CONFERENCE tif.. , dS9 that the gross and ignorant nations, the barbarous and savage people of Africa and America, have any proximate and practical sufñcieitcy toguide themselves into virtue, religion, and happi- ness, or that ever theywould or could arrive at it, if left entirely. to themselves. Let it be observed here, that several of these nations have, not so much as a priest, and there is scarce any such thing as a philosopher amongt them, or any one who pretends to teach, either virtue or religion in the extent of a thousand miles: Whereas your own Cicero himself acknowledges, " that it is by hearkening to the precepts of philosophers, that the bulk of mankind, must be reformed and healed." For he was not so weak and inaccurate in his observation of men, nor so complai- sant to his whole species, as to imagine, that every low genius of human nature, and all the meaner ranks of mankind, who are everbusily engaged among the necessities, the labours, or the amusements of this life, should frame a scheme of religion and virtue for themselves, and spin out of their own reasoning powers a whole system of rules for their own conduct toward God and man, in things that relate to this life, and another. Now by Cicero's own account, of matters, what shall those nationsdo to heal or reform themselves, who have not one of those wise men or philosophers among them ? Secondly, consider what sort of man Cicero himself was, and whether you can think him, with all his boasted reason, fitted and prepared for the favour of God in a heavenly state, I will allow him to have as much virtueas most of the philosophers; but he was guilty of one huge and glaring vice, and that is, a most exorbitant ambition, and excess of pride, Which is hateful to man, provoking to God, and the very image of the devil : And yet this he indulged in a most shameless manner : Hiswrit- ings and his behaviour are full of self, and discover one of the proudest and vainest mortals that ever trod upon the earth. At present I will point to no other . proof of it than his own letter to Lucceius, who was about to write the history of his own time: There you see him sacrificing even truth and honesty to the grand idol of his pride. " I beg you, says-he to Lucceius, and Iurge you over and over again, that you would lay out your wit to dress up the year of my consulship ; lavish out your ornaments upon it : Neglect the laws of history ; do not consider so much to saywhat truth requires, as what will render thatperiodand scene of my life shining and glorious. "Is this your virtuous man, Logisto ? Is this the man of honour, that would persuade his friend to convey falsehood and lies down toposterity, merely to flatter his own ambition, and to-Procure him fame in followin ages ? Lose. Indeed, Philander, this is such a scandalous and
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