more than the defending his property against a robber; and that cafual homicide, meaning homicide committed innocently without ill intention, may fubject him to reparation, but never to any punishment, mild or fevere. The Jefuits in their doctrines feem to reft on the external act, difregarding intention. It is with them a matter of perfect indifference, from what motive men obey the laws of God; confequently that the fervice of those who obey from fear of punishment, is no lefs acceptable to the Deity, than of thofe who obey from a principle of love. The other error mentioned above, is, That the end justifies the means. In defence of that propofition, it is urged, that the character of the means is derived from the end; that every action must be right which contributes to a good end and that every action must be wrong which contributes to an ill end. According to this reasoning, it is right to affaffinate a man who is a declared or concealed enemy to his country. It is right to rob a rich man in order to relieve a person in want. What becomes then of property, property, which by all is held inviolable ? It is totally unhinged. The propofition then is untenible as far as light can be drawn from reafon. At the fame time, the tribunaloof reafon may be justly declined in this cafe. Reafon is the only touchftone of truth and falfehood: but the moral sense is the only touchstone of right and wrong. And to maintain, that the qualities of right and wrong are difcoverable by reason, is no lefs abfurd than that truth and falfehood are difcoverable by the moral fenfe. The moral fenfe dictates, that on no pretext whatever it is lawful to do an act of injuftice, or any wrong (a): and men, confcious that the moral fenfe governs in matters of right and wrong, fubiit implicitly to its dictates. Influenced however by the reafoning mentioned, men, during the nonage of the moral sense, did wrong currently in order to bring about a good end; witness pretended miracles and forged writings, urged without reserve by every fect of Chriftians against their antagonists. And I am forry to observe, that the error is not entirely eradi (a) See the first part of this Sketch, Sect. 3. at the end. cated: cated: miffionaries employed in converting infidels to the true faith, are little fcrupulous about the means: they make no difficulty to feign prodigies in order to convert those who are not moved by argument. Such pious frauds tend to fap the very foundations of morality. SKETCH SKETCH II. Principles and Progress of Theology. S no other fcience can vie with theology, either in dignity or importance, it justly claims to be a favourite study with every perfon endued with true taste and folid judgement. From the time that writing was invented, natural religion has employ'd pens without number; and yet in no language is there found a connected history of it. The prefent work will only admit a flight sketch: which I shall glory in, however imperfect, if it excite any one of fuperior talents to undertake a complete history. CHAP. THat СНА Р. I. Existence of a Deity. Hat there exift beings, one or many, powerful above the human race, is a propofition univerfally admitted as true, in all and among all nations. I boldly ages, call it univerfal, notwithstanding what is reported of fome grofs favages; for reports that contradict what is acknowledged, to be general among men, require more able vouchers than a few illiterate voyagers. Among many favage tribes, there are no words but for objects of external fense: is it furprising, that fuch people are incapable to exprefs their religious perceptions, or any perception of internal fenfe? and from their filence can it be fairly prefumed, that they have no fuch perception *? The *In the language even of Peru, there is not a word for expreffing an abftract idea, fuch as time, endurance, Space, existence, fubftance, matter, body. It is no less defective in expreffing moral ideas, such as |