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gion is the reverse, for every religion believing itself the true one, is of course intolerant towards all others, and seeks to subject all to its own faith, hence come "wars and fightings." The Unwerth Reason is one and the same in all climates and of Reason countries, and therefore it can never be at variance with itself, nor persecute others who are the most remote from its doctrines; it may seek to convert, but never by the means of force or violence; its only weapons are persuasion and argument; its creed is simple and intelligible, for it believes nothing which it cannot understand, nor enforces more upon others; it pretends not to comprehend either the formation or government of the world, and limits its researches to the moral duties between man and man; it teaches us to do to others what we wish them to do to us, and seeks its own good without neglecting that of others; it tells us in one word that general utility is the first rule of all our actions, and that while we do harm to ourselves or others, we do harm to the community. Much more may be taught, but much more it is not easy to comprehend.

Our Reason, The reason of man is the only standard of the only right and wrong; it is therefore to him the Standard only criterion of morality, and the only means Right by which he can form an idea of a divinity. turing:

The sensible objects of nature exist externally, or independent of man; virtue exists in his actions; but a Deity exists only in the idea we form of him; we imagine, we believe, but we never can prove his existence. We all know and feel that there is much good and much evil in the world; but when we attempt to find out how or whence they come, we only bewilder our reason, without adding to our happiness. The good, men call God, and the evil, they call the Devil; thus vainly imagining that they have discovered their origin, when they have only personified their existence. Ignorance is the mother of devotion, and the world has always worshipped the creatures of its own imagination; for a Deity exists only in the mind of man. The external world admits of sensible proof, but the world of spirits admits of no proof at all, and the morality of our actions does not in any degree depend on our spiritual belief, tho' men may imagine themselves actuated by such motives; it is our temporal and sensual interests which alone influence our conduct, and on the regulation of our interests and passions depends the whole of our morality. Reason, therefore, is the only sure guide, sanction, and support of nations and of individuals, and when the latter

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err or do amiss, they must be judged by the general sense of mankind, which is the only infallible tribunal for all human guilt. Good, or the means of happiness, is the constant object of man's admiration and pursuit, this the heathens worshipped under various forms, the Deist and the Christian under one. The passions are said to be various, tho' in fact there are but two, love and fear, the rest are only their different modifications. Principles are general rules deduced from experience.

Religion and morality have been so long Religion united that it is almost impossible to dissolve morality the union; yet considering how essentially they differ, one almost wonders how they ever Compared. came together. Religion exists solely in the mind of man, morality in his actions; the one varies according to the temper of those from whom it has originated, the other is in all countries nearly the same. Religion rests solely on imagination, morality on reason and facts. The scripture says, God made man after his own image; had it said the contrary it would have expressed the truth; for the character of the Deity differs according to the different characters of those by whom he is worshipped; with the Jews he is a God of cruelty and terror; with the Hindoos of tole

ration and great mercy. Morality is in some degree affected by local customs and popular propensities, but its fundamental principles are in all countries the same. Religions are as various as the beings from whom they have originated, but morality is the same throughout the world; it enjoins no cruel sacrifices, it ordains no bloody rites, it speaks in all nations the language of reason, justice, and utility. All systems of religion are but attempts to account for the origin and operations of nature, and are generally veiled in allegory.

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THE CONDITION OF MORTALITY

EXAMINED.

Mankind MAN,

never satisfied with the present, is more dispord always looking back to what he has been, to anticipate or forward to what he is to be; the propensity the Future, to the former, however, is not so general as than to reflect that to the latter. Few have adopted the on the past, system of Pythagoras, compared to those who or lobe sat believe in a future existence, yet the one is not more difficult to prove than the other. Mankind are apt to fall into two extremes with regard to the future; some think too little about it and some too much; true wisdom lies between the two. The evil that is never thought of is borne with difficulty, that which is foreseen becomes lighter. We cannot fly from Fate, it is wise therefore to be forewarned our present of its arrival. A modern author of consideraills, have been accountable acuteness, maintains that it is impossible to a punish fr-account for the evils of the present life withformer offences out supposing it to be a state of punishment (& videp 13.5)