<derive allo from all the wonderful works of the Creator. The Greator poffeffeth all those great and noble excellencies, in a supreme degree, the <faint shadows of which he hath communicated to creatures. “On this principle, what an idea dught we to form of the Creator? From what a profound abyfs of power muft thofe boundless fpaces have proceeded, that immeafurable exteht, in which imagination is loft, those vast bodies, that' furround us, those luminous globes, those flaming spheres, which revolve in the heavens, along with all the other works, that compofe this univerfe? From what an abyfs of wildom muft the fucceflions of feafons, of day, and of night, have proceeded, thofe glittering kars, fo exact in their courses, and so punctual in their duration; along with all the different fecret fprings in the univerfe, which with the utinoft accuracy anfwer their delign? From what an abyfs of intelligence duft rational crea. Ture's come, beings, who conffitute the glory of the intelligent world.; profound politicians, wha pry into the moft intricate folds of the human heart; generals, who diffuse themselves through a whole army, animating with their eyes, and with their voices, the various regiments, which compofe their forces; admirable geeiufes, who develope the mysteries of nature, rifing into the heavens by dioptrics, defcending into the deepest fubterranean abyffes; quitting continental confinement by the art of navigation; men, who crofs the waves, and, in fpite of the winds, contemn the rocks, and direct a few planks fastened together to fail to the more diftant climes? Who can refuse to the author of all thefe wonderful, works the faculty of feeing and hearing?

But I do not pretend to deny, an infidel will fay, that all thefe wonderful works owe their existence to a Supreme caufe ; or that the Supréme Being, by whout alone they exift, doth

not

not himself poffefs all poffible perfection. But I affirm, that the Supreme Being is fo great, and fo exalted, that his elevation, and inconceivable excellence prevent him from cafting his eyes down to the earth, and paying any regard to what a creature fo mean and fo indigent as man performs. A Being of infinite perfection, does he intereft himself in my conduct? Will he ftoop to examine, whether I retain or difcharge the wages of my fervants? Whether I be regu-, lar or irregular in my family? and fo on. A king, furrounded with magnificence, and pomp, holding in his powerful hands the reigns of his empire a king, employed in weighing reafons of ftate, in equipping his fleets, and in levyinghis armies; will he concern himself with the demarches of a few worms crawling beneath his feet,?

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But this comparison of God to a king, and of men to worms, is abfurd and inconclufive. The economy of Providence, and the hiftory of the church, in concert with the. wonderful works of nature, difcover to us ten thousand differences between the relations of God to men, and those of a king to worms of the earth.,, No king hath. -given intelligent fouls to worms: but God hath given intelligent fouls to us.. No king hath proved, by ten thousand avenging strokes, and by ten thousand glorious rewards, that he obferved the conduct of worms: but God, by ten thoufand glorious recompenfes, and by ten thoufand vindictive punishments, hath proved his attention to the conduct of men.. No king hath made a covenant with worms: but God hath entered into covenant with us. No king hath commanded worms to obey him: but God, we affirm, hath ordained our obedience to him. No king can procure eternal felicity to worms: but God can communicate endless happiness to us. A king, although he be a king, is yet a man

his mind, is little and contracted, yea infinitely contracted; it would be abfurd, that he, being called to govern a kingdom, fhould fill his ca pacity with trifles : But is this your notion of the Deity? The direction of the fun, the gover ernment of the world, the formation of myriads: of beings, which live through universal nature, the management of the whole univerfe, cannotexhaust that intelligence, who is the object of our adoration and praife. While his thoughts include, in their boundless compafs, all real andi all poffible beings, his eyes furvey every individueal, as if each were the fole object of his attention.

Thefe arguments being thus fated, either our infidel nuk acknowledge, that they, at leasts render probable the truth of religion in general, and of this thefisiin particular, God regardeth the actions of men for he refufeth to acknowl-q edge it. If he refuse to acknowledgefit; if he feriously affirm, that all these arguments, very, far from arifing to demonftration, do not even afford a probability in favor of religion; then he is an idiot, and there remains no other argument to propofe to him, than that of our prophet, » Thou fool, when wilt thou be wise ?

51; even question whether any unbeliever could? ever perfuade himself of what he endeavors to perfuade others; that is, that the affemblage of truths, which conftitute, the body of natural, res ligion; that the heavy frokes of justice avenging vice, and the extatic, rewards accompanyingi virtue, which appear in Provider ce that the accomplishment of numerous prophecies that, the operations of countless miracles, which ares related in authentic hiftories of the church; no,f I cannot believe, that any infidel could ever pre-i vail with himself to think, that all this train of argument doth not form, a probability against a fyftem of infidelity and atheifm.

But if the power and the fplendor of truth force his confeut; if he be obliged to own, that, although my arguments are not demonftrative, they are, however, in his opinion, probable; then, with the prophet, I fay to him, O thou most brutish among the people!

V. Why? Because in comparing his logic with his morality, (and this is my fifth article) 1 perceive, that nothing but an excess of brutality can unite thefe two things. Hear how he reafons. "It is probable, not only that there is a God, but also that this God regardeth the actions of men, that he referves to himself the punishment of thofe, who follow the fuggeftions of vice, and the rewarding of them, who obey the laws of virtue. The fyftem of irreligion is counterbalanced by that of religion. Perhaps irreligion may be well grounded: but perhaps religion may be fo. In this ftate of uncertainty, I will direct my conduct on the principle, that irreligion is well grounded, and that religion hath no foundation. I will break in pieces, ver. 5. (this was the language, according to our pfalmift, of the unbelievers of his time) I will break in pieces the people of God; I will afflict bis beritage; I will slay the widow and the stranger; or, to fpeak agreeably to the genius of our own time, I will spend my life in pleafure, in gratifying my fenfual appetites, in avoiding what would check me in my course, in a word, in living as if I were able to demonftrate either that there was no God, or that he paid no regard to the actions of men." Ought he not, rather, on the contrary, as his mind is in a ftate of uncertainty between both, to attach himself to that, which is the moft fafe? Ought he not to fay "I will fo regulate my conduct, that, if there be a God, whofe existence, indeed, I doubt, but, however, am not able to disprove: If God pay any regard to the actions of men,

which I question, but cannot deny; he may not condemn me." Judge, ye chriftians! men, who can thus brutally infult a dark futurity, and the bare poflibility of thofe punishments, which religion denounceth againft the wicked; fuch men, are they not, either the most feolish, or the most brutish, among the people? "Understand, ye most brutish among the people Ye fools! When will ye be wife?"

VI. I would attack the conscience of the libertine, and terrify him with the language of my text." He, who teacheth man knowledge, fhall not be correct?" That is to fay, "He, who gave you laws, fhall not he regard your violation of them?" The perfons whom I at tack, I am aware, have defied us to find the leaft veftige of what is called confcience in them. But had you thoroughly examined yourfelves, when yoù fet us at defiance on this article? Have you been as fuccefsful, as you pretend to have been, in your daring enterprize of freeing yourselves entirely from the terrors of confcience? Is this light quite extinct? This interior master, doth he dictate nothing to you? This rack of the Almighty, doth it never force you to confess what you would willingly deny ? Are your knees fo firm, that they never fmite together with dread and horror?

The question, concerning the poffibility of entirely freeing a man from the empire of confcience, is a matter of fact. We think we have

reafon for affirming, that no man can bring himfelf to fuch a ftate. You pretend to be yourfelves a demonftration to the contrary. You are, you declare, perfectly free from the attacks. of confcience. This is a fact, and I grant it I take your word. But here is another fact, in regard to which we ought to believe in our turn, and on which our word is worth as much as yours. This is it. We have seen a great › number