AS OLD AS THE CREATION : OR THE GOSPEL, REPUBLICATION OF THE RELIGION OF NATURE. BY MATTHEW TINDAL, L. L. D. THE GENTILES, WHICH HAVE NOT THE LAW, DO BY NATURE THE THINGS GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS; BUT IN EVERY NATION, HE THAT WITH HIM ACTS X. 34, 35. The religion of the gospel, is the true original religion of reafon and nature— God does nothing in the government of the world by mere will and arbitrari- NEWBURGH: PRINTED AND SOLD BY DAVID DENNISTON-M,DCC,XCVIII. MATTHEW THEW TINDAL, a most celebrated English writer, was the son of a clergyman of Beer-Ferres, in Devonshire, and born about 1657. He became a commoner of Lincoln College, Oxford, in 1672, where he had the well known Dr. Hickes for his tutor, and thence removed to Exeter College. In 1676, he took the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and was afterwards elected fellow of All-Souls College. In 1679 he took Bachelor of Laws degree; and in July 1685 became a Doctor in that faculty. In the reign of James II. he delared himself a Roman Catholic, but afterwards renounced that religion, He was greatly diftinguished in his time by two very extraordinary books which he publifhed, one came out in 17c6, under the title of "The Rights of the Chriftian Church afferted, against the Romish and all other Priests who claim an independent power over it; with a Preface concerning the Government of the Church of England, as by law established." The other came out. at London, 1730, under the title of Chriftianity as Old as the Creation: or, the Gofpel, a Republication of the Religion of Nature." Befides these two important works, he wrote a great number of smaller pieces or pamphlets in defence of Civil and Religious Liberty. He died at London, in Auguft 1733, Fellow of All-Souls-College, and it appears that the faculties of his mind wore well; for, although he was about feventy-three when he publifhed his Chriftianity as Old as the Creation," yet he left a fecond volume of that work in manufcript, by way of general reply to all his anfwers; the publication of which was prevented by Giblon, bifhop of London. He was indifputably a man of great reafoning powers, and very fufficient learning; and Churchmen might have wifhed with reafon, that he had been one of them. THE CONTENTS. CHH P. I. That the religion of nature confifts in obferving thofe things, which reafon, by confidering the nature of God and man, and the relation we ftand in to him, and That the perfection, and happiness of all rational beings, |
