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allowed to be sufficient encouragements to pursue good, by any other means? No one has ever demanded absolute demonstration in what concerns his secular affairs. High degrees of probability are always sufficient to encourage the mind to the most arduous undertakings. We are incessantly forming plans and projects which cannot promise a certainty of success. A reluctance therefore to admit the truths of religion, without absolute demonstration, has a very suspicious appearance. The virtuous principle must be very low in the barometer of that man, who will not cultivate a contented and patient disposition of mind; who will not be temperate, diligent, frugal, chaste, without an absolute certainty of some tremendous punishment hereafter, for the neglect of these virtues; or of an immense reward for the observance of them; and he that would resolve to be unjust, oppressive, or cruel, if he were not terrified by the apprehensions of future condemnation, is a very worthless member of society. Vice has never demonstrated to her profligate votaries, that she could communicate happiness. They always

act upon trust, when they pursue her pleasures, and they are always deceived; which has never been proved to be the case with the man of true piety; and this affords a presumption, that his principles of action are founded upon a more solid basis. If therefore we can adduce arguments to prove, that the sentiments of religion stated in the preceding Disquisition, are equally certain with the most prevalent inducements, by which mankind are constantly influenced, every rational being must confess, that he relinquishes his rationality, if he do not act upon them with a similar assiduity,

When the christian philosopher attempts to prove the truth of religion, he makes a distinction between natural and revealed religion. The first is confined to such conceptions of a Deity as may be formed by contemplating the works of nature, which accord with our reason, and which reason itself, under advantageous circumstances, might be able to discover. The knowledge of God by Revelation, is not confined

simply to the being and attributes of Deity, but extends to a supernatural communication from heaven, which has a respect to some specific commands to man, or to the manifestation of particular plans and designs of the universal governor concerning him. It is supposed to promulgate important truths, unknown to a world immersed in ignorance; and which the most enlightened minds either had not, or could not, have discovered.

The subject therefore divides itself into two parts; and in conformity to the above distinctions, we shall, in our first Disquisition, attend to those evidences of the being and perfections of deity, which are founded upon natural principles, and approve themselves to the understanding: and we shall attempt to show, that the sentiments of Religion most conducive to human happiness, and influential to the practice of every virtue, are consonant with the truest reason. We shall afterwards examine, whether they be not the immediate objects of a divine revelation.

DISQUISITION I.

ON NATURAL RELIGION;

OR,

The evidences of the Being and moral perfections of Deity, deducible from the works of nature, and encouraging to the practice of virtue.

"He that cometh to God, must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

Heb. xi. v. 6.

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