punishments for bad men, in a future ftate: or, as he fometimes expreffeth it, both here and hereafter. These he reprefents as common notices infcribed by God on the minds of all men, and undertakes to fhew that they were univerfally acknowleged in all nations, ages, and religions. This is particularly the defign of his book de Religione Gentilium; though it is but comparatively a small part of that work which tendeth directly to prove that these articles univerfally obtained: the far greater part of it is taken up with an account of the heathen religion and ceremonies, which he hath performed with an abundance of learning, and hath intermixed many foftening apologies for the pagan fuperftition and idolatry.

As he represents these five articles as abfolutely neceffary, the five pillars, as he calls them, on which all religion is built; fo he endeavours to fhew that they alone are fufficient, and that nothing can be added to them, which can tend to render any man more virtuous, cr a better man. But then he subjoins this limitation," provided these articles be well explained in their

full latitude e." This univerfal religion which all men agree in, his Lordship reprefents to be the only religion of which there can be any certainty, and he endeavours to shew the great advantages that would arife from men's embracing this religion, and this only. One of the reafons he offers to recommend it is this, that this catholic or univerfal religion anfwers the ultimate design of the holy fcriptures. "Sacrarum literarum fini ultimo intentionique quadrat." He adds, That "all the doctrines "there taught aim at the establishment of these five catholic "articles, as we have often hinted; there is no facrament, rite or ceremony there injoined, but what aims, or feems to aim, 66 at the establishment of these five articles." See his reafons at the end of his Religio Laici.

66

One would be apt to think by what this noble writer here offers, that he must have a very favourable opinion of Chriftianity as contained in the holy fcriptures; fince he reprefents it as the great defign of all its doctrines, and even of the rites and facraments there injoined, to establish thofe great principles in which he makes religion properly to confift. Accordingly he expressly declares in the above-mentioned treatise, that it was far from his intention to do harm to the best religion, as he there calls Christianity, or the true faith, but rather to establifh both f.

e Appendix to Relig. Laici, Qu. 3d. p. 28.

f Relig. Laici,

But

But I am forry that I am obliged to fay, that notwithstanding thefe fair profeffions, his Lordthip on all occafions infinuateth prejudices against all revealed religion, as abfolutely uncertain, and of little or no ufe. He inveigheth promifcoufly, as many others have done fince, against all pretences to revelation, without making a diftinction between the falfe and the true. He often speaks to the disadvantage of particular religion, which is a name he bestoweth upon the Christian religion, and any revelation that is not actually known and promulgated to the whole world. And he reprefenteth it as containing doctrines, which disgust fome men against all religion, and therefore is for recommending what he calls the universal religion, as the best way to prevent men's having no religion at all. And particularly he infinuates, that the Chriftian religion granteth pardon on too eafy terms, and derogateth from the obligations to virtue. A reflection which is manifeftly owing to a mifapprehenfion or mifrepresentation of the doctrine of Christianity on this head. So he elsewhere fuppofeth, that the faith there required is no more than a bare affent to the doctrines there taught, though nothing is capable of a clearer proof, than that the faith on which fo great a ftrefs is laid in the gofpel-covenant, is to be understood of a vital operative principle, which purifieth the heart, and is productive of good works; and that the neceffity of true holinefs and virtue is there ftrongly inculcated. The charge he advanceth against Christianity might be more juftly retorted upon himself, who though he mentions it to the praife of his univerfal religion, that it giveth no licence to fin, but bindeth men. ftrictly to the severity of virtue; yet to fhew what reason finners have to hope for pardon, offereth feveral pleas and excuses that tend to extenuate the guilt of fin. Particularly he urgeth, that men's fins are not for the most part committed out of enmity against God, or to caft dishonour upon him, but with a view to their own particular advantage or pleasure, and are chosen by them under the appearance of fome good h. And in his book de Veritate he declares, that thofe are not lightly to be condemned, who are carried to fin by their particular bodily constitution; and he inftances particularly in the rage of lust and anger; no more than a dropfical perfon is to be blamed for his immoderate thirst, or a lethargic perfon for his laziness and inactivity. He adds indeed, that he does not fet up as an apo

* See the appendix to his Relig. Laici, Qu. 6. Gentil. p. 268. Dr. Tindal talks in the fame ftrain. as the Creat. p. 32. ed. 8vo.

B 3

h De Relig. Chrift. as old

logift

logist for wicked men, but yet that we ought to pass a mild cenfure upon those who are carried to fin by a corporal and almoft neceffary propenfity to vice. Neque tamen me hic confcelerati cujufvis patronum fifto; fed in id folummodo contendo, ut mitiori fententia de iis ftatuamus, qui corporea, brutali, & tantum non neceffaria propenfione in peccata prolabuntur. This apology may be carried very far, fo as to open a wide door to licentiousness, and would foon introduce a very loose morality.

But not to infift upon this, I would observe that the principal design of his treatise de Religione Laici feems to be to fhew, that the people can never attain to any fatisfaction as to the truth and certainty of any particular revelation, and therefore must rest in the five articles agreed to by all religions. This particularly is the intention of his fourth and fifth queries in the appendix to that treatise. In his fourth query he fuppofes, that the things which are added to those common principles from the doctrines of faith are uncertain in their original; and that though God be true, the Laics can never be certain that what is pretended to be a revelation from God is indeed a true revelation from God. In his fifth query he urgeth, that fuppofing the originals to be trae, yet they are uncertain in their explications. To this purpofe he takes notice of the multiplicity of fects among Chriftians; and that the Laics can never be fufficiently fure of the meaning of the revelation concerning which there are so many controverfies; that in order to arrive at any certainty in these matters, it would be necessary either to learn all languages, to read all the celebrated writers, and to confult all thofe learned men that have not written, a method which is manifeftly abfurd and impracticable; or elfe to have recourse to a supreme judge of controverfies appointed by common confent.

It is an obfervation that will undoubtedly occur to you on this occafion, that his Lordship here maketh use precisely of the fame way of talking, to fhew that the Laics can have no certainty about any revelation at all, which the writers of the Romish Church have frequently urged to fhew the neceffity the people are under to rely intirely upon the authority of the Church or Pope, because of the difficulties or the impoffibility of their coming to any certainty in the way of examination or private judgment. But if the Laity cannot be certain of revealed religion, because of the controverfies that have been raised about the articles of it, for the fame reafon it may be faid, that they can arrive at no certainty with refpect to his Lordship's catholic univerfal religion: for though he reprefenteth men as univerfally agreed in the five articles, in which he makes that religion to

confift, it is undeniable that there have been great controversies about them; and that the modern Deifts, as well as ancient Philofophers, are divided in their sentiments in relation to them, especially when explained, as he requireth they should be, n their full latitude. He ought not therefore to make a thing's being controverted to be a proof of its uncertainty, and that men can come to no fatisfaction about it; a principle which he and other Deifts often infift upon, but which manifeftly leads to univerfal scepticism. But this is not the only instance, in which arguments have been brought against Christianity, that in their confequences tend to fubvert all religion, and all evidence and certainty of reafon.

From this general view of Lord Herbert's Scheme, it fufficiently appears that his defign was to overturn all re vealed, or, as he calls it, particular religion, and to establish that natural and univerfal religion, the clearness and perfection of which he fo much extols, in its room, as that which alone ought to be acknowleged and embraced as true and divine.

I shall now freely lay before you fome obfervations that have occurred to me in confidering the scheme of this noble author.

One is this, that he hath carried his account of natural religion much farther than fome others of the Deifts have done. It were to be wished, that all that glory in this character would agree with this noble Lord in a hearty reception of thofe articles, which he reprefenteth as fo effentially neceffary, and of such vast importance. These he would have to be explained in their full extent, and that except they be properly explained they are not fufficient; and thus explained they include the belief not only of the existence, but the attributes of God; of fome of which in his book de Veritate he gives a good account, and of his provi dence and moral government. He afferts, that God is to be worshipped, and that this worship includeth our offering up to him our prayers and thanksgivings; that piety and virtue are abfolutely neceffary to our acceptance with God: and he particularly urgeth the neceffity of obferving the ten commandments: that we are obliged to repent of our fins in order to our obtaining forgiveness, and that this repentance includeth both a forrow for our fins, and a turning from them to the right way. He also infifteth upon the belief of the immortality of the Soul, and a future ftate of rewards and punishments, in which God will recompenfe men according to their actions, and even according to their thoughts. These things he supposeth to be com

i De Veritate, p. 271, 272,

k. De Relig. Gentil. p. 283. B 4

mon

mon notices, fo clear that he can scarce be accounted a reafonable creature who denieth them. And yet I am afraid, if all these things are to be looked upon as neceffary, many that call themselves Deifts will be as loth to admit his Lordship's natural and catholic religion, as Christianity itself. There is reason to apprehend, that fome of their strongest prejudices against Chriftianity arife from its fetting those principles in too clear a light, and inforcing them in too ftrong a manner. It is true, that when they are for putting a fair glofs upon Deism, and asserting the fufficiency and perfection of natural religion abstracted from all revelation, they are willing to have it thought that their religion includeth the belief of thofe important articles. They are then obliged to have recourse to his Lordship's system, and the arms he hath furnished them with; but at other times they make it plainly appear that they are far from being fixed in these principles. His Lordship declares, that it is necessary these articles fhould be well explained. And indeed they are expressed in very general and indefinite terms. But there is no great likelihood of their agreeing in the explications of them. It is a thing well known, that many who have made no small figure among our modern Deifts, have denied fome of his Lordship's five articles, at least taken in the extent in which he seems willing to understand them. God's moral government and particular providence; his worship, especially as it includes prayer and praife; man's free agency, the immortality of the Soul, and a future state of retributions, have made no part of their creed. Some of them have been far from pleading for that strictness of virtue, which his Lordship tells us natural religion obliges men to; and instead of urging the neceffity of repentance, have, after Spinofa, reprefented it as a mean, an unreasonable, and wretched thing. And the rewards and punishments of a future ftate have been exploded under the notion of bribes and terrors, a regard to which argueth a fordid and mercenary temper of foul, inconfiftent with a true and generous virtue.

Another reflection that it is proper to make on Lord Herbert's Scheme is this: that thefe five principles, in which he makes his univerfal religion to confift, were not fo very clear and well known to all mankind, as to make an external revelation needlefs or ufelefs. His Lordship indeed fuppofeth them to be common notices infcribed by a divine hand in the minds of men:

1 Pœnitentia virtus non eft, five ex ratione non oritur: quem facti pœnitét bis mifer feu impotens eft. Spin. Eth. Pt. 4. Prop. 54:

and