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for his ufe; and, as men have in fact more or lefs rightly used, neglected, or abused their own abilities, and thofe external things that have come within their power; and thereby have rightly used, or abused their natural liberty: fo from hence has followed, by a natural and unavoidable confequence, that great variety, and contrariety of characters as aforefaid.

But then, tho' man's agency has been the first and chief caufe, of the various and different characters which have taken place amongst mankind; yet there have been a great number of fecondary caufes, if I may fo fpeak, which have contributed greatly thereto. Thus, the great variety and contrariety of tempers and conflitutions which have taken place in and amongst men, by which one man is more Strongly inclined to industry than to indolence,. another is more ftrongly inclined to indolence than to industry; one man is more strongly inclined to benevolence than to a vicious felfishness,. another is more strongly inclined to a vicious Jelfishness than to benevolence, and the like: Thefe have contributed greatly towards the forming mens characters as aforefaid.

This, I think, has been, most apparently, the cafe in fact. For, tho' it may well be supposed that the original pair were rightly conftituted; that is, that their conftitutions were fo poised or ballanced as that one part had not the afcendant over another, excepting that one part which was defigned to direct and govern the whole; I fay, tho' it may well B 2

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be supposed that this was the case of our first parents, when they came out of their Maker's hand; yet it could not well be expected that it would be the cafe, nor has it been so in fact with their posterity. The tempers and conftitutions even of our first parents were liable to be altered and changed, by thofe various and different circumftances that were liable to attend them. Thus, their living in different climates, or their using too much, or too little exercise, of their eating or drinking too much, or too lithe, or their feeding upon improper food, of which, perhaps, for want of experience they might not have been very good judges, and the like, might have impaired the health, and altered the tempers and conftitutions even of our first parents themselves. And, if this was, or might have been the cafe of the original pair, then, what changes, what variety and contrariety of tempers and conftitutions might juftly have been expected would take place in their numberless pofterity; even fuch as experience and fact has fhewn them to be, For, as the circumftances of mankind in general would of course be greatly different from that of our first parents; fo that difference of circumftances would introduce that great variety and contrariety of tempers and conftitutions as we see at this day. And these have contributed much towards the introducing the different and contrary characters that have and do take place in and amongst mankind. But then, these are only fecond caufes, if they may

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be fo called; because, notwithstanding mens tempers and conftitutions every man has it in his power, and it is left to his option, with regard to his conduct, whether he will govern his natural inclinations, or be governed by them.

I have already obferved, that I do not intend to enter fully into this queftion, nor indeed do I think my felf capable of it; but only, by way of effay, to hint at fome of the grounds or reafons of that great variety and contrariety of characters that take place amongst men; and therefore, I fhall take notice but of one thing more which has contributed greatly towards the forming mens characters as aforefaid, and that is Religion. For, as nothing has been more different and contrary than mens religion; fo nothing has had more different and contrary influence upon mens affections and actions.

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The word Religion is fometimes used in a reftrained sense, and fignifies only those acts of piety and devotion by which, men pay their publick or their private acknowledg ments to God; and in this fenfe of the word Religion men are faid to be more or less religious, as they more or less abound in the use of thefe acts of devotion, or as they are more or lefs zealous with regard to them. The word Religion is also sometimes used in a more extenfive fenfe, and is made to fignify all those things by which men, as men, propofe to obtain the divine favour; and by which men,

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as finners, propofe to obtain God's mercy and the happiness of another world. And, whether the word Religion be taken in one sense or the other, as it is greatly different and contrary with respect to the opinions of the multitude of mankind; fo it has had a very different, and fometimes a contrary influence upon their affections and actions. Alas! religion has been of fuch weight in the prefent cafe, as that it has not only over-ruled and controuled the understandings, but alfo the ftrongest appetites and paffions, and the moft tender affections

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It has extorted induftry from the most indolent, and cruelty from the most tender and compaffionate. It has baffled the underftandings of the most difcerning, and made weak men mad. It has laid wafte cities, overturned kingdoms, and turned whole countries, into fields of blood. It would, perhaps, be not only an entertaining, but also a useful performance were I to give my reader a clear view of the great variety and contrariety of fentiments and practices with regard to religion, which now take place in the feveral parts of the world, and which have taken place in all the feveral ages of it; and likewife fhew my reader what great variety and contrariety of effects religion has had upon the affections and actions of men, but this, it may well be suppofed, is greatly above my ability to perform. All that I can do is only to remind my reader of what comes, in fome measure, within his own notice and obfervation, and by which he

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may form fome probable opinion of the cafe. Chriftians all are, or at least they all profess themselves to be difcipled to one and the fame mafter, and yet, notwithstanding, there now is, and has been, (almost ever fince Christianity has had a being) great variety and contrariety of religious principles and practices amongst them; and these have had different and oppofite influence upon their affections and actions. This has been fo notoriously the cafe in fact, that it would fill a volume to enumerate the various and contrary religious fentiments that have been imbibed, and zealously contended for by Chriftians; the great variety and contrariety of religious practices that have prevailed amongst them; and the various and contrary events that have been occafioned by these. This, as I faid before, must in some measure have come within my reader's own notice and obfervation, and therefore, needs no exemplification. If therefore, the religion of Chriftians, (who value themselves upon that much greater and clearer light, and much safer guidance vouchfafed to them, by their religion, than any other part of mankind partake of,) has been, and still is fo various and contradictory, and if the prefent happiness and mifery of mankind has been, and ftill is greatly affected by the religion of Chriftians, as the experience of this age, as well as many ages that are past, have abundantly fhewn it to be; then, what may we expect, or rather what may we not expect from the religions of all thofe other

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