ftantly under the influence of the principles of Christianity? And for those happy persons, who have fincerely embraced this religion, and made it their study through the whole of life to act in a manner worthy of it, having thereby effectually answered the purposes of the present state of existence, and having in themselves the fure pledge, and the very springs of happiness in the world to come, how much must they be pleased with that religion, by which nature hath been so improved! And while they look upon it as a religion revealed from heaven, how grateful must they be to the father of lights for fuch a valuable favour conferred upon mankind l It hath been fuggefted, that to produce fuch characters in life, there was no need of fuch an extraordinary interpofition, as an external revela A 4 velation; that the law, which our maker hath written upon the heart of every man, is fufficient to direct him to the highest perfection of his nature, and to its most happy ftate; at least, that the perfon, who attendeth carefully to the dictates of his own heart, cannot mifcarry. And to illuftrate this, the moral philofophy taught by the antients, and the amazing dignity of character, to which fome perfons, who were ftrangers to revelation, attained, have been much infifted upon, it appearing in them, how far mere reafon and the natural fentiments of the heart will carry men in virtue and religion. In answer to which, it is acknowledged by the advocates for revelation, that indeed God hath shewed every man, by the light of nature, and the law written upon his heart, what is good, and hath admirably admirably furnished him with the powers of conscience for directing his way and that the perfon, who : hath honefty and ftrength of mind enough to diveft himself of those prejudices and prepoffeffions, which may have first obtained, and prevented found reafon; and who maketh it his study to find out what he was made for, and what it is indeed to live according to nature, conforming himself in all things to the dictates of conscience, at least, fincerely endeavouring to do fo, and by that fincerity prepared for receiving countenance and affiftance from his maker: it is: readily allowed, fuch a perfon will go reputably and happily through life; will be naturally led to the hopes of his maker's favour, an happy future existence. there any fort of occafion, and of Nor is for the fupport fupport of revealed religion, to depreciate the light of nature and the improvements in knowledge and morality, which have been made by the natural powers of mankind. The queftion is this, whether in that state, in which things are known to have been and ftill to be in the Pagan world, there might not be that need of, and these advantages obtained by, revelation, which abundantly justify the wisdom of fuch an extraordinary interpofition in aid of reafon greatly weakened and perverted, and the light of nature fadly obfcured, and which make it appear exceedingly expedient and defirable? Whether the light of nature and reason was not, at least generally, fo clouded and darkened by fuperftitious prejudices and very grofs errors prevailing concerning the Deity and the rules and measures of his moral adminiftration, the worship and homage to be paid to him, the methods of obtaining his favour, and even about the true ends of life, the fupreme good of human nature, and a future state of existence, which are the most important of all things, that a wife man and a lover of mankind would not have accounted a clear revelation, inftructing the world in matters of fuch confequence, the most special favour, which could be conferred it. And now upon that we have in our hands a book recommended to us, as containing a revelation of these things from heaven, and which is perfectly agreeable to found reason and the natural fentiments of the heart; furely a friend to mankind, even if he did not think it fupported with fufficient evidence, would be naturally led |