The unchangeable obligation of natural religion even exacts from us, then, the fixt belief that there is one eternal, infinite, intelligent, all powerful, and wise Being; the creator, preserver, and governor of all things; that this supreme Cause is a being of infinite justice, goodness, and truth, and all other moral as well as natural perfections; that he made the world for the manifestation of his power and wisdom, and to communicate his goodness and happiness to his creatures; that he preserves it by his continual all-wise providence, and governs it according to the eternal rules of infinite justice, equity, goodness, mercy, and truth; that all created rational beings, depending continually upon him, are bound to adore, worship, and obey him; to praise him for all things they enjoy, and to pray to him for every thing they want; that they are all obliged to promote in their proportion, and according to the extent of their several powers and abilities, the general good and welfare of those parts of the world wherein they are placed: in like manner as the divine Goodness is con

tinually promoting the universal benefit of the whole, that men in particular are every where obliged to make it their business, by an universal benevolence, to promote the happiness of all others; that, in order to this, every man is bound always to behave himself so towards others as in reason he would desire they should, in the like circumstances, deal with him ; wherefore he is obliged to obey and submit to his superiors in all just and right things for the preservation of society and the peace and benefit of the public; to be just and honest, equitable and sincere, in all his dealings with his equals, for the keeping inviolable the everlasting rule of righteousness, and maintaining an universal trust and confidence-friendship and affection amongst men; and towards his inferiors to be gentle and kind, easy and affable, charitable, and willing to assist as many as stand in need of his help, for the preservation of universal love and benevolence amongst mankind, and in imitation of the goodness of God, who preserves and does good to all his creatures, which depend entirely upon him for their very being and all that they enjoy that in respect of himself, every man is bound to preserve, as much as in him lies, his own being and the right use of all his faculties, so long as it shall please God, who appointed him his station in this world, to continue him

therein; that, therefore, he is bound to have an exact government of his passions, and carefully to abstain from all debaucheries and abuses of himself, which tend either to the destruction of his own being or to the disorder of his faculties, and disabling from the performance of his duty, or hurrying him into practice of unreasonable and unjust things. Lastly, that according as men regard or neglect these obligations, so they are proportionably acceptable or displeasing unto God, who, being Supreme Governor of the world, cannot but testify his favor or displeasure at some time or other; and consequently, since this is not done in the present state, therefore there must be a future state of rewards and punishments.-Dr. Clarke.

Now, therefore, unto the king eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise, omnipotent and merciful God, be honor and glory for ever and ever!!!-Paul.

POSTSCRIPT.

The various passages given in the foregoing pages, do, it is hoped, establish incontrovertibly the several positions for which they have been cited and adduced. It would not have been difficult to have increased their number, or to have woven them into one continued argument; but enough have been cited to meet many floating doubts and mistakes, and the weight of authority and beauty of expression must have been lost, though every sentiment had been preserved, if the passages themselves had not been given. It may however, perhaps, both amuse and instruct the reader to shew, by the following extracts from a book of still higher antiquity and authority, how forcibly the same propositions had been previously announced and asserted...

The several passages are faithfully given, though the exact references have been unfortunately not retained, as, when made, no idea was entertained of publication; the arrangement, indeed, is arbitrary, with a view to perspicuity and to make the quotations throw's " light on each other.

POSTSCRIPT, EXTRACTS, &c.

161

The very few words introduced, merely as connectives, or alterations in number or person, are carefully printed with inverted commas, to guard against the imputation of making garbled extracts.

EXTRACTS

FROM VARIOUS PARTS OF THE BIBLE.

Relative to the Being and Attributes of the Deity-His Providence The Distinction between Virtue and Vice-and a Future State-Of Rewards and Punishments.

INTRODUCTION

(From the Wisdom of Solomon,* ch. 13).

Surely vain are all men by nature, who are ignorant of God, and could not, out of the good things that are seen, know HIM that is!Neither by considering the works, acknowledge the Workmaster, but deemed either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circle of the stars, or the violent water, or the lights of{ heaven, to be the Gods which govern the world; with whose beauty, if they being delighted, took them to be gods, let them know how much

Mem.-The Book of Wisdom is said to have been originally written in Greek, and not in Hebrew, and therefore not included in the Canon of Protestants; but it may be re- k marked that, by one of the three first Decrees of the Council' of Trent, the books, commonly designated as apocryphal, are of equal authority with the other Jewish and Christian canonical Scriptures,

M