q.oS A Converfation becoming the Gofpel E R M. divine nature, and the divine operations and XV. conduét towards the creatures ; they chang- ed, as the apoftle faith, the glory of the in- corruptible God into images made like to cor- ruptible man, and even to birds and,fourfooted beajis, and creeping things ; they had moft abfurd opinions concerning the moral attri- butes of the deity, imagining that he, or rather they, for they fuppofed a plurality, was like themfelves, proud, fierce, lafci- vious, cruel, and revengeful ; in fhort al- moil every human vice had a patron among the Gods. Now, muff not the fenfe and the natural motives of religion and virtue be by this means in a great meafure defeated and rendered ineffefual ? and fo it was in fact. For it is a difmal account which the facred writers give us of the Gentile world, that it was dead in trefpaffes and As; True piety was loft in fuperflition and idolatry, and in confequence of their falle worfhip, they were given up to vile afeëlions, to work all manner of wickednefs with greedinefs, even to do thofe things which were reproachful to the human nature. But fnce it pleated God to reveal his will to mankind by Jefus Chrift, to declare unto them the rerniflion of fins upon the gra- cious terms of their repentance and, amend- ment.
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