Our Confcience ufually conforms it felf to the Idea we have of the Deity we worship, and we never forbid our felves thofe Actions which we afcribe to the Objects of our Devotion. We may therefore very well imagin how irregular Mens Confciences muft needs be, when they had fuch monstrous Ideas of the Deity, and how little fcrupulous they were to commit Adultery and Rebellion, when they conceived Jupiter himfelf the greatest of the Gods, as an Adulterer and a Rebellious Son,

But Natural Religion is not only become inefficacious, but pernicious alfo through Mens abufes of it: For they had much better worship nothing at all, than worship the Creatures; and have no Confcience, rather than a Confcience that is Blind and Superftitious, which has occafion'd fo many Nations to be guilty of repeating new Crimes, in order to the Expiation of their former, by obliging them to Sacrifice their Children to falfe Deities.

And this Disorder was general; for 'tis not only Three or Four Persons, or Three or Four Nations that were guilty of this prodigions Irregularity, but we find Paganifm fpread over the Face of the whole Universe.

Common Sense informs us, that if Means ceafe to be proper for the end we had designed it, then of thefe Two things we ought to do the one, either give it quite over, or else reform it by fome Alteration to the better. Since therefore Men who were naturally defigned to make a right use of their Reason, have put it to a pernicious ufe, and thereby thwarted the end they were naturally defigned for, what could we think elfe of that Deity (whofe Wisdom cannot be deceived,)

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ftrengthning them against the Irregularity of their Paffions, by a Second Revelation which might reveal greater Objects to us than thofe of our Paflions, and thereby diminish that Excefs which occafions all our Illufions and Errors?

But without ingaging in any farther Difcuf fion in this Controverfy, you need but recollect all the Reasons which have convinced you of the neceffity of Natural Religion, to be alfo perfwaded of the neceffity of its re-establishment; because the fame neceflity there was for Men to have a Religion, does still remain, though that Religion is become inefficacious by their depravation.

It cannot be denied, but that these Reasons are very probable, for as much as all of them are derived from the nature of things, and bear an exact proportion with the Principles of common Sense.

Fourthly, But what could we object, if Experience being fuperadded to Reafon, fhould yet more plainly difcover to us the truth of this grand Principle? it being most certain that it can never deceive us. For fince we know what Natural Religion is, and fince we have feen what Paganifm, or the Corruption of this Religion was, we may very easily perceive wherein the re-eftablifhment of it does confift, and not be mistaken in difcerning its true Characters.

It is neceffary this Second Revelation fuperadded to the former, fhould banish out of Mens Minds, whatever filly and extravagant Ideas they had framed to themselves of the Deity; and instead of modelling their Idea of God by the corrupt Difpofitions of their Hearts, teach them

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how

how to regulate the Difpofitions of their Hearts, by the true Idea of a God, whom confequently they must conceive to be Holy, Just and Perfect. It muft oblige them to mortify thofe Defires in 'em by which they are feduced, and reprefs the Fury of those Paffions which occasion their violating the most Sacred Rights; it must prefcribe to them Equity and Juftice for indifpenfable Duties, and not only extinguish all kinds of Vitious Paffions, but pull them up by the very Roots, by prohibiting Concupifcence it felf, and the bare defire after them. Lastly, It was needful it fhould unite and closely fasten Men both to one another, and to God.

Doubtlefs we must have a strange averfion for Truth, if finding a Revelation qualified with all thefe Characters, we fhould not grant it was defigned to re-establish Natural Religion, and that it has the very fame principle with it. I am very well perfwaded, that the Two parts of our Nature, will not agree very well together in this sethet; for our Reafon with its purest Light, Maxims of Equity and Juftice, Natural Knowedge of God, and its most equitable motions of Confcience in oppofition to the efforts of Concupifcence, will induce us to acknowledge this Revelation. But Concupifcence on the contrary seconded by its Paflions, will endeavour to give our Reafon the Lie; fo that we are then oblixamine whether we had rather to refer

to our Reafon, which never deceives t be feduced by Concupifcence, or cupifcence, which always deceives our it felf; to thefe Maxims of Equity and ich never lead us in any Error whator to Self-intereft which makes us every day

day take falfe Steps; to the motions of Confcience, which would prevent us from committing Evil, if we would but give any credit to it, or to our Paffions, which for the most part occafion our daily falling into feveral Misfortunes even in the common Affairs of Life, &c. Lastly, We are obliged to refolve whether we had rather become Monsters, by fubmitting the lights of our Reason to our Paffions, or be Men, by fubmitting our Paffions to the light of our Reason. But we fhall in the fubfequent part of this work, answer the Difficulties of the Deifts.

CHAP. VIII.

Wherein we prove that there is a that there is a neceffary and natural distinction betwixt Moral Good and Evil.

Efore we come to answer the Objections of the Deifts, it is neceffary we should confute the Opinion of fome who obftinately maintain there is no Natural Distinction betwixt Good and Evil, and affirm they are Fictitious Names, which make no further impreffion upon the Minds of Men, then they are Seconded by the strength of Education and Prejudi

ces.

Were this a certain rule, we must then confefs there is no Duty incumbent upon us, and that the most profligate Men ought not to act

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