are hardly chang'd by the force of any principles of which Reason may come to convince Men at their riper Age: A Truth very little weigh'd; tho' nothing ought more to be so with respect to a vertuous Education; since rational Religion, so soon as they are capable thereof, is not more necessary to the ingaging People to Vertue, than is the fixing, and establishing in them good Habits betimes, even before they are capable of knowing any other reason for what they are taught to do, than that it is the Will of Those who have a just power over them that they should do so. For as without a Knowledge of the Truths of Religion, we should want very often sufficient Motives, and Encouragements to submit our Passions and Appetites to the Government of Reason; so without early Habits establish'd of denying our Appetites, and restraining our Inclinations, the Truths of Religion will operate but upon a very few, so far as they ought to do.

By Religion I understand still Reveal'd Religion. For tho' without the help of Revelation, the Commands of Jesus Christ (two positive Institutions only excepted) are, as dictates likewise of Nature, discoverable by the Light of Reason; and are no less the Law of God to rational Creatures than the injunctions of Revelation are; yet few would actually discern this Law of Nature in its full extent, meerly by the Light of Nature; or if they did, would find the inforcement thereof a sufficient Ballance to that Natural love of present pleasure which often opposes our compliance therewith; since before we come to such a ripeness of understanding as to be capable by unassisted Reason to discover from the Nature of Things the just measures of our Actions, together with the obligations we are under to comply therewithal; an evil indulgence of our Inclinations has commonly establish'd Habits in us too strong to be over-rul'd by the Force of Arguments; especially where they are not of very obvious deduction. Whence it may justly be infer'd that the Christian Religion is the alone Universally adapted means of making Men truly Vertuous; the Law of Reason, or the Eternal Rule of Rectitude being in the Word of God only, to those of all capacities, plainly, and Authoritatively deliver'd as the Law of God, duly inforc'd by Rewards and Punishments.

Yet in that Conformity with, and necessary support which our Religion brings to the Law of Reason, or Nature, that is to say, to Those dictates which are the result of the determinate and unchangeable Constitution of things (and which as being discoverable to us by our rational Faculties, are therefore sometimes call'd the Law of Reason, as well as the Law of Nature) Christianity does most conspicuously and evidently appear to be a Divine Religion; viz. to be from the Author of Nature; however incongruous some Men may phancy it to be for God supernaturally to reveal to Men what is naturally discoverable to them, by those Faculties he has given them: The which conceit together with not considering, or rightly weighing the inforcements which Natural Religion needs, and receives from Revelation, has very much dispos'd many to reject reveal'd Religion. Whereunto such Notions of Christianity as agree not to the Attributes of an Infinitely Wise and Good Being, which Reason teaches the first cause of all things to be, have also not a little contributed; for from hence many Men, zealous for the Honour of God and lovers of Mankind, have been prejudic'd against the Truth of the Christian Religion: In consequence whereof they have reasonably concluded that there was no such thing as reveal'd Religion; and from thence have again infer'd that Men had no need thereof to the Ends of Natural Religion.

Those yet who think Revelation to be needless in this regard, how well soever they may, possibly, intend to Natural Religion, do herein entertain an Opinion that would undermine it: Experience shewing us that Natural Light, unassisted by Revelation, is insufficent to the Ends of Natural Religion: A Truth necessary to be acknowledg'd to the having a due value for the benefit that we receive by the Revelation of Jesus Christ; and many, who profess belief in him, have not a right estimation of that benefit on this very account, viz. as thinking too highly, or rather wrongly of Natural Light: notwithstanding that nothing is more undeniably true than that from the meer Light of Nature Men actually were so far from discovering the Law of Nature in its full extent or force, as that they did not generally own, and but very imperfectly discern, its prescriptions or obligation. 'Tis also alike evident that as Christianity has prevail'd, it has together with Polytheism, and (in great measure) Idolatry, beaten out likewise the allow'd Practice of gross Immorality; which in the Heathen World was countenanc'd, and incourag'd by the examples of their very Gods themselves; and by being frequently made even a part in Religious Worship. For the Truth of this effect of Christianity we must appeal to History; from whence if any one should imagine they could oppose any contrary example, it could (I think) be taken but from one only Country; wherein (if the Historian says right) Morality was more exemplary than in any other that we know of for near 400 Years that its Pagan Natives possess'd it; whose exterminators (calling themselves Christians) made it a most deplorable Scene of Injustice, Cruelty and Oppression, bringing thither Vices unknown to those former Inhabitants. But what only can follow from this example is, That a People, having a continu'd Succession of Princes, who study to advance the good of the Community, making that the sole Aim of their Government; and directing all their Laws, and Institutions to that End (which was the peculiar felicity of those happy Americans) will without other than Natural Light much better practice all social Vertues, than Men set loose from Law and Shame; who tho' Baptiz'd into the Name of Christ have not yet so much as a true Notion of Christianity, to the which, may certainly be added, or than any other People, who tho' they have the Light of the Gospel among them, yet are not govern'd by the Laws thereof; and a truly Christian Common-wealth in this sense, remains yet to be seen in the World; which when it is, the Vertue, and Felicity of such a People will be found much to surpass the (perhaps partial) account which we have of that of the Peruvians; whose so long uninterrupted Succession of Excellent Princes, is what only is admirable in the account we have of them; and not the Force of the Light of Nature in those People, who being apparently of tractable, gentle dispositions, and tir'd with the Miseries of a Life to the last degree Brutish, did from the visible wretchedness and inconveniences thereof, gladly obey such whom they believed were (as they told them they were) Divinely sent to teach then a happier way of living. And in the Vertues which these their first Lawgivers taught them, their Successors easily retain'd them; continuing still to maintain in them a perswasion of their Divine Extraction, and Authority. From the which it will be found that this instance of the Peruvian Morality makes for the need of Revelation to inforce Natural Religion, and not against it. But how far Revelation is needful to assist Natural Light, will be the best seen in reflecting a little upon what we receive from each of these Guides that God has given us. And if it shall appear from thence that Natural Religion has need of Revelation to support it; and that the Revelation which we have by Jesus Christ is exquisitely adapted to the end of inforcing Natural Religion; this will both be the highest confirmation possible, that to inforce Natural Religion or Morality, was the design of Christianity; and will also shew that to the want of their being in earnest Christians, is to be attributed the immorality of such who, professing Christianity, live immoral Lives. The consequence from whence must be, That to reclaim a Vicious People, it should be consider'd, as the most effectual means of