himself has also imprinted this truth in our Soul, or which is but the same in effect, he has framed our Understanding after such a manner, as it cannot but naturally assent to this Truth, that we must love them that do good to us, It cannot be doubted, but God has imprinted this Maxim in our Soul, because we own him for our Maker; and it is evident that he imprinted it in us for no other intent than to oblige us to love our Benefactors; so that being himself our Benefactor, and that too in a far more noble and proper Sense than all others, (since Men do us good, meerly because it is Gods Will they should do so,) it cannot be denied, but that he approves and requires our gratitude. I confess that those First Maxims of Equity and Justice which are naturally imprinted in our Minds, do likewise very much conduce to unite Men together in one publick Body or Society : But I affirm withal, that they serve yet better to unite them together in the Exercise of Religion; Nature making them sensible how much greater Obligations they have to God, than to any one else. We have then a very just Reason to deride the extravagance of some, who affert that Men were made for Society, and yet will not agree with us that they were also designed for Religion; fince the Bonds which waite them to God, are beyond comparison more strong and natural than those which unite them to one another. For were it Interest that unites Men together in Society, Reason informs us, that God is able to do us more good than all his Creatures besides. Were it Gratitude, we are infinitely more beholding holding to God than to Men. Were it Fear, (as Hobbs pretends that it is,) God is worthy to be feared above all things. Were it Love, we ought to love him more than any other Object. And were it all these Ties and Bonds together, which naturally dispose Men to Society, who does not difcern, but all these Principles being united together, do yet much more dispose them to Religion? So that if we cannot renounce Society without degenerating into Brutes, neither can we renounce Religion, without debasing our Natures yet much more, and without a much more prodigious irregularity. It is therefore an undoubted Truth, that our Reason did not impose upon us, when it inform'd us by the simple Idea of God, that it was necessary there should be a Religion. We may affirm we do in some respect feel and experience that Truth, because we discover in our selves a Natural Religion which consists in the Knowledge Nature has given us of God, in the sense of the Obligations we have to him, in those Principles of Equity and Justice which we commonly call the Law of Nature; and in that we cannot violate any of those Principles, without being tormented with some Remorfes arifing thereupon in our Conscience, unless prevented by some extrinfecal Obstacle. Hitherto this Natural Religion carries these Two advantages along with it. First, that it is necessarily true. It is true that there is a God, that we are obliged in gratitude to this Deity, and that we are very culpable, if ever we fail to express it; and this is the Sum of all the principles of this Religion, Secondly, That it is afL4 fixed fixed to our Nature, and that 'twas God himself that tied the Knot. But because this last Truth is yet liable to fome Exceptions, 'twill not be impertinent to our present purpose, to give a fuller Explanation of it. CHAP. VI. Wherein 'tis proved, that there are some Principles of a truly Natural Religion implanted in us. S Ince Natural Religion is founded upon the Knowledge of God, we ought to begin with that Confideration. We have already made it appear that this Knowledge did spring from Nar ture and not from Education; and we have fo plainly demonstrated it, as not to think our felves obliged so to infist any longer upon it. We want therefore only now to know, how this Knowledge of the Existence of God can be natural to us, since we acquire it by Ratiocination. We answer, that it is Natural, and yet acquired too; and that it is with this Knowledge of God, as with the Tenderness which Parents are wont to express for their Children, which is Natural by every one's Confeffion, and yet acquired too, because it could not be had before the Child was born.. So likewise, as 'tis God who is the inle ofell Paternal Tenderness, becaus ildren, has so disposed our Hearts, that we can't but love them when ever we have any; so he is the Principle too of the Knowledge we have of his Existence, because he has on the one fide imprinted the Characters of his Wisdom in this World; and on the other he has so framed our Understanding, that it cannot by these Characters, but be convinc'd of the Existence of its Maker. But if there be any that either call, or would seem to call in question the first Truth, we must look upon them to be in Society, just what Monsters are in the World. And after all, do we not actually find there are some Persons that stifle their Natural Sentiments? We know that a Roman Emperor put his Mother to Death, and we have heard a Thousand times of Mothers who have Murthered their own Children: If the Passions then of Man's Heart are capable of ftifling fuch forcible Natural Sentiments as those, why should we wonder that those same Passions should be able to obscure the Knowledge we have that there is a God? Conscience which comprehends the Natural Law, (because it acts conformably to its Principles) is natural to Man in the very same sense, as the Knowledge of God is natural to him. For as God on the one hand, in giving us a Soul capable of Knowledge, and on the other, in so clearly manifesting himself in the Universe, has imposed a Necessity upon us of knowing him; so God likewife in imparting to us on the one hand Reason, which cannot but allow of certain Duties other fear fcribes them to us, and on the a Heart which cannot forbear eproach our selves with the neglect neglect of them, disposes us by a necessity of Nature, to conceive Remorses when ever we have committed Evil. Conscience therefore, together with the Knowledge of God, is natural to the Rational, but not to the Animal Nature. And 'tis not the blindness and violence of Matter, but the light and evidence of the Understanding that produces it. But this Truth we shall the better conceive, if we but consider that the Remorses of Conscience are composed of the Judgments of the Understanding, and of the inward Passions of the Heart. The Understanding (though never so averse to it,) cannot help receiving these Three Truths; that there are certain Actions essentially and necessarily criminal; that Sin deserves Punishment; and that God who doubtless knows things to be what they are in themselves, cannot but disallow of Criminal Actions. Nature her self, that helps us to make these Three Judgments; and if we apply them to our condition, when ever we happen to be guilty of any Sin, 'tis Nature also that makes us fear. 'Tis First, It is natural for our Understanding, to think certain Actions. Criminal, because it assents naturally to the Principles that are violated by these Actions. It cannot be doubted, but that assasinating ones Friend, killing on's own Father, betraying on's own Benefactor, and blafpheming God's Holy Name, (when we once have been perswaded of his Existence,) are all wicked actions; because they violate those Duties which are naturally so well known to Men, that all the Violence of their Passions cannot hin der them from allowing them. Secondly, |