CONTENTS.

CONVERSATION THE FIRST

Page 1

The subject of inquiry, that nothing is really and ultimately ill in

the state of man, 3. Indisposition of many towards revelation

accounted for, 5; particularly of the French philosophers, ib.;

and Voltaire, 6. Christianity really friendly to the interests of

mankind, ib. Revelations made known by Moses and Jesus

Christ, 7, 8. Province and design of miracles, 9. What is na-

ture, 10; and the course of nature, 12: the God of nature not to

be lost sight of, 13. Plain old argument for believing a God, ib.

Concession of d'Alembert, ib.; of Voltaire, 14. Reasons for re-

jecting divine revelation, 15; how to be refuted, 16.

CONVERSATION THE SECOND

17

The author of the Characteristics said to have little regard for the

Scriptures, 18; remarkable proof of his veneration for the Cre

ator, 19; pains taken by him to print a volume of sermons, 20;

educates a person to be a clergyman, 21; his want of candour

towards sacred persons and sacred laws, 22; remarks on the ex-

termination of the Canaanites, 24; his opinion of miracles, 25;

letter to his young friend, 27; his scepticism and raillery, 28;

general view of his character, ib. Benevolence of the Deity

affirmed, 29; proofs of it in the happiness of the animal cre

ation, 30; objections from the nature of ravenous beasts obvi-

ated, 33; goodness towards man as an animal, notwithstanding

diseases and death, 35; as a reasonable being, 37; all nature pro--

perly invoked by the Hebrew poets to celebrate the praise of the

Creator, 41; difficulties from the consideration of the real state of

mankind, in a moral point of view, 43..

CONVER-

CONVERSATION THE THIRD

Page 43

History of the origin of mankind, 44. Man not left to himself from

the beginning, 45. Temptation of Eve, ib.; consequences of it, 47.

Influence of Enoch, 48. State of the antediluvians, 49; effect of

it on Noah, ib. Call of Abraham, 50; greatness of his cha-

racter, 51; disinterestedness, 52. Destruction of Sodom and

Gomorrha, 53. Blemishes in the character of sacred persons, 54.

Character of Moses, ib.; credibility of his history, 55; the rejec-

tors of it objects of pity, 56. Extermination of the Canaanites,

and reason for it, 57-62. Great characters among the heathen

nations, 62. Socrates, 62—65 ; guilty of attacking the popular be-

lief, 64; and of prevarication, 65; vindication of him, 66. Cicero,

67. New æra announced by Paul at Athens, 68; character of

this new æra, ib.; departure from it by the great body of Chris-

tians, 70; resemblance between them and Mohammed, 71; effect

of their mutual principles, 72; Protestants guilty of the same

crimes, 74; arising from pride, 75. Real privileges of the Gospel,

77. Combination of civil and ecclesiastical powers against reli-

gion, 78; attempt made to destroy it, 79; knowledge and virtue

progressive, 80. Methods adopted by God the best, 81; practice

of mankind no objection to them, 83; testimony of archbishop

King, 84; conclusion in favour of the wisdom and goodness of

God, 87.

CONVERSATION THE FOURTH

88

Is sin the appointment of God? 88. God's general goodness, 89; a

proof that evil is not permitted on its own account, 92; the same

inferred from the experience of mankind, 93; the whole originates

in goodness, 95; error of the king of Prussia on this subject, 96;

and of d'Alembert, 98; better conduct of Turgot, 100. Men are

not justified in doing evil, 103. God not the immediate author of

sin, 104. Scriptural expression considered, 105. Men responsible

for their actions, 107.

CONVERSATION THE FIFTH

109

Confession of Synesius, 109. We are not the work of an envious

being, 110. The history given in the Bible written in the best

manner,

manner, 111. God's plan towards his creatures the best, 112. The

command to destroy the Canaanitish nations divine, ib. Only one

person is God, 113. Error of Mr. de Luc, ib. Confuted by the

present Bishop of Lincoln, 114. Farther errors of Mr. de Luc on

the word Elohim, and antiquity of the notion of a trinity, 115.

Plain argument that only one person is God, 116. Jews not to be

despised, 117. Christianity has, from the vices of its professors,

not produced the effects for which it is intended, ib. Advantages

derived from Mr. Hume's objections, 118. Objection stated, ib.;

answered, 119.. Abraham's conduct vindicated, 123. Archbishop

Tillotson's observations on the faith of Abraham, 125. Farther

reflections on the same subject, 128. Eternity of punishment con-

sidered, 130. Meaning of words eternal, everlasting, for ever, 133.

Dr. Hartley's opinion on this subject, 135.

CONVERSATION THE LAST

136

Inquiry into the existence and interference of a superior evil

being, 137; no such being mentioned by Moses, 138. "Devils,"

a term introduced into our translation of the Pentateuch without

authority, 139; terms," familiar spirits," equally unjustifiable, 140.

Meaning of the word " Satan" in several passages of the Old Testa-

ment, 141; the existence of a superior evil being not to be derived

from the Old Testament, 143; whence the Jews derived their opi-

nion of him, 144; and how the term Satan came to be used by the

evangelists, 145. Meaning of the term Satan in several passages.

the New Testament, 146; our Saviour expressed only the popular

opinion on this subject, 147; as is seen by various passages, 148-

151. The apostles held not the opinion that there was an evil

being, 151-153. Archbishop Newcome and Mr. Wakefield, 153.

What the Devil really is, 155. Important conclusions, 155.

CONVER-

CONVERSATIONS

ON THE

DIVINE GOVERNMENT,

&c. &c.

I

CONVERSATION I.

VICTORIN TO VOLUSIAN.

HAVE a singular satisfaction oftentimes in recollecting a conversation which took place some years since at ******, the country-seat of our respectable friend, in which you bore no inconsiderable part, and in my opinion came off with more honour than those who were crowned in the Olympic games; an honour that, however, not to be attained without much labour and self-denial. But you gained a victory over yourself, and many marrow and inveterate religious prejudices which you had the courage to renounce, and, notwithstanding obloquy and various worldly disadvantages, have ever since remained firm in the profession and worship of the one true God and father of the universe, as prescribed and practised by Jesus Christ.

In the account of the conversation to which I allude, it is stated, that the way of worship, which you, after much inquiry and deliberation, embraced,

was

was that held forth to the English nation and to the church of England in particular, in the "Amendments, humbly proposed to the Consideration of those in Authority, of the Book of Common Prayer

according to the Use of the Church of England. By Samuel Clarke, D.D. Rector of St. James's, Westminster." Such is the modest style, in which this excellent person speaks of what had been the fruits of many years labour and thought to promote the honour and credit of the established church, and a purer worship of God in it.

What farther information may be desired concerning this valuable manuscript work of Dr. Clarke, which, after his decease, was presented by his son Mr. Clarke to the British Museum, and deposited there, may be found in a Tract, entitled, "Conversations on Christian Idolatry."

And I cannot forbear adding, that, from some facts reported at the close of that Tract, it may appear probable, that the pure worship of the One true God might silently and quietly, in a course of time, have then made its way* in France, had the first happy revolution in that country proceeded and continued as it began, and not been followed by such dire and violent convulsions. It affords, however, a pleasing omen of what may hereafter take place there in more favourable times.

But I have run out to a much greater length than

*See the French Constitution, pp. 371-375, the 2d edition, with corrections and additions, by Benjamin Flower.