Or by have the greateft fhare of their Time taken up in providing themfelves with the Neceffaries of Life. To many, that have more Leifure and Opportunity, thinking and reafoning is fo difficult a Task, that they choose rather to content themselves with Ignorance in fuch Points, as they are not bold enough to hope for Knowledge: In fome, that might prevail with themfelves to attend to the Inftructions of the Philofopher, their pre-conceiv'd Opinions, concerning religious and moral Matters, are a ftrong Obstruction: And by thofe, who had devoted themselves to Licentioufnefs, the moft prevailing reafonings would not be regarded, when they came to disturb them in their darling Vices, and to teach them what they had no defire to know. Thus, by one means or other, our theirown P Philofopher's good Intention of reformAuthority ing the World would be entirely loft, unless (which comes next to be confidered) his own Credit and Authority, would ftand him any ftead, but on this he can have no juft Reliance. The natural Equality of all Men is a Notion, which, however true, when rightly understood, is liable to be abufed to very unhappy • Burnet's Demonft. Vol. I. ? Congbeare's Expediency of Divine Revelation. unhappy Purposes. It will indeed follow from hence, that no one Perfon, merely as a Man, has a right to govern or prescribe to others, for thus far all Men are upon a Level. But yet, as there are different intellectual Capacities and Abilities, fo it is, in its own Nature, fitting, that thofe, who are uncapable of directing themfelves, fhould fubmit to the Council and Direction of others: But the misfortune is, that the generality of Mankind are not fenfible in what Inftances they want Direction. They will allow perhaps that, in Matters of Science, wherein they have no concern, those Persons, whofe Studies have tended that way, may have gain'd a fuperior Skill; and, in fuch Cafes, they will readily fubmit, and not fet their own crude Conceptions against the Decifions of those Perfons, whom they acknowledge Learned: But we are much mistaken, if we expect the fame Submiffion in moral Matters. Here every Man prefumes he is capable of determining for himself for every one will claim a Right to judge of his own Pleafures or Pains, of the Fitness or Unfitnefs of his own proper Actions, and the good or bad Confequences that attend them ; and confequently he will be apt to reject the Authority of the wifeft Man upon Earth in in Points of this Nature, unless it be conformable to his own private Opinion. For let us suppose our Philosopher addreffing himfelfto a Libertine, and perfuading him to leave his Vices, and confine himself within the Rules that he would prefcribe him; might not he anfwer his Advifer?" I am no more "under your Direction in this Affair, "than you are under mine. In fome "Things, as a Man of more enquiry, "I may permit you to fee for me, but “ you must allow me, I hope, to feel "for my felf. I feel my felf happy in "the way of Life, which I have cho fen, and fhall become very uneafy "by the Restraints, which you advise. "Pursue you then your own Satisfacti(( on, in what manner you please, and "leave me to the fame Liberty in con"fulting mine". I fee not what return he could make to fuch an Answer, or by what Argument he could hope to prevail on his Compliance; but I plainly fee the juftnefs of that reply,which an 'ancient Author makes to the Question, Did the Philofophers then teach nothing that was right?" Yes, fays he, many Things; "but their Precepts have no Weight, "because they are humane, and want a divine Roger's Neceffity of a Divine Revelation. દ a divine Sanétion. They are not be"liev'd, because he, who hears, thinks "himself a Man, as well as he, who "teaches." And therefore, to remedy this Default, fome Philofophers (when they pretended to prescribe a general Rule) have called in the Affiftance of a Superior Being, and endeavoured to ftamp a divine Credit on their own Inftitutions; which, tho' it was a vile Imposture, is nevertheless a plain Argument, that no Principle was prefum'd fufficient to engage the Reverence and Submiffion of Men to any System of Rules, but a Perfuafion that they came from Heaven, and were ratified by divine Authority. Thus we have examin'd the utmost Capacity of human Reafon, unaffifted by divine Revelation, in order to find out how far (upon the Suppofition of its utmoit Improvement) it might poffibly go: And come now to enquire how far (upon Trial and Experiment) it actually did go, or rather how far it fell short of being an adequate Guide in Matters of Religion and Morality. 3. It will be no Difparagement, I hope, The anto the prefent Age, to fuppofe h that the cient Phiancient Philofophers had as great Strength lofophers f ignorant Conybear's Expediency. Roger's Neceffity of in many a Div. Rev. Bp. of London's 2d Paftoral Letter. Ff of Points. of Reafon and Judgment, as fincere a Defire to find out Truth, and as great Diligence in enquiring after it, as any of our modern Unbelievers; and yet, if we look into their Writings, we shall find, that they were utterly ignorant in many great and important Points of Religion. They were ignorant of the true Account of the Creation of the World, and the Original of Mankind; and therefore * fome of them held all things to be eternal, while others imputed them to Chance, and thofe, that allow'd them a Beginning, knew nothing of the Manner and Gradations, whereby they rose into fo beautiful an Order. They were ignorant of the Origin of. Evil, and therefore they devifed two contrary Principles, in perpetual Conflict with each other; and tho' they were fenfible that human Nature was ftrangely corrupted, yet they acknowledged that its Corruption was a Disease, whereof they knew not the Caufe, and could not find out the Cure. They were ignorant of the Method, which God in his eternal Counsel, had ordain'd for the Recovery of loft Man, without any any Infraction upon his Attributes. This was a Myftery far above * Peripateticks. Epicureans. and |