The Stoics allowed of very far ildulgence of the fenfes, and were generaly great drinkers. Cato of Utica v u

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ably addited to this vice, fo wa Zan the founder of the fect, and Chris died in confequence of drinking to clean

# facrifice.

The maxims of the heathen philofophers with relpect to the commerce of the fas how been already mentioned, and the pow live with refpect to thofe vices which are juilly filed unnatural was not leis exceptionable, and though it is hardly credible, yet there vices alio had too much of the fanction of fome legitlators and phili phers, and were countenanced by the example of many of them. Xenophon informs

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us that fodomy was encouraged by the public laws of feveral of the ftates of Greece. It was more especially fo among the Cretans, in order to prevent their having too many children. Solon, one of the seven wife men of Greece, and the celebrated lawgiver of Athens, forbad this practice to flaves, which neceffarily conveys the idea of his thinking it fit for free men only. According to Cicero, the Greek philofophers not only generally practifed, but even gloried in this vice; and Plutarch informs us, that many parents would not suffer their children to keep the company of those philofophers, who pretended to be fond of them. Diogenes was remarkable for indulging himfelf in the most abominable practices openly, and without any fense of shame, affecting, according to the maxim of the Cynics, to live according to nature. Thefe unnatural vices were increased in a most aftonishing manner about the time of the promulgation of christianity. Seneca fays, that in his time they were practifed openly, and without shame at Rome.

VOL. I.

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When

nie oral demoty, the

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Blery Informa ni, this many of the most eminent érolas de by their own hands, é prodlly the famous Cits of Utica, and Zeno, the founder of the Stolcs, who killed Limfelf when he was very cle, after breaking a finger which proved to be very painfi to him.

Sometimes.

Sometimes, indeed, thefe philofophers talked in a different ftrain, and advised perfons not to abandon life, till God, who placed them in it, fhould give the signal; but, it is in vain to expect a perfect confiftency in any of the systems of the philofophers. They were perpetually charging one another, and indeed very juftly, with inconsistencies, and many other abfurdities. other abfurdities. Whatever the philofophers might think, or practice, in this refpect, the legiflators of antiquity did not adopt the fame maxims. For, in several ancient ftates, we find self-murder branded by an ignominious treatment of the body, and other penalties.

If we look into the writings of many of the modern unbelievers, we fhall find them as little restrained in their pleasures while they live, and as little fcrupulous with respect to abandoning life when it becomes difagreeable to them. Helvetius, in his celebrated treatife, De l'Esprit, reprefents the love of pleasure as the voice of God; and left we should mistake his idea of pleafure, he says, that it is of two kinds only; confifting

confiting either in the grafcation of the fenfes, or in procuring the means of gratifying them. He is dyi, that it is not agreeable to good policy to reprefent gellantry (under which term he includes commerce with married women' as a vice in a moral fente. Indeed the design of his whole treatife is to fhew that happinets contits in fenfual pleasure, and wisdom in pursuing it.

Modern unbelievers are almost univerfally advocates for self-murder, and Mr. Blount, who wrote the Oracles of reafin, both recommended it, and practifed it upon himfdf. The fame has been the end of many other unbelievers.

Such having been the fate of the heathen world, we fhall fee the propriety of thofe defcriptions of it which we find in feveral parts of the New Testament, and which are fufpected by many perfons, who have not a fufficient knowledge of antient times, to be hyperbolical and exaggerated. For though every corruption of genuine christianity has tended, as will be shewn in

its