the Heathen World fome fuch great and good Men, who were as Lights fhining in a dark Place; yet was there not one found able to extricate himself from all the Superftition of his Country, much less to reduce the People to a Practice confonant to the pure Principles of Natural Religion. And it is an Obfervation true in itself, and of great Weight in this Cafe, That not one Country, nay not one City, ever embraced the Principles of Natural Religion upon the pure Strength of their own Reason, or upon Conviction from the Reason and Wisdom of others. And, fince the World continued under Idolatry for many Ages together before the Coming of Christ, notwithstanding that they had as much Sense and Reason in those Days as we have in ours, what Pretence is there to imagine that they would not have continued in the fame State to this Day, if the Light of the Gospel had not appeared?

Whoever confiders this Matter seriously and fairly, cannot but be convinced of the Truth of the Apostle's Affertion, That by Wisdom the World knew not God.

As to the second Propofition, That it hath pleafed God by the Foolishness of Preaching to Jave them that believe; as far as true Notions of God and Religion are neceffary Means

of

of Salvation, the Truth of the Affertion will be admitted.

The Enemies of Revelation will of themfelves, and in fpight of themselves, bear witness so far to this Truth. They now fee clearly the great Truths of Religion; they can now demonftrate the Being and Attributes of God, and from the Relation we bear to him deduce the Duties owing to him, the Worship, and the Purity of the Worship, that is to be paid him. Are they wifer than all who lived before them? or do they owe this new Degree of Light and Knowledge to fome Advantage which others before them had not? They will hardly fay they are wifer than all who lived when Learning and Arts and Sciences flourished in the Eaft, in Greece, and at Rome; and, should they say it, it will be harder still to believe them: And yet what one Advantage have they above the others, this only excepted, That in their Days the Light of the Gospel has been spread over the World?

But, however, this Comparison between the Wife and Learned of different Ages will not determine the Cafe before us; for Religion is not made for Scholars only: The Use of it is to govern and direct the World, and to influence the Practice of Mankind.

And

And the great Question lies between the Religion of the World in general before the Coming of Christ, and fince; and the Influence which Religion in one State and the other naturally had, or may be fuppofed to have had, by juft Confequence, on the Morality of Mankind. To give you an Account of the Religion and Divinity of the Vulgar in the Days of Heathenism, would be to entertain you with an History of Folly and Superstition; fome Parts of which for the Barbarity of them, and fome for the Lewdness of them, are very unfit to be related in a Chriftian Congregation. The People thought of their Gods much after the rate that the Poets write of them; and their facred History was an Account of the Battles and Quarrels, and of the Loves and Amours of their Deities. Their Practice in Religion was agreeable to their Articles of Belief: Their impure Deities were worshipped in Acts of Impurity or Barbarity: And how could it be otherwise? for, when Vice itself was confecrated, and had Temples dedicated to it, how could the Worshippers be untainted?

But confider now how the Cafe ftands in Countries where the Gospel is preached in any tolerable Degree of Purity. The comVOL. I. L

mon

mon People now are no greater Reasoners than they were formerly: Yet go into our Villages, you will find there a firm Perfuafion of the Unity of God, who made Heaven and Earth, and all Things in them: The meanest of the People will tell you, that an honest Heart is the only acceptable Sacrifice to God, and that there is no Way to please him but by doing justly and righteoufly.

Let me afk now, whence comes this Change? Is it for the better, or no? If it is, furely the World is greatly indebted to the Hand that wrought this Change, that rooted out all the falfe Notions destructive of Virtue and the Happiness of Mankind, and planted in the room thereof Principles which do fo much Honour and Glory to God, and are full of present Peace and future Hopes for the Children of Men.

I am aware that it will be faid, That the common People now are no more able to give a Reason of the Faith that is in them, than their Heathenifh Anceftors were before them; and that Custom and the Prejudices of Education have influenced both equally; and that these Christians, had they been born Heathens, would have been Heathens, or,

if

if Mahometans, they would have been ftill Mahometans.

Suppose the Cafe to be fo, and confider whether we are not extremely obliged to Revelation even upon this Foot.

If Men are naturally influenced by Custom and the Force of Education to follow the. Opinions and Practices of their Country, and are, after all that has been faid to exalt human Reason, incapable to deliver themfelves from popular and national Errors by the Strength of their own Reason; two Things muft, I think, be admitted:

First, That it was a great Undertaking, and the Work of a very extraordinary Power, to root out antient Errors, which had for many Ages had Poffeffion of the whole World: And,

Secondly, That it was an Act of great Wisdom and Goodness, as well as Power, to introduce juft Principles and Notions of Religion, and, by giving them at first a firm Establishment, to throw the Weight of Cuftom and Education on the Side of Virtue and true Religion, in oppofition to Superftition and Vice.

The first Propofition cannot be difputed; for, if the Power of Custom and Education be as great as it is represented, the Power