prefent tract. The fenfe of deity in dark times has indeed been ftrangely distorted, by certain biaffes and paffions that enslave the rude and illiterate but these yield gradually to the rational faculty as it ripens, and at last leave religion free to found philofophy. Then it is, that men, listening to the innate fenfe of deity purified from every bias, acquire a clear conviction of one fupreme Deity who made and governs

the world.

The foregoing objection then weighs not against the sense of deity more than against the moral sense. If it have weight, it refolves into a complaint against Providence for the weakness of the fenfe of deity in rude and illiterate nations. If fuch complaint be folidly founded, it pierces extremely deep: why have not all nations, even in their nafcent state, the fense of deity and the moral fenfe in purity and perfection? why do they not pofsess all the arts of life without neceffity of culture or experience? why are we born poor and helpless infants, instead of being produced complete in every member, internal and external, as Adam and Eve were? The plan of Providence is far a

bove the reach of our weak criticisms: it is but a small portion that is laid open to our view; can we pretend to judge of the whole? I venture only to fuggeft, that as, with respect to individuals, there is a progrefs from infancy to maturity; fo there is a fimilar progrefs in every nation, from its favage state to its maturity in arts and fciences. A child that has just conceptions of the Deity and of his attributes, would be a great miracle; and would not fuch knowledge in a favage be equally fo? Nor can I difcover what benefit a child or a favage could reap from fuch knowledge; provided it remained a child or a favage in every other refpect. The genuine fruits of religion, are gratitude to the Author of our being, veneration to him as the fupreme being, abfolute refignation to the established laws of his providence, and chearful performance of every duty but a child has not the flightest idea of gratitude nor of veneration, and very little of moral duties; and a favage, with respect to thefe, is not much fuperior to a child. The formation and government of the world, as far as we know, are excellent : we have great reafon to prefume the fame

with respect to what we do not know; and every good man will reft fatisfied with the following reflection, That we should have been men from the hour of our birth, complete in every part, had it been conformable to the fyftem of unerring Providence.

VOL. IV.

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SECT.

SECT. II.

Morality confidered as a branch of duty to our Maker.

HAving travelled long on a rough road, not a little fatiguing, the agreeable part lies before us; which is, to treat of morality as a branch of religion. It was that fubject which induced me to undertake the history of natural religion; a subject that will afford falutary inftruction; and will infpire true piety, if instruction can produce that effect.

Bayle ftates a question, Whether a people may not be happy in fociety and be qualified for good government, upon principles of morality fingly, without any fenfe of religion. The question is ingenious, and may give opportunity for fubtile reasoning; but it is useless, because the fact fuppofed cannot happen. The principles of morality and of religion are equally rooted in our nature: they are indeed weak

in children and in favages; but they grow up together, and advance toward maturity with equal steps. Where the moral fenfe is entire, there must be a fense of religion; and if a man who has no fenfe of religion live decently in fociety, he is more indebted for his conduct to good temper than to found morals.

We have the authority of the Prophet Micah, formerly quoted, for holding, that religion, or, in other words, our duty to God, confifts in doing juftice, in loving mercy, and in walking humbly with him. The last is the foundation of religious worship, discussed in the foregoing section: the two former belong to the present section. And if we have gratitude to our Maker and Benefactor, if we owe implicit obedience to his will as our rightful fovereign, we ought not to separate the worship we owe to him, from juftice and benevolence to our fellow-creatures; for to be unjust to them, to be cruel or hard-hearted, is a tranfgreffion of his will, no lefs gross than a total neglect of religious worship. "Ma"fter, which is the great commandment "in the law? Jefus faid unto him, Thou "fhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy "heart,

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