Written by Jindal . recommended O Find Mover ! 6 cause of causes ! Ch potent omniscient-incomprehensibles. 1: men call God! if there vouchsafest to ney thought, the words, or the actions of not criminal, in so wretched an asse my -prostrate heimself before thee, if the heart. the most ardent prayer that o my tongues can utter, be not an a hear me, 6 Almighty being! and han mercy upon me!!! заг I find myself placed by thy providen speck of the universe, where I daily. species, who value themtiis o They call reason; praying such a sest thee, as in my own my own opinion is alto worthy of thee : Fam told by some of 4 I ought to beleive such things dares as I strict not I cannot, as - not give give my aften neguident the thoughts of mens heart, thou knowest, is Almighty Being! tha why I neither cans or dare to beleive. men report of thee, is because mort appear to be nothing else but the a1 concern. of thy Wisdom, and infinite. Perfection. wist, I would make this humble petition namely, that if any of my actions can pofdish tease thee, those wouldst vouchsafer clearly a›id plainly, what is really thy wills. But what am I, that I shadi to make such a request to thee; how dare & he or ask to be shut highly favoured. mankind & Fwill endeavour to avoid thee, and to nest contented in that state of Tarknet, and of Ignorances, when in it that ree to place that species to which I belong. e I cannot distinguish good from evil, and ignorant of what things and most-proper for re not presumes to make any particular request all I have the confidence to do, is thus humbley I myself before thee, to acknowledge thy more the Wisdom, implace, the Mency, and fully to submit my : 281 to thy will, what• dispose of me, A Almighty Being! in, thow pleasest ; yet, of forgive nimated bump of matter, if while it ac thy power, and adores thy Unidom, it like_ umes, the with a resigned and submissive mbly to entreat and to implore thy Mercy. · mannr me + Sep. 1735. CHRISTIANITY as old as the CREATION : OR, THE GOSPEL, &c. A. CHAP. I. That God, at all Times, has given Mankind sufficient Means of knowing whatever he requires of them 1 and what thofe Means are. T HIS early Vifit, Sir, gives me Hopes it B. I come to talk with You on a Sub- A. YOUR uncommon Temper and Candor, in debating -even the most important Points, will always make your Converfation agreeable, tho' ever fo long; but pray, what is to be the Subject of our Morning's Difcourfe ? B. I was Yesterday in Company with a great many Clergymen, it being our Bishop's primary Vifitation; where the B Com Complaint was general, of the Coldnefs and Indifference, with which People receiv'd the fpeculative Points of Chri tianity, and all its holy Rites; for which formerly they had fhewn fo great a Zeal. This Coldness they chiefly imputed to thofe Low Church-men, who lay the main Strefs on Natural Religion; and withal fo magnify the Doctrine of Sincerity, as in Effect to place all Religions on a Level, where the Profeffors are alike fincere. The Promoters of thefe Notions, as well as the Notions themselves, were expos'd with Warmth; how justly I will not determine, till we have talk'd the Matter over with our ufual Freedom: For which Reafon, I have made You this early Vifit, and wou'd be glad to know the Sentiments of fo good a judge, on these Two important Points; viz. Sincerity, and Natu, ral Religion.. A. I thank You for this Favour, and fhall freely tell You, I fo little agree with thofe Gentlemen in relation to Sincerity, that I think a fincere Examination into religious Matters can't be too much prefs'd; this being the Only Way to discover True Christianity: The Apostles thought themfelves oblig'd, in making Profelites, to recommend an impartial Search; they both defir'd, and requir'd Men to judge · for themselves, to prove all Things, &c. this they thought neceffary, in Order to renounce a Religion, which the Force of Education had impress'd on their Minds; and embrace another directly contrary to the Notions, and Prejudices, they had imbib'd. Nay, even thofe very Men, who most ridicule the Doctrine of Sincerity, never fail on other Occafions to affert, that Infidelity is owing to the Want of a fincere Examination; and that whofoever impartially confiders Christianity, must be convinc'd of its Truth. And I might add, That cou'd we fuppofe, a fincere Examination wou'd not not always produce this Effect, yet must it always make Men acceptable to God; fince that is all God can require; all that it is in their Power to do for the Discovery of his Will. These, in short, are my Sentiments as to This Point; and as to the Other, I think, too great a Stress can't be laid on Natural Religion; which, as I take it, differs not from Reveald, but in the Manner of its being communicated: The One being the Internal, as the Other the External Revelation of the fame Unchangeable Will of a Being, who is alike at all Times infinitely Wife and Good. B. SURELY, Sir, this must be extremely heterodox. Can you believe, that Natural and Reveal'd Religion differ in nothing, but the Manner of their being convey'd to us? A. As heterodox as I may feem at present, I doubt not, but by asking you a few Questions, to let you fee, I advance nothing in either of these Points without Reafon; and in Order to it, I defire to be inform'd, Whether God has not, from the Beginning, given Mankind fome Rule, or Law, for their Conduct? And whether the obferving That did not make 'em acceptable to him? B. THERE can be, no Doubt, but the obferving fuch a Law, must have answer'd the End for which it was giv'n; and made Men acceptable to God. A. WHAT more can any external Revelation do, than render Men acceptable to God? Again, IF God, then, from the Beginning, gave Men a Religion, I ask, was That Religion imperfect, or perfect ? B. Most perfect, without Doubt; fince no Religion can. come from a Being of infinite Wisdom and Perfection, but what is abfolutely perfect. A. CAN, therefore, a Religion absolutely perfect, admit of any Alteration; or be capable of Addition, or DiminuB 2 tion; |