either reafon or learning, and in fome parts of it pretends to excel the world? They have been daily improving in the arts of life, and in every kind of knowledge and fcience; but yet in religion they are ignorant and fuperftitious, and have but very little of what we call natural religion among them: and what ground is there to imagine that reafon would have done more, made greater difcoveries of truth, or more entirely fubdued the paffions of men, in England or France, or any other country of Europe, than it has in the eastern or fouthern parts of the world? Are not men as reasonable creatures in the eaft, as they are in the weft? and have not they the fame means of exercifing and improving their reafon too? Why then should you think that reafon would do that now in this place, which it has never yet been able to do in any time or place whatever?

This fact is so very plain and undeniable, that I cannot but think, that, would men confider it fairly, they would foon be convinced how much they are indebted to the revelation of the Gofpel, even for that natural religion which they fo fondly boast of: for how comes it to pass, that there is so much reason, such clear natural religion, in every country where the Gospel is profeffed, and fo little of both every where else?

But is there then, you will fay, no fuch thing as natural religion? Does not St. Paul lay the heathen world under condemnation for not attending to the dictates of it? Because, fays he, that which may be known of God is manifeft in them; for God hath fhewed it unto them. For the invifible things

of him from the creation of the world are clearly feen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and godhead; So that they are without excufe: because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Profeffing themselves to be wife, they became fools; and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beafts, and creeping things.-A fad account this of the state of religion in the heathen world, and a manifeft proof how much nature ftands in need of affiftance! What we learn from St. Paul is plainly this; That, notwithstanding the care which God had taken to difplay the evidences of his own being and godhead in every work of the creation, fo that men could not but have a notion of the Deity; yet, fo little did they profit by that knowledge, that it ferved only to render them inexcufable in their superstition and idolatry: for, when they knew God, (as indeed all the heathen world had a notion of a fu

preme Being,) yet they glorified him not as God; but changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like unto corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beafts, and creeping things. And was not nature an excellent guide to follow, that thus ftumbled at the very threshold; and, having from natural reason the notion of a fupreme Deity, fought to find him among the four-footed beafts and creeping things of the earth? Can you fay what it was that thus debased the reafon and understanding of mankind? What evil was it that

had diffused itself through the whole race, and fọ poffeffed their fenfes, that feeing they did not perceive, and hearing they did not understand? Or, do you think that you alone are exempt from this common, this univerfal blindness, and that the fame reason and nature, that hitherto have misguided all the world into error and idolatry, would lead you, out of the common road, into truth and pure religion?

Is it not the utmoft prefumption to think thus, and to imagine that we alone are able to furmount the difficulties which all the world before us has funk under? And yet thus every man muft think, who sets up natural religion in opposition to revelation for has mere nature ever yet, in any one part of the world, extricated itself from error? Do the nations of old, or those which now are, afford any inftance of this kind? But ftill you think that nature is fufficient to direct you; and what else is this but to distinguish yourself from all the world, as if you only were privileged against the common failings and corruptions of mankind?

But you will fay, Are there not complete schemes of natural religion drawn from principles and axioms of reason, without calling in the help of revelation? and are they not evident demonftrations that nature is able to furnish us with a religion that is pure and holy, and agreeable to the divine attributes? Allow this; but let us then be informed how it came to pafs, that never any fyftem of this pure religion was in ufe and practice in any nation, or indeed ever fully difcovered, till the Gospel had enlightened the world. You may boaft

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of Socrates and Plato, and fome few others in the heathen world, and tell us perhaps of their great attainments upon the strength of mere reason. it fo. But what is this to the prefent queftion? Muft millions in every age of the world be left in ignorance, because five or fix among them may happen to extricate themselves? Would it be reafonable to fuffer a whole nation to perish without help in a plague, because fome few were not tainted with the diftemper? Or, will you fay all men are feven feet high, because we see now-and-then some who are ?

I queftion not but the wife Creator of the world formed us for his own fervice, and that he gave us whatever was requifite either to the knowledge or the performance of our duty: and that there are ftill in nature the feeds and principles of religion, however buried under the rubbish of ignorance and fuperftition, I as little queftion. But what was it, I befeech you, that oppreffed this light of reason and nature for so many ages? and what is it that has now fet it free? Whatever the diftemper was, nature plainly wanted affiftance, being unable to difengage herself from the bonds and fetters in which the was held: we may disagree perhaps in finding a name for this evil, this general corruption of nature; but the thing itself is evident; the impotence of nature ftands confeffed; the blindness, the ignorance of the heathen world are too plain a proof of it. This general corruption and weakness of nature made it neceffary that religion should be reftored by fome other means, and that men fhould have other helps to refort to, befides their own

ftrength and reason. And, if natural religion is indeed arrived to that ftate of perfection fo much boafted of, it gives a ftrong teftimony to the Gofpel, and evidently proves it to be an adequate remedy and support against the evil and corruption of nature. For, where the Gofpel prevails, nature is reftored; and reafon, delivered from bondage by grace, fees and approves what is holy, juft, and pure: for what elfe can it be afcribed to, but the power of the Gofpel, that, in every nation that names the name of Chrift, even reafon and nature fee and condemn the follies, which others ftill, for want of the fame help, are held in fubjection to?

Can this truth be evaded or denied? And what a return then do we make for the bleffing we have received? and how defpitefully do we treat the Gospel of Chrift, to which we owe that clear light even of reafon and nature which we now enjoy, when we endeavour to fet up reafon and nature in oppofition to it? Ought the withered hand, which Chrift has restored and made whole, to be lifted up against him? or should the dumb man's tongue, juft loosened from the bonds of filence, blafpheme the power that fet it free? Yet thus foolishly do we fin, when we make natural religion the engine to batter down the Gofpel; for the Gofpel only could, and only has restored the religion of nature: and therefore there is a kind of parricide in the attempt, and an infidelity heightened by the aggravating circumstance of unnatural baseness and difingenuity.

Nor will the fuccefs of the attempt be much greater than the wisdom and the piety of it: for,