contradiction therein.

66

"The holiness of the Evan gelists speaks unto the heart; and has such strong and ftriking characters of truth, that it is perfectly inimitable. But after all, this doctrine cannot be.believed, because it contains many things "which we cannot comprehend, and is repugnant

66

to reason." It were much to be wifhed, that the favourers of this doctrine would point out to us a criterion, whereby we may distinguish what is, and what is not, repugnant to reafon. When I read a work, which as it were captivates my judgment, fills me with a kind of awe, manifefts strong and striking characters of truth, and appears to be in other respects perfectly inimitable, I own that it would be the highest prefumption in me, after cool reflection, to say that this work is repugnant to reason, because there are some parts thereof which are above my comprehenfion; as the characteristics. of truth are, at all times, the strongest characteristics of reafon; the latter being only our guide to lead us to the former. But befides these characters, which our Deists have given of the evangelical doctrine, as I have already observed, the facts therein contained are not only fet forth in the most fimple and artless manner, but are attested even by its enemies; and therefore must be regarded as incontrovertible.

If we introduce the doctrine of Jesus Christ and his Apostles only as a civil inftitution, which I muft confefs is hut too much the cafe in many parts of Europe, and make them fubfervient to

the

the genius of the people, and to the nature of the climate; the mass of the people may thereby be kept in a kind of temporal fear: But this is not fufficient to make them honeft and good Chriftians. It is true, our modern governments owe their folidity and permanency to the Christian religion, which has rendered them much less bloody and tyrannical, and much less subject to revolutions; and this is clearly proved, by comparing them with the ancient governments.

Since the mafs of the people have been more generally inftructed in the pure moral of this religion and have as it were furmounted the fanaticism, bigotry, and tyranny of the priests, they are become more civilized, and their manners are foftened. Many have fuppofed, that this change has been brought about by learning and philofophy but the history of the world teaches us the contrary; for where philofophy and letters. fhined the most, in all ages, humanity was the leaft refpected. The cruelties of the Greeks, and particularly of the Athenians, of the Egyptians, of the Romans, of the Perfians, of the Babylonians, and of the Chinese, place this matter out of all doubt. Mercy, charity, and benevolence, are the works of the gospel, and fo are brotherly love, and forgiveness. And notwithstanding what has been objected, on one fide, by a fet of interested and ignorant priests, and on the other, by a number of fuperficial philofophers, every fenfible and impartial man muft confefs, that nothing has tended,

t

and

and that nothing-actually tends, fo much to introduce humanity and brotherly affection among mankind in general, and to correct and foften their manners, as their being thoroughly inftructed in their youthful days, in the pure moral and principles of the Chriftian religion.-Even the fanaticism and bigotry, which heretofore prevailed among mankind, by the inftigation of the different orders of a wretched clergy, who made a trade of their religion, and fet themselves up the one against the other, although their immediate effects were more dreadful than what is generally called the philofophic fpirit of our days, in their confequences they will be found to be much less fo.

A philofopher gives you a long and elaborate theory, which is not only impracticable in itself, but which he never had any idea of practifing; his own vanity and ambition being the only objects which he had in view.-Regard this matter in any light, and it will be feen, that the principles of philofophy cannot do any good, but what may be much better done by the principles of the Christian doctrines; and the latter does much that the former cannot do. Although the greatest part of the Chriftian world do not follow strictly the principles which were laid down by Jefus Chrift and his Apostles; yet these principles are the motives which hinder those who are inftructed therein from doing of evil, and which lead them to do many good and virtuous actions, which they would not otherwise have done. On the other hand, a

philofopher,

philofopher, I mean according to the idea which many have annexed to that word, becomes incredulous from the abuse which he makes of his own knowledge. He thinks it is degrading to be of the fame opinion with the vulgar; his pride and vanity lead him to defpife every fentiment which is commonly received among mankind; as a blind devotion leads infenfibly to enthusiasm and bigotry.

Every prudent and impartial enquirer will, there fore, avoid both extremities; will be modeft in his enquiries, will fubmit even his reafon to the dictates of his confcience, will try all things, and hold faft that which is good, and will never reject a well-attefted fact, because it is above his comprehenfion; but will always fubmit his own judgment to the general opinion of mankind; especially when there is nothing in that opinion which tends to evil, and when every part thereof appears to be calculated for univerfal good.

INDE X.

Æ

A.

NEAS, after the deftruction of Troy, founded a great em

pire in Italy, Page 10.

Amautas, the antient priests and philofophers of Peru, during the Ynça government, p. 36.

Alcoran of Mahomet, the ftrange and abfurd doctrine which it contains in general, p. 82.-Its moral precepts copied from the New Teftament, and from the laws of Mofes, 81.

Aaron, notwithstanding he had been inftrumental in doing the mighty works which were done before Pharaoh, afterwards made a molten calf, to lead the Ifraelites to idolatry, p. 97.

Ariftotle, after twenty years study, abandoned the doctrines of Plato his master, and treated the pureft parts thereof as the chimeras of a diftempered brain, p. 263.

Apollo, adored as a god for being the author of mufic and poetry, p. 9. Agathyrfi, had all their laws written in verfe, p. 90.

B.

Belus received divine honours from the Syrians, p. 9.

Brachmans, their philofophical and religious principles, p.20.--Taught

the worship of one God, and a fate of future rewards and punishments, p. 18.

Bacchus, adored as a divinity for the invention of wine, p. 9.

C.

Cyrus's memory always celebrated among the Perfians, p. 11. Confucius, eftablished a fyftem of moral philofophy in China, p. 13. Chaldeans, with the fun, moon, planets, and all the host of heaven,

worshipped carved images, and ftocks and ftones, P. 199.—All their writings were in poetry, P. 91.

Celfus, the first who wrote publicly against Jefus Chrift and his doctrine, p. 202.-His reafoning the bafis upon which all the antichristian writers have founded their arguments, ibid.-Says that Jefus Chrift did all his miracles by the power of magic, p. 206.— Many of his arguments are copied by fome modern authors, and have been made the basis of their reasoning against Christianity,

P. 295.

D. Democritus,