! : 25 THE RELIGION OF JESUS DELINEATED Acts xxviii. 22. But we defire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: For as for this sect, we know that every where it is (2) LONDON: Printed for J. CLARK and R. HETT, at the Bible and Crown in the 1242. THE PREFACE. HERE has lately appeared in our world, to confront the Atheist, and confirm the moral Theist in his natural theology, a most excellent treatise, intituled, The Religion of Nature deli neated. It is pity, but the fagacious author had Delineated the Revealed Religion too; and thereby displayed its wondrous harmony and correfpondence with the dictates of natural reason and religion; and its neceffity (in cafe GOD will please to have mercy on the world) to fupply the defects of it; or, at least, that he had led his rational Moralift a step or two nearer towards the Religion of Jesus. I. In treating of the immortality or natural vitality of the foul, he foon finds himself at a loss. Here I begin (fays he, p. 211.) to be very fenfible how much I want a guide. Senfe, brings us to the grave; and reason, to fome fort of territories beyond the grave : But they are dark and gloomy to the mere rational spectator. 'Tis the fuperadded revelation, that opens to us the region of departed spirits; and affures the purified fouls, that when their earthly house of this tabernacle (of this present habitation) shall be diffolved, they have a building of and from God (and built on purpose for defecated spirits) eternal in the hea vens. It is added, But as the Religion of Nature is my Theme, I must, at present, content my self with That light which Nature affords ; my business being, as it seems, only to sbew what a heathen Philosopher, without any other help, and almost ̓Αυτοδιδακτος, may be supposed to think. Noble is the light, that is here afforded; and fuch as would reflect great honour upon the heathen Philofopher, were he supposed of himself, to convey it. Which of all those sages argued the existence, the perfection and unity of GOD, at the rate that is here argued? Had any one of them compofed fuch a ratiocinative tract as this, in support of the Religion of Nature, he would not have been thought ̓Αυτοδίδακτος, taught only by native reason, but, in some measure, Θεοδίδακτος, affifted by some of those secret instillations, or fudden influences, the author himself (in p. 105. n. 4.) thinks not impoffible. And the more poffible or probable fuch fuper nal nal influences are there rendered, the more credible it may be, that (for the good of a nation, or the welfare of the world) fuch divine irradiation as is usually called inspiration, might, some time or other, be afforded. But, I hope, (proceeds he) that neither the doing this, nor any thing else contained in this delineation, can be the least prejudice to any other true religion. To be fure, other true religion muft be founded on this; or must suppose the principal heads of religion, here argued (whether the mode of argument be always necessary or no) as the basis of it. And the more any other (any farther or fuperadded) religion, comports with the religious truth, here delineated, the more intrinfic evidence it brings along with it. And so this delineation will, as, it is there faid, pave the way for its reception.. II. In one thing, the learned author might have been a little more clear, that he may not be misapprehended. He would feem to establish religion even antecedently to the confideration of the divine exiftence. In fect. 1. p. 7. he founds the diftinction between moral good and evil. Upon the diftinction betwixt moral good and evil, he immediately founds religion. And then in fect. 5. p. 65. he advances to the proof of the divine existence. The first section begins, The foundation of religion lies in that difference between the acts of men which distinguishes them into good, evil, and indifferent. If antecedently to the confideration of the divine existence, fome: fitting rule may be laid down, in conformity or difconformity to which, human acts (called fpontaneous. and. |