SECTION XVI.

The many and great Advantages, which have accrued to the World from the Patriarchal, Judaical, and Chriftian Revelations, prove the Divine Authority of the Scriptures.

THESE

HESE advantages are of two forts, relating refpectively to the knowledge and practice of religion. I begin with the firft.

Now it is very evident, that the chriftian revelation has diffused a much more pure and perfect knowledge of what is called natural religion, over a great part of the world, viz. wherever the profeffion either of christianity or Mahometanifm prevails. And the fame thing will appear, in refpect of the Judaical and patriarchal revelations, to those who are acquainted with antient hiftory. It will be found very difficult for fuch perfons to account even for the pagan religions, without recurring to fuch patriarchal communications with God, as are mentioned in the pentateuch, and to the more full revelations made to the Jews. So that one is led to believe, that all that is good in any pagan or falfe religion, is of divine original; all that is erroneous or corrupt, the offspring of the vanity, weakness, and wickedness of men; and that properly fpeaking, we have no reafon from hiftory to fuppofe, that there ever fuch thing as mere natural religion, i. e. any true religion, which men discovered to themselves by the mere Thefe pofitions feem to follow from in

was any

light of nature.

quiries into the antiquities of the heathen world, and of their religions. The heathen religions all appear to be of a derivative nature; each circumftance in the inquiry confirms the fcriptural accounts of things, and fends us to the revelations exprefsly mentioned, or indirectly implied, in the Old Teftament, for the real original of the pagan religions in their fimple ftate. This opinion receives great light and confirmation from Sir Ifaac Newton's Chronology.

It appears alfo very probable to me, that a careful examination of the powers of human understanding would confirm the fame position; and that admitting the novelty of the prefent world, there is no way of accounting for the rife and progrefs of religious knowledge, as it has taken place in fact, without having recourse to divine revelation. If we admit the patriarchal, Judaical, and christian revelations, the progrefs of natural religion, and of all the falfe pretences to revelation, will fairly arise, at leaft appear poffible in all cafes, and probable in most, from the circumstances of things, the powers of human nature, and the doctrine of affociation. If we deny the truth of thefe revelations, and fuppofe the fcriptures to be falfe, we fhall caft utter confufion upon the inquiry, and human faculties will be found far unequal to the task affigned to them.

Secondly, if we confider the practice of true religion, the good effects of revelation are fill more evident. Every man who believes, must find himself either excited to good, or deterred from evil, in many inftances, by that belief; notwithstanding that there may be many other instances, in which religious motives are too weak to reftrain violent

and corrupt inclinations. The fame obfervations occur daily, with regard to others, in various ways and degrees. And it is by no means conclufive against this obvious argument for the good effects of revelation upon the morals of mankind, to allege that the world is not better now than before the coming of Chrift. This is a point which cannot be determined by any kind of estimation, in our power to make; and if it could, we do not know what circumftances would have made the world much worfe than it is, had not chriftianity interpofed. However, it does appear to me very probable, to fay the leaft, that Jews and chriftians, notwith tanding all their vices and corruptions, have, upon the whole, been always better than heathens and unbelievers. It seems to me also, that as the knowledge of true, pure, and perfect religion is advanced and diffused, so the practice of it correfponds thereto; but that this, from the nature of the thing, is a fact of a lefs obvious kind; however, if it be true, it will become manifest in due time. Let us fuppofe a person to maintain, that civil government, the arts of life, med. icines, &c. have never been of ufe to mankind, because it does not appear from any certain calculation, that the fum total of health and happiness is greater among polite nations, than among the barbarous ones. Would it not be thought a fufficient answer to this, to appeal to the obvious good effects of these things in innumerable instances, without entering into a calculation impoffible to be made? However, it does here alfo appear, that, as far as we are able to judge, civilized countries are, upon the whole, in a more happy state than barbarous ones, in all these respects.

Now, as the divine original of revelation may be directly concluded from its being the fole fountain of all religious knowledge, if that can be proved; fo it will follow in an indirect way, if we suppose, that revelation has only promoted the knowledge and practice of true religion. It is not likely that folly or deceit of any kind should be eminently ferviceable in the advancement of wisdom and virtue. Every tree must produce its proper fruit. Enthufiafm and impofture cannot contribute to make men prudent, peaceable, and moderate, difinterefted and fincere.

Hartley on the Truth of the Chriflian Religion.

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SECTION XVII.

The Truth of the Mofaic Hiftory is proved from its Internal Evidence.

THE texture and compofition of the

Mofaic hiftory, however fimple, fhows infinite marks of wifdom. The hiftory proves the miracles, and we may at every ftep cry out with the magicians of Egypt, "This is the finger of God." The very nature of the Mosaic history shows the neceffity of God's interpofition; for without his ordinance and fanction, it would never have been established. And we might reft the argument for the divine appointment of Mofes upon this fingle foundation, that these rites and inftitutes could not have been either received or enforced by him; nor could he poffi bly, unless commanded, have wifhed to have carried them into execution. They confifted of a code of painful rituals, and burdenfome ceremonies, to the purport of which the people were strangers, and if they were not enjoined by the Deity, no good could poffibly have arifen from them. For what reafon therefore could Mofes wifh to impofe upon the people fo many rules and precepts, and bind them to fuch fevere discipline, if it was in his power to have acted otherwife?

But the chief queftion to be afked is, though he were ever fo willing to frame them, how could he poffibly enforce them? They must have appeared in many inftances inexplicable, and even contrary to reafon. What art or