117. We do not cite other authors, so much to shew what were their opinions, "as to shew, how naturally truth sometimes prevail, by its own native clearness and evidence, even against the strongest and most settled prejudices.'

118. In our accommodation to prejudices, we readily admit, that a "Proof of understanding is shewn in respecting them; and directing them, at the same time, to the happiness of the Community."

119. Always preferring, in the solution of prejudices, a natural to an unnatural construction: we naturally conclude, that whenever the God of nature is described, as acting against the law of nature, inconsistently with His immutable attributes, and contrary to the implied, if not, to the expressed, law of the creation: the description is the false colouring of some assuming deputy; who with the passions and the properties, in general, of finite and mutable humanity, has presumptuously misrepresented the immutable and infinite properties of God!

120. We perceive the professors and advocates of revelation, diffusing, as the effusions of inspira

F

tion, principles in apparent contradiction, not only to the first injunction of that revelation, but acting in direct opposition to the evident end of the creation they describe; and the apparent design of the Creator they acknowledge; and that under the pretence of imitating, serving and pleasing Him!

121. We perceive the votaries of superstition, in avoiding the imputation of opposition to nature, imputing violations, permitted, to the immediate direction of that Being, whose attributes seem to have been mostly exerted in the frustration of human policy, and in counteracting their purposes in general, by the conversion of partial evil into general good.

122. We are too well aware of the evil effects of discussing religious dogmas comparatively; and too doubtful whether the devastation and, horror occasioned by disputes on reformation, have been compensated by proportionable reform, to agitate such questions on trifling distinctions.

123. We have compared sects, in most places, and have found " too equal a measure of absurdi

ties and horrors," to attempt a decision on their differences.

124. We perceive "too many generations of blind men tearing each other in the darkness that surrounds them," to dispute much about that internal light, which has hitherto tended more toward an external effect, in making the blindness of each visible to others, rather than to the individually enlightened.

125. In our philosophical future, there appears little need to descend to minute and recriminating cavils in our counteraction of superstitious fanaticism; but as Citizens of the World, in our detestation of superstition, as, in the higher degrees of fanaticism, among the most execrable pests of mankind, we will, in our universality, on an extended scale, continue its declared and open enemies wherever found.

126. For whenever, and wherever impotence, folly and malevolence are intruded, even in the name of God, we shall feel no difficulty in pronouncing them to be the substitution of the

creature.

127. For, rather than attribute such inconsis

tency to the divine Being, we impute theological contradictions and inconsistencies to those human beings, who, with natural contractions, have continually wandered into supernatural speculations; whose theological dictations have been one continued series of contradiction; and whose actions, founded thereon, have, mostly, been strongly marked with moral inconsistence; or, if consistent, to bear a most unnatural consistency; this tendency we shall always endeavour to avoid, not only when referring to the divinity, but to mankind.

128. We pretend neither to natural abilities, nor to inspiration, sufficient to controvert those points to general conviction; and we are well persuaded, that if such distinctions in belief were necessary to salvation, that the Being who would have all men to be saved, would afford all men the necessary means: therefore, with professed ignorance, and, with humility becoming that ignorance, we leave such questions to be determined at that period when we hope both to know, and to be known.

129. Thus, sufficient for us generally, is to know, that in innate Power, Wisdom, and Good

ness whenever and wherever naturally found, we can recognize the influence of the Creator!

130. That in Revelations, we recognize in the description of the Creation, in a figurative sense, a consistency with the Divine Attributes as manifested through Nature.

131. For Natural Religion being premised, and the possession of the common, and speaking generally, the immutable properties of our nature; were we in want of hypotheses, we might build them on the common foundation-the contradictory faith of mankind.

132. We might style our tenets, first principles, as described in the history of the Creation, and consider them, as constituting, not only the original, but the Universal Religion.

133. We might trace our principal tenets to the most remote period of this our second world, to its first family or Community, comprehending the whole of Rationality, and even to its oldest branch, and should there find its principles acknowledged in the promise, that, "while the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night