thofe who withdrew and feparated themfelves from the delufions of the Romish faith, and were exposed to the intolerant bigotry of its refentment, must also be attributed to the fuggeftions of revealed knowledge. Such were earnest in their reprefentations for reform, in proportion to their acquaintance with the Scriptures, bearing teftimony to the truth, as witneffes and difciples of the faith, which fled from persecution to places prepared of God *. As thofe however who fhould judge of the importance of that glorious luminary, which with apparent majesty ruleth over the natural world, from the tranfient display of its cheerful beams; without confidering it as the centre of a ftupendous fyftem; the nial fource of light; the operating and energetic power that affects and modifies every part of creation; fo fhould we form a very peren * Revelations ch. xii. The following Provençal verses, compofed on the Vaudois in 1100, fhew their reputation for ftrictness of manners: Que non volia maudir, ne jura, ne mentir, Los difon qu' es Vaudes & los fefon morir. Voltaire, Hift. Univer. ch. 69. inadequate B 4 inadequate and partial estimate of the effects of Christianity, if, confining our admiration to the visible burst of its rays, we should not reflect on its power over every dependency of the intellectual world; its efficacy pervading every fecret vein of thought; its inftructions meliorating, often by imperceptible degrees, the laws, literature, and manners of every country, which in the revolution of fucceffive ages it hath vifited. The communication of a perfect law, which every mind, in proportion as it is enlarged, venerates with increafing admiration and improvement, could not be promulgated but with beneficial effect to the world. To enquire wherefore its glory hath not been difplayed with univerfal and equal luftre; why either it hath not risen on fome lands, or hath fet with too fpeedy decline, is to enquire wherefore God hath harmonized the fpiritual as well as the natural world with gradations of pofition, with unequal extent of favour. That where it hath spread it hath imparted bleffings, cannot be disputed. The paffions and perverfe inclinations of men may often hurry them to act inconsistently with the fuggeftions of their own confcience; but but in general the propriety of their conduct must depend upon the integrity of the prin ciples implanted in their minds. We are not furprised that the Heathens fhould have "committed all iniquity with greediness," when we reflect on the springs and motives of their actions. Their temples were the fanctuaries of impurity *: whatever of elegance was diffufed over the fanciful objects of their mythology, or their insti tutions *The licentious character of the Heathen theology has been expofed till we are weary of the theme; and more deteftable features of Paganifm might eafily be produced. Its worship was often fanguinary, and its deities are not too trongly defcribed by Clemens Alexandrinus, as μoardwor Δαίμονες, και ουχι μονον επιχαίροντες τη φρενοβλάβεια των ανθρώπων, προσδε και ανθρωποκτονίας απολαύοντες. Of the favage nature of the Gentile fuperftitions he produces many ftriking proofs, defcribing its deities as vifiting nations and cities like peftilences. Vide Cohort. ad Gent. § 3. p. 36. Edit. Potter. Vid. alfo Juftin Martyr, Theophilus, and Lactantius de falfa Religione. Thofe who confider how general and deep were the impreffions of Polytheifm, and how much the Chriftians were condemned for defpifing them, will not think, with Gibbon, that the Fathers " exposed its extravagance with fuper"fluous wit and eloquence." The evidence from prophecy and miracles, now so justly infifted on, would have been urged with less effect, while falfe prophecies and miracles, and defcending deities, were univerfally believed; and it was neceffary to prepare the mind for the pure and fublime morality of the Gofpel, by firft awakening it to the falfe glare and the abfurdities of exifting fuperftition. The Hiftorian himself seems often to have been reconciled to the extravagance of Polytheism, and inclined to foften down its inftitutions into harm. lefs rites; and many other writers, with a refinement of philo, tutions and ceremonies of religious celebration, ferved but to difguife their real character with luxuriant and feductive embellishment; and thofe only could advance towards the perfection of a moral life, who, rejecting the vicious fables of their religion, exerted their industry in retracing the native impreffions of the human mind; or in collecting fuch traditionary fragments of revealed knowledge, as were " graven "with an iron pen" on the rocks and rude structures of antiquity, and dispersed in scattered leaves by exiles from that land, in which its inftructions were recorded. As however they too generally reafoned from the illufive fpeculations of human fancy, limited to the contemplation of the human character, they systematically erred from false principles; and those whofe noble minds revolted from furrounding fcenes, but cherished with pride, and recommended with eloquence, artificial fystems, grounded on human motives, and productive of erroneous conduct. fophy, and an affectation of claffical knowledge, have endeavoured to extract from its groffeft imagery a fecret wisdom ; fearching amidit the impurities of licentious fable for the most fublime principles of religion, by a chemistry which might be necessary indeed for the enlightened part of mankind, should the infatuation of a relapfe into Pagan worship prevail beyond the boundaries of that unhappy country which has been de luded to reflore it. The The excellency of Revealed Religion, not only as it is a fyftem in which the Divine attributes, and the glories of a fpiritual world are gradually disclosed; but as it inculcates principles of religious and moral conduct, univerfal in their application, and unimpeachable in their character, is established with undisputed evidence. Its efficacy to promote the welfare and happiness of mankind, has been controlled and fuppreffed by the obftinacy of that répugnance, which, from its affection to evil, has rejected its guidance*; and it has been still more fatally impeded by the perverfeness of that iniquity, which hath mutilated its inftructions. With the evil paffions of those who have refused to act under the direction of religion, and concealed themselves with confcious guilt from God's prefence; however they may have lived in periods and countries in which it was promulgated, we have no concern in a vindication of its tendency, fince it never can be represented as effential to Revelation, Αδύνατον εν το αγαθόν ἐνθαδε καθαρεύειν της κακιας ὁ γαρ κοσμος πλήρωμα επί της κακιας. The existence of evil was obvious the caufe unknown to the Heathen World. Παντων δε μεγισου ανθρωποις τοις πολλοις εκφυτον εν ταις ψυχαίς εσιν. Plat. de Legibus. 1. v. that |