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the fame, and fo, notwithstanding all their wife Difcourfes and rare Discoveries, fell lamentably into the Practice of the most foolish Idolatry and Superftition. '

Method

But we will suppose our Philofopher of the to have furmounted this Difficulty, and of obto have devised, for himself and his taining Followers, a compleat and rational Form Pardon for Sin. of Worship; yet, fince he knows himfelf to be frail and peccable, he cannot but be conscious of many Tranfgreffions in Life, whereby he hath merited the Divine Displeasure, and expos'd himfelf to the dread of Punishment: In which Cafe, what Method will his natural Reason fuggeft to attone for his Sins, and make Satisfaction to the injur'd Majefty of Heaven? Reason will tell him, that God is good, as is vifibly seen in the whole Creation, and in the ample Provifion, which is every where made for the comfort and wellbeing of all his Creatures. Reason will tell him, that God is good to Sinners, as is manifeft from his wonderful Patience and Long-fuffering towards them, under the daring and manifold Provocations, they are, every Day, guilty of, but Reason cannot fhew him, how long this Patience will laft, or how far this Goodness to Sinners will extend.

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Burnet's Demonft. of true Religion, Vol. 1.

The fame Reason, that affures him of God's Goodness and Patience, will likewife inform him of his Wifdom and Holinefs; and, as these muft agree in the fame perfect Nature, Reafon can admit of no other Notion of his Goodness, but fuch as is confiftent with his Wisdom and Holiness: And the natural Confequence of this muft be, that God will fhew himfelf as good to Sinners, as his Wisdom and Holinefs fhall direct; but who can tell, when the Wisdom and Holiness of God fhall exact feverer Methods?

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The beft, and indeed the only Thing, that a Sinner can do, to obtain a Reconciliation with God, is to Repent: * But whether Repentance alone will do, or whether God will not require fomething farther, for the Vindication of his Juftice, and of the Honour and Dignity of his Laws and Government,and for the expreffing more effectually his Indignation against Sin, before he will restore Men to the Favour they have forfeited, our Philofopher can never fatisfactorily be affur'd. A good Father, he fees, for gives his Son, when he Repents; a good Mafter his Servant; and.a generous Man his Enemy: But, at the fame time, he perceives, that, in good

*Clark's Demonftration, c.
! Chriftianity as Old, &c. p. 391.

and

and wife Governments, Magiftrates find it proper to punish Malefactors, notwithstanding all their Penitence: And, if Pardon, in many Cafes, does not always follow Repentance, what Truft or Dependance can he have on it?

The Truth is, the Heathen World was fo little acquainted with this Notion of the Validity of Repentance to expiate Sin, that we find it not once mentioned in all their Writings. Their great Reliance was on Sacrifices; but, as m these rather fuggefted to them the Death, which they deferv'd, .than the Deliverance, which they wanted, moft confidering Perfons among them could not forbear declaring, that they thought fuch Rites could avail little or nothing towards appeafing the Wrath of a provok'd God, or making their Prayer acceptable in his Sight.

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Thus you fee how incompetent human Reason (even in its highest pitch of Elevation) is, to fix thofe Points, which are purely of a Religious Nature; and in what Doubts and Perplexities Mankind muft neceffarily have been left, when they neither knew the way of ferving God acceptably, when he was pleas'd; nor of reconciling themselves to him, when he was known to be angry

Conybeare's Expediency of Divine Revelation.

Reason

gry with them: Let us now proceed to enquire, whether it afforded them any better help.

2. In fettling the Rules of Morality. unable to 'Tis an easy Matter for Christians, with fettle a the Light of Revelation (by which they Morality, are taught every thing neceffary) fhi

Rule of

ning round about them, to fhew how the feveral Precepts of Morality agree with the Dictates of Reafon: But, without that Light, to have discover'd thefe Things by Reafon only, had been a Thing next to impoffible. The Philofophers indeed, who fince the Acceffion of this Light, have publish'd their several Syftems, have been more clear and uniform, both in the Measures of human Duty, and in the Motives requifite to the Performance of it; n but then this Clearnefs and Uniformity are really owing to the help of Revelation, which has given us a far more exact Knowledge than we had before, of the Nature and Attributes of God, from whence many of the Duties do immediately flow, and alfo a far greater Certainty of future Rewards and Punishments, as well as a clearer Conviction of the neceffity of Sobriety, Temperance, and other moral Virtues, as Preparations for our Happiness in the next Life, by perfecting our Nature in this.

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Bishop of London's 2d Paftoral Letter.

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We will fuppofe, however, that our Phi- The anlofopher,by the mere ftrength of his Parts, lofophers and without Affiftance from Reve- incapalation, had drawn up a compleat Scheme of Morality for the publick ufe; yet World, how would he go about to convince the publick of the reasonableness of submitting to it? I know of no way, but either by the Strength of Reason or Argument, or by his own private Credit and Authority; but neither of these upon Trial, I fear, would be found fufficient to answer his Purpose. For fuppofe either by his Scheme never fo compleat, and him- Argument. felf never fo able to enforce it; yet confidering the Carelefnefs and want of Attention in fome, the Prejudices and and falfe Notions in others, the fenfual Appetites and worldly Business in many, and the vicious Practices and evil Habits almoft in all, we fhall find, that his Rules and Precepts would be far from meeting with that ready Reception, which he might imagine. The Bulk and Generality of Men (even in the prefent times of Science) are incapable of entering far into deep and abstruse Reasoning. Some labour under natural Defects, which no Care or Study can remove; others are confined to a little fet of Notions fuggefted by Things that are familiar to them; and not a few

have

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