22 The Exiftence .of G 0 D. r----A--0 tifice and deceit to accompli!h their Ends. Lyc~trg~ts pretended the direCtion of Apollo, Chap. 6. andNHmaofthe Nymph Egeria, to recommend their Laws to the People. Scipioand Serto- ~ ritn madefomeotherGodtobeof their Council of War, to encourage their Souldiers in dangerous enterprifes. But this mask only deceived the ignorant. The more intelligent difcern'd the finenefs oftheir politick contrivance. .. 3· Is it conceiveable that the beliefof the Deity, if its original were from a civil decree, !hould remam in forcf fo lomg in the World? Falfe opinions m· Philofophy, adorn'd with great eloquence by the inventors, and zealouflydcfended for a time by their followers, though oppoflt to no Man's profit or pleafure, yet have loO: their credit by further inqui- *N" ''!'~ P•· ries. And if the notion of a God were * fophiO:icate Gold, though authorized with the ~~£f~,i~ ~~h~1~~d~Fc~v~~;~d ~~~11~"i~ ~~~~;~nr~~ ~fi~F~::;:;nraf~r~1~~~\~h:~rtE~t~:~~r ~;~ '~itatetem,.,_ a 01are in Government? Can we rationally fuppofe that in fuch a fucceffion of time no j-:;"~t=:'::t~:: difcontentedperfon, when the yoke ofGovernment was uneafie, fhould difclofe the Arts hominumq;in-. of affrightment, and releafethe People from imaginary Terrors, that with Courage they J:r~"c%~ potuif- might rerume their Liberty? 'Tis a true obfcrvation, No fingle Perfon can deceive all, nor be deceived by all. Now if there be no God, one per!on has deceived all by introducing the genera\ beliefof a Cod into the World, and every oaeisdeceivedbyall, believingfo from the Univerfal Authority of Mankind. 4· The greateO: Princes are under theawful impreflions of the Deity. Thole rais'd to ~g~~~i~~~r:~i~0d~~~~}~l0~~it~~~r~m~f~~~~~v~0l~~~~e~i1 e;~11~~f~pgen~d'1 be~~~ft~~~~einc~~~! times of theirdiO:refs. Now 'tis unconceivable they would voluntarily perplex thernftlvts with a fancy of their own creating, and dread that as a real Being, which they knew ro be feigned. This pretence therefore cannot without an open defiance of R.eafon be alledged. 3· 'Tis objeCted that the confent of mankind in the acknowledgment of a God is no full conviCtion of his exiftenoe, becaufe then we mull believe the falfe Gods that were adored in the World. t. The multitude of Idols created by fuperO:itious fancies, is a O:rong prefumption that there is a true God. For all Falfi1ood is fupporred by Come Truth, Deceit is made credible by refemblance. The Heathen wor!hip though direCted amifs, yet proves that a Religious inclination is found in its Original , and has a real object to which it tends; otherwife Idolatry, the corruption of it, had not found fuch a facility and difpofirion in Men to receive it. a. Idolatry hath not been univerfal in all Ages and Nations. The fir([ caufes of it and motives that preferved it are evident. The Nation of the ]ews was freed from this general Contagion: For we may as rationally argue from their own Hill:ories concerning their belief and praCtice , as from the Hiltories of other Nations. And when a vail of darknefs was caO:: over the Heathen World, fome were inlight'ned by true R.eafon to fee the fully of the fuperO:itiousVulgar that O:ood in awe of their own Imaginations. The Philofophers privately condemn'd what in a guilty compliance with the Laws of State they publickly own'd. Nay, even the loweO: and dullell: among the Gentiles generally acknowledged one Supreme God and Lord of all inferior Deities. As Tert~tUian obferves, in their great diltrefles, guided by the internal inltruil:ions of Nature, they invok'd God, not the Gods to their Help. 3• That the belief of one God is a pure emanation from the light of Nature is evident, in that flnce the extinCtion of Idolatry, not a fpark remaining in many parrs of the World, 'tis frill preferv'd in its vigor and luO:re in the breaO:s of Men. Since the plurality of Gods have been degraded of their Honour, and their Wor!hips chafed out of many Countries, and d1e idea.r of various ancient Superfl:itions are loil:, the only true God is ferved with more folemn veneration. Time, the wife difcemer of Truth from Fal!hood, aboli!hes the fiCtions of Fancy, but confirms the uncorrupted fentimenrs of Nature. Thus it appears, that the moO: fpecious Objections produc'd (by thefe who would fain be Atheills) toenervateanddefuoy the belief of the Deity, are fomiferablyweak, that they rather O:rengthen it. 'Tis that which one very pertinently faid to Come th>t were arguing again([ God and R.eligiol>, If you proceed to difcourfe in this unreafonable manner, in truth you will convert me from Atheifm. For what more juO: caufe of Averfion and Horror can there be in a Perfon, in whom Judgment and Honelty are not perfeCtly extingui!h'd, than to find himfelf in the fame Opinion with fuch wretched extravagant Creatures? To
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