SERMON V.

Preached May the 6th 1717.

Heb. xi. 6.

But without Faith it is impoffible to pleafe God: For he that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently feek him.

HAVE already, from these words, taken occafion to fhew, in my two laft Discourses,

I. That, according to the general fentiments of mankind, there cannot be any per

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fect morality expected, where there is no be lief of the first principles of Religion.`

II. That therefore all focieties of men, that have ever subsisted in the world in any tolerable order, have always profeft the belief of God's Existence, and at least of some kind of provi dence over men, and an expectation of some Divine Rewards and Punishments.

I shall now proceed to confider the third thing, viz.

III. That this belief or univerfal confent did not arise from any Art, or contrivance, or compact of men, in order to keep one another in awe, but was really antecedent to it, and built upon a more univerfal principle. My meaning is, that the first principles of Religion were not an human invention, but were known and acknowledged by mankind, before defigning men pretended to make any fecular or political use of them. The fhewing of this will be an answer to that objection, with which fome men think they can do great execution against all Religion, when they call it Prieftcraft and contrivance of artificial men, who have deceived all the reft of the world, except themselves, and fome few others of

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caution and deep penetration, who fcorn to be impofed upon, and are therefore refolved to affert their own freedom, in believing nothing. Now though in this and the last age there have been divers perfons, who have mightily pleased themselves in dreffing up their own Scepticism, or inclination to Infidelity after this manner, yet the objection itself is by no means new. Nor indeed can it be expected, that any new discovery should be made of any real objection, which can affect the first principles of Religion, after they have stood the tryal of fo many thousand years, notwithstanding the great inclination which fome perfons, in almost every age, have fhewn to difcard them. New turns of wit against some particular modes of Religion may be offered, and old objections may be new modelled, fo as to ftartle, or unfettle for a time, the minds of weak and unexperienced men, who have not heard of them before; yet when they come to be ftripp'd of their new drefs, they appear to be at the bottom nothing but what has been faid many times before, and found upon examination very infufficient. And thus as to this objection now before us, it is well known, that, in feveral ages of the world,

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men

men that have bore ill-will to Religion, as being very uneafy under the restraints of it, and have therefore been defirous of promoting and encouraging Atheistical principles, have offered fuch suggestions as this against the truth of all Religion, viz. That the first notions of it were introduced into the world by crafty men, who imposed them upon the ignorance and credulity of rude and barbarous people, in order to keep them under government, by the fear of invifible beings; and contrived an order of men, whom they let into the fecret, whose interest it should be to fupport and encourage fuch a belief, and that by this means it has been propagated from one generation to another. The most plausible pretence for this fuggestion, is taken from hence, that a great many things, which, upon due examination, appear to have been cheat and imposture, have yet for a long time been current in the world, as part of Religion, and pafs'd as fuch without contradiction; and from hence they venture to infinuate, that the very foundation of Religion itself is of the same kind, i. e. a mere humane contrivance. And they know very well, that if any confiderable number of men could be brought heartily to

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entertain fuch a fufpicion, a it would greatly weaken the credit of all Religion, and bring an odium upon all who profess it, as being either impofed upon themfelves, or in a confederacy to impose upon others.

Now though I am fully perfuaded, that not half of those who make this infinuation, do really believe it to be true, because we find, that in other parts of their arguing, they are often forced to admit fome things that are ut→ terly inconfiftent with fuch a belief; yet because such infinuations, though they be known to be mere calumny, by those that use them, may do much mischief, by filling the minds of weak and unwary People with doubts and fcruples; therefore it is fit that the matter fhould be fet in a clear light, and the weaknefs of fuch fuggeftions fhewn anew, though it have often been done before; fince the fuggestions themselves are frequently renewed, with an intent at least to difparage Religion, and weaken men's concern for it.

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The method which I now intend to take,

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Quid? ii qui dixerunt totam de Diis immortalibus opinionem fictam effe ab hominibus fapientibus reip. caufa, ut quos ratio non poffet, eos ad officium Religio duceret, nonne omnem religionem funditus fuftulerunt? Cotta apud Cic. de Nat. Deor. lib. 1. cap. 42.