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its parts consistent and agreeable to reason and truth, and none of them were able to collect into one whole and entire scheme the several truths dispersed among them all; therefore they were not able to maintain and defend what they had discovered." (Lactant. lib. vii.)—And whilst they were advocates each in their own way for morality and virtue, they gave evident. marks of the want of its influence in their own minds, by their pride, assumption of virtue to themselves only, their contempt of all mankind and for each other, by allowing in others, and indulging even in themselves, a variety of excesses, at which those possessed of real virtue cannot but shudder.

There are accounts enough extant of the universal corruption and debauchery of the heathen world. Paul describes it in a remarkable manner in his first chapter of his Epistle to the Romans; and the complaints of their own writers abundantly confirm it. The disciples of the best moralists, at least the practisers of their best precepts, were in their own lifetime very few, as too plainly appears from the evil treatment which Socrates met with at Athens. And at their deaths their doctrine in a great measure died with them, not having any sufficient evidence or authority to support it; and their followers.

quickly fell back into the common idolatry, superstition, uncleanness, and debauchery.—Vide Juvenal. sat. 13. Arnob. advers. Gentes, lib. 2. Lactantius, lib. 3.

Of what advantage then is ingenious speculation, and mere maxims and rules of virtue, if they have not that confirming evidence which is able to reform and strengthen the soul?

"Who is there of all the philosophers," says Cicero, "whose practical principles, temper and conduct were conformable to right reason? Who ever regarded his philosophy as a law and rule of life, and not rather as an ostentation of his ability and learning? Who ever obeyed his own instructions, and made his precepts the model of his own daily practice?-So far from this, that many of them were slaves to lust, miany to, pride, many to avarice." (Tusc. Quæst. lib. 2.)

And of their immoral lives we have the same affecting complaint in other writers. -Vide Quint. Just. Orat. p. 5. Plin. Epist. ii. p. 189. Diodorus Sic. vol. ii. p. 552. Tertul. Juvenal.

&c. &c.

The most eminent of the heathen philosophers not only countenanced but taught, and were indeed themselves guilty of, the grossest immoralities. The Spartan virtue was the love of

glory, yet the Spartans were trained up and exercised to be expert thieves; and, regardless of the affection of nature towards the objects of our tenderest solicitude, they exposed or murdered their weakly and deformed infants.

Plato may be charged with patronizing falsehood,--advising governors to make unbounded use of lying and deceit for the support of their authority. This must be permitted," says he, "to public governors, but is not allowable to private men."

He is justly blamed for countenancing perjury in love matters; and he wished to abolish marriage, and institute a community of women, as was practised by Socrates and Cato, who lent their wives to their friends jointly. And, as if it were necessary to degrade human nature to the uttermost, this same Plato, whose sublime ideas are universally known and admired, is said also to have been addicted to, and allowed in others, vices which decency forbids us to mention.-Vide Insuff. of Light of Nature.

Some of these wise men taught the world to expect no divine assistance in the practice of virtue: the virtuous man, it seems, had no occasion for it, and the low illiterate vulgar were infinitely unworthy the expense of divine interposition. Man must derive virtue from

himself: man himself was sufficient for his own felicity-their wise and perfect man had no wants and defects about him; he was equal to Jupiter himself in the all-sufficiency and consummate happiness of his nature, and endeavoured also to equal him in his depravities. Vide Horat. lib. i. ep. xviii. ver. 112. Cicero de Natur. Deor. lib. iii. p. 335, 336, edit.

1723.

And both Socrates and Plato assert that the wise man is self-sufficient.-Vide Stanley Vit. Phil.

Here, then, is strong presumption that their practice corresponded with their assertions. How different the language of real and vital Christianity!

It is no novelty to observe men of extraordinary abilities, even in this day, recommending the light of reason in opposition to divine revelation among whom there are some whose dissolute lives have positively contradicted their own testimony: and be.... -k~p that though virtue and strict morality tend to promote the harmony of human nature, and that they who practise them cannot but experience superior happiness, yet that it is not in a man's own power to act according to their dictates. At the same time it must be granted, there are others whose strength

of mind is such as to overcome some wicked propensities; yet it will be observed, these are not altogether free from many evils, such as pride, ambition, ostentation, a love of fame, a superabundance of self-confidence and self-love; and we need little other proof than the conduct of the ancient philosophers as above remarked.

If, then, man can go no further than the assumption of the power of his reason, without being capable of justly acting upon it, there is certainly room to doubt its infallibility. What then is it, says the philosopher, that makes man superior to the brutes? For if, endued with reason, he appears incapable of making a right use of it, of what benefit can it be to him? Of none as to religion, unless poor finite man becomes willing to acknowledge his own nothingness, and submit his reasoning powers, with all the rest of his faculties, to the influence of the Spirit of God.

Many are the causes why right reason may HOT tror is full influence on the mind-the education on particular principles, either religious or moral; and these principles may have a tendency to contract the heart, and give an improper bias of the mind to the particular sentiments and opinions of others, or even to their persons. The state of the body may have a

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