given, to take Men out of that State in which God originally designed to place them.

This is the Sum of the Argument against Revelation a priori: To confider it particu larly will take more Time than can be allowed: But in brief we may obferve,

1. That to argue, from the Perfection of human Reason, that we are discharged from receiving any new Laws from God, is inconfiftent with as clear a Principle of Reason as any whatever, and which neceffarily arifes from the Relation between God and Man; ; which is, That the Creature is bound to obey the Creator, in which Way foever his Will is made known to him: And this furely is true with respect to the highest Order of Beings, as well as to the lowest; for this Plea, now made for human Reafon, would be presumptuous in the Mouth of an Angel, and inconfiftent with the Subjection he owes to God.

2. As to the Perfection of human Reason, it cannot be, nor, I fuppofe, will it be maintained, that human Reason is abfolutely perfect; and therefore the Meaning muft be, that Reason is relatively perfect, considered as the Rule of our Obedience. But this is true only upon Suppofition that Reason is the only Rule of our Obedience; for, if

there

there be any other Rule befides, mere Reason cannot be the perfect Rule of our Obedience: And therefore this Argument is really begging the Thing in question; for it fuppofes there is no other Rule but Reason, which is the Thing not to be fuppofed, but to be proved. As much may be faid for every Law, as is faid in this Cafe for human Reason: Every Law, being the only Law in the Case, is a perfect Rule for the Subject's Obedience, because the Subject is bound to no more than the Law requires: But, if the Law be amended and enlarged by the fame Authority that made it, it is no longer a perfect Rule of Obedience; but, to make it such, it must be taken jointly with the Corrections and Enlargements made by the proper Authority.

3. Hence it follows, That to alter or add to a Law once confidered as a perfect Rule of Obedience, when an Alteration of Circumstances requires it, is neither useless nor impertinent, but oftentimes the Effect of Wisdom and Neceffity,

4. To fay that Revelation is unnecessary, because Reason is a perfect Rule, and at the fame time to affirm that those who have but an imperfect Ufe of Reafon have no Need of Revelation, is a manifeft Contradiction: To fay farther, that those who are

in fuch a State that actually they do not obey the Laws of Reason, and, morally fpeaking, cannot obey, are nevertheless in fuch a State as God intended they should be in, is not only making God the Author of Evil, but it is afcribing to him two inconfiftent Intentions: For to argue that God gave Men Reason to be the Rule of their Obedience, is fuppofing that his original Intention is, that Men fhould obey Reason; to argue at the fame time that those who live in Difobedience to this Law are in the State which God intended them to be in, is to suppose that God intended the Law should be obeyed, and not obeyed, at the fame time. But to return:

We are not now arguing in behalf of any particular Revelation, which may be true or falfe for any thing that has hitherto been faid: But this I urge, That Revelation is the fureft Foundation of Religion; and this wants no other Proof than an Explication of the Terms: Religion, confidered as a Rule, is the Knowledge of ferving and pleafing God: Revelation is the Declaration of God, how he would be ferved, and what will please him: And, unless we know what will please God, better than he himself does, Revelation must be the best Rule to serve

and

and please God by, that is, it must be the

best Religion.

From hence then, I fay, it is incumbent on every Man of Sense and Reason, upon every one who judges for himself in the Choice of his Religion, first to inquire whether there be a Revelation, or no: Nor can the Precepts of Natural Religion fingly be drawn into question, till 'tis first certain, that there is no Revelation to direct us: And therefore there can be no Comparison stated generally between Natural and Revealed Religion, in order to determine our Choice between them; because the Revelation must be first rejected, before Natural Religion can pretend to the fole Direction.

And yet this is the beaten Path that Unbelievers tread: They confider in general, that Revelation is fubject to many Uncertainties; it may be a Cheat at first, or it may be corrupted afterwards, and not faithfully handed down to them; but in Natural Religion there can be no Cheat, because in that every Man judges for himself, and is bound to nothing but what is agreeable to the Dictates of Reason and his own Mind: And upon these general Views they reject all Revelations whatever, and adhere to Natural Religion as the fafer Guide. But attend

to the Confequence of this Reasoning, which is this; That, because there may be a false Revelation, therefore there cannot be a true one: For, unless this Confequence be just, they are inexcufable in rejecting all Revelations, because of the Uncertainties which may attend them.

But now to apply what has been faid to the Chriftian Revelation: It has fuch Pretences, at least, as may make it worthy of a particular Confideration: It pretends to come from Heaven; to have been delivered by the Son of God; to have been confirmed by undeniable Miracles and Prophecies; to have been ratified by the Blood of Chrift and his Apostles, who died in afferting its Truth: It can fhew likewise an innumerable Company of Martyrs and Confeffors: Its Doctrines are pure and holy, its Precepts just and righteous; its Worship is a reasonable Service, refined from the Errors of Idolatry and Superftition, and fpiritual like the God who is the Object of it: It offers the Aid and Affiftance of Heaven to the Weakness of Nature; which makes the Religion of the Gofpel to be as practicable, as it is reasonable: It promises infinite Rewards to Obedience, and threatens eternal Punishment to obftinate Offenders; which makes

it