at leaft not fo great as in a Revealed 
 Religion, where Rewards and Punifhments are 
 propofed. So that a meer Moral Man upon bare 
 Vertue, will be difcouraged when he fees Vertue 
 not rewarded here. 
 
 A fecond Objedion is. That there is a difference 
 betwixt our condition, and that of the Heathens : 
 For if they liv'd up to the Heighth of Vertue 
 and known Reafon, they might (fay fome q\\2.x\'^ 
 tzhleChriJiansJ be happy in a future Condition : 
 We cannot, becaufe a revealed Religion has been 
 difcovered to us, more then to them, tho' we 
 believe it not ; Therefore we ought in our own 
 defence to embrace ir, becaufe that by the Princi-^ 
 pies of a Natural Religion we grant, that thofe of 
 a Revealed may be faved : But they of the Re- 
 veal'd deny that fafety to us. (A fooiifli Catholick 
 jf^rgument.J 
 
 TothefirftObjeftion weanfwer: That Rewards 
 
 and Punilhments are acknowledged in Natural 
 Religion, and we are to expert them in a future Lite 
 anfwerabletoour Anions here ; and according to 
 the Juftice and Mercy of the great Creator: And 
 till you prove they are inconfiftent with the 
 
 Doftrine 
 
( 8 ) 
 Dodrineof Natural Religion, we need anfwer n^ 
 iurther ro your Argument. 
 
 To the lecondObjeaion ; It fuppofes like the 
 others firft, a Supernatural Religion, which is to 
 prove. And if the Heathens living up to the 
 hejght of Natural Religion, might be eternally 
 happy, I fee no reafon but why we may be fo too j 
 for if our Happinefs depends upon our Belief, we 
 cannot firmly believe till our Reafon be convinced 
 of a Supernatural Religion : And if the Reafons 
 of It were evident, there could be no longer any 
 Contention about Religion : All Men would 
 embrace the fame, and acquielce in it 3 no prejudice 
 would prevail againft the certainty of a Future 
 good. 'Tis every Man's greateft Bufinefs here to 
 Labour for his Happinefs, *and confequently none 
 would be backward to knov/ the Means. • . ' 
 
 For the Inference, namely, that tho' a Super- 
 natural Religion be dubious, yet 'tis the fafeft way 
 to embrace it. IJirJi Anfwer, That I cannot 
 embrace what comes not within the compafs of 
 my knowledge : And if I cannot believe, 'tis a 
 Sign theEvidence is not iirong enough to make me. 
 And, fecondly^ 
 
 Two Arguments there are, which Sir Ch. M^olfey 
 calls Demonjirations to prove it Reveal'd Reli- 
 gion ; 
 
 Theiirft is, The Notiofi of Sin, or deviation from 
 good in all Men 3 a repugnajit Principal to Fertue ; 
 a Lapfe from our firf Ell ate, wherein God, who is 
 allgood, mtifi needs create us, and ^hich the li'orld 
 has generally acknowledged by Luf rations and Sacri- 
 fices to appeafc the Deity : This he fays, we can 
 blow by 710 other Light but Revelation, &c. 
 
 Secondly, The approaches to God, andpropiti(ition> 
 muft be immediately and fupernaturah difcovcr'd, 
 how he will be appeas'd. 
 
(9 ) 
 
 To the firfl, I Anfw er j This generally acknow- 
 ledg'd Lapfe of Nature that it came may be dif^ 
 cover'd by Nature, viz. by Natural Reafon j how- 
 it came> 'cis realbnable to conclude without Re'/e- 
 lation, namely, by a Deviation from the right 
 Rule of Reafon implanted in us; How he came to 
 deviate from this Rule -or Lapfe, proceeds from 
 the Nature of Goodnefs, originally given us by 
 pur Creator ^ which Reafon tells to be an Arbitrary 
 ftate of Goodnefs only, therefore not a NecelTary 
 Goodnefs to which our Natures were conftrain'd. 
 In fhort, our fall proceeds from cur not being able 
 to reafon rightly on every thing we aft , and with 
 fuch Beings we were created: For all our Actions 
 are defign'd by us to fome good which may arife 
 to us 5 but we do not always diftinguifh rightly of 
 that good ; We often raiftake the Bo7iuvi apparens 
 for the Bonim reale \ Decipmur fpeci ReBi^ : The 
 Bonum jucundum is preferred for want of Right 
 Reafoning to the Bonum honejlum , and the Bonum 
 vicinum (tho' it be the lets in it felfjofuen carries 
 it before the Bonum remotum which is greater in 
 its own Nature. No Man ever held, that we 
 could appet ere malum qua malum: And therefore 
 I will not grant him a Total Lapfe in our Natures 
 from God 3 for we lee many Born with virtuous 
 Inclinations. And though all Men at fome times 
 err, even the beft in their Adions j it only fliews, 
 that we were not created to a Neceffi rated goodnefs. 
 'Tis enough to prove no fatal Lapfe, that many 
 are proved through their courfe of their Lives, 
 more prone to do Good than 111 , and that ailMci 
 do 111 only for want of right Reafoning, becaufe 
 the Will neceffarily follov/s the laf^ Dictate of 
 the Underiianding, 
 
 To 
 
( 10 ) 
 
 To the Second ^ Namely, That the Propitiation 
 for our OJfe?ices mufi he fiipernaturally difcovered, or 
 elfewe can come upon no ceitainl^ermsof Acceptation 
 With God. 
 
 I anfvver that which I have often hinted, viz. 
 That all the World who have agreed upon the 
 Fault, agree upon the Compenfation ; namely. 
 Sorrow and a true Repentance : And Reafon 
 didlates this without R evelation. The World 
 indeed has differ'd in their Luftrations and Sacrifices j 
 but more have in all Ages agreed, that thele with- 
 out Repentance were nothing, and Repentance 
 without them was valid ; But that bare Repentance 
 is fufficient Compenfation for an infinite Offence 
 againft an infinite Being, is what our Adverfaries 
 deny, and therefore point us to an infinite Sacrifice 
 or Propitiation for Sin, namely, Jefus Chrift. 
 
 I may firft Anfwer, That 'till all who profefs 
 Chriftianity, agree whether Chrift be a Propitiation 
 or no, I need not go about a farther Refutation of 
 their Argument y for the Socinians will allow him 
 oialy to be fet up for an Example, not as Mediator, 
 or Sacrifice. But grant that the Offence is com- 
 mitted againft an infinite Being, we are but finite 
 Creatures who commit it, and Repentance is what 
 we can anfwer to an Atonement , and therefore 
 we may reafonable affert, 'tis all God will expedl: 
 from us : Faith, even in Chrift, according to their 
 Rules, not being good without it. If I owe a 
 Million, and can pay but a Thoufand Pounds, my 
 Creditor can have but All j 'tis true, my Body is 
 then fubjei't to f mprilbnment, that is to the farther 
 Extent of the Law , but then that Law is void of 
 Mercy. Now Mercy is one of the greateft Attri- 
 butes of God, and 1 think that infinite Juftice 
 
 cannot 
 
( II ) 
 
 cannot be extended on a finite Creature mfinitely, 
 wiZutaContradiaion to infinite Mercy, which 
 r a? 'twere, God's High-Court of Equity in the 
 cVe to relieve from the Extremity ot the Law : 
 For tho' God's Attributes are all infinite, and tho his 
 Tuft ce be infinite as well as his Mercy •, yet he 
 infinS of his Juftice is only as inherent, not as , 
 extenL as his Mercy towards us, we receiving of 
 S See but according to the Meaiure of our 
 defert ; in punillnment from his Mercy more than 
 wecandefe?ve: As the ftrifteft of Chrift.anshold 
 
 SerTf fheSrct O^twio thought that 
 b? a ong Purgation, the greateft Sms might be 
 tlfhed alay.%nd that .Pytbapras and Plata 
 
 "TttS-endemandedofme,Whe,:herIftould 
 be convinc'd of my Opinion a„^ admit of '^per- 
 
 rura!i:is^nhadte:^r^oiS^S;^^^^^^ 
 
 • that the wnole itreis oi m t .pr,\y^A 
 
 fPrminated in that one Point. It v\as repiy a 
 ThT the?if it could be proved that this univerfal 
 Svetowasunnecefl-ary, loug^^^ 
 
 '^^Cs£mJd,ThatthisRev^^^^ 
 
to whom that re vea ed Lilt """^ '" '" ^g^^» 
 ApoftJe fays, 'r/,,?|,5f,;^'^'^5 "me not. The 
 
 Neither wiJI they £'can JhJ '/ ^f ^^ <^=^""''^- 
 Selves, unJefs the M^.nf.,^7 ^^ ^^"''^ of them- 
 es wel, as tol;.'" Sy\ttsr? " ^^r- 
 
 whom this Revektion i. 7^ ^ameReafon, alj to 
 becaufe it was ^ -ealed rn '' ^^^} ^^ ^^^^^^5 
 ^vorthyof it: rSff h^fi^° ^"^ ^I'o were no 
 the Heathens ftould ifve t t'^f '^'^ "° °"^ °f 
 "fw Light, and rheretedLv'd r°"I?°^^'''^ 
 then he who mak^. n^ ^a^^- '^ ^° fhem all, 
 
 wouIdo„]yia^™arH >'*?'^;°" °^' P^^-fon^ 
 faved : But our SI? '° '^i?^^ ^'^^ '^'OuJd be 
 i^ revealed tZ^nyZSZt^ '^'' ^'^'^ ^^'8'''^ 
 Chnfiian.. as if it^vvereoiy to do m' ?™°"S^'^^ 
 •^emnation j an Oninion . L^ u """^^^ *^"' Con- 
 
 tiefperate. "^ '^""aicion, ]f ^ot totally 
 
 ^ ^ I s. 
 
DATE DUE 
 
 DEMCO 38-297 
 
BL2773 .B65 
 
 A summary account of the Deists religion 
 
 Princeton Theological Semmary-Speer Library