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us fo to improve the fupreme and most godlike powers of our conftitution, and fo dif charge the duties impofed upon us by out Creator, that when we return into that filence we were in before we exifted, and our places fhall know us no more, we may pafs from the unstable condition of terreftrial affairs to that eternal ftate in the heavens, where everlafting pleafures and enjoyments are prepared for thofe who have lived in the delightful exercife of the powers of reafon, and performed all focial and kind offices to others, out of a fenfe of duty to God. Thus does truth oblige us. It is the bafis of morality, as morality is the basis of religion.

This, I think, is a juft account of moral truth and rectitude, and fhews that it is effentially' glorious in itfelf, and the facred rule to which all things muft bend, and all agents fubmit, But then a question may be asked, What need have we of revelation, fince reafon can fo fully inftruct us, and its bonds alone are fufficient to hold us; and in particular, what becomes of the principal part of revelation, called redemption?

Account of The fyftem of moral truth and revelation, (it may be answered) are united, and at perfect amity with each other. Morality and the gospel ftand on the fame foundation, and differ only in this, that revealed religion, in refpect of the corrupt and degenerate state

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of mankind, has brought fresh light, and additional affiftance, to direct, fupport, and fix men in their duty. We have hiftories which relate an early deviation from moral. truth, and inform us that this disease of our rational nature spread like a contagion. The cafe became worfe, and more deplorable, in fucceeding ages; and as evil examples and prejudices added new force to the prevailing paffions, and reason and liberty of will, for want of due exercise, grew weaker, and lefs able to regain their loft dominion, corruption was rendered univerfal. Then did the true God, the Father of the Universe, and the most provident and beneficent of Beings, interpofe by a revelation of his will, and by advice and authority, do all that was poffible, to prevent the self-deftructive effects of the culpable ignorance and folly of his offspring. He gave the world a transcript of the law of nature by an extraordinary meffenger, the Man Chrift Jefus, who had power given him to work miracles, to roufe mankind from their fatal ftupidity, to fet their thoughts on work, and to conciliate their attention to the heavenly declaration. In this republication of the original law, he gave them doctrines and commandments perfectly confonant to the. pureft reason, and to them annexed fanctions that do really bind and oblige men, as they not only guard and ftrengthen religion, but affect

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affect our natural fenfibility and felfishness. Religion appears to great difadvantage, when divines preach it into a bond of indemnity, and a mere contract of intereft; but exclufive of this, it must be allowed, that the fanctions of the gospel have a weight, awfulness, and folemnity, that prove to a great degree effectual. Safety and advantage are reafons for. well-doing.

In short, the evidence of the obligation of the duties of natural religion is as plain and Arong from reafon, as any revelation can make it; but yet the means of rendering thefe duties effectual in practice, are not fo clear and powerful from mere reafon, as from revelation. The proof of obligation is equally Arong in reafon and infpiration, but the obli gation itself is rendered ftronger by the gospel, by fuperadded means or motives. The primary obligation of natural religion arifes from the nature and reafon of things, as being objects of our rational moral faculties, agreeably to which we cannot but be obliged to act; and this obligation is ftrengthened by the tendency of natural religion to the final happiness of every rational agent: : but the clear knowledge, and exprefs promifes which we have in the gospel, of the nature and greatnefs of this final happinefs, being added to the obligation from, and the tendency of reafon or natural religion to the final happiness

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of human nature, the obligation of it is thereby ftill more strengthened. In this lies the benefit of chriftianity. It is the old, uncorrupt religion of nature and reafon, intirely free from fuperftition and immorality; delivered and taught in the most rational and eafy way, and enforced by the most gracious and powerful motives.

Trinity,

fice of the

But if this be the cafe, it may be afked, of the Where are our holy myfteries-and what Myfteries, do you think of our Redemption? If natural and Sacri reafon and confcience can do fo much, and Crofs. to the gospel we are obliged only for a little more light and influence, then Trinity in Unity, and the Sacrifice of the Crofs are nothing. What are your fentiments on thefe fubjects?

As to the Trinity, it is a word invented by the doctors, and fo far as I can find, was never once thought of by Jefus Chrift and his apostles; unless it was to guard against the fpread of tritheism, by taking the greatest care to inculcate the fupreme divinity of God the Father: but let it be a trinity, fince the church will have it so, and by it I understand one Uncreated, and one Created, and a certain divine virtue of quality. These I find in the Bible, God, Jefus the Word, and a Divine Afiftance or Holy Wind, (not Holy Ghost, as we have tranflated it): called a Wind, bécause God, from whom every good and perfect R 2

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gift cometh, gave the most extraordinary inftance of it under the emblem of a Wind; and holy, because it was fupernatural. This is the fcripture doctrine, in relation to the Deity, the Meffias, and the Energy of God; of which the Wind was promised as a pledge, and was given as an emblem, when the day of Pentecoft was come; and if these three they will call a Trinity, I fhall not dispute about the word. But to fay Jefus Chrift is God, though the apostles tell us, that God raised from the dead the Man Jefus Chrift, whom they killed; that he had exalted him at his right band, and had made him both Lord and Chrift; and to affirm that this Ghost (as they render the word Wind) is a perfon distinct and different from the perfon of God the Father, and equally fupreme; this I cannot agree to. If the fcripture is true, all this appears to me to be falfe. It is a mere invention of the Monks.

As to Redemption, it may be in perfect confiftence and agreement with truth and rectitude, if the accomplishment of it be confidered as premial, and as refulting from a perfonal reward: but to regard the accomplishment as penal, and as refulting from a vicarious punishment, is a notion that cannot be reconciled to the principle of rectitude. Vicarious punishment or fuffering appears an impoffibility: but as Jefus, by adding the

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