laft Word; for though he fhould agree that the Book in queftion was not wrote by Tully, yet Riccoboni's Arguments appeared to him fo weak, that he could not be convinced by them: and accordingly he publifhed a third Oration against Riccoboni, which Anthony Giganti fent Francis Vianelli at Venice: but Vianelli would not print it then, for fear of offending Riccoboni, who was his Friend. But no fooner was Riccoboni dead, but that Oration was printed at Bologna in 1599, by John Rubei.

THE Reader may perhaps be pleased to know what Mr. Muratori, the Author of this Life of Sigonius, thinks concerning the Book we have mentioned. He does not tell us pofitively that Sigonius himself was the 'Author of it; but he fays, this is now the common Opinion of the Learned, who think that Sigonius had a mind to try how far he could imitate the ftile and manner of Tully; intending to declare. himself the Author of it, if the Cheat had fucceeded, and the Publick had looked upon that Book as genuine. Mr. Muratori feems very much inclined to be of that Opinion; for he tells us, that there could fcarce be found another Man befides Sigonius, who could write a Book in fuch a manner, that Tully himself would not be ashamed to own it: and it is to be observed, that as foon as that Book was attacked as fpurious, Sigonius alone maintained its genuineness, and did it with fo much zeal and eagerness, that one could eafily perceive it was his own cause he defended. Some Perfons fay, that Sigonius confeffed to his Friends that he wrote the Book; but Mr. Muratori does not believe it: for, fays he, Anthony Giganti, a particular Friend of Sigonius, declared, that he A a 2 earnestly

earnestly defired him to tell freely whether he wrote that Book or not, and that he constantly denied it. The fame Giganti faid, that he with Fabius Albergatus carefully examined all the Manufcripts which Sigonius had left behind him, in order to know whether they should not find fomething among them relating to Cicero's Confolatio; but that they could find nothing.

IN the Year 1584, Sigonius intending to fee his native Country and his Relations, went to Modena, as he used to do every Year; being at Modena, he was took with a viclent Illness, of which he died in a few days, having first performed all the Duties of a Chriftian, fays our Author; that is, having taken the Sacraments, as is ufual among the Roman Catholicks. He was buried in a folemn manner in the Church of St. Austin, at Modena; but no Monument was erected to the Memory of this Great Man, no Infcription put on his Tomb; which Mr. Muratori very juftly blames.

We have no occafion to enlarge upon the Praifes of this learned and famous Author; his Works fhew what he was, and are fufficient to make his Name immortal; and we cannot but congratulate the Publick for this complete and beautiful Edition of Sigonius's Works.

AR

ARTICLE XIX.

Sermons on the following Subjects, viz. Of the Univerfal Senfe of Good and Evil, &c. By JAMES FOSTER. London, Printed for J. NooN, at the White-Hart in Cheapfide, 1733. SVO. p. 442.

T

HE Author of thefe Sermons is fo well known by his excellent Treatife on the Usefulness, Truth, and Excellency of the Chriftian Religion, &c. that it would be needless to say any thing in favour of them. They will speak for themselves, let them but meet with impartial Readers.

THEY are fixteen in Number. The first treats of the Univerfal Senfe of Good and Evil, on Acts xxiv. 25. And as be (Paul) reafoned of Righteoufnefs, Temperance, and Judgment to come, Felix trembled. Mr. Fofter, after having explain'd in few Words this Text, as far as it includes an historical Fact, draws from it the following Inferences, upon which he inlarges, as being the chief intent of his Sermon. 1. That there is, even in the worst of Men, a natural Confcience of Good and Evil, which in very few, if any, Inftances, is entirely extinguished. The Advocates for Vice and Licentioufnefs, have reprefented our Notions of Right and Wrong, as the Effects of Education, Cuftom, and Superftition. But, ift, let them examine all Ages and Hiftories, and they will never find that Superftition had such a steady and univerfal Influence, as Notions of Morality. 2dly, A Man, by the ufe of proper Arguments, may A a 3 convince

convince great Multitudes of the Abfurdity and Folly of any etablished Superftition; but let him ufe the utmoft Sophiftry to confound all Diftinction between Virtue and Vice, to prove that thefe are only empty Names invented by Priests and Politicians, he will make but few Profelytes, nor even be able to impofe on himself, fo far as to be firmly established in fuch a wild Opinion, without having, at any time, uneafy Sufpicions, and fome mixtures of Jealoufy and Difruft. 3dly, In all Ages, those who differed moft about external Rites, and particular Forms of Superftition, have unanimously agreed in afferting the facredness of moral Obligations: All which, taken together, is the strongest Prefumption imaginable, that the univerfal Senfe of Good and Evil, is a natural Principle, and has not its foundation in Fancy and Enthufiafm. But 4thly, a direct and undeniable Proof of it, is, that all the Duties of Morality approve themselves to our best and purest Reafon; whereas Superflition can never ftand an exact and critical Enquiry. Hence it is, that the more the Mind confiders the Rules of Virtue, the more it is convinced of their Importance and Neceffity. Witness the wifeft in all Ages, who have had the most refined Sentiments of Morality, and urged the stricteft regard to it in all its Parts.

But here the Author obferves, that if Notions of Morality were only to be acquired through Study and Reflexion, the good effect. of them would frequently be obstructed, becaufe the Decifions of Reafon are flow, and formed by a train of Deductions and Inferences, which all Men are not equally capable of; and therefore God has implanted in our

Nature

Nature a kind of Senfe of Good and Evil, an immediate Perception of the Beauty of Virtue, and the Deformity of Vice. And this he takes to be what is moft properly meant by natural Confcience, which, however it may be corrupted and obfcured, the worft of Men can't entirely get rid of.

THE fecond Obfervation Mr. Fofter makes upon the Text, is what a miferable thing it is to have a Confcience burthen'd with Guilt, in that a Man dares not trust to himself to think, for fear of being alarm'd, and filled with Terror and Confufion. This was manifeft in Felix; and this is the Cafe of all fuch as indulge to any kind of vicious Exceffes. They do what they can to divert all grave and serious Reflections, to continue ftupid and infenfible. But when any thing happens that gives a fhock to the Mind, and puts them upon thinking, they are foon rous'd .out of their Lethargy, and entertain'd with none but dark and gloomy Profpects; they tremble.

THE third Inference from the Text, and a very natural one, is, that inculcating the great Duties of Morality, and inforcing the Practice of them, from a regard to the future Judgment, is TRUE GOSPEL PREACHING. It is evident from the thing itself, that the fupreme Rectitude and Happiness of human Nature, muft be the ultimate view of every divine Revelation, and confequently of the Gofpel. From whence it follows, that the Practice of moral Duties is infinitely preferable to Speculations, Faith, Orthodoxy, Mysterys, and alterable Forms and Modes of Worship. So, to preach Chrift, as our Author expreffes himself, "'tis not to use "his Name as a Charm, to work up our "Hearers

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