This being the Cafe wherever Men have been left to mere Reafon and Nature to direct them; what Security have the great Patrons of Natural Religion now, that, were they left only to Reason and Nature, they should not run into the fame Errors and Abfurdities? Have they more Reason than those who have gone before them? In all other Instances Nature is the fame now that ever it was, and we are but acting over again the fame Part that our Ancestors acted before us: Wisdom and Prudence and Cunning are now what they formerly were; nor can this Age fhew human Nature in any one Character exalted beyond the Examples which Antiquity has left us. Can we fhew greater Inftances of civil and political Wisdom, than are to be found in the Governments of Greece and Rome! Are not the civil Laws of Rome ftill had in Admiration? and have they not a Place allowed them ftill in almost all Kingdoms? Since then in nothing elfe we are grown wifer than the Heathen World, what Probability is there, that we fhould have grown wifer in Religion, if we had been left, as they were, to mere Reafon and Nature? To this Day there is no Alteration for the better, except only in the Countries where the Gospel has been preached. What

fhall

fhall we fay of the Chinefe, a Nation that wants not either Reason or Learning, and in fome Parts of it pretends to excel the World? They have been daily improving in the Arts of Life, and in every Kind of Knowledge and Science; but yet in Religion they are ignorant and fuperftitious, and have but very little of what we call Natural Religion among them: And what Ground is there to imagine that Reason would have done more, made greater Discoveries of Truth, or more entirely fubdued the Paffions of Men, in England or France, or any other Country of Europe, than it has in the Eaftern or Southern Parts of the World? Are not Men as reasonable Creatures in the East, as they are in the West? and have not they the fame Means of exercifing and improving their Reason too? Why then' fhould you think that Reafon would do that now in this Place, which it has never yet been able to do in any Time or Place whatever?

This Fact is fo very plain and undeniable, that I cannot but think, that, would Men confider it fairly, they would foon be convinced how much they are indebted to the Revelation of the Gofpel, even for that Natural Religion which they fo fondly boast of For how comes it to pafs, that there is fo

much

much Reason, fuch clear Natural Religion, in every Country were the Gospel is profeffed, and fo little of both every-where else.

But is there then, you will fay, no fuch Thing as Natural Religion? Does not St. Paul lay the Heathen World under Condemnation for not attending to the Dictates of it? Because, fays he, that which may be known of God is manifeft in them; for God hath herved it unto them. For the invifible Things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen, being understood by the Things that are made, even his eternal Power and Godhead; fo that they are without Excufe: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their Imaginations, and their foolish Heart was darkened. Profeffing themfelves to be wife, they became Fools; and changed the Glory of the uncorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man, and to Birds, and four-footed Beafts, and creeping Things.—A fad Account this of the State of Religion in the Heathen World, and a manifeft Proof how much Nature ftands in need of Affiftance! What we learn from St. Paul is plainly this; That, notwithstanding the Care which God had taken to display the Evidences of his own Being and Godhead in every Work of the

Creation,

Creation, fo that Men could not but have. a Notion of the Deity; yet, fo little did they profit by that Knowledge, that it ferved only to render them inexcufable in their Superftition and Idolatry: For, when they knew God, (as indeed all the Heathen World had a Notion of a fupreme Being) yet they glorified him not as God; but changed the Glory of the uncorruptible God into an Image made like unto corruptible Man, and to Birds, and four-footed Beafts, and creeping Things. And was not Nature an excellent Guide to follow, that thus ftumbled at the very Threshold, and, having from natural Reason the Notion of a fupreme Deity, fought to find him among the four-footed Beasts and creeping Things of the Earth? Can you fay what it was that thus debased theReason and Understanding of Mankind? What Evil was it that had diffused itself through the whole Race, and fo poffeffed their Senfes, that feeing they did not perceive, and hearing they did not understand? Or, do you think that alone are exempt you from this common, this univerfal Blindness, and that the fame Reason and Nature, that hitherto have mifguided all the World into Error and Idolatry, would lead you, out of the common Road, into Truth and pure Religion?

Is

Is it not the utmoft Prefumption to think thus, and to imagine that we alone are able to furmount the Difficulties which all the World before us has funk under? And yet thus every Man must think, who fets up Natural Religion in Oppofition to Revelation: For has mere Nature ever yet, in any one Part of the World, extricated itself from Error? Do the Nations of old, or those which now are, afford any Inftance of this Kind? But ftill you think that Nature is fufficient to direct you; and what else is this but to distinguish yourself from all the World, as if you only were privileged against the common Failings and Corruptions of Mankind?

But you'll fay, Are there not complete Schemes of Natural Religion drawn from Principles and Axioms of Reafon, without calling in the Help of Revelation? and are they not evident Demonstrations that Nature is able to furnifh us with a Religion that is pure and holy and agreeable to the divine Attributes? Allow this; but let us then be informed how it came to pass, that never any Syftem of this pure Religion was in Use and Practice in any Nation, or indeed ever fully discovered, till the Gospel had enlightened the World. You may boast of

Socrates