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THE

PHILOSOPHICAL

WORK S

Of the late Right Honorable

HENRY ST JOHN,

LORD VISCOUNT BOLINGBROKE.

VOLUME II.

LONDON,

Printed in the Year MDCCLIV.

XFOR
LIBRARY

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THE

SECON D.

Mr. Harkin

S

SECT. V.

INCE I have mentioned the compatibility of fome remains of the groffeft polytheifm with monotheifm, and the principles on which the few might conform to the many, at least in the exteriors of religion; it is neceffary that I should explain myfelf on these heads, which contain the fum of theology or the first philofophy, as it was understood by the moft intelligent of the heathen, even in thofe countries where idolatry feemed to triumph the most.

Ir cannot be proved, without the help of the Old Testament, nor very well with it, as I have hinted above, that the unity of God was the primitive belief of mankind: neither does it appear to my apprehenfion that in fact it could be fo according to all the rules of judging that may be drawn from reafon and analogy. But yet I think it fufficiently evident, from reason and analogy both, that this firft and great principle of natural theology could not fail to be discovered as foon as fome men began to contemplate themselves and all the objects that furrounded them, and to push their philofophical researches VOL II.

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