himself has also imprinted this truth in our Soul, or which is but the fame in effect, he has framed our Understanding after fuch a manner, as it cannot but naturally affent to this Truth, that we must love them that do good to us,

It cannot be doubted, but God has imprinted this Maxim in our Soul, because we own him for our Maker; and it is evident that he imprinted it in us for no other intent than to oblige us to love our Benefactors; so that being himself our Benefactor, and that too in a far more noble and proper Sense than all others, (fince Men do us good, meerly because it is Gods Will they fhould do fo,) it cannot be denied, but that he approves and requires our gratitude.

I confess that thofe First Maxims of Equity and Justice which are naturally imprinted in our Minds, do likewife very much conduce to unite Men together in one publick Body or Society: But I affirm withal, that they serve yet better to unite them together in the Exercife of Religion; Nature making them fenfible how much greater Obligations they have to God, than to any one else.

We have then a very juft Reason to deride the extravagance of fome, who affert that Men were made for Society, and yet will not agree with us that they were alfo defigned for Religion; fince the Bonds which unite them to God, are beyond comparison more strong and natural than thofe which unite them to one another. For were it Intereft that unites Men together in Society, Reason informs us, that God is able to do us more good than all his Creatures besides. Were it Gratitude, we are infinitely more beholding

holding to God than to Men. Were it Fear, (as Hobbs pretends that it is,) God is worthy to be feared above all things. Were it Love, we ought to love him more than any other Object. And were it all these Ties and Bonds together, which naturally difpofe Men to Society, who does not difcern, but all thefe Principles being united together, do yet much more dispose them to Religion?

So that if we cannot renounce Society without degenerating into Brutes, neither can we renounce Religion, without debafing our Natures yet much more, and without a much more prodigious irregularity.

It is therefore an undoubted Truth, that our Reafon did not impofe upon us, when it inform'd us by the fimple Idea of God, that it was neceflary there fhould be a Religion. We may affirm we do in fome refpect feel and experience that Truth, because we difcover in our felves a Natural Religion which confifts in the Knowledge Nature has given us of God, in the fense of the Obligations we have to him, thofe Principles of Equity and Justice which we commonly call the Law of Nature; and in that we cannot violate any of thofe Principles, without being tormented with fome Remorfes arifing thereupon in our Confcience, unless prevented by fome extrinfecal Obstacle.

in

Hitherto this Natural Religion carries thefe Two advantages along with it. First, that it is neceffarily true. It is true that there is a God, that we are obliged in gratitude to this Deity, and that we are very culpable, if ever we fail to express it; and this is the Sum of all the principles of this Religion. Secondly, That it is af

L 4

fixed

fixed to our Nature, and that 'twas God himfelf that tied the Knot. But because this laft Truth is yet liable to fome Exceptions, 'twill not be impertinent to our present purpose, to give a fuller Explanation of it.

CHAP. VI.

Wherein 'tis proved, that there are fome Principles of a truly Natural Religion implanted in us.

Since

Ince Natural Religion is founded upon the Knowledge of God, we ought to begin with that Confideration. We have already made it appear that this Knowledge did fpring from Nature and not from Education; and we have fo plainly demonftrated it, as not to think our felves obliged fo to infift any longer upon it, We want therefore only now to know, how this Knowledge of the Existence of God can be natural to us, fince we acquire it by Ratiocina tion.

We answer, that it is Natural, and yet acquired too; and that it is with this Knowledge of God, as with the Tendèrnefs which Parents are wont to exprefs for their Children, which is Natural by every one's Confeflion, and yet acquired too, because it could not be had before the Child was born.

So likewife, as 'tis God who is the 11 Paternal Tenderness, becaus

ildren,

iple

has fo disposed our Hearts, that we can't but love them when ever we have any; so he is the Principle too of the Knowledge we have of his Exiftence, because he has on the one fide imprinted the Characters of his Wifdom in this World; and on the other he has fo framed our Underftanding, that it cannot by these Characters, but be convinc'd of the Existence of its Maker.

But if there be any that either call, or would feem to call in question the first Truth, we must look upon them to be in Society, just what Monfters are in the World. And after all, do we not actually find there are fome Perfons that ftifle their Natural Sentiments? We know that a Roman Emperor put his Mother to Death, and we have heard a Thousand times of Mothers who have Murthered their own Children: If the Paffions then of Man's Heart are capable of ftifling fuch forcible Natural Sentiments as those, why should we wonder that those fame Paffions hould be able to obfcure the Knowledge we have that there is a God?

Confcience which comprehends the Natural Law, (because it acts conformably to its Principles) is natural to Man in the very fame fenfe, as the Knowledge of God is natural to him. For as God on the one hand, in giving us a Soul capable of Knowledge, and on the other, in fo clearly manifefting himself in the Universe, has impofed a Neceffity upon us of knowing him; fo God likewife in imparting to us on the one hand Reafon, which cannot but allow of certain efcribes them to us, and on the

Duties

other

fear

a Heart which cannot forbear proach our felves with the

neglect

neglect of them, difpofes us by a necessity of Nature, to conceive Remories when ever we have committed Evil.

Conscience therefore, together with the Knowledge of God, is natural to the Rational, but not to the Animal Nature. And 'tis not the blindness and violence of Matter, but the light and evidence of the Understanding that produces it.

But this Truth we fhall the better conceive, if we but confider that the Remorfes of Confcience are compofed of the Judgments of the Understanding, and of the inward Paffions of the Heart. The Understanding (though never fo averse to it,) cannot help receiving these Three Truths; that there are certain Actions effentially and necessarily criminal 3 that Sin deferves Punishment; and that God who doubtless knows things to be what they are in themselves, cannot but difallow of Criminal Actions. Nature her felf, that helps us to make these Three Judgments; and if we apply them to our condition, when ever we happen to be guilty of any Sin, 'tis Nature also that makes us fear.

'Tis

First, It is natural for our Understanding, to think certain Actions. Criminal, because it affents naturally to the Principies that are violated by thefe Actions. It cannot be doubted, but that affafinating ones Friend, killing on's own Father, betraying on's own Benefactor, and blafpheming God's Holy Name, (when we once have been perfwaded of his Existence,) are all wicked actions; because they violate thofe Duties which are naturally fo well known to Men, that all the Violence of their Paffions cannot hinder them from allowing them.

Secondly,