At6I STRENGTH AND VEAISNESS OF HUNAN REASON; suppose, that their religious notions, their devout practices, their idolatries, ceremonies, and superstitions, are fitted to refine the souls of men, and prepare them for such aheaven, as consists in the contemplation and love of the blessed God, and his eternal worship and service ? Were their religious affairs ever con- ducted and practised in such a manner as to procure the favour of God for sinful creatures, and to bring them into a state of re- conciliation and friendship with their Maker? Were the devo- tions, and sacrifices, and ridiculous rites of their national religi- ous, the right way to heavenly blessedness Suppose a few philosophers amongst them owned and aé knowledged the one true God, yet many even of the reputed masters of wisdom and philosophy disbelieved the being of a God, or made him one and the samebeingor substance with the world, that is, the universeof things. They were engaged in endless girarrels what God was, and whether he was matter or mind. Some of them declared roundly, that they knew him not : And those of themwho believed' there was one almighty Maker of all things, an all-wise, and powerful, and beneficent Being, who made and ruled the world, yet kept it too much confined to their schools, and concealedit from the bulk of mankind. They held this first truth in unrighteousness. There are scarce any of all the sects of philosophers, who do not often talk of gods in the plural number: It is plain, that some of them did it, because they did not know how mtrny gods there were : And those who believed there was but one true God, yet used the common lan- guage of polytheists, because they would not, or they durst not, publish this unity of God amongst the common people. So- crates has been said to lose his life for being too free in the de- fence of it, in opposition to their public polytheism and idolatry, though some say he complied with them too. Cicero says, that it was hard to find out the true God, the Parent or Greater of the world, and if you should find him, it would be very unlawful to make him known to the'cammon people. His words are these Ilium quasi parentem hujns universitatis invenire difficile: & cum inveneris, indicare in vulgus nefas. Lib. de univers. Irage e." and,to the same purpose in Lib. ii. de natura deorum. And by the way we may take notice, that the same great and learned writer complains of theweakness of human nature to guide itself without the cultivation Of reason by learning and philosophy. 'last. Quwst. lib. iii. And thus he leaves the bulk of the world in a state Of unguided wandering. As for these philosophers themselves, as much as some of them knew of the true God, and the way of worshipping him with a pure heart, and púre hands; rather than by their national superstitions, yet how honourably do theytalk of the mysteries and ceremonies of their gods, and of the piety of those who
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