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abetting Practices apparently flagitious; That we find every Sect esteeming Revenge, not only lawful, but commendable, and the defire of popular Applaufe, the greateft Incentive to all kind of Virtue; that we find fome of the greatest of them full of the Praise of Self-Murther, and fetting themselves for the Example of it to their Followers that we find Cato commending Fornication, as a proper Remedy against Adultery; Plato, afferting the Expediency of Mens having their Wives in common; Chryfippus, teaching the worst of Incest, that of Fathers with their Daughters, and pleading the Lawfulness of unnatural Luft; that we find, in short, whole Fraternities degrading humane Nature into that of Beafts; the Cynicks laying afide all the natural Reftraints of Shame and Modefty, to commit their Lufts openly; and the Stoicks affirming, that no Words or Speech of any kind ought to be cenfured or avoided, as filthy and obfcene. So true is the Obfervation, which P Quintilian makes of the Philofophers of his time, viz. That the most notorious Vices were fcreen'd under that Name, and that they did not labour to maintain the Character of Philofophers

Bishop of London's 2d Paftoral Letter, and Fenkins's Reafonableness, Vol. 1. P Inft. L. 1. Præf.

lofophers by Virtue and Study, but con-
cealed very
vicious Lives under an auftere
Look, and a different Habit from the reft
of the World.

vers cen

And, if these Men of Speculation and Modern profound Reafoners, who made Reli- Unbeliegion and Nature their daily Study, fur'd. were thus ignorant in their Notions, and corrupt in their Principles. What Reafon have any of our modern Contemners of Revelation to prefume, that, if they had liv'd in those Days, and without the Light of the Gospel, they fhould have behav'd better? What Grounds to imagine, that they would have been wifer, than Socrates, and Plato and Cicero? How are they certain, they should have made fuch a right use of their Reason, as to have discover'd the Truth exactly, without being any way led afide by Prejudice or Neglect? Had their Lot been among the Vulgar, hów are they fure, they fhould have been so happy, or so confiderate, as not to be involv'd in that Idolatry and Superftition, that Wickedness and Immorality, which then over-spread the World? Had they join'd themselves to the Philofophers, which Sect would they have followed (for they were all erroneous) or what Book

1 Clark's Evidence of Natural and Revealed Religion.

The wicked State of

the Hea

Book would they have made the adequate Rule of their Lives and Converfations? Or had they fet up for themfelves, how are they certain, they fhould have been able to deduce the feveral Branches of their Duty, and to apply them to the feveral Cafes of Life, by Argumentation and Dint of Reafon ? 'Tis one thing to find out a Rule at first, and another to perceive its Agreement with Reafon, after it is found out for us; and the Difficulty is not much, when once we know our Duty, to begin and deduce its Obligation from Reason, but to begin and discover our Duty in all points, with all its true Motives, merely by the help of natural Reason, is a Work of Pains and Nicety, and like groping for an unknown Way in an obfcure Twilight. And therefore those, who think themselves fufficient for fuch an undertaking, at least must be thought to condemn the Generations that are paft, by their disparaging a Dispenfation, which the beft, and wifeft, and leaft-fuperftitious of the Philofophers of old, were not afham'd to confefs their want of.

Men may talk of the natural Light and Power of Reason, as long as they thenWorld pleafe, and the Topick perhaps is well fhewn enough for popular Eloquence to

from

Scripture.

flourish

flourish upon: But when we appeal to Experience, we shall foon find it empty Boaft and pompous Harangue. If ever there was a Time, when human Reason might be a Guide in matters of Religion,

I it was when our Saviour came into the World, or fometime before; when Knowledge of all kinds, and particularly the Study of Philofophy, was cultivated and improv'd with the greatest Application, and by the ableft Hands: And yet, it is hardly poffible to read the firft Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, without Amazement, and many mortifying Reflections, to find rational Creatures capable of fo wretched a Degeneracy, that no Object was fo defpicable, as not to be thought worthy of divine Honours, no Vice fo deteftable or brutish, as not to obtain, not only in common Converfation, but even in their Rituals of Religion, and most folemn Acts of publick Worship. For, having their understanding darken'd (as he tells us elsewhere) and being alienated from the Light of God, thro' the Ignorance that was in them, becaufe of the Blindness of their Hearts, they incur'd not only the groffeft Idolatry, and the most unnatural Lufts, but " were filled

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Bishop of London's 2d Paftoral Letter. iv. 18. "Rom. i.

: Eph.

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filled likewife with Unrighteousness, Fornication, Wickedness, Covetousness, Maliciousnefs; werefull of Envy, Murther, Debate, Deceit Malignity; were Whisperers, Backbiters, Haters of God, Defpiteful, Proud, Boafters, Inventors of evil Things; were Difobedient to Parents, without underStanding, Covenant Breakers, without natural Affection, Implacable, Unmerciful, and (what is worft ftill) not only did thefe Things themselves, but took Pleafure likewife in thofe that did them.

In this Light it is, that the Apostle represents the State of the Heathen World, while it was under the Guidance of unaffifted Reafon: And if our Reafon feems to guide us any better now; if it rejects those deteftable Deeds of Darkness, and impious Modes of Worfhips, which it once reverenc'd and embrac'd, 'tis not because its Faculties are in themselves any clearer or ftronger, than they were, but because it has fubmitted its Weakness and Ignorance, its Pride and Paffions, to the Light and Authority of the Chriftian Revelation. * Take but away the Direction and Restraint of this Authority, and it will act just as it did, and relapfe into the fame Extravagances, the fame Impiety,

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