Dispositions lay concealed in his Heart, meerly through want of Objects to exercise them upon, and if it be true, that all these Dispositions are nevertheless natural to him, and that they will infallibly exert themselves, so soon as his Solitude shall cease; we may affirm the same thing, and much more concerning the Principles of Natural Religion. He would be free from all stings of Confcience, because he will have had no Opportunity of doing Mischief to any Man. The Maxims of Justice engraven in his Heart, would be needless to him through want of Objects to exercise them upon. It may be that his Mind will lye hid, and as it were buried in fuch a Lethargy, as will scarcely permit him to reflect upon what he daily beholds. 'Tis nevertheless most certain he would have a Religion, so soon as Common Sense should exert it self in him; that it would be natural for him to believe, that all he sees was not framed of it self; that he would be capable of Religion, in the same sense he is capable of Society; that is, by a Natural Disposition; that the Seed Religion is implanted in his Heart, as well as that of Society; that as the endeavours of Policy to unite Men together under the Laws of a Civil Government, would be fruitless and inefficacious, were they not themselves naturally born for Society, so in like manner 'twould be to no purpose to teach them any Religion at all, were they not naturally disposed to it by the Principles of Natural Religion. From Nature we derive those Bonds which unite us to one another; from it we learn by Experience, that we can't live without them. From Nature also we derive those Bonds which unite us to God, and it teaches us by an instinct of Common Sense, that we can't live without him. And as the Diversity in Civil Governments does not hinder the Uniformity of our Inclinations which dispose us to Society and Union; so neither does the diversity of Religions overthrow the Uniformity of those Principles which dispose us to Religion. The Passions diversify Religion, and they diversify Society too; and yet the worst of Governments supposes however the Union of Men, as a requisite Condition, without which it can never subsist. Superstition supposes also Natural Religion, without which it would be impossible for it likewife to subsist; because as a bad Government is nothing else but an ill disciplined Society or union, so Superstition is nothing but Natural Religion, perverted and distorted to false Objects. All which Confiderations methinks are not only sufficient to solve that Objection which we have here set down, but many others befides. SECT. SECT. III. Wherein we shall prove the Truth of the Jewish Religion. CHAP. Ι. An Enquiry into this New Revelation, Superadded to that of Nature, the Neceffity of which we are in some measure convinced of already. Hould we caft our Eyes only upon those Na tions that surpassed the rest in Prosperity and Grandeur, and look back into the History of former times, we should find nothing in the World, but what would ruffle our Minds, and confound our Reason. We should see how the Greeks, who certainly were the most Polite and Civilized People in all the World, erected Altars to the pretended Goddesses of Envy and Discord. How the Egyptians, who boasted of having imparted to the Greeks all that Knowledge they have so well improved, fought the Object of their Worship among their Garden Herbs; and how the Romans worshipped the Fever as a Deity, Weakness in the People, Imposture in the HighPriests, uncertainty in the Philosophers, Men deified after their Death, Deities Metamorphosed into Beasts, and Beasts into Deities; Sin changed into a Duty, and the Principles of Natural Religion made ufe of as Instruments to gratify Pride, and to help to maintain the Impiety of Men ; I say, whilst we behold fuch things, yet we at the same time find in an obscure and unknown Corner of the World, a Nation of Wife-men and of Philosophers, if I may so speak, who had much finer notions of a Deity, than either Socrates or Plato, and who carried their Idea of Vertue much higher than ever did the Stoicks. , The Jews represented the Deity as an Everlasting Being, Infinite, Simple, most Perfect, Almighty, Holy and Happy in the Supream degree, who is himself Independent, and on whom all other Beings depend: To him they paid their Homages, and ascribed all the Benefits they received. His Law they chose for the Model of their Conduct; they professed all Submission to him, both of their whole Minds and Wills, and for his fake to renounce their Evil Defires. What was therefore the cause of all this? Was it because the Jews were more polite than all other Nations besides? By no means, they were rather more grofs and ignorant in every other respect. Were they free from those Paffions which usually incline Men to Superftition? But if it were so, what should we ascribe that wondrous effect in them to, which is so great, that a greater can never be imagined ? Should we say that the Jews were the Children of Abraham, who by the confideration of Nature, attained to the Knowledge 04 |