CONFERENCE II 467 their philosophy did not so plainly lead them to make any future rewards or punishments necessary. Cicero, who was One of the greatest geniuses of antiquity, and did not confine himself to any sect, but took out of all what pleased him best, was so little satis- fied with all the Proofs of the immortality of the soul and its future existence, that his vast reading and his own invention could furnish him with, that he frequently professes his uncer- tainty and doubts about it. When he had reckoned up several opinions, he adds, " Harum sententiarum cjuie vera sit, deus aliquis videret. Some god may see which of all these opinions is true." In which short sentence, he shews at once his own doubts both about the future existence of the soul and about the unity of God, or rather supposes more gods than one: Where now are these agreed principles of natural religion of the knowledge and worship of the true God, and of certain rewards and punishments in another world, for virtue and vice? Were they taught with constancy and certainty any where but in Plato's school, much less in any numbers of schools of the philo- sophers ? How little agreement was there among them about these principles. If their reason was so far sufficient to find out and practise such a religion as would lead them into the favour of God, and happiness, how cameit to pass, that there should be never found any fixed systems amongst them of better rules of piety and religion than they have generally proposed to the world, and a more rational and uniform account of their prin- ciples and practicesof what relates to God, and another world ? Loc. I do not pretend to have read over all the heathen philosophers : but I have been informed, that there is no precept of true religion or morality which is not to be found in their writings. SoPtt. I grant many such precepts are to be found : but it will be very hard to find them all there: Give me leave to en- quire a few things here : -1. Is it not a precept of morality or true religion, that all our actions should be done to the honour of our Maker ? Where is this to be found in precept or practice among the heathen philosophers ? Rom. i. 21. When they knew God, they glorifiedhim not as God. -2. Is it not an excellent precept or rule of true religion, that sinners should draw, near to God in humble worship, acknowledging their offences, condemn- ing themselves, mourning for their folly, asking pardon of God, and desiring assistance from him against any future temptations, or a deliverance from them ? Now is there any of the philoso- phers among the heathens that has prescribed to us this practice ? 3. If with much labour and pains of reading we could find out and collect the several rules of a system of natural religion and virtue, here and there scattered and hinted among all the phi- losophers, yet what one philosopher has delivered them all? G g 2
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