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 FUND GIVEN IN 1891 BY 
 
 HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE 
 
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THE 
 
 Strength and Weakness 
 
 O F "i 
 
 HUMAN REASON: 
 
 Or, The Important Question about the 
 
 Sufficiency of REASON 
 
 To Condud Mankind to 
 
 Religion and Future Happiness, 
 
 Argued between 
 
 Ah Inquiring Deiji and a Chrijiian Divine : 
 
 AND 
 
 The Debate Compromis'd and Determin'd 
 to the Satisfaftion of both, by an Impar- 
 tial Moderator. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for J. Pemberton, at the Golden Buck 
 in Eeetftreet; and R. Hett, at the BiUe and 
 Crown in the Poultry. 
 
 M.DCC.XXXI. 
 
THE 
 
 P RE F A C E. 
 
 N free and familiar Conferences it 
 is never required that fuch a juji 
 Accuracy of Sentiment or Lan- 
 guage fhould he obferved, or that 
 Men fhould he confnd to fuch 
 ExaBnefs of Method^ as in a fet 0nd fudied 
 Treatije on any appointed I'heme. '-Qccafional 
 Incidents frequently arife, and turn the, Con- 
 verfation afide into an unexpected Channel: 
 Or femetimes, perhaps^ we recall the fame Sub- 
 jed^ and the fame Senfe may be repeated again^ 
 And in the Warmth of Difcourje fume Free- 
 doms ofl'hought and Expreffton may break out^ 
 which Jiand in need of the Candour of thoje 
 that hear them, and 'tis ever allow d in fuch 
 Cafes. 
 
 Let it be noted alfo^ that when Per fins of 
 different CharaElers are introduced in a free 
 Difcourfe^ the "Narrator is not hound to de- 
 fend all that one or any of the 'Parties prefent 
 A a happ&n 
 
The P R E F A C E. 
 
 happen to utter : He will not pretend tofup- 
 port every thing that Pithander urges in Vin- 
 dication of the InlufEciency of Human Rea- 
 Ibn in Matters of Religion ; nor dares he 
 venture to make all the Conceffions on the Side 
 ofits Sufficiency, nor advance aU the Suppofi- 
 tions that Sophronius the Moderator hath 
 done in this Difpute. 
 
 But upon the nsohoh^ if there he any thing 
 
 fug^^ed in theje Conferences which may occa- 
 
 Jiori liogifto and his Companions^ who are under 
 
 Temptations to Infdelity^ to bethink themfelves 
 
 a little ; if it may awaken any of them fo far 
 
 as to raife fome Doubts about ?j&e Sufficiency of 
 
 their boafted Realbn, and lead them to fee and 
 
 confefs the Neceffity of Divine Revelation, 
 
 in order to reform the World, and to re ft ore 
 
 Mankind to true Religion and the Favour of 
 
 Gody the Writer hath attain'd his chief D^~ 
 
 fign, and jh.aU rejoice in the Suecefs. 
 
 THE 
 
C •] 
 
 THE 
 
 Strength and Weakness 
 
 O F 
 
 Human Reafon,, 
 
 ARGUED. 
 In FOUR CONFERENCES. 
 
 The First Conference. 
 
 HE declining Suij had abated 
 the Heat of the Day when So- 
 phron'ms took his cuftomary 
 Walk thro' the Fields^ which 
 boxder'd on . his own Eftate. 
 Having roved onward, in Meditation, to a 
 greater Diftance than he firft defign'd, it 
 came into his Thoughts that he had not 
 paid a Vifit for two Months before to ' his 
 Neighbour Logijio ; Sp he call'd in at his 
 
 B Door, 
 
2 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 Door, to pafs away an Hour with him in 
 friendly Difcourfe, as they were Ibmetimes 
 wont to do, upon any profitable Theme 
 that might offer in the vaft and unlimited 
 Range of Religion or Learning, 
 
 hogifio was a young Gentleman of much 
 larger Circumftances ; and as he had a 
 fprightly Genius, fo he had taken fome Care 
 to cultivate it, and was a great Admirer of 
 Human Reafon. He had often of late fallen 
 into Company with Ibme of our modern 
 Infidels, and for Want of due Caution and 
 better. Acquaintance with the true Grounds 
 of Chrijitantty ^ he had unhappily imbibed 
 too many of their Opinions. Yet the Man 
 had a candid Soul, and leem'd to be fincerely 
 defirous of Truth : He was ever inquiring 
 after fome further Evidences of the Chrijiian 
 Dotlrine, and as heartily attentive to the 
 Objedions that were made againft it. He had 
 now feen foraewhat inore than Thirty Years 
 of Life, and he thought it was high Time to 
 fettle his Belief and his PradHce in Matters 
 of Religion, on a Foundation that might 
 juftify his Condud to his own Confcience, 
 and to G o D his Judge. He waS willing to 
 receive an Argument from the Lips of 
 Laity or Clergy, and could converfe freely 
 with a Chrijiian Minifter, in Hopes to bor- 
 row Light and Inftrudion from him : Nor ' 
 would he treat that Rank of Men with thofe 
 difdainful Airs which are become io falhion- 
 able among the Prei.n'ers to Infidelity. 
 
 Logijio 
 
of Hv MAN Reason.' 3 
 
 Logifio had appointed to fpend that very- 
 Evening in a fet Conference with '^ithander^ 
 the Redor of the Parifh where he dwelt, 
 upon that important Point of Controverfy, 
 Whether Human Reafon were fuffic'ient to 
 guide and condu^ Mankind to future Happ- 
 nefs ? 
 
 Pithander was a Man in Years, but of 
 vigorous Parts, nor yet declining in his 
 Realbning Powers : A Perfon of a Grave and 
 Manly Deportment, and a pious Life, be- 
 coming his Charader : He was a warm Ad- 
 vocate for the Chrifiian Faith : He preached 
 the Golpel with Zeal and Diligence, to the 
 Edification of his Flock, and had lately 
 read fbnie Writings of his Excellent Dioce- ' 
 fan, drawn up in an Epiftolary Way, upon 
 the Subjed of the prefent defign'd Debate, 
 wherein the Injujfficiency of Human Reajon 
 in Matters of Religion, was ftrongly main- 
 tain'd. He publickly recommended both 
 thefe Pa/loral Letters to the diligent and 
 ferious Perufal of all his Parifh v for he was 
 charm'd with thefe Writings, as the beft 
 Vindication of our holy Religion which he 
 had ever met with in fo few Pages, and 
 highly valued it as a noble Defence of Chri- 
 ftianity, worthy of a Chriflian Bilhop. 
 
 Pithander had juft enter'd Logifio' s Houfe, 
 in order to fulfil their mutual Appointment, 
 and they were gone down to an elegant 
 Summer-houfe at the lower End of the 
 Garden, before Sophronius knock'd at the 
 B a Gate. 
 
4 'The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 Gate. When he was admitted, he chofe to 
 take a Turn on the Grafs-plot, while the 
 Servant went to give Notice to his Mailer. 
 Logijio efpy'd him afar off; for he was of a 
 tall and comely Stature, which, together 
 with his grizzled Hair, had render'd his 
 Perfon more diftinguilh'd and confpicuous. 
 " See here (faith he to Pithander) a proper 
 " Moderator for our intended Debate, if 
 " you pleale to allow Sophronius to bear a 
 " Part in the Converfation of the Even- 
 
 (( 
 
 ing. 
 
 " I have fome Knowledge of him, reply'd 
 " Pithander ; he is a Gentleman of good 
 " Reading, and generally a pretty fair Rea- 
 " foner : Were it not for one thing, I fhould 
 " like him very well for a Moderator j for 
 " I think he is in the main an honeft Man : 
 " But he indulges fiich a Latitude of 
 " Thought on fome Subjeds, that I fufped 
 " he will too eafily allow Reafon to be a 
 " faffi<^'^^nt Guide to lead Heathens to Hea- 
 " ven; for he not only fpeaks favourably 
 •' of the Presbyterians^ but I myfelf onee 
 " heard him fay, that he believes even the 
 " Paptfis and the fakers may have fome 
 " good Things among them, and fome 
 " good Men too." 
 
 " Good Sir, faid Logifio^ when ftiall we 
 " have done with all thefe Party Diftinc- 
 *' tions, and this Narrownefs of Spirit ? 
 " Muft Charity be always a dangerous 
 " thing ? If you know Sophron'ms, you 
 
 " know 
 
q/^ Human Reason. 5, 
 
 " know a Man of Ingenuity and Honour ; 
 " he hath a certain Sagacity with him, 
 " whereby he fpies the Force of an Argu- 
 " ment at once, and knows the vaft Diffe- 
 " rence there is betwixt Difputing and Ca- 
 " villing: He can tell you immediately 
 " where an Objeftion pinches hardeft, and 
 " is fo honeft as to feel and confefs it, even 
 " when it is urged againft his own Opinions. 
 " He goes generally to Church, and I take 
 " him to be a very fincere Believer in his. 
 " Bible j and upon this Account, my good 
 " Friend, I have more Reafon to fay, he is 
 " unfit for a Moderator in our prefent Di- 
 " fpute, than you can have to think him fo, 
 " on account of his Moderation and his.ge- 
 " nerous Charity. I am well alTured, that 
 " he is no Bigot, that he never runs into 
 " any Extreams, nor follows any Opinion 
 " for the fake of Party : I think we may 
 " fafely take him for a Moderator between 
 " us ; and I Ihall be glad to have him not 
 " only Ihew us what he obferves of Strength 
 " or Weaknefs in our Arguments, but Ihall 
 *' requeft his final Sentiments on the Theme 
 " of our Controverfy." 
 
 Upon this 'Pithander loon agreed to the 
 Propolal : " Let him, then, faid he, hear 
 *' our prelent Debates, if you pleafe, and 
 " pronounce at laft on the Subjeft.'' 
 
 By this time Logi/io's Servant had got 
 down to the Summer-houfe, and having told 
 his Matter of his new-come Gueft, he was 
 
 B 3 order'd 
 
6 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 order'd immediately to wait on him down 
 the long Myrtle Walk, and let him know 
 how much his Company was defired. 
 
 When they had paid mutual Salutations, 
 LogiHo inform'd Sophroriius of the Intent of 
 their Meeting, of the Subjedt of their in- 
 tended Conference, and of the Office to 
 which they had both appointed him j and 
 they join'd to intreat his Confent. After a 
 few becoming Excufes, Sophron'ms chofe ra- 
 ther to obey their Order, than to difappoint 
 the Defign of the Evening : And fee, faid 
 he, the Sun grows low, therefore let your 
 Debate commence. 
 
 Upon this, LogiJIo began. 
 
 Log. My Bufinefs, Pithander^ is to prove, 
 that Human Reafon, without any Revelation 
 from Heaven, is fufficient to guide and conduB 
 Mankind in a Way of Religion, to the Favour 
 of God, and future Blejfednefs. Now that we 
 may underftand one another perfectly, and 
 keep up the fame Ideas of the Terms we ufe, 
 throughout the whole Difpute, I will try firft 
 whether we cannot fettle the Senle of them 
 to our mutual Satisfadion. 
 
 Pith. Then let us hear. Sir, your Expli- 
 cation of the Terms. 
 
 Log. I queftion whether I can do it better 
 than a late Writer on this Subjeft has done : 
 ril make ufe of his Words therefore, which 
 are contain'd in the firft Page of his Book : 
 I have juft bought it: Here it lies by me in 
 
 the 
 
of Human Reason. 7 
 
 the Summer-houfe, and I'll read the Lines 
 to you, Sir, with a very little Alteration. 
 
 " By Reajon, I underftand that Faculty or 
 " Power of the Mind by which Men difcern 
 " and judge of Right and Wrong, of Good 
 " and Evil, of Truth and Error, and the 
 " like. By Matters of Religion^ I under- 
 " ftand not merely the PraB'tces of Piety to- 
 " ward God J but of Virtue and Sobriety with 
 '•' regard to our Neighbours and ourjehes, 
 " and in general all thofe Things which Men 
 " are accountable for to the Maker and 
 " Governor of the Univerfe j and thereby 
 " render themfclves the proper Objeds of 
 " Reward or Punifhment, By Guidance and 
 " Condufi in Matters of Religion^ I under- 
 " ftand an Ability or Capacity (if carefully 
 " and faithfully exercifed) to difcover what 
 " are thefe Duties of Piety and Virtue, or 
 " what it is which Man in Reafon and Equi- 
 " ty is accountable for, and which will ren- 
 " der him the proper Objed of Divine Fa- 
 " vour or Difpleafure j and likewife a Ca- 
 " pacity to difcover fuch Motives to enforce 
 " the Practice of thefe Duties, as will be a 
 " Balance to all thofe Temptations which 
 " the prelent Gonftitution of Things una- 
 " voidably fubjeds him to. And by a Suffi- 
 *' ciency to guide and conduB: a Man in Matters 
 " of Religion, I underftand fuch a Capacity 
 " or Power in Man, when duly exercifed, as 
 " is fufficient to anfwer thefe Purpofes with- 
 " out any thing fuperadded j and which will 
 
 B 4 " render 
 
% The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 " render him, in Juftice and Equity, inex- 
 " cufable if he mifcarries." 
 
 Give me Leave to add t' is one Thing, that 
 by mentioning future Blejjedmfs in my State 
 of the Queftion, you fee I intend to declare 
 my Profeffion of the Immortality of the Soul, 
 and a State of Rewards and Punifhments to 
 be difpenfed in the other World, by God 
 the righteous Governor and the Judge of all, 
 according to our Behaviour in the prefent 
 State. Weil, Plthander^ do you agree to this 
 Account of the Terms we ftiall ufe in this 
 Difputc ? 
 
 <J>ith. Yes, I think I do. Sir ; for I fee 
 nothing necelTary to be objeded againft it 
 at prefent. 
 
 Log. Then, fince we have fettled the 
 Meaning of the Queftion, I will now enter 
 lipon the Argument, and endeavour to prove 
 the Sufficiency of Human Realbn to guide 
 and conduct Men to Happinefs, in a Way of 
 Religion, tho' they have no Revelation. 
 
 'J'ith. I think, Sir, it will be neceflary 
 for us ftill to inquire, and agree yet more 
 particulajly, How far this Idea of Religion 
 reaches, ff'hat an the chief Articles it com- 
 prehends^ i. e. what are thofe T'ruths which 
 are neceflary to be known and believed, upon 
 which thefe Duties depend \ and what are 
 thofe Duties which are neceflary to be prac- 
 tifed to obtain the Favour of God, and Hap- 
 pinefs in another World ? 
 
 Log. I 
 
o/ Human Reason. p 
 
 Log. I perfedly approve of .your Propofal, 
 Sir; and when we have fettled thefe Articles, 
 let us fee Jfr/}^ whether Reafon be not fufR- 
 cient to guide or injiru^ us in the Know- 
 ledge of them all ; and afterward we will 
 debate, whether the fame Reafon cannot hy 
 them conduB us to Heaven ; /. e. whether 
 Reafon has not a fufficient natural Power by 
 proper Motives to inforce the Pradice of the 
 Duties which it teaches us, and bring us 
 thereby to Happinefs. Thefe are the two 
 Things which I mean i>y guiding and con- 
 ducing. 
 
 Pith. I confent to this Method, Sir ; and 
 fince perhaps you and I fhall hardly agree 
 at once upon all the Articles of this neceffary 
 Religion, I propofe that Sophronius may be 
 defired to reckon them up, as an impartial 
 Peribn, between us. I hope he will not fail 
 to do Juftice in this Part of the Argument. 
 
 Log. Pray, (Si9/'^ro«/«j-,-pleale to take this 
 Trouble upon you : It will be no difficult 
 Matter for you, who are ib well acquainted 
 with thefe Difputes, to tell us at fo fliort a 
 Warning, what mere Reafon makes neceffary 
 for Man to believe and praclife, if ever he 
 would hope to obtain the Favour of God. 
 
 Sofhro. Since you both requefl: it, Gentle- 
 men, I comply, and venture to give my 
 Thoughts in this Matter : And I hope I fliall 
 mention only fuch Articles as you will both 
 affent to the Necellity of them, and fuch as 
 I hope alfo you will both believe to be 
 
 fufficient, 
 
lo The Strength and Weakncfs 
 
 fufficient, where there is no divine Reve- 
 lation. 
 
 Doubtlefs Man muft know and believe, in 
 the Jirfi place, that there is a God, and that 
 this God is but One ; for G o d is too jealous 
 of his Honour and his Dignity, and too 
 much conccrn'd in this important Point, to 
 lavifti out Happinefs and his heavenly Fa- 
 vours on any Perfon who makes other Gods 
 to become his Rivals-, or who exalts a Crea- 
 ture, or a meer Chimera.^ into the Throne of 
 God. He muft believe alfo, that God is a 
 Being of perfect ffifdom^ ^owsr, and Good- 
 w/s, and that he is the righteous Governor 
 of the World. 
 
 Man muft alfo know, that he himfelf is a 
 Creature of' God, furnifti'd with a Faculty 
 of Under Jiand'mg to percfeive the general Dif- 
 ference between Good and Evil, in the moft 
 important Inftances of it^ and endow'd with 
 a ff^iU^ which is a Power to chufe or to refufe 
 the Evil or the Good : That he is obliged to 
 exert thefe Powers or Faculties in a right 
 Manner, both toward God and toward him- 
 felf, as well as his Ne'ighbour. I don't infift 
 upon it, that he muft know thefe Propofi- 
 tions explicitly, and in a Philofophical Man- 
 ner ; but he muft have fome fort of Con- 
 fcioufnefs of his own natural Powers, to 
 know and diftinguilh, to chufe or to refufe 
 Good or Evil, and his Obligations to inquire 
 and pradife what is Good, and to avoid what 
 is Evil. 
 
 As 
 
o/ Human Reason. ii 
 
 As for the Duties that relate to God, Man 
 is obliged to worftiip him with Keverencc, 
 to honour him in his Heart and Life, on the 
 Account of his Wifdom and Power mani- 
 fefted in the World ; to fear his Majefty, to 
 love him, and hope in his Goodnefs, to give 
 him Thanks for what Inftances of it he par- 
 takes of, to feek to him for what Bleffings he 
 wants, and to carry it toward him in all 
 Things as his Maker, his Lord, and his Go- 
 vernor. 
 
 He muft know alfo, that fince God is a 
 righteous Governor, if he does not make 
 Good Men happy in this World, and the 
 Wicked miferable, then there muft be ano- 
 ther World, wherein he will appoint Hap- 
 pinefs for the Good, and Mifery for the 
 Wicked ; and that he will, fome Time or 
 other, diftribute Rewards and Punifliments 
 to all Perlbns, according to their Behaviour : 
 For this has a very confiderable Influence 
 into all Holinefs of Life, and every Part of 
 Morality. 
 
 As for the Duties which relate to other 
 Men, every Man muft know and believe, 
 that as he is placed here amongft a Multi- 
 tude of Fellow Creatures of his own Species 
 or Kind, he is bound to pradife Truth or 
 Veracity, Juftice and Goodnefs toward them, 
 according to the feveral Relations in which 
 he may ftand, as a Father, Brother, Son, Huf- 
 band. Neighbour, Subjed, Mafter, Servant, 
 
 Buyer, Seller, &c. 
 
 And 
 
1 2 ^he Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 And with Regard to himfelf^ he muft 
 Icnow that he is bound to exercife Sobriety 
 and Temperance, and to maintain a due 
 Government over his Appetites and Paffions, 
 that they run not into Excefs and Extrava- 
 gance. 
 
 And finally, fince every Man will fre- 
 quently find himlelf coming fhort of his 
 Duty to God and Man, and betray'd into 
 Sin by the Strength of his Temptations, his 
 Appetites and Paffions, in the various Occur- 
 rences of Life, he muft repent of his Sins, 
 be fiiicerely forry for what he has done amifs, 
 humbly ask Forgivenels of God, and en- 
 deavour to ferve and pleafe him in all Things 
 for the Time to come, and he muft exercife 
 a Hope or Truft in the Mercy of G o d, that 
 upon Repentance and new Obedience, God 
 will forgive Sinners, and take them again 
 into his Favour. 
 
 Pith. I grant that thefe Articles feem to 
 be the Sum and Subftance of Natural Reli- 
 gion, , and the moft important and necelTary 
 Parts 6f it- : And I thank you, Sophroniiis^ 
 for io particular an Enumeration of them : 
 Tho' if i had a mind to difpute, I would 
 inquire, whether there were not ibme more 
 Particulars necefTary to complete true Reli- 
 gion ; I mean, the Religion of Sinning Crea- 
 tures, in order to obtain the Favour of God ; 
 and if I fhould ftrenuoufly infift upon thele 
 Things, Logifo^ perhaps you would find it 
 
 hard 
 
o/ Human Reason. 15 
 
 hard to exclude them utterly from fuch a 
 Religion as ftiall be efFedual to Salvation. 
 
 Log. And if I had a mind, Pithander^ to 
 difpute too, I would fay, here are feveral 
 more Articles brought together than I thought 
 of, and our Friend Sophronius hath named 
 too many Fundamentals for a Heathen to 
 believe and pra£life. But in the main, I 
 confefs, I know not well how to reject them 
 with Juftice ; and, to avoid Contention, for 
 the prefent I will fubrait to this Enumera- 
 tion, and we will argue upon them. 
 
 Sophro. Gentlemen, I would fain have this 
 Matter well adjufted and agreed between 
 you in the very Beginning of your Debate, 
 that there may be no Altercation about it 
 afterward. If you pleafe therefore, I will 
 very briefly give you my Reafbns, why I 
 fuppofe thefe Articles of Belief and Praftice 
 to be fufficient, where there is no Revela- 
 tion, to lead Men into the Favour of God, 
 and alio why I can allow of very little Abate- 
 ment of them; tho* I am fatisfy'd, many 
 Perfons, and even fome of the Chriftian 
 Faith, have been faved without any formal 
 Knowledge of them in a regular Scheme of 
 Propofitions. 
 
 Firp then, I can hardly think that a God 
 of Holinefs and Juftice will require lefs than 
 what I have reprefented, in order to obtain 
 his Favour, and future Happinefs : For thofe 
 Perfons muft be very unfit Inhabitants for 
 Heayen, where Happinefs confifts in the 
 
 Know- 
 
14 T^e Strength and Weakhefs 
 
 Knowledge and Love of God, who have 
 never learnt on Earth to Icnow, and love, and 
 honour the only true God, or who do not 
 acknowledge him as Governor of the World, 
 nor hope nor fear any Rewards or Punifti- 
 ments ftom his Hands, or who bear no true 
 Love to their Neighbour, nor govern them- 
 felves by any Rules of Sobriety, but allow 
 and praftife Injuftice and Intemperance, or 
 who never repent of former Sins, nor ask 
 G o D to forgive them. 
 
 On the other hand, thofe who Icnow and 
 fear, who love and honour the only true 
 God, and are defirous to know his Will, 
 and to obey it as far as they know it, who 
 are fbber with regard to their own Conduct, 
 and juft and merciful with regard to their 
 Neighbours, who are fenfible they often fail 
 in their Duty, and fincerely repent of Sin, 
 who implore Forgivenefs of God, and hope 
 in his Mercy ; thefe Perfons, I fay, muft 
 certainly be in the main approved of God, 
 notwithftanding their many Failings. And 
 I think God ii too merciful a Being to con- 
 demn fuch Perfons to everlafting Punifliment, 
 or finally to rejeft thofe who fincerely love 
 and obey him, tho' in Arid Juftice their 
 many Sins and Failings may defervc it. 
 '^ithander will pleafe to remember alfo, that 
 God himfelf has told us by the Apoftle 
 Peter, Ads x. 2) 5- I^^ ^^^y Nation he that 
 feareth God and worketh Righteoufnefs is 
 accepted with him, tho' it is not fuppofed 
 
 that 
 
o/ Human Reason. ly 
 
 that any Man can do it in full Perfec- 
 tion. 
 
 Log. Well, Pithander, what have you to 
 fay againft thefe Reafonings ? For my part, 
 I think they carry great Force with them ; 
 and we may both readily give our Affent. 
 I will therefore begin my Argument, if you 
 pleale ? 
 
 9ith. I am very unwilling to oppole what 
 Sophronius has faid : But I hope he will not 
 take it ill, if 1 ask the Favour of an Anfwer 
 to one Qiieltion, before I give my complete 
 Affent to it, and before our Debate b6gin ? 
 
 Sophro. With utmoft Freedom, Sir, pro- 
 pofe any Objedion, and I will either give a 
 fair Anfwer to the Difficulty you propofe, 
 or fubmit to the Force of it, and retrad my 
 Opinion in this Matter \ for I'm always ready 
 to learn and receive Inftrudion from any 
 Man, and particularly from Gentlemen of 
 your Cloth ; tho' I dare fubjecl my Under- 
 ftanding and Confcience to no Matter but 
 Chrifi. 
 
 '^itb. Then, Sir, fince you thus roundly 
 profefs yourfelf a Chriftian, I would take the 
 Freedom to inquire, whether in every Dif- 
 CO very of Grace and Mercy which God has 
 made to finful Mankind, he has not always 
 enjoin'd fome pofitive Inftitution and Duty, 
 over and above the mere Duties which the 
 Light of Nature or Realbn could dictate to 
 innocent or finful Man ? When he gave 
 our firft Parents any Hope of Favour after 
 
 their 
 
1 6 The Strength and Weaknels 
 
 their Sin, did he not enjoin Sacrifices, at 
 leaft as a Shadow or Token of Atonement ? 
 Did he not appoint fome Faith or Hope in 
 a Mediator or Saviour, (v2z.) the Seed of the 
 Woman^ that Jhould break the Head of the 
 Serpent^ or deftroy the Works of the Devil? 
 Was not this pofitivc Inftitution of Sacrifices 
 continued alfo to t^oah and to Abraham^ 
 together with fbme clearer Accounts of a 
 Mefjiah given to Jhraham^ and a Demand of 
 Hope or Truft in him ? Were not the fame 
 pofitive Inftitutions and Requirements of 
 Sacrifice and Truft in a Mejftah^ a Saviour, 
 given to Mofes and the Jews^ together with 
 many other Rites and Ceremonies, in order 
 to their Acceptance with God ? And when 
 Jefus Chriji came into the World, a Faith 
 or Truft in this Meffiah^ or a Truft in the 
 Mercy of God thro' him, was made a ne- 
 ceflary Qualification of our Acceptance with 
 God, befides Repentance and new Obedi- 
 ence, and an humble Defire of the Forgive- 
 nefs of paft Offences. 
 
 I grant indeed, that the Ordinances which 
 were given to Abraham^ to the Jews^ and 
 to the Gentiles to whom the Gofpel of Chriji 
 was preached, were not required of all the 
 World. The Ipecial Rules given to Abra- 
 ham obliged the Family of Abraham ; thofe 
 given to Mofes obliged only the Jews ; the 
 particular and pofitive Duties of Chripianity 
 could oblige no Families or Nations but 
 thofe to whom they were once made known : 
 
 But 
 
o/" Human Reason* 1/ 
 
 But the pofitive Inftitution of Sacrifices, and 
 the Hopes of fome proitiifed Saviour were ap- 
 pointed to Adam and Noah^ and their Fami- 
 lies,- and thefe Appointments therefore belong 
 to all Nations of Mankind, for they were given 
 to them all in thofe two general Fathers of the 
 World. My Query now is, Whether or no any 
 Nations under Heaven, who never heard of 
 Chriji, can have any comfortable Hopes of Ac- 
 ceptance with God if they pracSife not thefe po- 
 fitive Duties of Revelation, viz. Sacrifices, and 
 T?7//? in fome Saviour, over and above the na- 
 tural Duties of Repentance, afking Pardon of 
 God, and new Obedience, which the Light 
 of Nature requires of every Sinner ? 
 
 Sophro. Your Query, Pithander, is of great 
 Importance in this Controverfy; and I am 
 glad you ilarted it, that I may clear the Stage 
 for your further Difpute, and make your Work 
 the eafier on both Sides. 
 
 I readily grant, that in every Difcovery of 
 divine Mercy to finful Men, there hath been 
 fometjiing of fuch pofitive Infi:itutions requir'd, 
 as well as the natural Duties of Repentance 
 and future Obedience, _&c. But let us confi- 
 derj firfi, that God is a Being of infinite 
 Goodnefs and Holinefs in himfelf, and there- 
 fore mufl: delight to exercife Mercy toward 
 thofe who remrn fincereiy to his Fear, and 
 Love, and Holinefs, and are fo far Partakers 
 of his Likenefs. Let us confider in the fecond 
 Place, that the Duties of Repentance, the 
 Fear and Love of God, and new Obedience, 
 
 C and 
 
1 8 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 and humbly feeking of Pardon at the Hands 
 of God, are much more important Qualifica- 
 tions to fit a Soul for the Favour of his Maker, 
 and for heavenly BlefTednels, than any pofitive 
 Rites or Appointments w^hatfoever : And let us 
 in the third Place confider yet further, that 
 God has made this the avowed Rule of our Duty 
 and of his Dealings with Men, that he loves and 
 values Mercy more than Sacrifice^ i. e. that he 
 efteems and prefers the Duties of Morality and 
 Piety above any pofitive Rules or Rites : Now 
 upon all thefe Confiderations, I think, we 
 may be bold to fay, that if thefe Duties of 
 true Repentance, humble Requefts of Forgive- 
 nefs, and Endeavours after new Obedience, 
 be performed according to the prefent utmoft 
 Capacity of a finful Creature, who is not ac- 
 quainted with any pofitive Duties of divine In- 
 ftitution, God will furely fhew himfelf pleafed 
 with fuch an humble Penitent: We may, I 
 think, infer with fome Affurance, that God 
 will never exclude him from his Favour 
 merely for want of his Pradlice of fome po- 
 fitive Duties or Inftitutions which he himfelf 
 never heard of by any Revelation, and which 
 he could never come to the Knowledge of by 
 the beft Exercife of his Reafon. 
 
 Befides, Sir, if we confider the Accounts 
 which Scripture has given us of thofe who 
 were the beloved Servants of God in ancient 
 Ages, even his chief Favourites,, fuch 2&Noah, 
 Abraham^ Mofes, Jojhua, David, &c. you 
 find them indeed offering Sacrifice according 
 
 to 
 
o/^ Human Reason* t^ 
 
 to the pofitive Inftitutions of God, but you find 
 very little of their own perfonal Truft in a 
 Mediator or Saviour, or in the Mercy of God 
 thro' a Mediator; muchlefs do we find an Ac^ 
 count of the Exercife of their Faith in any 
 atoning Sacrifice of a MeJJiah to come. But 
 befides their Duties of Repentance, afking 
 Pardon, and new Obedience, ^c, their Hope 
 was generally fix'd on the Mercy of Godhim^ 
 felf, without fo particular an Exercife of Faith 
 thro' a Mediator, fo far as we can learn by 
 their devotional Writings, or the Hiftory of 
 their own Tranfadlions with God : I fay, we 
 find little of this in their own Devotions, even 
 tho' feveral of them had this future Saviour re- 
 vealed to tliem from Heaven, and to the World 
 by their Lips or Writings. 
 
 As for the Dodtrine of Atonement for Sin 
 'by this Saviour, tho' I fuppofe it to be the real 
 Ground and Foundation of all the pardoning 
 Grace that ever was difpenfed to Mankind, and 
 tho' I conceive it to be a moft important, if not 
 aneceflary Part of the Religion tf Chrijl, fince 
 the Gofpel is fully publifh'd, yet St. Peter dldi 
 not know it a little before Chriji's Death, 
 Matth. xyi.2 2. and Cornelius was accepted of 
 God before he was taught the Dodrine of 
 Chriji or his Atonement. His Prayers and 
 Alms, his Piety and Charity came up before 
 God and were gracioufly accepted^ ASts x. 4, 
 
 35- 
 
 Upon the whole View of Things, I think, 
 we may juflly conclude, that where Chrijt 
 
 C 2 and 
 
20" The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 and the Gofpel are not publifh'd, all humble' 
 fincere Penitents, alkirtg Pardon of God, and 
 hoping in his Mercy, (tho' they know nothing 
 of the Way or Method wherein it is, or hath 
 been, or fhall be revealed) {hall not fail of 
 Pardon and Acceptance with God at laft, nor 
 mifs of final future Happinefs. This Grace 
 hath Jefus procur'd, and God will beftow it. 
 
 Pith. Your way of arguing. Sir, carries fo 
 much Light and Convidtion in it, that I can- 
 not deny your Argument. And I am inclined 
 to believe, that my excellent Diocefan, • the 
 iprefent Bifhop oi London, in hhJ'econdPaJlo- 
 ral Letter, was much in this Sentiment when 
 he exprefs'd himfelf, p. 46. in thefe Words : 
 As to the Heathens, tho' the Light of Reafon is 
 but dim, yet they who have no better Light to 
 nvalk by, and who honejily make ufe of that as 
 the only Guide God has given tloem, cannot fail 
 to be mercifully dealt with by infinite Juftice 
 and Goodnefs. 
 
 Log. I am very glad the Reafoning of So- 
 phronius is fo happily fupported by the Autho- 
 rity of the Biihop, and both together have 
 perfuaded you to yield up this Point, that God 
 will accept of penitent Sinners, without their 
 aSiual Trufi in Sacrifices. 
 
 Pith. I am not afhamed to confefs. Sir, 
 that I pay great Honour and Deference to 
 the Sentiment of my Superiors in the Church j 
 yet I would willingly fee good Reafon alfo for, 
 what I believe : And I declare now, that I can 
 give my Affent in the main to what Sophronius 
 
 has 
 
o^HuMAN Reason. ii 
 
 has deliver 'd. If any little Scruple remain, it 
 will be adjufted in the Courfe of our Debate. 
 ■ But before you begin. your Argument, Sir, 
 I entreat you to remember both the precife 
 Point of ^ejiion, and the Extent of it ; and 
 that is, Whether Human Reafon, in the prefent 
 State of Things, be fu^cient to guide all Man- 
 kind to fuch a Degree of the Knowledge and 
 PraBice of Religion, as our Friend has de- 
 fcribed, fuch as may entitle them to the Fa- 
 vour of God and future Happinefs. Permit 
 me, therefore, Sir, to mention four Particu- 
 lars, which are to be excepted or excluded from 
 the prefent Difpute, as not being the proper 
 and precife Subject of it. 
 
 Log. Let us hear, Pithander, what are the 
 four Things you exclude from our Debate ? 
 
 Pith. In xhcfrft Place, Sir, be pleafed to 
 obferve, that we are not inquiring. Whether 
 the Reafon of Man, in its original Powers of 
 Innocency and PerfeSliony could find out all 
 the necelTary Parts of Natural Religion, viz. 
 the Knowledge of his Maker, and his Duty 
 to him and his Fellow-Creatures, as Sophro- 
 nius has defcribed them, fo far as to fecure to 
 himfelf the Love of his Maker in that inno- 
 cent State: But whether A/ia:;^, in his prefmt 
 corrupt and degenerate Circumjiances, who is 
 fo ready to miflake Error for Truth, whofe 
 Reafon is fo much blinded and byafs'd by the 
 prevailing Influences of Flefh and Senfe, 
 and perpetually led aftray by Appetites and 
 Paffions, and fo many thoufand Prejudices 
 C 3 • which 
 
21 The Strength andWcoknek 
 
 which arife from Things both within him and 
 without him ; I fay, Whether human Reafon, 
 in this degenerate State of Man, be fufficient 
 to teach him fuch a Religion, as will reftore 
 a Sinner to the Favour of God, fecure to him 
 everlafting Felicity, and render his immortal 
 Soul happy in the Love of his Creator. 
 
 Log. Pray, Pithander, let us hear no more 
 of this old dull Story of the degenerate and 
 corrupt State of Man. 'Tis a Notion, indeed, 
 that has prevail'd for almoft feventeen hundred 
 Years among Chrijlians, and even among the 
 yews long before them : But I can fee little 
 Foundation for it. I think Man is a very ex- 
 cellent Being, as he was at firft, and his Rea- 
 fon, and his other Faculties of Soul, are noble 
 Powers, and have always been, and always 
 will be, fufficient to diredt and bring him to 
 the Happinefs for which his Nature was made, 
 notwithfbanding all your Pretences of a Bruife 
 gotten by fome ancient Fall, which, as you fay, 
 reach'd all Mankind in their inward Powers, 
 and weaken'd them even to this Day. 
 
 Soph. Forgive me, Logijio, if I prefume to 
 interpofe a Word here, when I find you fpeak- 
 ing with fuch Spirit and Warmth againft an 
 Opinion which is not peculiar to the Jews and 
 Chrijiians ; for feveral of the Heathen Philofo- 
 phers acknowledged and maintained it by the 
 mere Influence of the Light of Nature and 
 Reafon. 
 
 Antoninus, the Philofophic Emperor^ con- 
 fefles, that we are born mere Slaves (?'. e. in the 
 
 Senf^ 
 
of Human Reason. 2^ 
 
 Senfe of the Stoicks, Slaves to our vicious In- 
 clinations and Paflions) dejiitute of all true 
 Knowledge cmd found Reafon. Book XL Se£f. 
 27. The Platonijis are well known to believe 
 a pre-exiftent State wherein all Souls finned, 
 and they loft their Wings whereby they were 
 once capable of afcending upward, and fo they 
 funk into thefe Bodies, partly as a Puniih- 
 ment for former Follies. This was call'd in 
 their Form of Speech, vrhsj-ff-Jmii, or a 
 Moulting of their Wings. 
 
 Their own d^ily Experience in themfelves, 
 and their wife Obfervation of the World, con- 
 vinced them, that all Mankind come into the 
 World with Fropenfity to Vice rather than 
 Virtue, and that Man is not fuch a Creature 
 now as he came from his Maker's Hand, but 
 is fome way or other degenerated from his 
 primitive Redtimde and Glory, tho' they in- 
 dulged ftrange GuefTes at the Caufe of it, and 
 indeed they were utterly at a Lofs to find how it 
 carae to pais. This is only revealed in the Bible. 
 
 Log. I thank you, Sophronius, for your gentle 
 Reproof. It is not at all improper for you 
 to interpofe when you find any thing too keen 
 and pungent efcape from either of our Lips 
 in the Courfe of Difputation. This is one Part 
 of a Moderator's Office, and I beg Fithanders 
 Pardon. 
 
 But without more Compliments, we will 
 purfue the Point in Hand. Let the Heathens^ 
 Jews J and Chrijiians of elder Times fay what 
 they pleafe of this Degeneracy, fome of your 
 
 C 4 own 
 
24 ^he Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 own Writers now adays, who are in greateft 
 Credit amongft you, if they do not fufpeftthe 
 Reality of the Story of Adam and Five^ and the 
 Serpent, yet at leaft they denyfuch fatal Effedrs 
 of it as you have generally afcribed to the Fiall 
 of Man. To fay the Truth, they are almoft 
 grown weary of maintaining fo harfh and fo 
 unreafonable a Dodtrine. Your learned Dr. 
 Clarke tells us, that in Solomons Days, as well 
 as in ours, God made Man upright; " andnot- 
 " withflanding all that can be faid of the 
 " Meannefs and Frailnefs of our Nature, not- 
 " withftanding all the Difadvantages we can 
 " alledge ourfelves to lie under in Confequence 
 " of Sin having been brought into the World, 
 " yet God has made Man upright; Man, that 
 " is, the Species of whole Race of Men. The 
 " Uprightnefs therefore that Solomon fpeaks of 
 " in Ecclef. vii. 29. cannot be the original Up- 
 " rightnefs which was forfeited by the Sin of 
 « our firft Parents, but that continued Upright- 
 " nefs with which every Man comes into the 
 " World notwithftanding the Fall." See Dr. 
 Clarke % Serm. XIV. printed in his Life-time. 
 
 Fith. I amforry to find a Chrijlian Writer 
 talk at the rate this learned Author does in 
 that Sermon. And indeed if the Corruption 
 of human Nature be fo fmall, and its prefent 
 Powers fo fufficient for the Purpofes of Re- 
 ligion and Virtue, as he reprefents them in that 
 Difcourfe, I wonder how he could fpeak of 
 fo univerfal a Depravation amongft Mankind, 
 as he does in his excellent Book of Reveal'd 
 
 Religion^ 
 
o/ H U M A N R E A S N. 25 
 
 Religion, Prop. -5, 6, 7. which made Revela- 
 tion fa neceflary. But I wave this Point at 
 prefent, left it fhould draw us afide too foOn 
 from our intended Subjedt into another De- 
 bate, viz. about Original Sin. 
 
 I would therefore only take notice to you^ 
 Logijlo, and I fuppofe you will eafily grant, 
 that Man, in his prefent Condition, is liable 
 to many Miftakes in his Search of Truth and 
 Duty ; and that he often fails in Practice of 
 the Rules of known Duty ; and that there is 
 fomething more that is neceffary to be known 
 and pradiifed, that a finful Creature may re- 
 cover the Love and Favour of his Maker when 
 he is offended, than there was for an inno- 
 cent Creature in order to keep himfelf in the 
 Love of God ; and that is, as our Friend So- 
 fhronius has exprefs'd it, the Duty of Repen- 
 tance on our Part, and the Grace of Forgive- 
 nefs on the Part of God. 
 
 Log. This is not to be deny'd, Sir, and 
 therefore I readily allow it. But what then ? 
 Is not the Reafon of Man fufHcient to find out 
 thefe Things? 
 
 Pith. Give me Leave, Sir, to fay again, 
 that we are not inquiring, Whether human 
 Reafon, in its beji EJiate, could find out the Re- 
 ligion of an innocent Creature, whereby he might 
 continue in his Makers Love; but whether, 
 under all prefent Difadvantages, Prejudices, 
 Miftakes, PafTions, &c. his Reafon be ftiffici- 
 entto find out all Things neceffary for a guilty 
 Creature to obtain Forgivenefs of his offended 
 
 Creator, 
 
i6 iT/^^ Strength and Weakncfs 
 
 Creator, and to procure to himfelf immortal 
 Happinefs in a future State, notwitbllanding 
 his paft Offences. 
 
 Log. I approve of your Accuracy, my Friend, 
 in this Point, and I affirm, that the Reafon of 
 Man, in his prefent State, tho' he often errs, 
 and often offends God, is yet fufficient to in- 
 flruft and lead him into all that is needful to 
 obtain Pardon and Happinefs. Well, what is 
 the next Thing you would except out of our 
 Difpute ? 
 
 Pith. In thefecond Place then I would ob- 
 ferve, that we are not to debate, Whether we, 
 who have been educated in a Chrijlian Nation, 
 and have been trained up from our Infancy 
 to hear and learn a thoufand Things which 
 the ignorant Heathens never hear of; I fay, 
 whether we, by our Force of Reafon, can draw 
 out a conneSled Scheme of Religion in the fede- 
 ral 1'ruths and Duties of it, which might lead 
 a Sinner to obtain the Faxiour of God: But 
 whether one who was born and brought up 
 in the dark Regions of Heathenifm, and never 
 had any happy Hints given him by Tradition 
 or by Converfation, could find out by his own 
 Reafoning Powers fuch a Scheme of Virtue 
 and GodlinefS) as would be fufficient to bring 
 him to the divine Favour, and the Felicity 
 of another World ? 
 
 We are greatly miflaken in fuppofing that 
 the Underflanding of a Heathen would lead 
 him into all thofe well-connedted Sentiments 
 of God and Man, of Virtue and Piety^ which 
 
 are 
 
o/ Human Reason. 27 
 
 are found even among common Perfons edu- 
 cated under the bright Influence of Chrijiia- 
 nity. 
 
 Mr. Locke, in his Reafonablenefs ofChriJiia- 
 nityy p. 269. fays, " That if Chrijiian Phi- 
 " lofophers have much outdone the Heathens 
 " in their Syftems of Morality;" he afcribes it 
 to their Knowledge of Revelation. " Every 
 " one (fays he) may obferve a great many 
 " Truths which he receives at firft from 
 " others, and readily aifents to, as confonant 
 " to Reafon, which he wou'd have found it 
 " hard, or perhaps beyond his Strength, to 
 " have difcover'd of himfelf Native and 
 *' Original Truth is not fo eafily wrought out 
 " of the Mine, as we who have it deliver *d 
 " ready dug and fafhion'd to our Hands, are 
 " apt to imagine." 
 
 Permit me to add, Sir, with all juft Defe- 
 rence and Refpeft to your bright Genius and 
 your happy reafoning Powers, I can hardly, 
 imagine, that you yourfelf would have been 
 able, with utmoft Study, to draw up fuch an 
 accurate and comprehenfive Scheme of Na- 
 tural Religion, as Sophronius has now given 
 us extempore, if you had been fo unhappy as 
 to be born and bred among none but Hea- 
 thens. I believe 'twill be granted by all, that 
 neither Plato, nor Arijlotle, nor Seneca, nor 
 EpiSietus, nor Cicero, nor the greateft Names 
 and Wits of Antiquity, have left us fo clear, 
 and rational, and compendious a Syftem of 
 
 Religion 
 
28 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 Religion and Virtue, as our Friend has fet be- 
 fore us in the prefent Converfation. 
 
 Log. I allow this further Limitation of the 
 Queition, Pithander^ tho' I can hardly admit 
 your Reafon for it. I am therefore free to 
 aiTert, that even in Heathen Countries, where 
 not the leaft Ray of Chrijiianity has fhined, 
 their own Reafon of itfelf has Light enough 
 to guide Men in their Way thro' this World 
 to a better. 
 
 Pith. I proceed then, Sir, in the third 
 Place, to fay, we are not inquiring at prefent, 
 what Degree of Knowledge here and there a 
 Heathen PhiloJ'opher may pojjibly arrive at, who 
 gave himfelf up to Retirement and Study, u?i- 
 der the Advantages of a learned Education, 
 but what Acquaintance with Religion the Bulk 
 of Mankind in the Heathen Countries could 
 acquire by their own Reafon, many of whom 
 have but a low Genius, poor natural Parts, 
 and thofe uncultivated, and whole Views are 
 very narrow, and their Powers of Reafoning 
 exceeding feeble ? What could they do to find 
 out the Rules of Religion and Virtue for them- 
 felves, who are continually bufied in the Af- 
 fairs of Life, to provide Meat, Drink, and 
 Cloathingfor themfelves and their Houfhold, 
 or purfuing the Grandeurs, Honours, or Plea- 
 fures of Life with impetuous Appetite and 
 conftant Application? Could human Reafon,' 
 Sir, as 'tis found in thefe bufy People, efpe- 
 cially in the low Ranks of Life, or in Perjfons 
 of low Parts, frame fuch a Religion for them- 
 felves. 
 
o/ Human Reason. ip 
 
 felves, and fuch Rules of Virtue, as to Intitle 
 them to their Maker's Favour ? 
 
 Miftake me not, Logijlo, as if I here granted, 
 that the Philofophers, even in Rome or Athens, 
 the brighteft and the beft; of them, did ever 
 find out fuch a Scheme of ReUgion as would 
 lead them to Heaven and eternal Happinefs, 
 or fuch a Syftem as could be effectual to re- 
 form the World, or were ever like to do it. 
 Dr. Clarke himfelf has fufficiently {hewn the 
 contrary in his Treatife of Reveal' d Religion. 
 See his 5th and 6th Propofitions, which he 
 hath abundantly proved at large. The learn- 
 ed Mr. Millar, in that excellent Work, his 
 Hijiory of the Propagation of Chrijiianity, has 
 made it plain beyond alljuft Exception, Vol. 
 
 \.p. 36 '50. Edit. 3d. This Book is cited 
 
 with Honour by the Bifhop of London, in his 
 fecond Pajioral. Letter, which hath fet this 
 Matter alfo in a flrong Light, from p, 7. to 
 ^.38. Mr. Locke himfelf, whom all the 
 World admires as a Mailer of Reafon, and 
 who allow'd as much Power to Human Reafon 
 as one could well defire, aiferts in his Reafon- 
 ablenefs of Chrijiianity, pag. 268 . " Natural' 
 " Religion, in its full Extent, was no where, 
 "" that I know of, taken care of by the Force 
 " of Natural Reafon. It fhould feem by the 
 " little that hath hitherto been done in it, that 
 " it is too hard a Thing for unaffifted Reafon 
 " to eftabliih Morality in all its Parts upon 
 " its true Foundations with a clear and con- 
 " vincing Light." 
 
 You 
 
3 o ^e Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 You fee, Logijlo, what great Names I pro- 
 duce to you, even among modern and rational 
 Writers, who will not allow the Heathen Phi- 
 lofophers to be able to furnifli the World with 
 a good Scheme of Religion and Virtue. But 
 fuppofe thefe Virtuofds had done it with 
 much Labour and Fatigue of Thought, yet 
 can you imagine the unlearned and vulgar 
 Part of the Worldj the Labourers for daily 
 Bread, could ever frame fuch a Scheme for 
 themfelves ? Could Human Reafon, in the poor 
 and bufy Part of Cities, Towns, and Villages, 
 find out fuch a ReUgion as would lead them 
 into the Favour ot God ? The grand Enquiry 
 is not. Whether Reafon could poffibly condud: 
 a few bright and ftudious Men to Religion 
 and Happinefs; but whether 'tis fufficient, as 
 the Cafe of Human Nature and the Circum^ 
 ftances of Human Life now ftand, under fo 
 many Weaknefles and Prejudices, fo many 
 Bufinefles and Cares of Life, to reform the 
 Bulk of the World, or to guide them into 
 fuch a Reformation as might bring them to 
 Heaven. 
 
 hog. Well, I grant this Point alfo, and af- 
 firm the Sufficiency of Reafon in Heathen 
 Blackfmiths, in Coblers and Milk-maids, in 
 the Followers of the Plough, and the Drudges 
 of the Mill, to find out and pradtife Religion 
 fufficient to fave them. 
 
 Fith. Then, dear Sir, I'll try your Patience 
 but with one Exception more, and that is, 
 that tho' Human Reafon in the bufy Tribes 
 
 of 
 
o/ Human Reason. 31 
 
 of the World, as well as Philofophers, fhould 
 have been capable of learning Religion and 
 Virtue in fuch a City as Rome or Athent^ in 
 Europe j as Pekin in China ; as Smyrna or E- 
 phejus, in the Lejfer AJia^ and other polite 
 Countries, where they are aided by their Con- 
 verfe with learned Men and Philofophers, yet 
 are the reafoning Powers of the favage Na- 
 tions in Africa and America fufficient for this 
 Purpofe? For I conceive this is the prefent 
 Point of our Debate, Whether all Mankind, 
 even the meaneft Figures of it, in the darkeft, 
 the nloft barbarous and uncultivated Nations 
 of the Earth, have in themfelves fuch a Prin- 
 ciple of Reafon as is a fufficient Light to guide 
 them to Happinefs. 
 
 hog. Well then, I hope we have now 
 fettled the Point with great Exad:nefs ; and I 
 declare I am of this Mind, that every rational 
 Being, in ail the Regions and Quarters of the 
 World, has fuch Principles of Underftanding 
 and Will within him, if he will but ufe them 
 aright, as are fufficient to lead him into the 
 Knowledge and Pradiiceof Religion and Vir- 
 tue, fo far as to procure for him a happy Im- 
 mortality : That his Reafon is able to lead him 
 into fuch an Acquaintance with his Maker's 
 Will, and Obediencfe to it, as to engage the 
 Favour of his benevolent Maker towards him, 
 or to recover his Favour when at any time 
 he has finned, and expos'd himfelf to his An- 
 ger. And indeed, if Man has not fufficient 
 Powers for this Purpofe, I fhould think God 
 
 had 
 
3 i The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 had dealt worfe with Mankind, who (as you 
 all fay) was made after his Maker's Image, 
 than he has with any of the Iqwer Ranks of 
 Creation, even the Infedls and the poor creeps 
 ing Things of the Earth . 
 
 Pith. The Equity of the great God in deal- 
 ing with his Creatures may perhaps be debated 
 another Time ; but I think we have now iully 
 feled:ed and diftinguifhed the plain Argument 
 j:hat lies diredly before us ; and that which 
 you fo often affert is this, that the Light of 
 Reafon in every Man in the World is fufftcient 
 to find out his Way to the Favour of God, and 
 Happinefs by Religion and Virtue : And what 
 thefe Articles of Virtue and Religion are, what 
 thefe Dodtrines and Duties which are fo necef- 
 fary for this Purpofe, Sophronius has juft now 
 Informed us : I entreat you. Sir, proceed now 
 to the Proof of your AfTertion according to 
 the particular Articles Sophronius has pro- 
 pofed. 
 
 And to fave Time, I will not infift upon 
 your Proof of all of them, but only thofe that 
 feem moft difficulty And firft, be pleafed, Sir, 
 to tell us. How a wild Heathen would find out 
 that there is but one God? 
 
 Log. As Reafon very eafily difcovers to us 
 that there is a God who has made all Things 
 by the evident Tokens of Wifdom and Power 
 which appear in the Works of his Hands, fo 
 the ingenious Dr. Clarke informs us in his Ser- 
 mon of the Unity of God, that " This Doc- 
 " trine of the whole World being under the 
 
 " Govern- 
 
oj^HumanReason.' 35 
 
 " Government of one God, is the natural 
 " Notion which the Light of Realbn itfelf 
 " has univerfally implanted in the Minds of 
 " Men : For the plain Connexion and De- 
 " pendence of one Thing upon another, 
 " thro' the whole material Univerfe, thro' 
 " all Parts of the Earth, and in the vifible 
 " Heavens, the Difpofition of the Air, and 
 " Sea, and Winds, the Motion of the Sun, 
 " and Moon, and Stars, and the ufeful Vi- 
 " ciffitudes of Sealbns for the regular Pro- 
 " dudion of the various Fruits of the Earth, 
 " has always been fufiicient to make it evi- 
 " dently appear, even to mean Capacities, 
 " (had they not been perpetually prejudiced 
 " by wrong Inftrudion) that all Things are 
 " under the Diredion of One Power, under 
 " the Dominion of One God, to whom the 
 " whole Univerfe is uniformly iubjed." Thus 
 far Dr. Clarke. And do you not think this 
 Argument would lead Mankind to the una- 
 nimous Belief that there is but one true 
 God? 
 
 Pith. No, Sir, by no means : I can never 
 think it could convince ignorant HeathenSy 
 of the Unity ofGod^ if it Ihould ever happen 
 to come into their Minds : For I think it 
 hath hardly Evidence enough to give Con- 
 vidion to a common Reafoner in the Chri- 
 Jiian World. The Force of it does not ap- 
 pear fo very plain and clear as to demand a 
 ready AlTent and Submiffion : I do not 
 thinic the Union of all Beings in the Univerfe 
 
 D under 
 
J 4 ^^ Strength and Weaknefe ' 
 
 under one Lord, is fo very obvious a Thing. 
 And indeed, I Ihould have expefted to find 
 a much llronger Argument for the Umty of 
 God, from a Writer of fuch Fame and Re- 
 putation, and efpecially in a Sermon that 
 was written exprefly on that Subject, which 
 he every where, maintains with peculiar 
 Zeal. 
 
 But fuppofe this Argument Ihould be 
 thought flrong and evident, to a Perfon who 
 is before convinced of the Unity of God ; 
 yet an American, in the North would tell 
 you (as they have told other Enquirers) 
 that the Europeans, &c. who live beyond 
 the great Sea, i. e. the Ocean, dwell in a 
 different World fi;on> them, and may have 
 a God, and every thing elfe, peculiar to 
 themfelves : But that the Americans came 
 into Being quite another Way, and fprung 
 from another Man or Woman, who came 
 down from Heaven in antient Times. For 
 tho' they have Ibme Ideas of Beings above 
 them, yet they have not fo much as a Name 
 for G^^ among, them. So that they would 
 as ^readily conclude, from the Diftance of 
 the Jiuropean and American Worlds, that 
 they had different Superior Powers, or Gods, 
 as the antient Grecians concluded that three 
 Gods divided the Univerfe among them; 
 that Heaven and Earth had one God, [viz.) 
 Jupiter ; the Sea another God, (viz.) Nep- 
 tune ; and Hell, or the World of departed 
 Souls, had a third God, {viz.) Pluto. 
 
 Log. 
 
e/ H u M A N Reason. 3 y 
 
 Log. This is flrange Do£trlne indeed : 
 Yet fince you teil me this is the Opinion of 
 the wild Creatures in America^ I am not lb 
 well acquainted with them as to contradid 
 it. But why do you cite the feveral Names 
 of the old Poetical Gods againft me, as tho' 
 the rambling and irrational Fancies of the 
 old Heathen Poets were to be regarded, when 
 we are talking of the Powers of Reaiibn to 
 find out the One true God ? 
 
 Pith. I grant, Sir, there were a thoufand 
 Fables of the Poets concerning thele Heathen 
 Gods, which could not be heartily believed, 
 at leaft by thinking Men : But, alas ! Sir, 
 'tis a very Unthinking World in which we 
 dwell : And the Priefts, and the Princes, and 
 the People had really the fame Gods whom 
 I have named, with many others, and they 
 raifed Temples to them, and worftiipped 
 them with Sacrifices and divine Honours, 
 and they had no other Gods but fiach as 
 thefe. 
 
 Log. But the Philofophers knew there 
 was but one true God. 
 
 Pith. Permit me. Sir, to fay, that few of 
 them knew this : If the Platopips had gene- 
 rally this Opinion; yet the Stolcks them- 
 felves, as well as meaner Seds, talk of more 
 Gods than one continually. And pleafe 
 to remember, Sir, our prefent Debate is about 
 the Bulk of the HeathetfNoxlA^ and not about 
 a few Philofophers. How can the World, find 
 out fo "eafily, that God is but One ? 
 
 D 2 Log. 
 
36" 7'he Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 Log. Well, what think you then of ano- 
 ther Argument ? It is very ' evident, and 
 Reafon aflures us, that the Creator of ail 
 Things is a Being that hath all Power, and 
 Wifdom, and Goodnefs neceffary to create 
 and govern the Univcrfe : And if one God 
 has all this Perfe£tion of Wifdom, and Power, 
 and Goodnefs, then another fuch a Being 
 would be utterly needlefs and ufelefs ; for 
 one more, or one hundred more fuch Beings, 
 could have no more Wifdom, Power, or 
 Goodnefs than One. Now we can never 
 fuppofe that a God is a ufelels or a needlels 
 Being; and therefore there cannot be any 
 more Gods than one, becaufe all the reft 
 would be needlels Beings, and entirely ufe- 
 lefs ; for they would have nothing for them 
 to do, which One could not do. 
 
 Pith. I grant this Argument is in itfclf 
 convincing to a good Reafoner : Yet if thefe 
 two are the eafieft Ways you can think of 
 to prove the Unity of God^ I doubt there are 
 Multitudes of Creatures in the wild Heathen 
 World, that with their utmoft Efforts of 
 Reafon would never of themfelves arife to 
 thefe Sentiments, nor form thefe Arguments: 
 And if both of them were put together, and 
 propofed to Heathens^ I queftion whether 
 they would make their Way into every Un- 
 derftanding among thofe wild and- uncul- 
 tivated Herds of Mankind, and convince 
 them all, that there was but one God : Much 
 
 • lefs 
 
o/HUMAN KeASON. 37 
 
 lefs can I fuppofe, they would ever find out 
 thefe Arguments of themfelves. 
 
 The Bulk of the Heathen World have 
 generally believed and worlhipped many 
 Gods, tho' many of them did confefs that 
 one was Supreme j And .almoft every Na- 
 tion hath had its own God : And in direft 
 Oppofition to Dr. Clarkis's Argument, when 
 they faw fuch a vaft Variety of Parts in the 
 Univerle, they commonly appropriated par- 
 ticular Parts of the Creation to particular 
 Gods ; fuppofing them to have only the 
 Overlight of the Affairs (if I may fo fpeak) 
 of their own Province. As grols as this 
 Error is, yet 'tis plain and certain Matter of 
 Fad, that the Heathens in antient Times 
 did argue thus, and do to this Day. ; 
 
 Befides, fince there is fuch an innumerable 
 and everlafting Train of Wickednefs and 
 Diftreffes, i. e. Moral and Natural Evils, 
 among the Children of Men, the Heathens 
 might be ready to fuppofe, (as many amongft 
 them have done) that there was fome equal- 
 ly powerful Principle of Evil, as there is of 
 Good; for Mankind fuftains as many Sor- 
 rows, Miferies and Mifchiefs as he enjoys 
 Comforts and Bleffings. And fince there are 
 fuch infinite Calamities in the World by 
 Storms, Earthquakes, Famines, Plagues, Wars, 
 Murders, Dileafes, and the univerfal Domi- 
 nion and Neceflity of Death, they might be 
 eafily confirmed in this falfe Opinion, and 
 ' jefufe the Belief of one Supreme God, 
 
 , V D 3 Log. 
 
38 The Strength and Weakncfs 
 
 Log. Really, Plfbander, you amaze me ; 
 I never met with any Man before, who would 
 not allow the Unity of God might be found 
 by the Reafbn of Men. 
 
 ^ith. Miftakc me not, Sir, I do not deny 
 that it may be found : But I fay, 'tis not fo 
 very obvious and eafy to rude and unculti- 
 vated Reafon ; fb that I queftion whether 
 one in ten in the common Race of Mankind, 
 or one in a hundred in the Countries of 
 Polytheifin, would find it out meerly of 
 themfelves, without any Helps or Hints from 
 Tradition, or their wiler Neighbours, and 
 would firmly believe the Truth of it. 'Tis 
 only Revelation that has fo fully confirmed 
 and preferv'd or reftor'd this fundamental 
 Point of all true Religion, and fet it in a clear 
 and eafy Light. Hear, O Ifrael, the Lord 
 our God is one Lord, and there is no other 
 God but He. 
 
 But proceed. Sir, to the next Point, (viz.) 
 the Goodnejs of God, and ftiew me whether 
 that lies within the Compafs and Reach of 
 Reafbn, fo as to be eafily found by an un- 
 taught American. 
 
 Log. By what you have faid, my Friend, 
 you think, perhaps, that the Goodnefs of God 
 is an Attribute of the Divine Nature fcarce 
 to be found out at all by the poor wild In- 
 dians : But do not the Variety and Suffici, 
 ency of Provifions that God has made for 
 the Food, and Life, and Pleafure of every 
 grfature in the World, plainly iliew his 
 
 ijniv?rfal 
 
0^ Human Reason^ 59 
 
 tiniverfal Goodnefs ? Muft not every Man, 
 who opens his Eyes upon the Creation, be 
 feady to confefs it ? 
 
 Pith. But a poor Indian would be as ready 
 to fay, that the vaft Variety of Pains and , 
 Neceffities, of Difeales and Miferies, and 
 Deaths, to which all Mankind are made lia- 
 ble in common with the reft of Creatures, 
 do incline him to believe, that tho' God has 
 Goodnefs in him, yet he is not perfedly 
 good ; otherwife he would prevent thefe 
 innumerable Evils : And if we Chrifiians our-^ 
 felves, with all the Advantages of the Bible, 
 find fome Difficulty in maintaining the per- 
 fed Goodnefs of God, when he fuffers lb 
 much both of finful and penal Evil to enter 
 into this World, and abound, while he could 
 eafily have prevented it ; I fear the ignorant 
 Savage, with all his Reafoning Powers, would 
 be much more ready to think, that God was 
 not fb good a Being as he fliould be, or (as 
 I faid before) that there was Ibme Almighty 
 Evil Power, ibme mifchievous God, which 
 oppofed him, ^o that he could hot do all 
 the Good he would. But pray. Sir, go on 
 to the next Head, and fliew me that the 
 Jujlice of God is an Attribute fo eafy to be 
 found. 
 
 Log. I own, that the wild Heathens have 
 argued thus againft Divine Goodnefs : But 
 his Jujiice^ furely, may be found with Eafe : 
 'Tis true, in this World all things come fo 
 much alike to all Men, that G o d. does not 
 
 D 4 make 
 
4© The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 make fo fenfible a Diftindion between the 
 Men of Virtue, and the Men of Vice, as to 
 give Ground to a rude Heathen to infer his 
 Juftice : But then Reafbn may teach them, 
 that fince God is an All- wife and Good Be- 
 ing, he will not let good Men always be 
 Sufferers, nor appoint evil Men to be happy ; 
 and therefore they may readily infer, that 
 there muft be another VV^orld, or a State after 
 this Life, in which God will reward the 
 Righteous, and punifti the V/icked ; and 
 this will prove his Jujiice. 
 
 Pith. Whatever a deep Philolbpher might 
 do, or a Reafoner in a Chrijiian Country, I am 
 afraid a poor Indian Labourer, a Digger, a 
 Filher, or a Huntfman, would be as ready to 
 infer, that whatlbever mighty Being it was that 
 made the World at firft, yet he now lets it 
 run at Random, and doth not much regard 
 the A£bions of his Creatures, whether good 
 or bad : And perhaps he would be more 
 ready to think, that 'twas as much or more 
 his own Bufinefs, and his Intereft, to make 
 the beft that he could of this World, and to 
 free himfclf from the. Miferies of it by Fraud 
 or Force, by Right or Wrong, rather than 
 to bear the Injuries and Oppreffions, as well 
 as the common Calamities of Life, with Pa- 
 tience, and to exped that fome Almighty 
 and InvilTble Being ftiould reward him in 
 the next World, if he were never fo virtuous, 
 fince he fees fo very few Inftances of fuch a 
 righteous, rewarding Power, among all the 
 
 Events 
 
o/HUMAN ReASOM. 41 
 
 Events of this Life, or when he rather finds 
 that the wicked Oppreflbrs .are the moft pro- 
 lpero,us and happy. 
 
 But, to pals over this Head alfo, tell me, 
 Sir, how you would prove to a wild ^meri- 
 can^ or rather, how a wild Armr'ican would 
 prove to hiihfelf, that there is any fuch thing 
 as another World, or State of Retribution 
 after this Life ? Yet I think it is generally 
 acknowledged, that true Religion,, in the 
 Pradice of it in this World, as Things ftand, 
 feems very much to depend upon this Point, 
 and is greatly promoted by it. 
 
 Log, Nay, ^ithander, if you don't allow 
 this Argument for a future State drawn from 
 the Juftice of God, and the Want of a juft 
 Retribution of Virtue and Vice in the prelent 
 State, I confefs I am at a lofs how the poor 
 Heathens can prove it : But I muft infill 
 upon it, I think this is a good Argument. 
 
 Pith. And I think it is of Weight among 
 Perfons- that are well civilized, and taught 
 ro exercife their Reafon well : But it would 
 be no eafy Matter for every finglc Savage, 
 both Man and Woman, to prove that God 
 is juft: Nor would the Dodrine of future 
 Retributions be found out among the Sa- 
 vages of the Eafiern or JVeJiern Indies^ who 
 are lb unpradifed in the Art of Realbning, 
 if they were left only to their own rude La- 
 bours of Thought. I will not deny but 
 Ibmc of the Heathens^ and even in fome of 
 the Iflands of America^ have had fuch a 
 
 Senti- 
 
4^ The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 Sentiment : But theft, perhaps, are but few 
 in Number : The Bulk of them on the North 
 Continent feem to have no fuch Opinion : 
 Nor is it likely their wild Reafoning Powers 
 ftiould work this Way,, or Ihould reach io 
 far. 
 
 Log. Really, Sir, you furprize me with 
 fuch Talk as this 5 for, in my Opinion, no- 
 thing can be more repugnant to the Juftice, 
 as well as the Goodnefs of God, than to fup- 
 pofe that this fhort Life was defign'd as a 
 State of Probation for Mankind, in order to 
 their exifting hereafter in a State of perpetual 
 Happinels or Miiiery, and yet that God doth 
 not let them know there was to be liich a 
 State immediately fucceeding this Life. 
 
 Tith, If I were to give a particular An- 
 fwer to this Objedion, I would fay, that 
 however this our fhort Life may be defign'd 
 by God himfclf as a State of Probation for 
 perpetual Happinefs or Mifery in the next, 
 yet perhaps 'tis not ablblutely neceffary that 
 God fhould acquaint his Creature, Man, with 
 it : For in whatlbever State a Creature is 
 placed, 'tis his Duty to exert his utmoft 
 Power to feek out the Knowledge of his 
 Maker's Will, and to praftife it without In- 
 termiffion, lb long as his Creator pleafes to 
 continue him in that State: And then he 
 may (if his Maker think proper) be re- 
 moved into fome new State of further Trial : 
 For if God may confine one Man Fifty, 
 Sixty, or Seventy Years to a State of Proba- 
 tion 
 
o/HumanReason. 45 
 
 tion in this World, why may he not difinifs 
 another out of it at Ten, Twenty, or Thirty 
 Years End, and appoint him to fill up the 
 Remnant of his Probationary State in another 
 World, or in two or three fuccellive Worlds, 
 if he pleafe ? What is there in the pure 
 Nature of Things to forbid it? And what 
 can meer Reafon fay to difprove it ? 
 
 But, on the other ha«d, if a Creature in 
 this World has neglected his Duty, and be- 
 haved amifs^ he may juftly cxpefl: Anger 
 and Punifhment from his Maker, into what- 
 foever unknown State he ftiall remove him. 
 Now this is fufficient to vindicate the Juftice 
 of God, if he had not put it at all into the 
 Power of a Creature to find out which is his 
 State of Probation, or how long it ftiall laft, 
 or how many Probations he ftiall go thro'-, 
 or when his State of Retribution ftiall begin, 
 or how long that ftiall endure. 
 
 I confefs, indeed, that the Knowledge and 
 certain Expedation of the State of Rewards 
 and Punifliments after this Life, is a moft: 
 defirable Thing for Mankind, fince it has a 
 great and powerful Influence on the Practice 
 of Virtue and Religion here j and I allow, 
 that it may be fo far found, by a careful and 
 wife Exercife of Realbn, upon the Survey 
 of Things in this World, that a righteouis 
 God will not deal with the Good Man and 
 the Wicked, juft in the fame Manner in the 
 future State, but will make a fenfible Diffe- 
 rence between Vice and Virtue : Conftant 
 
 and 
 
4© The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 and perfevering Piety fliall be rewarded at 
 laft, and obftinate Iniquity and Irreligion 
 Ihall be puniftied. But all that I maintain 
 at prefent againft you, Sir, is tiiis. That the 
 Dodrine of future and certain Rewards at 
 the End of this Life, is not fo neccflary to 
 be manifefted to Creatures in this Life, as to 
 caft an Accufation of Injuftice againft God, 
 if he does not make them fenfible of it: 
 JSTor is it fo evident to our meer Realbning 
 Powers, nor fo eafy and fb obvious to every 
 Man in the World, as you may imagine: 
 You know, Sir, the whole Seft of the Sad- 
 duces depy'd it : Nor is it fo plain, that the 
 wild Tribes of the Negroes^ or the Iroquois 
 fliould readily find it out ; for, in Fact, 
 many of them are ignorant of it to this Day. 
 
 Your Silence, Logifio^ difcovers a 
 
 generous Conviction. 
 
 Then let us proceed to fome other Points 
 in Natural Religion, and inquire, how eafy 
 it would be for the Bulk of the Heathen 
 World to find them out : Pray tell me, Sir, 
 how an American might eafily convince 
 himfelf, that God governs the World at all, 
 or takes any Notice of it, wheri\ he fees 
 Things run at Random, and a thoufand 
 Events amongft Mankind, fo unfuitable to 
 the Condud of a wife Governor, fo far as 
 our View of Things can reach. 
 
 Log, Surely an American has Reafon 
 enough to find out and be affured of this, 
 that the Almighty Being who made all Things 
 
 mufl 
 
o/ Hum AN Reason. 45 
 
 muft certainly have the Knowledge of all the 
 Creatures that he has made, and of all their 
 Adions : And that he cannot but fee the Vir- 
 tues of the Righteous with Approbation, be- 
 caufe they reverence their Maker and prac- 
 tife what is right : And that he beholds the 
 Vices of the Wicked with Difguft and Re- 
 fentment, becaufe they negleft their Duty, 
 or difobey the Laws of Nature which he has 
 written in their Hearts : And therefore, tho* 
 he does not immediately interpole to fliew 
 his Approbation or Refentment by fenfible 
 Rewards or Punilhments, yet he will certain- 
 ly do it one time or another. 
 
 Pith. I think, Sir, this is little more 
 than a bare Repetition of the fame Thing 
 you urged in other Words, and few Ameri- 
 f^« Savages exercife their Reafon fo far. Give 
 me the Liberty therefore. Sir, to amplify 
 what I have faid : When thele wild Greaturefe 
 fee Year after Year, and Age after Age, that 
 there is no fuch equitable Diftindion made 
 by Providence between the Good and the Bad, 
 when the Wicked flourifli in Health, in Suc- 
 cels, and Plenty, when the peaceful and fober 
 Man falls perhaps under more Oppreffions 
 and Injuries than the Men of Wrath and Vi- 
 olence, and labours under natural Wants and 
 Dileafes in common with other Men : When 
 they obfcrve Iniquity and Oppreffion fill the 
 Seats of Power and Government among Men 
 in this Life, and that among Chrijiians as 
 well as Heathens j and that all die alike and 
 
4<$ Ths Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 go down to their Graves without any fen-, 
 fible and remarkable Diftinclion in Favour of 
 the Men of Virtue, I tell you, Friend, the 
 Bulk of the wild American World will have 
 much ado to think that a wife God governs 
 the World, or even lb much as regards or 
 knows the Anions of his Creatures. They 
 will be ready to take up with thofe Atheifti- 
 f^^/ Sentiments reprefented in Scripture, How 
 doth God know P Can he judge thro' the dark, 
 Cloud? I'hick Clouds are a Covering to him^ 
 that he feeth not. T'hat which hefalleth Beafis^ 
 hefalleth alfo the Sons of Men^ they have all 
 one Breath 5 as the one dieth^Jo dieth the other \ 
 Jo that a Man has no Pre-emihence above a 
 Beaji : All go unto one Place^ all are of the, 
 Dujlj and all turn to Dufi again : fVhat Pro- 
 fit is it that we fhould ferve Gody or pray un- 
 to him P We dejire not the Knowledge of Ms 
 Ways. If it coft Solomon^ the wileft of Men^ 
 fome Labour of Thought and Enquiry, and 
 coft David his Father, be 'ore him,fiich apain- 
 ful inward Conflid to, folve thefe Difficulties, 
 as appears in Pfal. Ixxiii. and Ecclef. iii. 1 6. , 
 how much Need may we fuppofe the Tribes 
 of the Heathen World have of fome brighter 
 Teacher than their own rude Faculties to 
 find out and determine, that this "^orld and 
 the Inhabitants of it are at all govern'd by 
 an All-wife and Almighty Being? 
 
 Log. I confefs, Pithander, fome of thefe 
 arc Difficulties of which I was not fo well 
 apprized before-hand, and I am convinced 'tis 
 
 not 
 
of Human Reason. 47 
 
 not fo eafy for a wild Heathen to find out 
 fotne of thefe neceffary Truths as I imagin'd. 
 But however, let us go on. What is the next 
 Article of Natural Religion that you fuppofe 
 would hardly come within the Reach of the 
 Realbning of a wild j/dmerican. 
 
 Pith. Why truly, Logijio, I think the 
 Worjhip of an invifibk God, with Grayer ^ or 
 Praife, or 'thankjglving, is not fo very ob- 
 vious a Duty to thofe rude and ignorant 
 Creatures, nor does it appear to them fo ne- 
 ceffary as we who dwell in Europe are ready 
 to fancy. Pray let us hear then, How their 
 own uninftrucled Realbn would lead them to 
 this general and neceffary Duty of the Wor- 
 Ihip of the invifible Being who made them, 
 or any particular Inftances of it ? 
 
 Log. One would think this is a very eafy Mat- 
 ter for the meaneft Principle of Reajfon, and 
 the loweft Capacity to find out : For if they 
 once come £b far as to acknowledge that the 
 World was made by a Being of great Wifdom 
 and Power, furely they may readily infer, 
 that they Ihould admire and reverence this 
 Wifdom and Power that made them, and all 
 Things around them : They may fpeedily 
 and naturally draw fuch obvious Conle- 
 quences, that he alone is Lord of all Things, 
 that he can fupply all their Wants, and be- 
 ftow all Bleffings upon them, and therefore 
 they ought to pray to him under every Di- 
 ftrels, and to give Thanks when they receive 
 any of the Comforts of Life from his Hands. :; 
 
 Pith. 
 
48 The Strength and Wedknefs 
 
 Pith. Ah ! my Friend, this is eafijy faid by a 
 Man of your fprightly Powers of Reafoning, 
 who have been trained up in the Knowledge 
 of the beft Philofophy, and acquainted with 
 Religion from your early Years : But you 
 know that even in Greece and Rome, the 
 learned Parts of the World, and in the learn- 
 ed Ages of it, there were many who pro- 
 fefs'd and learn'd the Epicurean Dodrine, that 
 the Gods did neither make the World, nor 
 concern themfelves about itfince it was made : 
 That all Things were left to Nature and 
 Chance, and that there was no manner of fu- 
 perior Government or divine Infped^on of the 
 Affairs of Mankind, and therefore they paid" 
 him no Worfhip, no Acknowledgements by 
 Prayer or Praife. 
 
 And as for an ignorant American, if he 
 fhould be brought to believe that an invilible 
 Power made this World, yet he is fo much 
 addided to judge of every thing by what 
 ftrikes his Senfes, that he will not fo eafily 
 conceive, that any invifible Power governs 
 any of the Affairs or Events of it, except 
 where he cannot account for fome particular 
 Arrange Events or Appearances, and then per- 
 haps he will attribute them to vifible and 
 lenfible Caufes. For in the Account that 
 hath been given of the Americans by Tra- 
 vellers, we are told, when they Ifee ftrange 
 Effeds produced, and know not the Caufe, 
 they afcribe it to a Being that is fomewhat 
 above themfelves, i. e. fome particular Being, 
 
 which 
 
q/" Human Reason. 49 
 
 which has Dominion over that Event, or 
 in that particular Place, but fcarce ever 
 rife to the Idea of one fupreme and univerfal 
 Governor ; much lefs do they proceed fo far 
 in Religion <Qs to give the one true God the 
 Glory and Honour due to him on Account 
 of their Comforts. 
 
 But on the other hand, when their whole 
 Bufinels is to provide a little Food for them- 
 felves, and the Skins of Beafts for their 
 Cloathing, and when they fee that 'tis their 
 own Bow and Arrows, or their little Snares 
 or Engines, that furnifti them with Beafts, 
 or Birds, or Fifties for their Provifion ; when 
 they find the ftrongcft, and the fwifteft, and 
 the moft cunning Men amongft them catch 
 more Game than the reft, fecurc themfelves 
 beft from their Enemies, and preferve their 
 Huts and their poor Properties fafeft from 
 Invaders, they naturally attribute their Pof- 
 feflions of all the Ncceflaries and Convenien- 
 cies of Life to their own Strength, or Skill, or 
 Swiftnefs ; and they do not much think of 
 any fuperior invifible Being whofe - Provi- 
 dence givea them Succefs : And thus in their 
 rude Way of Thinking they can feldom find 
 any Reafon either for Prayer or Thankful- 
 nefs : And when they do, 'tis paid to Idok, 
 not to the true God. 
 
 Befides, when they obfervc the natural and 
 conftant Succeflions of Day and Night, of 
 Summer and Winter, when they fee Fruits 
 and Flowers return in their fettled Seafons, 
 
 E when 
 
50 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 when they take notice of Clouds and Sun- 
 Ihine, Rain and Drought, fudden Heat or 
 Cold coming at certain or uncertain Times, 
 when they find how much the Convenicncies 
 or Inconveniencies of Life arift from thefe 
 Viciffitudes of Things, they afcribe all that is 
 conftant and regular to' a Courfe of Nature ; 
 and what is accidental or irregular among 
 theft common Appearances they afcribe to 
 meer Chance, and look no further. They 
 content themfelves to mind their proper 
 Bufincfles of Hunting, Fowling and FiJhing 
 tofupport their Lives, and never think of any 
 Providence of an All-wife and Almighty Be- 
 ing, unlefi they fee fome very uncommon and 
 extraordinary Event as Hurricanes or Earth- 
 quakes, fome terrible Storm, or fome Ipread- 
 ing Defblation, which perhaps they may at- 
 tribute to fome invifible mighty Being that's 
 angry with them. 
 
 Log. But furely they muft all know that 
 they did not make themfelves, and that fome 
 Almighty Being made them, and therefore 
 he alone can preferve them, and to him there- 
 fore they fhould be naturally andeafily led to 
 addrcfs their Acknowledgements and Praifes. 
 
 Pith. When you infer, Logiflo^ that Praife 
 and Acknowledgements are due to the Al- 
 mighty Being that made them, they will 
 hardly allow of your firft Propofition, nor 
 do they fiippofe, that any other Being, be- 
 fides their Parents, had a Hand in making 
 them : And this cuts off all their Devotion 
 
 to 
 
o/ Human Reason. 51 
 
 to an invifible Creator. For tho' they may 
 perhaps be led to think, that a Being of great 
 Wifdom and Power made this World atfirft, 
 and form'd the Creatures that are in it, if 
 they ever look fo far backward, yet now they 
 imagine he has left the great Engine of the 
 World to work of itfelf : And that Seeds pro- 
 duce Trees, Fruits and Flowers ; that Fifties 
 produce Fifhes ; Birds make Birds ; Lions 
 and Sheep produce new Lions and Sheep; 
 and Men and Women make Chilfdren. Nor 
 do they imagine there is any need of any fu- 
 perior Power to preferve them, fince they 
 find their Parents who produced them have 
 no other Hand in prelerving them but by 
 taking care of them when they are Children : 
 And when they are grown up, they preferve 
 themfelves by providing Food and' Raiment 
 for themfelves, and other Neceflaries. 
 
 N^or indeed is it fb very eafy a Matter for 
 an untaught American, under his Prejudices, 
 riling from the Cuftoms and Opinions of his 
 Anceftors, to find out that any God at all 
 has a prelent Influence on the Events of the 
 World, or the Affairs of Men 5 but only (as 
 I hinted before) when they lee fome uncom- 
 mon Appearance in Nature or Providence, it 
 awakens them to think of fome fuperior 
 Power governing that Event : And then per- 
 haps they may ask this fancied. Power to fa- 
 vour their Enterprizes ; but much oftener 
 they endeavour to pacify their God when they 
 4lippofe he is angry, by fome awkward Su- 
 E 2 perftitions, 
 
52 ^he Strength W Weakncfs 
 
 perftitions, or perhaps with Murder and 
 human Sacrifices. 
 
 Log. Then you will grant, my Friend, 
 that there are fomeSeafons wherein they wor- 
 ihip God, tho' it be in a wretched Way. 
 
 Pith. Truly, I can hardly grant tMs, Sir, 
 for 'tis a plain Cafe, that many of thefe 
 People pay all the Religion they have to 
 fome Things vifible or invifible, which are 
 not God, as the Apoftle fays, i Cor. x. 0.0. 
 The Gentiles facrifice to Devils, and not to 
 God. 
 
 Log. But the Gentiles of whom Paul there 
 Ipeaks, did not mean to do Honour to mif- 
 chievous Beings, tho' the Apollle is plealed 
 to call all their Gods by the Name of De- 
 vils. 
 
 Pith. I grant they did not always mean 
 fo, tho' it was fb in reality ; for Devils were 
 leally the Gods of this JVorld, i. e. the Hea- 
 then World. But it is plain, that the an- 
 cient Heathens had alio their mifchievous 
 
 Gods, their Vejoves whom they fometimes 
 
 worfhipped for Fear of their Malice, as well 
 as their good-natur'd Gods, to whom they 
 did Service and Sacrifice. And many, if not 
 moft, of thefe favage American and African 
 Nations have a more awful and religious Ap- 
 prehenfion of Ibme unfeen great evil Power or 
 Powers that bring Calamities upon them, 
 than they have of any wife and good Being 
 which is the Author of their Bleffings. And 
 they generally pay^ their Devotion and Wor- 
 
 Ihip 
 
o/" Human Reason. 55 
 
 ftiip/ to thefc powerful malicious Beings rather 
 than they do to any other God. Self-freJer-> 
 vation and Fear are more deeply wrought in- 
 to our Nature (atleaft in theprefent degene- 
 rate State) than Gratitude and Love : And if 
 thole poor ignorant Creatures had an equal 
 Idea of fome good God to what they have 
 of a malicious One, i. e. a Devil, yet they 
 incline to worlhip the Devil for Fear, left he 
 Ihould hurt them, much more than they are 
 inclin'd to worfhip God, and give him 
 Thanks and Honours for Benefits received, 
 or pray to him for what they want : For they 
 generally take it for granted, that the Great 
 and Good Being (if ever they think of fuch 
 a one) will do them good from his own kind 
 and beneficent Temper : But the Evil Being 
 will never do them any good, but will affli£t 
 and vex them, and will not fuffer them to 
 enjoy good Things unlefs they bribe and pa- 
 cify him with Worlhip and Sacrifices : But 
 they feem to have no Notion of that holy 
 Reverence and Love which is due to the 
 true God. 
 
 Some of thele rude Nations- make Images 
 for their Gods j and the Bulk of the People 
 are ilo ftupid as to pay Rites of Adoration to 
 the very Images they have made, tho' fomc 
 of the wifer Sort fuppofe thcfe Images to be 
 inhabited by Spirits, which can do them 
 Good or Harm. 
 
 The Travels of Europeans thro' the bar- 
 barous Regions, which are continually pub- 
 E 3 lifti'd 
 
54 ^^^ Strength and Weak'ncfs 
 
 lifli'd amongft us, and their Narratives of 
 the Affairs, Sentiments and Cuftoms of the 
 rude and wild Nations, give abundant Con- 
 firmation to what I have faid upon this 
 Theme, and effedually fhew us how Man- 
 kind, with all their Reafon, in the ftupid, 
 rude and unpolilh'd Tribes of Africa or 
 America^ are able to find out a Religion for 
 themfelves, to fearch out the Nature and At- 
 tributes of the true God, or to determine 
 what Honours are due to the Almighty Power 
 that made and governs all Things. 
 
 The Jew'ijh Prophet fays much the fame 
 Things concerning the Stupor of the Heathen 
 Idolaters in his Age about Affairs of Reli- 
 gion. Jfa. xliv. 15, &c. He maheth a graven 
 Image out of a Tree^ he falls down and faith 
 to ity Deliver me, for thou art my God. None 
 confidereth in his Heart, neither is there 
 Knowledge or Under (landing to fay, I have 
 burnt Part of it in the Fire, and fh all I make 
 the Refidue of it an Idol, a God ? Shall I fall 
 ■down to the Stock of a 'Tree ? He feedeth on 
 Afhes, a deceived Heart hath turned him a/ide-, 
 that he cannot deliver his Soul, and fay. Is 
 there not a Lye in my Right Hand? 
 
 Log. Tho' I am not lb much moved by 
 what IJaiah faith, confider'd as a Jewifh Pro- 
 phet, yet it muft be granted indeed, that the 
 Accounts which fome of the ancient Writers, 
 as well as fome modern Travellers, give us 
 Oi" barbarous Nations, afford us too much 
 Ground to fufped, that the Reafon of Man 
 
 is 
 
of Human Reason. 55 
 
 is fo darken'd and ftupified among thefe wild 
 Tribes of the Heathen World, that it will go 
 but a little way to fearch out true Religion 
 in the Dodrines or the Duties of it. 
 
 But, it may be, the great God, who knows 
 the Weaknefles and the Prejudices of all his 
 Creatures, won't require much Pradice of 
 that Religion or Piety ^ which are due to God, 
 at the Hands of fiich poor forry Wretches as 
 thefe arc ; and if they do but behave tole- 
 rably well with regard to the Duties they owe 
 to themjehes and their Fellow-Creatures^ he 
 may have Compaffion upon their Ignorance, 
 and receive them to his Favour. 
 
 Pith. I cannot allow this by any means, 
 my Friend, that a wife and holy God will 
 provide a Heaven and eternal Happinefs, in 
 his Favour and Prefence, for Creatures that 
 Icaree know any thing at all of him, and ne- 
 ver pay him any manner pf Honour on Earth, 
 which is the Place of their Probation. But 
 however, lejt us proceed to enquire. How 
 much the native Reafon of fuch Savages 
 would find out of their own Duty to their 
 F,ellow-Creatures ? 
 
 Log. Well, here I think I fliall prove my 
 Point effedually, how much Ibever I may 
 have fail'd in the former Cafe of Duty to the 
 true God. Will not their own native Reafon 
 teach them that they muft fpeak Truth to 
 one another ; that they muft be faithful to 
 their Promifes and Contrads ; that they muft 
 pay what they owe j that they muft neither 
 
 *E 4 rob, 
 
')6 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 rob, nor plunder, nor ftcal, nor take away 
 the Life nor Property of another, that has 
 not firft defer v'd fuch a Punilhment by fome 
 Robbery, or Murder, or Theft committed 
 againft his Neighbour ? Will not their Rea- 
 fon powerfully and evidently Ihew them, 
 that there is a natural Reftitude and Fitncfs 
 in thefe Praftices of Veracity, Honefty, and 
 Juftice between Man and Man ? That 'tis a 
 fit, a reafonable, and proper Thing that a 
 Man fliould do no Injury to thofe who do 
 not hurt him ? That he Ihould be honeft 
 in all his Dealings, and that he Ihould help 
 his Neighbour in Diftrefs, and be kind to 
 the Miferablc, who cannot help them- 
 felves ? 
 
 Pith. I grant, that the Reafon and Con-^ 
 fcicncc that is in Man, will generally Ihew 
 him, that there is a Reafonablenefs and Fit- 
 nefs in thefe Pradices, which we call Firtues, 
 if he will but fet himfelf ferioufly and ho- 
 neftly to think of them. But yet if one of 
 thefe Americans^ or his Wife, or Children, 
 ftand in great need of fome of the wild 
 Fowl, the Vcnifon, the parched Corn, or 
 the Deer-skin, which are the Property of his 
 Neighbour, he would be ready to think' it, 
 perhaps, a much more fit and reafonable 
 Thing that he fliould fteal, or plunder, or 
 even kill his Neighbour, to gain thefe Pro- 
 vifions, than that he and his Family fliould 
 be expofed to any Hardfliips for the Want 
 of them. The Principle of Self-Loye, and 
 
 of 
 
o/ Hu MA N Reason. 57 
 
 of feekirig the Eafe and Happinefs of our- 
 Telves, or thofe that arc dear to us, might 
 didate to fuch an Unphilofbphical Tribe, 
 that 'tis more reafbnable and more fit to 
 plunder, and Ileal, or do any Injury to their 
 Neighbour, if- they could do it with Safety 
 to themfelves. 
 
 Log. But the Reafon, even of Amerrcans, 
 if it be cxercifcd a little, will further inform 
 them, that without the Obfervance of Truth, 
 Faithfulnels, Honefty, Juftice, and Inno- 
 cence, there can be no Safety to Man, Wo- 
 man, or Chil4 ; they cannot preferve their 
 own Property, Life, or Peace/; that the 
 Strong, the Swift, and the Cunning, will 
 deprive the reft of all their Comforts and 
 Poffeffions ; and therefore, in order to fecure 
 -their own Life and Property, they muft not 
 invade the Life or Property of another. 
 
 And will not their own Realbn tell them 
 alio, that they muft be compaffionate to the 
 Miferable ; that they muft help their Neigh- 
 bours in Diftrefs ; that they muft be kind 
 and bountiful to thofe with whom they 
 dwell \ or elle they can never exped that 
 others ftiould be kind and bountiful to them, 
 Ihould relieve any of their Wants, or help 
 them under their greateft DiftreiTes ? Thus 
 the v&ry Law of Self-'^refervat'ion^ which is 
 written fo flrongly in the very Nature of 
 Men, leads them to pradifc the Duties of 
 Juftice and Goodnefs towards their Neigh- 
 bours. 
 
 Pith. 
 
5 8 'The Strength and Weakncfs 
 
 '^ith. I may venture to grant what you 
 have now faid upon this Subjed : And thefe 
 are the Reafons, and the only Reafons, upon 
 which even the barbarous Nations g;enerally 
 pradife fome Degrees of Juftice and Good- 
 nefs towards one another. But is this proper 
 Virtue ? Has this any Merit in the Sight of 
 God, or any Pretence to his Favour ? Can 
 this be ReUgion, when Men are reftrain'd 
 from doing Injury to their Neighbours, or 
 excited to do them Good, without any Idea 
 or Apprehenfion of the Will of God, who 
 requires it, or when they do it meerly for 
 Fear, left they Ihould be expofed to the 
 fame Injuries among Men, by way of Reta- 
 liation, or in Hopes to obtain the like good 
 Return from them ? Can this Ibrt of Virtue 
 intitle any Man to the Love of God, and 
 Rewards in a future World, which has no 
 Regard to God at all ? Will this fort of Rea- 
 foning condud Men to Heaven, if their 
 Pradices were never fo agreeable to thefe 
 Principles ? 
 
 True Virtue and Religion arife chiefly 
 from a Senfe of the Reafonablenefs and Fit- 
 nels of Things, and from a Defire to obey 
 the Will of God. If I would be truly vir- 
 tuous, I muft confider, that 'tis Unrighteous 
 and Unreafonable to take away my Neigh- 
 bour's Life or Property, tho' I myfelf ftiould 
 never endanger my own Property, nor be 
 taken and punilh'd for doing it. And fuch 
 Virtue as is pleafing to God, and can make 
 
 any 
 
of Human Reason. 59 
 
 any Pretences to obtain his Favour, and a 
 fliture Reward, muft arife from a Senfe of 
 thefe Duties to our Fellow Creatures, as 
 being agreeable to the Will of that Almighty 
 Power that made us, and has placed us in 
 fuch particular Relations to other Men. And 
 without fome Notions or Principles of -this 
 kind, I fear the outward Abftincnce from 
 Falfhood and Injury, or the meer Praftice of 
 external Beneficence to a Neighbour, will 
 go a very little Way to obtain the Love of 
 God, and future Happinefs, 
 
 LiCt it be granted then, that Honefty and 
 ■Kindnefs may be much pradifed by Ibme 
 Heathen Nations, on the Principle of Self- 
 Prelervation, and perhaps 'tis convey'd from 
 Generation to Generation, 'till 'tis become as 
 much a Cuftom and Habit among them as 
 any of their National Civilities, their Oddi- 
 ties and Fooleries, and then they may go on 
 to praftife it in the main, becaufe their Fa- 
 thers did it : Let it'be granted yet further, 
 •that meer natural Temper, and the animal 
 Conftitution of Flefh and Blood may incline 
 jmany particular Heathens to praftife Good- 
 nefs, Companion, Holpitality, Forgivenefs 
 of Injuries, Meeknels, and Peace, even as 
 the Conftitution and Temper of a Sheep is 
 meek and unrefenting, in Comparifon of. a 
 Dog or a Lion : This may be call'd Natural 
 Vtrtue^ but 'tis not proper Morality nor Re- 
 ligion'^ if the Pradiler has no Regard to the 
 Juftice and Order, the Rightnefs and Fitnefs 
 
 of 
 
6o The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 of Things, and the Law or Will of his 
 Maker; which Principles, I believe, can 
 very feldom be found in any of the barba- 
 rous Nations we fpeak of. 
 
 Suppofe it be granted again, Logifio^ that 
 fome few of thefe rude Tribes of Mankind 
 are led, by any Principles whatlbever, to 
 pradife Honcfty, Juftice, arid Goodnefs, yet 
 permit me to obferve, that the very Notion 
 and Obligation of thefe fecial Virtues is con- 
 tradifted and deftroyed by the profefs'd Prin- 
 ciple of Multitudes of the Heathen World. 
 Tho' Plunder in private Perfbns has been 
 generally counted a Crime, yet Lying, Cheat- 
 ing, and Stealing, when k has been pradifed 
 with great Dexterity and Cunning, has been 
 allowed and commended by the common 
 Voice of a Nation. Even the Lacedemonians^ 
 who dwelt in Greece^ a polite Country, pub- 
 lickly encouraged artful Thievery ; but your 
 clumfey Lurthers, that were catch'd'in the 
 Fad, were given up to fome Puniftiment : 
 And there are few of the unpolifh'd Regions 
 of the World where Falfhood, Lying, and 
 Cheating are not pradifed, by all that are 
 able to do it, with Impunity. 
 
 And even Robbery and Plunder in great 
 Bodies and Communities of Men has been 
 efleem'd a Virtue rather than a Crime. How 
 many Kings and People do we read of in 
 -antient Hiftory, how many Captains and 
 large Armies, who thought it fufficient Rea- 
 fon to invade the Properties, and deftroy the 
 
 Lives 
 
o/Huma!n Reason. 6i 
 
 Lives of their Neighbours, meerly to gain a 
 wider Dominion, and to make themfelves 
 great and rich by the Spoils of thofe that 
 dwelt around them ? Refled a little, whence 
 did the Roman Empire rife to its Grandeur? 
 Was it not by fuch publick Injuries and Ra- 
 pines, Robberies and Murders ? And who 
 among them queftion'd the Lawfulnefs of 
 this ? Whence fprang the Fame of Cxfar, 
 and Alexander^ and other barbarous and 
 brutal Creatures, that were call'd Heroes ? 
 Was it not from this acknowledg'd Principle, 
 that they might deftroy their Fellow Princes 
 and their Armies, if they would not pay 
 Tribute to them, or do any Milchief to their 
 Neighbours, who had done none to them, 
 if they would not fubmit to their Dominion ? 
 What are many of the bloody Wars that are 
 carried on among the petty Princes of Africa 
 and America ? Are they owing to any bet- 
 ter Principle than this, that if they have 
 Power enough, they may take any Occafion 
 to make Captives and Slaves of their Fellow 
 Nations, if they pleafe, in order to lell them 
 to Merchants in a way of Trade, or to make 
 Breakfafts and Dinners upon them ? 
 
 Is this that native Reafon, Logijfo, which 
 you would teach Men to rely upon, without 
 any Aids from Heaven, for their lafe Con- 
 dud in the Paths of Virtue, to obtain the 
 Favour of God, and eternal Felicity ? Is 
 this that innate Principle, which you would 
 have Mankind entirely depend upon, to teach 
 
 them 
 
6i ^he Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 them the Rules and Praftices of Morah'ty, 
 and Juftice, and Goodnefs, which is fo eafily 
 perfuaded to call Vice Virtue, and Virtue 
 Vice ? Which fuffers whole Nations, both 
 Kings and People, to be fo fhamefuUy led 
 aftray into the Pra£lice of conftant and pub- 
 lick Villainies, without any Remorle or Re- 
 gret ? Is this wretched and perverfe Power 
 of Reafbning fit to be their only Guide, 
 while it permits them to work up thefe pub- 
 lick Robberies, and Murders, and Ipreading 
 Defblations into the Notion of Honour, Vir- 
 tue, and Dignity ? But I read your gene- 
 rous Convidion in your Countenance, and 
 am filent. 
 
 Let us proceed to the next general Head, 
 and pray pleafe to inform us now, whether 
 human Realbn be fufficient, in a plain and 
 ealy Manner, to lead the Bulk of Mankind 
 to find out and dilcharge their Duties to- 
 ward them/ehes, in the Pradice of ^emferance 
 and Sobriety^ with a Reftraint of their Appe- 
 tites and Paffions within proper Bounds. 
 
 Lor. Yes, I think that may be done. Pi- 
 thander^ in fuch a Manner as this. [Appe- 
 tites and 'T'ajjions may be all reckon'd among 
 the powerful natural Propenfities with which 
 Man is endued, in order to preferve his own 
 Perfbn and Family, to continue his Species, 
 to fecure himfelf from Evil ox Injury, and 
 to promote his own Eafe and Happinels. 
 This I might prove by giving Inftances in a 
 multitude of Particulars, \i it were needful. 
 
 It 
 
o/ Human Reason. 6"^ 
 
 It follows thep, that the Gratification or In- 
 dulgence of thefe Paffioris and Appetites is 
 rcftrain'd within the Bounds of .Reafon, 
 when they neither carry us fo far as to do 
 any Injury to our Neighbours, nor abufe 
 any of our own Faculties or Powers of Body 
 or Mind, but keep them in their proper 
 Exercife. 
 
 Thus, for Examplp ^ a Man may be law- 
 fully angry for an Injury or Affront received 
 from his Neighbour, fuppofing the Paffion 
 to arife no higher than the Demerit of the 
 Affront or Injury ; but if he let it fwell and 
 burn to fuch a Degree as to break in upon 
 the Peace and Property of his Neighbour, 
 beyond the Reparation of his own Damages, 
 and the neceffary Self-Defence againft future 
 Injuries, he then indulges it to a criminal 
 Excefs : Or if he fuffers the Flame to arife 
 fo high within him as to difcompofe his own 
 Nature, and to unfit him for his Duty to- 
 ward God, his Neighbour, or Himfelf. 
 
 In the fame Manner his natural Appetites 
 may be indulged fo far as to fupport his 
 Nature, or to maintain his Species, or to 
 give himfelf Pleafure or Eale, in fuch a 
 Manner as does not make an Inroad upon 
 the Peace or Property of the Societies in 
 which he dwells, nor unfit his own Flelh or 
 Spirit for any of the Duties of Life. But 
 'tis evident, that Gluttony and Drunkennefs 
 abufe a Man's own natural Powers ; Adul- 
 tery invades the Property and Peace of his 
 
 Neigh- 
 
64 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 Neighbour ; and Fornication has an evident 
 Tendency to break the Peace and Welfare 
 of Societies, to introduce Children into the 
 World under great and neceffary Hardfhips 
 and Inconveniences, who muft grow up to 
 Shame and Sorrow, without due and proper 
 Provifion for their Comfort and Happinefs. 
 
 Pith. I acknowledge,^ Sir, your Reafon- 
 ing upon this Subjed has, for the moft part, 
 a great deal of Truth and Juftice in it, except 
 in thofe Inllances wherein you feem to allow 
 every private Perfon to judge and determine 
 in his own Cafe, about the Degree of Injury 
 or Affront which he has received, and the 
 Degree and Manner of Retaliation or Re- 
 compence which he demands ; which Judg- 
 ment and Determination rather belong to 
 the Agreement of a whole Society, or the 
 Senfe of a Magiftrate, upon whom that 
 Power is devolved. 
 
 But I would not interrupt the Courfe of 
 our Dialogue with too many Objedlions, nor 
 divert the Current and Tendency of it from 
 its main End and Defign ; and therefore I 
 let this pafs for the prelent. Tell me then. 
 Sir, with a fincere Heart, Can you ever ima- 
 gine that ever a fingle Creature in the Wilds 
 of Africa^ and the American Forefts, could 
 arife to this Degree of Realbn, and to thele 
 fine Inferences and Deductions of the Rules 
 of Morality, by the Dint of his own Under- 
 ftanding ? The poor Wretch that has been 
 train'd up from his Infancy meerly to fifti 
 
 and 
 
©/"Hum AN Reason. 65 
 
 and hunt, to plant a little Indian Corn, and 
 to parch it by the Fire or the Sun, and 
 pound it to Powder, to tie a Skin round his 
 Body to keep him from the Cold, or to dig 
 the Trunk of a Tree into a hollow Canoe 
 for Sailing, and who has been employ 'd all 
 his Life in Ibme of thefe low Labours and 
 Cares ; can you ever imagine, that the na- 
 tive Reafon of fuch Animals as thefe, can 
 fpin out of their own Bowels fuch Philofo- 
 phical Difcourfes, fuch Moral Arguments 
 and Inferences ? And efpecially, when the 
 Defign of them is to lay a Reftraint upon 
 thofe reftlefs and violent Powers of natural 
 Appetite and Paffion ? Miftake me not. Sir ; 
 I do not pronounce it utterly impolHble in 
 the Nature of Things, that Reafon ftiould 
 exercife itfelf in this Manner; but it appears 
 next to an Impoflibility, that fuch fort of 
 Moral Reafoning ftiould be found in any 
 one Hutt or Wigwam among twenty Nations 
 of thefe American Savages. 
 
 Log. Surely, my Friend, you depreciate 
 human Nature to a very great Degree, and 
 reprefent it in fuch Colours, as tho' the 
 glorious Light of Realbn, which fliines in 
 every Son and Daughter of Man, had raifed 
 them but little above the Beafts of the 
 Earth, and the Birds of the Air. , 
 
 Pith. If you pleafe. Sir, to read the Ac- 
 counts that Travellers give us of thefe rude 
 and unpolifti'd Countries, you will find the 
 conftant Cuftoms and Pradices of whole 
 
 F Nations 
 
66 The Strength and We^kmk 
 
 Nations perfectly agreeable to the Colours 
 in which I reprelent them. Hiftory and 
 Matter, of Fact fufficiently declare human 
 Nature, in its prefent State, to be thus far 
 debafed and brutified, and that the glorious 
 Faculty of Reafon is fo far overwhelmed 
 and benighted by ftupid Ignorance, that it 
 leelcs not after the God who made them, 
 and fo wretchedly led Captive by Paffion, 
 Appetite, and a thoufand Objeds of Senfe, 
 as fcarce ever to exert itfelf in any Inquiries 
 about the Themes of Self-denial and Morti- 
 fication, much lels to find out thefe Inftances 
 of Virtue^ or Duty toward God or them- 
 felves. 
 
 Befides, Sir, pleafe to confider, that Paf- 
 fion and Appetite are fuch powerful and 
 ruling Springs of Judgment, as well as of 
 Action, in degenerate Mankind, that they 
 difguife and colour the Truth as they pleafe, 
 and turn Vice into Virtue, or Evil into Good,, 
 by the Vivacity and Force of their Repre- 
 fentation. The Faculty of Fancy is' almoft 
 always engaged on their Side, and that helps 
 to throw falfe Colours on Things, and leads 
 the untaught and unwary Reafoner into a 
 thoufand Errors. TKe Violence of Hope 
 and Fear, of Defire and Averfion, of Love 
 and Wrath, perfuade and almoft compel the 
 Reafon of an Iroquois, or a Negro, a Hotten- 
 tot, or a Laplander, to determine every thing 
 to be right or wrong according as thefe Paf- 
 fions reprefent it. And fince 'tis fo hard 
 
 for 
 
o/ H u M A N Reason. 67 
 
 for European Philofopbers, and even for 
 Chrljiians^ to judge aright by their own 
 Reafon in particular Cafes, wherein Appe- 
 tite and Paffion are concern'd, much harder 
 is it, and almoft impoffible, for thele Savages 
 of America or Africa, SCc. to frame to them- 
 lelves a Scheme of Virtue in thefe Self- 
 denying Inftances. You yourfelf, Sir, have 
 granted the Truth of what our Friend Sophto- 
 nius exprefs'd in the End of his Difcourfe, 
 (viz.) that all Men every where will fre- 
 quently find themfelves betray'd into Sin by 
 the Strength of Appetites and Paffions : And 
 how perpetually will thefe wild Creatures 
 be thus expofed to fin againft God, when 
 their Reafon has yielded itfelf fuch a Cap- 
 tive to Senfe, as not to enquire and fettle 
 the Rules of Duty ? 
 
 Let us proceed then. Sir, to the laft Arti- 
 cle, which I fhall defire you to prove, or 
 rather to fhew me, how an untaught Hea- 
 then fhall be convinced that he is a Sinner 
 againji God', and, when convinced, what he 
 Jhould da to apfeafe God's Anger ; and if he 
 jhould repent of Sin^ how fhall he know that 
 God •will forgive him upon ]ois Repentance^ 
 and receive him into his Favour ? 
 
 Log. Firft, I cannot think it fuch a Diffi- 
 culty to convince human Creatures, that 
 they have fome way or other done what they 
 fhould not do, or neglected what they ought 
 to do with regard to G o d, or to their Neigh- 
 bours or Themfelves : And thus Reafon is 
 
 F a fuffi- 
 
68 The Strength <j»iWeaknefs ; 
 
 fufficient for Convidion of Sin ; for 'tis fuffi- 
 cient to enable them to compare their Adions 
 with the Red:itude of the Nature of God, 
 and with the general Rules of their Duty 
 which they know, and to obferve how much 
 they have wander'd from them. 
 
 Pith. I grant it no hard Matter, Sir, 
 when they are once led into an Acquain- 
 tance with the Reditude of God's Nature, 
 and are brought to the Knowledge of their own 
 various Duties, to make them fenfible that 
 they come very ftiort in the Performance of 
 them : And I cannot but think, that Reafon 
 and Confcience convinces Negroes and Hot- 
 tentots of fome Grimes. But Reafon, as it 
 operates in thofe wild Creatures, fliews them 
 fo very little of the holy Nature of God, of 
 their Relations to him, and of their Duty 
 toward God or Man, as you have found in 
 this Difpute, that it plainly follows, that 
 this fame Reafon of theirs will go but a 
 very little Way in making them fenfible of 
 any Failures in their Duty. Howfhall they 
 be convinced they fin againft God, in for- 
 getting him from Day to Day, and from 
 Year to Year, in negleding to reverence 
 him for Iiis Greatnefs, to praife him for his 
 Goodnefs, or to pray to him, and depend on 
 him for his further Bleffing, when their 
 whole Nation has continued in this conftant 
 Courfc of Impiety from Age to Age, with- 
 out Remorfe.? when none of them have 
 been ever led fo far by their own Reafon, 
 
 as 
 
q/" Human Reason. 6^ 
 
 as to know thefe Duties, and bind them 
 upon their own Gonfciences ? And liippofe 
 they ihould be made fenfible, that they have 
 now and then cheated their Neighbours ,by 
 Lying and Falfhopd, that they have plun- 
 der'd or ftole their Goods from them, or 
 that they have been fometimes ftiamefully 
 drunk, or guilty of Fornication ; yet their 
 Gonfciences will bring but a very feeble 
 Charge againft them for thefe Things as 
 criminal, if they have not been evidently 
 convinced, that Truth and Juftice, Chaftity 
 and Temperance were neceflary Duties. 
 
 And yet further, Logi/io, be pleafed to 
 confider, that if they fhould be never fo 
 much convinced that they have done amifs 
 in drinking to Excefs, becaufe it injures 
 themfelves, or in doing any kind of Injury 
 to their Neighbour; yet they would not 
 readily conclude, that they did any Injury 
 to God hereby ; lince their Reafon has not 
 yet led them to the Thought, that God is the 
 great Infpeclor and Governor: of the World, 
 and that he has in any Way and Manner 
 forbid thefe Sins, or required the contrary 
 Duties. 
 
 Nor is it any Wonder, that a rude Ame- 
 rican Ihould juftify himfelf and his Condud 
 from any Difhonours done to God, tho' he 
 has forgot and negleded him all his Life, 
 and has wallowM in lewd and drunken De- 
 baucheries, unkfs he has alfo been guilty 
 of fome grofs Ad of Injuftice and Villainy, 
 
 F 3 fince 
 
70 The. Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 fince the rude Herd of Mankind, even 
 amongft Chrifiians^ are ready to fay, when 
 a Neighbour dies ; " Alas, poor Man ! he 
 " is gone, but furely he is gone to Heaven \ . 
 " for tho' he did not mind much of Reli- 
 " gion indeed, yet he was an honeft Crea- 
 " ture, he would not wrong a Man> of a 
 " Farthing, and he was ever ready to do 
 " his Neighbour a Kindnefs : 'Tis true, he 
 " would drink now and then a little too 
 *' much, nor was he always fo careful to 
 " Ipeak Truth, and perhaps he would fwear 
 " when he was in a Paffion, but never 
 " when he was fober ; he was no Man's 
 *' Enemy but his own, and did no Injury 
 " but to himfelf." Now if this grofs Igno- 
 rance, and Senfelefnels of Sin, be found 
 even in the Lands of Chr'tftian Knowledge, 
 we may eafily fuppofe, the wild Savages 
 will hardly think themfelves Sinners againft 
 God at all. 
 
 Log. I own what you fay, Pithander^ has 
 fome Weight in it : Tho' you muft acknow- 
 ledge too, that there are certainly fome 
 fecret Workings of Confcience in all Men, 
 which give them fome inward Notices, when 
 they violate the Rule of their Duty, efpe- 
 cially in grofTer Inftances, and fmite them 
 with an inward Reproach, tho' it may not 
 be fo frequent, nor in io explicite a Manner, 
 as I was ready to imagine, before we had 
 taik'd over this Matter fo particularly. 
 
 Phh, 
 
0/^ Human Reason. 71 
 
 Pith. I have granted it, Sir; and 'tis 
 very likely, at fome Sealbns of groflcr 
 Tranlgreffion, or when their natural Spirits are 
 low, they may feel fuch inward Reproaches 
 of Confcience more plain and pungent : But 
 having no fixed and fettled Rules of Duty, 
 thefe little UneafinelTes quickly vanilh, like 
 a Qualm of Sicknefs that pafles over the 
 Stomach ; they forget their own Iniquities, 
 and they are prone to fancy, that God for- 
 gets them too : And thus they go on again 
 to their old Barbarity and Injuftice, their 
 Gluttony and Drunkennefs. I grant, this 
 Conduft is greatly criminal, yet 'tis the 
 common Cafe, till, by Degrees, Confcience 
 grows callous and infenfible, and they fin 
 without Remorfe. 
 
 Log. I confefs, when we obferve fo little 
 of the Workings of Confcience in Men, to 
 convince them of Sin, in fuch a knowing 
 and rational Land and Age as ours, when 
 we obferve how much the Voice of Con- 
 fcience is negleded, and how cafily 'tis 
 filenced, when we find it grows hard and 
 ftupid by Degrees, and at laft permits Men, 
 without any Remorfe, to commit all Vil- 
 lainies, in i'^kc of all the Remonftrances of 
 God and Man, it is no Won.der that Con- 
 fcience has a very feeble Influence in fuch 
 wild, and unknowing, and utipolifh'd Coun- 
 tries, where Irreligion and Intemperance are 
 the Cuftom and Falhion, from Generation to 
 
 Generation. 
 
 F 4 ^ith. 
 
y 1 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 Pitb. Well then, Sir, fince you allow me 
 this, pleafe to proceed, and inform me, how 
 they Ihall come to know, if they fhould be 
 once convinced of Sin, tkaf they muft re- 
 fent of it \ i. e. be forry for it, and abftain 
 from it ? 
 
 Log. This Repentance is the moft natural 
 and obvious Pradice that the Reafon of Man 
 can didate to him, to appeafe an offended 
 God : 'Tis going as far as he can, to undo 
 ■what Evil he hath done j and cherefore the 
 Reafon of every Man would condud him to 
 Penitence under a Senfe of pail Sin. 
 
 Pith. But we don't find this Duty to- 
 wards God has been taught or pradifed fo 
 very much by human Reafon, even among 
 thePhilofophers and the Inhabitants oiRome 
 or Athens^ as to imagine that the Indian 
 Savages fhould prefcribe this Duty to them- 
 felves. No ; 'tis evident the polite Nations 
 of Htathenifm were generally for offering 
 Sacrifices of one kind or other, to make 
 Compenfation for their Crimes, without much 
 Sollicitude or Care about Repentance as a 
 Duty to God, and a watchful Care of better 
 Obedience. And in thofe Parts of America 
 ■where they made Pretences to any Senfe of 
 Religion, it was a frequent Thing (as the 
 Sfani[h Writers of the Country of Mexico 
 inform us ) to feek out fbme beautiful Girl, 
 and offer her a Sacrifice to their offended 
 Idol^, when they thought their Gods were 
 angry with them : Penitence and Reforma- 
 tion, 
 
o/ Human Reason. 75 
 
 tion, virtue and Piety of Heart and Life^ 
 were little thought of, as the Means of pro- 
 curing divine Pardon. 
 
 Log. I confefs, my Friend, you put me in 
 mind of many Hiftorics which I have read, 
 not only of Heathen, but of Pofifh Coun- 
 tries, where the Doftrine and Pradice of 
 Penances, and Sacrifices, and rich Offerings 
 to Saints and Idols, Gods and Goddefles, are 
 the immediate Remedy to which Men apply 
 themfelves after Sin, and which Papijis and 
 Heathens make their ready Refuge, after a 
 Senfe of Guilt, rather than to pradife the 
 inward and fpiritual Duties of Repentance 
 and Mortification, and maintain a future 
 Courfe of watchful Holinefs. 
 
 Pith. Let us drop this Point then, Sir ; 
 and now I intreat you to prove, that if a 
 Heathen Ihould truly repent, and be forty 
 for his Sin, even as it is committed againft 
 God, and fliould endeavour to perform his 
 Duty better for Time to come, ivill his 
 'Reafon ajfure him, that God will forgive his 
 Sin, receive him to his Favour, and make htm 
 happy ? 
 
 Log. Yes, certainly, Pithander, he need 
 not doubt it ; for if doing Evil be the only 
 Foundation of God's Difpleafure, ceafing to 
 do Evil, or returning to do well, mull take 
 away that Difpleafure. God is too good a 
 Being, not to approve and forgive fuch a 
 
 Penitent. 
 
 And 
 
 4^' 
 
74 ^'^^ Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 And not only the Goodnefs, but even the 
 Wifdom of God would oblige him to for- 
 give thofe who repent, fince the Sinner then 
 becomes what God in his Wifdom requires 
 him to be : Whereas if God punifh'd him, 
 it could only be with a Defign to corred: 
 him, and make him pious and virtuous for 
 Time to come : But when this happy End 
 is attain'd without Puniftiment, there is then 
 no need of it : And God has no Cruelty in 
 his Nature, to incline him to punilh a Crea- 
 ture without Neceffity. 
 
 Pith. To this I anfwer, That the Cor^- 
 reftion or Amendment of the particular Offen- 
 der, is not the only End of Puniftiment, 
 but the Vindication of the Wifdom and Ju- 
 ftice of the Lawgiver, and his Law, which 
 are like to be infulted, and the Laws conti- 
 nually broken afrefti, if Offences were al- 
 ways paft by with Impunity, and if the 
 Criminal were always pardon'd upon Repen- 
 tance. It is necelfary for a Governor fome- 
 times to teach his Subjefts what an evil 
 Thing it is to tranfgrefs his Law, by the 
 proper Funifhment of thofe who offend. 
 The Honour and Authority of Government 
 mull be fometimes liipported and vindicated 
 by fuch Severities : And tho' it may pleafe 
 a Sovereign fometimes to pardon an Offender 
 out of his great Goodnefs, when he is truly- 
 penitent for his Crime, yet no Degrees of 
 Penitence can affure the Offender that he 
 Ihall certainly and entirely be forgiven, or 
 
 can 
 
o/ Human Reason. 75 
 
 can claim Forgivenefs at the Hands of the 
 Sovereign; becaufe Repentance makes no 
 Recompence at all for the Diflionour done 
 to the Authority of the Law, and of him 
 that made it. His future Obedience is all 
 due, if he had never finned ; and therefore 
 it cannot compenfatc for pall Negleds and 
 Tranfgreffions, 
 
 Log. But when finful Man is truly peni- 
 tent for his Faults, 'tis the beft Thing that 
 a Creature can do in finful Circumftances, 
 and the beft Recompence that he can make 
 to an offended God, who is a righteous and 
 merciful Governor, and will require no more 
 than the Sinner can give. 
 
 Pith. But a Sinner can (^dare Poems) 
 fuffer Puniftiment, to make a fort of Com- 
 penfation, by forfeiting and lofing his Peace, 
 and thus doing Honour to the Law in a 
 paflive Manner, when he would not do it 
 by adive Obedience. Suppofe, Sir, (if I 
 dare fuppofe a Thing almoft impoffible) 
 that fo worthy a Gentleman, and fo loyal a 
 Subjeft as Logijfoy fhould rebel againft his 
 prefent Majefty King George the Second, 
 fliould murder a Fellow-Subjed, or violate 
 any of the Laws of the Land by a Capital 
 Crime, and after he had continued fome 
 Time in a vicious Courfe, he fliould repent, 
 and affure his Majefty, that for Time to 
 come he would be a very faithfiil Subjed, 
 has he fufficient Ground to claim^ or to ex- 
 ped a Pardon, meerly becaufe he is forry 
 
 for 
 
y6 ^he Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 for what he has done, and refolved fincerely 
 to do fo no more ? King George is indeed a 
 Man of Mercy, but wou'd that Repentance 
 of yours be any Reparation for the Injury 
 you have done to the Authority of the King, 
 or the Welfare of the State? Do you not 
 know, Sir, that the Government takes no 
 Cognizance of fuch Repentances ? Even the 
 moft fincere Penitent cannot claim a Right to 
 have his Treafon pardon'd. Government re- 
 quires that Criminals be punifli'd to maintain 
 the Authority .of the Law and the Law- 
 givers : The Life of the Criminal is forfeited 
 and due to the State : Criminals muft be made 
 Examples of Juftice, that the Honour of 
 Government may be maintain'd, and that 
 other Subjefts, who fee or hear of this Punifh- 
 ment, may be fecured in their Obedience and 
 Duty, by fuch publick Examples of Punifli- 
 ment and Terror. 
 
 Now to apply this to the Cafe in Hand : 
 The great God fufficiently makes it appear, 
 in the Condud of his Providence, and in his 
 Government of the World, that he does not 
 punifti offending Creatures meerly to promote 
 their own Correftion, Repentance, and Re- 
 formation. How many Thoufands of finful 
 Men are cut off by Earthquakes, Famine, 
 Peftilence, Inundations, &c, and fent down 
 to the Grave where there is no Reformation 
 or Repentance ? How many Sinners, who 
 have been already truly penitent and re- 
 formed, have been thefe defolating Teftimo- 
 
 nies 
 
o/ Human Reason. yj 
 
 nies of the Difpleafure of God againft Sin, 
 and felt a heavy Share of thefe publick Cala- 
 mities ? Nay, have there not beerf fome of 
 the moft vktuoLis and holy Creatures upon 
 Earth given up by the Providence of God, 
 not only to common Calamities, but to pecu- 
 liar Miieries and fmarting Sorrows, as juft 
 Tokens of divine Refentment for their paft 
 Sins ? And their own Confciences have ac- 
 knowledged the Juftice of it. God will mag- 
 nify his Law and make it honourable^ and will 
 make even penitent Sinners knqw, what an 
 evil and bitter Thing it is to offend his 
 Majefty, and break his Laws. 
 
 And as it has pleafed the righteous Gover- 
 nor of the Univerfe to make- even penitent 
 Offenders Ibmetimes Inftances of his juft 
 Difpleafure againft Sin in this World, that 
 other Inhabitants of the Earth may fee, and 
 fear, and obey, fo how do we know, what 
 other World of intelledual Creatures fhall 
 be Witneffes of the Punifhment of guilty 
 Mortals in the invlfible or future State, and 
 be thereby deterr'd from Sin ? 
 
 The Repentance of a Criminal is no Re- 
 compence to God, confider'd as the univerfal 
 Governor of his intelleftual Creatures : His 
 fupreme Authority muft be maintain'd, and 
 Jiis Honour be vindicated, thro' his univerfal 
 Empire : And how can Heathens alTure them- 
 felves, by the meer Light of Reafon, that the 
 Wifdom of his Government doth not find it 
 neccfTary to make all the Criminals of human 
 
 Race 
 
78 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 Race become Ibme way or other Examples 
 of his juft Refentment ? 'Tis only divine Re- 
 velation that informs us with any Certainty, 
 that Man Ihall find Forgivenefs with God, 
 and that Pardon fhall follow Repentance. 
 
 Log. Do you not allow then, my Friend, 
 that the Light of Nature can go fo far as to 
 fay, 'tis at leaft probable, that God will for- 
 give a repenting Sinner, tho' Reafon may 
 not make it certain ? 
 
 Pith. I confefs fome Things which &- 
 fhronius deliver'd, concerning the Hope of 
 Pardon for repenting Sinners, in Confirma- 
 tion of his Scheme of natural Religion, at 
 the Beginning of this Conference, have great 
 Weight with me. Tho' I am fure Repentance 
 cannot claim Pardon on the Sinner's Part at 
 the Hand of God, yet I know nothowftrong 
 a Claim the Wifdom and Mfircy of God may 
 bring againft the full Execution of Juftice in 
 fuch a Cafe. God may forgive a Sinner in 
 part, and releafe him, in Ibmc degree, from 
 the compleat Demerit and Punilhment of 
 his Sin, though he does not forgive him 
 entirely. Let us fuppofe then, and allow, 
 that 'tis probable God will at laft for- 
 give an humble penitent Creature that has 
 oflfended againft him in Time paft, if he 
 earneftly implore divine Forgivenefs, if he 
 grow up to a fettled Hatred of his Iniquity, 
 and behave himfelf with allWatchfulnelsin 
 the Practice of his Duty for Time to come, 
 both toward God, toward his Neighbour, 
 
 and 
 
o/ Human Reason. 7() 
 
 and himfelf. I think I muft believe, that 
 God loves Holinels fo well, that he will not 
 for ever punifh a Creature that repents fin- 
 cerely, and that he cannot but love a Crea- 
 ture which fincerely loves God j and there- 
 fore if among finful Rebels he fliould find 
 any fuch remarkable Penitent, in the favage 
 Regions of the Earth, I grant he fliall not 
 finally and eternally be banilh'd from the 
 Prefence of his Maker, or at leaft he may. 
 have very encouraging Hopes of fome Fa- 
 vour and Acceptance at laft, if he can exer- 
 cife his Rcafon fo far upon thefe Subjeds and 
 Enquiries. 
 
 Log. I am glad Sophronkis is here in this 
 Difpute, and I am well-plealed to fee Pithan- 
 der not only ready to yield to Convidion at 
 firft, upon the Appearance of the light of 
 Reafon, but to retain it thro' all our Con- 
 ference. 
 
 Pith. But there are ftill fome confiderable 
 Difficulties remaining, Sir, upon this Point ; 
 there is fome Darknefs hangs about this 
 Gleaqi of Light. Suppofe a Heathen fliould 
 be brought to believe and hope, tliat God 
 may forgive his paft Sins upon fincere Re- 
 pentance, his renewed Obedience, and his 
 humble Addrefles to him for that Purpofe, 
 yet can his Reafon teach him, that God will 
 forgive daily and repeated Sins, after Know- 
 ledge and Vows of Obedience ? That he will 
 forgive the fame Sinner relapfing a hundred 
 times oyer ? That he will forgive his Sins 
 
 even 
 
8o ne Strength and Weakncfs 
 
 even to the End of his Life ? Or that he will 
 forgive him entirely and perfedly fo as to 
 make him undergo no Penalty at all, and pafs 
 thro' no Purgatory in the other World, to 
 make fome Degree of Expiation for paft 
 Offences ? This Dodrine of a painful Purifi- 
 cation in another State was fuppos'd by fome 
 of the ancient Heathens^ and is ftill beUeved 
 by one Party of Chriftians, whereby Souls 
 of imperfed Virtue do Penance for the Crimes 
 committed in this Life ? Can his Reafon tell 
 him, how long this State of Penance and Pur- 
 gation will endure ? Can it afllire him, that 
 God will take the Sinner into his Favour, fo 
 far as to give him a lafting State of Happi- 
 nefs hereafter, who has been fuch a vile 
 Criminal here ? And I was going to fay, Can 
 his Reafon afllire him, fince his bell Repen- 
 tance is fo very imperfeft, that he fhall not 
 be put upon another State of Trial in a future 
 World, and that his Soul fhall not be fent 
 to animate any other Body, partly to punifh 
 him for his Crimes in this, and partly to go 
 thro' a new Probation, with regard to fome 
 further State of Happinefs or Mifery ? And 
 not only one, but all thefe Doubts will grow 
 much ftronger if the Repentance itfelf be 
 doubtful and feeble, or much interrupted by 
 returning Sins. 
 
 I am fure, Logijioy you are a Gentleman 
 of greater Reading than to imagine thefe are 
 meer Fancies of my own : Your Acquaintance 
 with the Heathen Writers informs you of 
 
 their 
 
^HuMAN Reason. 8i 
 
 their^urgafory, and you know their Doftrine 
 of I'ranfmtgration of Souls, which is ■ faid to 
 be derived originally from Pythagoras the 
 Philofopher. 
 
 The Poets borrowed their Reprefentations 
 from the Phiiofophers, tho' they have drefs'd 
 them with Ornaments peculiar to their own 
 Genius, f^trgtl fends j^neas into the other 
 World, and there he finds, in or near the 
 Elyfian Fields, feveral Souls who were or- 
 dain'd to return to other Bodies j 
 
 Inclufas Animas, fuferumq^ ad Lumen ifuras, 
 
 And — jinimae quibus altera fata 
 
 Corpora debentur-^ — - — -- 
 
 And all the Souls even of the beift Men, before 
 they arc admitted to Elyjtum, or the State of 
 the Blelfed, muft go thro' Fire and Water, 
 and various Pains and Purifications. 
 
 Log. I keep a few of the ClajQicks here in 
 this Summer-Houfe, and Ibme polite Writings 
 for my Diverfion. Here is a good Edition 
 of Firgil; come, turn to the Place, and let us 
 fee the Lines, 
 
 Pith. With all my Heart, Sir, 'tis in Book 
 VI. toward the End, v. y^^. 
 
 ^uifi & fupremo cum lumine vita reliquit ; ° 
 JNon tamen omne malum miferis, nee funditus 
 omnes 
 
 Corporex excedunt fefles. 
 
 Ergo exercentur posnis, veterumq; malorum 
 SuppUcia expen^unt : aliae panduntur inane s 
 • ' ' ' G , Sufp&nfr 
 
8i The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 Sufpenfg ad ventes : aliis fuh gurgite vaflo 
 Infettum duHur fcelus>, aut exurttur igni. 
 ^ijque fttos fattrmr_ Manes. Exinde pr 
 
 amplum 
 Mittimur Elyfium, & paaci Iceta arva tenemus. 
 
 Log. I find after their Purgatory, f^rgii 
 allows but a few of them to be happy, {6 
 great and univerfal does he fuppofe their De- 
 filement in this mortal State. But as for the 
 Bulk and Multitude of thele departed Souls, 
 pray what becomes of them ? 
 
 Pith. Surely, Sir, you have read the fol- 
 lowing Lines, where he teaches us, that they 
 return to Bodies again, after a thoufand Years 
 Penance. 
 
 Denec longa dies f erf e£}o temporh orbe 
 ConcMam exemit labem^ furumque rel'tquit 
 j^theVeum fenfum^ at que aurdi Jimplicisignem. 
 Has omnesj ubi miUe rotam vohere per anmsy 
 Lethceum ad fiuv'mm Deus evocat agmine 
 
 magna : 
 Scilicet Immemores^ ftiper aut convexa revifant^ 
 RurJUsy & incipiant in corpora veUe reverti. 
 
 Log. Since we are got into the Company 
 of the Mufes^ Pithander, let us fee what our 
 Englijh Virgil^ Mr. Dryden^ fays in his Tran- 
 flation of this Period. I'll read them to you. 
 
 "Not Death it/elf can wholly •wafh their Stains^ 
 But long cofitraUed Filth, even in the Soul, re- 
 mains. 
 
^ Human REAsoi^r*^ S^ 
 
 ^e Reiifuej ef inveterate ^ke they wmr j 
 j/ind Sfitts of Sin ohfcend in mevy Face Of pent t 
 For this are various Penmees enjoin' A -^ 
 And feme are hung to bleach^ tPpotP the P^ind^ 
 Some piling' din Waters^ others parg'd in Fires^ 
 'Till all the Dregs are drain* d^ and all the Ruji 
 
 expires : 
 All have their Manes^ andthofe Manes^^^ .• 
 T^hefewjjb cleans' d^ to thefi Abodes repair j 
 And ^reathe^ in ample Fields^ the Joft Etyjan\ 
 
 Air. 
 
 9'hen are they happy ^ -when by Length of 'Time 
 The Scurf is worn away^ of each committed Crifpie, 
 Mo Speck is left of their Mfbitual Stains j 
 Bat the pure j^ther of the Sbul remains ^ 
 Mut, when a thou/and rowling Tears are pafi- \. 
 {So long their Tunijhments and 'Penance la ft \ j 
 Whole Droves of Minds are^' by the 4riving GoJ, 
 Compeli'd to drink the deep Liethaeaa Fkod: 
 In large forgetful Draughts to fieep the Cares 
 Of their pap Labours, and their ivkfome Tears* 
 That J unrememh' ring of its former '•Pain, 
 The Soul may ft^er mortal Fkp again. 
 
 Pith. And 'tis the Dodrine of Pythagoras^ 
 as reprefented to us by another of the Poetsy 
 that human Souls return into the Bodies of 
 Bcafts as well as Men^ Quid informs us fo 
 in the i jth Book of his Metamorphojis. Have 
 you got it here ? 
 
 Log. Yes, Sir, Ovid is at hand, and as Vairi 
 and fabutou* a Writer as he was in ancient 
 jilmes, yet if his Soul was tranfmigrated into 
 
 G a any 
 
84 The Strength ^»^ Weaknefs 
 
 any human Form in this Age, I'm perfuaded 
 he would be wonderfully pleafed to be found 
 in fuch Company as yours, Gentlemen, and 
 to hear himfelf call'd upon to give us his 
 Senle of the Dodrine of Pythagoras^ fince it 
 puts a Sort of Philofophical Air and Drefs 
 on his wild Stories of the Transformation of 
 Gods and Men. 
 
 Pith. See here then, Sir, the Opinion of 
 that ancient Philolbpher in the Language of 
 Poefy. 
 
 Morte carent anim^yfemperq'^ prior e reliBd 
 Sedcy novis domibus vivunt, habitant f, recepta ; 
 Omnia mutantur : nihil interit : err at & illinc 
 Hue venit \ hinc illuc\ & quojlibet ocmpat 
 
 artus 
 Spirit us ', eque feris humana in corpora tranfit^ 
 Inque feras nojier. 
 
 And Lucan fays of the Northern Countries, 
 Lib. I. Pharf. that they had the Opinion 
 of Tranfmigration of Souls, and therefore they 
 fear'd not Death. 
 
 • PopuU quos dejpicit ArBos 
 
 'Felices Errore fuo^ quos ille timorum 
 Maximusj haud urget Leti metus. 
 
 And on this Account they efteem'd it a very 
 cowardly Thing in War, 
 
 Rediturce par cere vit^, 
 
 i. e. to be fond of this Life, or Ibllieitpus to 
 
 fave 
 
o/HuMAN Reason. 85 
 
 fave it, when it would be fo foon reftor'd 
 again. 
 
 Cafar tells us this was the Dodirine of the 
 Druids^ our Anceftors, in Britain. Difci~ 
 fl'ma Druidum in Britannia f-epsrta impri- 
 mis hoc volunt ferjuadere\ noninterire animas -^ 
 fed ah aliis poft mortem tranjtrf ad alios, SCc. 
 Lib. VI. DeBello Gall. The Ancient Bracb- 
 mans were known to be Profeflbrs and Teach- 
 ers of this Opinion j and in the Country of 
 Malabar, in the Eaft-Indies, their Succeffbrs, 
 the Braminsy teach the People the fame No- 
 tion ftill ; and elpecially, that the Souls of 
 Men, who have behaved ill in this World, 
 are lent at their Death into brute Animals, 
 partly to make Atonement for Sins paft, and 
 partly for a new Trial. 
 
 Now, Sir, if thofe among the ancient 
 Heathens, in various Nations oi Europe and 
 ^Jia, who profefs'd to be wife above their 
 Neighbours, and who endeavour'd to ule 
 their Reafon in Matters of Religion and a 
 future State, were led into fuch wild Errors, 
 what Hope can you have, that untaught 
 Realbn, in the Wilds of .America, and in 
 African Defarts, fliould have better Succefs 
 in their roving and loofe Enquiries about 
 religious Affairs, and the future State of 
 Men? 
 
 Log. I know not welt what to reply to fomc 
 of thefe Doubts and Queries of yours. Upori 
 the whole, I do not fee how the mecr Realbn 
 of Man, without any Alfiftance, can get thro' 
 
 G i aU 
 
%6 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 all thefe Difficultks, fo as to affure a Sinner 
 of certain Reftoration to divine Favour and 
 the Enjoyment ,pf immortal Bleffednefs at 
 Death, upon fudl poor, fofry and interrupted 
 Repentances as will be found among thefe 
 Heathens: And I am now ready to think, 
 that fome of my Infidel- Acquaintance talk 
 with too much Affurance and Triumph upon 
 thefe Subjeds, becaule they never enter 'd far 
 (enough into Enquiries about them, to learn 
 the Difficulties with which their Opinions 
 are furrounded. We are too ready to think 
 the great God a meer weak good-natur'd 
 TThing, fuch as Ibftie Magiftrates have been 
 in wicked Nations, and that he utterly neg-^ 
 leds to lay due Reftraints upon the Vices of 
 his Subjeds, that he difregards the Demands 
 of Juftice, aad the Rights of Government, 
 If I miftake not, your Hebrew Poet intro- 
 duces God himfelf making this Refledion 
 upon fome of the loofe and profligate Fellows 
 of that Age, who were not willing to have 
 Vice too ievefely punifh'd, fbou thmghttji^ 
 I -was altogether fuch a one as thyfelf'^ hut I 
 •mill reprove thee^ andfet thy Sins in order be^ 
 fore thine Eyes. 
 
 Pith. Dear Sir, fince you have done David 
 the Honour to cite him in our Debates, I b^ 
 leave to repeat the awful Addrefs he makes 
 to thofc vicious Creatures in the very next 
 Words ; Qm/ider this-, ye that forget God, 
 leji he tear you in pieces ^ and there be none to 
 deli'Oer. Punifliment belongs to Guilt, and 
 
 God, 
 
o/ Human Reason. 87 
 
 God, the Governor of the World, has a 
 Right to inflia it if he pleafe. I grant, thefc 
 Perfons of whom the Pfalmift here fpcaks, 
 were impenitent Sinners : But there are many 
 PafTages in Scripture that concur with oiyr 
 natural Reafon, and inform us, that God 
 may, and fometimes doth, punifti in Ibme 
 degree thofe Favourites whom he finally 
 pardons. In Pfalm xcix. David fays, Thou 
 waji a God that forgasaeji them^ though thou 
 tookg/i Fengeance of their Inventions. Nor can 
 all the Light of Reafon aflure us, that God 
 will entirely forgive a Penitent in this World 
 or in the other, without fome Punilhment. 
 
 Log. I would readily yield, Pithandery 
 as far as your Argument carries Evidence 
 with it. But thio' we can't be fully afliared, 
 that repenting Criminals fliall be compleatly 
 pardon'd, yet you have granted, there is very 
 probabk Ground for a Penitent to hope, that 
 God will forgive him at lap j and if Reafon 
 can lead him but to a Probability of ihxs final 
 Forgivenefe, it gives fufficient Ground for 
 the Pf aftioe of Repentance and foture Obe- 
 dience, tho' there may be fome fore Puniih- 
 ments in his Way to final Happinefs. 
 
 Pith. Pleafe to confider, Dear Sir, that 
 tho' I havcallowcd that the Force of Reafoira, 
 under happy Advantages and Improvements, 
 and in its heft Exercifes, may reach thus far, 
 yet when the Reafon or Confcience of a poor 
 untaught African Savage has been by any 
 Providence 10 far awafeen'd as to think him- 
 G 4 felf 
 
88 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 fclf a Criminal before God, and has his Soul 
 made deeply fenfible of Sin, I hardly fee how 
 he can, upon juft and folid Grounds, get 
 thro' all the Difficulties which I have men- 
 tioned. Will his own rude and uninftrudled 
 Reafon tell him, that God will probably for- 
 givelhim a hundred times over? That God 
 will call him to no Pains and Sufferings in a 
 future State, on Account of his Sins in this 
 Life ? Or if he endures Ibme Pain, can his 
 Reafon teach him, that God will probably 
 take him afterward into his Favour, fo far 
 as to give an immortal Reward to any of his 
 poor Pretences to Virtue, which are fo often 
 interrupted and defiled by Sin ? And what- 
 ever Inferences you and I may be abl6 to 
 make in Great Britain, I doubt the Skill of 
 a Megro on this Theme. 
 
 Log. I am fenfible I have been too con- 
 fident upon thelc Matters ; and I begin to 
 think there is fome need of a Revelation to 
 give Men more clear Difcoverics of true Re- 
 ligion, and more evident, fubftantial, and en- 
 couraging Hopes of the Pardon of Sin and 
 eternal Happincfs. 
 
 But however, my Friend, you fcem at 
 prefent to have got the better of me by run- 
 ning over all the particular Articles which 
 Sophronius has mentioned, as belonging to 
 Natural Religion, and I confefs I cannot fee 
 how a wild Negro, or an American, can ^q 
 well find them out as I imagined ; yet I can- 
 not but think ftill, that Human Reafon muft 
 
 or 
 
o/ Hum AN Reason. 89 
 
 or ftiould have fufficient Ability to guide and 
 to condud Mankind to the Favour of God, 
 and Happinefs in a Way of Religion ; and I 
 have fomething further to offer upon this 
 Head : And when I lead the Argument and 
 caft it into another Form, we ftiall try whether 
 your Skill can refute it. 
 
 Pith. Let your Arguments be propofed. 
 Sir, in what new Form you pleafe, I think 
 I ftiall be able to fliew you their Weaknefs, 
 or if they are convincing, I defire to be fb 
 honeft as to yield to their Force. But .the 
 Hours are pafs'd away. Sir, with uncommon 
 Speed in fuch an agreeable Converfatron: 
 The Sun hath been {et almoft this half Hour : 
 I think it was Full Moon Yefterday, and we 
 fliall have the Light of that Planet to guide 
 us Home in a little time, which is far more 
 than the American Savages have to guide 
 them to Heaven, or the African Tribe of 
 'Negroes to relieve their midnight Darknels. 
 If you pleafe, Logiflo^ we will agree and meet 
 here to-morrow Evening, and carry on the 
 Difcourfe. But let us have Sophronius's im- 
 partial Sentiments on our Debate thus far, 
 before we break up. 
 
 Log. With all my Heart, Gentlemen, and 
 I fliall be very glad to lee you both here to- 
 morrow on fo agreeable an Occafion : And 
 now r entreat you, Sophronms^ to make ule 
 of no Compliments, but fiilfil the Office of 
 an impartial Moderator, for which we both 
 
 chufe 
 
po Tloe Strengdi Avid Weaknefs 
 
 chafe you, for our Bufinefs is the Search of 
 Truth, 
 
 Soph. Gentlemen, I have been a careful 
 Hearer of your free and learned Debate, and 
 1 cannot but obferve with Pleafure, that you 
 have avoided all the little paltry Methods of 
 Cavilling, into which Difputants are too often 
 betray 'd when they aim at Vidory more than 
 Truth, and when each Perfon is refolved to 
 maintain his own Opinion at all Adventures. 
 By this happy Temper and Gondud which 
 has appear'd in this Conference, I am in no 
 Pain about giving you my freeft Thoughts 
 on the Subjeft, fince I am in no Danger of 
 difpleafing Perfbns of your generous Segtiti- 
 ments. 
 
 Give me leave then, in the firft Place, to 
 take notice, that you havte confined the great- 
 eft Part of your Difcourfe to the Sufficieacy 
 of Human Reafon, in the rude and unculti- 
 vated Nations of Africa and North' Jmerka^ 
 to lead them to the Favour of God and Hap- 
 pinefs, by the Knowledge and Pradice of 
 Religion: And indeed, I cannot but think 
 you have wifely fixed this Scene for your 
 Controverfy, and limited your Difcourfe to 
 this Sort of People, which are fome of the 
 moft barbaroais and brutifli on the Earth, 
 and where Reafon has no fijppos'd AfEftances 
 from Revelation. 
 
 Logi/b has taken great Paicfito prove, that 
 Human Reafon, even in fuch fava^e Natioas 
 as thefe, is fufficient to guide and condud 
 
 them 
 
o/ H U M A N R E A S O N. pi 
 
 them in the Way of Religion, to the Favour 
 of God, and future Happinefs : Or elfe in- 
 deed, the Propofition is not univferfally true, 
 That the Reafon of all Men is ftifficient for 
 this Purpofe j and, in my Opinion, he has 
 gone a great way toward proving the Natural 
 Sufficiency of Human Reafon for this Pur- 
 pofe, by fliewing how rational every Article 
 of Natural Religion appears, and by what 
 natural and juft Steps of Inference, it may be 
 deriv'd from fuch Principles as lie within the 
 Reach of Ma^nkind, and his Rcafoning 
 Powers. 
 
 On the other hand, 'J'ithander has ftiewn 
 us piainly in Fad, how unaffifted Reafon is 
 turn'd afide perpetually from the Truth, and 
 that thefe favage Nations, in many fucceffive 
 Ages, have been born^ and liv'd, and died, 
 by Thouiands and ten Thoufands, and have 
 never IbugJat nor fouiid out any tolerable 
 Scheme of Natural Religion, and hardly 
 done any thing toward it;, not that he fup- 
 poles them to be innocent and blamelcls in 
 thefe fhamefiil Neglefis of God, and Aver- 
 fions to true Religion ; but 'tis fo in Fad, 
 4rom Age to A.ge, and there are many evident 
 Caufes or Occafions (d it. • 
 
 Give me leave, Logifio^ to fijm up in one 
 View the various Gonfideratioms that '^iiharh' 
 d&r has intimated in feveral Parts of this De- 
 bate, why he thinks Human R^ai^ in thelc 
 Savages, to be infufficient to lead them to 
 true Religion. 
 
 1. He 
 
9 2 The Strength and Wcaknefs 
 
 1. He confiders the early and inveterate 
 Prejudices of whole Nations againft the Prin- 
 ciples and Rules of true Religion, the ob- 
 ftinate and deep-rooted Prepoffeflions which 
 they labour under, and the grofs and fhame- 
 ful Errors which they are led into from their 
 youngeft Infancy by all who are about them : 
 And their Crime is, that there is fcarce a 
 a Soul of them, that ever bethinks him- 
 lelf fo far, as to queftion the Truth of what 
 his Parents and Neighbours have taught him 
 in his Childhood, let it be never fo much 
 contrary to Realbn and Virtue. 
 
 2. He confiders their irreligious Cuftoms, 
 and the vicious Praftices, which run through 
 the whole Nation ; which national Cuftoms 
 are held fo facred in their Efteem, that 'tis a 
 fufficient Proof of Ttuth or Duty to them to 
 fay, "Tis the confiant Opinion or Cujiom of 
 their Country. Evefy thing that their Ari- 
 ceftors have believed or done is reafonable in 
 their Account, without any Examination. • 
 
 3. He confiders the natural Thoughtleffnefs 
 of thefe Creatures, about any thing that is 
 fpiritual and divine, without fome Hint given 
 them, that Ihould fet their Reafbn at work :* 
 They eat and* drink, and lie down and rife 
 whole Years together, and never think of the 
 true God, and the Honours due to him, if 
 fome peculiar Providence, Occurrence, or 
 Converfation doth not turn their Thoughts 
 this way. 
 
 And 
 
o/HuMAN Reason. p^ 
 
 And to this we might add, their general 
 aflonifhing Stupidity in Matters of God and 
 Godlinefs, if ever they hear any Difcourfe of 
 them ; their Averfron to the Ipiritual Parts 
 of Religion, and utter Difregard of every- 
 thing that belongs to it. 
 
 4. He conliders the Weaknefs of their un- 
 taught Realbn, to diftinguifti 't'ruth from 
 Error, if ever it werefet a working on fpiri- 
 tual Things. Realbn, as well as our other 
 Powers, learns to exercife itfelf by Praftice 
 arid Inftruclion ; and without Inftrudion it 
 is very rude and giddy, and ever wandering 
 into Folly and Madnefs. Thefe rude and 
 barbarous Creatures, therefore, muft not 
 only be put into a right Track of Thought 
 at firft, but be kept in it too; or.otherwife 
 they prefently run into grols Miftakes, even 
 in the plaineft and commoneft Principles of 
 Religion, fuch as the Exiftence and Unity of 
 God, and the Worlhip that ought to be paid 
 to him, and the common Virtues of Juftice 
 and Sobriety. Such poor Savages as thefe, 
 if their Faces were fet toward Religion and 
 Truth, would be readily led away into a Va- 
 riety of Errors which ftand thick on every 
 Side, unlefs they had fome other Guide, 
 Ibme better Clue^and Diredion than their own 
 Reafooing Powers. 
 
 5. He conliders the inceflant and everlafl- 
 ing Influence of fenlible Things upon their 
 Minds, which continually (tho' unrealbnably) 
 divert them from a right Exercile of their 
 
 Realbn 
 
P4 ^he Strength and Weakneis 
 
 Realbn about Matters of Religion and Virtue. 
 The urgent Necellities of Nature, the con- 
 ftant Return of their Appetites, the Sollici- 
 tude and Care to fupply them, and the fre- 
 quent Rife and Efforts of their unruly Pal^ 
 fions, all join together, not only to hindef 
 the better Powers of their Nature from en- 
 gaging clofely in the Purluit of Religion, 
 but alfo tend to blind their Minds, and lead 
 them aftray from the Truth. They are cri- 
 minal, indeed, in indulging thefe inferiof 
 Powers to the Negleft of their Souls, and 
 their beft Intereft ; but ftill they do univer- 
 fally indulge them. 
 
 And I might add, in the laft Place, he 
 has intimated, that if they feel any Efforts 
 of their own Reafon toward the Searching 
 out of the true God and his Worlhip, if they 
 are awak^n'd by the inward Didates or Re- 
 proofs of Confcience now and then, to make 
 feme Refiftance to their brutal Cufloms, and 
 ungodly Practices ; yet thefe inward Efforts 
 of Confcience and Reafon are fo feeble, that 
 they fuffer them to be quickly overpower'^ 
 and extinguilh'd, by the Temptations that 
 ftand around them within and without. 
 
 Pith. I own my great Obligations to you, 
 Sophromusj for fb happy a Recolledion of 
 my fcatter'd Thoughts, and fb beautiful a 
 Difpofition of them as gives Force, Perlpi- 
 cuity, and Elegance to my Argument. 
 
 Sofhro. Sir, I have done nothing but mf 
 Duty in fumming up the Evidence, before I 
 
 pro- 
 
e/H U M A N R E A S O N. 95 
 
 prcnounce the Sentence. Had there been 
 any thing in Ijtgijio's Part of the Conference 
 which had needed iiich a Rehearfal and new 
 Dilpofition, he might be afluredj I fliould 
 not have fail'd either in my Diligence or 
 Readinefs to affift or fet forth his Argument 
 to as good Advantage. 
 
 But Compliments apart : Thus, Gentle- 
 men, having briefly recapitulated the Debate 
 between you, all that I fliall fay, by way of 
 an Arbitrator in the prefent -Dilipute, fliall 
 be contain'd in a few following Propoli- 
 tions : Perhaps I flian't be able to place 
 them in lb juft and regular a Form : But I 
 can truft your Candour : Converfation docs 
 not require luch Exadnefs. And I would 
 particularly befpeak Logifio's Pardon, before 
 I mention the two firft of them, becaufe 
 they fuppofe the Truth of Chriftianity, and 
 the Bible, which he feems to doubt of at 
 prefent. But he fliall find that I make no 
 manner of Ufe of thefe Propofitions againfl: 
 his prefent Argimient, or in Favour of Pi- 
 thmder. I proceed therefore, 
 
 I. I am perfuaded, that God never did 
 or will forgive the Sins of any Man upon 
 Earth, whether J^ta;, Heathe^ ot Chr'ifitm^ 
 nor receive any of our finful Race into his 
 Favour, but upon the Account of what 
 Jefm Chnfi his Son, the Mediator, has done 
 and fuffer'd, for the Atonement or Expia- 
 tion of Sin, and the Recovery of Man to the 
 
 Favour 
 
^6 T'^^ Strength and Wcskncis 
 
 Favour of God : So that if Heathens arc 
 faved, I think it is owing to the Merit of 
 Chyiji.y and his Death, there Is Salvation in 
 110 other^ nor is there any other Name whereby 
 Men may be faved. If any of thofe who never 
 heard of Chrifl might be faved without the 
 Influence of his Atonement and Mediation, 
 why might not they that have heard of him be 
 faved without it alfo? Thus there would 
 be no need of him to become a Mediator, or 
 to make Atonement for the Sins of the one 
 or the other ; and thus Chrifi would have 
 lived and died to very little Purpofe. 
 
 II. With moft fincere Efteem and Love, 
 and (ihall I add) with tender Gompaffion to 
 Logijio, I ask Leave to declare my Belief of 
 the Conftitution of the Gofpel, with all the 
 Iblemn Threatnings that are annex'd to it, 
 which I would call my fecond Propqfition-^ 
 {viz.) He that lives where the Gofpel of 
 Chriji is fuhlifh'd., with its proper and ne- 
 ceffary Evidences, and yet refufes ali his 
 Life-time to believe and receive it, cannot be 
 faved \ but lies under that Sentence of Con- 
 demnation which is frequently denounced in 
 the New Teftament, He that believeth not, 
 fhall be damned : If ye believe not that I am 
 he, i. e. the Mefliah, ye fhall die in your Sins. 
 Nor would the bleffed God ever denounce 
 fuch terrible Sentences as thefe, for meer 
 Errors of the Mind, without any Vice of the 
 Will. God well knows where he has g^ven 
 fufficient Light and Evidence ^ and he alfb 
 
 knows, 
 
o/ Human REAsotj; pf 
 
 knows, that however honeft and fincere 
 Minds may happen to be led aftray for a 
 Seafon, yet nothing but criminal Negligence, 
 or; culpable Prejudices, or fome finful Aver- 
 fion to the Gofpel, can influence Men, undet 
 fuch Evidences, conftantly and finally to 
 rejeft it : It is plain to me, even from thefe 
 Scriptures, that no Man who truly fears and 
 loves God, and feeks to know or do his Will, 
 can or will be guilty of conftant and final 
 Oppofition to the Golpel, where 'tis fur- 
 rounded with its proper Atteftations. And 
 upon this Account, dear Logtjlo^ I am per- 
 fuaded, your fincere Inquiries to find out th^ 
 true Religion, will ilTue in a hearty Belief and 
 Profeffion oiChriJllanity^ tho' your Thoughts 
 may be at prefent fluttering abroad with 
 fome Uncertainty where to fix. 
 
 Log. I cannot with-hold myfelf. Gentle- 
 men, from interrupting our Moderator in his 
 Difcourfe, that I may make my Acknow- 
 ledgments for his tender Concern about my 
 befl: Interefl:s, which he has exprefi'd in lb 
 affedionate and refpedful a Manner. I mull 
 confeis, I have no obftinate and rooted Aver- 
 fion to the Chriftian Religion, if I can find that 
 there is any real Need of it, and that it ftands 
 upon folid Foundations, and if I could an- 
 fwer fome few Difiiculties that belong to the 
 Bible. But lefl: I make too long an Inter- 
 ruption of your Dilcourle, I intreat you, 
 Sophronius^ proceed to your third Propofi- 
 
 tion. 
 
 H Sofhro. 
 
p8 fr&e Strength ^;? J Wcaknefs 
 
 Sophro. III. Tho' I fuppofe no Man ftiall 
 be faved but by Virtue of the Mediation and 
 Death of Chrifi, nor doth the Gofpel permit 
 me to allow Salvation to thofe who wilfully 
 rejed it, under clear Light and Evidence ; 
 yet there is good Reafon to believe, that 
 there have been many Sinners aftually faved, 
 who never believed in Jefus Chrifi^ nor 
 ever heard of his Name, nor had any Notibn 
 of his atoning Death and Sacrifice. Such 
 were Ibme of the early Defcendants- of Noah^ 
 among whom we may reckon Ah'imelech^ 
 King of the PhiUflines^ Melchifedec King of 
 Salem, Job in the Land o^Uz, with his four 
 Friends, and many others, who feared God, 
 and wrought Righteoufnefs : And fuch were 
 many good Men among » the Jews, who 
 might' be made Partakers of the Benefits of 
 the Death of Chrifl^ and his Sacrifice, tho* 
 they had generally no Notion of fuch a fort 
 of MeJJiahy or Saviour, as was to be made a 
 Sacrifice for the Sins of Men : Nor is this at 
 all incredible, fince St. Peter himfelf, who 
 had been a Difciple of Chrift fo long, did 
 not believe this Dodrinc even a little before 
 his Matter's Death, when he complimented 
 his Mafter concerning his Crucifixion, Matt. 
 XV. a a. and faid, Be It far from thee. Lord, 
 this fo all not he unto thee. 
 
 Nor is it unreafonable to have the fame 
 charitable Thoughts concerning feveral other 
 Perfbns of the Heathen World, during the 
 Continuance of the Jewfh Church and State, 
 
 who 
 
(/Human Reasoi^. pp 
 
 who had either maintain'd the Knowledge of 
 the true God, by Tradition from Noah^ of 
 recovered it by Converfe with the ^ews, and 
 worfhipped him as a God of Juftice and 
 Mercy, with Fear and Hope : Such was 
 Cornelius the Centur'ton^ and Lydia, and feve- 
 ral others, who were call'd devout Perfonsj 
 and Juch as feared or worjhipped God^ in the 
 Hiftory of the ^iif^i, chap. si. y. and xvi. 14: 
 and xvii. 4. and x. 2. And 'tis poffible, that 
 fince the firft Age of ChriJUanity there may . 
 have been fomc fuch religious Pcrfons, of this 
 fame Character, who were faved, tho' they 
 never heard the Dodrine of Chrifi\ for if 
 they had io much Religion as would have 
 faved them before that Time, furely they 
 ftiall never be excluded from Salvatiori foir 
 Want of hearing of the Doftrine of Chrijiy 
 if they did not lie within the Reach of it. 
 
 IV. If any Perfons in the Heathen Nations 
 are faved without the aftual Knowledge of 
 Ghrtji^ or any divine Revelation, I think I 
 ftiay venture to fay, that they can obtain it 
 no other Way but by the Knowledge, and 
 fincere Belief, and Pradice of that Religion 
 whofe Articles I enumerated, at your Re- 
 queft, in the Beginning of your Difpute : 
 And I then gave you my Reafons, why 1 
 think thefe Articles are fuiEcient, and why 
 they are necefTary : I told you then, why I 
 conceive that a good and gracious God will 
 finally accept of the Soul who fincerely be- 
 lieves and pradifes them j and why I cart 
 
 H 2 hardly 
 
100 The Strength ^wi Weaknefs 
 
 hardly fuppofe a holy and righteous -God. 
 will accept of any thing that comes very 
 much Ihort of thefe Articles. 
 
 V. Since all thefe Articles of natural Re- 
 ligion, which I before mention'd, arife from 
 the meer Confideration of the Nature of God, 
 and Man in his prefent State, and the Rela- 
 tions in which Man ftands to God, and to 
 ■ his Fellow Creatures, and lince they ftand fo 
 conneded together, that they may be, and 
 have been aftually drawn out and framed by 
 the pure Exercife of our Reafoning Powers, 
 by Perfons who dwell under the Light of 
 Chrijiianityy then it is not impoffible in the 
 Nature of Things, that the fame Articles 
 ihould be drawn out and framed, by the Ex- 
 ercife of Reafon, among thofe who never 
 enjoy'd the preaching of theGofpel of Chrijl: 
 Tho' it muft be confefs'd, it is almoft infi- 
 nitely eafier for a Chrijiian to do it, than for 
 a Heathen. Yet ftill 'tis poffible, in the Na- 
 ture of Things, that meer human Reafon 
 may be ih cultivated and improved, without* 
 Revelation, as to produce fuch Fruits of 
 Knowledge as thefe are. This appears, in 
 fome meafure, by the fine Schemes and 
 Thoughts of fome of the Greek and Roman 
 Philofophers, on the Themes of Rational, 
 Mathematical, Phyfical, and Moral Know- 
 ledge, as well as Religion, and by the great 
 Progrefs fome few of them have made in 
 Knowledge and Truth, on fome of the 
 Subjefts which you haye been debating. 
 
 I 
 
o/" Human Reason, loi 
 
 I confefs indeed, I hardly think thofe 
 polite \^riters and Philofophers would have 
 gone fo far in Virtue and Religion, if they, 
 had borrowed no Help from divine Tradition, 
 and Gonverfe with the Jews or their Neigh- 
 bours. But after all, I cannot fay that fuch 
 a Scheme of Religion as I have here pro- 
 pofed, lies utterly out of the Reach of hu- 
 man Reafon, in the Nature of Things, fince 
 the feveral Steps of it may be all conneded 
 by ftrong Inferences. 
 
 VI. Tho' there be feveral whole Nations 
 of the Earth funk into fuch a brutal Stupi- 
 dity, as the Savages in the Delarts of Africa 
 and the Wilds of America^ that they know 
 nothing of Religion j and tho' fcarce any of 
 the HeatToen Philofophers (much lefs any 
 whdle N ations) ever arrived at any clear and 
 explicite Knowledge of fuch a ftiort and plain 
 Syftem of natural Religion as I have pro- 
 pofed ; yet it does not follow, that human 
 Reafon is not fufficient to lead them into it. 
 A Man who is afleep is a reafonable Creature 
 ftill, and the Reafon that is in him is fuffi- 
 cient to enable him to difcourfe and ad like 
 a Man ; but he muft be firft awaken'd by 
 fbme happy Accident, and his Reafon fet a 
 working in a proper Track. A Man that is 
 intoxicated with Liquor, and thereby led 
 aflray into a thoufand Fooleries, and is pre- 
 paring Mifchief and Mifery for himfelf, yet 
 has the Principle of Reafon in him ftill, and 
 if he does not go on to drink, he may recover 
 
 H 3 the 
 
iqi The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 the Exercife of his rational Powers, and 
 thereby find out a Way to extricate himfelf 
 from the Dangers which furround him. 
 
 Now I look upon the Bulk of the Heathen 
 World in fuch icind of Circumftances as 
 thefe. Reafon, fo far as it relates to God, 
 and Religion, and eternal Happinefs, feems 
 to be alleep in them ; fome happy Hints 
 may poffibly awaken it, and fet it a moving 
 in a right Channel, tho' without Revelation 
 it will be ever ready to wander, and go aftray. 
 Reafon, in far the greateft Part of them, feems 
 to be intoxicated and drawn away into end-? 
 lefs Fooleries, inftead of Religion, led aftray 
 by wild Appetite and Paffion, perverted by 
 a thoufand Prejudices, and by the univerfal 
 Cuftoms of the Country, and feduced far 
 from all the Paths of Truth and Duty. Now 
 if any Occurrence arife which may bring 
 them to a Stand, free them from the intoxi- 
 cating Influences of Prejudice, Cuftom, Paf- 
 fion, &c. 'tis poflible, in the Nature of 
 Things, that the Powers of Reafon may then 
 trace out fuch a Religion, which, if fincere^ 
 ly pradifed, may lead them to final Hap^ 
 ^inefs. 
 
 VII. But fince • we find by wretched and 
 deplorable Experience, that there have been 
 yery few among the beft of .the Heathen 
 Nations, whofe Reafon being left to itfelf, 
 without any Traditions of divine Revelation, 
 have work'd well this Way, and traced out 
 all tlie moft important and neceffary Principles 
 
 of 
 
o/* Human Reason. 105 
 
 of Religion ; and fince alfo we have feen 
 what ftiameful Ignorance, even of the chief 
 of thefe Priticiples, is found univerfally reign- 
 ing among the ruder and more unpolifh'd 
 Nations, fo that fcarce a Man of them knows 
 the true God, or believes or pradifes the 
 neceflary Duties towards God, and but very 
 imperfedly toward his Neighbour or him- 
 felf : we may plainly infer, this Sufficiency 
 of human Reafon to guide all Men in Mat- 
 ters of Religion, is but little more than a 
 fpeculat'we and abftrad Idea of Sufficiency, 
 'tis^ a Sufficiency, at beft, that has very little 
 or no Influence : It is fuch a natural Cafa*- 
 city, or remote Power, or Sufficiency, as is 
 fcarce likely to become effedual, in Pradice, 
 in one Soul among Ten thoufand of thefe 
 rude and brutal Creatures which we have 
 been fpeaking of. And whatfoever fpecuk- 
 tive, natural, or remote Sufficiency in Matters 
 of Religion and Happinefs, may be alcribed 
 to human Reafon, among the rude and bar- 
 barous Nations of the Earth j yet it can 
 hardly be call'd a proximate and pra^icat 
 Sufficiency for this Purpofe : So that there 
 feems to be a plain Neceffity of fome higher 
 Means and Advantages than they are pol^ 
 fefs'd of, in order to introduce any thing of 
 real Religion amongft them. This appears 
 evident to me, fince I have fcarce Grounds 
 enough to fuppofe there is one fingle Peribn 
 in feveral of tl^efe lavage Nations, that has 
 arrived at fo much Religion and Holinels, 
 
 H 4 as 
 
\q4 ^^^ Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 as to be fit, according to the Reprefentations 
 of Scripture, to enter into the Prefence of 
 God, and heavenly Bleflednefs, under all the 
 Guidance and Condud of their own Reafon j 
 fo inefFedual is it to combat with their natu- 
 ral Stupidity, their innumerable Prejudices^ 
 the inceffant Influence of their brutal Edu- 
 cation and Cuftoms, and their ftrong Pro- 
 penfities to Vice, 
 
 Log, Permit me, Gentlemen, after the 
 Moderator has Ipoken, to put in one Word, 
 which perhaps has been too much neglected 
 in our prefent Debate, tho' it has been at 
 firft agreed to belong to the Quellion j and 
 that is this : If all Mankind ufed and exer- 
 c'tfed their Reafon well, and as they ought to 
 do, whether it would not only have a remote^ 
 but alfo a proximate and fraBkal Swffickncy.^ 
 to find out the Articles of Natural Religion, 
 fp far as is neceflary for future Happinefs : 
 For it is evident enough, that neither the 
 favage nor the polite Nations which we 
 have had Occafion to Ipeak of, have ufed 
 their Reafon as they might and ought to 
 have done on religious Subjefts. 
 
 Sophro. What you propofe. Sir, I think 
 may be fafely granted by Tithander, even if 
 he admit my Diftindion of this remote and 
 proximate Sufficiency. But the furrounding 
 Darknefs and Ignorance in which moft of 
 thefe Heathens were born, the Prejudices and 
 Cuftoms of their Nations, which they imbibe 
 almoll from their Birth, their perpetual 
 
 Avoca» 
 
o/ Human Reason. 105 
 
 Avocations by prefent fenfible Objeds, the 
 everlafting Urgency of their Appetites and 
 Paffions, their native Propenfities to Vice^ 
 and the conftant Temptations that attend 
 them, are fuch a powerful Hindrance to this 
 right and due Exercife of their Reafon on 
 Things moral, divine, and fpiritual, and on 
 Things future and eternal, that tho' there 
 be a natural Sufficiency, in human Realbn to 
 find out llich a Religion as might favc them^ 
 yet 'tis ten thoufand to one, if ever they 
 duly and rightly exercife it. 'Tis , highly 
 improbable, that ever their Thoughts ftiould 
 be directed into fuch a Track, and guarded 
 and led onward in it fb far, till they have 
 found out fuch Articles of Faith and Prac- 
 tice in Religion, as you yourfelf have granted 
 to be ncceflary. And 'tis upon this Account, 
 Logijio^ I fay, that Reafon which is remotely 
 Jufficient, in the Nature of Things, may be 
 call'd praBically injiifficient for the Purpofes 
 of Religion and Happinefs; fince fo very 
 few, or none, will actually exercife their 
 Reafon well. 
 
 Pith. Methinks, Soj^hronius, I feel my- 
 felf inclined to accept of your Diftinction, 
 and to agree to your Reafoning on this 
 Subjed. 
 
 IjOg. For my Part, I thank you heartily, 
 SophronitiSy for your good Company, and for 
 your concluding Difcourfc. I muft confefs, 
 I cannot fee how to get over the Difficulties 
 which '^ithmder has before propofed, and 
 
 which 
 
1 06 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 which you feem to confirm. Nor do I find 
 any juft Ground to oppofe your Diftindion 
 of this fpeculat'tve and praBical Sufficiency of 
 Reafon in Matters of Religion, and your pre- 
 lent Application of it : For our Experience 
 and Obfervation feem to make it evident, that 
 "tis but a foor Sufficiency that human Reafon, 
 in thefe rude Nations, has, to guide them 
 into the Knowledge of acceptable Religion. 
 
 Yet I have ftill fome Difficulties upon my 
 Mind ; for there are fevcral folid Arguments, 
 drawn from various Topicks, relating to God 
 and Man, to prove that 'tis necelfary God 
 ihould furnilh all Mankind with fufficient 
 Powers for their own Happinefs : And thefe 
 fliall be the Subjed of our Difcourle To- 
 morrow, when you pleafe to favour me with 
 your Company. 
 
 Pith. My iincere Thanks are due alfo to 
 Sophronius^ for the Office he has fuftain'd, and 
 fo happily executed in this our Conference. 
 
 Log. Tho' the Moon be rifen fb high, and 
 the Sky fb free from Clouds, that your Walk 
 homewards will be pleafant, yet my Servant 
 ihall wait on each of you to your Dwellings. 
 Here, Davus^ attend thefe Gentlemen. Good 
 Night, dear Sirs, and remember the ap- 
 pointed Hour To-m,oxrow. 
 
 the 
 
o/ Human Reason. 107 
 
 The Second Conference. 
 
 fOphronius and Pithander being met 
 in Logijio's Summer-houfe at the 
 appointed Hour, after mutual Salu- 
 tations, the Conference began thus: 
 
 Log. Was it not agreed, Gentlemen, that 
 I ihould now produce my other Arguments, 
 drawn from various Topicks, relating tq 
 God and Man, to Ihew that Reafon is, and 
 muft be fufficient to condu6t or bring Man 
 to Happinefs in the Way of Religion. 
 
 Sofhro. I think, Sir, you have already 
 gone thro* but one Part of your intended 
 Inquiry concerning the Sufficiency of Reafotiy 
 and that is. Whether the Light of Keafon 
 be a fufficient Guide to teach all Men the 
 neceffary Dodrines and Duties of Religion ? 
 Then it remains to be difputed. Whether the 
 Powers of Reafon are able to fhew fuch 
 Obligations and Motives, and to fet them 
 before every Perfbn in fuch a View as fhall 
 be fufficient to inforce the Practice of the 
 Duties required, and thus bring a Man to 
 the Favour of God, and Happinefs ? If I 
 remember aright, Sir, you propofed this Me- 
 thod of Debate yourfelf at firft, and this is 
 
 what 
 
io8 l"he Strength ^«^ Weaknefs 
 
 what I fuppofe you mean to include, when 
 you fay, Reafon is fufficient^ not only to 
 guide, hut conduB and bring Men ejffe^udly to 
 . Happinefs in a Way of Religion. 
 
 As for thofe general Arguments which 
 you fpeak of, which may be drawn from 
 the Nature of God, and the Nature of Man, 
 they will better be introduced at lalt, be- 
 caufe they tend to 'prove both Parts of your 
 prefent Queftion at once, {viz.) that Reafon 
 is fufficient, both in its InJiruHions to teach 
 Men Religion, and in its Motives to bring 
 them to the PraBice of it. 
 
 Log. You are in the right, Sophronius^ this 
 was my Meaning in the Exprellion I ufed 
 of conducing Men to Happtnefs, and this 
 was the Method which I myfelf propofed, 
 in the Beginning of our Conference laft 
 Night : But I muft confefs, I am fomcthing 
 difcouraged to purflie the fecond Query, by 
 the Succefs Pithander has had in the former 
 Part of our Debate. And yet, mcthinks, 
 human Reafon ftiould be fufficiejnt to con- 
 dud Man fafe to the Happinefs that is fuited 
 to his intelledual and immortal Nature, and 
 to bring Motives fufficient to enforce the 
 Pradice of neceffary Duties. Fll begin my 
 Argument therefore on this Subjed, and try 
 what can be faid. 
 
 Pith. I think Sophronius has fet the Mat- 
 ter right, and I introat LogiJ^o to proceed 
 to his Proof. 
 
 log. 
 
o/ Human Re AS^ON. 109 
 
 . Log. When two Things are fet before us, 
 whereof our Reafon tells us, with great Aflii- 
 rance, that one is vaftly more excellent and 
 defireable than the other, Realbn does what 
 is fufficient to engage us to chufe that which 
 is moft excellent. Now to apply this to the 
 Bufinels in , hand : Reafon, working in a 
 Heathen^ may afTure him, that Virtue hath 
 much Beauty and f-ovelinefs in it, becaufe 
 it is acting what is fit and right, and accord- 
 ing to the Nature of Things : But Vice is a 
 hateful Thing, cont'rary to what is right and 
 fit : Reafon can fhew him, that the everlaft- 
 ing Favour of fuch an Almighty and All- 
 fufficient Being, as God, and the Happinels 
 and Joys of a future State, which are the 
 Rewards of Virtue and Religion, are vaftly 
 preferable to all the Delights of Senfe, which 
 are but fliort and vaniftiing, and to all the 
 forbidden Indulgences of Appetite and Paffion, 
 which often leave a Sting behind them : I 
 think then, that Reafon does its Office, and 
 performs what is fufficient to incline the Man 
 to chufe Virtue, the Favour of God, and 
 fiiture Happinefs, above all prefent and 
 tempting Senfualities, and to enforce the Pra- 
 dice of Religion and Goodnels. 
 
 Agam^ Wlien two Things are fet before 
 us, whereof our Reafon aflures us, that one 
 will bring a hundred times more Pain and 
 Sorrow upon us than the other, Realbn does 
 what is fufficient to engage us moft carefully 
 to avoid that which brings thegreatcft Mifery, 
 
 and 
 
1 10 The Strength and Weaknef^ 
 
 and to endure the lefs Evil for the fake of 
 avoiding the greater: And therefore when 
 Reafbn, working in a Heathen, affures him, 
 that Anguilh of Confcience, and the DiC 
 pleafure and Wrath of an Almighty God, 
 thro' all our State of Immortality, which will 
 be the Confequent of a vicious Life, will be 
 inexpreflibly harder to bear than a little 
 troublefome Self-denial,' Which he finds in 
 the prefent Life, in the Reftraints of his Paf- 
 fions and Appetites, and in the Praftice of 
 "Virtue, Reafon then does' what is fiifficient 
 to incline the Man to avoid Vice and to prac- 
 tife Virtue, becaufe it teaches him, that 'tis 
 far better to venture the lefler Pains of Self* 
 denial here in this Life, in order to avoid the 
 more terrible Pains and Sorrows which the 
 Difpleafure of God may bring both upon his 
 Body here, and his immortal Soul hereafter* 
 How can any thing be fufEcient, Pithander, 
 to bring Men to Religion and Heaven, if 
 fuch Motives as thefe are not fufficient, and 
 thele are the Motives that Reafon finds out 
 and produces^ 
 
 Pith. Tho' your Argument feems to run 
 on. Sir, in fo fmooth a Current, and to carry 
 fuch Perfpicuity and Force with it, yet 'tis 
 not very difficult to give feveral Iblid Anfwers, 
 which will ftiew its Weaknefs. 
 
 Firji then. Sir, you will pleafe to obferve, 
 that your Argument fuppofes thefe diftinct 
 Charatlers of Virtue and Vice, of Lovely 
 and Hateful, to be fet before Heathens^ even 
 
 of 
 
o/ Human Keason. hi 
 
 of the Savage Kind, in their proper Colours, 
 and the immortal Rewards and Punilhments, 
 that attend them, to be found out and afcer- 
 tained by their Reafoning Powers. But I in- 
 treat the Favour of you, Sir, to bethink 
 yourfelf, how very Ihort you came Yefterday 
 of your intended Proof, that all Heathens cart 
 find out thofe Truths or Duties which belong 
 to Religion, or can let forth the diftinft 
 Characters of Virtue and Vice, in their love- 
 ly or unlovely Appearances. Think again, 
 Sir, how much you have fail'd of any plain 
 Proof of the Dodrine of a future and eternal 
 State knowable by thele Heathens^ how un- 
 able the ftupid [Americans are to find out, 
 that God will certainly receive penitent Sin- 
 ners to his Favour, at leaft, into fuch a De- 
 gree of Favour as to free them from all 
 Puniftiment, and to make them happy for 
 ever in anorher World ; nor have you prov'd 
 that their Reafon will fliew them, that God 
 will make the Men of Vice for ever miferable. 
 Now if thefe Things are not cffedually 
 proved, nor fo much as the Probability 
 of them made evident and eafy to the ftupid 
 >#r/c^;^ J, where are your ftrong Motives to 
 Virtue? What's become of your fufficient 
 Obligations to pradife Religion ? They 
 vanilh and difappear at once : And therefore 
 in the ruder Nations of the Earth, thefe 
 Motives can have no Power to inforce Reli- 
 gion or Virtue, for they have no Exiftence 
 there in the Minds of Men, nor are likely 
 
 to 
 
1 1 i The Strength and Weakncfs 
 
 to have any Exiftence by the meer Work- 
 ings of their rude Realon. 
 
 Forgive me, good Logijio^ if I take the 
 Freedom here to fuppofe, that this Argu- 
 ment of yours, for the Power of Reafon to 
 enforce the Praftice of Virtue and Religion, 
 was framed in your Thoughts, and glowed 
 there with fuperior Fervour and Force, while 
 you imagin'd thefe diftind Charafters of 
 moral Good and Evil, thefe lovely Features 
 and Excellencies of Virtue, thefe hateful 
 Ideas of Vice, and the Motives ofeverlafting 
 Rewards and Punifhments, to be all eafily 
 found by the Light of Realon, in every 
 Heathen : But fince you are difappointed in 
 the Proof of their Reafon, as a fufficient 
 Guide or Light to teach them their Duty, 
 you muft accept the Difappointment too of 
 your Expectations of the fufficient Force or 
 Power of Reafon to influence the Pradice 
 of it. 
 
 Log. I muft confefs, Pithander^ I came 
 to this Conference Yefterday big with Ex- 
 pedation of proving Reafon in all Men, even 
 in the rudeft Heathens^ to be a very fuffi- 
 cient Guide ; and tho' I do not yet yield up 
 all that Point entirely, yet I am conftrain'd 
 to acknowledge your Replies have greatly 
 weakened my Arguments in that firft Part of 
 our Debate, and thence follows a Degree of 
 Debility of my Arguments in the lecond- 
 You faw in the Beginning of the prefent Dif- 
 courfe, I was fomething confoious of it. 
 
 Pith 
 
o/Human;Reason. 115 
 
 'J^ifb. I acknowledge, 5ir,' your Sincerity 
 and Goodnefs; but pleafe to permit me to 
 proceed in the next Place, and Aew, .that 
 wherefoever Reafon has pretended to find 
 out the future and immortal Recompences of 
 Virtue and Vice, 'tis with lb much Doubt 
 and Uncertainty as renders the Force of the 
 Motive very feeble- 
 
 Reafon, in its bell Exercifes, even in the 
 moft polite Nations, can hardly arife higher 
 then to give -them a grand Probability, that 
 there is an immortal or everiafting State of 
 Happinefs in the other World provided for 
 the Rewards of the brighteft Virtue on Earth. 
 Sophronius has carefully avoided the making 
 the certain Knowledge of it a fundamental 
 Article : For fince all Mankind are Sinners, 
 and there is none perfedly Righteous, no not 
 one, How can Reafon affure them, that fuch 
 imperfeft Virtue fliall have an immortal ; Re- 
 ward? Much iefs could their Reafon iftfurd 
 fuch Happinefs to thofe who have been great, 
 and long Sinners, even tho' they IhouW re- 
 pent : For x:an meer Reafon ever affure the 
 Heathens, that they Ihall exift for ever ? 
 Why may not God annihilate fuch itnperfed 
 and finful Creatures as they are, and do it 
 even as a Favbur granted to the Penitentj 
 fince for their Sins they hav« deferved to 
 have been made miferabie' in their natural 
 State of Immortality, i. e. to have been for 
 ev^r miferabk? And he might ftill referve 
 the more profligate and impenitent Criminals 
 
 I to 
 
1 14 'The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 td fome future Punifhment, to ihew the Di- 
 ftinftion his Juftice makes between the Good 
 and the Bad, or rather between Criminals of 
 lefs and greater Guilt : And yet even this 
 Punifliment perhaps (fo far as Reafon could 
 certainly teach us) need not be immortal or 
 everlafting. 
 
 Such meer doubtful Hopes and Fears 
 therefore as can be raifed by fuch feeble, pro- 
 bable, and uncertain Proof of everlafting Pain 
 or Pleafure, are but weak Things, Logiflo^ 
 to oppofe the Strength and Violence of vicious 
 Appetite, and unruly Pailiott in Mankind. 
 Things prcfent and fenfible,- whether they 
 be pleafing or painful, they are ftill certain, 
 and therefore they will generally have much 
 more powerful Influence then thefe diftant 
 and invifible Futurities which are let before 
 Men in a doubtful and uncertain Light. 'Tis 
 the Light of Revelation only that afcertains 
 thefe important Points of Religion, and 
 difcovers an everlafting Heaven and a Hell, 
 with full Evidence and Afliirance, and this 
 adds a far fuperior Strength to the Motives 
 and Obligations of Religion. 
 
 And in the fecond Place, with your Per- 
 miflion, Logiflo, I would proceed farther, 
 and ftiew. That Human Realbn is very in- 
 fufficient for thefe Purpofes, in Comparifon 
 of the blefled Gofpel of Chrijiy for many 
 new and different Motives and Obligations to 
 Virtue and Piety are prefented in the Re- 
 ligion of Chrijij and the Gofpel, far beyond 
 
 what 
 
ojfCHy MAN Reason. 115 
 
 what the Reafon of Man, untaught and un- 
 affifted by Revelation, could ever furnifh us 
 with. 
 
 'Tis the holy Scripture, 'tis Mofes and the 
 Prophets, 'tis Chr'iji and his Apoftles, who 
 fet before us the dreadful Evil of Sin, both 
 in its Nature, as 'tis contrary to the eternal 
 Reditude and the Will of God ; and in its 
 Demerit and Confequences, as it deferves the 
 Indignation of God, and is threaten'd with 
 ' Death and everlafting Punifhtnents in another 
 World. 'Tis the Scripture that reprefents to 
 us the Excellency and the Neceility of Re- 
 ligion and moral Goodnels, in a much 
 brighter and more eafy Light than ever all 
 the Realbnings of the Philolbphershave done, 
 and makes the Plough-Boy and the Shepherd 
 to underftand and receive more Truth and 
 Duty in a few Lines, and in half an Hour, 
 than the Philoibpher, with all his boafted 
 Reafon, had been labouring and digging for 
 half his Life, and at laft had brought it forth 
 into Light mingled with Darknels and much 
 .Uncertainty. 
 
 'Tis the Scripture that makes the Duties 
 of Religion pradicable, by bringing into a 
 near View all thole admirable and lovely Ex- 
 amples of Virtue and Piety pradifed ( among 
 Men, in the glorious Charaders of Afe/?j, 
 Jojhua^ Abraham^ and Dav'td^ Samuel^ Job, 
 Daniel, &c. and above all by Jefus, the 
 Author of our Religion ? What ftrong Aflu- 
 rances of the Love, Compaffion and Ten- 
 I a dernels 
 
1 1 6 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 dernefs of God toward good Men in this 
 World, are given us in Scripture, as Well as 
 the bright Difcoveries of the glorious World 
 to come : 'Tis the Goipel reyeals to Men the 
 aftonifhing Love of God, in fending his own 
 Son down to Earth to become a Sacrifice, 
 and to make' Atonement for the Sins of re- 
 bellious Creatures, and the amazing Con- 
 defcenfion and Compaflion of Ghrift to un- 
 dergo fuch Sufferings for our Sake. Thefe 
 are illuftrious Incentives to Virtue and Good- 
 nefs, which Reafon knows nothing of: And 
 Time would fail me to talk over half the 
 glorious and divine Encouragements that 
 we find in the Book of Scripture, to make 
 us aftive and conftant in the Practice of Re- 
 ligion, and to incline us to difdain and fur- 
 mount all the Difficulties, and Hardftiips, and 
 Terrors to lie in our Way to heaven. And 
 what can the poor native untaught Reafon 
 of an Indian furnifh him with to combat all 
 his vicious Inclinations, the finful Cuftoms 
 of his Country, and the profligate and favage 
 Courfe of Life in which he is educated and 
 ingaged, that can appear comparable to the 
 divine Weapons and Armour with which the 
 Gofpel has furnifli'd us for this facred War- 
 fare ? And yet we fee all thefe glorious Mo- 
 tives and Obligations of Chrijiiamty do not 
 prove effeftual to reftrain Multitudes of the 
 Chriftian World from Vice and Irreligion, nor 
 incline them to Virtue and Holinefs in Oppo- 
 fition to the Temptations of the Flefli and 
 
 the 
 
</HumanReason. 117 
 
 the World : How weak and infufBcient then 
 muft Realbn be, poor African or American 
 Reafbn, to attain fuch divine EfFefts ? 
 
 Log. Then furely, ^ithander^ you will not 
 fay aay more, that Reafon does not offer 
 Jufficient Obligations to Virtue, becaufe the 
 Bulk of a Nation are not reclaimed by it 
 from their Vices ^ for by the fame Rule, out 
 of your own* Mouth, I might condemn the 
 Gofpel of Jnfiifficiericy too. I might argue 
 concerning the Scrjptyre and the Religion ot 
 Chriji^ thafit does not provide fufficient Mo- 
 tives to Virtue and Goodnefs, becaufe the 
 Bulk and Multitude, even in Chrijlian Na- 
 tions, are not influenced by it, either to learn 
 or to pradile their Duty, but are carried 
 away perpetually into vicious Courfes by Ap- 
 petite and Paflion, by finfhl Cuftom and evil 
 Companions, and utter Forgetfulnefs of God, 
 and ail that is Good. 
 
 Pith. But you muft flill allow, Sir, that 
 the Chrijiian Kevelation has a vaft Preference 
 ^.boye the meer Principle of Human Reafon^ 
 irt that its Motives are more numerous and 
 jmore powerful beyond, all Comparifon, And 
 if the Motives to Religion, whjf h our Reafon- 
 ing 'Tower i can propofe, niay be czSMdi Juffi- 
 cient to equal, or j^ther to exceed, all Temp- 
 tations to Vice and Impiety, becaufe in the 
 Balance of Reafbn they appear more weighty, 
 thejithe Principles and Motives of Chrijiia^ 
 nity muft be more abundantly fufficient , be- 
 caufe, with an infinite Super-abundance, they 
 I 3 out-weigh 
 
1 1 8 The Strength and Weakriefs 
 
 out-w:igh all the Temptations of Flcfh and 
 Sin, when put into the fame Balance of 
 Reafon. 
 
 And on the other hand, if the Motives of 
 the Gofpel, numerous and powerful fs they 
 are, prove ineffeftual to many Thoufands 
 that hear them, furely the Motives of meer 
 Reafon, which are much fewer and feebler, 
 are very infufficient in Companion with thofe 
 of Revelation. 
 
 In the third Place, let it be obferv'd, that 
 there are large and confiderable Numbers of 
 Mankind, in all Ages, who have been effec- 
 tually influenced by the Gofpel to renounce 
 every Vice, and to pradife Piety toward God, 
 and Virtue toward Men, and elpecially where 
 the Qhrifiian Religion has appear'd in its full 
 Liberty and Luftre. But any Numbers of 
 truly pious and religious Men are not to be 
 heard of among the moft polite Nations of 
 Heathenifm. What if here and there a good 
 Man or two has been found in Heathen Coun- 
 tries where Knowledge flourilli'd, fuch as 
 Italy or Greece^ or the Leffer ./4/ta, in ancient 
 Times ? Perhaps in out Age in Great Britain 
 there are fifty to one, and it may be more 
 than a hundred ; and if we ftiould compare 
 the Numbers of religious Perfons in the 
 BritiJJj I/les, with thofe of Africa or North 
 America J I have Ibme Realbn to think the 
 Proportion would exceed feveral Thoufands 
 to one. 
 
 Log. 
 
o/ H U M A N R E A S O N. lip 
 
 Log. Then, my Friend, according to your 
 own Argument, if the Motives and Obliga- 
 tions of Chriflianity are proved to be fufficient 
 to inforce the Praftice of Religion, and to 
 condud a Man to Heaven, becaufe they have 
 been found effedual and fuccelsful in the 
 Hearts of fome Hundreds or Thoufands, I 
 think I may make this Inference, and you 
 muft grant it, that the Motives of Reafon are 
 not utterly infufficient for this Purpofe, if they 
 have been efFeftual to bring but here and there 
 One to praftife Religion, and thereby lead, 
 them to the divine Favour. And if it be 
 liifficient for a Few^, why not for j^U who 
 have the fame natural Faailties ? 
 
 Pith.' Will you plea£b,;.Sif, to refume 
 your own Inference, and apply it thus. 
 Reafon has been fufficient in a Euclid to trace 
 out a noble Scheme of Geometrical I'heorems^ 
 in a Locke to write an excellent EJJayon Hu- 
 man Under fijmding^ and in a Vtrgil to com-i- 
 pofe an admirable Heroic Poem\ therefore 
 Reafon is fufficient to frame Geometrical 
 Schemes, write fine Eflays and Heroic Poems ? 
 And what then, Sir ? Can all Mankind be- 
 come Lockes^ and Eudids^ and Firgils ? Re- 
 member, Good Sir, we are debating about 
 fuch a Sufficiency as may render all Mankind 
 holy and happy. Not that I fuppofe 'eis as 
 hard to trace out Religion as 'tis to be a Locke 
 or an Euclid ; but this Application of y pur 
 Argument ftiews how, weak the Inference is : 
 And tho' here and there one may happen to 
 
 I 4 . do 
 
1 2;o The Strength and Weakhefs 
 
 do' itj it will not foilow, that all Mankind 
 can do the fame. 
 
 BefideB, Sir, this fmall Number, this here- 
 and-there One^ that you fpeak of, who had been 
 led by Reafon to Religion, are found only 
 pci"ha|W in European Nations, or in Weftern 
 yd/ia^ where they have had Correfpondence 
 with '^ews or Chiijilans^ or have received 
 fome traditional Notices^ or Hints of divine 
 Revelation, without which, I much queftion, 
 whether there would have been, in Fad, one 
 truly religious Man in the World : So that it 
 is to the Notices and Fragments of Revela- 
 tion, convey'd to Men from Noah^ or Joh^ 
 or Abraham^ or the J-ews, or from fome other 
 infpir'd Perlon, that I aicribe the real God- 
 liaefs of any Perfon among tiie Gentile Na- 
 tions, rather than to the meer Force of Hu- 
 man P>.eafbn in its prefent degenerate State : 
 For I much queftion, whether you call in- 
 form me of one Perlon, one fingle Peribn, of 
 true Piety and Virtue in the Wilds of Jfrica 
 or America in all their Nations,. and in many 
 paft Ages, unlefs they have had fome Affift- 
 ances from Perfons of other Nations who 
 had Acquaintance with Revelation. 
 
 Log. What ! will you not allow one good 
 Man to have been found, for feveral Ages, 
 amc*g all tijefe Heathen Nations, without Re- 
 velation ? That's hard indeed : Doth not fuch 
 a Degree of Uncharitablenefs border upon 
 Grueky ? Can you thiftk the God *of Mercy 
 
o/HuMAN Reason. m 
 
 is fo cruel, as your prefent Sentiments repre- 
 fcnt him ? 
 
 Pith. Sir, if it were a proper' Place here, 
 I could Ihew you, that this Reprefentation 
 of Things is very agreeable to the Language 
 of God in his facred Writings, and yet he is 
 a God of Mercy ftill. But we Ihall have Oc- 
 cafion to enter into this Argument, when yoii 
 come to talk upon the Equity and Goodnefs 
 of God. At prefent, I content myfelf to fay, 
 that fince very few in any Heathen Countries, 
 fince the Divilion of the World into Jews 
 and Gentiles, have been truly religious Per- 
 fons, in Comparifon with the Multitudes un- 
 der the Light of divine Revelation, 'tis evi- 
 d'eflt, that Reafon has not this Sufficiency to 
 enforce the Practice of Religion, in any tole- 
 rable Proportion, to what Revelation Or 
 Scripture has, and therefore, in a Comfara^ 
 fwe Senfe, it may well be called injufi' 
 ctent. 
 
 Let me go on then. Sir, to ^fourth Confi- 
 deration on this 5ubje£t, and that is, that 
 Scripture itfelf, or the Gofpel of Chitji, con- 
 iider'd meerly as a written Book, or as a 
 Syftem of Dodrines, Rules, and Motives, 
 doth not pretend to fuch a powerful Suffi^^ 
 aiency of itlelf, i. e. tho' in itfelf it kas a vaft 
 Superiority to ^11 oth-er Rules and Motives, 
 yet it pretends not to fuch an effedual Influ- 
 ence over the Hearts of Men, in Oppoiition 
 to all prefent Temptations, and the Powers 
 of Fleih and Senfe, by the mere outward 
 
 Propolal 
 
121 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 Propofal of its Motives without the promiled 
 Aids of the Holy Spirit. 'Tis this heavenly- 
 Influence that renders even the Gofpel-Mo- 
 tives fo efficacious. 
 
 'Tis to the Aids of this fuperior Grace of 
 God, that the primitive Preachers and De- 
 fenders of Chrtjiianity dired their Difciples 
 in order to obtain Vidtory over their fenfual 
 and vicious Inclinations. Rom. viii, 13. Jf 
 hy the Spirit ye mortify the Deeds of the Body 
 ye (hall live. 'Tis to the Operations of the 
 Holy Spirit of God, that they afcribe the 
 mighty Change of their Natures from Vice 
 to Virtue, ftom Sin to Holinefs and Purity 
 of Heart and Life, which is called Regene- 
 ration^ or being born of God. i Pet. i. 22. 
 Te have purified your Souls in obeying the 
 'ifruth by the Spirit, i John ii. 25). Every 
 one that doth Righteoufnefs is born of God. 
 And iii. 5). JVhofo is born of God doth not com- 
 mit Sin^ i. e. freely, and readily, and fre- 
 quently* as before. '7/j- he that is born of 
 God that overcometh the H'''orld in all the Al- 
 lurements of Flejh and Senfe^ i John v. 4. And 
 this, in the Language of our Saviour, is be- 
 ing horn of the Spirit^ John iii, 5, 6. If the 
 Corinthians were fandlified from their Vices 
 of Heart and Life, 'tis by the Spirit of our 
 God^ I Cor. vi. 11. If the 7'hejfalonians are 
 brought to Salvation^ 'tis thro' Saniiifcation 
 of the Spirit, as well as Belief of the Truth, 
 1 Their, ii. 1 3. Even all the important Dif- 
 coveries of divine Motives contain'd in the 
 
 Golpel, 
 
o/HuMAN Reason. 125 
 
 Gofpel, which St. Paul calls, the Weapons of 
 his Warfare^ a Cor. x. 4. and which are 
 mighty to the fulling down of Jirong Holds of 
 Sin in the Heart, 'tis only through Gody i. e. 
 through the prefent Power of God. And 
 St. Pi^zJ tells us, in Rom. viii. 26. It is the 
 Spirit of God that helpeth our Infirmities and 
 teaches us to pray ; and the Aids of this Spirit 
 are promifed to them who leek it. Luke xi. 
 1 3 . Tour heavenly Father will give the Holy 
 Spirit to them that ash him. 
 
 Log. But why this long Bead-roll of your 
 Scriptures cited to me, who doilbt of the 
 Truth of them, and ^cannot yet believe any 
 thing fo lacred and divine in them as you 
 imagine ? 
 
 Pith. I hope, Sir, you will permit the 
 firft Preachers and Teacher^ of our Religion 
 to know what their own Dodrine is, without 
 'determining whether it be divine or not: 
 And I cite them for no other Purpofe but to 
 ftiew you, that they themfelvts acknowledge, 
 that the glorious Sufficiency, which even the 
 blefled Gofpel of Chrifi has to condud: and 
 bring Souls to Heaven, ifl a Way of Reli- 
 gion, does not arife only from the Strength 
 that its Motives have (as powerful as they 
 are) to perliiade the Heart of Man to pradife 
 true Religion, in Oppolition to all Manner of 
 Temptations ; but it arifes alfo from the pro- 
 mifed Aids of Grace, or fupernatural Influ- 
 ences of the blefled Spirit. 
 
 Log. 
 
1Z4 The Stvcngth and Wcsiknck 
 
 Log. I fee we are now running into £»- 
 thujiafm ^pace. I hoped we ihould have 
 none of this kind of Difcourfe here. Pray 
 tell us, Plthandefy What does this Spirit do 
 to make Men religious, niore thari give thenj 
 this Gofpel, or confirm the Truth of it, as 
 you fuppofe, by Gifts and Wonders ? 
 
 'I'ith. If it would not lead us too far from 
 our prefent Subject, perhaps I could fet this 
 Matter in a very rational Light. At prefent 
 I fhall only fay, that in fome unknown Way 
 and Manner, it may either give further 
 L'ght to the Underftanding, or a fecret Biafs 
 and Propenfity to the Will, or, at leaft, it 
 may fct thefe Motives both of Reafon and 
 Revelation before the Soul in a ftronger and 
 more perfualive View, and by this Means 
 efFe61ually prevail with the Man to become 
 thoroughly religious. 
 
 .Log. But may not the poor Heathens in* 
 the dark Regions of the Earth, who are left 
 to the meer Inftrudions of Nature aad Rea- 
 fon, and have fewer outward Advantages 
 than the Chrifiians pretend to ; I fay, may 
 not thefe poor Wretches be favour'd by a 
 merciful God with fome fuch Affiftaqces 
 from Heaven, to help thetn in their Inquiries 
 after Religion and Ha-ppinefg, and to aflQit 
 them in their Endeavours to jpraftife the one, 
 ^d obtain the other? W'ill God beftoW 
 fuch inward Alliftances on thofe who have 
 fo much outward Light, and yet give iione 
 at all bf it to thofe who fit in Darknefs ? 
 
 Pith. 
 
 Z' 
 
o/HuMAN Reason. 115 
 
 Pith. I thank you, Logifio^ that you feci 
 yourfelf reduced fo far as to make this In- 
 quiry ; to which I fliall offer thefe two plain 
 Reph'es. 
 
 Firfi^ I will by no means deny, that ever 
 God favours the Heathens with this Bleffing. 
 And, doiibtlefs, fuch is the beneficent and 
 compaflionate Nature of the blelfed God, 
 that if he fees the Heart of any poor Savage 
 breathing toward iHeaven, and exerting any 
 feeble Efforts towards Virtue and Religion, 
 he is not wanting to encourage it with all 
 proper Affiftances of Light and Strength, 
 till the Creature refufes to proceed, and turns 
 itfelf afide from God and his Grace. But 
 whatever a merciful God may do, out of his 
 abundant Compaffion, to enUgliten and aflift 
 fuch poor perilhing Creatures, yet thefe fa- 
 vage Nations of whom we have been chiefly 
 Ipeaking, and indeed the greateft Part of the 
 Heathen World, appear fo have had very 
 little of it, and they have no Reafon to ex- 
 ped it, or hope for it, ifince they do not 
 make Religion and Virtue the Matter of their 
 ferious Inquiry, they have no SoUicitude 
 about the true God, or his Service, or his 
 Favour, nor do they addrefs themfelves to 
 God, in order to attain his Aid. The Gre- 
 cian Philofophers boldly defpifed it, decla- 
 ring that they need not ask the Gods for Tir- 
 tue, for this was within their own Power^ 
 and they could acquire It of themfehes: The 
 impious Expreffions of the Stolcks on this 
 
 Sub- 
 
1 16 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 Subjed are well known to the Learned, that 
 their Wife Man was fiipeftor to the Gods in 
 this, that their Gods were Wife or Good by 
 Nature, but Man by his own Choice, Be- 
 fides, the Heathen World, who feek not , 
 thefe Aids from Heaven, have no Promile 
 of Encouragement that they Ihall have thefe 
 divine Favours beftow'd upon them, and 
 they live indeed like Perfons abandon'd to 
 their own Vices j fo that one may venture 
 to pronounce partly in the Language of 
 Scripture, concerning thefe Nations in gene- 
 ral, while they are without divine Revela- 
 tion, T'hey are without God, without Chrifi, 
 and without the Spirit too, and without 
 Hope in the World. 
 
 My fecond Reply is this, That if you 
 allow, Logifio, of fuch Influences or Affift- 
 ances from HeaVen as necelfary, or almoft 
 neceifary, in the preient corrupt and wretched 
 State of the Heathen World, to guide and 
 conduct them to Happinefs in a Way of 
 Religion, why may not you be ealily led 
 to believe that God has actually given fome 
 divine Influences, fome fpecial Revelations 
 and Inftrudions to fome of the antient Inha- 
 bitants of this mifcrable World, to the Pa- 
 triarchs, the Jewijh Prophets, to Chriji and 
 his Apoftles, which have been committed to 
 Writing for the Inftrudion of the World, 
 on Purpofe to make the Way to Heaven 
 more evident and eafy to wretched Mankind, 
 labouring under fuch thick Darknels, fuch 
 
 huge 
 
o/ H U M A N R E A S O N. 11/ 
 
 huge Prejudices, and fuch innumerable Temp- 
 tations ? 
 
 Log. Why truly, I think I. may allow of 
 Ibme divine Influences of Light from the mer- 
 ciful God, to lead his unhappy and bewil- 
 der'd Creatures into the Way of Religion 
 and Happinefs, by a Difcovery of the im- 
 portant Truths and Duties of Religion to 
 them, with as much or more Reafon than I 
 can allow of dlvlm Influences of Power upon 
 the Hearts of Men, to enable them to prac- 
 tife thefe Duties : And, furely, if the Influ- 
 ences of Power leem in any Cale neceflary, 
 the Influences of Light or Knowledge are 
 much more lo : This was s happy Thought 
 of yours, 'I^lthmider, and I give you my 
 Thanks for it. 
 
 Sophro. I think. Gentlemen, you your- 
 felves plainly perceive, that this Debate be- 
 tween you is brought nearly to an IlTue. 
 There is no need of my refuming the Cafe, 
 or fpeaking any thing upon the Subjed. 
 
 Log. Yes, pray, Sophronlus^ let us have 
 your Thoughts upon it, and perhaps they 
 may introduce fome further Converfation, to 
 elucidate this Argument yet more perfectly. 
 
 Sophro.' If I muft give my Sentiment in 
 this Matter, about the Sufficiency of Reafon 
 to perfuade Men to Religion, and inforce 
 upon them the Pradice of Virtue, I muft 
 determine, the Point much after the fame 
 Manner as I concluded the Debate of Yefber-i 
 day, about the Sufficiency of Reafon to guide 
 
 us 
 
1 2 8 Hoe Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 us into the Articles of Religion ; and that 
 fliall be done in thefe few Propofitions : ~ 
 
 I. In natural, corporeal, and neceflary 
 Agents, that Caufe or Principle can only be 
 properly call'd fufficient to produce the Effefi^ 
 which doth and will adually and certainly 
 produce it, where all Other external Things 
 are found which arc neceflary to this particu- 
 lar Effeft. So an Acorn is faid to be fufficient 
 to produce an Oak, when it is planted in a 
 proper Soil, and has the neceflary outward 
 Advantages of Rain and Sun, &c. So a Clock 
 is fufficient to ftiew the Hours of the Day, 
 when all the Weights, ^and Wheels, and 
 Springs of Movement, and Mechanical Parts 
 of that Engine are rightly formed, and fitu- 
 ated, and adjufted. But in fpiritual, and vo- 
 luntary, and moral Agents, a Caufe or Prin- 
 ciple may be pronounced fufficient, in the 
 Nature of Things, to produce the EfFeft, 
 where the Effed is not adually produced, 
 fuppofing that the Motives are fuch as may 
 and ought to influence the Will, to produce 
 the Effed. Wherefoever the Obligations to 
 Duty are juft and ftrong, and appear fo to 
 the attentive Mind, and according to the 
 Rules of Reafon ought to perliiade the Will 
 to chufe the Good, and refufc the Evil, there 
 thefe Obligations may be call'd fufficient 
 naturally to reform the Man, tho' the Will 
 may be led aftray by a thoufand other In- 
 fluences, and may not be once in ten thou- 
 fand 
 
of Human Reason. \i^ 
 
 faiid times efFedlually perfuaded to refufe 
 the Evil, and to chufe the Good. 
 
 II. Wherelbever the Motives and Obliga- 
 tions to Religion which arife from the Fa^- 
 vour or Difplealure of God, and from ever- 
 lafting Happinefs and Mifi;ry in a future 
 State, are traced out by Reafon in the Hea~ 
 then World, tho' they are not fet in their 
 full Light and Strength, but arife only to a 
 Degree of doubtful Probability, yet they 
 may be call'd, in fbme Senfe, Jufficient to 
 inforce the l^raBice of Religion^ becaufe even 
 the meer Probability of the Love or Anger 
 of an Almighty Being, and of an eternal 
 State of Mifery or Happinefs, ought to over- 
 balance all our prefent Views of certain Plea- 
 fure, or certain Uneafinefs, which belong to 
 this ' ftiOrt and perilhing Life 5 and fo they 
 ought to incline a reafbnable Man to chule 
 the Hardlhips of Virtue, with the Love of 
 God, and eternal Peace, and to refufe the 
 Pleafures of Vice, with the Anger of God, 
 and eternal Pain. 
 
 III. Tho' I allow the Sufficiency of Reafon 
 to inforce the Praftice of Virtue and Piety 
 in this Senfe, yet when we confider how 
 very little Influence it has ever had in polite 
 Nations to reform the VV'orld, or to render 
 Men truly religious, and no Influence at all, 
 fo far as we can find, in the darker Corners 
 of the Earth, thofe Habitations of Atheifm, 
 Idolatry, and Cruelty, I think we can ac- 
 count it little more than a meer fpcuhtivs 
 
 K ' ani 
 
1 3 o The Strength and Wcaknefs 
 
 and notional Sufficiency^ arifing from the Na- 
 ture of Things ; but being not confirm'd by 
 Experience of Succefs in any evident In- 
 ftances, it cannot be call'd a pratiical Suffi- 
 ciency to bring Men to Heaven in a Way of 
 Religion, where it a6ls, or rather fleeps, in 
 fuch a Manner as to let whole Nations of 
 miferable Mankind run on in the Practice of 
 fhameful Vices, from one Generation to an- 
 other, thoughtlefs of the true God, Virtue, 
 and Religion, and carelels about his Love 
 or his Anger in a future State. 
 
 Upon the whole, I think, w-e muft con- 
 clude, that fince human Realbn, in a remote 
 and fpeculative Sen/e, may be fufficient to 
 guide and conduct all Mankind to Religion 
 and future Happinefs, Logifio is fo far in the 
 right, and may be allow'd to fay, Reafon is 
 Jufficient. But fince, in z. f radical or expe- 
 rimental Senfe^ we find Reafon has fcarce any, 
 or rather no Sufficiency to attain thefe Ends, 
 Pithander may continue to maintain his Opi- 
 nion alfo, that Reafon is infufficient : Yet it 
 ought to be remember'd, that 'tis in this 
 Senfe only, and with this Limitation. 
 
 Whenfoever therefore I read any Chriftian 
 Writers, who are Men of good Underftand- 
 ing, and of moderate Principles, aflerting 
 that human Reafon, in Heatheit Nations, is 
 not fufficient to guide and conduct Men to 
 Happinefs in a Way of Religion, I take 
 them to mean, fuch a f radical Injufficiency 
 as I have diftinguiflied and defcribed here : 
 
 And 
 
of HumAn Reason* 131 
 
 And in this Senfc I would underftand the 
 Bifliop of London in his Second Pajloral Let- 
 ter^ as well as Dr. Clarke in his Difcourfe of 
 Revealed Religion : And when I hear of 
 other Ghriftian Authors, or Preachers, main- 
 taining the Sufficiency of Reafon for this 
 Purpofe, I would fuppoft, they mean no 
 more than fuch a natural and remote Suffix 
 ciency^ which will fcarce ever become really 
 efieftual without Revelation, and efpecially 
 in the rude and barbarous Nations of the 
 Earth. Tho' I muft confefs, it would better 
 guard their Expreffions, on both Sides, from 
 Miftake, fince the Controverly is on foot, 
 if they pleas'd to ufe fome fuch Diftiridion 
 or Limitation, when they pronounced either 
 upon the Strength or Weaknefs of human 
 Reafon, and neither call'd it abjolutely Juffi- 
 cient or wfufficient for the Purpofes of Reli- 
 gion and Happinefs. And I am ready to 
 perfuade myfelf, Logijlo by this Time is 
 almoft inclined to believe, that Realbn alone 
 in all Mankind is not proximately and fraBi" 
 cally fufficient, to make them holy and happy 
 here and hereafter. 
 
 Thus it happens fometimes, that huge 
 Controverfies may be allay-d and filcnc'd, 
 and contending Parties reconcil'd, by a plain 
 and eafy Diftindion. 
 
 Hi motusanmorum at que hxc certamma tanta 
 Paheris exiguljaBu compreffix quiejcunt. 
 
 Vitg. 
 K i And 
 
1 3 1 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 And if Things do really ftand in the 
 Light in which I have cndeavonr'd - to fet 
 them, if Realbn has only fuch a remote and 
 ffectilat'we Sufficiency^ to guide and condaft 
 Mankind to Happinefs in a Way of Reli- 
 gion, if there are fo very few (if any) who 
 were ever guided and conduced by it alone 
 to Happinefs, then there is a moft evident 
 Neceflity of brighter Light, clearer Difco- 
 veries of Duty, ftronger Motives and Aflift- 
 ances, fuperior to what Reafon can furnifti 
 us with, to make Mankind truly wife and 
 bleffed : And this Light, and thefe Motives 
 and Affiftances, are eminently to be found 
 in the Religion oiChrift. 
 
 Log. How much foever I may be inclin'd 
 to receive your Opinion, Sofhronius, and to 
 abide by your Determination in this Cpntro- 
 verfy, yet I cannot think fit to declare my- 
 felf roundly and pofitively upon this Sub- 
 jed, till I have tried the Force of all the 
 Arguments which I have in Refer ve : But 
 perhaps you will think it too much to enter 
 upon fome new Topicks at prefent. 
 
 Sophro. Well then. Gentlemen, I would 
 propofe to relieve the Fatigue of intenfe 
 Thinking, and clofe Debate, and at the fame 
 Time, to confirm what I have ofFer'd about 
 the praftical Infufficiency of Reafon in Mat- 
 * ters of Religion : Permit me then to read 
 two Ihort Manufcripts, which I brought 
 hither to entertain you this Evening, fince 
 I found your Debate yefterday ran very 
 
 much 
 
of Human Reason. 133 
 
 much upon the SufBciency of Reafon, even 
 in the moft ignorant Nations, to lead them 
 to Religion and Happinels. The Manu- 
 fcripts are nothing but a fhort Abftrad: of 
 all the Senfe of Religion that I could find 
 among the Northern Americans^ and the 
 Southern Africans. 
 
 The firft relates to the rude Nations of 
 the North America^ colleded many Years 
 ago, for my own Ufe, out of a larger Vo- 
 lume, written by Father Hennepin, a Miffi- 
 onary of Flanders, who travell'd over all 
 that Country, and made a confiderable Stay 
 in fome Parts of it. 
 
 AH the Notion of a Religion which they 
 generally have, is this : They fee fome Bo- 
 dies produce ftrange EfFeds, which they 
 cannot comprehend, they fee fome Appear- 
 ances of Nature or Art which are very un- 
 ufual, and then they afcribe the Caufes of 
 thefe Effefts or Appearances to fome Being 
 that is above themfelves, and call it in their 
 Language Otkon, or Manitoo, or Atahouta, 
 which means, a fort of Spirit, either good 
 or evil. So when they fee a Gun make a 
 Flalh and a Noife, and immediately either a 
 wild Bull, or two or three wild Fowl fall 
 down dead, they cry, '7'is Iron with an 
 Othon in it ; for they are not able to com- 
 prehend the Meaning of it. So when they- 
 find a great Cafcade or Water-fall, which 
 feems a little frightful, and dangerous to 
 approach, they fay, A Spirit dwells there. 
 
 K 3 And 
 
154 '^^^ Strength and Weakncfs 
 And for this Reafon they xall all that dwell 
 beyond the great Lake, that is, the Ocean, 
 Spirits ; for the Europeans perfprm fevcral 
 Things which they underftand not. When 
 the Author was among the IJfati^ he began 
 to make him a Vocabulary in their Lan- 
 guage \ and when they found he could not 
 underftand their Words fometimes till he 
 had confulted his Vocabulary, they thought 
 his Book was a Spirit ^ which told him what 
 they faid. 
 
 And this feems to be the Spring of the 
 Notion which they have of their own Souls : 
 And according to the fame Way of Realbn- 
 ing, they think that Guns, and Bows, and 
 Arrows, and wild Bulls, have Souls alfo. 
 When they die, they have a Notion of their 
 Spirits going into the Country of Souls, 
 where they fancy that the Souls of every 
 artimate and inanimate Thing on Earth are 
 to be found. They bury their Bows, Ar- 
 rows, Shoes, Pipes, Earthen Pots, Rackets, 
 that is, their broad Net-work Sandals, made 
 of Thongs of Leather, &c. that lb the Souls 
 of their Bows and Arrows may affift them 
 in hunting the Souls of Elks and Bevers in 
 the Country of Souls ; and that the Souls 
 of Rackets may be ufeful to them in tra- 
 velling over the Snow in that Country. 
 There are Ibme particular Bones of the Bulls 
 / and Bevers which they kill, that are kept 
 / choicely by them, and are counted .a fort of 
 prefcnt Manfions for their Souls, and they 
 
 ufe 
 
</HuMAN Reason. 155 
 
 ufe them well, left (fay they) the Souls of 
 the Bulls which we have kill'd, ihould go 
 and tell the other Bulls, that we have cut 
 them to pieces, and eat them ; and then they 
 imagine that the reft of the Bulls would 
 never come within their Reach, or be catch'd 
 by them, either in this World or the other. 
 
 They think that the Souls of the Euro- 
 peans go to a different Country from that of 
 the Americans^ and fome of them are afraid 
 to be baptifed, left we ftiould make them 
 Slaves in the Country of Souls. When one 
 of them ask'd the Author, whether there be 
 good Game for Hunting in our Country of 
 Souls, as there is in theirs, he anfwer'd, 
 There is no Need of it : Immediately they 
 clapt their Hands to their Mouths, and faid, 
 I'hou art a Lyar \ Can any thing live without 
 Eating ? 
 
 Scarce any of thefe Savages have any 
 Notion of a God j they do not feem to com- 
 prehend a plain Argument on that Subjed. 
 The Author had much ado to make them 
 underftand what he meant, when he would 
 give them the Idea of a God', for they have 
 no Word for a God in their Language, and 
 yet 'tis very expreflive in other Things. 
 He caird him therefore, 7%e Great Majier 
 of Life, and the Great Ceipain of Heaven 
 and Earth ; and when he preach'd a G o r> to 
 them, they inquired, whether he could fend 
 them forac Elks and Bevcrs. 
 
 K 4 'Tis 
 
1^6 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 'Tis true, among fome of thefe Nations 
 a fudden Glimmering of a Deity fometimes 
 comes on their Minds. Some think the Sun 
 to be fuch a great fuperior Power, but not 
 without much Gonfulion. Some fancy him 
 a Spirit that commands the Air : And fome 
 of the more Southern Inhabitants of that 
 Country, imagine an univerfal Soul belongs 
 to the whole World, jufl as every particular 
 Being has a particular Soul. 
 
 Father Marquette, who is cited by this 
 Author, fays, Every one of the lU'mols has 
 his peculiar God, whom they call Manitoo.- 
 It is fometimes a Stone, a Bird, a Serpent, 
 or any Thing they dream of; and they 
 think this Man'itoo will profper their Hunt- 
 ing, their Fifhing, their Wars: They blow 
 the Smoke of their Tobacco on their Man'i- 
 too, which they count a Salutation of their 
 God : For the moft part, (fays our Author) 
 thofe who own a God, have fc^rce any 
 Senfe of Religion, and but few of them have 
 any outward Geftures to convince Men of 
 their Efteem for a Deity ; they have no 
 Temple, no Priefts, no Sacrifices, nor fcarce 
 any Forms of Worfliip, unlefs it be to evil 
 or malicious Spirits, from whom they fear 
 they Ihall receive fome Hurt : And to thefe 
 fome of them have made j(bme kind of Offer- 
 ings. They throw in Tobacco, or Beyers 
 Skins to a Cafcade or Fall of Water, which 
 is difficult to pafs, and cannot eafily be 
 avoided, to ingage the Deity that prefides 
 
 there, 
 
o/ Human Reason. 157 
 
 there, in their Favour : And if, after the 
 Practice of any of their Superftitions, they 
 find any Degree of Succefs, they are then 
 eftablilh'd in it, tho' they ftiould miftake 
 ten Times for one that hits. 
 
 As the Generality of thefe Nations have 
 little Senfe of Religion, Dreams among them 
 fupply all other Defcfts, and ferve inftead 
 of Prophecy, Laws, Rules of Adion and 
 Undertakings in War or Hunting. If in 
 their Dreams they were perfuaded to kill a 
 Man, they would hardly fail to do it. Pa- 
 rents Dreams ferve for their own and their 
 Childrens Adions, and the Dreams of the 
 Captain for all the People of the Village. 
 
 Some of them fuppole, that Otkon, or 
 ^tahouta^ made the World, and one Mejfoo^ 
 or Otkon^ going a hunting with his Dogs, 
 were loft in a great Lake, which overflow'd 
 the whole Earth in a little Time ; but after- 
 wards, this Otkon gathered a little Earth, by 
 the Help of fome Animals, and repair'd the 
 World. Others fay, the Woman that made 
 the World came down from Heaven, and 
 fluttering in the Air a while, but finding no 
 Ground, when the Earth was thus over- 
 flow'd, the Tortoife offer'd her Back to her, 
 on which ftie lighted, and by little and little 
 fuch a Quantity of Mud and Dirt gather'd 
 about the- Tortoife's Back, that it increafed 
 fo as to make America. 
 
 In the Southern Parts of this vaft 'Northern 
 Country, the People are fomcthing more 
 
 fcnfible, 
 
138 Tloe Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 fenfible, and are attentive to the Things of 
 their Religion : But in the North there is 
 fcarce any thing to be met with but an un- 
 conceivable Blindnefs, blockifli Infenfibility, 
 and prodigious Remotenefs from their Maker, 
 fo that whole Ages would fcarce be fuffi- 
 cient to reduce them to Piety and Virtue. 
 Thefe are the Sentiments of the Traveller. 
 
 And they have (faith he) luch Vices 
 amongft them as are diredly contrary to the 
 Spirit of Chr'ijiianlty. Their cruel and bar- 
 barous Revenges are Praftices which they 
 cannot part with. They will wait three or 
 four Days behind a Tree, to kill a Man 
 whom they hate. Gluttony and Drunken- 
 nefs in a high Degree prevails amongft them, 
 and meer brutifh Addidednefs to Eating and 
 Drinking ; their Intemperance of evety kind, 
 their Inconftancy to the Partners of their Bed, 
 immoderate Lechery, Polygamy, changing 
 and forfaking their Wives, are great Hin- 
 drances to their Converfion, becaufe Chri' 
 fiiamty forbids them. 
 
 They have fiich a univerfal Indifference 
 to every thing of Religion in which they 
 are inftruded, that 'tis very amazing. They 
 would fuffer themfelves to be baptifed fix 
 times a Day, for a Glafs of ^qua Vitae^ or 
 a Pipe of Tobacco. They will fometimes 
 offer Infants to the Font, but without any 
 Motive of Religion. They look upon all 
 our Myfteries as Tales and Dreams, as fome 
 of them do upon their own Accounts of any 
 
 Thing 
 
o/ H u M A N Reason. 139 
 
 Thing facred. If you bid them pray, and 
 teach them Prayers, they readily comply : 
 Bid 'em iall on their Knees, not fmoak, be 
 uncover'd, hearken to me, &c. they do all. 
 Say, To-morrow is Sunday, or a Day of 
 Prayer \ they fay, I am glad of it ; Tell them 
 You muft make a Vow to the Mafter of Life, 
 that you'll never more be drunk again ; they 
 fay, I'll do it, and are drunk again to-mor- 
 row, if they can get Brandy : They do every 
 thing with fuch a carelcfs Air, fuch a negli- 
 gent Thoughtleflhefs, and univerfal Indiffe- 
 rence, that 'tis to little purpofe to have (hem 
 do any thing. If Images or Beads are given 
 them, they ufe them for Ornaments. In a 
 Word, if they hope to get any Favour or 
 Prefent for themfelves, or their Nation, fome 
 of them will do any thing in thefe Relpects, 
 that you enjoin them. 
 
 They never contradid any Man's Speech 
 or Opinion, and think 'tis Civility to leave 
 every Man to his own Sentiment, therefore 
 they'll believe or pretend to believe, all you 
 fay. So that a Man muft not go to America 
 to become a Martyr for his Faithl They 
 never kill any Body for a different Opinion : 
 And when they tell you their Tales of the 
 Woman and the Tortoife, they reprove you 
 of Incivility if you contradid them, and fay, 
 they believed all you faid, and therefore you 
 ought to believe all they fay. If any Manner 
 of ImpreHions of Religion have been made 
 upon themfelves or thdr Children, yet when 
 
 the 
 
140 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 the Seafbns of Hunting come, away they go, 
 with their Tribe, for many Mouths together, 
 and lofe all that they had learnt, and make the 
 Labours of a Miffionary endlefs and vain. 
 • At laft this Miffionary, the Author, la- 
 ments and declares : That this People are ftiil 
 fo favage, that in all the many Years Labours 
 that I fpent among the Iroquoisy befides my 
 great Expedition among feveral others of the 
 Nations, I did very little good befides one or 
 two Infants that I baptized. One among the 
 IJ/atiy and for want of Accommodation, I did 
 it without any Ceremony, taking oneChriftian 
 for the Witnefs of the Baptifm, only Ijpilling 
 the Water on the Head of the little Savage, 
 faying. Creature of God, I baptize thee in the 
 'Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoji : 
 Then I took half my Altar-Cloth and fpread 
 over the Body of the Infant : A little after, it 
 died, and I was glad, fays this poor Friar, 
 it pleafed God to take this little Chrifiian 
 out of the World, for 'tis to be fear'd, if it 
 had liv'd, it would have trod in its Father's 
 Steps. I have often attributed my Prefer- 
 vation, amidft the greateft Dangers, to the 
 Care I took for its Baptifm. The greateft 
 Things, he fays, that Miffionaries can yet 
 do, is to baptize a few Infants, and dying 
 adult Perfons, who defire it. But after all 
 the Cares and entire Sacrifice of a Miffionary 's 
 Life, 'twou'd be a happy Recompenfe if they 
 had the Glory to convert one fingle Soul : 
 But they muft cry out, It is beyond their 
 
 Force, 
 
o/" Human Reason* 141 
 
 Force, and only the Spirit of God can do if 
 Thus far my Epitome of the Religion of 
 thefe North Americans. 
 
 The other Manufcript is an Abftrad of 
 th€ Religious Affairs of the feveral Nations 
 of the Hottentots^ at the Cape of Good-Hope, 
 which I took out of a very entertaining Book, 
 written originally in High German^ by Peter 
 Kolben, tranflated into EngUjh^ and publifh'd 
 this very Year 175 f. I'he Author was 
 particularly employ 'd to colled the Materials 
 of his Hiftory, and had a long Refidence 
 there in the Dutch Settlement for that Pur- 
 pofe, and often made Excurfions for full In- 
 formation of all their Affairs. 
 
 The Account he gives of their Religion is 
 this. They believe a Supreme Being, the 
 Creator of Heaven and Earth, and of every 
 thing in them. They call him Gounja-Gounjay 
 or the God of Godsy and fay, he is a good 
 .Man.; that he does no body any Hurt, and 
 from whom none need be apprehenfive of 
 any; and that he dwells far above the 
 Moon. 
 
 But it does not appear, that they have any 
 Inl^itution of Worlhip diredly regarding the 
 Supreme God. I never faw or could hear, 
 that aay one of them paid any A.&. of Devo- 
 tion immediately to him. I have talk'd to 
 them roundly on this Head, and endeavour 'd 
 to make 'em fenlible of the Folly and Ab- 
 furdity of negleding his Worftiip, while 
 they worlhip what they call Gods that are 
 
 inferior 
 
14^ The Strength, and ^enknefs 
 
 inferior and independent on him : But they 
 will rarely reafon upon the Matter, or attend 
 to any thing that is faid upon it. The moft 
 fenfible of them, when they are in Humour 
 to anfwer on this Head, will tell you the fol- 
 lowing very remarkable Matter : That their 
 firft Parents fo grievouily finned and offended 
 againft the Supreme God, that he curfed them 
 and ail their Pofterity with Hardnefs of 
 Heart ; fo that they know little of him, and 
 have ftill lefs Inclination to ferve him. The 
 Reader, without doubt, will be aftonifh'd to 
 hear fuch a Tradition as this at the Cafe of 
 Good Hope^ which feems to relate to the 
 Curfe of ^dam or of Ham : I afTure him, the 
 Hottentots have fuch a Tradition. 
 
 Forfaking the Worfhip of the true God, 
 tho' they acknowledge his Being and Ibme 
 of his Attributes, the Hottentots adore the 
 Moon as an inferior and vifible God. They 
 fuppofe the Moon has the Difpofal of the 
 Weather, and invoke her for fuch Weather 
 as they want. They alTemble for the Cele- 
 bration of her Worlhip at the Full and New 
 Moon conftantly ; no Inclemency of the 
 Weather prevents' them. In Ihouting, Icream- 
 ing, finging, jumping, fkmping, dancing, 
 Proftration on the Ground, clapping of Hands, 
 and an unintelligible Jargon, lie all their For- 
 malities of the Worfhip of the Moon ; and 
 in fuch Expreflions as thefe, Ifalute you ; Toti 
 are welcome ; Grant us Fodder for our Catth, 
 and Milk in abundance. In Rounds of thefe 
 
 Words 
 
o/ Human Reason. 145 
 
 Words and Aftions they continue the whole 
 Night, till pretty far of the next Day. 
 
 The Hottentots likewife adore, as a benign 
 Deity, a certain InJeBy peculiar, 'tis faid, to 
 the Hottentot Countries. This Animal is of 
 the Dimenfions of a Child's Little Finger ; the 
 Back green, the Belly Ipecfc'd with white 
 and red. "Tis provided with two Wings, and 
 on its Head two Horns. 
 
 To this little winged Deity, whenever they 
 fet fight upon it, they render the higheft To- 
 kens of Veneration. And if it honours, for- 
 iboth, a Village with a Vifit, the Inhabitants 
 aflemble about it in Tranfports of Devotion, 
 as if the Lord of the Univerfe was among 
 'em. They fing and dance round it Troop 
 after Troop, while it ftays, in the higheft 
 Extafy ; throwing to it the Powder of an 
 Herb they call Buchu^ our Botanifts call it 
 Sp'tnea. They cover, at the fame time, the 
 whole Area of the Village, the Tops of the 
 Cots, and every thing without Doors, with 
 the fame Powder. They likewife kill two 
 fat Sheep as a Thank-Offering for this high 
 Honour. And 'tis impoflible to drive out of 
 a Hottentot's Head, that the Arrival of this 
 Infed in a Village, brings Happinefs and 
 Profperity to all the Inhabitants. They be- 
 lieve that all their Ofiences, to that Moment, 
 are buried in Oblivion, and all their Iniqui- 
 ties done away. 
 
 If this Infed happens to light upom Hot" 
 Untoty he is look'd upon as a Man without 
 
 Guilt, 
 
144 ^^ Strength and Wcsikncfs 
 
 Guilt) and diftinguiftied and reverenced as a 
 Saint, and the Delight of the Deity, ever 
 aften His Neighbours glory that they have 
 fb holy a Man among them, and publifh th^ 
 Matter far and near. The fatteft Ox belong- 
 ing to the Village is immediately kill'd for a 
 Thank-OfFering ; and the Time is turn'd 
 into a Feftivity in Honour of the Deity and 
 the Saint. 
 
 This Infed I have often feeri, and beheld 
 the Hottentots more than once at thefe Solem- 
 nities. 
 
 The Hottentots likewife pay a religious 
 Veneration to their Saints and Men of Re- 
 nown departed : They honour theto not with 
 Tombs, Statues, or Infcriptions, but confe- 
 crate Woods, Mountains, Fields, and Rivers, 
 to their Memory. When they pafs by thefe 
 Places they implore the Protedion of the Dead, 
 for them and their Cattle, they muffle their 
 Heads in their Mantles, and fometimes they 
 dance round thofe Places finging and clap- 
 ping their Hands. 
 
 They worfhip alfo an evil Deity ^ whom they 
 look upon as the Father of Mifchief, and the 
 Source of all their Plagues. They call him 
 ^ouquoa ; and fay, he is a little crabbed in- 
 ferior Captain, whofe Malice againft iht^Hot- 
 tentots will feldom let him reft, and who 
 never did, nor had it in his Nature to do, 
 any good to any Body. They worlhip 
 him, therefore, fay they, in order to fweeten 
 him, and avert his Malice. 
 
 'Tis 
 
of Human Reason^ 145^ 
 
 *Tis this Touquoa^ fay they, who ftirs up 
 Enemies againft them. 'Tis he who fruftrates 
 all their good Defigns. 'Tis he who fends 
 all Pain and Vexation. 'Tis he who afflidls 
 them and their Cattle with Difeafes, and fets 
 on the wild Beafts to devour them. 'Tis he 
 who is the Author of all Ill-Luc|c. And 'tis 
 he, fay they, who teaches the wicked Hot- 
 tentots the curfed Art of Witqhcraft ; by 
 which they believe innumerable Mifchiefs are 
 done to the Perfons and Cattle of the Good. 
 They therefore coaks him upon any Appre- 
 henfion of Danger or Misfortune, with the 
 Offering of an Ox or a Sheep ; and, at other 
 Times, perform divers Ceremonies of Wor- 
 Ihip, to wheedle and keep him quiet. 
 
 Father Tachart hath deliver'd their Wor- 
 fhip of this evil Deity very well in the fol- 
 lowing Words. " We honour 7'ouquoa at 
 " Times (fay the Hottentots) by killing a fat 
 " Ox or a Sheep, according to our Apprehen- 
 " fions of his Defigns to plague us. With. 
 " the Fat we anoint our Bodies, and with the 
 " Flelh we regale one another ; this being 
 " the Way to pleafe or reconcile him to us if 
 *' we have offended, tho' we know not how 
 " we have offended. He reckons v/hat he 
 " pleafes an Offence, , and plagues - us when 
 " he pleafes, and it has been always a Cuftom 
 " amohgft us thus to appeafe him." 
 
 I have now given (faith my Author) the 
 whole Syltcm of the Hottentot Religion, 
 every Tenet of which, tho' labouring with 
 
 L the 
 
1 4<5 ^he Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 the wildeft Abfurdities, they embrace ^o hear- 
 tily, and hold fo dear, that I look upon it, 
 as a great many others have done, an Im- 
 poffibility to ravifti one of them out of a Hot- 
 tentot's Bofom. Reafon again ft them, and 
 they wrap themfelves up in a fuUen Silence, 
 or run away : And 'tis very rare that you can 
 get them to hear you upon any religious To- 
 pick. Never certainly were there^ in Mat- 
 ters of Religion, fo obftinate and fo infatuated 
 a People. Some Hottentots^ in the Hands of 
 Europeans^ have diffembled a Profeflion of 
 Chrtjiianity for a while j but have ever re- 
 nounced it for their native Idolatries, as ibon 
 as they could get out of their Hands. I never 
 heard of a Hottentot that died a Chriftian. 
 They feem born with a mortal Antipathy to 
 every Religion but their own. 
 
 Many a time have I allured them in fmall 
 Companies, with Tobacco, Wine, Brandy, 
 and other Things, to Places of Retirement, 
 in order to eradicate their nonfenfical idola- 
 trolls Whimfies, and inftrud them in the pure 
 Worfhip of God. As Ipng as my Store lafted, 
 I had their Company, who feemed to attend 
 with aDefign to learn ; but they only liften'd 
 asi Spungers, in order to be treated with the 
 other Bottle, and laugh at me when I was 
 gone. At this Bite they are as arch as other 
 People. When my Store was fpeht, they 
 immediately call'd out for more Hire ; and 
 without it, would notilay to hear a Word 
 more of Religion. 
 
 How 
 
o/Human Reason. 147 
 
 llow have I labour'd to bring them to a 
 Senfe of their Duty to Almighty God ! How 
 have I plied them upon the Abfurdity of 
 acknowledging his Superiority to all othet 
 Gods, and yet refufing him any Aft of Wor- 
 Ihip ! And how difappointed were all my En- 
 deavours ! I was ftill anfwer'd (when I could 
 get an Anfwer) with the Tradition of the 
 Offence of their firft Parents, and the Blind- 
 hefs and Hardnefs of Heart with which they 
 were all curfed for it. From which, when I 
 had taken all the Advantages I could to in* 
 form and awaken them, and preffed themi 
 hard upon the Matter, their Refuge was in 
 this Gontradiftion, that Gounja-Gounja^ or 
 the God of Gods, was a good Man, who 
 neither did, nor had it in his Power to do, any 
 one any Hurt, tho'' they , had told me before 
 how he had curfed their Anceftors* When 
 we had got fo far, and I had follow'd my 
 Blow upon their Abfurdities and Contra-* 
 didionsj they w.ould often in a Rage deny 
 all they had own'd, and flying from me, fay, 
 They neither believed in God, nor would heat 
 a Word more about him. 
 
 Thus much for their Religion tdw^rds 
 God : And tho* they are fo incorrigibly ftupid 
 in this refped, yet partly their native Tem- 
 per, and partly their common Safety and 
 Peace -oblige them to be more careful in theit 
 Condud toward their Neighbours. And it- 
 muft be acknowledged in the main, they are 
 affedionate and holpitable : The Generality of 
 
 L, a them 
 
148 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 them are a loving honeft People, meaning no 
 harm ufually to thofe who do not injure them, 
 urilefs a Stranger be alone amongft them in 
 fome Part very diftant from the European Set- 
 tlements : Tho' 'tis very feldom they are 
 known to do Mifchief, except the Bands of 
 Robbers, who are among them, and who 
 live by Plunder. Indeed they make no 
 Scruple of Lying, and impofe upon any of 
 the Europeans with what Fallhoods they 
 pleafe, but "'tis chiefly where Property is not 
 concerned : And though they do not ufually 
 pra6life or encourage Thieving, Cheating, or 
 Plunder, yet there are three impious and 
 cruel Cuftoms among them, which contra- 
 dift the Light of Nature in a grofs Manner, 
 and yet they pradife them with all Free- 
 dom. 
 
 One is their ahufive and abominable Injb- 
 lence toward their own Mothers ; for when a 
 young Fellow is admitted into the Society of 
 Men (which is done with great Solemnity 
 about 1 8 Years old) he is difcharged from 
 the Tuition of his Mother, and may infult 
 her, when he will, with Impunity. He may 
 cudgel her, if he pleafes, only for his Hu- 
 mour, without any Danger of being called to 
 an Account for it. And thefe Things I have 
 often known done. Nor are thefe unnatural 
 Extravagancies attended with the leaft* Scan- 
 dal. On the contrary, they are efteem'd as 
 Tokens of a manly Temper' and Bravery ; 
 and the Authors of them now and then obtain 
 
 Applaufe. 
 
o/ Human Reason. 149 
 
 Applaufe. Immediately after the Indudion 
 of a young Fellow into the Society of Men, 
 it is an ordinary Thing for him to go and 
 abule his Mother, and make a reproachful 
 Triumph upon his being difchargpd from 
 her Tuition, in Teftimony of the Sincerity 
 of his Intentions to follow the Admonitions of 
 the Declaimer at his Induction into the So- 
 ciety of Men. 
 
 When the old Fellows are admonilhed (and 
 very often have I admonilhed them) againft 
 this horrid unnatural Pradice of leading their 
 Sons into Cruelty and Negled for their Mo- 
 thers, not a Word will they hear with Pa- 
 tience ; nor can any Anfwer be obtain'd from 
 them, befides the darling one of the Hotten- 
 tots, whenever they arc heated and confuled 
 by any Enquiry into their Qwn Matters ; '7ts 
 Hottentot Cuflom, and ever was Jo : And with 
 this they think you ought to be fatisfied. 
 
 Another wicked and unnatural Praftice'is, 
 the Starving of their Parents, when they 
 are able no longer to crawl out of their 
 Hutt, nor do any Manner of Service in it. 
 Then the old Man is obliged to make over, 
 all that he has to his eldeft Son, or his neareft 
 Male Relation; and the Heir ereds a Hutt 
 in fome folitary Place, at a good Diftance 
 from their Village, and asking Gonfcnt of the 
 Village, which they never refufe, the old 
 Man is convey'd to this Hutt, and being laid 
 in the middle of it, with a fmall Stock of 
 Provifion placed within his Reach, the Com- 
 L 3 pany 
 
[150 fT/^i? Strength ^w J Weaknefs 
 
 pany take their leave of the old Wretch, 
 and abandon him for ever ; and there he is 
 left from that Hour vvithout any one to com^ 
 fort or affift him, or fo much as to look in 
 upon him ; but he is expofed to die there, 
 either of Age or Hunger, or to be dcvour'd 
 by fome wild Beaft. When the Women are 
 fuperannuated they pfaftife the fame iq every 
 refped, and leave them to periih. 
 
 The third inhuman and national Iniquity^ 
 is their expojlng Children^ elpecially Girls, or 
 burying them alive, if the Parents think they 
 are not able to maintain them : And efpe^ 
 cially if there happen to be Twins, and one 
 of them be 4 Girl, ftie is certainly condemn'd, 
 if either the Scarcity of the Mother's Milk, 
 or the Poverty of the Parents, be alledg'd 
 againft breeding of them both. When they 
 lefblve to rid themfelves of one, they carry 
 the Babe to a confiderable Diftance from the 
 Village, and look for a Hole in the Earth 
 made by a Hedge- Wolf, Tyger, or other 
 ■wild Creature:' In fuch a Hole, if they 
 find one, they lay the Babe alive ; then ftop^ 
 ping up the Mouth of the Hole with Earth 
 and Stones, forfake it for ever. If they find 
 not fuch a Sepulchre preiently, they tie the 
 Babe, ftretch'd on its Back, to fome lower 
 Bough of the next Tree, and leave it to 
 ftarve or be devour'd by Birds or Beafts of 
 Prey. Som^imes they leave the poor Caft« 
 away among Bulhes, 
 
 Tho' 
 
o/ Human Reason. 151 
 
 Tho' the Immortality of their own Souls 
 is an Article that enters not into the Religion 
 of the Hottentots^ and which for that Reafbn 
 I mentioned not in my Account of their Re- 
 ligion, and tho' they fay nothing at any time 
 concerning it in a religious Way, and per- 
 haps never think of it with regard to their 
 own Souls, yet does it appear very plainly, 
 that they believe the Soul out-lives the Body, 
 as appears from the following Particulars. 
 
 I . They offer Prayers and Praifes to the 
 good Hottentots departed, and attribute or 
 dedicate to them fome Hills, or Woods, pr 
 Rivers. 
 
 1. They are apprehenfive left the Dead 
 fliould return and moleft them. They there- 
 fore upon the Death of any Man, Woman, or 
 Child of them, remove with their Bag and 
 Baggage to a new Settlement, believing that 
 the Dead never haunt any Places but thole 
 they died in, whether they be Good or Bad. 
 But to what End they conceive Souls to exift 
 out of the Body, or whether they troulble 
 their Heads about it, I know not. They 
 fuppofe, according to all the Intelligence I 
 could get upon the Matter, that the Malice of 
 ^ouquoa is confined to this World, and can- 
 not aft beyond it. Nor could I ever catch 
 the leaft Hint among them to think, that any 
 of them believe, that either the Good at 
 Death go to any certain Place of Blifs, or the 
 Bad to any Place of Torment. Thus far the 
 Author of this Narrative. 
 
 L 4 And 
 
1 5 1 The Strength and Wcaknefs 
 
 And thus, Gentlemen, I have given you, 
 in Ihort, all the Account that T could find of 
 any Senfe of Religion, either in the Hotten- 
 tot Nations, who poffefs a large Track of 
 Land on the Eaft, Souths and Weji of the 
 Cafe of Good Hope ^ and in the feveral Na- 
 tions of various Names, who inhabit a great 
 Part of the Inland Country of North' Jmerica. 
 
 The only Remark I make here Ihall be 
 this, viz. that tho' 'both thefe Travellers 
 fpent much Time in thefe Coiintries^ and 
 took a great deal of Pains with the Natives 
 to inftruft them in Religion, and the Know- 
 ledge and Worfliip of the True God, yet 
 they could never find one Soul among them 
 all, that- learnt to know and worlhip the One 
 trufe God, and to pradife finccre and ferious 
 Religion : So far were their own Reafoniilg 
 Powers from a PraSiical Suffictency to guide 
 and condud them in religious Affairs, that 
 their Reafon would not hearken to Inftrudion, 
 it would neither teach them, nor let them 
 learn the Way to Heaven. 
 
 Pith, -You ftand intitled, Sophronius, to 
 our bell Acknowledgments, for the Pains 
 you have taken in entertaining us with thefe 
 two Accounts of African and American Re- 
 ligion. And can you now. Dear Logijio, 
 ' deny the Juftice of the Remark that Sophro- 
 nius has made ? Can you ever fuppofe. Sir, 
 that fuch fort of People as thefe have any 
 Reafoning Powers in them fufficient to frame 
 and furnilh out a Religion for thetnfelvcs^ 
 I ' fuch 
 
o/HuMAN Reason. 155 
 
 fuch as is fuited to the Majefty. of God, and- 
 to the Dignity of human Nature, fuch as can 
 reftore finful Mankind to a Temper fit for 
 the BleiTednefs of Heaven, or fuch as can 
 recommend guilty and finful Creatures to the 
 Favour of a wife, a holy, and a righteous 
 God ? I mean, Is the Reafbn that is in them 
 fufficient to do it in a f radical and experimen- 
 tal Senfe^ according to the Diftindion with 
 which Sofhronius has endeavour'd to reconcile 
 our prefent Controverfy ? 
 
 Log. I acknowledge we are greatly obliged 
 to Sofhronius for the Abfl:rads he hath given 
 us of the Religion of thefc Nations : And it 
 mufl: be granted, that thefe Narratives are 
 more worthy of Credit, fince Authors from 
 whom he borrowed them were not mere 
 Sailors, who touch'd upon the Coafl: and left 
 it again in a few Days, but refided there a 
 confidcrable Time, and fpent fome Years in 
 the Countries, as well as converfed with great 
 Numbers of the Inhabitants. I know not 
 what to anfwer, Pithander, with regard to 
 thefe particular Nations : But furely our 
 learned Friend has cholen the mofl: ftupid, 
 the moft ignorant, the mofl: brutal and ob- 
 ftinate Tribes of Mankind, to fet before us 
 as a Proof of the Weaknefs and Infufficiency 
 of Reafon to condud Men to the divine 
 Favour and Happinefs in a Way of Reli- 
 •'gion. And by this Account of them, they 
 feem to be fo far degenerated from the Rank 
 of rational Beings, and funk into brutal Life, 
 
 that 
 
1 54 ^^ Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 that Revelation i^lelf could hardly recover 
 them, if the Cbri/Iian Keligion were preach'd 
 amongft them : For Sophronius has declared, 
 that where fome fingle Attempts have been 
 made of this Kind, they have been without 
 Succefs. 
 
 Pith. As Obfervation, Experience, and 
 Matter of Fad aflure us, that the folid Clouds 
 of Darknefs and Ir religion which hang upon 
 thele Nations, have been impenetrable to. all 
 the inward Light of their own Reafbn for 
 many Ages, fb the Reforrjiation of fome of 
 thefe Nations by the Light of theGolpel is alfo 
 Hipported by Matter of Fact and Experiepc;; j 
 for true Religion and Morality have been 
 actually introduced this Way among fome of 
 thefe very ftupid People. The Savages of 
 'North- America^ that lie Weftward of fome 
 of the Bntijh Plantations, and near 'New-^ 
 'England^ have feveral Chrifiian Congrega- 
 tions ; and the Danijh Miffionaries of J'ran-^ 
 quebar, in the EaJi'Indies^ have done great 
 Things this Way, toward the Converfion 
 of the Heathens^ in the Malabarick Nations. 
 
 If thefe rude and uncultivated Creatures 
 are firft addrels'd by Men who are foft and 
 obliging, and appear to feek only their Good, 
 and that by any Number of them fent for 
 this Purpofe ^ if they are treated in a ratio* 
 nal Way, and taught to exercife their Rea- 
 fbn upon the obvious Things of the World; 
 and led up to the Maker of all Things, by 
 the Wifdom and Power appearing in his 
 
 Works J 
 
o/Hu MAN Reason, 155 
 
 Works -y if thefe Savages are taught to read, 
 and the Scripture, which teaches Morality and 
 Natural Religion, as well as Revealed, be made 
 familiar to them," if it be frequently prcach'd 
 to them in Converfation, as well as in pub- 
 lick AlTemblies, if they have the New 
 Teftament always at hand, and they are 
 taught how to ufe and underftand it, this 
 will lead their Minds into a Track of Think- 
 ing and good Realbning about God and 
 Religion, about Virtue and Vice, and the 
 Rules of moral Life : It will conftantly fur^ 
 niih them not only with Ideas, but with 
 right Ideas of thefe Things, and fuggeft 
 proper and juft Thoughts to their Minds, 
 vaftly beyond what the uncertain Reafbn- 
 ings of Philofbphers wou'd do : And as foon 
 as they begin to be convinced, that this is a 
 Revelation from God, by introducing the 
 traditional Pibofs of Miracles and Prophecies 
 among them, their Belief of it will be abun^ 
 dantly confirmed, and all their Leflbns be-, 
 fore learnt will have Weight and Authority 
 upon their Conlciences, and will have a 
 much fuperior Influence upon them towards 
 the reforming of their Manners, and refti-? 
 fying their Hearts and Lives, than if they 
 were left to draw the Notions of God and a 
 fiiture State, and to trace out the Rules of 
 Morality and Religion merely by them- 
 felves ; fince it is evident, their Fathers 
 have never done it in ma«y Ages paft, nor 
 
 is 
 
156 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 is it probable the Children would ever do it 
 in Ages to come. 
 
 Log. Really, Sir, according to your own 
 Reprefentation of this Matter^ there muft be 
 many Scores of Teachers employ'd in this 
 Work, and yet the Operation would be but 
 flow. 
 
 Pith. I grant it, Sir, and it might take 
 up many Years to reduce fuch barbarous 
 Nations to the Virtues of a moral and reli- 
 gious Life, by any human Methods we could 
 ufe, even with the Gofpel of Chrifi in our 
 Hands : But yet the Work would certainly 
 be done with far greater Speed, and much 
 better Succels, and Mankind woi^ld be. led 
 into a much more juft, uniform, and perfect 
 Scheme of Piety and Virtue hereby, than if 
 feme Philofophers were fent amongft them, 
 juft to fet their Thoughts into a Track of 
 Reafoning upon thefe Subjeds, and leave 
 them to find out the Truths and Duties of 
 Natural Religion by their own rational 
 Powers, and by long Trains of Confe- 
 quences : For I am very prone to think, 
 that fo wild a Nation, having different Ca- 
 pacities, different Humours and Inclinations, 
 Itrong Prejudices, Appetites, and Paffions, 
 befides all the concurrent Avocations of Na- 
 ture, Cuftom, Folly, &c. would never be 
 led by their own Reafonings into any right 
 Notions of true Religion and Virtue, tho' 
 their intelledual Faculties fhould be awaken'd 
 and rous'd into Excrcife. 
 
 But 
 
o/HuMAN Reason. 157 
 
 ^ But to facilitate this great and bleffed 
 Work, fome have fuppofed, that whenfo- 
 ever the appointed Time is come, for calling 
 in the Remainder of the Heathen World to 
 Virtue and Piety, and the Faith of Chrijf, 
 there will be a new Effufion of the Spirit of 
 God upon Men for that Purpofei, and the 
 Power of Miracles and Tongues ftiall attend 
 the Miffion of the Gofpel thro' the barba- 
 rous Nations, as in the antient Days of Pen- 
 tscojiy when the Apoftlcs were fent to con- 
 vert the World : For as you find in the 
 Narrative of thele rude Nations, that when 
 they fee any ftrange Effed fuperior to all 
 their Notions of the Power of Nature, they 
 are very ready to attribute it. to fome invi- 
 fible Power, to fome unknown Spirit; fb 
 when Miracles Ihall be wrought amongft them, 
 fuch as Chriji and his Apoftles performed, 
 at the fame time that the Dodrines of Reli- 
 gion, and the Rules of Virtue are taught 
 them, in a clear and ealy Manner, they will 
 naturally be difpofed to receive thefe Things 
 with a Senle of divine Authority ; and by 
 the concurring Influences of the Grace of 
 God, there will be a wondrous Reformation 
 wrought amongft them. But I forbid my- 
 felf to proceed in fuch a Digreffion as this : 
 All that I infift upon at prefent is, that fome 
 wife and skilful Preachers of the Gofpel 
 being lent among thele favage Nations, with 
 the New Teftament, and the Art of Reading, 
 will be a thoufand times more likely to con- 
 vert 
 
1 5 8 I'he Strength and Wcaknefs 
 
 vert any of the rude and uncultivated Tribd^ 
 of Mankind, than their own Reafoning could 
 ever be. 
 
 Log. But how hard Ibever it may be for 
 Reafon to reform fuch favage Countries aS 
 Sophronius has defcribed in thefe his Narra- 
 tives, yet the reft of the Heathen World are 
 not to be concluded under the fame Cha- 
 raders of Atheifm, Vice, and Brutality^ 
 nor are they fo hard to be reformed by 
 Reafon. 
 
 '^ith. But I intreat you, Sir, be pleas'd to 
 remember, that you at firft agreed, and un- 
 dertook to maintain, that the Reafon of all 
 Mankind, and all Nations of the Earth, was 
 fufficient for this Purpofe : And if it were 
 not, then there is a Neceflity of Revelation, 
 at leaft for thole Nations where Reafon is 
 not fufficient. Befides, if the Reafon of 
 Man be only fufficient, in fome of thebeft of 
 the Heathen Nations, to find out and praftife 
 fuch an acceptable Religion, then your Pro- 
 pofition concerning the Sufficiency of human 
 Nature, is not univerfally true, fince there 
 arc other Nations in whom it is not fuffi- 
 cient. 
 
 Log. I am forced to confefs, that the Nar- 
 ratives which Sofhronius has given of the 
 State of thefe wretched Countries, goes very 
 far to deflroy the good Opinion that I had 
 of the univerfal Power of Reafon, and to 
 give up the Point in Difpute very much in 
 your Favour. But pray, Sophronius^ tell us 
 
o/HuMAN Reason. 159 
 
 a little what you think of the reft of the 
 Nations of the World, excepting fuch fa- 
 vage Creatures as thofe, whofe Religion or 
 AtheiliB you have defcrib'd, and in whom 
 human Nature is funk into fuch a degene- 
 rate and fenfelefs State? 
 
 Sophro. Tho' there are not, perhaps, very 
 many Nations of the Earth that are fo far bru- 
 tify'd as thefe are, whofe Cuftoms I have been 
 now relating, yet there are feveral other 
 large Countries in Jfrica and America^ who 
 come not very far behind them in grofs Igno- 
 rance of their' Creator, in abominable Super- 
 ft it ions and Idolatries, in Barbarity and 
 ftiameful Vices. The little Sketches of Ac- 
 count which we have of the Inhabitants of 
 l^eii) Holland^ which lies South of Java in 
 the Eafi Indies^ give us Reafbn to exped, 
 that we Ihould find them every whit as 
 deftitute of the Knowledge or Praftice of 
 Religion or Virtue, as any of the Savages 
 of which I have already fpofcen, or perhaps 
 more brutifti than they. 
 
 The Tribes of Men in Lapland and Novd 
 Zembla^ and even in Rujjia itfelf, are igno- 
 rant and brutifh enough : They have Ibme 
 Superftitions among them, but no true Reli- 
 gion. I have been informed, by thofe who 
 have liv'd in thofe Countries, that the Ruffes 
 have Images in their Houfes, even in their 
 Parlours, and particularly that of St. 'Nicho- 
 las^ to which they pay their Devotions 
 themfelves, and exped their Neighbours and 
 
 Vilitants 
 
1 60 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 Vifitants Jhould pay it at firft when they 
 enter into the Room ; They profefs Chrljii' 
 anity indeed, but mix it with Heathen Su- 
 perftitions : They efteem it a very ungodly 
 Thing, for any Inhabitant to have no Image 
 or God in fome Corner of the Room, where- 
 they receive their Friends : And yet they 
 have fcarce any Notion of the Obligations of 
 Truth and Honefty. Falfhood, and Deceit, 
 and Cheating is almoft an univerfal Cuftom 
 and Principle among them, where they can 
 do it fafely. , And Schefer's Hiftory of Lap- 
 land informs us, that if the Tribes of the 
 Laplanders^ who are more uncultivated, are 
 yet more honeft, 'tis becaufe they have no fuch 
 Storehoufes and fafe Cuftody for their Goods 
 or Properties ; and if they were falfe or 
 thievilh, there could be no Safety or Secu- 
 rity to any of them in their Poffeffions. 
 
 As for the Religion of the LappSy 'tis half 
 Heathen j for tho' they have receiv'd fome 
 Notions of the true God, and of Jejiis Chr'ifi 
 and his Apoftles, yet they worftiip their 
 old Gods Thor and Stor-junkar ftill : 'fhor is 
 the God of Thunder and Lightning, who 
 has Power over Life and Death, and Man- 
 kind, and is their chief Deity j and Stor- 
 jknkar is God of the Cattle, Fifh, and Birds, 
 and gives them Succefs in Hunting and 
 Fifliing: And thefe are worlhippcd under 
 wretched Images and rude; Figures, and 
 anointed with the Bipod and Fat. of their 
 Sacrifices : Their Figures are drawn on their 
 
 magical 
 
of H'tJMAN KEA^Oi^* tdi 
 
 ttiagical Drums j and Chrlji and his Apoftles 
 among them 5 and their Superftitions .are 
 many, and extremely riSiculousi The Cu-* 
 floms of their Anceliors is their higheft, their 
 moft facred and unalterable Reafon for all 
 their Follies. 
 
 Let us tra-vel ftova.' Nortierh E.urope to 
 the Southern Vart of America. What Has 
 this felf-fufficient JR^eafon done for the Na- 
 tives of Peru ? And what for the Inhabi- 
 tants of Mexico^ which, f ho' it lies Narthlof 
 Peru^ yet is much more to the South thart 
 the wild Nations I have been before qefcri- 
 bing ? They maintained fuch horrid Gii- 
 ftoms and Pradices amohgft them, which 
 pafs'd for Religion J when the Span'mrdsx^'Cap 
 firft to make a Prey of them, that m.ifft be 
 infinitely offenfive to the bleffed God, fl-i 
 ther than any way cap>able of obtaining his 
 Approbation or Favouri It woiild be" end- 
 lefs to re-peat their various Superftition?/ I 
 Ihall mentiori only the cruel and bloody 
 Rit-es, which were praftifed by i\\C^M&xi- 
 cans in their human Sacrifices, 2iS,-^ntom0 
 De Herrerd gives us ari' Account, in th'e 
 third yoliime of his general Hiftory of y4me' 
 rica. Many of thefe wretched Vi^imsj 
 which were taken in War^ were fuccefl|vely 
 carried up to an elevated Place, where the 
 High Prieft ^bod, and.^were held Taft. by 
 five'M'eri,^ bne t'o each ^ Arm, one to eacli 
 Leg, ahd'one to hold'the Hea'd i Theh tH* 
 inhuniaft facred Kutcfiier, who was train (! up 
 
 M M 
 
1 6z The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 to the Of&ce, with a broad and iharp Flinty 
 inftead of a Knife, ripp'd up the Breaft of 
 a Man, tore out the Heart reeking with hi? 
 Hands, and ftlew'd it to the Sun, offering 
 him the Heat and Steam of it : Then he 
 turnM to the Idol or Image, which was fet 
 near him, and threw the bloody Heart in 
 his Face : And the Bodies of thefe Sacrifices 
 were tumbled down from that elevated Place 
 of Slaughter, and were eaten in a Fcftival, 
 by thofp who had taken them Prifoners. 
 Sometimes, fays he, thele Sacrifices, after a 
 Vidory, have arifeil to many Thoufands in 
 all the Country 5 for this was pradifed by 
 all the Nations near Mexico. 
 
 If we furvey the Countries of ^Jia, where 
 the Golpel was never preached, or never 
 received, kow little of true Religion is found 
 among the People of the Gofitinent, or the 
 numerous Iflands ? 
 
 China itfelf, which is really a polite and 
 ingenious Nation, and who fupp'ofe thera- 
 felves to be the brighteft and moft rational 
 People under the Heavens, wander'd into 
 grofs Darknels, and wild Superftitions, as 
 Father Le Comte at large informs us. This 
 Country is fuppofed to be Peopkd very- 
 early, by the Children or Pofterity of Noah, 
 and they retained the Knowleege of the Sover 
 reign Lord of Heaven, and the Supreme Spirip 
 of Heaven and Earthy and offer'd Sacrifice to 
 him antiently, even feven Sorts of Animals. 
 Their learned Men tell us, that for Two 
 
 thoufand 
 
of UuUa-n REASoiji i6| 
 
 khouland Years there were no Idols - nor 
 Statues feen among them ; and great Mora^ 
 lity artd Virtue were pradifed thro* the 
 whole Nation. But now. they generally 
 adore an Idol, or fancied God, whom, they 
 call FO, as the only God of the World* 
 This was brought from the Indies^ hy Com- 
 putation of Times, thirty-two Years- after 
 the Death of , Chriji. This Poyfon . began at 
 Court, and corrupted every Town : The 
 Nation is now infefted with • Idolatry, and 
 become a monftrous Receptacle' fbt all fort 
 of Errors. ' i 
 
 'Tis hard to recount what ftrange Fables^ 
 Superftitions, Opinions about the Tranfmi- 
 gration of Souls, Idolatry, and dovv^nrighc 
 Atheifm, divide the Inhabitants of the Land, 
 and at this.prefent have a ftrong Maftery 
 over them. The Ape, the Elegant, and 
 the Dragon, have been worfhipped in fer^r^l 
 Places, und^r Pretence that the God. F0 
 had iieen fuccelTively tranfmigrated: into 
 thofe Animals. China is now the moft fu- 
 perftitious of all Nations, and hath increafed 
 the Number of her Idols ; and one may fee 
 all Sorts of them in their Temples* 
 
 Yet if they worfhip an Idol a great while, 
 and they do not obtain what they defire, 
 they load him with Reproaches, and with 
 Stripes, they tie him' with Cords, pluck him 
 down from his Seat, drag him along'thd 
 Streets thro' Mud and Duijghillsj to piihifil 
 him.' Lately there was one of thefe. Idols 
 
 jVl a call'd 
 
164 TheStKn^thandW,e2ikn^[s 
 
 call'dto Account before a Judge, and was 
 punilh'd by perpetual Bani&ment, and had 
 his Temple deftroy'd, as being ufelefs to 
 the Kingdom : And the Reafoa of his Pu- 
 nifliment was, his not faving the Life of a 
 Pcrfon, whofe Recovery their; Bonzes on 
 Ericfts had promifed in his Name.:- Yet, in^ 
 ftead of coming to more true Knowledge of 
 the Weaknefs of their Gods, the Peoplh 
 grow more blind every Day, notwithftand- 
 ing the boafted Writings of their wife-Phi- 
 lofopher Confucius among them. 
 
 Thefe Bonzes give the People many 
 good Inftrudions in Rules of Virtue ; but 
 they take care to recommend themielves to 
 their Liberality : " Entertain and nourilh 
 " up, fay they, the Bonzes y build them 
 " Monafteries and Temples, that their Pray- 
 " ers and voluntary Penances may obtain 
 " for you Exemption from that Punilhment 
 " which your Sins have deleaved. Burn 
 " Papter gilt and wafh'd with Silver, and 
 ". Habits made of Stuff and Silk: All thefe 
 "in the other World fliall be turn'd into 
 *', real Gold and Silver, and into true and 
 " fubftantial Garments, which fliall be given 
 "..to. your deceaffed Fathers faithfully, who 
 " will make ufe of: them as they have Oc- 
 " calion. If you do not regard thefe Com- 
 f'. mands, you ihall, after your Death, be 
 *' criicHy. tormented, and expofed to feveral 
 " 'Metempjychofisy or Tranfmigrations ; that 
 ;". is. to fay, you fliall be born in the Shape 
 I -.> " of 
 
of Human Reasok. K^y 
 
 " of Rats, Horfes, Mules, arjd all other 
 " Creatures." ' This laft Point makes a grcat 
 ImprefEon upon their Minds. 
 
 I remember, that bemg in the Province of 
 Xanji^ I was fent for to chriften a Cck Per- 
 fon : It was an old Man of Threcfcore and 
 ten, who liv'd upon a folall Penfion, which 
 the Emperor had given him. When I came 
 into the Chamber, my good Father^ fays he, 
 how much am I obliged to you^ mho are going 
 to deliver me from a great d?al of T'or merit ! 
 Baptifm^ anfwer'd J, does not only deliver 
 from the Torment of Hell^ hut intitks us to 
 the Enjoyment of a Place in Paradife : O how 
 happy will it be for you to go to Heaven, 
 eternally to live in the Prefence of God ! I 
 do not J faid the lick Man, underfi and' what 
 ycu mean, , nor, perhaps, have I explain' d my 
 Meaning clearly to -you: 21)u know, I hd'dS 
 lived a long 'Time upon the Emperor s Bounty : 
 The Bonzes, who are perfeSily well acquainted 
 with all the Tranfa^ions of the othir WbrMj 
 affure ma, that I Jh all he obliged, after my- 
 Death, by way ofRecompenee for nvy Penfion, 
 toferve him, and that my Soul will irifdlthly 
 go into one of his Pop-Horfes, to carry 
 Difpatches from Court, thro all the Pro- 
 vince. They have therefore been a^vifihg 
 me to mind my Duty in that new State ; not: 
 to fiumUe, nor kicky nor bite, nor hurt any 
 one : Run well, and eat little, and he patient, 
 {fay they) and you may move the Gods to 
 Compaffion^ who often of a good Bgafi make at 
 
 M 3 length 
 
\66 The Strength and \5^eaknefs 
 
 length a 'J'erfon of ^ality, or a conftderabh 
 Mandarin. ' Jfroteji^ Father^ the very thoughts 
 of it makes me quake ; it never comes into my 
 Mind but I tremble ; yet I dream of it every 
 Nighti ■ and fometimes^ methinks, in my Sleep 
 I am already in the Harmfs^ ready to run at 
 thefrji Jerk of the Poftilion. I'hen I awake 
 in a great Sweaty and half mad., fcarcely know- 
 ing whether I am a Man or a Horfe. But^ 
 alas ! what, will be my Sorrow^ when this will 
 he no more a Dream., . but a Reality ? 
 
 ^his therefore., Father., p the Courfe I 
 took. . I'hey tell me., that thofe of your Reli- 
 gion are not fubje0 to thofe Changes., that 
 Men are always Men., and are in the other 
 fforld of the fame Kind as th^y are here. I 
 heg of you therefore to receive me among you. 
 I know your, Religion is hard to obferve\ yet 
 if it had ten times more Difficulties., I am 
 ready te. embrace it j and wh^tfbever Trouble 
 it fat me to, I had rather be <n Chriftian than, 
 he turn' d into a Bea/i. The Father Le 
 Compe., hpweyer, gave him a little better 
 Inftru£tion, and, as he tells us, had the 
 Gomfort to fee him die a good Chrijiian. 
 But in the main, he alTures us, the Super-r 
 ftitions of the People are fo numberlcfs, that 
 he, does not ^believe any Nation under the 
 Sun is fo full of Whimfies as China. 
 
 And pray, Logi/ioy how much; wif^r or 
 happier ihould we ha,ve been in this Ifland 
 of Great Britain,, if Chriftianity had never 
 came amongft us ? 'Tis true, we have not 
 
 many 
 
qi^HuMAN Reason. 167 
 
 many Memoirs left of the Religion of our 
 Anceftors in the Days of Heathenifm. Strabo 
 tfeUs us, that the Britons worfhipped Ceres, 
 and her Daughter Proferpma above any other 
 Gods: The Daughter is known to be the 
 Queen of Hell, and the Mother a fort of in- 
 fernal Goddefs. Whether thele were origi- 
 nally Br'itifh Deities, or whether they were 
 introduced, together with thefe Names of 
 them, from the Romans^ is hard to fay ? 
 The Druids were our antidnt Priefts and 
 Philolbphers, and, in many Things, they 
 were Judges alfo in Civil Affairs. The Doc- 
 trine of Tranjinigration of Souls was one of 
 their Tenets, and that gave the People Cou- . 
 rage in War, as Lucan tells us, for the Po~ 
 piiU qtws defpick jirBos arc fuppofed to be 
 the Britons. Their Religion was much the 
 lame with that of the Gauls ; for Caefar tells 
 us, that the Dodrine of their Druids came 
 from Britain, and we are itiformed, that they 
 offer'd human Sacrifices as well as others, 
 and confulted the Bowels of Men upon the 
 Altar, to learn the Fortune of War, and the 
 Succefs of their Enterprizes. Had* you and 
 I, Sir, beer) fent into the World by Provi- 
 dence in that Age, would our Reafon ever 
 have work'd its way thro' all thefe Loads of 
 3uperftition ? Would our native Powers have 
 found out the true God, and his Worfhip, 
 amidft thefe national Follies and Crimes, and 
 traced out the Way to his Favour in a fu- 
 ture State ? Perhaps I might have been the 
 M 4 Yidim 
 
t<S8 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 Yidim to Day uponfoniie impious and bloody 
 Altar, and '^tthander^ or even Log'ifioj might, 
 haye. been the Prieftly Druid ripping open 
 my Breaft, and fearching out Futurities h,y 
 the Beating of my Heart, or the Colour of 
 my liiver, 
 
 Or perhaps we might have been now all 
 three ^vorfhipping, the North-German and 
 IScixon Idols : Thor^iht God of Thunder,whence 
 our f'hurj'day comes, or T'ulfco^ the God bf War, 
 who gave Tuefday its Name, and been pro- 
 ftrating our Bodies in the Duft before their 
 Images with vain and fenfelelsCereraony. Our 
 Great-Grandfathers had Reafoning Powers 
 ^s well as we, and yet they were blind Ido- 
 laters : And notwithftanding all our prefent 
 Politenefs, we might have ftill, in every Age, 
 departed further from , the true God, as the 
 Chine fe have done, and given up our Souls, 
 ^nd our Lives, and our future Hopes, to as 
 many wild and wretched Varieties of Whimfy 
 and Madnefs. Blefled be the Day when the 
 Eight of the, GofpeL broke in upon us, when 
 th? Nanie of Chrifly and his Religion, was 
 publifh'd In our Illand,. and the Way of Sal- 
 vation was made known unto our Fathers! 
 
 ^ut let us come to, the civilized Countries 
 or ancient Rom,e and, Gr;eecey and the Le^r 
 Afta^ where Learning had its Seat and Em- 
 pire for fome Ages, . where the Reaibn of 
 Manki-nd feems to have exerted itfelf in its 
 beij: Effeds, and made themoft evident Dilco- 
 yeries; And what can we fuppofe concern- 
 ing 
 
o/ Human Reason. 169 
 
 ing the Inhabitants of the Towns and Vil- 
 lages in y^Jia^ Greece, and Italy, and all their 
 Pretences to Religion? Can you yourfelf 
 imagine them to be fuch as paid due Ho- 
 nour to God, the true God, the Creator and 
 Governor of the World, in any tolerable De- 
 gree ? Can you fuppofe, that their religious 
 Notions, their devout Pradices, their Idola- 
 tries, Ceremonies, and Superftitions, are fitted 
 to refine the Souls of Men, and prepare them 
 for fuch a Heaven, as confifts in the Con- 
 templation and Love of the blefled God, and 
 his eternal Worfliip and Service ? Were their 
 religious Affairs ever conduced and pra£tifed 
 in fuch a Manner as to procure the Favour 
 of God for finful Creatures, and to bring them 
 into a State of Reconciliation and Friendfhip 
 with their Maker ? Were the Devotions, and 
 Sacrifices, and ridiculous Rit^p of their na- 
 tional Religions, the right Way to Heaven ! 
 
 Suppofe a few Philofophers amongft them 
 own'd and acknowledg'd the , One true God, 
 yet many even of the reputed Mafters of 
 Wifdom and Philofophy disbelieved the Being 
 of a God, or made him one and the fame- 
 Being, or Subftance with the World, i. e. 
 the Univerfe of Things. They were engag'd 
 in endlefs Quarrels what God was, and whe- 
 ther he was Matter or Mind. Some of them 
 declared roundly, that they knew him not: 
 And thofe of them who believed there was 
 one Almighty Maker of all Things, an all- 
 wife, and powerful, and beneficent Being, 
 
 who 
 
1 70 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 who made and ruled the World, yet kept it 
 too much confined to their Schools, and con- 
 cealed it from the Bulk of Mankind. They 
 held this firft Truth in Unrighteoufnefs. 
 There are fcarce any of all the Se£ts of Phi- 
 lofophers who do not often talk of Gods in 
 the Plural Number : 'Tis plain, that fome of 
 them did it becaule they did not know how 
 many Gods there were : And thofe who be- 
 lieved there was but one true God, yet ufed 
 the common Language of Polythe'ijis^ becaufe 
 they would not, or they durft not, publifh 
 this Unity of God amongft the common 
 People. Socrates has been faid to iofe his 
 Life for being too free in the Defence of it, 
 in Oppofition to their publick Polytheifm and 
 Idolatry, tho' Ibme of them lay he complied 
 with them too. Cicero fays, that 'twas hard 
 to jind out the True God, the Parent or 
 Creator of the Worlds and if you Jhould find 
 him, 'twould be very unlawful to make him 
 known to the common People. His Words are 
 thefe. Ilium quafi parent em hujus univerjitatis 
 invenire difficile ': & cum inveneris, indicare in 
 vulgus nefas. Lib. de Univerf. p. 2. and to the 
 famePiirpofe in Lib. li de Nat. Dear. And 
 by the way we may take notice, that the 
 fame great and learned Writer complains of 
 the Weaknefs of human Nature to guide it- 
 felf withbut the Cultivation of Reafon by 
 Learning and Philofophy. ^ufe.^efi. Lib. 3. 
 : As for thefe Philofophers themfelves, as 
 much as -Ibme of them knew of the true God, 
 
 and 
 
o/HuMAiN Reas on. 171 
 
 and the Way of worlhipping him with a pure 
 Heart and pure Hands, rather than by_^Aeir 
 national Superftitions, yet how honoui^ahly 
 do thsy talk of the Myfteries and Ceremonies 
 of their Gods, and of the Piety of thofe who 
 obferved thefe fuperftitious Rites, and who 
 worlhipped the numerous Idols of their 
 Country ? Marcus y^ntQmnusy one of the very 
 beft of them, who was a Philofbpher and an 
 Emperor, fo far prides himfelf in his Re- 
 fped to his Idol-Gods, that he thence ex- 
 pefted Safety to attend him, and Succefs 
 againft the Rebellion of Cajfms\ We have 
 not leen fuch negligent Worfhifpers of the 
 Gods (faid he) as to fear that CaJJius Jhall 
 get the Vi^ory : And indeed he foUow'd the 
 Superftitions of Rome^ and of other Countries, 
 with Diligence. 
 
 There were fcarce any of them all but 
 complied with the national Worlhip of many 
 Gods, Mars, Bdcchus, Apollo, Neptune, Ju- 
 piter, Juno, Minerva, Diafia^ Venus, and 
 the reft of that ridiculous Rabble of Gods 
 and Goddefles. The Bulk of the Nations 
 worftiipped them in their Houfes, and at 
 their Temples, thoughtlefs of the One true 
 God, for they knew little or nothing of 
 him. EpfBetusUmMf, who perhaps paid 
 the greateft Regard to Virtue among all the 
 Philofophers, before Jnton'mus, and whofe 
 Life, in other Refpeds, was more blamelefs 
 than any of them, and fays fomc very good 
 Things concerning our Refped to the Gods, 
 
 Chap^ 
 
172- T'h Strength and Wcdknefs 
 
 Chap. 38. yet he advifes Men to worfhlp the 
 Gods as the Country does where they dwell * ; 
 And can you ever fuppofe, Sir, that the 
 Bleffed and Holy God, the Supreme Maker 
 and Governor of Heaven and Earth, can 
 accept of fuch fort of Devotions j of Drink- 
 Offerings and Sacrifices of ridiculous Inven- 
 tion, and fuch as are paid to Gods, to Idols, 
 and not to himfelf ? Are thefe the People 
 that he will blefs with his own Favour and 
 Love, in a better World, who lavifti out 
 their Superftitions, according to the wild 
 Cuftoms of every Country, and adore fhings 
 that are not God, and never take any Care to 
 learn his true Nature, or to glorify the One 
 true God amongft Men ? 
 
 The beft of them, when they knew the 
 true God^ they did not glorify him as God, 
 as St. 'J'aul allures us, nor were thankful for 
 the common Bleilings they received from 
 him ; but they turned his Glory into Shame, 
 and in his Room worfhipped fometimes Birds, 
 Beafts, and creeping Things, Images of Wood 
 or Stone, or their own fancied Heroes, fome of 
 whom, according to their own Account, were 
 Murderers and Adulterers tranllated into Hea- 
 ven after their Death. And no wonder if the 
 Lives and the Manners of their common 
 
 Wg^siixa. Efici. cap. 37, It is proper for us to offer 
 l)rink- Offerings and Sacrifices [to the Gods whom he had 
 been fpeaking of] every where according to the Cuftom 
 of the Country. 
 
 Worlhippers 
 
o/ Human Reason. 175 
 
 Worlhippers were fcandalous and* impure, 
 wftile thefe were the Gharaders they gave 
 to their Gods.. 
 
 • -Here and there, indeed, among the Philo- 
 sophers, and efpecially the Platonijis^ you 
 find a handibme Speech or two, or perhaps 
 a Difcourfe, concerning the Nature of God, 
 and Imitation of him in his amiable Per- 
 fections, but moft of them held this Truth, 
 even in their own Hearts, in Unrighteoulhefs, 
 and very few ever carefully- pradifed in Re- 
 ligion, according to their own beft Senti- 
 ments. 
 
 Nor had they generally any eftablilhed 
 Notion of a future State of Rewards and 
 Punifhments, according to the Behaviour of 
 Men in this Life. It is granted, that a few 
 of them, particularly Plato zviSi his Fol- 
 lowers, have mentioned fuch a Thing : Bat 
 jir'ijlotle antl his DifcipJes declared a iijture 
 State to be obfcure and uncertain: And 
 feveral of the Philofophers ridiculed not only 
 the Dodrrne of the Poets* concerning the 
 Elyjiau Fields and f'artams, but roundly de-^ 
 nied any Life after this. Some of ■ them in- 
 deed, viz. the Rpkureans and tke Stoicks 
 fpoke of the Change of .tire fairie Atoms of 
 Matter into, ftew Forms df Meniacrid Beaftsin 
 following Ages.: But this was, a forry fort of 
 Revivifccnee without the fame Confcioulheis. 
 Many believed the Dodriiie , of Tranjmigra^ 
 tionof Souls ^ as 'Pithiinder hasfhewn; and 
 others among them could not allow the real 
 
 Punilh- 
 
174 ?^^ Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 Puniftiments of the Wicked hereafter^ if they" 
 imagined,, that God was never angry ^ not 
 would do hurt to Men. This Cicero tells us 
 was the common Opinion of all the Philo- 
 Ibphers. Hoc commune eft omnium Philofo-^ 
 fhorum nunquam nee irafci Deum nee nocere. 
 De Off. Lib. 3. Sed. 27. How then can he 
 punilh the vileft of Sinners ? 
 
 The Stoicks did not think that the Plato-^ 
 nick 'Argument for future Rewards and 
 Punifliments, drawn from the unequal Di- 
 ftributions of good and evil Things in this 
 Life, was juft or ftrong, becaufe they did 
 not allow Riches, Health, Eafe of Body, 
 &c. to be real Goods, nor Pain, Sicknefs, 
 Poverty, Lois, Oppreffion, &c. to be real 
 Evils : And therefore they thought the 
 Juftice and Wifdom of the Gods might be 
 lufficiently vindicated in the Diftributions of 
 Providence, without running to the Doftrine 
 of a future State, after this Life : And on this 
 Account Antoninus himfelf^ as well as other 
 Stoicks, talks fo doubtfully about it in feve- 
 ral Places of his Writings. T^hink o/' Socrates, 
 Crito, Severus, the Casfars, fVhere are they 
 now all? Anywhere, or no where? All worldly 
 j'hings are but as the Smoak, or indeed mere 
 nothing. Book X. Sedt. 31. He has many 
 fuch fort of Speeches. That great Philofo- 
 phcr did not know, whether the Soul goes 
 from the Body, by way of Extin^ion, or 
 Dijferjion of its Parts, or Continuation of 
 Life in fome other State or Place, though he 
 
 pro- 
 
o/ Human Reason. 175 
 
 pronounces it hleffed to be always ready for /f, 
 without Rcludance. Book XI. Se£i. 3. And 
 ipdeed, fincc they made Virtue its own fuf- 
 ficient Reward, and made Vice its own fuf- 
 ficient Puniihment, and call'd it the Slavery 
 of the Soul,, their Philofophy did not fo 
 plainly lead them to make any future Re- 
 wards or Puniihments neceflary. 
 . Cicero, who was one of the greateft Ge- 
 nius's of Antiquity, and did not confine him-^ 
 felf to any Se£t, hut took out of all what 
 pleafed him bell, was fo little fatisfied with 
 all the Proofs of the Immortality of the Soul, 
 and its future Exiftence, thatihis yaft Read- 
 ing, and his own Invention, could furnifti 
 him with, that he frequently profeffes his 
 Uncertainty and Doubts about it. When 
 he had reckoned up feveral Opinions, he 
 adds, Harum . SenPentiarum quae . vera ftty 
 jDeus aliquis videret. Some_ God- may fee 
 •which of all tk^ J e Opinions is true: In which 
 Ihort Sentence he fhe^Ys at once his own 
 Doubts, abovit- the futbre Exiftence of. the 
 Soi^l, ; and about the Unity of God, or rather 
 fuppofes more Gods than one. 
 .. ;Where now are thefe agreed Principles of 
 Natural Religion, .of the Knowledge and 
 Worihip of the true God, and of certain 
 Rewards and^Punifliments in another World^ 
 for Virtue anci Vice ? Were theytaught with 
 Conftancy and Certainty any whgre but 
 in Plato's School, much lefs in any Num^ 
 bers of Schools of the Philofophers ? How 
 
 little 
 
1^6 The Strength and Wedkntfs 
 
 little Agreement was there ^among thetn 
 about thefe Principles? 
 
 If their Reafon was fo far fufficient to find 
 out and pradife fuch a Religion, as would 
 lead them into the Favour of God ^and Hap-* 
 pinefs, how cani\e it to pafs, that there flibuld 
 be never found any fixed Syftems amongft 
 them of better Rules of Piety and Religion, 
 than they have generally propofed to the 
 World, and a more rationaland certain Ac^ 
 count of their Principles and Pradices of 
 what relates to God, and another World. 
 
 . The utmoft, therefore, that I can fay for 
 them, is this, that if the Reafoning Powers 
 of thefe polite Parts of the H&athsn World 
 had no more than a Ibrt oifpemlathe or no- 
 tional Sufficiency for true Religion and future 
 Happinefs^ which was fcarce ever efFedual 
 in Fad and Pfadice, then wherefoever it was 
 efFedual in here-and-there a particular Per- 
 fbn' or his Family, it was rather owing to 
 the Traditions they had of fome divine Re- 
 velation, ' or to an Acquaintance with fbme 
 of the Jews in their various Difperfions; 
 And thefe Difperfions of the Jews did Pro- 
 vidence ordain for the Prefervation, or ra- 
 ther for the Recovery, of the Knowledge of 
 the one God, and his Worfhip, among the 
 Countries of Heathemjm^ who had no re- 
 markable Revelation made to themfelves, of 
 had laft it perhaps for feveral Gehiera* 
 tions. ■ 
 
 Logi 
 
of H U M A N R E A S O N. 177 
 
 Zoff-i But if I miflrake not, Sir, fome in- 
 genious modern Writers have informed' us, 
 that human Reafon has determin'd, with the 
 greateft Eafe, what Opinions are true and 
 ialfe, ill all the maih Articles and Duties of 
 Religion: They alTure us, XhsX Heathen 
 Deifts generally agreed in the Belief of -One 
 fupreme felf-exifterit Agent or God, arid of 
 his Providence in the Government of Man- 
 kind j that they agreed in- the unalterable 
 Obligations of- Virtue, and the Difpleafure 
 of God agaihft all Vice arid Impiety j that 
 there-; were Rewards for good Men, and 
 Punifliments for the- Wicked in a future 
 State : That God was to be Woxfliipped with 
 a pious Heart, and with' a Confcience free 
 from Sin \ that Juftice arid Goodnefs were to 
 be pradifed.for their own ' Excellency and 
 Delight, as well as in Imitation of the bleffed 
 God : And they teach us, that all but Jtheijis 
 agreed in thefe great and neceflary Points of 
 ReligfOn. ' 
 
 Soph. TJien I may juftly infer,; that nine 
 Tenths of'the Heathen World were Athe'tfisy 
 with all their boafted Sufficiency of Reafon j 
 for 'tis • pretty evident, that there w^s not 
 one tenth Part of the Heathen World, in the 
 Days of the Gr«'«^0 Philoibphers, who agreed 
 to hold and profefs all thefe Principleis, Lo- 
 gijl^^ which you have now reckoned -up.- 
 
 I would yet further obferve, that tho'-^ any 
 of our ingenious Writers fhould give a Looib 
 to their Encomiums • upon Harfim Reafon, 
 
 N and 
 
17 8 The Strength and Wcakpefs 
 
 and tell us how far Ibme of the Heathen 
 Philofophers were led by it in their Difco- 
 veries of the true God and his Worlhip, tho' 
 they Ihoiild make a fort of Saints of them, 
 yet we have no Realbn to infer, in large and 
 general Terms, concerning th^. Heathen Na- 
 tions,: T^his was the Scheme of their Religion^ 
 nor fhould they tempt us to fuppofe thele 
 were the general Sentiments of the ancient 
 Gentiles^ and that this was the SenJ'e of Man- 
 h'tnd., without a Revelation. . 
 
 How wide this Encomium oi the Heathen 
 Philofophers is from Truth, we have obferv'd 
 already. , And yet if thefe Things concern- 
 ing the Ehilolbpbers had been ftridly true, 
 we fbpuld neither make nor believe any uni- 
 verial an^ unreafodable Indutlions from a few 
 fingle Inftances of Philolbphers, in Oppofi- 
 tion to the commQii Multitude and JBulk of 
 Mankind, in Towns, Cities, and Villages ? 
 Alas, Sir, to make fuch ;general Concltifions 
 of the Goodnefs of Heathen Religion, and 
 Sufficiency of human Reafonings in all Man- 
 kind to find, it out, there ought to be many 
 more Inftances of the Knowledge and Belief 
 of the true God, and his fpiritual Worlhip, 
 ^'c, and that among the Heathens of Africa 
 and A'mefi:(fa^ as well as Europe ; and among 
 the Bulk of the Inhabitants of Greece and 
 j4fia- Minw, as well as the few Philolbphers : 
 Whereas 'tis evident, that the Gfols of the 
 Heathen World, even in the cultivated arid 
 polite Parts of jt, were aboroioably oyer-^run 
 ■h^ with 
 
«f^ Human Reason, i^p 
 
 with fhamefiil Ignorance, Idolatry and im- 
 morality, Profaneneils and Superftition : And 
 in fotne of the rude and iinpolifliM Nations, 
 ther'^, is fcarce any thing but Stupidity and 
 Error, Darknefs and Madnefs, inikad of 
 Truth, Sobriety, and Goodqefs. The Nar- 
 ratives which St. Paul gives us in his Epiftles 
 of the Ge«?i/e Nations, thro' which he tra- 
 velled,^ and the Accounts of our later Tra- 
 vellers, confpire to affute us of the moft 
 wretched and deplorable State of Mankind 
 there, in refpect of Religion and Virtue- 
 
 This is fo copious a Theme, Loglfio^ that 
 one might talk upon it whole Hours with 
 Pertinence and juftice, and (one would think) 
 to the Conviftion of thofe who are willing 
 to hearken to Truth. But I know in whole 
 Prefence I fpcak : I am well apprised that 
 the Perlbn to whom I addrefs myfelf needs 
 no more than fhort Hints of thefe Matters 
 to refrefh his own Memory, and give him a 
 compendious View of the Things which he 
 himfelf has been well acquainted with, in 
 his own Converfe with the ancient Writers 
 Gi Rome and Greece^ as well as the Accounts 
 which are given us of the more barbarous 
 Nations. 
 
 Log. I confefs, Dear Sir, I am almoft over- 
 powered with Conviftion by the fliort Ac- 
 count you have given us of thefe Affairs, .and 
 the glaring Light in which ppu have fee 
 them : But yet ftill there remain fome great 
 Difficulties upon my Mind^ which arife front 
 N a. other 
 
1 8 o ^he Streegth and Weaknefs 
 
 other Arguments which I have heard and ; 
 read on this Subjcd. Shall I propofe them 
 now, my B^iends ? or fliall we appoint to 
 meet again more early next Jfednejday in the 
 Afternoon, and finilh our Conferences on this 
 Subjed? 
 
 Pith. Indeed, Sir, I fear we have too 
 much Work upon our Hands to be all finifli- 
 ed this Evening. And fince , you are fo 
 obliging, Logifto^ to invite us to fuch a 
 peaceful and pleafanc Retreat, and fince J 
 perfuade myfelf ^^^f tf«i»j will be {o good 
 as to afford us a few Hours more of his Com- 
 pany, for my pai,t, I know not how I can 
 better employ my Time than in endeavour- 
 ing, in fuch Society, to fearch after and to com- 
 municate Truth. 'Tis indeed the appointed 
 Bufinefs and Station of my Life to be a 
 Teacher to others, yet I take Pleafure, Gen- 
 tlemen, to come hither and learn. 
 
 Soph. But why will ye not plcafe, my 
 Friends, to favour me with a Vifit, and let 
 your laft Conference do my Parlour the Ho- 
 nour of finiftiing this friendly Controverfy ? 
 I will not pretend to Hich an elegant and 
 fpacious Garden as Logiflo has, nor to ib neat 
 and private a Retreat for Converfation, as 
 this wherein we are now entertained : But 
 you fhall be attended with the beft Accom- 
 modations which my Dwelling will afford • 
 and' if you will give yourfelves the Trouble 
 to alcend to my Study, we Ihall there be 
 fiifficiently retired from all other Company. 
 
o/ H u MAN Reason. 1 8 1 
 
 Log. I doubt not, Sophronms^ of the Sin- 
 iCerity of your Requeft, noxthe.Conveniency 
 of your Library, for iuch' a friendly Confe- 
 llence : But fince you have faTour'd us thus 
 far with your happy Affiftance in a Debate 
 which Pithander and myfelf had appointed 
 here in this Garden, I cannot with any Satis- 
 fgidion permit the Scene to be alter'd. Per- 
 haps it may feem a Degree of Incivility to 
 defire a Vifit from you fo ofteq without a 
 Return ; yet I promife you, Sir, I'll write, 
 myfelf down indebted to you for every fuch 
 Favour, and when we begin any new Sub- 
 ject of Debate, Sofhronius fhall appoint the 
 Place. 
 
 Soph. Then fince 'tis the Pleafure of Lo- 
 gijio to have it fo, without any more Cere- 
 mony, we'll attend him here next Wednef- 
 
 day. '" r; 
 
 P'ith. I agree. Sir, to your Propofal. I 
 can never be in an ill Situation at either of 
 your Houfes, amidft the Honour of fuch 
 Company. 
 
 Log. Gentlemen, I own the Obligation, 
 and am your yery Humble Servant. 
 
 N 3 ^« 
 
i8j ^he Strength an^ Weaknefs 
 
 The Third Conference. 
 
 N the Days that paft after the 
 lafl: Meeting, Logiflo had been 
 reviewing lever al Books which 
 have been written inViiidication of 
 the Sufficiency of human Reafon to condudt 
 Men to Happinefs in a Way of Religion \ 
 and as he had renew'd his own Difficulties, 
 fo he had furnifh'd his Memory with fome 
 of thqir ftrongeft Arguments : But he found 
 none fo hard to anfwer, as that great and 
 important one, which is derived from the 
 WifAom^ the Eftitty^ and the Geodnefs of 
 God\ upon which Account he refolved to 
 referve this to the laft. 
 
 When his Company were come, he led 
 them down to the ufual Place of learned 
 Converfation, and bega;n the Conference 
 thus. 
 
 Log. The only Thing that remains before 
 us, Gentlemen, is, that 1 fhould propofe 
 feme ArgumentsTy drawn from the Reafon of 
 J^hli'gSy and from the Natme of Godj and 
 Man, Why it appears neceffary that the 
 Principle of human Reafon fhould be fuffi- 
 cientj jn 4ij Mankind, to guide and conduct 
 '' : them 
 
o/HuMAN Reason. 185 
 
 rfiem to the Belief and Praftice of ftjch a Re- 
 ligion, wherein they may obtain the Favour 
 of God, and Happinefs in a future State. 
 
 Pith. I wait with fome Inipstience, Siri, 
 to hear thefe Arguments of yours, which 
 you have fo often intimated : And yet it 
 may not be improper, before you produce 
 them, to confider, what is the particular 
 Propofition your Arguments can poffibly 
 prove, or what it is you can exped from 
 them. 
 
 Will you pleafe to remember, Sir, it has 
 been plainly proved and determined already, 
 and agreed in our paft Debate, as a certain 
 Matter of Pad, that there are leveral large 
 Countries of Heathentfm wherein the Inha- 
 bitants have hot Realbn fufficient to guide 
 them iato^trne Religion, confidering their 
 vaft Prejudices and Averfions to God and 
 Goodnefs ; much lefs is it lufEcient to enable 
 them to pradife it j /. e. according to the 
 Diftindion of our worthy Friend Sophrmius^ 
 That tho' there maybe in them bl^ remote^ 
 natural^ and ffeculative Suffieiency for -^ this 
 Purpofe, y^t their Reafoning Powers are fo 
 poor and low, fo unpradifed, arid fo touch 
 perverted by a thoufand Errors, evil Cu- 
 ftoms, vdcious Propenfities, and wilful Igno- 
 rance, that they are not f radically and expe^ 
 nmntally fwfficient for this great Defign. 
 This hath befen abundantly cbnfirm'd by the 
 melancholy, and yet entertaining Accounts' 
 Sofhronius hath given us of African and 
 
 American 
 
1 84 The Scrength and Weakniers 
 
 ^mericad Heathens, i Now I' humbly, hope, 
 Sir, you will not fuppofe that any of your 
 Arguments can deftroy plain Matter of Fad, 
 nor prove that to be lufficient, which has 
 before been plainly ;declared and proved, and 
 agreed to be inefficient. : ' .; .. - 
 
 Log. I muft acknowledge, ^^iihander, I 
 know not how to oppole what you fay. It 
 feems to be plainly prov'd, that Reafon in 
 thefe Savages is not a fufficient Guide, », AH 
 that I can pretend therefore, is, only to Ihew, 
 that if human Region is mt in Fa^^fiifficient^ 
 even f radically Jiifficisnt for this. Purpofe j 
 yet, 2.t\c^% it.ought' to be fralik ally fuffi- 
 cient:,, and perhaps, my Arguments will 
 prove it. to : 
 
 Tith. Pray, Sir, be fo good as to inform 
 me, . what you mean by faying. It onght to 
 be fufficient f' Wijl any of your Arguments 
 teach the All-wife . .God what he ought to 
 have.done, and in' vvh.at other, and better 
 Condition he ought to have placed Mankind j 
 than he has feen fit to place them in ? Will 
 your < Argnments ij give Wifdom , to your 
 Maker, or inftrud him in Rules of Juftice? 
 Pr.c^n any of your, Reafonings inform him, 
 what fuperior Talents, and happier Gjrcump- 
 lianees he ought to have beftov^'d upon his 
 Creatures? Have, you Courage enough to 
 reprove or arraigr^ the Condud of. the Su- 
 preme Governor oft the World toward his 
 African or Amrican Subjcds ? Is it right, 
 Logifioj to talis- at this rate ? Or is it iafe to 
 
 venture 
 
of Human Reason. 185 
 
 venture on fuch an unequal Conteft ? What 
 elfe can you mean, Sir, by affirming, that 
 Reafbn ought to be iuffieient, but this, (viz.) 
 that God ought to have given Men better 
 Faculties, or he ought to have beftow'd upon 
 them clearer Light, and better Helps, or 
 <Might to have brought them into the World 
 with greater Advantages than his Wifdom 
 has thought fit to do ? And what is this, 
 but telling the' -All-wife God he has aded 
 weakly, or charging the God of Juftice that 
 hehas-dealt unjuftly, or accufing the Father 
 of Mercies that he has aded cruelly toward 
 his Creatures? 
 
 L- Log. 1 confelsj go6d Sir, that you con- 
 found me a little with thefe Inquiries. 1 have 
 no luch Hardinefs of Soul, as to dare to re- 
 prove my Maker,' whom I adore with the 
 rooft profound Veneration; and I do acknow- 
 ledge, that whatlbever he does, muft be right- 
 arid juft. And yet there are Arguments 
 which feem to prove, that Man, who, asyoii 
 agree, is to be try'd and judg'd in the other 
 World, fbr.his Behaviour in this, Ihould, fbme 
 Way or other, have fufficient Powers given 
 him to know and fulfil his Duty: Other- 
 wife, Men would be excufable in their great- 
 eft Superftitions and Immoralities, as being' 
 deftitute, by the Neceffity of their Circum- 
 ftances, of a liifficient Guide in Matters of 
 Religion and Virtue : And this is the ^rj} 
 jlrgument which I defire leave to offer upon 
 
 this- 
 
i8<^ Tlfe Strength and Wc^ikntk 
 
 this . Head, as a Difficulty which I cannot 
 folve. 
 
 <S^itk Perhaps, Sir, it is an .effedual Re- 
 lief to this Difficulty, if we fuppofe Man- 
 kind to be fUrnifti'd with fuch Realbning 
 Powers as are in the Nature of Things, and 
 in a remote Seufe^ fufficient to .guide and con- 
 dud Men in their Religious Affairs : For the 
 Negled of ufing and improving thefe ratio*- 
 nal Pov^ers, is greatly criminal : And 'tis this 
 univerfal Negled of ufing them well, that 
 renders them fratiically tnfufficient. If they 
 employ not their Reafon in their mofl; impor- 
 tant Concerns, you will grant 'tis their own 
 Fault; and this renders them condemnable 
 for the Negled or Abufe of it, and for the 
 Errors and Vices proceeding from fuch an 
 urireafonable Gondud of l^ife; This is con- 
 fcfs'd by the Writers of your own Side of 
 the Queftion- 
 
 Befides, The Reafoning Faculty, and the 
 Remains of Confcience. which are found 
 even in the moft favage Tribes of Mankind, 
 are f radically fufficient (tho' not to condud 
 to Happinefs completely, yet) to have 
 taught them much more Virtue and Religion 
 than moft of them either know or pradife. 
 Theii^ Hindrances, great as they are, yet are 
 not fo unfiirmountable, but that moft, or all 
 of them might have arrived at much fuperior 
 Degrees of Knowledge and Pradice in Reli- 
 gion, than what they have adually arrived 
 at, if they had not bee.ij fo fliamefully and 
 
 crimi- 
 
of H U M A N R E A S O N. I 87 
 
 criminally* negligent, fo exceeding fond of 
 Error, and fo lazy in their Search after 
 Truth. Therefore they are by no means 
 inexcufable (as you exprefs it) in their 
 greatej} Immoralities. 
 
 • Log. But you grant ftill, that their Rea- 
 ibn is not praBically fufficient to have taught 
 them their whole Duty, nor to have enabled 
 them to perform it, if they had been neyer 
 fo much inclined to it, and never lb dili- 
 gent ? 
 
 'J'ith. No, Sir, I fay no fuch Thing : For 
 it is their great and univerfal Sloth and Neg- 
 ligence, and pifinclination both to learn and 
 perform their Duty, that is one of the chief 
 Things that renders their Reasoning Powers 
 thus injiijffici&nt. in a f radical Senfe : 'Tis 
 awing to their powerful Prejudices, their 
 evil moral Habits, and their ftrong Ayerfion 
 to God and Virtue, that they do not exer- 
 cife their Reafoning Powers to the utmoft of 
 their Capacity : And 'tis by this Means they 
 continue in Darknefs, Guilt, and Death: 
 Whereas if they had a real Inclination, and 
 fincere Defire, to fearch out and perform 
 their Duty to God and Man, if they obey'd 
 every fecret Didate of Confeience, every 
 Hint of Truth that arofe within them, and 
 afed their natural Light, both as to Belief 
 and Praftiee, to the utmoft of their Power, 
 God would never be wanting to any of his 
 Creatures; I am perfuaded, he wcmlid have 
 gracim.ifly »«;cepte4 tJQ? utmoft that their^ 
 
 Reafon- 
 
1 1 8 The Strength anU Weaknefs 
 
 Reafoning Powers could perform : Or, if it 
 were neceflary, he would hare given fueh 
 Well-difppled PerlbnS greater -Light, and 
 greater Strength,' to learn and fulfil the ne- 
 ceflary Parts of Religion j for /<? him that 
 hath^ jhall he given \- i.e^ greater Helps, fhall 
 be given to him that improves what lefler 
 Talents God has intrufted him with. But- 
 the Cafe of tliefe brutal Creatures fecms to 
 be reprefented in the latter End of that Text, 
 Lukje viii. i8. From him that hath not y Jhall 
 he taken away that which he hath^ or feemeth 
 to have\ i.e. thole who ' itnpirove not thd- 
 feeble Light that is given them, even thole 
 feeble Glimmerings of Light ftlj^ll be tafcert 
 from them, and by the. righteous Judgment 
 of God they fhall be left in deep and utter 
 Darknefs. *-• 
 
 Log. Very well, my Friend • I can hear 
 this with more Patience, fince you impute 
 the Crime to Mefis own Abule of their Na- 
 tional Powers, and not to God their Creator. 
 I • proceed therefore to a Jecond Argument^ 
 and forgive me if I exprefs it in pretty ftrong 
 Terms : Does not the great and bleffed God 
 equally behold all the Dwellers on the Earth, 
 free from Partiality and Prejudice ? And can 
 he be fuppofed to make fome People his Fa- 
 vourites, without any Confideration of their 
 Merits, and meerly becaufe they believe cer- 
 tain Propofitions, and pradif^ certain Duties, 
 which are taught and known generally in 
 that Country where they happen to be born -y 
 
 while 
 
of, H U MA N R E A S O N. I 8 p 
 
 while others, and that a far greater Number, 
 fliall from Age to Age want this Favour of 
 God, becaufe they are dcftin'd to be born 
 and live in Places where fuch Propofitions 
 and Duties are not known, and are very- 
 hard to be found, and for that Reafon are 
 not likely to believe and praftife them ? 
 What can more reprefent God as an arbi- 
 trary and partial Being, than thus to fuppofe 
 that he fcarce vouchfafes to bring the Means 
 of Happinefs within the Reach of fo great 
 a Part of his Creatures, while he has given 
 it fo plentifully to others ? 
 
 Pith. This Speech of yours, Sir, will re- 
 quire an Anfwer at large ; and I am glad 
 you give me Qccafion to Ipeak my Thoughts 
 freely on this Subjed. 
 
 When you ufe the Words Partiality and 
 prejudice, you feem to confider God as a 
 Governor and a Judge, diftributing Rewards 
 or Punifliments to his Creatures partially, 
 and not exadly according to their former 
 Behaviour ; and in this Relped I muft 
 affirm, God beholds ail Men equally, and 
 ads without Prejudice or Partiality in his 
 Retribution of the Righteous and the Wick- 
 ed : In this Senfe, God is no ReJfeBer of 
 ^erfbns ; the Mailer and the Servant, the 
 Prince and the Subjed, the Learned and the 
 Ignorant, fhall receive a Recompenc'e accord- 
 ing to their Works. , 
 
 But wheriVc fpeak of God as an original 
 Proprietor and PofTdflbr of his own Bleffings, 
 
 he 
 
1 5> o The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 he may freely d'lftribilte his Favours in a 
 greater or lefs Degree amongft his Creatures, 
 as he plcafes, without any Charge of Preju- 
 dice or Partiality, And this is Efficiently 
 vifible in the Whole of his Providence, and 
 that among the brutal Creation as well as 
 the rational. Are there not many of the 
 Birds, andBeafts of the Earth, and Fifties of 
 the Sea, that in their feveral Portions of 
 fenfitive Good or Evil, Eafe or Pain, are 
 greatly diftinguifti'd from each other, meerly 
 by the Hand of their Creator ? Here's one 
 Flock of Sheep frighted and worried daily, 
 and Ibme of them miferably torn to Death, 
 and deftroy'd, and the reft of them wounded 
 or maimed by a Wolf or a Bear, while other 
 Flocks grow up, perhaps, for feveral Years, 
 enjoying the plentiful Paflure that the Earth 
 provides for them. Here's one Neft of 
 Doves plunder'd by a Hawk, and drench'd 
 in Blood, while twenty of their Neighbours 
 breed up their Young in all Security. Here's 
 a Brood of young wild Turkeys, hatch'd in 
 a later or more unkindly Seafon, crippled 
 with the Cold, and languiftiing out their 
 Lives under lingring Infirmities, while others 
 that were brought into Life a Month or two 
 fooner, enjoy all the Bleffings luited to their 
 Nature, and continue in this Enjoyment, 
 perhaps, for feveral Years. What is this 
 Difference to be imputed to, but the Will 
 of Providence ? 
 
 A 
 
o/Hu MAN Reason. i^i 
 
 A thoufand fuch fort of Accidents happen 
 not only to Birds and Beafts, to Fifties, and 
 every kind of brute Animals, but to Men ; 
 and that not meerly to the Individuals of 
 Mankind, but fometimes to Tribes, and Fa- 
 milies, and Nations. Some are adually born 
 under the Power of Tyrants, and they com- 
 mence and finilh their Lives in tirefome Sla- 
 very and Bondage : Others exult for Seventy 
 Years in free, and rich, and plenteous Cir- 
 cumftances, while their Neighbours are di- 
 ftrefs'd from their Infancy, with Poverty and 
 Pain, and drag on Life to old Age under 
 many Calamities. Children of the fame Pa- 
 rents Ihall be oftentimes widely diltinguifh'd 
 in the Bleffings or the Sorrows of Nature, 
 by the meer Providence of God, when per- 
 haps, they are equally virtuous, or, perhaps, 
 equally wicked. Some are lilffer'd to be- 
 come blind, or to be born Cripples in their 
 Limbs, and in their Underftanding too, while 
 others of the lame Houfe, perhaps, rejoice 
 in the Pleafures and the vigorous Powers of 
 Mind and Body. How comes it to pais, 
 that your Genius is fo bright and fparfcling, 
 while y^ur Neighbour Hebetundo^ with all 
 the Expences of his Education, could never 
 conftrue an Ode in Horace, and fcarce under- 
 ftands his Catechifm ? Whence is it, that 
 ibme Families are fo poor in their Intel- 
 leduals, and propagate Sloth and DuUnefi 
 for half a Dozen Generations ? And yet, per- 
 haps, at laft a Hero, a Philofopher, or a great 
 
 Divine 
 
lyi T^e Strength and We^kneCs 
 
 Divine fhall arife amoiigft them, and fiirprize 
 the World ? 
 
 Tell me, LogiJiOy who makes the Diffe- 
 rence in all thefe Inftances ? Will you fay, 
 It happens thus according to the Courfe of 
 Things, and the Succeffion of natural Caufes ? 
 But pray inform me, who fet natural Caufes 
 at work in this Manner, which fliould pro- 
 . duce fuch very diftinguifliing Gircumftances, 
 and that too, perhaps, in Perfons whofe mo- 
 lal Charader is the fame ? Or why is their 
 Infancy fo much diftinguifli'd by Bleffings oir 
 Sorrows, ; before their nioral Gharader pro- 
 perly commences? Whither fhall we run 
 to feefc the Gaufe of thefe Varieties, but to 
 the Will of the Greator and Dilpofer of all 
 Things? - ' 
 
 Gan you give me any Account, Sir, why 
 the great God- fliould appoint fuch particular 
 human Souls to be united to animal Bodies, 
 which are born among the Rigours and Stu- 
 pidity oi Lapland, or in the midft of jifrica. 
 or ^i^^r/f^,: where Reafon. is bury'd under 
 grols and heavy Prejudices, and whole Na- 
 tions labour under fo many Wants and. Dif- 
 advantages, with Relation to this World, and 
 the other ? How came your Soul, or mine, 
 to be join'd to Bodies who drew their firft 
 Breath in Great Brita'm., who have ten thou- 
 fand Bleffings, in the animal and the rational 
 Life, beyond thofe poor Brown or .Negro 
 Savagef^ thaf come ipto the World, under 
 brutal Parents, who bfeed them up with 
 
 Cruelty, 
 
of Human Reason. 195 
 
 Cruelty, and fell them for Slaves? What 
 is it, dear Sir, that makes this Diftinftion 
 between us and them, but the Ibvereign 
 Dilpofal of God and Providence, who, what- 
 foever Reafons he may have in his eternal 
 Mind, yet gives no Account to us of the 
 Reafons of his Condud ? Can you, or I, Sir, 
 pretfend to any Claim of Merit, that we ftiould 
 be born in fuch Families where we enjoy'd 
 the Advantages of a liberal Education from 
 our Infancy, and the Knowledge of Things 
 human and divine, while; the Inhabitants of 
 the Cottages of the 'T^eake in Derbyjhire were 
 never taught to know Letters, and are fo 
 grofsly ignorant of the Things of God or 
 Men ? Who made the Difference between 
 us and the Miners in Cornwall, who Ipend 
 their Days in Darknefs. and are ever con- 
 verfant with Earth and Lead or Tin, while 
 we range the Sciences with Pleafure, and 
 dwell in Daylight, and amidfl: the Delights 
 . of Learning ? To whom are our Praifes due 
 on this Account, but to our common Maker 
 and Lord ? 
 
 'Tis enough for us, Logljio, if we can but 
 maintain this Point, that God does not deal 
 unjuftly with any of his Creatures : But 'tis * 
 evident, we muft allow him to difpenfe his 
 Favours as he pleafcs ; he is not bound to 
 make us all equal in the Bleffings of the 
 Powers of Soul or Body, with regard to this 
 Life, or the Life to come, tho* he has made 
 us all Men. And as he has confeffedly be- 
 
 O ftow'd 
 
1 94 '^^ Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 ftow'd on fome Perfons much nobler inwarci 
 Advantages, in the Sagacity of their Reafon- 
 ing Powers, to find out the Way to Virtue 
 and Happinefs, why may he not confer 
 higher outward Advantages on fome, than he 
 has on others ? May not the great God, the 
 Poffeflor of all Things in Heaven and Earth, 
 do what he plealfes with his own Benefits ? 
 If he has given the blindeft and moft un- 
 happy Nations in the World all that is due 
 to them by Nature, in their Gircumftances, 
 and a natural Sufficiency for their Happinefs, 
 he has done enough to fecure his own Provi- 
 dence from any juft Accufations. An Afri- 
 can has no Right to complain, that he was 
 not born a Briton ; nor a Porter that he was 
 not born a Prince; nor Sophronius and I, 
 that we were not made Prophets or Apoftles. 
 If God has furniih'd all Men with fuch natu- 
 ral Powersy as, being improved in the beft 
 Manner, would lead them to Virtue, Reli- 
 gion, and Happinefs, furely his Creatures 
 may give him Leave to make fo much Di- 
 ftinction between them, as to fet fome of 
 them in a plainer and eafier Road to Hap- 
 pinefs than he has others : And 'tis fhameful 
 , Ingratitude for us, in Chrijiian Countries, to 
 complain of our bountiful Creator, who has 
 afforded us fuch peculiar Favours, and made 
 our Way to Heaven plaineft of all. 
 
 Log. I obferve, Pithander, you keep clofe 
 to this Diftin<3:ion of Sophroniusy and talk 
 of the natural Powers of Heathens in 
 
 Africay 
 
o/ Human Reason; 19^ 
 
 Africa^ and their natural Sufficiency to ob- 
 tain Happinefs ; but I think they ought to 
 have, and. therefore I think they have, fome- 
 thing more than this natural and remote Suf- 
 ficiency to find out the Way to Heaven by 
 their own Reafon. Is not Senfe and Reafori 
 allow'd by you all to have a proximate and 
 praBical Sufficiency to guide Men in the 
 Affairs of this Life ? And furely, one would 
 think, Reafon fliould be a more fure and in- 
 fallible Guide, in Matters of Religion, than 
 Senfe is, or can be, in the Affairs of this 
 World. This Ihall fland for my third Ar-^ 
 gumeni j and I would enforce it thus : The 
 Difference of Good ,and Evil, and the natu- 
 ral Obligations to Virtue and Piety, are as 
 manifeft to the Mind as any of the Objeds 
 of Senfe can be, and they have that Cer- 
 tainty and Demonftration, which the others 
 are not capable of Surely Natural Reli- 
 gion has been, and fhould be always count- 
 ed as much within the Reach of Natural 
 Reafon, as any Bufinefs that Man has to do^ 
 fince 'tis the moil: neceffary and moft impor- 
 tant of all. , , 
 
 Pith. Here, Sir, your Argument, again 
 runs direftly counter to Matter of Fa£V, 
 whichhas been examined, proved, and agreed 
 between us. The Differences of Good and 
 Evil, and the Obligations to Virtue, are far 
 from iaeing fo plain and manifeft, as the Ob- 
 jeds of Senfe, or the common Affairs of this 
 prefentLife: For if they were, furely fome. 
 
 02 6f 
 
ip6 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 of thefe wild Savages at leaft would have at- 
 tained the Knowledge of them, lince they 
 acquaint themfelves with Obje£ts of Senfe 
 fufficiently for their own poor and forry man- 
 ner of Life here on Earth : But in the Af- 
 fairs of Religion, and a Life to come, they 
 are all Error and Darknels. All their Reafon- 
 ing Powers leave them utterly ignorant of 
 true Religion, be it never fo necejflary and 
 important. Andfuch Ignorance reign'd very 
 much in polite Nations too, except among a 
 few Philofbphers, or Men of a ftudious and 
 Ihoughtful Frame of Mind, who could argue 
 upon moral and intelleftual Subjeds, and 
 trace out a few Demonftrations and Certain- 
 ties about them, which lie almoft out of the 
 Reach of thefe unthinking Creatures. 
 
 Log. But furely, without being Philofo- 
 phers, every one by employing his natural 
 Power of Thinking, or his innate Reafbn, in 
 the beft Manner he was able, might and could 
 not but fee the Reafonablenefs and Obligation 
 of Piety and moral Duties, viz. that he ought 
 to worlhip his Creator, to acknowledge and 
 depend on him, and pray to. him for a Supply 
 of his Wants ; that he ought to fubmit to 
 his Providence, and be thankful for the Be- 
 nefits of it ; that he ought alfo to be obedi- 
 ent to Governors for the Good of Society ; to 
 be righteous, juft, and charitable to Man his 
 Fellow-Creature, be willing to do him all 
 the good he could, and abftain from all In- 
 jury and Violence j that alfo he ought to ufe 
 
 temperately 
 
o/HuMAN Reason. 197 
 
 temperately the Pleafures and Enjoyments of 
 Life. There never needed any fubtle Rea- 
 foning to prove thel^e plain Duties which Na- 
 ture taught and commanded ; and the Tranl^ 
 greflion of any of which is as repugnant to 
 the plain Evidence and Didates of natural 
 Reafon, as it is to the revealed Will of 
 God. 
 
 Pith. It has been already granted, that if 
 every one employ'd his natural Reafon, in 
 the beft Manner that he was able, there is a 
 natural Sufficiency in his Realbning Powers 
 to find out thefe Things, or at leaft the chief 
 of them : But the Infufficiency lies very much 
 ip this, that their Prejudices and Averfions, 
 &c. are fo great and numerous, that not one 
 in ten thoufand will employ his natural 
 Reafon in the beft Manner, and this Sophro- 
 nius calls a fraBical Infufficiency. If it were 
 ija eafy a Matter to do it as you reprefent, 
 how came fo many Millions of People to be 
 ignorant of thefe Things, or to receive No- 
 tions about them fo grofly and fliamefuUy 
 contrary to Truth ? How came whole Na- 
 tions, without one Exception, to be fb blind 
 and ftupid, fo impious and immoral, and to 
 continue fo from Age to Age ? 
 
 lA)g. But here ftarts up a fourth Difficulty, 
 and it lies entirely n^onyoxn Chrijiians tofolve 
 it. Remember, my Friend, whatfoever Ar- 
 gument can be brought from the adual Im- 
 morality, Irreligion, andSuperftitionof Men, 
 in any Heathen State, to proye the Infuffici- 
 
 O I i ency 
 
ip8 jthe Strength and Wcdknds 
 
 pncy of Reafon in Matters of Religion, will 
 conclude, with equal Strength, againft the 
 Sufficiency of the Scriptures, becaufe Men 
 are as vicious, as irreligious, and as fuper- 
 ftitious under the Light and ProfelEon of 
 Chrlftianity^ as the worft of Heathens. 
 
 Grofs and abominable as the Heathen Su- 
 perftitions were, yet they have been equall'd, 
 and even exceeded by Popljh Idolatry, which 
 has prevail'd for many hundred Years over 
 the Chriflian World ; As great Lewdnefs has 
 been committed among Papljisy as ever were 
 known among the Heathens^ and that with 
 Impunity, and efteemed fo venial as to be 
 bought off with Money. The bloody Pcr- 
 fecutions and MafTacres executed by the Pa- 
 fljis are far more cruel and inhuman, than 
 the human Sacrifices which the Heathens 
 offered to their Gods: So that any Crimes of 
 the Heathens againft the Light of Reafon 
 will not prove the Infufficiency of Reafon to, 
 be their Guide, unlefs you allow the fame or 
 greater Crimes committed by Chriji'mns will 
 prove, that the Gofpel is infufficient. 
 
 Pith. This Objection has been already 
 anfwered : But to fpeak yet plainer on this 
 Head ; 'Tis granted, Sir, that the Vices of 
 profeffing Chriftians, the venial Lewdnefs of 
 Paftjisy their Idolatries, their bloody Mur- 
 ders and MafTacres, are as bad or worfe than 
 the Crimes of Heathens, becaufe they fin 
 againfl much brighter Light, and far gfeatei 
 Advantages : But the Greatnefs of the Vices 
 
 of 
 
of Human Reason. ^,199 
 
 of Popifti or Proteftant Chrijiians cannot infer, 
 that Chrijiiamty is infufficient to guide, to 
 form, or fave Mankind ; for 'tis not the 
 Greatnels of the Crimes, but the entire Num- 
 ber or Univerfality of the Criminals that re- 
 prefents Reafon to be fb pra£iically infufficient 
 to fave or reform the Heathen World. 
 
 Now you muft grant me, that Men are 
 not ilo utterly and univerfally irreligious, 
 vile and vicious in Chriftian Countries even 
 in Popijh Nations where the Golpel is fb cor- 
 rupted, and much lels in Proteftant Lands, 
 where Religion is learn'd and pradtis'd with 
 Freedom^ as they are in the Regions of 
 Heathemfm. There are Multitudes of know- 
 ing, and virtuous, and pious Perfons in Chri- 
 Jiendom, and particularly in the Britilh Ifles, 
 which Ihews the f radical Sufficiency of the 
 Gofpel to reform Mankind j whereas in the 
 more learned and more polite Heathen Coun- 
 tries, there have been exceeding few truly 
 religious, and in the rude and barbarous Re- 
 gions, which have been the chief Scene of 
 our Difpute, 'twill be hard to find one fingle 
 virtuous and pious Man or Woman; and 
 therefore, I fay, that in a fra£iical Senfe^ 
 Reafon may rather be call'd infufficient, tho' 
 Revelation cannot be called fo. 
 
 Log. Let us proceed then to ^^fth Argu- 
 ment. Why Reafon, methinks, fhould be 
 pradically fufficient to dired all Mankind to 
 thofe Duties which God required of them, 
 and to condud them to Happinefs ; and that 
 
 O 4 isj^ 
 
200 The Screngrh and Weaknefs 
 
 is, becaufe Happinefs, i. e. fpiritual moral 
 Happinefs, is the End for which Man was 
 made, and therefore 'tis certainly to be ob- 
 tained by thofe rational moral Powers, which 
 are the very Principles God gave Man for his 
 Gui ie and Condud to this Happinefs. Other- 
 wife Man was made for an End, to the ob- 
 taining of which, the Means are infuffi- 
 cient. 
 
 Pith. I anfwer this two ways. Fir ft ^ It 
 may be faid in a Senfe, that God made Man- 
 kind in general, in his firft Formation of 
 them, for Happinefs ; but he made them to 
 obtain this Happinefs in a way of free Choice, 
 by the diligent Ufe of their rational Facul- 
 ties in the beft Manner : Now if far the great- 
 eft Part of Mankind will wretchedly and 
 wilfully abufe thefe Faculties, if they will 
 thoughtlefsly and ralhly chufe the Evil, and 
 rufli into it, if they will neglecl to feek, or 
 to enquire, or to learn what is Good, as well 
 as to praftife it, then tho' thele Faculties may 
 be faid to be naturally and remotely fufficient 
 for Religion and Happinefs, yet they are 
 never likely to become effectual for thefe 
 Purpofes to one in a thoufand. When there 
 is a long eftablilh'd Habit and univerfal 
 Cuftom of negleding or abuling their Fa- 
 culties fpread thro' whole Nations from Age 
 to Age, thefe Faculties may be called praBi- 
 cally tnfufficient^ without any Charge upon the 
 Creator of Man, or his original Conftitution 
 of Things. 
 
 I anfwer 
 
of Human Reason. 201 
 
 I anfwer in the fecond Vhce, that God did 
 not create all Mankind for Happinefs in fuch 
 a Senfe, as to defign they ftiould be all aftu- 
 ally happy. This is fufficiently evident by 
 the Event ; for the greateft Part of Mankind 
 are, and will be, finful and miferable : Our 
 daily Experience and Obfervation concur 
 with our Reafon, to manifeft this to us; and 
 our Saviour fays, that fewjballjind the Way 
 to Life. 
 
 Now may not the great and bleffedGod, 
 the fupreme Lord of all, and Gov ef nor of 
 the Univerfe, have fome very wife and un- 
 fearchable Ends in not lecuring certain Hap- 
 pinefs to all his rational Creation ; that is, in 
 leaving fome of them wilfully to negled their 
 own Happinefs, and to chufe their own Mi- 
 fery ? May he not, coiififtently with his own 
 Perfedions, fuflfer them, by their own Folly 
 and Negligence, by their Guilt and Madnels, 
 to forfeit the Light and Strength of thofe 
 Faculties which were at firft fraSiically fuf- 
 jic'tent to guide and conduft them to Hap- 
 pinefs? or to render them dark and feeble 
 by an utter Diiiife, or an adual Abufe, of 
 them? 
 
 It is granted, that Man in his original 
 State had a proximate and practical Sufficiency 
 to obtain Happinefs by Virtue and Religion 5 
 yet fince he is grown, fome way or other, a 
 very corrupt and degenerate Creature, his 
 Realbning Powers are now hardly to be call'd 
 a fufEcient Guide, or Rule, or Law, for his 
 
 Condud 
 
a 02 TIhe Sttength and Wc2LkneCs 
 
 Condudt to the original Happinefs for which 
 he was made. 
 
 Log. But what is there wanting to make a 
 Rule or^Lawfufficient to the End of its being 
 a Rule or Law, but that it be plain, and clear, 
 and eafy to be underftood, and enforced with 
 fufficient Sanftion of Rewards and Punifti- 
 ments ? Now Reafbn always was and is fuch 
 a Law to Mankind, even fince any fuppofed 
 Degeneracy, as well as before. 
 
 Pii^b. Dear Sir, have you already forgot 
 the two Accounts which Sophroniiis has given 
 us of African and j4mencan- Sdivz^zs and their 
 Reafoning Powers? Have you forgot the 
 whole Subject of our firft Day's Conference ? 
 Can you bring thefe Things back to your 
 Thoughts, and yet imagine, that thefe Rules 
 of Religion and Virtue, thefe facred Laws 
 and SanS'iions, which you Ipeak of, are plaiuy 
 and clear y and eajy to he found out and under- 
 Jiood by fuch ftupid and perverle Animals, 
 with all their wretched Reafonings ? Have 
 they, within their View, any fuch Ideas of 
 thefe eternal Obligations to Duty, either to 
 God or Man, or of thefe awful Sandions of 
 future Punilhments and Rewards? Can thefe 
 holy Rules and Sanctons be call'd plain^ and 
 clear y and eafy to fuch Creatures, fuch ftupid 
 and obftinate Creatures, among whom we 
 can hardly fuppofe there is one in a whole 
 Nation, or a whole Age, nay fcarce one in 
 many Nations and many Ages, who ever 
 found out, or knew, or believed thefe Rules, 
 
 and 
 
o/HuMAN Reason. 205 
 
 and thefe Sanftions ? I beg you, Sir, not to 
 conftrain me to repeat thefe Things fo often 
 by urging over again, what has been abun- 
 dantly anfwer'd, even to your own Con* 
 vidion. 
 
 Soph. Pray, Pkhander^ let me intreatyou 
 to guard your Temper a little. Perhaps Lo- 
 gtjio has read over theffe Arguments in fome 
 modern Pamplets, fince your firft Day's Con- 
 ference, and they being frcfti in his Thoughts, 
 may have renew'd his Difficulties, and he is 
 willing to have every Obftacle entirely rgr 
 mov'd that lies in the Way of his compleat 
 Conviftion of the Truth, and his Eftablifh- 
 ment in it. 
 
 Log. Sophronlus is much in the right. He 
 has fpoken the Matter of Fad, and the very 
 Senfe of my Heart. I proceed therefore to 
 propofe another Difficulty, and I hope, Pi- 
 thander, you will not call this a Repetition 
 of what has been anfwer'd before, fince I 
 borrow it from your own favourite Writer 
 St. Paul, whom I have never yet cited againft 
 you. Do you remember what he writes in 
 the firft Chapter of his Letter to the Romans^ 
 that when they knew God, they glorified him 
 not as God, neither were thankful, but that 
 they held the 'Truth in Unrighteoufnefs, i. e. 
 they did not hearken to the Truths which 
 their Reafon taught them, but unrighteoufly 
 imprifon'd or ftifled thofe Truths, and /y&^/'g- 
 fore they were without Excuje : And did you 
 never confider what he fays in his fccond 
 
 Chapter 
 
204 The Strength ^»i Weaknefs 
 
 Chapter of that Letter, ver. 14, 15. T'he 
 Gentiles who have not the Law (i. e. any 
 written Law) do by Nature the T'hings con- 
 tained in the Law ; thefe are a Law to them- 
 felves : which Jhew the PVork of the Law 
 written in their Hearts, their Confcience alfo 
 hearing witnefs, and their I'honghts excujing 
 or accufing them. What can be more evident 
 and exprefs than that this Writer believes 
 and declares, that the Rules of Duty, which 
 the Gentiles owed to God and Man, were im- 
 planted in their Minds, and that when they 
 tranfgrefs'd either of them, they finned againft 
 their Knowledge, their own Confciences ac- 
 cufed them, and they were inexcufable? 
 And yet that fometimes they obey'd fome of 
 thefe Rules, and then their Conlciences ex- 
 cufed them, or approved their Adions. 
 
 Pith. If fuch a Writer as St, 'Paulh.2A told 
 me, that human Realbn, in all the Heathen 
 World, were pradlically fufficient to guide 
 them into true Religion and Happinefs, and 
 there were no Facts to contradid it, I pay 
 fuch a Veneration to his Writings, that I 
 would readily drop the DifpUte, and give up 
 the Caufe entirely : But I do not find St. Paul 
 lays any fiich thing, either here or any where 
 elle, nor can his Words be conftrued to 
 amount to fuch a Propofition. And to make 
 this plain, Sir, be pleafed to obferve, 
 
 I/?, That the Perlbns he fpeaks of, in the 
 firft Chapter, are chiefly the learned Heathens y 
 or at leaft the Inhabitants of the Countries 
 
 where 
 
o/HuMAN Reason. 205 
 
 where Learning flourifh'd, fuch as Egypty 
 Greece, JJta, Rome, &c. fiich as had found 
 out and known the Being and Attributes of 
 God by his Works ; fuch as knew the true 
 God, and profefs'd themfehes to be wife, fee 
 ver. i5>, 20, 0.1, 0.1; but the Apoftle does 
 not fay, that their Knowledge reach'd fo far 
 as to lead them to Salvation, tho' by not 
 worlliipping and honouring God fo far as 
 they knew him, they render'd themfelves in- 
 excufable. Fer, lo, ^l. 'They did not glorify 
 him as God when they knew him, they were 
 not thankful for his Mercies; they became 
 Idolaters, and changed the Glory of the uncor- 
 ruptible God into the Image of corruptible Man, 
 and into Birds, and four-footed Beajls, and 
 creeping fhings, and worjhipped the Creature 
 more than the Creator. Ver. 0.3, aj. They did 
 not like to retain God in their Knowledge, and 
 therejore they are without Excuje. Ver. 10, 
 0.1, 0.%. Their foolijh Heart was darken' d and 
 they were jujlly abandon'd of God, and given 
 up to all Manner of Iniquity. 
 
 o.dly. Let it be obferved alio, that the 
 learned Nations came by much of their 
 Knowledge thro' the Neighbourhood of the 
 Family of Abraham, of the Race of Jfrael in 
 Canaan, and the Dilperfion of the Jews thro' 
 leveral Nations : And if it were granted, or 
 if the Apoftle had aflerted, that thefe Nal- 
 tions have found out a Religion fufficient for 
 Salvation, 'twas very much owing to the 
 Traditions of divine Revelation, rather 
 
 than 
 
20 6 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 than to the Labour and Invention 6f their 
 own Reafoning, as Sophronius has maintain'd; 
 But in the more barbarous and brutiih Coun- 
 tries of the World, they had loft even the 
 Knowledge of God himfelf, and hardly re- 
 tain'd the firft Principles of true Religion, as 
 we have heard in the Account of the African 
 and American Race. 
 
 In the 3^ Place let it be confider'd, that 
 when the Apoftle fays, Rom. ii. 14, 15. That 
 the Work of the Law is written in their 
 Hearts^ he can never mean, that the Know- 
 ledge of the Laws of God and their Duty 
 fufEcient for their future Happinefs, is adu- 
 ally found in all the Heathen World : For 
 this is fb contrary to plain Fad in the bar- 
 barous Nations, that the Apoftle could never 
 intend to aflert it. All that he can be fup^ 
 pos'd to mean therefore is this, that there is 
 a natural and remote Sufficiency in their Hearts,- 
 or their Reafoning Powers, to find out their 
 Duty, which I have already granted ; and 
 that there are ftveral Inftances wherein their 
 Confciences do adually know their Duty, and 
 excufe them when they pradife it, or accufe 
 them when they negled it. 
 
 And perhaps this, in Ibme meafure, is- true 
 concerning the rudeft and moft ignorant Na- 
 tions of the Earth, that there are particular 
 Inftances of Duty, and Ibme particular Rules 
 of Honefty, Juftice, and Compaffion, which 
 their Confciences fometimes adually repre- 
 fent to them j and according to their Com- 
 pliance 
 
o/HuMAN Reason. 207 
 
 J>liance or Non-compliance may approve or 
 condemn them. But this is far from aflert- 
 ing, that every Soul in the Heathen World 
 has the whole Law of God aftually written 
 in their Hearts, or an actual Knowledge of 
 the Truths and Duties neceffary to Religion 
 and Happinefs. The moll: rude and bar- 
 barous Creatures in America may fbmetimes 
 be awaken'd by Nature and Conicience to do 
 a few of the- focial Duties of Life, which 
 are contain d in the Law^ without fuppofing 
 them to have found out all the Neceflaries 
 of true Religion : And they may alfb refift 
 the Diftates of their Reafon and Confcience, 
 fo far as to condemn the\n juftly without the 
 leaf!: Probability of one in ^ thoufand follow- 
 ing the Leadings of Reafon and Confcience, 
 in the Enquiry and Pradiee of the true Reli- 
 gion, fo far as to fave them. 
 
 In the laji Place I defire it to be conlider'd, 
 that the Apoftle could never fuppofe the 
 brutifh and barbarous Part of the Heathen 
 World to h^vcznj froximate or fraffical Suf- 
 ficiency for Religion and Salvation, or fuch 
 Capacities and Advantages as were ever likely 
 to attain that End, when the Characters 
 which he gives, even of the more polite Na- 
 tions thro' which he travell'd, are fo ex- 
 ceeding difmal and delperate, fo widely di- 
 ftant from the Knowledge, Fear, and Love 
 of the true God, and fo univerfally abandon'd 
 to grofs Errors, Idolatry and Ihameful Vices, 
 that they were without God., or Atheifts, and 
 
 ■without 
 
i o 8 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 ■iuhhout Hope in the World, Eph. ii. 1 2. In 
 the firft Chapter to the .Romans^ which has 
 been already cited, the wife Men amongft 
 them, -who knew God, did not like to retain 
 God in their Knowledge, their foolijh Heart 
 was darkened, they were given over to a repro- 
 bate Mind, they were jilled with all Unrighte- 
 oufnefs. Fornication, Wickednefs, Covetoujnefsy 
 Malicioufnefs, &c. Backbiters, Haters of God, 
 Inventors of evil 'Things, difohedient to Pa- 
 rents, without Underfanding, without natural 
 AffetVion, implacable, unmerciful, ■ 2 Cor. iv. 4. 
 Their Minds are blinded by the God of this 
 World, \. e. the Devil and his Angels, whom 
 many of them worlliipp'd as their Gods. And 
 in Eph. iv. 18. Huving the Under/landing 
 darkened, being alienated from the, Life of God, 
 thro' the Ignorance that is in them, hecaufe of 
 theBlindnefs of their Heart ; with many other 
 Expreflions to the fame Purpofe in his 
 Epiftles. Now if thefe Things are fpoken 
 concerning the more knowing Nations, what 
 moft difrnal Charaders of deeper Darknefs, 
 Defpair, and Death would the Apoftle have 
 given to the ftupid Laplanders, to the brutal 
 Creatures of New Holland, in human Shape, 
 to the Savages of the wild Regions of Africa 
 and America, had the Courfe of his Travels 
 led him thro' their Countries ? Surely you can 
 never fuppofe, that he would have pro- 
 nounced their Reafon, under thefe tenfold 
 Clouds of Stupidity, Prejudice, and Error, 
 ever likely to break thro' thefe Obftacles, and 
 
 to 
 
0^ Hum AN Reason, lop 
 
 to lead one in a thoufand of them into the 
 Ways of Truth, Holinefs, and eternal Life. 
 And this is what we call a praciical Infuffi- 
 ciency. 
 
 Log. Really, Sir, I think you have made 
 it out beyond my Expedations, that your 
 good Friend ^aul^ your Apoftle ar^d Oracle, 
 was much of your Opinion in this Matter. 
 I fliall not cite hin^ again in hafte for a Wit- 
 nels orV my Side. But I will ask leave to 
 cite a great Writer, whom you may call my 
 Oracle, if you pleafe, fo far as I pay Defe- 
 rence to the Authority of any Man j and that 
 is Cicero^ whom I take to be a Man of Ho- 
 nour and Virtue, and as bright a Genius at 
 leaft as St. '^aul was, and much more im- 
 proved in the Learning of the Philofophers ; 
 I cannot but fancy him to be one of the 
 greateft Men of all Antiquity. For this 
 Reafon I have two very good Editions of 
 his Works by me, one of which I always 
 keep in this Summer-Houfe, and another in 
 my Library. Let us therefore turn to fome 
 Places of his Writings, to which a late Author 
 has direfted me, and fee what he fays of the 
 univerfal Power and Sufficiency of Reafon to 
 lead all Mankind to their Duty, to preferve 
 them from Sin, and to be, as it were, a divine 
 Law within them. See his Third Book di 
 Republlcd, and that noble Fragment there 
 preferved by LaBantius. EJi quidem sera 
 lex re£ia ratio natune congruens,^ diffufa in 
 omnesy ■ confiansy fempiterna, quae vocet ad 
 
 P ofHcium 
 
2 1 o The Strength and Weakncfs 
 
 officium jubendo \ vetandoy a frmde deter- 
 reat. 
 
 Nee vero aut per fenatum aut per fopulum 
 
 Jolvi hdc lege pqffiimus: ISfeque eft qu^rendus 
 
 expUnatori aut interpres ejus alius : Nee erit 
 
 alia Lex Rorme, alia Athenis^ alia nunc^ alia 
 
 pofihac : fed & omnes gentes & omni tempore 
 
 una Lex & Jempiterna & immor talis continebit: 
 
 Unufque erit communis quaji magijier & im- 
 
 perator omnium Deus ille legis hujus inventory 
 
 lator^ &c. In his Secoiid Book de Legibus, 
 
 he fays, Legem neque hominum ingeniis exco- 
 
 gitatam, neque fcitum aliquod ejje popuhrum^ 
 
 fed ceternum quiddam quod univerfum mundum 
 
 regat. You fee what an high Efteem he has 
 
 every where for this Law of Nature, written 
 
 in the Hearts of all Men: He repeats it 
 
 often; you find it again in Lib. 3. de Offic. 
 
 IpJ'a natune ratio, quae eft lex Divina & Hu- 
 
 manay cui parere qui velit nunquam committet 
 
 ut alienum appetat, & id quod alteri detraxerit 
 
 fibi affumat. And in the Third Book of his 
 
 fufculan Queftions, he lays, ^t vero 
 
 probari pofftt utfibi mederi animus non pofjit? 
 &.C. quifejanari voluerint prceceptifque fapt- 
 €ntum paruerinty fine uUd dubitatione fanen- 
 tury SCc. The Senfe of all thele Expref. 
 lions may be fumm'd up in this Manner. 
 " Right Realbn, which is conformable to 
 " Nature, is, that true Law which is 
 " diffufed or Ipread abroad among all Men ; 
 " it is conftant, it is everlafting, it calls us 
 " to our Duty by its Commands,, it forbids 
 
 « us 
 
of Human Reason. 211 
 
 " us to praftift Iniquity, and deters us from 
 " it. 
 
 " Nor can we be freed from our Obliga.- 
 *' tions to this Law by Senate or Feo^. 
 ** Nor need we feek-any other Explainer or 
 " Interpreter of it, 'tis fo clear in itf^f. 'Tis 
 " not one Law at Athens and another at 
 " Romey one now and another hereafter, but 
 *' 'tis the fame immortal and everlafting Law 
 *' that obliges all Nations, and at all Times. 
 " And there is one as it were the common 
 " Matter and Ruler of all Men, even that 
 " God who is the Inventor and the Maker of 
 " this Law, &c. This natural Reafon is 
 " both a human and a divine Law, which is 
 " not invented by the Wit or Fancy of Men, 
 " is not the Statute and Decree of any par- 
 " ticular Nations; but fomething eternal, 
 " that does or Ihould govern the whole 
 « World. He that obeys it will never be 
 " guilty of coveting his Neighbour's Goods, 
 " nor of affuming to himfdf that which he 
 " takes away from another, whether It be in 
 « Point of Honour, of Property or Eftate. 
 « And if the Mind of Man has in any time 
 «' fail'd in its Duty, and fufFerM itfelf to be 
 « corrupted with Vice, there is.no doubt but 
 « it is able to heal and reform itfelf, fince 
 « 'tis the Mind that has found out the very 
 « Medicines for healing the Body : And thofe 
 ** Souls who are willing to be healed and re- 
 " formed, and will obey the Precepts' of the 
 «« wife Men and Philofophers, ihall \<drhout 
 
 p a doubt 
 
1 1 ^ The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 " doubt be reform'd and heal'd ; for Philo- 
 " fophy, that is, the Doftrine of Reafon, is 
 " the Medicine of the Mind." And no doubt 
 this was the Senfe of moft of the great Men 
 amongft the Antients, as well as of Cicero, 
 as would evidently appear if we had Time 
 to fearch out and make Citations' from their 
 Writings. 
 
 'J^ith. Give me leave, Sir, to make thefe 
 two Anfwers to what you have drawn from 
 this great Man of Antiquity. 
 
 Firji, All that he fays on the Sufficiency 
 of Reaibn will reach no farther than the 
 Conceffions which have been already made, 
 viz. That the Power of Reafon in every Man 
 hath a natural and remote Sufficiency to lead 
 them to the moft general Notions and Pra- 
 ctices of Duty both to God and Man : And 
 it is granted alio, . that this Power has been 
 drawn out into a more regular Exercile by 
 fome happy Genius's in fome Nations than it 
 has in others : Where Perfons of a thoughful 
 an^ philofophick Spirit have rifen up in the 
 Heathen World, they have employ'd their 
 own Reafon to much better Purpofes than 
 the reft of Mankind ; they have drawn out 
 leveral of the Laws of Nature into View ; 
 they have communicated ihefe to their Coun- 
 trymen j and the Manners of the, Nation have 
 been hereby more polifh'd, and feveral more 
 Virtues praftifed. But as for the barbarous 
 and unthinking Herds of Mankind in other 
 Countries, alas ! how little do fome of them 
 
 adually 
 
o/ Human Reason. 213 
 
 actually know even of this univerfal and 
 eternal Law? They do not awaken their 
 Thoughts to enquire and fearch it out : It 
 lies* culpably dormant in the Seeds of it in 
 their Hearts, and produces neither Know- 
 ledge, Virtue, nor Piety. There is need of 
 fome better Interpreter or Explainer of it in 
 thefe brutal and ftupid Creatures, than the 
 mere Working of their own Reafon ; or ra- 
 ther, there is need of fome further Hints to 
 be given their Realbn, in order to awaken 
 them to take any Cognizance of it for the 
 Purpofes of true Virtue or Religion. 
 
 And even thefe very polite Nations of 
 Rome, and Athens^ and the Schools of the 
 Philofophers themfelves, have been greatly 
 affifted from fome Traditions of divine Re- 
 velation, and, perhaps, had their firft and 
 their beft Hints of Religion derived to them 
 from thence. This has been traced out 
 with great Learning by fome Writers, fuch 
 as StiUingfleet^ Gale^ Edwards^ &c. And after 
 all, the Rules of Religion and Virtue, which 
 were drawn up by thefe Philofophers, have 
 been very imperfe6t and defective in many 
 Inftances, as Sophronius has ftiewn before : 
 And at Athens and Rome they have had grie- 
 vous Quarrels and Contefts about many Parts 
 of it : Nor hath Cicero^ nor Logipo yet 
 proved, that the grofs and ignorant Nations, 
 the barbarous and favage People of Africa 
 and America, have znj proximate and praSiical 
 Sufficiency to guide themfelves into Virtue,' 
 
 P 3 Religion, 
 
2 1 4 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 Religion, and Happinefs. L'et it be obfcrv'd, 
 that feveral of thefe Nations have not fb 
 much as a Priefly and there is Icarce any 
 fuch Thing as a Philofopher amongft them, 
 in the Extent of a thoufand Miles : Whereas 
 your own Cicero himfelf acknowledges, th^t 
 *tis by hearkening to the 'Precepts of Philofo^ 
 fhersy that the Bulk of Mankind mufi be re- 
 form d and heal' d\ for he was not fo weak 
 and inaccurate in his Obfervation of- Men, 
 nor fo complaifant to his whole Species, as 
 to imagine, that every low Genius of human 
 Nature, and ^11 the meaner Ranks of Man- 
 kind, who are ever bafily engaged among 
 the Neceffities, the Labours, or the Amufe- 
 ments of this Life, fhould frame a Scheme 
 of Religion and Virtue for themfelves, and 
 Ipin out of their own Reafoning Powers a 
 whole Syftem of Rules for their own Con- 
 duft toward God and Man, in Things that 
 relate to this Life, and another. Now by 
 Cicero's own Account of Matters, What Ihall 
 thofe Nations do to heal or reform them- 
 felves, who have not one of thefe wife Men 
 or Philofophers among them ? 
 
 Secondly^ Confider what Sort of Man Ci- 
 cero himfelf was, and whether you can 
 think him, with all his boafted Realbn, fit- 
 ted and prepared for the Favour of God in 
 a heavenly State. 1 will allow him to have 
 as much Virtue as moft of the Philofophers ; 
 but he was guilty of one huge and glaring 
 Vice, and that is, a moft exorbitant jimbi- 
 
 tion. 
 
of HUMAN Reason, iij 
 
 /io«, and Excefs of <Pride, which is hateful 
 to Maq, provoVmg to God, and the very 
 Image of the Devil : And yet this he in- 
 dulged in a moft Ihamelefs Manner : His 
 Writings and his Behaviour are full of &^ 
 and difcover one of the proudeft and vaineft 
 Mortals that ever trod upon the Earth. At 
 prefent I'll point to no other Proof of it than 
 his own Letter to Lucceiiis^ who was about 
 to write the Hiftory of his own Time : 
 There you fee him facrificing even Truth 
 and Honefty to the grand Idol of his Pride. 
 " I beg you ( fays he to Lucceius ) and I 
 " charge you over and over again in the 
 *' moft fblemn Manner, that you would lay 
 " out all your Wit to drefs up the Year of 
 *' my Conlialftiip; lavifti out all manner of 
 *' Ornaments upon it : Negkd: the Laws of 
 " Hiftory \ do not confider fo much to fay 
 " what Truth requires, as what will render 
 *' that Period and Scene of my Life ftiining 
 " and glorious." Is this your virtuous Man, 
 Jjogijio? Is this the Man of Honour, that 
 would perfuade his Friend to convey Fal- 
 fliood and Lyes down to Pofterity, merely 
 to flatter his own Ambition, and to procure 
 bim Fame in following Ages ? 
 
 Again, Let us fee what his Religion and 
 Piety were : He cannot find whether there 
 was one God, or many : He talks often cf 
 the Gods in the Language of the Sto'tcks : 
 As fox ^t.itrue Parent or Maker of the Uni- 
 •mrfiy as Sophronius has cited him, Cicero 
 P 4 acknow- 
 
i\6 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 acknowledges, 'twas hard to feai'ch him outy 
 and when you have found him^ he forbids you 
 to teach the Knowledge of him to the Bulk of 
 Mankind. Is this the Man that deferves the 
 Favour of the true God, who hardly knew 
 him himfelf, and was refolved to conceal 
 him from the World ? As for his own Reli- 
 gion, he comply'd intirely with the Poly- 
 theifm and Idolatry of the Nation, and wor- 
 ihipped the Multitude of their Gods, that is, 
 the Stars, the Devils, the departed Heroes, 
 or the Chimera's which the City of Rome had 
 adopted into the Number of their Deities. 
 In many Parts of his Writings he vindicates 
 the National Ceremonies and Idolatrous Rites 
 of Worftiip, Superftition, and Auguration, 
 as neceflary to be obferved ; he prefles upon 
 his Countrymen a ftricl Obfervance of all 
 the Religious Rites eftablilh'd by Authority, 
 and declares all thofe worthy of the laft Pu- 
 niftiment, who fliould attempt to difturb 
 them, as fome of the Vindicators of human 
 Reafon frankly allow concerning him. Pray, 
 Sir, what great -Influence had Reafon upon 
 the Heart and Pra6:ice of fuch a Man as this, 
 who, when he could not believe the Roman 
 Idols to be the true God who made or go- 
 verns the World, yet iifes his utmoft Influ- 
 ence to make the World worftiip them, i. e. 
 to make Mankind Idolaters, to feft up Rivals 
 tp the true God, and procure Honours for 
 them, without any publick Acknowledge 
 
o/ Human Reason. 217 
 
 ment paid to the true God himfelf, the Crea- 
 tor and Lord of the Univcrfe ? 
 
 Log. If I would fliew niyfelf a fair Dis- 
 putant, and a Searcher after Truth, I know- 
 not well what Defence to make for my darl- 
 ing Author Cicero, unlefs you'll permit me 
 to fay, that neither he, nor the* reft of the 
 antient Sages, could imagine there was fb 
 much Hurt in pradifing the Religion of their^ 
 native Country, and in worfhipping the Gods 
 of it, as the Bible has taught both Jews and 
 Chriftians to conceive : And that this Vice 
 of Pride and Ambition, of which Pithandev 
 brings fuch a heavy Charge againft Cicero^ 
 was fo univerfal amongft all great Men, that 
 they counted it a Piece of Virtue and Glory, 
 rather than a Crime. 
 
 9ith. But does not human Reafbn, even 
 your darling Reafon, teach you the fame 
 that the Bible teaches the Jews and Chri- 
 jiians ? Is not Polytheifin and Idolatry con- 
 trary to the Nature of Things, and to all the 
 Principles and Rules of Reafbn ? Is not 
 Pride and Self-fufEciency, and fiich an Am- 
 bitious Defire of Fame, at the Expence of 
 Honefty and Truth, a very criminal Thing 
 in itfelf, and a high Oflfence both againft 
 God and Man ? Was Cicero's own Reafon 
 iufficient to be his Guide in Matters of Reli- 
 gion and Virtue, if it indulged him in fuch 
 corrupt and abominable Pradices as thefe ? 
 Or if it- did make any feeble Remonftrances 
 againft them, his Pradice ftill ihews how 
 
 weak, 
 
2 1 8 The Strength and Weaknels 
 
 weak, and vain, and infignificant thefc \e~ 
 monftrances were ; and this proves to us, on 
 the other hand, the utter Infufficiency of his 
 Realbn to refill criminal Inclinations, and 
 enable him to oppole the Idolatrous Cuftoms 
 of his Country. Thus it appears, that either 
 his Reafon'was infufficient to guide him right, 
 or if it did whifper Truth and Duty to him, 
 'tw^s with fo low a Voice, as was very infuf- 
 ficient to make him obey. 
 
 Log. Pray, Sophronius^ let us have your 
 Sentiment upon this Subjed ; for I am at a 
 Lofs to find a folid Reply, and I muft be 
 filent, unlefs I would run into Cavilling. 
 
 Sophro. Dear Sir, pardon me if I fay, that 
 I am as unable to refute '^ithander's Manner 
 of Arguing as you are ; and I rejoice to fee 
 you fo fteady a Friend to Truth, as to yield 
 to an Argument. But I'll take Occafion, 
 Gentlemen, if you favour me with your Per* 
 miflion, to make one Remark upon this De- 
 bate of yours, concerning Cicero's Opinion 
 and Praftice with regard to every Man's 
 Compliance with the Religion of his Country. 
 Several of the great Men of Antiquity, of 
 whom Cicero was one, having loft the di- 
 vine Revelations of Noah, their Anceftor, 
 thought it necelTary to introduce fbme Doc- 
 trines and Duties of pretended Revelation, 
 and particular Ceremonies of Worlhip, among 
 dieir Countrymen, in order to oblige the 
 CoBfciaiccs and Practices of Men to Virtue, 
 and to refhrain them fi:om Vice, by fbme 
 
 Guidance 
 
o/ Human Reason. 2,19 
 
 Guidance and Authority fuperior to each 
 Man's own Reafon^ becaufe they were ge* 
 nerally convinced, that Reafon, as it is at 
 prefent in the Bulk of Mankind, is very in- 
 fufficient to be their Guide to Virtue, Reli* 
 gion, and Happinefi. 
 
 Give me leave upon this Occafidn to read 
 
 to you a Page out of an ingenious Writer of 
 
 the prefent Age, wherein he cit-es yout own 
 
 favourite Author Cicero more than once. 
 
 'Tis in the 45)th Page of his Book, where he 
 
 is arguing againft a modern Treatife written 
 
 by fome fuppofed Infidel, and intituled, 
 
 ChriJUanlty as Old as the Creation. " The 
 
 *' Teftimony of all Ages, fays he, teaches us, 
 
 " that Reafon, whatever Force and Strength 
 
 *' it might have in particular Men, yet never 
 
 " had Credit or Authority enough in the 
 
 " World to be received as a publick and 
 
 " authenticfc Rule, either of Religious or 
 
 " Civil Life : This is allow'd by all the great 
 
 " Reafoners of the Heathen World : And 
 
 " the Experience of its Infufficiency as a 
 
 " Guide of Life, is given by many of them 
 
 " as the very Gaufe of the Invention and 
 
 " Eftablifhment of Religion," {that «, of 
 
 fome pretended Revelation from Heaven, and 
 
 Ceremonies ofWorpip) *' that the Authority 
 
 " of Religion (as TuUy takes Notice) might 
 
 " reflarain thofe whom Reafon had been 
 
 *' found too weak to keep in Order. The 
 
 " Life of Man (as Plutarch tells us from 
 
 " Euri' 
 
(( 
 
 210 The Strength and Wealcnefs 
 
 Euripides) was once like that of Bcafts, 
 " govern'd by Force and Violence ; Laws 
 " were then contrived to repel Injuftice j 
 " but when thefe proved ftill infu'ficient, 
 " Religion was at laft invented : By whofe 
 *' Myfteries (as T'ully obferves) Men from a 
 " lavage Life became form'd and cultivated, 
 " as it were, to Humanity. 
 
 " Such a univerfal Confent muft needs be 
 " owing to an univerfal Convidion and Ex- 
 " perience of the Infufficiency of Reafbn; 
 " and feems to be the Voice of Nature dif- 
 " claiming it as a Guide in the Cafe of Reli- 
 gion : And thus our Author's Scheme, by 
 the Gonfeffion of all Antiquity, and even 
 by his own, muft appear foolilh and irra- 
 tional, in attempting to fct up that for a 
 perfeft Rule of Life, which from the Na- 
 ture of Things never Was or could be re- 
 *' oeived as fuch in any Age or Gountry 
 " whatfoever. 
 
 " Should he then gain his End, and aftu- 
 ally demolilh Chrifiianity^ what would be 
 the Gonfequence, what the Fruit of his 
 Labours, but Gonfufion and Diforder ; till 
 fome other traditional Religion could be 
 fettled in its Place 5 till we had agreed to 
 recal either the Gods of the old World, 
 J-upter^ Minerva^ Venus ^ Stc. or with 
 the Idolaters of the new, to worfhip Sun, 
 Mooii, and Stars, or inftead of Jefus take 
 Mahomet or Confucim for the Author of 
 
 *' our 
 
of H U M,A N R E AS O N. 22 r: 
 
 " our Faith? And hence may be detnon- 
 "^ ftrated, the Immorality alfo of his Scheme, 
 " even upon his own Principles." 
 
 Now tho' I cannot think this Writer has 
 argued fo effeftually againft Dr. tfaterland^ 
 in his Remarks upon him, as to leave no juft 
 Room for a Defence of the Scripture Hiftory 
 of the FaU and Circumcijton, 6Cc. yet his 
 Sketch or Plan of an Anfwer to the Author 
 of Chrijiianity as Old as the^ Creation, has 
 fome valuable Thoughts in it, and worthy 
 of the Reader's beft Notice. 
 
 Log. Well, Gentlemen, I'll purfue this 
 Manner of Debate no longer : I fee my Gaiife 
 cannot be fupported by it. I will imme- 
 diately therefore betake myfelf to my laft 
 and ftrongeft Argument, to prove, that the 
 natural and rational Powers of Man muft 
 have a greater SuiBciency than this which 
 you allow, to lead all Mankind to Reli- 
 gion and Happinefs; for I think the con- 
 trary Doctrine bears very hard upon the 
 Wifdom, the Juftice, and the Goodnefs of 
 the great and bleffed God. I am at a Lofs 
 to find how it ife confiftent with his Juftice 
 and his Benevolence to his Creatures, to 
 leave fuch Millions of Mankind, from Age 
 to Age, under fo poor a Capacity to find 
 out or to pradife the Way of pleafing their 
 Maker in this World, and yet to judge and 
 condemn them in the other World for dif- 
 
 pleafing him. 
 
 ^iph. 
 
Ill The Strength and Wcakncfs 
 
 Pifh. I grant, LogtpOy this is a Point of 
 Argument which has great Difficulties at- 
 tending it, and therefore I propole that we 
 adjourn the Debate for one half Hour, and 
 if you pleafe to give us your Company, and 
 lead us thro' the feveral Walks and Divifions 
 of your beautiful Garden, we will there 
 relax our Thoughts for a Seafon, and I hope 
 we ftiall each of us refume the Debate 
 again with frefti Spirits, and to our mutual 
 Satisfadion. 
 
 Log. With all my Heart, Gentlemen, I 
 attend you with the greateft Readinefi and 
 Delight. 
 
 Th 
 
of Human Reason, iij 
 
 The Fourth Conference. 
 
 ^^^ H I L E Logijlo was attending his 
 two Friends thro' the Plealiires of 
 his Garden, he convey'd them to a 
 very agreeable Piece of elevated 
 Ground, whence they could {urvey the 
 neighbouring Fields and Meadows, cover'd 
 with Cattle of divers Kinds. Some were 
 grazing upon the natural Botmties of Provi- 
 dence ; fome refted at their Eale; and others 
 were {porting varioufly, with Life and Vigour 
 and Joy, in the Provifions that were made 
 for the Happinefs fuited to their Natures. 
 The Birds fung their chearful Airs upon the 
 Bufties, being replenilh'd with their proper 
 Food, or tl^y exulted upon the Wing with 
 wanton Pleafure,tranfportingthemfelves from 
 Bough to Bough ; and their little Souls took 
 in all the Satisfadion of their Natures, and 
 their harmlels Life. Even the very creep- 
 ing Infefts, as well as thofc that were made 
 for Flight, appea-r'd joyful in their narrow 
 I>imenfioiis : The Wonii, the Emmet, and 
 the Butterfly were pleas'd with their Atoms 
 oj Inches of Being, aod in theix low Rank 
 
 of 
 
2 24 ^^ Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 of Exiftence feem'd to bear their Witnefs to 
 the beneficent Hand that gave them every 
 Thing neceflary to their Support and De- 
 light. Logijio took notice of it, while they 
 were taking their Rounds, and at their Re- 
 turn to the Summer-houfe, he thus renew'd 
 the Conference. 
 
 Log. And can you think, Pithander, that 
 every worthlefs Creature in the Univerfe, 
 not only the Beafts and the Birds, but even 
 the Butterflies and the Worms, have Powers 
 given them by their wife and bountiful Cre- 
 ator fufficient for their Happinefs, during 
 their little Extent of Exiftence ; and Ihall 
 not Man, the Lord of the lower World, 
 Man, the Favourite of his Maker, fhall not 
 Man have fufficient Powers conferr'd upon 
 him, to lead and conduct him to his final 
 Happinefs ? Is it inconfiftent with the Juflice 
 and Equity of a God, and much lefs with 
 the Goodnefs of fo magnificent and lb boun- 
 tiful a Being, to make Creatures of an im- 
 mortal Duration, capable of intenfe Happi- 
 nefs, and intenfe Mifery, thro' all that im- 
 mortal Exiftence, and not provide them 
 with fufficient Capacities in themfelves to 
 make that long State of Exiftence happy ? 
 And yet what Multitudes of them, according 
 to your Account, are brought into Being 
 almoft under a Neccility of being miferable? 
 Did thefe intelleftual and wretched Creatures 
 ever once defire to exift ? Was not their 
 Exiftence the mere Efifed of their Maker's 
 
 fovereign 
 
&/riukAN Reason^ tif 
 
 fovereign Pleafure ? And would the fove^ 
 feign Pleafure of a wife, a righteous, and 
 merciful Godj ever bring Creatures into fuch 
 an immortal Exiftence, without fufEcient 
 Powers to guide and conduct therti to that 
 Felicity which is fuited to their Natures ? 
 
 Nor is the mere femote^ natural, and Jpe^ 
 •dilative Sufficiency , which Sophronius- has 
 taught you, any fufficient Anfwer to this 
 Difficulty. Could fo wife, fo righteous, and 
 merciful a God bring Millions of Creatures 
 into Being with fuch a poor Prbvifion for 
 their Happinefs, as that not one in ten thou^ 
 land Ihould be likely to obtain it ? This is 
 fo near a-kin to an ahfolute Infuffictency, that 
 this Dodrine of yours feems to bear too hard 
 upon the Perfections of God. What ! Has 
 the bleffed God dealt harder with his Crea- 
 ture Man than with any of the meaner Works 
 of his Hands ? 
 
 Pith. No, Sir, by no means : And if yotl 
 could have known Man in his original State 
 of Powers and Bleffings, furnifti'd with i. 
 clear and fagacious Mind, with Reafon bright 
 and ftrongj and fuperior to all his lower Ap* 
 petites and .Paflions, you would, doubtlefs, 
 have acknowledged the tranfcendent Advan- 
 tages for elevated Happinefs, and the rich 
 Sufficiencies given to the Creature Man. You 
 would have confefs'dj they were fuch as be-i. 
 came a magnificent, a wi^e, and a bountiful 
 Creator to beftow upon his nobleft Piece of 
 Workmanlhip on this Earthly Gl6be< God 
 
 Q^ hatli 
 
ti6 The Strength md Wcaknefs 
 
 hath not dealt worfe with his Creature Man 
 than with the reft ; but Man has dealt worfe 
 with his Maker than any of them. He has 
 not foUow'd the Laws of his Nature, but 
 broke his Allegiance to his God, by chufifig 
 Evil inftead of Good : He has ruin'd his ori- 
 ginal happy State, and according to the Con- 
 ftitution of Things, his whole Nature and 
 Race is tainted, lb that he is become viler 
 than the Brutes that perifh : He has forfeited 
 his native Bleflings, and he, with his Race, 
 are become Rebels, and obnoxious to their 
 Maker's Difpleafure. 
 
 This, as Sophronias hinted in the fir ft of 
 our Conferences, has been the Senfe of the 
 more thinking Heathens^ as well as Jews and 
 Chrifiians ; and without an Eye to Ibme fuch 
 fort of original Degeneracy, 'tis hard, if not 
 impoffible, to give a fatisfadory Account for 
 the poor, dark, ftupid, and wretched Cir- 
 cumftances in which ib great a Part of Man- 
 kind are brought into this World, wherein 
 they live and grow up. Age after Age, in 
 grofs Ignorance and Vice, thoughtlefs of 
 their Duty to the God that created them, or 
 their true Happinefs in the Enjoyment of his 
 Favour. 
 
 Log. But fince I am not yet fb far con- 
 vinced, nor fb complailant as to confefs this, 
 original Degeneracy, and fince it would lead 
 us, perhaps, too far from our prefent Point of 
 Debate, pray, my Friend, try if you can't fay 
 fomething elfe to clear the Juftice and the 
 
 Goodncls 
 
of Human Reason* 2%:^ 
 
 Goodnefs of God from the Imputation of 
 dealing fo hardly with his Creature Man. 
 
 Pith. I cannot wave this Matter pf fome 
 original Degeneracy ; for I think ^tis fo ne- 
 ceffary to the Solution of the Difficulties 
 which attend this Point, that 'tis not to be 
 done withotit it : Yet 'tis not the only Ati* 
 fwer to them neither j I'll fee what may be 
 laid from other Topicjcs alfb j but I can't 
 promife you to avoid this. 
 
 Log. Well then, let us fuppofe Mankind 
 to come into the World in any Circumftances 
 of Degeneracy, yet ftill 'tis agreed, that each 
 of them has ah immortal Soul, each of thenji 
 is accountable to God for his own Aftions, 
 each of them is rewardable for his Services td 
 God, and punilhable for his Negleds of Du- 
 ty, and for the Indulgences of Vice; there- 
 fore, furely, all Mankind hath a Right, by 
 the common Laws of Equity, to be furnifh'd 
 with the Knowledge of thofe Things for 
 which they are accountable, the Diflferetice 
 of Vice and Virtue, and the Duties they owe 
 to God and to Man : They have a Right to 
 be endu'd with a fufficient Power to find out, 
 and to pradife them : And if this Sufficiency 
 of Light and Power be not planted in the 
 Reafon and Nature of Men, they have a 
 Right to have it by divine Revelation : Other- 
 wife, they would be excufable in their fouleft 
 Vices, in their Negled of Duties^ and their 
 Pradice of all Ungodlinefs^ becaUfe they 
 feem to be left under almoft an iinavoldabld 
 Q_i NecelTity 
 
148 yi?;^ Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 NecefTity of negleding their Duty, and of 
 finning againft their Maker. , 
 
 Pith. In fuch a degenerate and finful 
 World of Creatures as we are, who have lb 
 ftiamefuUy rebelled againft him that made 
 us, perhaps 'tis fufficient to vindicate the 
 Equity of God, if he has left in Mankind 
 fuch a natural and remote Power or Suffici- 
 ency to find out and pradife their Duty as 
 Sophronius has allowed in his Diftindion ; as 
 for the ruder and wilder Nations, this is cer- 
 tainly and evidently the Gale : By their brutal 
 Thoughleffnefs, their obftinate Prejudices, 
 from Age to Age, their vicious Propenfities, 
 and their long contradcd Habits of wilful 
 Ignorance and Impiety,, thefe natural Powers 
 of Reafon are fo difufed and unpradifed in 
 Matters of Piety and Virtue, that they will 
 fcarce ever be rightly exercifed, or lead them 
 into the Path of Religion and Happinefs. 
 They have forfeited the proximate and prac- 
 tical Sufficiency of their Reafon, and without 
 the fuperior Light of Revelation, they can 
 hardly be ever fuppofed to recover it. 
 
 Log. Dear Sir, I entreat you to confider, 
 that however the great and righteous God 
 might punifh the firft Man by fuch a For- 
 feiture, however luch mere Reliques of a 
 natural and remote Sufficiency be all that was 
 afforded to the fuppofed firft Parent of our 
 Race himfelf, who finn'd againft God, yet 
 can his Children and Pofterity, for a hundred 
 Generations, be inyolv'd in this Forfeiture ? 
 
 Tho' 
 
o/ Human Reason. up 
 
 Tho' the Equity of God may juftify "itfelf 
 in confining Adam himfelf to fuch a li- 
 mited and contrafted Capacity of attaining 
 Happinefs after his Sin, yet can the Equity 
 or Goodnefs of God be juftified in leaving his 
 Offspring in fuch hopelels and calamitous 
 Circumftances, with fuch a narrow Pittance 
 of Realbn and Powers to find out their Duty, 
 to fecure their own Welfare, and obtain the 
 Felicity of their Beings? What was the 
 Crimes of thefc poor ignorant wretched In- 
 fants, that could forfeit any Part of the Powers 
 due to their Natures ? What have thefe Mil- 
 lions of African and American Souls done, 
 that they Ihould be born under fo dark and 
 dilmal a Climate, in the midft of fuch im- 
 pious Cuftoms, fuch univerfal Oblivion or 
 Negle£t of God, fuch infuperable Prejudices, 
 and with fuch ttrong vicious Propenfities, 
 that 'tis ten thoufand to one, as you confels, 
 if ever any of them come to the Knowledge 
 and Favour of God, to the Pradice of true 
 Religion, and to the Enjoyment of future 
 Felicity ? Has the Equity, or Wifdom, or 
 Will of God ^ded fairly with all thefe mi- 
 lerable Millions? Has divine and infinite 
 Goodnefs ever exprefs'd itfelf toward them 
 as becomes a Creator, a Father of his Crea- 
 tures, and a God of unbounded Love ? Or 
 can his Juftice ever pronounce a Sentence of 
 Condemnation, as a Judge upon them, for fin^ 
 ning againft fuch Laws as they never knew, 
 nor had ix fr0ical and frpximate Capacity tQ 
 find out? CL3^ '^ith. 
 
130 Ti&tf Strength ^W Weaknefs 
 
 Pith. Pray, good Logijio^ calm your 
 Spirit, and rebate your Fire : Be not fo vehe- 
 ment and pathetick in yotir Oratory for the 
 finful Race of finful Man : Take heed left 
 while you a£t the zealous Advocate for rebel 
 Creatures, you do not repeat the Crime, and 
 the Danger of which I took the Freedom to 
 warn you before : Have a Care of running 
 furioufly upon an Accufation of the All- wife 
 and Righteous Creator. If you give me 
 leave, Sir, I will endeavour to foften and 
 relieve the Terror of this Objedion, by lay- 
 ing beforp you feveral weighty Con/idera- 
 tions. 
 
 But before I begin them, I muft remind 
 you, that while you argue from the Juftice 
 and Goodnefs of God, that there ought to be 
 fuch a proximate and practical Sufficiency in 
 all Mankind, to obtain the Favour of God in 
 a Way of Religion, you argue againft plain 
 Matter of Faft again, and which you your- 
 felf have allow'd, as you have done more 
 than once in this Afternoon's Conference. 
 
 Forgive me therefore. Dear Sir, if I am 
 conftrain'd to repeat again to you, that 
 plain Fad is an unchangeable and obftinate 
 Thing, and will not bend to any of our Ar- 
 guments, tho' derived from the divineft To-r 
 pick. All our Notions of the immenfe Good- 
 nefs and eternal Equity and Juftice of God, 
 and our ftrongeft Inferences from them, cajn 
 never prove any thing contrary to plain 
 p'aft;, nor demonftrate that not to he the Cafe^ 
 
 which 
 
o/ Human Reason. 251 
 
 which really and aftually ts the Cafe. And 
 I am fure the Argument is much ftronger 
 and more convincing when turn'd into this 
 Form, viz. This is the fad Cafe of the yffri^ ■ 
 can and American Savages, and yet God is 
 juft and good j therefore 'tis certainly con- 
 fiftent with divine Equity and Goodnefs : 
 This Argument, I fay, is much ftronger than 
 for you to tell me, It is not agreeable to 
 your Notions of divine Equity and Goodnels, 
 that this ftiould be their Cafe, and therefore' 
 (in Oppofition.to plain Fad) you infer, this 
 is not their Cafe. 
 
 Are you fo fure that your fcanty Notions 
 and your fallible Reafonings on the Equity 
 and Goodnels of a God are exadly true, as 
 you are fure that thefe Savage Nations are 
 unfit for Heaven, and are far from any pro- 
 bable Way of attaining it ? Are thofe lub- 
 lime and incomprchenlible Perfedions of the 
 Deity fo eafy to be judged of in their Na- 
 tures ? And are you fo certain of the Infe- 
 rences you draw from them, that thefe Infe- 
 rences of yours muft regulate the divine Con- 
 dud ? Are all thefe Things fo plainly evi- 
 dent to you, and all within your Compafs, 
 and Grafp, and Determination, as much as 
 this plain Matter of Fad, that thefe African 
 and American Herds of Mankind, with all 
 their Reafoning Powers, are not pradically 
 fufiicient to guide themfelves to future Hap- 
 pinefs ? Can you be fo certain that God's 
 Juftice and Goodnels muft oblige him to give 
 
 0^4 aU 
 
51 3 2' ^^ Strength and >5^eakners 
 
 all Men on Earth fuch rational Powers as 
 Ihall be f radically Jufficient for their Gui- 
 dance and Condud in Religion, as you are 
 certain that there ^re on Earth Thoufands 
 3.nd ten Thoufands of human Creatures who, 
 to all Appearance, are never likely to know, 
 and worlhip, and love their Maker, and be 
 fitted for his Enjoyment by the mere Powers 
 of their own wild and untaught Reafon ? 
 
 Be content therefore, good Logijio, not to 
 argue any longer even from thefe divine To- 
 picks againft certain Matter of Fad, nor af- 
 fume fo much to your Reafon, as to teach 
 God what he ought to have done : But I en- 
 treat you, Sir, to turn your Argument into 
 a jufter Channel. Let thefe your Ideas of 
 divine Juftice and Goodnefs, and the Con-r 
 dud of God, which you think muft refult 
 from them, be only propofed as Difficulties 
 on this Subjed which want an Anfvver, and 
 which to you appear knotty Queftions : But 
 let what is Matter of Fad reft and abide fo ; 
 for no Reafonings can alter it 5 and let the 
 bleffed God be allow'd to bejuft and good 
 ftill. 
 
 Log. I confefs, Pit bander, this is a more 
 modeft Way of Talking, and better becomes, 
 fuch poor and narrow Underflandings as ours 
 are, when we difpute about the Perfedions 
 of the great and bleffed God, and his Govern- 
 ment and Condud .toward his Creatures : I 
 confent therefore, and would now only pro- 
 pofe all that I have before pronounced, per-: 
 
 haps 
 
o/HuMAN Reason. 23^ 
 
 haps with too bold an Air, merely as Diffi- 
 culties and DarknelTes in divine Condud, 
 which want feme further Light and Skill to 
 folve them. 
 
 Pith. Well, Sir, fince you are brought 
 thus far to acknowledge, that God is juft 
 and good, and yet that Multitudes of human 
 Jlace have not a practical Sufficiency to lead 
 them to Happinefs, be pleafed to confider 
 now, who are the Perfons upon whom it lies 
 to Iblve thefe Difficulties, to reconcile thefe 
 two jarring Propofitions, and to Ihed Light 
 upon thefe DarknelTes of^Providence, Does 
 it lie upon Chrijilans only, and the Believers 
 ofthe Gofpel? Doth it not fall upon the 
 Deifls alio ? Is it not as much your Bufinefs 
 therefore, as it is mine, to relieve thefe 
 Hardlhips? Do you not believe as well as 
 we, that God is wife, and good, and righ- 
 teous ? And are you not convinced, that 
 whole Nations live under fuch unhappy Cir- 
 cumftances, that their own Reafon is not 
 f radically JiifficienU to guide and condud: 
 them into true Religion and Happinefs ? Do 
 you not own, as well as I, that this is the 
 prefent Gonftitution of Things ? And doth 
 not your Acculation of this Condud of Pro- 
 vidence fall as heavy upon the God of the 
 'Deifls, as upon the God ofthe Chriftims r' 
 
 Pray, bethink yourfelf a little. Sir, Why 
 vaxx^.ChriJiianity have the Blame of all thefe 
 Hardlhips thrown upon it, aTtho' it was that 
 'Vvhich brought io many Stumbling-blocks 
 
 and 
 
2 3 4 ^^^ Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 and Darkneffes into the Scheme of God's 
 Government? Are not you, who believe, 
 and reverence, and adore the Wifdom, and 
 Juftice, and Goodnefs of God, as much 
 bound to vindicate thefe Perfedions of the 
 divine Nature from any appearing Difficul- 
 ties and Acculations in the Gondud of Pro- 
 vidence, as we are, fince you are convinced, 
 that thefe Difficulties are found in Provi- 
 dence? Pray, Sir, deal fairly with Chrifii- 
 anityy and let it not always bear fuch unjuft 
 Criminations and Reproaches. Let the Re- 
 ligion of the Deijis try to folve and clear up 
 all thefe Difficulties, which now appear to 
 lie upon their Scheme as well as ours. 
 
 Log. You furprize me, Tithanderj with 
 this fliort Turn upon me. I had not the 
 leaft Thought that you would lay the la- 
 bouring Oar upon me to ftiove away the 
 Burthen that I thought belong'd only to 
 your Scheme, and preffed fo hard upon it : 
 But, upon Confideration, I own what you fay 
 fcems juft and right : The Difficulty lies 
 upon us Infidels, as rhuch as it doth upon 
 you Believers : And I confels I cannot re- 
 move nor relieve it : If you can do it there- 
 fore you will give me a further Turn of 
 Thought in Favour of the Chrijiian 
 Scheme, 
 
 ^ith. I will not pretend. Sir, to give a 
 full Solution of all the dark Appearances and 
 Difficulties which attend the Providence of 
 God, in many Parts of his Condiid, relaticrg 
 
 to 
 
o/HumanReason. 235 
 
 to this World or another. But I will en- 
 deavour to fet before you ' feveral Confidera^ 
 tions or Stipfo/ttions, which will go a great 
 way at leaft toward relieving the Hardlhips 
 which attend this Part of God's Conduft to- 
 ward the Heathens, in that lb great a Num- 
 ber of them are born, and grow up, and live 
 and die under fiich unhappy Circumftances, 
 as that their Reafoning Powers are not in a 
 practical Senfe Jufficient to guide and carry 
 them to Religion and Happinefs. 
 
 Now, Sir, if I can but propole an Hy- 
 fothejis or a rational and probable Scheme of 
 Suppolitions, drawn from the Chrijiian Doc- 
 trine and the Bible, whereby thcl'e Difficul- 
 ties and Hardlhips may be Ibften'd and re- 
 lieved, I think you ought t6 efteem it a fuf- 
 ficient Anfwer to the Objeftion, as you are 
 a Philofbpher : But as I profefs mylelf a 
 Chrijiian^ io I profefs to believe moft of thefe 
 Suppofitioris to be real Truths, and there- 
 fore I call them, a Schema ofaBual Conjidera- 
 tionsy which relieve this Difficulty, and not 
 merely an Hypothejis. 
 
 Log. I long to hear thefe Suppojtfwns or 
 Con/tderations (call them what you pleale) fet 
 forth at large, and in their full Strength and 
 Weight; for I muft acknowledge, fince thefe 
 our Conferences, I find myfelf fomething 
 difpofed to hearken to them. 
 
 Pith. Firft then, let it be fuppofed, and 
 I perliiade myfelf you will readily affent to 
 it, That when God made Mankind at firflr, 
 
 he 
 
2^6 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 he gave them the Knowledge of himfelf and 
 of his Will, fo far as concerned thieir Duty to 
 him and to their Fellow-Creatures: He fur- 
 nilh'd them with fuch Principles and Powers 
 of Reafoning and free Choice, as- were abun- 
 dantly fufficient for them to find out and 
 pradife what he required of them, in order 
 to their Continuance in his Favour : And 'tis 
 probable alfo, that'he gave them Encourage- 
 ment to exped the Rewards of Piety and 
 Virtue, in ' fome future and happier State. 
 
 But let it be fuppofed alio, thac'^ he put 
 them upon a State of Trial by their own free 
 Choice, that they might enquire out and 
 pradife all their particular and daily Duties, 
 that they might chufe what was Good, and 
 refufe what was Evil : Whence it comes to 
 pals, that tho' they were created in a State 
 of Innocence and Virtue, and had Powers 
 given them richly fufficient to maintain it, 
 yet they were capable of abufing thefe 
 Powers, of neglefting their Duty, and of fin- 
 ning againft their Maker. 
 
 Secondly, 'Tis but reafonable alfo to fup- 
 pole, that he gave them fufficient Notice, 
 or taught their Reafon to inform them, that 
 if they rebelled againft him, by negleding 
 their Duty or praftifing what was finful, they 
 Ihould be expofed to his fevere Difpleafure, 
 that they Ihould be liable to what Pains and 
 Sorrows the Wifdom and Juftice of their 
 Maker and Governor thought proper to inflid, 
 as well as incur a Forfeiture of fuch Blelfings 
 
 and 
 
o/ H U M A N R E A S O N. 1 3 7 
 
 and Privileges, both corporal and intel- 
 iedual, as he had bountifully beftowM upon 
 them. 
 
 And among thefe Pains and penal Sorrows, 
 'tis not -at all improbable to fuppofe, that 
 their kind and beneficent Maker let them 
 know, that if they indulged their Appetites 
 and Paffions in Senfiiality and Vi-ce, in Excefs 
 and Intemperance, if they were carried away 
 by the Temptations of Flefh or Senfe, to eat 
 of fuch Meats as they knew to be hurtful in 
 their Nature, or forbidden by their Maker, 
 this would introduce Difeafes and Pains into 
 their animal Nature, and expofe their Bodies 
 to Sicknefs and Death, as well as their Minds 
 to the Anguifti of Confcience, and the bitter 
 Refled:ions that would arife from their own 
 abufed Powers and Bleffings. 
 
 I'hirdly^ It may alio be very reafbnably 
 fuppofed, that God let his firft human Crea- 
 tures know, either in fome exprefs Manner, 
 or by the fagacious Dilates of their own 
 Reafon, that they were to propagate their 
 Kind in their own Likenels : And that if 
 they' continued in a holy and a happy State, 
 their Offspring fhould alfo be propagated 
 holy and happy. But on the other hand, 
 if they abufed their natural Powers., if they 
 loft the Favour of their Maker by finning 
 againft him, and incurr'd his Difpleafure, if 
 they forfeited the fenfual and intelledual 
 Bleflings they enjoy 'd, if they impair'd their 
 animal or their rational Powers by a criminal 
 
 Abufc 
 
238 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 Abufe of them, and brought Folly and Ml-" 
 fery, Sickncfs and Pain, Difeafes .and Death, 
 into their Natures j 'tis probable, I fay, that 
 God gave them fome evident Intimations, 
 that they Ihould bripg forth their Offspring 
 under thefe degenerate, enfepbled, and un- 
 happy Circumftances, according to the Law 
 and Conftitution of their Natures. 
 
 And we may well fuppofe, that fuch a 
 Conftitution of Things, and fuch Notice of 
 it given to the firft JParents of Mankind, 
 would be a much more effedual Motive to 
 them to continue in the Pradice of Religion 
 and Virtue, and a more powerful Guard 
 againft their Indulgence of Sin, than if merely 
 their own fingle Happinefe orMifery were to 
 have been the Confequence or Effeds of it. 
 
 Fourthly^ Let us further fuppofe, what is 
 fufficiently evident to our daily Obfervation 
 and Experience, that all Mankind are now 
 a degenerate, feeble, and unhappy Race of 
 Beings, that we are become Sinners in the 
 Sight of God, and cxpofed to his Anger : It 
 is manifeft enough, that this whole World is 
 a fallen, finful and rebellious Province of 
 God's Dominion, and under the adual Dif- 
 pleafure of its righteous Creator and Gover- 
 nor. The overfpreading Deluge of Folly 
 and Error, Iniquity and Mifery, that covers 
 the Face of the Earth, gives abundant Ground 
 for fuch a Suppofition. The Experience of 
 every Man on Earth affords a ftrong and 
 melancholy Proofj that our Reafoning Powers 
 
 are 
 
o/HuMAN Reason. 25^ 
 
 are eafily led aftray into Miftake and Falfe- 
 hood, wretchedly brib'd andbyafs'd by Pre- 
 judices, and daily overpower'd by fome cor- 
 rupt Appetites or Paffions, and our Wilis 
 led aftray to chufe Evil inftead of Good. 
 The beft of us fometimes break the Laws of 
 our Maker, by contradifting the Rules of 
 Piety and Virtue which our own Reafon and 
 Confciences fuggeft to us. I'here is none 
 righteous perfedly ; no, not one. Nor is there 
 one Perfon upon Earth free from Troubles 
 and DiflSculties, and Pains and Sorrows, 
 fuch as teftify Ibme Refentments of our 
 Maker. 
 
 Even from our Infancy, our Difeafes, Pains 
 and Sorrows begin, and it is very remarkably 
 evident in fome Families, that thele Pains 
 and Difeafes, the Gout, the foul Difeale, 
 Frenzy, &c. are propagated to the Offspring 
 as they were fometimes contraded by the 
 Vices of the Parents: And particular vicious 
 Inclinations^ as well as particular Diftempers, 
 are convey'd from Parents to Children fome- 
 times thro' feveral Generations. The beft of 
 us are not free from irregular Propenfities 
 and Paffions even in the younger Partsof Life, 
 and as our Years advance, our Sins break out, 
 and continue more or lels thro' all our Lives. 
 Our whole Race then are plainly degenerate, 
 finful and guilty before God, and under fome 
 Tokens of his Anger. 
 
 Tho' I own that I borrow this ^tt of 
 I'houghts from the Bible, as well as from 
 
 Reafon 
 
24° Th^ Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 Reafon and pbfervation, yet I would lay a* 
 little as poffible to awaken your Oppofition ; 
 and therefore I fay/not now, whether God 
 made one Pair of human Creatures or more j 
 I do not here determine, whether Mankind 
 finn'd at once and fell from God, and their 
 Duty, and their Happinefs in one fingle Fa- 
 mily, or in one Generation ; or whether it 
 came by a more flow and gradual Degene- 
 racy, by increafing Habits of Vice, by the evil 
 Influence of vicious Examples, or by a com- 
 plicated Confent of Multitudes rebelling 
 againft their Maker. In my prefent Difcourlcj 
 as far as poffible, I would avoid every thing 
 that might give you any Uneafinelsj and 
 therefore I confine myfelf here to fuppofe 
 only thofe Things which may be very pro- 
 bably fuppofed by the Exercife of our Rea- 
 foning Powers, upon the paft and.prelent 
 Condition of Mankind throughout the 
 World. 
 
 You know, Logijfo, that I take it for 
 granted, according to our Scripture, that 
 God made but one Pair of firft Parents Jdam 
 and Eve, and that they having broken the 
 Law of their God, have expofed themfelves 
 and their Pofterity to fuch a Forfeiture of 
 their Privileges, to fuch a Diforder in their 
 rational and animal Powers, to Difeafe and 
 Sorrow, Mifery and Death. But I propofe 
 to you nothing elfe at prefent but an HypO'- 
 , thejts. 
 
 Fifthly, 
 
of" Human REASoisr. 241 
 
 _ Fifthly, Suppofe that our good and gra- 
 cious God, in Compaffion to this finful and 
 miferable Race of Creatures, has continued to 
 them many of the forfeited Comforts of this 
 Life, has maintain'd their animal Nature in 
 fome Degrees of Eafe, and Health, and Vi- 
 gour, and given them Sun and Rain, and Food 
 and Gladnefs, that they might, trace out the 
 Goodnefs of their Maker: Suppofe he has 
 alfo preferved their Reafoning Powers in fuch 
 a meafure of Strength, as that they have a 
 natural Ability to fe^rch out the Knowledge 
 of their Maker, artd the moft important Rules 
 of their Duty to him, and to their Fellow- 
 Creatures, tho' with much more Pains and 
 Difficulty, and Uncertainty, than in their 
 primitive State. Suppofe alfo, that they are 
 not only able to find out the main original 
 Points of Religion and Virtue, which God 
 requires of an innocent Creature, by the due 
 Exercife of their Reafbn, but that their 
 Reafoning Powers are alio naturally fufficknt 
 to inform them what an offending Creature 
 muft do in order to obtain any Hopes of Par- 
 don and Acceptance with an offended God, 
 /. e. that they muft practile hearty Repen- 
 tance for pafs'd Sins, Prayer for divine For- 
 givenefs, and watchful Endeavours to fulfil 
 all Duty, and avoid every Sin for Time to 
 come. 
 
 I fuppofe therefore, that tho' Mankind, 
 according to the Conftitution and Law of 
 the Propagation of their Natures is brought 
 
 R into 
 
1^1 The Strength ^w^Weaknefs 
 
 Into the World under unhappy Circumftances, 
 with Prejudices againft Truth and Goodnefs, 
 and Propenlities to Evil, yet there is in the 
 Nature of Man ftill, fuch a Principle of 
 Reafon and Confeience remaining, as now 
 and then gives him fecret Hints and Intima- 
 tions of the Differences of Good and Evil, and 
 the different Confequences of them : And 
 that if all thefe Hints were duly attended to, 
 and rightly purfued, they would lead him 
 to true Repentance, and give him encou- 
 raging Hopes of Acceptance in the Sight of 
 God. And this rational *Principle (I have 
 granted) is found in fome conliderable De- 
 grees among the more learned and polite Na- 
 tions ; nor are the moft rude and unpolifh'd 
 Tribes of Mankind utterly deftitute of it : 
 And perhaps this is full as much as can be 
 any way claimed, by a degenerate and finful 
 Race of Creatures at the Hands of an offend- 
 ed Creator and righteous Governor. 
 
 But I proceed; Sixthly, Let us fuppofe fai:- 
 ther, in order to vindicate the Juflice and Good- 
 nefs of God in his Conduct toward Mankind, 
 that he has made fome particular and exprels 
 Revelation and Difcovery of his own Laws, 
 and his intended Grace and Mercy towards 
 Man, in his degenerate State ; and that this 
 Difcovery of Duty and Grace has been made 
 to all Mankind, i. e. to all who are the Parents 
 and Progenitors of the prefent Race of Mor- 
 tals ; and that it was committed to them for 
 the Ufe of themfelyes and their Offspring. 
 
 Suppole 
 
of Human Reason; ^45 
 
 Suppofe that Gpd had, in Ibme exprefs Man- 
 ner, taught them what they fhould do, as 
 Men to pleafe him, and as Sinners to remove 
 his Anger, and to become afrefh interefted 
 in his Love, and to obtain Happinels in a 
 way of Religion. And fuppofe after this, 
 that Mankind, or at leaft the greateftPart of 
 them, ftiouldhave negleded to pradife thefe 
 Rules of Religion, or to tranfmit them to 
 their Offspring, is the Wifdom and Goodnefs 
 of God bound to be perpetually renewing 
 his Difcoveries of Grace and Mercy to every 
 Age ? Is it not iufficiently manifeft, in the 
 Nature of Things, that Parents fhould pro- 
 vide for their Childrens Safety ? Has not 
 God wrought it, jn fome meafiire, into the 
 very Conftitution of Men, that they Ihould 
 take care of the Welfare and Happinefs of 
 their Offspring ? What is that natural and al- 
 moft univerfal Tendernefs that is found in 
 Parents towards their Children ? Is it not a 
 Didate of the God of Nature to them, that 
 they might take care of the true Happinefs 
 of thofe whom they bring into the World, 
 and that in their Relations to God, as well as 
 their Relations to this World ? 
 
 And has not the great and bleffed God 
 done all that Juftice or Equity could require 
 for fuch a finful and rebellious Race of Crea- 
 tures, if he has taught one Generation the 
 way to recover his Favour and Happinefs, 
 and has wrought this Principle not only into 
 the Powers of their Reafon, but even into 
 
 R 2 their 
 
244 ^^ Strength and Wcaknefs 
 
 their animal Natures, that Parents fiiould 
 take care of the Welfare of their Offspring, 
 and fliould teach them the Rules of Duty 
 and Felicity ? 
 
 Seventhly^ Suppofe againj that notwith- 
 ftanding all this Care and Goodnefs of the 
 blefled God in revealing his Laws, and his 
 Grace, that Mankind by Degrees have cor- 
 rupted themfelves again, and run into fuch a 
 univerfal Pradice of Impiety and Vice, that 
 God has manifefted his Indignation againft 
 their Sins, and their Negled of Religion, by 
 an univerfal Dcftrudion of their whole Race, 
 excepting a few Families. 
 
 Suppofe he has taught Religion afrefti to 
 thefe few Fatpilies who were faved from the 
 univerfal Punifliment and Defolation, and 
 imprefs'd a deep Senfe of his Juftice, and of 
 the Evil of Sin, upon their M-inds, by this 
 fpreading Ruin of their Fellow Creatures : 
 Suppofe he has given them further Alfu- 
 rances of his Grace and Goodujcfs, that if 
 they repent, and do his Will, and truft in 
 his Mercy, according to the Methods he pre- 
 fcribed, they fhould t)e faved : Yet after all, 
 in fome fucceffive Generations, the greatefi 
 Part of them corrupt themfelves again, and 
 grow Rebels againfl: their Maker : What fhall 
 be faid in a Way of Vindication or Apology 
 for fuch a Race of Criminals, who are nei- 
 ther to be kept in their Duty by Es^amples 
 of Vengeance, or Difcoveries of Grace ? 
 What is there can reafonably be alledged by 
 
 way 
 
</ Human Reason. 245 
 
 way of Aeptffation^ againft the Juftice and 
 Goodnefs of the great God, if he leave them 
 to perifh la their wilftil Ignorance and Re- 
 bellion f 
 
 While I have been reprefenting this Mat- 
 ter, Logt^o, while I have been ftiewing the 
 repeated Difcoveries of Grace and Duty 
 made to all Mankind, I know you are fo 
 well acquainted with the Bible, that your 
 Thoughts muft needs run upon the Grace 
 manifefted to ^dam and Eve after their firfi: 
 Sin, when God taught them Sacrifices, and, 
 without doubt, promifed them Pardon and 
 Peace,, and gave Intimations of a Saviour 
 and Salvation, in much plainer Language, 
 and greater Variety, than the ftiort Hiftory 
 of Mof&s can be fuppofed to contain in a 
 Page or two in the Book of Genejis : And I 
 doubt not but when I Ipeak of fome univer- 
 fal Vengeance deftroying finful Man, and of 
 a fecond Revelation of Grace n^ade to all 
 Mankind, who were faved out of the gene- 
 ral Deftruftion of the World, you readily 
 apprehend the four Couple of Perfons faved 
 out of the general Deluge in the Ark, that is, 
 Nba^f with his three Sons, and all their 
 Wives : And yet, even after all thefe In- 
 ftances of Vengeance and Grace, Mankind 
 grew moft abominably ignorant, corrupt, 
 and profligate, vicious, and profane, in moft 
 of the Families of the World. 
 
 Now is the bleffed God bound in every 
 Age of Mankind to renew the Difcoveries of 
 
 R 3 his 
 
24^ ^^^ Strength and Weakflefs 
 
 his Mercy and their Duty, of the true Reli- 
 gion, and the Way of Salvation, and that to 
 every Family, when 'tis evident that he had 
 twice made fuch Difcoveries to all Mankind, 
 in the Family of Adam^ and in that of l^oah^ 
 who were the two Progenitors of all human 
 Nature, in different Ages ? And efpecially, 
 iince we believe, God had both inclined and 
 commanded the Heads of thcfe Families, 
 Adam and 'Noah^ to inltrud their Children in 
 thefe moft important Concerns, and fince he 
 had fo wrought into the Conftitution of every 
 Parent a natural tender Concern for the Wel- 
 fare of all their Offspring, to influence them 
 to communicate thefe Inftrudions. Has not 
 God, the Wife and the Merciful, done all 
 that Juftice can require, toward the Propa- 
 gation of the liiperadded Light of Grace 
 thro* all the World, befides the common 
 Light of Rcafon which is continued to them, 
 and which in itfelf is naturally and remote- 
 ly fufficient to lead them to Religion and 
 Happinels ? 
 
 Give me leave. Sir, to ftate this Cafe in 
 two Similitudes, and fee whether the Equity 
 and Goodnels of God, the Creator and Go- 
 vernor of the World, may not be thereby 
 fufficicntly vindicated in his Condud towards 
 Mankind. 
 
 The firft Similitude is this : Suppole a 
 Sovereign Prince has found the Inhabitants 
 of fome City of his Dominion breaking the 
 general Laws of his Kingdom, and rebelling 
 
 againfl 
 
q/" Human Reason. 247 
 
 againft him, aad on that Account, they are 
 banifh'd from that City, and from the King's 
 Prefence, into a diftant Province, where they 
 continue in their Rebellion : Their Pofterity 
 are born under this Banilhment, and yet ftill 
 rebel, and break the Laws of their Prince, 
 and by degrees forget thele Laws, andlofe 
 the Knowledge of their Duty. 
 
 Suppofe at any time the King publifties an 
 Ad of Grace, wherein he reveals their gene- 
 ral Duty to them afrefli, and further declares 
 to them, that wholbever of this Race of Re- 
 bels will repent of their Crimes, will ask 
 Forgivenefs upon their Knees, will renew 
 their Oath of Allegiance, obey his Will, and 
 truft in his Mercy, fliall be reftored to their 
 City, and to the King's Prefence and Fa- 
 vour. 
 
 The King having appointed this Method 
 of Grace, and publifh'd it to all the Rebels, 
 he juftly expeds, that that Generation and 
 their Pofterity ftiould carefully tranfmit the 
 Knowledge of their Duty to their Offspring, 
 and that all Ihould conform themfelves both 
 to his general Laws, and to the appointed 
 Methods in this Ad of Grace, till he himfelf 
 fliall alter it : And whatfoever new or fur- 
 ther Methods this abfolute Sovereign fliall 
 appoint to them hereafter, for the obtaining 
 his Favour, all that hear of it, both they 
 and their Children, are bound to comply 
 with it, if ever they would find Favour at 
 
 Court. 
 
 R 4 The 
 
248 T'h^ Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 The King doth not think himfelf obliged 
 every Year nor every Age to give the rifing 
 Generation a new^and itnmediate Promulga- 
 tion of his general Laws, nor of this Aft of 
 Grace, nor to repeat to them over again the 
 Teflimony and Proofs of its Royalty and 
 Authority. Yet the Children being Rebels 
 ftill, may be ftill juftly continued in their 
 Banilhment, for their own and their Parents 
 Rebellion, if they do not comply with the 
 appointed Method in the Aft of Grace which 
 was publiih'd in their Great Grandfathers 
 Days. 
 
 Is it not a common Cafe among Mankind, 
 that when any King makes a Law with a 
 'Penalty ^ and publilhes it once thro' his whole 
 Nation, he doth not think himfelf bound to 
 publifli this anew, as often as new Subjefts 
 are born in his Dominions? And yet not 
 only all the prefent Subjeds, but their Pofte- 
 rity alfo, who break this Law, are, in the 
 common Senfe of Mankind, liable to the Pe- 
 nalty, becaufe 'tis fuppofed, that Nature 
 obliges Men to communicate fuch neceffary 
 Knowledge to their own Offspring. Much 
 lefs would any King who freely publiih'd ari 
 Ad of Grace to Rebels, think himfelf obliged 
 in Juftice to repeat the Publication of this 
 Ad to every new Generation of Rebels who 
 ftiould arile, and continue in the known and 
 wilful Rebellion of their Fathers \ for fince 
 he was not obliged to make any fuch Ad of 
 
 Grace 
 
o/ Human Reason, i^^ 
 
 Grace at firft, he can never be obliged to 
 repeat the Proclamation of it. 
 
 But let it be fuppofed yet further, that 
 the King of the Country fhonld hear of the 
 continued Rebellion of thofe Subjefts, and 
 that they had perfifted in the Violation of his 
 Laws, and defpiled and rejeded, forgotten 
 and loft the Proclamations of his Grace j and 
 iuppofe he fhould fend his Army to deftroy 
 all that Race of Rebels, except a few Fami- 
 lies, in order to manifeft his juft Indignation 
 againft their Crimes, and thereby awaken 
 thofe that were left, to a more awful Senfe 
 of the Majefty and Juftice of their King, and 
 of their own Duties to him : Yet further, we 
 will fuppofe he Ihould fend another Procla- 
 mation of Mercy to thefe few Families that 
 he had fpared olit of the general Slaughter, 
 with Ibme plainer Difcoveries of his Royal 
 Goodnefs in it, and repeat afrefh to them 
 what Duties they fhould perform, in order 
 to partake of this Mercy : Now if after all 
 this Difcovery both of his Juftice and liis 
 Grace, this Race of Rebels in two or three 
 Generations ftiould fo abandon themfelves to 
 all manner of Difobedience, fliould defpife 
 this new Proclamation of Mercy, and giving 
 themfelves up to Riot and Folly, fhould lofe 
 the Knowledge of the Laws, and Grace of 
 their Sovereign; What poffible Apology 
 could be made for this wretched Race of 
 Rebels, why they Ihould not be continued 
 
 in 
 
250 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 in their Banifliment, and under the Di^ea- 
 fure of their King ? 
 
 The rebellious Children of thefe rebel 
 Subjeds may complain indeed, that they 
 were never told, nor did they know the ge- 
 neral Laws of the Kingdom, nor were they 
 acquainted with the particular Ads of Grace, 
 and thefe fpecial appointed Methods of ob- 
 taining Pardon and Favour- 
 But if the general Laws of the Kingdom 
 were fo far agreeable to the Laws of Reafon 
 and Nature, that if they would but ferioully 
 confider with themfelves, and fet their Rea- 
 Ibn at work in good earneft, they might 
 £nd out not only thele general Laws^ but {o 
 much alfo of the partkular Methods of Grace, 
 as to get fome Hope of Pardon and Accep- 
 tance, if they fincerely practifed them ^ then, 
 I fay, thefe Children are highly criminal for 
 not applying their rational Powers to the 
 Work, and for not feeking out and pracli- 
 fing all that was within the Verge and Com- 
 pafs of their natural Powers, in order to be 
 reftored to the Favour of the King. And 
 fuch criminal Creatures juitly continue imder 
 the Dilpleafure of their Sovereign. 
 
 It is granted indeed, that the Parents who 
 rebell'd againft the King, and brought up 
 their Offspring to Rebellion and Mifery, who 
 run counter to that Compaffion which Na- 
 ture gave them for their Offspring, and by 
 continuing in their Rebellion loft the Know- 
 ledge of the Laws, and the Grace of their 
 
 King 
 
of Hum AN Reason. 251 
 
 King themlelves, and never taught them to 
 their Children, are much more culpable than 
 the Children who never adually knew them : 
 Yet the Children are far from being innocent, 
 lince their natural Powers, if they awaken'd 
 them to a right and careful Exercife, might 
 lead them to fo much Knowledge of the 
 Laws, and Methods of Grace of their Sove- 
 reign, as, if fincerely praftifed, they might 
 hope to find Mercy with him. The King 
 may be wife, and juft, and gracious ftill, and 
 yet the Race of Rebels may be in fuch Cir- 
 cumftances, that not one in a thoufand are 
 ever likely to be rellor'd to his Favour. 
 
 Take the Thing in a little different View, 
 under another Similitude: Suppofe any par- 
 ticular Family upon Earth had fome painful 
 and mortal Difeafe hereditary to the Houle, 
 derived from the Vices of their Parents, and 
 more rooted in their Conftitution by their 
 own Perfonal Vices j and fuppofe the blelTed 
 God had twice communicated a divine Re- 
 ceipt or Medicine to their whole Family, 
 which would relieve and heal every one that 
 made ufe of it; Is God obliged, by a Mi- 
 racle, or by Infpiration, to reftore the pre- 
 cious Secret to this Family, when they have 
 loft it by their own guilty Negligence ? 
 When the Parents took no care to preferve 
 the Remedy, nor the Children ever inquired 
 for a Cure ? Or when they wander'd after 
 the moft vain and moft irrational Pretences, 
 and the moft ridiculous Experiments, to heal 
 
 them- 
 
2 5 2 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 themfelves ? Is it unjuft for God to let them 
 die under their Difeafe ? Do they not de- 
 ferve to perifli under their own Diftemper 
 and Folly ? 
 
 Suppofe yet further, that the wife and 
 righteous God Ihould, in the Courle of his 
 Providence, fufFer this Difeafe to Ipread it-< 
 felf, and rage with mortal Fury in fome 
 fingle Generation, fb as to deftroy the whole 
 Race, except fcven or eight Perfbns. Now 
 by fuch a dreadful Speftacle of Death and 
 Defolaxion, thefe Perfons niuft have a very 
 terrible Senfe of this mortal Diftemper im- 
 prefs'd upon their Minds : And fuppole God 
 ihould again difcover to this furviving Fa- 
 mily the noble Medicine whereby they might 
 be heal'd of this Diftemper : Suppofe this 
 Family ftiould publifti the Terrors of the late 
 univerfal Deftruftion, together with the pre- 
 cious Remedy, to the following Generations, 
 as Noah publifti'd the Hiftory of the Flood, 
 and the Laws and Grace of God ; yet if all 
 this be defpifed and neglefted by their Pofte- 
 rity, and the late Defolation, as well as the 
 new Notice of the Medicine, be banifli'd 
 from all their Thoughts, and forgotten in a 
 few Ages, what can be faid in Excufe for 
 them, or what Accufation can be brought 
 againft the Wifdom, luftice, or Goodnefi 
 of God, if they are fuffer'd to go on and 
 die? 
 
 The Grime is yet more inexcufable^ and 
 the Juftice and Goodnefs of God yet more 
 
 defen- 
 
e/HuMAiN Reason* 253 
 
 dfefenfible, if we fuppofe fome chief Ingre- 
 dients of this fovereign Medicine, which make 
 a great Part of the Compofition, to be in 
 fome Senfe within the natural Reach of their 
 own Faculties to find out, and within the 
 native Power of their Hands to acquire and 
 compofe ; fo far at leaft as would greatly 
 relieve the Diftemper, ind give them com- 
 fortable Hopes of healing, if they fearch'd 
 it out, and uled it. But if thefe wretched 
 Creatures under a mortal Difeafe will never 
 exercife their Thoughts about a Cure, will 
 never employ their Reafon carefully and 
 diligently to iearch and find out the proper 
 Ingredients, nor ufe their Hands to attempt 
 the Compofition, but will trifle away all 
 their Time in Riot and Senfuality, in Dan- 
 cing and Singing, regardlefs of their own 
 Lives, what reafonable Charge or Cenfure 
 can be brought againft the great Governor 
 of the World, for perniitting them to go on 
 to Death in their own Madnefs ? 
 
 This is the Cafe of Mankind among the 
 favage Nations of the Earth, who were all 
 derived from Adam and Noah^ their Fathers, 
 to whom the Laws of God, and the Methods 
 of Grace and Salvation were communicated 
 by God himfelf, and who took care to in- 
 form their immediate Pofterity, what the 
 World fuffer'd, by Difobedience to God, at 
 the Fall and the Floods and took care alio 
 to teach them thofe Truths and Duties, by 
 the Belief and Practice of which they might 
 
 be 
 
2 54 'I'^^ Strength and Wcaknefs 
 
 be faved. 'Tis probable, that Ibme of thefc 
 Families did retain true Religion for feveral 
 Ages : But in a few Ages, others deipifed 
 and loft the Truths and Duties of true [Reli- 
 gion : Every Generation grew worfe than 
 their Fathers ; and now whole Nations, with- 
 out one Exception, are led away by Preju- 
 dices and Senfuality into endlefs Follies, Er- 
 rors, and Impieties, without any Care or 
 Effort of Mind to recover the Knowledge of 
 the Laws of their Maker, or the Methods of 
 Jiis Grace. 
 
 A due Survey of this laji Conjtderation w^ill 
 moft effedually refute that wild and unrea- 
 fonable Charge againft our Dodrine, as if 
 the great God left aU the JVorld, except the 
 Jews, for Four thoufand Tears together, dejii- 
 tute of fuffcient Means to do their Duty, and 
 to obtain his Favour ; which is as falfe as I 
 believe the Book of Genefis is true, and has 
 not fb much as a Colour of Argument to 
 fupport it. 
 
 But before I leave this Head of the fliame- 
 ful Degeneracy, and grofs- Apoftacy of the 
 Heathen World, I cannot but take Notice 
 of one very remarkable Aggravation of the 
 Crime both of Parents and Children, and 
 that is, that tho' feveral of thefe Nations in 
 a few Ages loft and abandon'd the Worlhip 
 of the true God, the Knowledge of his Laws, 
 and the Difcoveries of his Grace, tho' the 
 Parents took no care to communicate them 
 to their Children, nor the Children to retain 
 
 any 
 
of Human Reason. 255 
 
 any Notices of them ; yet thefe very Na- 
 tions are moft obftinately tenacious of the 
 Idolatry and impious Ceremonies, the favage 
 and the viciolis Cuftoms and Praftices of their 
 Anceftors ; and their Parents are as careful 
 to teach them, and to breed them up in thefe 
 Iniquities and Errors. If you ask the wild 
 Americans, the Laplanders, the Hottentots^ 
 the Realbn of their ridiculous Opinions and 
 Practices, their univerfal Anfwer is, that 'tis 
 the Cujiom of their 'Nation, and their Fathers 
 and their Grandfathers, for many yfges, have 
 believed and done Jo before them. This, in 
 their Efteem, is a facred and fufficient Rea- 
 ibn for their immovable Perfeverance in their 
 own Nonfenfe and Madnefs : So impioufly 
 fond have they been of the Tradition of 
 their Anceftors, in their profane and vicious 
 Cuftoms, while they fo foon and fo eafily 
 parted with the Rules of Virtue and Reli- 
 gion, and the Promifes and Hopes of Grace 
 and Salvation. 
 
 'Tis Time now to proceed to the next 
 Confideration, in order to vindicate the Ju- 
 ftice and Goodnefs of God in the prefent 
 Conftitution of Things. 
 
 In the eighth Place therefore, fuppofe that 
 none of the Race of Mankind, whatfoever 
 Advantages or Difadvantages they lie under, 
 ftiall ever be condemned in the other World 
 for the Neglc£t of any Duties, but what 
 their own Reafon was in a f radical and proxi- 
 mate Senfe fufficient to find out : Now there 
 
 are 
 
2^6 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 are a fufficient Number of thefe Neglefts to 
 bring Condemnation upon every Part of the 
 Heathen World, whether learned or barba- 
 rous. Suppofe that no Creature ftiall be 
 punifti'd hereafter for any Sin but what was 
 fome Way or other committed againft his 
 own Light or Confcience, or for a plain 
 wilful Neglect of feeking further Knowledge 
 of Truth and Duty, by fuch Means as were 
 plainly and f radically within their Reach: 
 Suppofe that the great Judge at laft fliall 
 pals a Sentence of Death upon no Soul but 
 who fliall be made to recollect his own guilty 
 Condudt, either by oppoling the Dictates of 
 his Confcience, by ftifling Convictions of Sin 
 or Duty, by fuppreffing fome inward Prin- 
 ciples or Tendencies towards Truth or Vir- 
 tue, or at leaft by a wilful Negled to purfue 
 fuch Hints of Knowledge as have been given 
 him in the Courfe of Providence, or by the 
 good Spirit of God : Will not this Thought 
 fairly relieve the Objection, and vindicate 
 the Honour of the divine Perfections ? 
 
 'Tis the Charader of the Heathens^ Rom. i. 
 T'hat they did not like to retain God in their ■ 
 Knowledge^ that they held the J'ruth in Un- 
 righteoujhej's ; they flifled the Dictates of 
 their own Minds ; and when they knew Gody 
 they would not glorify him as God. Even the 
 wife Men of the Nations who were ac- 
 quainted with the true God, wilfully com- 
 plied with national Idolatries, to the Scandal 
 of their own Realbn, and the great Provoca- 
 tion 
 
o^'HumanReason. 257 
 
 tion of their Maker, fo that he gave them up 
 to judicial Blind nefs tor their own yile Abufe 
 of the Light of their Reafon and Confciences* 
 Is not the great Governor of the Univerfe to 
 be juftify'd in this Condud ? 
 
 The Defign of the Day of Judgment is to 
 juftify or condemn Men according to their 
 Works, and to make the Equity of the great 
 God, as Governor of the World, appear in 
 that' Sentence of Juftification or Condemna- 
 tion : And therefore I am inclined to be- 
 lieve, that no Perfon in that Day ftiall fall 
 under the condemning Sentence of the Judge, 
 but who fhall alio be judged and condemned 
 in his own awaken'd Confcience, for thole 
 very Things upon which his Condemnation 
 proceeds from the Lips of the Judge. Every 
 Mouth will bejiopped byfuch a Procedure as 
 this, and all the Heathen World who Ihall 
 be condemned in that Day, Ihall be made to 
 recoiled their own Refiftance of Confcience, 
 and their wilful Negleds, and by the Light 
 of their own Reafon fhall confefs the Juftice 
 of the SentencCj and the Equity of him that 
 condemns. 
 
 Tho' it has been fufficiently proved, that 
 the barbarous and favage Nations of the 
 Earth have not a froximate and praB'tcal 
 Sufficiency in their Reafoning Powers to find 
 out the necelTary Truths and Duties of Re- 
 ligion, in order to obtain Happinefs, yet 
 every fingle Creature amongft them had a 
 praBical and proximate Sufficiency to find 
 
 S ' out 
 
258 Tloe Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 out and know more of God and their Duty, 
 and to pradife more Rules of Virtue than 
 they ever aftually found or praftifed. 
 
 And let it be added alfo, that if there were 
 any Soul amongft them that had foUow'd the 
 Leadings of his own Reafon and Gonfcience, 
 together with every Beam of Light, or Hint 
 of Knowledge that occurr'd in the Courfe of 
 Life, the blefled God would have manifefted 
 his Goodnefs in giving that Soul fome further 
 Hints of the neceffary Truths and Duties of 
 Religion. 'Tis a univerfal Law of Heaven, 
 To him that hath^ that is, improveth what 
 he hath, more Jhall he given: And I am 
 perfuaded, God would never with-hold his 
 Hand from communicating further Hints pf 
 Knowledge, till he fees the Creature wilfully 
 ilop fhort of what he might attain, and neg- 
 led or fupprefs fome Intimations of Truth 
 or Duty, which one Way or other were 
 fuggefted to h4m. 'Tis rebelling againft 
 fome Degree of Light that provoketh God 
 to with-hold Grace from Man, and would 
 vindicate divine Juftice in its fevereft Sen- 
 tence. 
 
 But in the ninth Place, As there is infinite 
 Variety of Degrees of Guilt in particular Per- 
 fons, and their Condud in this World, there 
 fliall be the fame Variety of the Degrees of 
 Punilhm'ent in the World to come. He that 
 knew not his Majier's Will, Jhall be beaten but 
 with few Stripes, in Comparifon with thofe 
 Criminals who knew it and fought againft it. 
 
 Suppofe 
 
o/ Human Reason^ 259 
 
 Suppol^ therefore that the Puniftiment of 
 thefe rudeft and moft ftupid Nations of the 
 Earth, in the future Wprld, Ihall be exceed- 
 ing fmall, in Proportion to the very fmall 
 Degrees of Light and Knowledge which they 
 have enjoy 'd, or which have lain fairly and 
 praftically within their Reach j WjU not 
 this greatly relieve the Difficulty ? 
 
 And if even thefe lighteft Punifhments 
 which Ihall be affign'd to the moft ignorant 
 Part of the Heathen World, ftiould be thought 
 fomething fevere, yet none can be thought 
 utterly unjuft,. if, as was before obferved, 
 none are punifh'd but for ading in fome 
 meafure againft the Light of their own 
 Minds. 
 
 Now, Sir, if we could put all thefe nine 
 Suppofitions together, and place them in 
 fuch a happy Situation, as that they might, 
 with their full Force, projed all their Light 
 upon this fingle Spot of Darknefs in divine 
 Providence, about the State and Circum- 
 ftances of the Heathen World, I perluade 
 myfelf, they would illuftrate this gloomy 
 Scene, they would clear up the Difficulties, 
 and relieve the Charges which are caft upon 
 the Condud of divine Juftice and Goodnefif 
 in this Affair. 
 
 Let us fuppofe, that Mankind at firft were 
 placed in happy Gircumftances, with a rich 
 Sufficiency of natural Powers, to prolong 
 and continue their own Happinels thro' all 
 their Immortality, by knowing and doing 
 
 S a their 
 
26o The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 their Matter's Will : Suppofe they had fome 
 proper Notice given them, that if they finn'd 
 againft God, they fhould not only expofe 
 themfelves, but their Offspring alfo, to a 
 Forfeiture of the Bleffings they enjoy 'd, and 
 ftiould introduce Pains, and Weakneffes, and 
 Death into their Natures: Suppofe it alfo 
 evident, from Obfervation and Experience, 
 from the Weakneffes both of Flefh and Spi- 
 rit, from the Pains and Miferies of human 
 Nature, as well as from the univcrfal Cor- 
 ruption of Morals in the World, that Man- 
 kind has finn'd againfb God,- and is become 
 a fallen and degenerate Race of Beings, under 
 adual Tokens of his Difpleafure; yet that 
 they are not fo utterly divefled of their ori- 
 ginal Powers and Bleffings, but that they 
 have many of the Comforts of this Life left 
 them to trace out the Goodnefs of their Maker, 
 and alfo a natural Capacity to find out their 
 Duty, if they exerted this Capacity to the 
 utmoft : Suppofe yet further, that God has 
 made fevcral new Difcoveries both of his 
 Nature, his Laws, and his Grace, as well as 
 of the Severity of his punilhing Juflice, to 
 thofe Families of Mankind whence all the 
 reft have been derived ; but by Degrees 
 their criminal Negligence, their Irreligion, 
 and their fenfual Vices have prevail'd fo far, 
 as in fome Nations to blot out the Remem- 
 brance of the true God, his Laws, and his 
 Grace from amongft them ^ May not the 
 ■ Goodnefs and Juflice of God be fufficiently 
 
 vindi- 
 
o/HuMAN Reason. '261 
 
 vindicated, if thefe criminal Natidns are 
 abandon'd bjr Heaven, and fall under divine 
 Punifhment for thefe abominable Offences ? 
 and efpecially if the Juftice of God proceed 
 no further againft them than to condemn and 
 punilh them for thofe Offences only, which 
 have been committed againft fome evident 
 inward or qutward Manifeltation of their 
 Duty, and the adual Light of their own 
 Conlciences ; which Offences being compa- 
 ratively but few in Number, call for a much 
 lighter Punifhment than thofe Sinners whole 
 Conlciences* have had higher Degrees of Light 
 communicated to them in Jewijh or Chriji'tan 
 Nations ? 
 
 Sophro. I thank you heartily, Ptthander^ 
 for the large Repetition you have given us 
 of your laft Sunday's Morning-Sermon, for I 
 was then at Church, and heard it with great 
 Satisfadion. 
 
 Pith. I acknowledge, Sir, I efpied you 
 there, and was almoft afhamed to think how 
 much I had borrow'd from your Difcourfe, 
 in fome of thefe Conferences, toward the 
 Compofition of that Sermon .- But Gratitude 
 and Juftice demand my hearty Thanks to 
 Sophronius ; for I am conftrain'd to confels, 
 that I was not fo well skill'd in this Contro- 
 verfy when I entered the Lift with Logiflo : 
 And I am refolved. Sir, for your Sake, 
 henceforth to entertain a better Opinion of 
 thofe who are not entirely with me in Mat-^ 
 ters of the Eftablifhed Church. Thus I 
 S 3 have 
 
26i T'he Strength and Weakivefs 
 
 have learn'd at once from your agreeable. 
 Converfation both Wifdom and Charity. 
 
 Sophro. You overwhelm me, Sir, with 
 Honours and Civilities. I hope this Confe- 
 rence hath not pafs'd without my own con- 
 fiderable Improvement, and am glad to find 
 growing Charity among all that profefs the 
 Chriftian Name, which I fhall always en- 
 deavour to promote arrd cultivate ; for with- 
 out it I can never approve myfelf a Difciple 
 of the blefled Jefus. 
 
 Log. Gentlemen, your mutuar Compli- 
 ments return fo thick on each other, that I 
 have fcarce Room to put in my Thanks to 
 both of you for the Information I have re- 
 ceiv'd from both. I was wondering indeed 
 how P.'ithander came to deliver fo long a 
 Difcourfe, in fo regular a Method and Con- 
 nexion on the fudden in free Converfation : 
 But Sophronius hath explain'd it to me, when 
 he faith it is the Repetition of his Sermon 
 laft Sunday. 
 
 I acknowledge your Goodnefs, Pithandery 
 that you have given me thrPleafure of hear- 
 ing this excellent Difcourfe, tho' I was not 
 fo good as to be at Church : I muft confefs, 
 Sir, thefe Suppojttions or Confideratlons of 
 yours are not at all improbable, and carry 
 a good Force of Argument with them. You 
 give me a little better Opinion of the Bible 
 than I had before, fince it teaches you to un- 
 fold fuch a Difficulty, and to fliew us that 
 
 God 
 
o/HuMAN Reason. 263 
 
 God may be wife and good, notwithftanding 
 the prefent wretched Condition of the Hea- 
 thens who overfpread lb great a Part of this 
 Earth where we dwell. 
 
 But then there is another Difficulty arifeth 
 here, and 'tis the very laft I fliall mention. 
 Has God, who is fo wife and good a Being, 
 left the greateft Part of his Creation to become 
 finally miferable ? Is this confiftent with the 
 Defigns of a Being who pofleffes infinite 
 Goodnefs and "equal Wifdom? 
 
 Pith. Truly, Sir, the Scripture feems to 
 inform us, that there are hut few wh'teh jhall 
 he faved : Strait is the Gate and narrow is 
 the Way that leads to Life^ and they are hut 
 jew' who find it ', whereas the Way to De- 
 Jiru^ion is broad^ and crouded with Multi- 
 tudes: And the Apoftle John tells us, 
 that tho' we who believe in Chrift^ are of 
 God^ yet the whole World lieth in Wickednefs: 
 And if at laft it ftiould prove, that there are 
 far greater Numbers condemn'd to bear the 
 Anger of their Maker than thofe who enjoy 
 his Love, they have nothing juftly to com- 
 plain of but their own ill Condud, fince they 
 fliall be all condemn'd even in their own 
 Confciences. God is juft even though all 
 his Creatures fliould make themfelves mife- 
 rable. 
 
 Sofh. Will you give me leave, ^ithan- 
 der, to try whether upon fome Principles 
 of Philofophy and the Rules of Government, 
 together with fome charitable Turns of 
 
 S 4 Thought^ 
 
1^4 Tloe Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 Thought, I may not be able to give fatis-. 
 faftory Anfwers to the prefent Inquiry and 
 Objedion of Logiflo ? 
 
 Pith. With all my Heart, Sir, and I Ihall 
 be happy to learn from you any further Me- 
 thods of relieving the Difficulties that areliip-. 
 pofed to attend the Conducl of Providence in 
 its Tranfadions with the Race of Men. 
 
 Sofh. In the firft Place then, what if I 
 fhould venture to tell you of another Suppo- 
 fition that has been raifed frojm fome chari- 
 table Turns of Thought concerning thofe 
 rude and barbarous Nations, thole guilty and 
 unhappy Creatures who lived and died inlg-r 
 norance and Vice, whofe Parents had loft 
 the Knowledge of God and their Duty before 
 they were born, and who never came with- 
 in the Reach of the Gofpel in any of the 
 Difpenfations of it, either by Noah or Abra- 
 ham., Mofes or Chr'iji, What if we Ihould 
 fuppofe thefe Wretches, by the over- flowing 
 Mercy of God, fhould be favoured with fome 
 other State of Trial or Probation, before the 
 final Sentence of the 1 aft Day condemns them 
 to perpetual Mifery ? You know fome Pcr- 
 fons have fiippofed, that in the invifible Re- 
 gions where finful Spirits are kept, the Souls 
 of the Rebels who were difobedient in the Days 
 of Noah., and were drowned in the Flood, 
 enjoy 'd the Preaching of the Gofpel by Jefus 
 Chrift himfelf, and that after they had lain 
 in Prifon and Punifhment fome Thoufands 
 of Years, Chriji went into Hell for that Pur- 
 
 pofe, 
 
ojf Human Reason. 265 
 
 pole, I 'J'et. iii. i ^. and preached to the Spirits 
 in ^rifon^ who were once dijobedient. Now 
 what if thefe guilty and unhappy Creatures, 
 who never had any Opportunity to acquaint 
 themfelves with the true God and his Wor- 
 lhip,and with any Difpenfation of his Mercy, 
 fhall be raifed again in the fecond Refur- 
 redion, after the Millennium^ or the happy 
 State of the Church, is expir'd ? And after 
 they have fuftain'd Punilhment for their for- 
 mer Madnefs and Folly from the Time of 
 their Death till that Day, what if they fhould 
 be put upon another Trial under the Difpen- 
 fation of Chrijlianity^ that fo none of all the 
 Race of Adam may be finally condemned 
 without having the adual Knowledge of the 
 Gofpel, at leaft in fome or other of the an- 
 cient or later Pifpenlations of it ? This would 
 not afford the leaft Glimpfe of Hope to thofe 
 Sinners who have finally rejected the divine 
 Revelations which have been made to them 
 under any of the Difpenfations of the Gofpel, 
 and efpecially under the Light of Chriftianity : 
 Yet tliis would folve every Difficulty and 
 remove every Pretence againft the Juftice of 
 God, in his prefent Condud toward i7d'^//?ff»j-, 
 'Tis true, I cannot fay that I can find this in 
 my Bible : But a very learned and ingenious 
 Divine of the Church of England^ who wrote 
 about thirty Years ago, thinks he hath found 
 it there, and that is Mr. Staynoe, in his firft 
 Volume of the Salvation of Man by Jejus 
 Chriji, to which ElTay on this Subjed I refer 
 
 you: 
 
2 66 The Strength and ^^eakneCs 
 
 you: But I venture no further into thefe 
 Depths and Unfearchables of the divine 
 Counfel. 
 
 Yet it muft be confefs'd, that if there 
 fhould be any other State of Trial appointed 
 for thofe unhappy Creatures, whom God is 
 faid to wink at in the Days of their Igno- 
 rance, Afts xvii. 30. (and, perhaps, for this 
 Reafon he. is faid to wink at them, becaule 
 he intended another State of Probation for 
 them) I fay, if there fhould be fuch a State, 
 'tis not improbable, that vaft Multitudes of 
 them might repent and believe, and be 
 faved. 
 
 Pith. This is a very ftrangc Suppofition 
 indeed ; and I think there might be confi- 
 derable Objedions raifed againft it from 
 feveral Places of Scripture. 
 
 Sophro. I only mentioned it. Sir, a^ a Sup- 
 pofition that is not impoffible j for I cannot 
 fay that I come heartily into it, and there- 
 fore I will not undertake to be an Advocate 
 for it : But fuppofe after all, it fhall be 
 found in the great Day of Decifion, that far 
 the greatcft Part of the Inhabitants of this 
 our World have been wilful Criminals againft 
 the Laws of their Maker, and fall under a 
 Sentence of Condemnation and Punifhmentj 
 and fuppofe that, upon the whole, it muft 
 be acknowledged that there are fome De- 
 grees of Severity exercifed by the Lord and 
 Governor of the Univerfe againft the Inha- 
 bitants of this little Globe of Earth 5 Why 
 
 may 
 
o/HuMAN Reason. 167 
 
 may he not make the final Impenitents ' of 
 this our finful World a Monument of his 
 punifhing Juftice, his Hatred of Sin, and 
 his Vindication of his own injur'd Honour ? 
 why may he not fet them as an awful 
 Warning to Millions of Inhabitants of upper 
 and larger Worlds of his Dominion, in 
 Comparifon whereof, perhaps, this Earth is 
 no bigger than the Prifon of Newgate when 
 compar'd with the large and fpacious Cities 
 of London and Wejiminjler '^ 
 
 Is it efteem'd any unreafonj^ble Severity 
 in the Xjovernment of Great Britain^ if 
 twenty or thirty Prifoners m Newgate arc 
 capitally punilh'd every Year, in order to 
 deter the Millions of Inhabitants of thefe 
 two great Cities from the like Crimes ? Does 
 not every Governor find it proper and ne- 
 ceffary that there Ihould be fome Examples 
 made of executing and fuftaining the Penal- 
 ties of the Law, when Villains, by their 
 own Crimes, have incurr'd thefe Penalties ? 
 Does not Prudence itfclf Ibmefimes fee it 
 needful by fuch Executions to vindicate the 
 Wifdom and Juftice of the Government, to 
 maintain the Authority of the Laws, and to 
 fecure the reft of the Subjeds in their con- 
 fta'nt Obedience ? And may not a fovereign 
 Prince chufe which Criminals he pleafes to 
 pardon in a rebellious Province, and which 
 of them he will make a Monument of Terror 
 to preferve the Honour of his Government, 
 and due Obedience to his Laws? And if by 
 
 this 
 
268 The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 this Means he fecures Millions of his Sub- 
 jcds in their Allegiance to himfelf, and in 
 the Enjoyment of a thoufand happy Privi- 
 leges which he has beftow'd upon them ; 
 who can fay, that this Sovereign has afted 
 any thing unbecoming a wife or a gracious 
 Ruler? 
 
 Alas ! Sir, we have too ambitious and 
 overweening a Conceit of ourfelves, when 
 we imagine, that we, who dwell on this little 
 Spot of Ground, are the Whole of the intel- 
 lediual Creation of God; or even that we 
 make any great or confiderable Part of it. 
 Perhaps the World of thofe Spirits which 
 we call Angels^ may be as large and numerous 
 as ours : There are many Ranks and Degrees 
 of them, 'thrones and PrmcipaTities^ Domi- 
 nions and, 'lowers. The Multitudes of their 
 Armies are ten thoufand times ten thoufand-^ 
 and there may be fome Reafon to think, that 
 even all thefe Ranks of intelligent Creatures 
 are but an inconfiderably fmall Portion of the 
 intelledual Works of God. Perhaps molt, 
 if not all thefe Orders of Angels might be 
 form'd with a Regard to this Earth only, Do 
 be divine Agents and MelTengers to manage 
 the Affairs of this terreftrial Province of God's 
 Dominion. 'Tis pofEble, that all the intel- 
 lectual Creatures of which God has given us 
 an Account^ from the Beginning of Genejts 
 to the End of the Revelations^ have Ibme 
 Relation to this little World of ours. Are 
 they not all minijlring Sprits., fent forth to 
 
 minifter 
 
of Human Reason. 26^ 
 
 minijier to them •mho /hall be Heirs of Salva- 
 tion ? Heb. i. ult. And the fallen Angels 
 in the grand Scheme of God's univerlal Go- 
 vernment, perhaps, have all their Pofts af- 
 fign'd to them, by divine Order, or by di- 
 vine Permiffion, to tranfact no other Affairs 
 but what relate to Mankind. It is poffible, 
 that all we call Angels and Devils are only 
 God's invifible Minifters of this his King- 
 dom of vifible Creatures call'd Men, both in 
 their body'd and unbody'd State. Why 
 may not his other vifible Dominions among 
 the Stars (which I Ihall point out prefently) 
 have alfo their proper Ranks of invifible 
 Minifters, by which his Providence and Go- 
 vernment may be carry 'd on among them ? 
 
 Let us confider yet further, what innu- 
 merable Ranks of Beings may be found in 
 the vaft Univerfe which God has made, fu- 
 perior both to Men-and Angels, in a Grada- 
 tion almoft infinite. Let us think of the 
 aflonifhing Varieties and Gradations of Beings 
 belonging to this our Globe, in Air, on 
 Earth, or in the Sea, which lie in the de- 
 fcending Scale of Creatures betwixt the Na- 
 ture of Man, and the Nature of an Oyjier, 
 or if there be any Animal of lower Life : 
 And why may there not be another Variety 
 .and Gradation of Beings as vaft and afto- 
 nifhing in the afcending Scale of Exiftences, 
 all fuperior to us, and yet the highcfl of 
 them infinitely beneath God, its Maker ? 
 Surely the Wifdom of God hath an inex- 
 
 hauftible 
 
lyo The Strength and Weaknefs 
 
 hauftible Sufficiency of Invention to con- 
 trive, and his Power to produce fuch Grada- 
 tions, and Hich Varieties. How audacious 
 a Thing is it then, for fuch little creeping 
 Animals, who dwell on this Clod of Clay, 
 to fancy ourfelves lb large a Part of the 
 Workmanlhip of God, or {b confiderable a 
 Portion of his extenfive Dominions ? And 
 fince we are a finful Race of Creatures, who 
 have fallen from our original State of Holi-? 
 nefs and Felicity, why may not the bleffed 
 God think fit to make the greateft Part of 
 our rebellious World a Monument of his 
 juft Refentment againft Sin, while other 
 numerous Ranks of Being abide firm in 
 their Duty and in their Happinels, and, per- 
 haps, are confirm'd in their Allegiance and 
 Felicity, partly by the Warning they re- 
 ceive from the Revolt and Punifhment of the 
 Inhabitants of this Earthly Globe. • 
 
 'Tis generally now agreed by Philofo- 
 phers, that the Planetary Worlds, fuch as 
 Mars^ Venus^ Jupiter^ and Saturn^ are re- 
 plenifh'd with Inhabitants, as well as this 
 Earth, which is a Planetary Body like them- 
 felves. They are placed in fuch a Situation 
 to the Sun, which is a central Fire, and are 
 carried round it in certain Periods of Time, 
 fo as to receive Light and Heat from it in 
 Proportion to their Diftances and their Re- 
 volutions, juft as our Earth does : And they 
 feem to be as proper Habitations for a Va- 
 riety of unknown Creatures, as the Globe 
 
 on 
 
0/ M U M A N R E A S N. 27 I 
 
 on which wc tread. Can we fuppofe, that 
 the Air, the Earth, and the Water all round 
 this our World Ihould be thus replcnifh'd 
 every where as it is, with Multitudes of 
 Inhabitants, and all, in fome meafure, under 
 the Dominion of Mankind, whofe Race is 
 propagated and fpread all around it, and is 
 there not as much Rcafon to conceive, that 
 thefe vaft bulky Bodies, the Planets, which 
 are fo well fitted for the Refidence of ani- 
 mal and intelledual Creatures, Ihould be 
 mere wafte WildernefTes, huge Solitudes of 
 lifelefs Matter, without any vital Beings to 
 replenifh, po.lTefs, and adorn them ? With- 
 out any intelleftual Tenants there, who 
 may give God the Glory of his Works ? 
 This feems not only contrary to the Didates 
 of Reafon, and to the Appearances of Na- 
 ture round about us, but to the Words of 
 Scripture itfelf j for the Prophet Ifaiah tells 
 us. Chap. xlv. V. 18. That the God who 
 created the Heavens^ and formed the Earthy 
 and made it, he created it not in vain-, he 
 formed it to be inhabited: Whence the Infe- 
 rence is very natural and obvious, that had 
 he not form'd it to be the Habitation of 
 fome Creatures, it had been made in vain. 
 
 And may we not make the fame Inference 
 concerning th|fe huge Planetary Globes of 
 Saturn and Jupiter, which, perhaps, are Two 
 hundred times as big as this Earth ? They, 
 furely, are made to be inhabited, and de- 
 fign'd for fome better and nobler Purpole, 
 
 than 
 
ty 1 The Strength an^ Weaknefs 
 
 than merely to give us Mortals a little glim-' 
 mering Light in the Abfence of the Moon, 
 to dired a wandering Ship at Midnight, and 
 to entertain the Curiofity of an Aftronomer 
 and his Spying-Giafs. Thefe feem to be 
 Purpofes too low and mean, too little and 
 inconfiderablq for the prodigious Vaftnefs of 
 thofe heavenly Bodies, and the Regularity 
 of their Situations and Motions round the 
 Sun. The Wifdom of a God does not aim 
 at fuch poor and unworthy Defigns, by fuch 
 ftupendous Fabricks as thefe rolling Worlds* 
 Caucafus, or T'eneriff'^ or a taller Mountain, 
 if it were made only for the Birth or Refi- 
 dence of a Moufe, would be a more pro- 
 portionate Contrivance, and perhaps, a wifer 
 Defign. 
 
 And what if we make yet another Ex- 
 curfion beyond the Circle wherein Saturn 
 rolls, which is the moft diftant of our Pla- 
 netary Globes ? What if we fuppofe, with 
 fome modern Virtuofds^ that every iix'd Star 
 is a Sun, or central Fire, to enlighten and 
 warm a whole Set of Planetary Worlds, 
 which may roll round it? And what if all 
 thefe Worlds are furnifh'd with intelleflual 
 Inhabitants ? What a ftupendous Idea ftiall 
 we have of the Magnificence of the Works 
 of God, and the Extent of his innumerable 
 Dominions ? Where is the Hurt or Danger 
 of it, if we Ihould yield to thefe Reafbnings, 
 and to the Philofophy of the Age, fo far as' 
 to imagine thefe innumerable Worlds to be 
 
 the 
 
o/ Hum ArN Reason. 273 
 
 the appointed -Refidpnces qf coafcious Be- 
 ings ? Let us fuppofe ,them all inh,ab,ite4 
 by animal ^nd intelkdiial Greatures of God, 
 and, perhaps, better E^ppied than, this our 
 Earth is, especially, if, Sin and Death: hath 
 not enter'd amongft, them. ,, 
 
 Now tho' we are:,uot f^VQuy'd with. -the 
 Knowledge of the State, qr- Laws, or Cir- 
 cumftances pf the Inhabitants of thofeWprlds, 
 becaufe we are a rebellious and criminal 
 Province, of God's Dominion, and' deferve 
 to dwell in Ignorance and Darknefs ; yet 
 thofe -Upper Regions and Worlds may be 
 favpur'd with a large and particular Account 
 of the State and Circumftances of this Earth, 
 and of the Conduct of God towards the Re- 
 bel Inhabitants of it : And this Notice of 
 the Degeneracy and Rebellion of Mankind, 
 together with the Severity of God, our com- 
 mon Governor, againft a great Part of Men, 
 may have a happy Influence to fecure their 
 Obedience, and to preferve the Inhabitants 
 of thofe' .Worlds in an everlafting State of 
 Duty and IJappinefs. 
 
 As it has pleafed God, in his Wifdom and 
 Goodnef?, to reveal to us the heavy and 
 endlefs Puniftiment he has inflided on the 
 evil Angels, for their lirft Rebellion and 
 Difobjedience, and has told us, I'hai: he 
 fpared not jhe Angds who Jlnned^ hut cafi 
 them, down, to Hell y and 'has refewed them in 
 everlajling Chains undfK^ Darknefs.^ mto the 
 Judgment of , the great Day ^ and fome greater 
 ' " "T ' Puniih- 
 
274 ^^^ Strength hnd Weaknefs 
 
 Punifliment to enfue, in order to warn us 
 of the dangerous Crimes of Pride and Re- 
 bellion, 1 Pet.'n. 4. Jude 6. 1 ftm. lii.' 6- 
 fp it is very probable, that the fame divine 
 Wifdom and Goodrlels has made our Grimes 
 and Punifhments on this* Globe bf Earth a 
 Monument of his juft Severity, to give 
 Warning to foine vaft and unknown Re- 
 gions of upper Worlds, left they'alfb fhould' 
 fin againft their Maker, after our Example, 
 and fall under his dreadful DifpleafUre, as 
 Mankind has done. 
 
 Tho' it fhould appear at the great Day 
 of Judgment, that the largeft Part of. the 
 Inhabitants of this our Earth are condcmnM 
 to greater or lefs Degrees of Unhappiiiefs, 
 yet (as I befoi-e hinted) perhaps all this 
 Earth, with all the Number of its Inhabi- 
 tants put together, are not fo much in Com- 
 parifbn of the holy and happy Worlds of 
 intellectual Beings which God has created, 
 as Newgate is in Comparifon of the populous 
 ' Cities of Wejiminjier and London : And if 
 by the Punifliment of a few Criminals there 
 are Millions preferved in Duty and Happi- 
 nefs, then the great and bleffed ♦God will 
 have a fpacious and moft illuftrious Difplay 
 of his Goodnefs above and beyond the Exer- 
 cile of his more awful Perfeftiohs of Juftice 
 or Vengeance : And even the Exercife of 
 thefe awful Perfe<9tions upon a few of the 
 Subjeds of his Dominions, will become as 
 it were a Means in the Hand of his Good- 
 
 ncls 
 
(^ H U M A N Re A S £* tfff 
 
 ttels tfi ni^ke Miili(Shs of thebi for ever 
 bleffed. 1 ./; 
 
 Thus tho' the largeft Patt of Mdakihd 
 in.ay be finful and unhappy, yet I'm rper- 
 fuaded, that the far largeft Part of Ood's 
 whole Intelligent Creation are holy and happy 
 Beings ^ and if there are foihfe thoufahds of* 
 miferable immortal Souls oii Ihiis little Globe, 
 yet there may bej perhaps, abbvfe a thou- 
 fand whole Worlds of confcious Beitlgs, who 
 are happy in the FaVtiur of the God who 
 made them, who love and ferve him, and 
 rejoice in his Love thro' all the Ages of 
 their immortality.^ How unreafonable is ic 
 then ftw us to paifs a Judgment either on the 
 Condu^ of God, or on the State of his In- 
 tellectual Creation, by'^fueli a narrow and 
 limited Survey of his Wifdom, Juftice, and 
 Goodnefs, as this our little Planetary Globe 
 of Earth can afford us ? 
 
 Log. Welly Sophtomusy I'm wonderfully 
 pleas'd with this laft Speech of yours. This 
 feems effedually to feGufe the Honour of 
 the divine Perfedions againft all Charges, if 
 you could fliew us the Inhabitants of thefe 
 Caftles in the Air, thele Ethereal Worlds* 
 But arc not all thefe mere Suppofitions of 
 wild Fancy, and imaginary Scenes ? What 
 Certainty have you of fuch unknown Gtea« 
 tureS aiid unknown Dominions of God thd 
 Creator ? 
 
 Sophrd, *Tis' granted, Logt/io, that thefd 
 ttt Suppofitions, but thdy are fuch' Sup|)d- 
 
 T a fitioiis 
 
\76 The Strengieh^» J Weaknefs 
 
 fiUons as I have fhewn you are plainly built 
 upon Principles of Reafon : The Force of 
 Argument that maintains them is fo ilrong, 
 that, in my Opinion, itrifes to a very high 
 Degree oi ^rol^ahiUty ^ and therefore they 
 are not to.be call'd imaginary Scenes, or the 
 airy Cafties of wild Fancy. If thefe Rea- 
 fonings are good and folid, then it will folr 
 loWi that thefe unknown Worlds are fo -far 
 from being mere Fancies, that they are the 
 folid and real Struftures of God himfelf, 
 
 Belides, Sir, as I remember, it was men- 
 tion'd by Pithander, that if we can but find 
 out any fuch Hypothefes or Suptpofitions 
 which may Iblve realDifiiculties in the Con- 
 dud of God and. Providence, this will effec- 
 tually prove, that thefe Difficulties are not 
 infblvable : And much more effeftual are 
 they to remove thefe Difficulties when the 
 Realbn of Things fo far confpires with thefe 
 Suppofitions, as goes very near to prove them 
 great Realities. 
 
 'J^ith. I am much inclined to come Into 
 thefe Sentiments of Sophroniusy fince they 
 carry fuch an Appearance of Realbn and 
 Truth in them, and fince the^ have lb happy 
 an Effeft as to reprefent far the greateft Part 
 of the intellectual Works of God holy and 
 happy, and hereby do fo much Honour to 
 the Equity aijd Goodnels of the great Cre- 
 ator. 
 
 Log. I cannot but approve fuch a Scheme 
 as this, which beflows Virtue and Happinefs 
 
 upon 
 
ojf Human Reason, i'jj 
 
 upon almoft all the intelligent Creatures of 
 God \ for I can hardly conceive, that ever a 
 Bfeing of fuch boundlefs Wifdom, Power, 
 and Goodnels, ihould produce fb many Mil- 
 lions of Creatures capable of Pleafure and 
 Pain, Felicity and Mifery, without defigning 
 and lecuring Felicity to far the greateft 
 Part of them. 
 
 Sophro. So far as Things appear to me, 
 Logifioy I cannot but agree with you in this 
 Sentiment; and by fuch Confiderations and 
 Realbnings as thefe, I think we have re- 
 moved the grand Difficulty that lay upon 
 your Mind with the greateft Weight, {viz.) 
 How it Ihould come to pafs, that fo many 
 thoufand Inhabitants of the Heathen World, 
 who are originally fallen from God, fhould 
 go on from Age to Age in the Negled: of 
 God and Virtue, ftill running on in the Paths 
 of Mifery, and be fo far abandon'd by their 
 Creator, as not to have a praftical and proxi- 
 mate Sufficiency in their own Reafoning 
 Powers to guide and condud them to Reli- 
 gion and Happinels. 
 
 But after all. Sir, give me leave to fay, 
 that the Nature of the great and bleffed God 
 is lb infinitely liiperior to all our Powers and 
 Conceptions, his thoughts Jo far aboiie am 
 'thoughts^' and his iVays fofar move our Ways, 
 that if there ihould remain luch Difficulties 
 in the Condud of his Providence towards 
 his Creatures, that we could not fairly ac- 
 count for by our Reafon, and by all our 
 
 T 3 Suppo-. 
 
t/R The Strength (aj^JWeaknefs 
 
 Suppofitions, yet we arc ftill bound to be- 
 lieve. Matter of Fa6l, whea our Reafon, Ex- 
 perience, and Obferyalion aflijre; us of the 
 Truth of it. "We cannot but believe, that 
 the Heatheti World aftually lies in a dark 
 and deplorable Stafe ; and yet, on the other 
 handj we are bound to believe, that the 
 great God is perfedly wife, and. righteous, 
 and good. The Ways and Wctrks of God 
 may be unknown, and unfearchable, but 
 they can never be ;injufl;. There may be 
 infinite- Schemes, within his comprehenfive 
 View, whereby his Wifdom can reconcile 
 thofe Things which we know not how to 
 reconcile. Thofe, different Propofitipns in 
 the Science of Theology, as well as in Ma- 
 thematical Learning, ftand within his View, 
 in amoft perfed and amiable Confiftency, 
 which, to our narrow Thoughts appear fo 
 diflbnant, and almoft inconfilient. If there 
 are fuch fort of feeming Inconfiftencies in 
 fome Parts oii Geometry^ when we run into 
 thfi Po6trines.of Infinites and Incommenfu- 
 rables, which yet all ftand right in the Eye 
 of God, much: more may we fuppofe, that 
 in the Works of the great God, aind his di- 
 vine Schemes and Tranladions, there may be 
 many„ Things which feem to us allDifiiculty 
 and , Darkncfs, and yet before him they 
 Hand in the faireft and moft eafy Light, 
 
 When St. Pml ihad confider'd, the, long 
 Darknefs that lay upon the Qentik World 
 for many Ages,, the peculiar Privilege of the 
 
 yews 
 
oj HUMAN Reason. 279 
 
 yewSf to be made, during thofe Ages, the 
 Favourites of God ; when he confider'd 
 again, thefe very Favourites, almoft the 
 whole Nation of them, fo far left as to abufe 
 the Son of God himfelf, to run into Infide- 
 lity, and thereby to be abandon'd of God, 
 their Benefador and their King; when 
 again, in Prophetick Vifion, after this once 
 Favourite People had continued long under 
 Unbelief, Guilt, and Mifery, he fa^y■ that 
 they flbould be recover'd, and reftor'd to th^ 
 true Religion, and the Favour of God, in his 
 nth Chapter to the Romans ; with what Ex- 
 tafy of devout Surprize and Adoration does 
 he conclude his Difcqurfe ! God hath fhut up 
 both the Gentiles and the Jews, by turns, 
 under Unbeliefs that he might have Mercy 
 upon hoth^ in his own Sealpn : God hath con- 
 citided t^em all in Unbelief, that he might have 
 Mercy upon all. O the Depths of the Riches 
 both of the JVifdom and Knowledge of God ! 
 How unfearchabk are his JudgmentSy and his 
 Ways pafi finding out ! For who hath known 
 the Mind of the Lord, or who hath been his 
 Counfelior? Or who hath fir ft given to hi my 
 and it fhall be recompenfed unto him agfiin ? 
 For of him, and thro' him, and to him, are all 
 S'hingSf to whom be Glory for ever. Amen. 
 
 hog., I know not how to make a fuffici- 
 cnt Acknpwledgment to you, Gentlemen, 
 for the Favour you have done me, and the 
 Light* you have given me in thefe Confe- 
 rences. I am fully fatisfy'd, that the Bulk 
 t4 of 
 
2 So The Strength and Wcaknefs 
 
 of the Heathen World is in a very dark and 
 deplorable State, aiid amongft thofe who 
 have loft all traditional Knowledge of divine: 
 Revelation, their own Reafon ig far from 
 being fufficient in any ^ira^'kal Senfe, as 
 you have explain'd it, to lead them to Vir- 
 tue, Religion, and Happinefs. Upon a juft 
 Review, I am convinced, that had I been fo 
 unhappy as to be born amongft them, my 
 Reafoning Powers would have been exer- 
 cifed- to no better Purpofe than theirs are : 
 For why ihould I be fo vain as to imagine 
 myftlf the wifeft Man among fo rnany Thou- 
 fands of the prefent Age, and the Millions of 
 former Generations ? I begin to fee there is 
 a Neceffity of fome better Advantages in 
 order to reform Mankind, and to render 
 them wife, and pious, and happy : Nor do I 
 know how this can be attain'd, but by fome 
 favourable Difcoveries fent from Heaven : 
 And as for all other Religions, that in our 
 Age pretend to Divinity and Revelation, 'tis 
 evident in itfelfj that none of them can com- 
 pare with the Doctrines of the New Tefta- 
 raent, either for its own internal Excellency, 
 or the outward Proofs that it came from God. 
 I muft confefs therefore, I think I am come 
 as far as King Agriffa when he heard PauV^ 
 Apology for himfelf j for you have almop 
 ferjuaded me to become a Chriffian. 
 
 Tith. Permit me,' Sir, in the JLangijage of 
 St. Paul to make my Reply : Would to God 
 that not you only\ but all the young Gentle- 
 
 nien 
 
o/ Human Reason. i8i 
 
 men of our Age who have been tempted to 
 abandon the Religion of their Fathers, and 
 to forfake the Gofpel, and the Faith in 
 which they were educated, would bethink 
 themfelves ere it be too late, and become nop 
 only almoji^ but altogether as firm Believers 
 in Chrifl as I profefs myfelf to be. 
 
 Sophro. And as you have done me the 
 Honour, Gentlemen, to put me into the 
 Place of the Learned, and made me your Mo- 
 derator during this Conference, I ask leave 
 now to refign this Honour and Office : And 
 lince '^'ithander has form'd fuch a benevolent 
 an'd pious Wifh, I take pleafure to occupy the 
 Place of the Unlearned^ and confirm it with 
 a mofl fincere and devout j^men. 
 
 THE END. 
 
THE 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 The First Conference. 
 
 HE JntroduBion Pag. i 
 
 Logifto j»^Pithandcr defer thed^ and 
 
 the Moderator Sophronius a 
 
 fhe Subje£i of Debate frofofed^ and 
 
 the fermj explained 6 
 
 A Scheme of the, neceffary I'ruths and Duties 
 
 of iO'atural Religion profofed by Sophronius 
 
 lO 
 
 This Scheme vindicated by Sophronius againfi 
 Jome Scruples of both the Difputants 13 
 
 Whether any pqfiphe Inftitutions are neaeffhry 
 to Sahation^ debated and fettled between 
 Pithandcr and Sophronius 15 
 
 'fhe precife Points ofDifpute adjufed between 
 the two Difputants under four Particular s^ 
 and reduced to this ^mftion, (viz.) Whe- 
 ther the Light of Reajon in every Man is 
 fufficient to find out the Way to the Favour 
 cfGod and Happinefs^ by Religion and Vir- 
 tue 21 
 
 ne 
 
The C O N T E N T S. 
 
 ^he fever al Articles of) Natural Religidn e'x- 
 ,'. aminedy how far they are difcoverable hy 
 Keafbn in rude' and bafbafous' Nations 32 
 'fhe Unity of God ibid. 
 
 "ithe Goodnejs of God 3 8 
 
 The Jujiice ofGod, and a future State of Re- 
 wards and Punijhments 35? 
 God's Government of the World 44 
 <J>rayer and Praife due to him 47 
 Of the Good, and ]E.vll Gods of the Heathens 
 
 3^ 
 Official Flrtuesj Jufiicey Truthy Goodnefsy 
 
 fitc. SS 
 
 Of fraiVtJtng thefe upon Religious or Civil 
 
 Principles 57 
 
 Of Perfonal Vlrtuesy Temperancey Sobriety 
 
 62 
 Of Convi^ilon of Sin 6y 
 
 Of the Duty of Repentance 7 a 
 
 Whether Repentance can enfure Forgivenefs 
 
 73 
 
 What "were the Opinions of the Heathens con- 
 cerning a future State 80 
 
 Whether God may not punijh in the other 
 World y tho' he pardon at lafi 87 
 
 Sdphronius the Moderator fums up the De- 
 bate 00 
 
 Sophronius _g^ww his Senfe of Things Infeven 
 Proportions, . ■. . ' ^j 
 
 ■'■•■■■ '.^Mi'mM. ' 
 
 - ■ -if 
 
 The 
 
The C O N T E N T S. 
 
 The Second Conference. 
 
 T'he ^ejiion adjujiedy Whether Reafon he 
 
 Jufficient not only in its InfimBions to guide 
 
 Men to Religion^ hut in it s' Motives to bring 
 
 them to the Pra^ice of it 107 
 
 -Logifto'j Argument on this Head _, 1 op 
 
 Anfwer'd by Pithander no 
 
 ■Whether the aBual Wickednejs of Heathens can 
 
 ■ pove the Infufficiency of Reafon to inforce 
 
 Religion^ Jince Multitudes^ under the Light 
 
 of Revelation^ are as wicked 117 
 
 This Point debated and determined by fever al 
 
 Conftderations ibid. 
 
 Of the Aids of the Sprit of "God in Matters 
 
 of Religion - iii 
 
 Sopiironius clofes the Debate by reconciling 
 
 Difiin£iions \iy 
 
 Sophronius entertains the Difptltants with a 
 
 particular Account of all the Notions of 
 
 Religion which he can find in fever al Na- 
 
 -. tions of the Earth 13a, 
 
 ^orth- America 133 
 
 ^he Mottentots in Africa. ' - 141 
 
 Whether thefe barbarous Creatures are not un- 
 
 -• capable of learning Rdigion- by Revelation 
 
 ' , as much as by Reafon, 15^ 
 
 Of Lapland, and Nova Zembla, md Ruffia 
 
 lip 
 C^-, Mexico 1 1^1 
 
 0/ China 1^2 
 
 • ■ Of 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 0/ Ancient Britain i66 
 
 Of Rome and Greece, and the Leffer Afia, 
 
 and the Ignorance even ^f the Philofophers 
 
 in thoje Countries. i68 
 
 The Third Conference. 
 
 jirguments drawn from the Reafon of'fhtngs^ 
 
 , and from the 'Nature of God and Many to 
 prove that Reafon isy or ought to be^ fuffi^ 
 cienty 8Cc. p. i8a 
 
 What is meant by Realbn ought to be fuffi- 
 cient 1 84 
 
 The firft Argument. Otherwife Men would 
 be inexcufahle in their greatefi Superfiitions 
 and Immoralities 1 85 
 
 The fecond Argument. God treats all his 
 
 Creatures impartially ^ and does not beftow 
 
 fuch Favours and Capacities on one Nation ^ 
 
 and with^hold them from another 1 88 
 
 The third Argument. Reafon is fufficient in 
 the Affairs of this Life^ and why not in the 
 
 , Affairs of Religion, which arefo much more 
 important ? i p c 
 
 The fourth Argument. If phe Fives of Men 
 will prove the Infufficiency of Reafony they 
 will prove alfo the Infufficiency of Revela- 
 tion ,p7 
 
 The fifth Argument, ^rue Happinefs is the 
 End for which Man is made, and therefore 
 it muft be attainable by the 'Principles with 
 which Man isfurnifh'd lop 
 
 The 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 The fixth Argument, dravitn from St. Paul'f 
 Words ^ Rom. ii. 14. Thic Gentiles having 
 not the Law, are a Law to .theriifdlves 
 
 'The laft Argument, from fame excellent Gta^ 
 tions out of Cicei;o, concerning the Law of 
 Nature^ and the. Power of Reafon 2.0 n 
 
 'Whether all the polite Nations did not fupfofi 
 iReafon infufficient^ and therefore invented 
 fdme pretended -Revelations a 18 
 
 T-be Fourth Co n f^^i e n c e. 
 
 W'hetherGod has dealt harder with Man^ than 
 with the reft of the Animals of this lEarth 
 
 ,a24 
 
 Yhe grand Argument for the Su0ciettcy of 
 
 Keafon to lead Mankind to Religfoft and 
 
 Hapfinefs^ drawn from the '^tipice and 
 
 Goodnejs of God, injified Upon largely^ and 
 
 ,fujh'd Home 224 217 
 
 An Anfiver attempted from the Sin of our f^ 
 'parents 225 
 
 T^e Argument defended liS 
 
 Another Reply to it, (viz.) T'hat the DoBrlm 
 of the Sufficiency of Reafon contradi^s plain 
 FaB, which is eajj^r to judge of than the 
 Rules of divine Equity ■' ' 230 
 
 Suppofe the Argument be}£rong, the Diffi- 
 culty that arifeth from it falls upon the 
 Deijis as much as upbn the Chriflians 233 
 
 7'he 
 
The G O N T. E N T S. 
 
 f^he DeiBs can fropoje no Hyfothejjs to relieve 
 ity fo happly as the^DoBrine of the Bible 
 does .. -j ^34 
 
 J^ine Conjtderations to relieve this Difficulty y 
 fropojed by Pithander ^3 5 
 
 'shall the greateft Part ofQod's Creatures then 
 he Jtnful and miferabU ?' ' .263 
 
 ^ome . Stippojitions' to relieve that Difficulty 
 
 ■ 2<^4 
 
 Mutual Ac'knowlfdgmmts 0/" Satisfadion ^^- 
 tween the I)ijputants and the Moderator 
 
 0.7^ 
 
 'Ihe Reader is deftred to corre^ the following Mijlakes. 
 
 PAG. i8. /. 10. natural Duties. P. 29. l.j. lead the World. , 
 P. 41./. 16. Wifdomand Juftice.' P.48. /. 27. invifibleor 
 infenfible. p.5'o. I. 3c. yiw-firft, readY>nme. P.5-4./.8. ^-.unable. 
 P. 5-9. /. 24. mayfometimes incline fome. P. 64. l.f. muft either 
 die for want of Care, or grow up. P. 76. /. uh. for been, r. born. 
 P.81. /.13. altera. P. 82. I. 2.0. fupera ut. P.93. /. 24. once fet, , 
 P. 107. 1. 10. guide, conduft. P. 116. I. 14. for to, r. which. 
 P.ixf./. 22./9rit, >-.thisHelp. P. 126.^.15-. /or Heathen Worlds, 
 r. Heathens. P. 1 3 2. 2. 30. jftr : fut , and Mot out then. P. 1 85. 
 1. 24. for are, r. may be called. P. 1 89. /. 6. r. found out. P. 199. 
 Z. 29. blot out . /. 3 3 . requires. P.ioo.l.iy.for Mankind, r. Hea- 
 thens. P.224./.19. notinconfiftent. /. 2o./orlefs,r.more. P.2 28. 
 /.-I I. Crime. P. 230. /. 4. /or left, r. that. P. 23 j*. /. 14. draws 
 , chiefly. P.251. /. 22. yirtwice, r.once.