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some of his writings are hard to be understood, especially where he hints something like predestination,) is very plain on this subject. He proves to a demonstration, that the light of the spirit, without the history of Christ, is sufficient for man's salvation. Let those who uncharitably and blasphemously believe, that the heathens will all be damned, without any reservation, read the following verses of St. Paul, and continue thus to believe if they can.

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"For as many as have sinned without law, shall also perish without law and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law. For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law, are a law unto themselves which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience al

so bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing, or else excusing one another." Rom. ii. 12-15.

Can any now doubt, that a virtuous pagan, who loves God and his neighbour, will be saved? If they do, they would not be convinced of the truth, though one arose from the dead, and vindicated the impartiality of the great Jehovah! The fact is, many of the heathen philosophers* were

I would beg leave, in order to illucidate the above assertion, to transcribe a few sentiments of three heathen philosophers, relative to the Supreme Being, the first of whom is Cicero.

"The great law imprinted in the hearts of all men, is to love the public good, and the members of the common society as themselves. This love of order is supreme justice, and this justice is amiable for its own sake. To love it only for the advantages it produces us, may be politic, but there is little of goodness in it. 'Tis the highest injustice, to love justice only for the sake of recompence. In a word, the universal, immutable and eternal law of all intelligent beings, is to promote the happiness of one another, like

sincere admirers of the Sovereign beauty. Socrates in particular, professed to be guid

children of the same Father." He next represents God to us as a sovereign wisdom, from whose authority it is still more impracticable for intelligent natures to withdraw themselves, than it is for corporeal ones.

According to the opinion of the wisest and greatest men, (says this philosopher) the law is not an invention of human understanding, or the arbitrary constitution of men, but flows from the eternal reason that governs the universe. The rape which Tarquin committed upon Lucretia, (continues he) was not less criminal in its nature, because there was not at that time any written law at Rome against such sort of violences. The tyrant was guilty of a breach of the eternal law, the obligation whereof did not commence from the time it was written, but from the moment it was made. Now its origin is as ancient as the divine intellect: for the true, the primitive, and the supreme law is nothing else, but the sovereign reason of the great Jove. This law, (says he, in another place) is universal, eternal, immutable. It does not vary according to times and places. It is not different now from what it was formerly. The same immortal law is a rule to all nations, because it has

ed by an inward monitor, which he called his good Genii, (but which I call the good spirit of God) and though a heathen, was a

no author but the one only God, who brought it forth and promulged it." Such were the reasonings of Cicero when he consulted natural light, and was not carried away by a fondness of shewing his wit, in defending the doctrine of the Sceptics.

The next is Seneca the Stoic. He was Nero's tutor, and lived in an age when Christianity was not in credit enough, to engage the heathens to borrow any philosophical principles from thence. "'Tis of very little consequence, (says he) by what name you call the first nature, and the divine reason that presides over the universe, and fills all the parts of it. He is still the same God. He is called Jupiter Stator, not as historians say, because he stopped the Roman armies as they were flying, but because he is the constant support of all beings. They may call him Fate, because he is the first cause on which all others depend. We Stoics call him sometimes Father Baccus, because he is the universal life that animates nature; Hercules, because his power is invincible. Mercu ry, because he is the eternal reason, order and wis dom. You may give him as many names as you

martyr for the truth: and who dare say, Socrates is in hell? I answer, none but blasphemers! and such are they, who be

please, provided you allow but one sole principle, every where present."

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Agreeably to Plato's notions, he considered the divine understanding as comprehending in itself the model of all things, which he styles the immutable and almighty ideas. Every workman, (says he) hath a model by which he forms his work. It signifies nothing, whether this model exists outwardly and before his eyes, or be formed within him by the strength of his own genius; so God produces within himself that perfect model, which is the propor tion, the order, and the beauty of all beings The ancients (says he in another place) did not think Jove such a being, as we represent him in the capitol, and in our other buildings. But by Jove they meant the guardian and governor of the universe, the understanding, and the mind, the master and the architect of this great machine. All names belong to him. You are not in the wrong if you call him Fate, for he is the cause of causes, and every thing depends on him. Would you call him Providence; you fall into no mistake, it is by his wisdom that this world is governed. Would you call him Nature; you would

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