together in this respect, ought to ferve us inftead of the most clear and evident Demonftration. But 'tis not proper we should as yet inlarge upon this particular.

It is enough for us to have proved, that the Idea of the Knowledge, Wifdom, Goodness and Juftice of God is fo neceffarily and fo effentially united to the truth of his Exiflence, that the one cannot be established without the other, nor one be called in queftion, unless we doubt of both. For that alone is fufficient to fhew the neceffity of Religion, which is the Second Principle we designed to establish.

CHA P. IV.

Wherein we shall prove the Neceffity of Re ligion in general, by the Idea of God.

Religion (according to our common notion

of it,) is a Commerce between God and Men, in which God reveals himself unto Men, and Men glorifie God.

Now 'tis true in fact, that God has revealed himself unto Men, because his Wisdom, Power,&c. are on the one Hand fo clearly displayed all over his Works, as to make us know his Existence; and on the other, he has given us a Soul which is capable of perceiving them.

Besides, 'tis a natural and indifpenfable Duty incumbent upon every Man, to glorifie him who has bestowed fo many good things upon him. We will not therefore fcruple to affirm at first

view,

view, that Religion in general is lawful and ne ceffary. But we must proceed yet further.

The most common and general Duties of Religion, are reducible to Four, Praife, Thanksgiving, Truft and Prayer. It feems altogether impoffible, to acknowledge the Existence of God, and yet pretend to exempt our felves from paying these Four Duties to him. For if there be a God, he is fupreamly perfect, he made us what we are, and gave us whatever we poffefs; he may ftill increase his Benefits upon us, and fupply our Wants; and for that reason, we owe him our Admiration, our Trust, our Prayers and our Thanksgivings.

But if every one of us is bound in private to acquit himself of those Duties, 'tis certain that we lie under no lefs obligation to acquit ur felves of them in publick. God is the God of us all, we all partake of his Favours. It is therefore highly reasonable to worship him in common, and that gratitude fhould call us together, fince we have all an equal thare in the effects of his Goodnefs.

Now whenever we endeavour to glorifie God by the publick Exercifes of Religion, if then we fincerely acquit our felves of our Duty, and of a Duty which Right Reason fo clearly prescribes us; God cannot but know that we act therein agreeably to our Duty; and if he knows it, we cannot but think he approves of it, and that he will have it fo.

If Religion therefore be on the one indifpenfable Duty with reference if God on the other necul

and if it

it be

lid

unda

Foundations? Or how can its neceffity be ever

called in question?

There's but this one courfe to take to avoid inferring this Confequence, which is to cut the whole Knot, by denying that God either ap proves or knows any thing, and fo to annihi late his Existence after we have owned it,

CHA P. V.

Wherein we shall prove the Truth of Natural Religion.

Hadifold in his works, by the Characters

Ad God been contented barely to manifeft

of Power and Wisdom fo apparent in them, it might perhaps have been thought he had revealed himself only by accident, and while he was thinking of quite another matter than to make himself known. Had he been alfo contented to form Man capable of Knowledge, it might as well be thought that he made him a reasonable Being for fome other purpose than to be known of him. But when a Being Sovereignly wise, and who knows very well what he does, manifefts himself on the one ha his Works; and on the other, gives knowing nim by wonderful pictur giving him an u

made capable of

before him a

ng

and Vertues, and

hich cannot help

oved at it

inds fome traces

think any otherwife, but that the Maker of the World had a Defign to make himself known of Men.

And Religion not only makes up Mans Duty, not only is approved of God, and not only enters into the Defign of that Wisdom which reveals it felf for that purpofe; but we cannot but further acknowledge, that Man was in a manner wholly designed for it.

This we may easily conceive, if we please but to remember, that the Nature of Man confifts of Four several degrees of Perfection; viz. Of the degree of Being, that of a Living Being, that of a Senfitive Being, and of that of a Rational Being. 'Tis evident, that his ultimate end cannot be included in either of the Three former degrees of his Nature. For were Man in the World for no further end, but fimply to be, he fhould not need to have had any Life at all. Were he to exist in the World purely to live, Senfation would have been wholly needlefs to him. And were he to exift in the World, only to perform the Animal Functions, his Reason would have been but an infignificant accomplish

ment.

To what end then can Man be défigned for, as Man, and as a Reafononable Creature? (for to affert, that all other Beings in the World are defigned for fome end or other, by which they manifeft the wifdom of their Creator; but that Man alone is excepted, is fuch an Opinion as cannot reasonably enter in any Man's Thoughts.) No, he was doubtless defigned to make a right ufe of his Reafon; and 'twould be very abfurd to imagine, that we were made Reasonable Beings, for any other end, than to make a right use of our Reason,

But

But 'tis certain, that the right use of our Reafon confifts not in dwelling wholly upon vain and unfruitful Studies, such as the Study of all thofe Sciences which have Speculation only for their ultimate end; it being evident that Men were never defigned to be meer Philofophers.

It is certain also, that this right use of our Reafon, confifts yet much lefs in inventing means how to opprefs Innocence, to commit all forts of injuftice with impunity, or to gratifie our diforderly Paffions; and that any Man had better make no use at all of his Reason, than to employ it thus to fuch ill purposes.

What remains therefore, but that the right ufe of our Reason serves to make us know our felves, and acknowledge all the Benefits for which we are indebted to God? It humbles us by the confideration of our Dependance upon him, (which makes us inferiour to his Nature,) of the Dominion he has over us: And lastly, it makes us careful to exprefs our gratitude to him, by living in fuch a manner as we think moft acceptable to him; that is, by governing our Paffions, by doing no wrong to any Man, not even to our felves by Debauchery or Intemperance; all which Duties are agreeable to him upon account, because we are his Workmanship, and that he defires our welfare and preservation.

this

But 'tis Religion that governs our Paffions by Juftice and Temperance, and teaches us to know God in order to glorifie him. Man therefore was made for Religion, and Religion is the main end and defign of Man's Creation.

A

But that which confirms us the more in this Opinion, is, that befides the manifestation of God's Being to us in the works of Nature, God

L 3

him