literature. Nor have twelve years elapsed, since he was present to behold this scene of lewdness, abomination, and horrour.

Another writer gives a corresponding account, in a spirit equally indignant. "These pagans," says he, "in forming their idols, cast out every vestige of beauty; every thing, that, by consent of mankind, is supposed to convey pleasing sensations; and, in their place, substitute the most extravagant and unnatural deformity, the most loathsome filth, and most disgusting obscenity. It is not in language to convey an adequate idea of their temples and idols; and, if it were, no purpose could be answered by it, but the excitement of painful and abominable emotions."

In the worship of modern pagans, we find not only all that is impure and sanguinary, but the most degrading stupidity. By these institutions the rational nature of man is disgraced and outraged. The Sovereign of the Universe requires a rational service. The worship of the Heathen is strikingly the reverse. "What the Hindoos* call prayer, and which they suppose to be so efficacious, bears little or no resemblance to what the Jews and Christians signify by that term. It is no proper address to the Supreme Being, expressing sentiments of humility, veneration, and submission; but the

Institutions of Moses, 157.

C

mere repetition of certain words, the pronunciation of which can be supposed to operate only as a charm. The worshippers of Vishnou pretend, that his name, though pronounced without any determinate motive, or even in contempt, cannot fail to produce a good effect. This, alone, say they, has the power of effacing crimes."

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It will, I suppose be acknowledged, that the facts which have been exhibited, together with the remarks to which they have led, are sufficient to illustrate the text; and to show that ignorance of Gob may be predicated, at least, with as much propriety, of modern, as of ancient heathen. Still, as marks of the divine existence and perfections are impressed on all visible objects; as the heavens declare the glory of the LORD, and the firmament showeth his handy work, you may indulge the hope, that men of distinguished talents, industry, and virtue, will yet rise up in the pagan world, and make known to their brethren the way of life.

To this I shall briefly reply, that, among the ancient heathen, men of the description, now mentioned, did actually appear. There were men, whose superiour application and wisdom procured for them the reputation of philosophers. Still the state of religious knowledge was such, as has been described.i

Many reasons, might be assigned why the Greek and Roman philosophers did little or nothing to

wards dispelling the darkness, in which their respective ages were involved. Of these many reasons we have time, at present, to select but one. Philosophers were extremely erroneous and discordant as to their views of the Supreme Being. There is no subject, says the Roman orator, concerning which, not only the ignorant, but also the learned, are so little agreed. While some denied the existence of GOD, others spake of it in very doubtful terms, or confounded his existence with that of the Universe. Nor was the uncertainty less in regard to the divine government. By the illustrious author, just mentioned, it is represented as the great question, at issue among philosophers, whether the gods enjoy their existence in eternal leisure, regardless of human affairs; or whether having created the world, they employ their power and wisdom in sustaining and governing it.

But in whatever consisted the defect of ancient philosophy, one thing is certain. Darkness still covered the earth, and gross darkness the people. A multitude of dissolute gods were still adored; their temples were crowded with worshippers; their altars were smoking with incense; indecent and cruel rites were held sacred; the crimes of celestial beings were called to remembrance and imitated.

Now, if in the most refined ages of Greece and Rome, when the human intellects appear to have

received the highest cultivation, of which they are susceptible, the wisest and best men, who devoted themselves to religious investigations, were able to do nothing toward demolishing that mighty fabric, which had been gradually erected by artifice and superstition, what can rationally be expected from modern pagans, from the savages of America or Africa-from the Hindoos, the Tartars, the Chinese, or Burmans? Will self taught philosophers and divines rise up in those vast divisions ofthe earth, to teach their respective countrymen the knowledge of GOD, and the way to eternal life? There is no reason to hope, that the true character and worship of GOD will ever be made known among the heathen, but through the medium of divine revelation. 1iter to

From what is contained in this discourse, we are now to make several remarks by way of improve

ment.

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1. We learn how to estimate an observation, not unfrequently made, that, on supposition, a man is sincere, it is of little importance what may be his creed. That there were many among the ancient pagans, sincerely attached to the prevailing my thology, it would be unreasonable to doubt.Who can think it uncertain, that, when the king of Moab took his eldest son, who should have reigned after him, and offered him for a burnt offering, he really believed, that by such a sacrifice he should obtain

divine aid against the armies of Israel? who can doubt, that, when the Greeks were urgent with AGAMEMNON to immolate his daughter, they sincerely believed, that this sacrifice would procure for their fleet propitious winds? Or who can doubt, that, when the present inhabitants of India throw themselves under the car of their idol god, to be crushed to death by its enormous wheels, they really expect some future recompense for so costly a sacrifice? The same kind of sincerity might be possessed by the worshippers of BACCHUS, VENUS, or MERCURY. But will it hence follow, that a sincere thief, a sincere prostitute, or a sincere drunkard, stands, in a moral view, on a level with him, who, with integrity of heart, worships the GOD and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ?

2. From the representation, now made of the worship of ancient heathen, we perceive, that St. Paul had good reason for charging the Gentiles with atheism. Having no hope, and without GOD in the world. The words in the original are atheists in the world. "It may be justly said," observes Dr. CAMPBELL, "that their sacrifices were not offered to GOD; for however much they might use the name of God, the intention is to be judged of, not by the name, but by the meaning affixed to it. Now, such a being, as the eternal, unoriginated, immutable Creator and Ruler of the world, they had not in all their system. For this reason they