there after ber death, but transferred their property to a gentleman of my acquaintance, who generally lives on the fpot, with one friend, and a few fervants, in a very philofophical manner, and only leaves it now and then on account of bufinefs, or, for a change and amufement, to vifit fome fine part of the world. He and his friend most commonly take a trip every year to France or Italy, Portugal, or Spain; ftay a month at Rome or Paris, Lifbon or Madrid, or fome other favorite town; and then return to his charming weftern ifle.

nious arts.

mer's cha

Mr. Hanmer, my friend, is a man of great Mr. Hanlearning, and has a fine tafte for the inge-racter. He has united them and the liberal exercises with a divine philofophy,. and made them fubfervient to virtue and a happy life. He has fchemed out for himself a dyftem of felicity that is vaftly fine, and is I believe as happy a man as can be found in the world. He has all the bleffings of time in his poffeffion, and while he enjoys them, maintains a temper that expreffes itfelf illuftriously in relation to the honor of God, and the good of mankind.

This gentleman was not of the chriftian fide for many years. The christianity he faw in the realms of popery, and the fad reprefentations of our holy religion, given by the unhappy Athanafian priefts, prejudiced

A a 4

him

him so much against all revelation, that he concluded it to be intirely the work of theological heads, and on account of too many deplorable priestly inventions, rejected the scriptures, as a thing that could not have the ftamp of divine authority, if they produced the dreadful doctrines which priests of all denominations drew from thence. With an untoward and a monftrous zeal, the doctors of every party preached, and writ for the moft fenfeless, and the moft cruel things. Even proteftant divines find a tritheism and perfecution in their infpired writings, to the dishonor of the peerless majefty, and goodnefs of the great God; and an infinite fatisfaction by a fecond flaughtered fupreme Being and therefore, Mr. Hanmer thought the writings of the apoftles were far from being serviceable to truth and society. This made him renounce the religion he had been baptized into. I found him a thorow infidel, when, by accident, I saw him at MoffatWells laft fummer, as I came from Edinburgh to Carlife. I will give you an account of a converfation that paffed between us in that town, as a curious thing, before I describe the fine natural curiofities, and artificial wonders of the Green Island.

Over a bottle, we began to talk of old things, and old times; and among other

matters

mer's rea

the fuffi

ciency of

ligion.

matters, had religion up, before we had fi- Mr. Hannished half a flafk. He afked me, if I was roning in a christian ftill, and confeffed that, for his defence of part, he was not. He now thought reason fufficient for a religion effential to man. Rea- natural refon (Hanmer continued) the peculiar glory of human kind, informs me there is one fupreme intending caufe; an intelligent circle, whofe center is every where, and circumference no where; who fits upon the rock neceffity, all eye, all power, all knowledge; who is the most kind and benevolent of all Beings, and for ever exerts his omnipotence in promoting the real happynefs of his rational creatures.

Again, it is evident to reason, that we ought to worship this adorable Being, and make the rule of right the rule of our conduct, by conforming ourselves to the law of truth, and discharging the obligations of reason, fo far as the mortal frame and conftitution, which are incapable of perfection, will permit us; for, exclufive of virtue being generally productive of happiness here, and that pain and infelicity not naturally flow from appetites irrationally indulged, and unbounded paffions; it is evident from the attributes of God, that he is pleased with our obedience to the laws of reafon, and delights in the rectitude and beauty of action; that he will fignify his pleasure to good actions by

re- .

rewards, and his difpleasure to bad actions by punishments. This future retribution is founded in reafon and equity: fo fure as God is true and juft, fo certain it is, that our present behavior will be a reason, as well as a rule of his judging us. The reasonablenefs and fitness of things is a fpring and principle of action to the Deity, and of confequence, one being on account of his precedent behavior will be rendered the proper object of reward; and another being receive punishment because his precedent behavior has rendered him deferving of fuch punishment; this is demonstration by the light of nature.

And because a perfection of conduct cannot be the practice of fuch imperfect creatures as we are, and that there is no individual of our fpecies, but has been more or lefs guilty, of deviating from the rule prefcribed him by his reafon, therefore repentance and reformation are the natural means of reconciling us to God, when we are conscious of our having offended him. Penitence must be a ground of the divine mercy ; and to repent and reform, what God requires of us, in order for us to do on our part what he knows to be neceffary to our happiness. This must be the truth of the cafe, or man would not be dealt with in a way of justice and equity. It is right and fit to fhew mercy to fuch as have rendered themselves the pro

per

per objects of mercy, penitence renders us fuch proper objects, and by our repentance and amendment, we ceafe to be objects of punishment. If the Deity will follow nature, as he furely does, and be guided by it, he must deal with a penitent, who reforms and does well, according to what he is, and not according to what he has been; he must treat him as a penitent offender, that is, as a man reformed and become good, and of confequence, as an object of his mercy: The grounds of refentment ceafe by forrow for fin, and a reformation of life, and in reafon and equity, punishment ought to cease alfo.

This is the pure religion of nature. True revelation can add nothing to it: And what is impofed upon us for revelation is a grand corruption of it. To talk, as the divines do, of the Deity's being three fomewhats, of his having an only begotten Son, and of fatisfaction for fin, these are fuch notions as the throat of credulity only can fwallow. One must have a faith orthodox indeed to fubscribe to fuch opinions. And after all, were it poffible for the theologers to defend these articles, and prove the goodness of their religion, yet it cannot be neceffary to future happiness, as it is not known to all men.

Here Mr. Hanmer had done, and he was answered in the following manner.

In