together in this respect, ought to serve us instead of the most clear and evident Demonftration. But 'tis not proper we should as yet inlarge upon this particular. It is enough for us to have proved, that the Idea of the Knowledge, Wisdom, Goodness and Justice of God is so necessarily and so essentially united to the truth of his Existence, that the one cannot be established without the other, nor one be called in question, unless we doubt of both. For that alone is sufficient to shew the neceffity of Religion, which is the Second Principle we designed to establish. CHAP. IV. Wherein we shall prove the Necessity of Re ligion in general, by the Idea of God. Religion (according to our common notion of it,) is a Commerce between God and Men, in which God reveals himself unto Men, and Men glorifie God. Now 'tis true in fact, that God has revealed himself unto Men, because his Wisdom, Power, c. are on the one Hand so clearly displayed all over his Works, as to make us know his Existence; and on the other, he has given us a Soul which is capable of perceiving them. Besides, 'tis a natural and indispensable Duty incumbent upon every Man, to glorifie him who has bestowed so many good things upon him. We will not therefore scruple to affirm at first view, L view, that Religion in general is lawful and ne cessary. But we must proceed yet further. The most common and general Duties of Religion, are reducible to Four, Praise, Thanksgiving, Trust and Prayer. It seems altogether impossible, to acknowledge the Existence of God, and yet pretend to exempt our selves from paying these Four Duties to him. For if there be a God, he is fupreamly perfect, he made us what we are, and gave us whatever we possess; he may still increase his Benefits upon us, and supply our Wants; and for that reason, we owe him our Admiration, our Trust, our Prayers and our Thanksgivings. But if every one of us is bound in private to acquit himself of those Duties, 'tis certain that we lie under no less obligation to acquit our selves of them in publick. God is the God of us all, we all partake of his Favours. It is therefore highly reasonable to worship him in common, and that gratitude should call us together, since we have all an equal share in the effects of his Goodness. Now whenever we endeavour to glorifie God by the publick Exercises of Religion, if then we fincerely acquit our selves of our Duty, and of a Duty which Right Reason so clearly prescribes us; God cannot but know that we act therein agreeably to our Duty; and if he knows it, we cannot but think he approves of it, and that he will have it fo. If Religion therefore be on the one FTindispensable Duty with reference to if God on the other ne olid anda Foundations ? Or how can its necessity be ever called in question ? There's but this one course to take to avoid inferring this Consequence, which is to cut the whole Knot, by denying that God either approves or knows any thing, and so to annihilate his Existence after we have owned it. CHAP. V. Wherein we shall prove the Truth of Natural Religion. HAd God been contented barely to manifeft himself in his Works, by the Characters of Power and Wisdom so apparent in them, it might perhaps have been thought he had revealed himself only by accident, and while he was thinking of quite another matter than to make himself known. Had he been also contented to form Man capable of Knowledge, it might as well be thought that he made him a reasonable Being for some other purpose than to be known of him. But when a Being Sovereignly wise, and who knows very well what he does, manifests himself on the one ha his Works; and on made capable of ng before him a and Vertues, and hich cannot help nds fome traces the other, gives knowing nim by wonderful pictur giving him an u Moved at it think any otherwise, but that the Maker of the World had a Design to make himself known of Men. And Religion not only makes up Mans Duty, not only is approved of God, and not only enters into the Design of that Wisdom which reveals it felf for that purpose; but we cannot but further acknowledge, that Man was in a manner wholly designed for it. This we may easily conceive, if we please but to remember, that the Nature of Man consists of Four several degrees of Perfection; viz. Of the degree of Being, that of a Living Being, that of a Sensitive Being, and of that of a Rational Being. 'Tis evident, that his ultimate end cannot be included in either of the Three former degrees of his Nature. For were Man in the World for no further end, but simply to be, he should not need to have had any Life at all. Were he to exist in the World purely to live, Sensation would have been wholly needless to him. And were he to exist in the World, only to perform the Animal Functions, his Reason would have been but an infignificant accomplish ment. : To what end then can Man be designed for, as Man, and as a Reasononable Creature? (for to affert, that all other Beings in the World are designed for fome end or other, by which they manifeft the wisdom of their Creator; but that Man alone is excepted, is such an Opinion as cannot reasonably enter in any Man's Thoughts.) No, he was doubtless designed to make a right ufe of his Reason ; and twould be very absurd to imagine, that we were made Reasonable Beings, for any other end, than to make a right use f our Reafon. But But 'tis certain, that the right use of our Reason confifts not in dwelling wholly upon vain and unfruitful Studies, such as the Study of all those Sciences which have Speculation only for their ultimate end; it being evident that Men were never designed to be meer Philosophers. It is certain also, that this right use of our Reason, confifts yet much less in inventing means how to opprefs Innocence, to commit all forts of injustice with impunity, or to gratifie our diforderly Passions; and that any Man had better make no use at ail of his Reason, than to employ it thus to fuch ill purposes. What remains therefore, but that the right ufe of our Reason serves to make us know our selves, and acknowledge all the Benefits for which we are indebted to God? It humbles us by the consideration of our Dependance upon him, (which makes us inferiour to his Nature,) of the Dominion he has over us: And lastly, it makes us careful to express our gratitude to him, by living in fuch a manner as we think most acceptable to him; that is, by governing our Pafsions, by doing no wrong to any Man, not even to our selves by Debauchery or Intemperance; all which Duties are agreeable to him upon this account, because we are his Workmanship, and that he desires our welfare and preservation. But 'tis Religion that governs our Paffions by Justice and Temperance, and teaches us to know God in order to glorifie him. Man therefore was made for Religion, and Religion is the main end and design of Man's Creation. But that which confirms us the more in this Opinion, is, that besides the manifestation of God's Being to us in the works of Nature, God him L3 |